Skip to main content

Reality beckons

It's probably the case that when you have finally got round to the one job you promised yourself you wouldn't duck our of during your extended break, it is about time to head back into the work place. In my case it's clearing out the show cupboard. I know this shouldn't be such a big thing but its one of those jobs I've thought about getting around to for about the last 2 years and can just never sum up the energy. I woke up the other day though and though 'today is the day'. I was so proud of myself (while being a little bit stunned at just how many pairs of barely used football boots we seem to have accumulated -we don't even like football in this family!)

I lined them all up outside and then got everyone to be really ruthless about what they actually wear and what could go. In the end it only took a couple of hours to sort, hoover and replace. After all that procrastination! It did feel very good afterwards and I can start my new job knowing I've made full use of my time off!!

The last 2 weeks have been absolutely perfect. I have relished spending time at home, simple routines, lots of dog walking, yoga, running, time with the kids and then of course Glenn and I had our trip to Rome. Our few days away were just lovely. We had amazing weather, saw many sights we hadn't seen previously (well I did, Glenn limited his tourist activities to a few wanders around the city and a concerted ice cream eating effort).  I made the most of the time, clocking up over 30,000 steps every day and seeing the things I wouldn't go to with him - The Botanical Gardens, Galleries and Museums . I saw more naked renaissance art than you can shake a stick at and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The girls also had a ball, looked after by Kerrie so everyone happy.

For the first part of half term we had Ben and Laurie come and stay for a couple of nights, as ever causing MAJOR excitement for all 4 kids. They came by train again and all disappeared straight into town for a few hours while I got my hair cut.
 This was a fine idea, except I should have put a limit on the amount of sugar they were allowed to consume as by the time I collected them I think they'd eaten their body weight. This meant they then had a sugar crash which All but Abi handled well - she just dissolved into a heap. Standard practice at the moment so we coped.
After an evening where I seemed to shout a lot and no-one took any notice, on Wednesday we went to the Water Park and they had a ball - definitely not too cool for massive water slides just yet I'm pleased to say. After a trip home where I smiled to hear Ben and Laurie tell Abi to be nicer to me given id just taken them all out, we stopped at the services as apparently they all (well, Abi) needed to eat NOW! We then sat down to watch Bohemian Rhapsody where it was patently clear Laurie had missed a vital part of his musical education. He had no idea who Freddie Mercury was!!! We sadly put them back on the train after too short a trip - they were superstars.

The rest of half term we had the unexpected pleasure of Abi not being away after all. With hormones kicking in she doesn't know what she wants half the time but was quite clear she did want to be close to us and so rather than go to Angie's she ended up staying put. This meant we had a lovely few days and ended up on one afternoon with Abi and I crafting a complete stable block out of a cardboard box (didn't do a bad job if i saw so myself), while Izzy baked cookies and then we all did some drawing. Its amazing how much easier some of this comes when you are completely relaxed!

Today the kids went back to school after an unseasonable warm weekend (sheets out on the line to dry in February!!) and i crashed back to reality with a work trip to London - eek! I'm back again on Wednesday for a day of shadowing Audit Committee and Risk Committee, before starting proper next Monday. I cant believe my time off has come to an end so quickly but I had the best time and so I can happily say I'm heading into my new role rested, relaxed and ready for the next phase.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas...

I was sure I write the blog last week.... but, it seems another 2 weeks have flown by and now we are staring down the barrel of the Christmas holidays and the end of the year! Currently it's all about Doug and what a star he has proved to be so far. He has now been with us for 3 weeks and he is (so far, I keep thinking at some point it will change) a pretty chilled out puppy. As a second dog he has been thrown in at the deep end and has been to Sunday lunch with Alan & Sarah (which he loved), socialised at home with friends and their dogs, met babies (he loved Elsie) and started to go for walks. The walking has been a bit different to our previous approaches with new dogs. In the past we have ventured out carefully, making sure that our new baby only walks a short distance so they can experience all the new sights and sounds. Doug's first walk was after Sunday lunch last week, just him and 8 other dogs for bout 45 mins - he loved it! In our defence we didn't let him wal...
Post a Comment
Read more

Naked gardening!

How wonderful it is to be of an age that when the sun comes out you just strip off and get naked.  Izzy is definitely still 'get naked whoever is around'. Abi is now a little more conservative and does at least check who might be watching, but yesterday there was none of this as they both enjoyed the early May bank holiday sunshine and a spot of 'gardening' (otherwise known as 'mud-pies').  Watching them as they played on the patio, then roaring around the garden chasing each other just reinforced again how lucky we are to have the house and garden we do. So 2 days of playing together, inseparable as ever, followed by today where Izzy was invited to go to Marwell Zoo with Aran, on her own!  Poor Abi was devastated that she hadn't also been invited ("Why didn't they invite me Mummy, it's not fair!"), and even Izzy was a bit put out ("Don't they realise we are sisters Mummy?"). So after many tears and suggestions they get u...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cough, cough

Izzy - can't do a photo without rude finger gestures It's fair to say that the last couple of weeks have been rough. I managed to get the cough Mum had a while back and it has been horrible! Both Dad and Glenn seemed to get a very mild version of it but Mum and I got the full dose and I can safely say that it has been a stark reminder of just how bad a viral infection can be. It also illustrates the whole Covid experience - some get it worse than others. For me it has meant that for over 2 weeks I have had the worst cough which has left me unable to sleep properly. I still can't sleep lying down fully, and have to be propped up on pillows on my back which is not my favoured sleeping position! It has also meant that Glenn has spent the last 10 days in the spare room because I have been coughing so badly he is unable to sleep in the same room. Thank goodness we didn't all have it - we'd have shaken the house to its foundations! It has also meant that I have been exhau...
Post a Comment
Read more