Still cleaning...

Actually, not as much as yesterday. I think I did about 8 baskets of laundry...now if only I looked this sexy while I cleaned...

Anxious

Feeling pretty anxious at the moment. So of course am in the middle of a cleaning FRENZY...can't stop, need to go vacuum now...

Profound

I've just finished reading to my kids. We tried to do the "normal" bedtime routine because last night I just put the kids in bed & the next thing I knew when I'd made a cuppa & finally sat down for a break I heard a little noise & realised my son had dragged his pillow out of his room & was hiding right next to the lounge room watching my M rated DVD (Band of Brothers) from the hallway...

"Eric what are you doing up?"

"I need to be near you mummy!"

What do I say to that? Of course I had to go & read to him & snuggle. It is pure joy of course, but it always makes me smile that he is such a creature of routine...

Anyhoo, I was skipping through some of blogs I like to visit from time to time & came across this amazing post called "What does the damage?".

I'm putting it here because I found these thoughts so profound - especially since I had just read "The Good Samaritan" with the kids...the words of Jesus still ring so true today. I wonder if I would be brave enough to pull over to help someone? 

I did pick up a lady recently who was trudging, upset through the rain. 

My kids said "Why are we stopping to pick her up Mummy? Do we know her?"

"No sweeties, but if I was out there I'd hope someone would stop to help me!" [I didn't add "Preferably not some psychopathic killer intent on having me as his next victim." This is something that unfortunately always comes to mind though.]

I hope that some of these lessons help them learn more about life. I hope that they will grow into generous loving people. I'm certainly no Angelina Jolie but I can do what I can & try to keep my heart open to these opportunities? I know I am too trusting, but I try to hope for the best in people. It breaks my heart to think that this man is so wounded  because of the lack of love shown to him...yet someone must have stopped in the end? I hope so...

Planting

Eric & I have been outside this morning - weeding, hanging up washing (so it must be going to rain) & planting a seed mix near the back door. We got all green. D is very much a "aussie natives" kind of guy so most of our garden is natives, however one little corner up the back is "mine" so it's Bonnie's fairy garden. There's an ugly bottle brush in it which I'd LOVE to get taken out. Anyway, a friend was saying the other day that she has moved & has lovely plants she has dreamt of having her whole life (she's 70) & said she's growing a lovely English cottage garden. I thought - gee, I love cottage gardens, I should plant something for me too...before I'm 70! So I've put lots of lovely mulched soil into my pots & some "worm wee" & a seed mix...if it doesn't grow then I'll buy small plants to re-pot. Anyway, that was fun to do with Eric. Unfortunately I have much to learn about gardening. We just spent 10 mins weeding together...it's never ending. How nice Dad's garden was - HOW did he keep all those weeds out? I guess he used to weed more than I do...

Are there any books for gardeners with "Black Thumbs"??

Correction...

After describing Eric as a jumping smashing breaking 4 year old I feel like I should just correct that today, as I took him to the same shop that Bonnie was in on Sat - she fell in love with a little scented soft Puppy Dog toy so I thought I would sneak back there asap to buy it. Eric is going to give it to her for Christmas. Hey big spender - it was only $4.95 so I thought that was pretty cool...but what really shocked me was how great Eric was. He didn't run all over the shop & warned me when I was about to trip on a skateboard. Now THAT would have been memorable!! Anyway, this shop is full of JUNK, but it's cheap stuff - great ribbons, paper, boxes, stickers, & all manner of things...most of the shop is decked out for Christmas of course so Eric LOVED looking at all the blow up Snowman & the flashing lights dispayed - he was just as sweet as Miss Bonnie & he didn't touch anything much unless he checked with me first. What a gem. He is growing up so fast. 

Then he came shopping to another place with me to laybuy a few small things for cousins etc. He was very good - no whining "I want this, I want that" & was quite satisfied with a Tic Tac when we put the trolley away. Perhaps some of those lessons are starting to pay off...I thought I'd be about 80 before they "got it"? He was even satisfied in sitting in one of those machines that takes your money & then rocks & wiggles & scares the kids outside a shop. He sat on the car & pretended it was working because I told him I didn't have any money left AND I don't like putting money in them anyway...he is a character that little man! This little bub in the photo is LONG GONE....

Frazzled Shopping Mum

Just back from a budget shop with Bonnie. People were in such a rush, we were getting mown down by trolleys...do I really move that slow, or has everyone else picked up their pace since I was out last. I went through a big gift shop & Bonnie was so delighted by all the ornaments & decorations. It was lovely to be there with a 7 year old for a change, & not a jumping breaking smashing hiding 4 year old. She certainly has come a long way...it was so lovely to be out with her...There is a day coming up when Eric will be at Preschool & Bonnie has finished school & we are planning a "Bonnie & Mummy Day". So lovely to be out with my daughter today. Even though she broke the shoes & crown off the brand new fairy I bought her as we - brace yourself, yes, we ate JUNK FOOD - went to Maccas for lunch because we were starving & the local sandwich bar was packing up...

Anyway, the food is packed away, the car is in the garage, the kids have eaten, the jug has boiled & I am about to have a cuppa & put my feet up on the lounge before the next fight breaks out...

Keep Calm & Carry On...

from the very hip SFGIRLBYBAY!!

How I would love to buy one of these posters...

It's on my wish list...

Lazy lazy day....

Well, it's a miserable cold wet day here. Lovely to be snuggled up indoors. There are things I should be doing of course - laundry, chores, cleaning, making appointments, but I just want to go back to bed with a hot cup of coffee & a good book. 

We are in the process of borrowing the series Band of Brothers from Quick Flix. Just amazing to think anyone made it out of WW2 & survived that horror? So proud of my family members who were involved...  although they tried to make the series as realistic as possible I don't think it can really convey the horror of what it must have been like?

Poor D working from home today. I think the dramas from this term have really taken a toll on him...I'm seeing him going backwards...it's so hard. I wish things were different, but...can't do anything much about it all now. Might have to start looking for p/t work for next year. Big sighs of frustration...finally get Eric off to 3 days of Prep & I'm going to have to go to work!!??

And how cute is this kids room??

Friday Fun!!!

I just LOVE rainbows & all things BRIGHT!!!!! 

I saw this room in Apartment Therapy. There's always a room there to make me smile...despite the fact MY STOVE BROKE TODAY...ahhhhh. This makes me happy. (The pictures, NOT the crappo stove.)

Just been sitting watching Persuasion again - by Austen - with a bowl of popcorn. When it was on TV I had to skip through most of it. I

 love Friday. Bonnie's at school, Eric's at Preschool...Mummy can do some cho

res then put her feet up for some MUMMY TIME...YIPPEE!!!!!!!

What's up Doc?

Just back from the gym & the shops, mind buzzing with many ideas & jumbled thoughts about things to do etc.

Thinking of Kerrie up in a QLD hospital, thinking about poor D with the flu, thinking about how great Medicare was, thinking about how disorganised I am for Christmas this year & wondering what I can do about that...that doesn't involve crawling into a hole & giving up! Thinking about Eric going to Prep Orientation tomorrow. Thinking about school & how this term has managed to suck D dry - emotionally & mentally & now physically. How everybody just thinks he's pulling back because he needs the rest, (only very partly true) yet the people around him haven't made this term easy for him at all....sigh sigh sigh.

Thinking thinking thinking...

Want to get started on my Christmas parcel for "someone" connected to the Sew Liberated site, but I don't know who that is yet...waiting waiting waiting...

Off for a cuppa & to grab my Library bag, just full of freshly borrowed books - JOY!!!!!!

USA

Wow...there is a new President in America today. Barack Obama. My kids & I sat watching the news while I tried to explain that this was history in the making...I even got teary during his speech...it will be interesting to see what lies ahead. There are huge expectations & a huge load on his shoulders. I hope he is able to help America...

Weary weary weary...

These last few weeks have been so stressful & draining - for all involved. 

There's been a lot going on in our lives here regarding D's work...

I don't even want to write about it, because I'm all "talked out". 

Just feeling very disappointed & sad about how these weeks have played out...

Big sighs here...

I haven't been able to get to the gym for about 2 weeks now, so that is making me feel bad too. 

Life really is full of these ups & downs. 

I have to get ready to visit my Lupus specialist...although with all of this going on, I forgot to have my tests, so I don't know if it's worth me even going to see him? I'll have to find out. Yesterday I was so mentally & physically exhausted that I got up, go the kids breakfast & fell back into bed. I kept Bonnie home because I just couldn't face taking her to school. That sounds ridiculous I know. Both of us - D & I - were just so exhausted that we had a self indulgent day, or rather a "crash" day...

What a cheery post!?

This Friday is a big school concert called "For One Night Only" that started when I was a music teacher there. D is going to play in an item or two, & Bonnie wants to go. Although she never wants to be on the stage she told me...hee hee. I don't think I will go because Eric won't sit still, then he'll just want to go to bed. 4 is a little young perhaps?

Next week he has his Prep orientation day. He is so excited!!

Well, I'd better get up & going. 

I am really enjoying reading Rise by Ingrid Poulson...perhaps when I get a chance I could write a whole post about that book?  

In the meantime, I'm off in my surreal world that I can't really talk about...gotta love work politics...