How do single parents do it?

My daughter overheard a conversation between a couple of male teachers with small children the other day, where they were discussing a friend whose wife had left him.  One said that he felt really sorry for him because he had a two year old daughter.  "I wouldn't like to do it on my own," he said, "It would be so lonely."  

This weekend would have been impossible with only one parent in my house.  

My son has signed up to do the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award and next weekend he will do his practice walk. We had decided to do a practice, Practice Walk this weekend, whatever the weather so that we could test the back pack, camel pack water bottle and walking boots.

We left the house and started walking.  The sky was beautiful blue, so we sang Mr Blue Sky.  The fields were gold, inspiring a short burst of Eva Cassidy.

We were having a great time and the dog found some new friends.

The backpack seemed to be working well.

As we walked we found a bridge made of pipes that we knew The Long Suffering Husband would like.  We knew he was missing out on this because he was at home, being the 'calm-"you-can-do-all-the-work-you-need-to-do-for-your-Alevels"-parent.'

Just as we started to get excited because we could see the penultimate lock it became clear that year 9 is a stupid year for boys to do the DofE. Year 9 boys grow in very unpredictable ways.  Just one month ago the new walking boots were too big.  Now his toes are pushing at the ends and his big toenail split.  It's a good job we did the practice walk.

We arrived and made a phone call to The Long Suffering Husband to collect us.  6.4 miles was enough practice and the dog had sticky buds in his armpits and was beginning to find walking uncomfortable.  I rang home and there was no reply.  I rang 'Dad' on my mobile and whilst my Dad was really pleased that we were at Paper Mill Lock he had no idea why I had rung him.  Ringing the correct number was no help, as he didn't hear it (never does!).  I rang my daughter's mobile and she told me that he'd gone to play golf.  Now, I was beginning to panic.  Luckily, there was a boat coming through the lock to watch.

In times of crisis, the only thing to do is eat, so we had lunch.

While we were eating, the Long Suffering Husband rang because he hadn't been on the golf course but in the Supermarket, where there is no phone signal.  He had finished the washing, cleaned the cars,  said, "Don't worry, it'll be fine a few times." and bought enough food to last the week.  He arrived just in time for cake.  Good timing.

At home I bathed the dog, cleaned the bath, checked Spanish homework, accompanied Saxophone practice, went for a swim with son (to help him get his physical part of DofE) and took daughter out to teach her how not to park a car while L.S.H. cleaned the house, cut the grass and made dinner.

How do people do it on their own?