So I had an appointment card from the Dentist - with three appointments - one for each child. I very "efficiently" transcribed the times onto my calendar, and then threw the card out. [A valiant but misguided attempt at dejunking my life...]

As this week progresses I check the calendar and make strategic arrangements to fit the appointments around the usual afternoon activities. Monday morning's one goes off without a hitch. Take kid to 9.00 appointment; drop her late at school. [And hope like hell the hygienist's analogy of badly cleaned and unflossed teeth smelling like the bottom of a garbage bin makes some impact on the 14 year old who often "forgets" to clean her teeth.]

By Tuesday I'm thinking ahead to the next day, and I'm eyeing off the Wednesday afternoon madness, which includes a 4.40 dentist appointment for Zoe. I turn to a friend and we come up with a complicated car pooling arrangement, whereby my eldest gets a lift with her to town for netball, and in return I arrange to pick up one of her kids from a local activity and bring her home with me until the husband gets home.

During Wednesday I get a courtesy call from the Dentist to remind me of the 4.40 appointment on Thursday afternoon. Duh! Got that wrong didn't I. But Wednesday afternoon suddenly gets easier, and I make a mental note for Thursday. (The term 'mental' here, in retrospect, is apt.)

Thursday I have tennis, and then I stop by the shops on my way home. I am chuffed with myself for being assertive with the jewellers when I go to return the watch I bought Alison for her birthday. "We only exchange or give store credit." Me [firmly, and 3 times to separate assistants going up the scale in seniority]: "No... I was told I could get a refund if my daughter didn't like it. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT IT IN THE FIRST PLACE OTHERWISE." They finally gave me the refund.

At home I spend some time counselling middle child about how to deal with the fact that the friend who spent time here the previous evening blundered in and 'had a go' on the friendship bracelets Ali was making for her rep teammates, making mistakes and making more work for Alison.

We realise the time and race off to her netball training, and I get chatting instead of coming home. Then I get a call from eldest daughter at home. The dentist's have rung, and I've missed the 4.40 appointment! DOH! They must get so frustrated with people who do that, particularly when they give the courtesy call reminder the day before.

Damn this memory failure thing. Was I was too flushed with my own rare display of determined, yet polite assertiveness in the shop? Or the fact that I was filling my mind with an unnecessary amount of 'chuffedness' re the fact that I actually played quite well at tennis thankyouverymuch!

Am I on the slippery slope to early onset Alzheimers, or is this normal for mothers? (Of my age?)

Can I get a memory upgrade?

Or do I just now and for the rest of my life need a system where I record things in 10 different places as memory prompts?

So this morning I've phoned the dentists and done my apologies. And rescheduled. And written up the other appointment scheduled for Monday afternoon on my odds and ends reminder whiteboard - heaven help me, I don't want to forget that one.

Labels: daily, doh, losing my mind