How wide is a doorway?

Surely this has to be an easy everyday task. It was freezing cold yesterday but I had two crying babies who desperately needed a sleep and we had run out of bread. I figured I would wrap the girls up with snowsuits, blankets, mittens and the rain cover and take them on a short walk down the road to the local bakery.

We made it out of the house into temperatures of -1 degrees. Baby A insisted on pulling off her mittens in between sobbing. Every few metres I stopped to put the mittens back on or cover her with the blanket. For some reason she was rather determined to have her hands exposed to the elements and they became colder and colder. Baby E was altogether better behaved and kept her mittens on under her blanket.

I battled against the cold and reached the steamed up windows of the bakery. I pushed open the door and took in the fabulous smell of freshly baked bread. With both girls still awake and Baby A still screaming I tried to push the stroller through the doorway. All those inside, quietly sipping a mid morning coffee, turned to see who was disturbing their cappucino.

I got the stroller half way through the doorway but no further. For some reason I couldn't get the back wheels in and it seemed to be too stressful to continue so I reversed. Not wanting to leave the girls outside on their own I asked the owner to put 2 loaves of bread in a bag for me. I pulled out a £5 note and put my arm through the doorway to give it to him. Meanwhile I held open the door for a lady to pass through with a single stroller. She entered in a far more refined manner than I had attempted.

I waited in the cold and out came the owner with my bread and change. As I was fumbling to put my change away the door opened once more and I held it open for the lady with the single stroller to exit.  She didn't even thank me. I however am forever profusely grateful for anyone who holds open a door for me and my girls even if we don't always make it all the way through.