It was the worst of days, it was the worst of days.

It really didn't matter that we all wanted my first day back at work to be fabulous. Because what we want and what we get have often never met. But yesterday what I wanted and what I got had not only never met but hated each other (despite never meeting) so much that they could not have been more opposite if they had been the north and south poles.

Monday

1am

I stayed up to cheer Casey Stoner on in the French Moto GP. I fell asleep as Rossi over took him. I feel in light of the days coming events I shouldn't have bothered as I seemed to be carrying around a huge bad luck vibe. In the end Stoner couldn't have come any more last. Rossi won.

5:30am

Poppy woke up for a morning feed. I gave it to her but worried that it was too early as I had wanted to feed her closer to the time I was leaving home. Too bad you can't reason with a four month old.

6am

My alarm went off for the first time since December 15th 2007. I had 1 hour to get ready so no sneaky snooze alarm for me this morning. Get dressed in the cold. Do hair and make up in the cold. Get boys breakfast in the cold.

7am

Go out in the colder and drive to work.

7:30am

I got to work as one of the two school buses was pulling out of the yard. Rob (the bus boss, driver and the person with whom I am meant to be driving with today) reverses. I quickly scan the other seat on the bus and detected an assistant already there. That's alright, I think to myself, I'm probably on the other bus, I don't know yet that it's going to be a bad day so I'm optimistic. Rob busts my bubble without delay. "What are you doing here?" Obviously the bus boss was not expecting me.

7:32am

I'm not on the bus and I'm 1 1/2 hours early for work. So I went on a tour of the school because since I am here last we have had major redevelopments and there are new classrooms and buildings to check out.

7:50am

Tour over. 1hour and 10 mins to kill before school starts. I read the newspaper. I had a drink of water. I talked for a minute with my new boss when he came in at 8:20am. He said I should talk to his deputy, she's responsible for HR.

8:50am

My old friends and staff members start getting to work so lots of hugs and "how you been?"s I find out I'm going to be working with a substitute teach today but that's okay because she's good. She works here all the time, so I don't have to tell her what to do on my first day back.

Things go well for a bit

12pm

I got a punch in my arm from a teenage male while helping him to wash a plate.

2:15pm

I got a head butt for a very tall student whom I love to work with. And will be working with nearly every day.

3:04pm

I called Mick to see how he went today. We are so in sync. He got very frustrated with Poppy for not drinking and lots of crying (Poppy noy Mick) and Gus sucked down a heap of teething gel, which Mick discovered can cause vomiting, diarrhea and depressed breathing. Close observation required no symptoms displayed.

4pm

I forget to pick up Amy from work.

6:15pm

I realise I forgot to pick up Amy from work

when Mum comes to my house to pick her up. But she's not here. I tell Mum and in less than a second she is out the door, in the car and out the driveway. It took Mum 8 mins to get to Amy's work and she's not there. Mum is freaking now. Meanwhile I have called Ingrid to find out if anybody called her as an emergency contact because they didn't call me. I call Amy's house to see if she is at home, no answer. And as an extra measure I call Amy's work to see if anyone is still there. Nope.

6:25pm

I put all the kids in the car and head to Mum's house just for something to do. Mum calls me just as I am leaving the driveway. She has tears in her voice as she tells me that she found Amy on the front porch at home. Amy didn't have the right key and couldn't get in when a supervisor dropped her home 2 hours earlier. I feel so bad and think it's best to save all my biggest apologies for when I see Mum and Amy together. So I just tell Mum that's good and I will see her soon. At least I have remembered to bring the shopping bags that Mum left at my house so unceremoniously. This is small consolation for forgetting to pick up her baby, but I have to start making amends somewhere.