nomoredisco

Finding Time

I read this post by Pip Lincolne over at Meet me at Mikes yesterday.

It made me think about finding time to do all the things I want to do in life. Fun things, like spending time with the family, or my friends, or creating, or going out, or reading.

All of those things in between keeping house, doing paperwork and admin, having to stay up until 8.30pm in the evening with George after 13 hours of constant (both endearing and difficult) chatter from little people. 

I've done no crochet, knitting, writing (where. is. my. novel. eh?)

My house resembles a dumping ground.

I still haven't done the Christmas cards. 

My head is itching suspiciously. 

Today is NOT a highly productive day in the sort of way I wanted. However I have met a friend at a childrens Christmas party, childminded all day (including PAINTING!), taken George to his Christmas sing-a-long at preschool, had a playdate afterschool and spent hours with the children in the evening. So it's been good - but I feel frustrated. Madness.

Sometimes I think the biggest challenge having children is finding time to have some space to think, your own unhurried, logical (!) thoughts without having your mind whir with all of the family logistics (have I packed enough nappies? where are the babywipes/water bottle/ blanket/ cars that George took out? why the **** is that massive truck in the doorway? What are the bucket and spades doing in the bathroom? why is Mr Potato Head under the kitchen table? Where are the hats and gloves? Is it time to leave? What's for lunch? What do I need from the shops? Do we have any bread?) which are in turn constantly interrupted with chatter and questions and most recently questionable attempts at songwriting and joke delivering. It's not just the early mornings and the lack of budget that dissuade you from going out and being sociable, but the thirst, nay NEED for peace and quiet.

I went on two meditation courses earlier in the year and am aiming - at times very successfully for a daily practice. This seems to make me more productive, seems to make time more flexible and life a bit calmer in a way I can't really explain. I definitely believe in 'flow' and that there are habits and ways that facilitate this in our lives. Today however has not encouraged this, it's been clunky, which in turn has made me 'lose time' - does that make any sense?

I really agreed with Pip's article, lists, being healthy, reading.

What do you do to do more of what you enjoy? 

Bath and book for me. Probably followed by a nit comb... lovely. 

 

The week

:: Cowboys & Cowgirls ::

 

:: Christmas Trees ::

 

:: The Woods ::

 

:: Hot Chocolate ::

 

:: Toddler Group Christmas Party ::

 

:: The building continues ::

 

:: Tiger Again :: 

 

:: Grampy ::

 

I still have that bloody cough - no amount of manuka honey or ginger is shifting it. 

I've also resurrected the Tiger Woods Jumper, the UFO (unfinished object) I have failed to master for NEARLY TWO YEARS. I have spent more than 5 hours beginning the sleeves THREE times... I am confident it will be 4th time lucky. I just need an entire day, no interruptions, which of course is A TOTAL IMPOSSIBILITY.

I tell you, I have no intention of being beaten but for whatever reason I think that this particular project is cursed. And I also have nothing to show for my crafting efforts this week which is a little disappointing.

George is 3. 3!!! 

The nativity was this week - Ruby was extraordinary, completely unself conscious. She was a joy - and she jumped in the pool at swimming without holding anyone's hand. GOOD GIRL RUBY!!

I have yet to write my Christmas Cards. 

I have yet to feel on top of things. Feel like I am paddling furiously. 

But all in a good way.

 

A makedo House

Ah man. I locked myself out of my own house today. I've been out running to train for the half in February and taking the key off to stick in my pocket while Gwyn inevitably falls asleep with George. I don't want to end up getting locked out. Unfortunately I put the key back on the wrong set yesterday. 

Oh, I came home after another skin of my teeth drop off and couldn't get in. I'd been so chuffed up until that point with actually juicing for breakfast rather than later in the day. I tell you now, it is really quite demeaning to have to knock down the neighbours door to get to a loo, then running up the stairs with the words 'I just really need a wee!' it's just a little embarassing. It didn't especially set the day off on the right foot. They don't mention that in all the healthy blogs that cleansing oneself with all the juicy goodness can take you urgently into a place of complete discomfort do they? I am telling you now, juicing can change your life, quite seriously, but you have to be smart about when you load up, (and leave out the celery).

That little problem sorted I then got the bin juice all over my shoes because they hadn't been put out ("GWYN!!"), got to the car and little G did exactly what I had been fearing moments before. I put the 'let's try potty training' idea to bed right at that moment. 

Blah blah blah, it ended up being one of those sorts of days, lots of clunky disorganisation and being pretty annoyed with how everything was going and generally being annoyed with myself. It was not a bad day, just a bit bloody irritating.

Onto something less irritating, a bit more marvellous and sort of related to houses because I made a house out of it at the weekend. Makedo. 

It's a pack of connectors that you can make all sorts of cool stuff with. See here.


 

It's totally re-usable, allows you to be creative, encourages free play and retails at the tenner price mark. What is not to like?




Get some. Buy some for Christmas presents. Get your toy shop to stock it.

This, by the way, is not a sponsored post, merely a wildly enthusiastic endorsement.

Also, I got mentioned here, which pleased me and picked up my day no end. Thankyou!

The significant event of my birth

This week I've celebrated the happy event of my birth. Not the best photo but I received quite a lovely gift from Gwyn. It's got all our family names in this piece, I love it.

Last night I mixed my drinks, beer, wine and cocktails. I thought age came with wisdom. Unfortunately I have learnt nothing in this regard. I feel pretty rubbish!

Lots of exciting crochet stuff for next few days and some exciting packages in the post... can't write anymore, am a shadow of former self.

Indolence

"There is no wisdom without indolence. Nobody running at full speed has either a head or a heart." - Yeats

There's been no blogging for me for a while.

I think I can put it down to combination of the olympics being on, the summer holidays (and the attendant exhaustion) and some very problematic and time consuming 'family stuff' that I won't go into. That bit I am very fed up with. More than fed up. Not my immediate family you understand before anyone gets worried. Nor is it anything that will ultimately mean ANYTHING at the end of time but it was something that needed to be dealt with and addressed. Something I have allowed to get to me out of principle and something I have allowed to bring me down. Frustratingly it has fallen onto entirely deaf and self involved ears *punches the sofa* and more annoyingly is the acknowledgement that no-one can bring you down except yourself. 

The days that weren't punctuated with rubbish to do with that situation are happy and productive honestly, but they are so tiring! Why do the holidays seem more tiring when you ultimately are doing less, with nowhere to be by a certain time? No routine seems to mean the children go to bed later, there is less evening. Then those evenings have been drifting, watching sport until late. 

Last couple of days though I have been feeling overall pretty beaten. Pretty lethargic and massively stuck. Admitting that you have been revelling in one's own pity party doesn't read very well and I can only really apologise and take comfort in the fact that EVERYONE has weeks like that. It always brings me back to Mr Robbin's view that it takes a huge amount of effort to allow your mood to be depressed which is why presumably I feel so bloody exhausted.

We went out today to Nyman's. Helpfully the day started and continued with an olympic effort of moaning and whinging from our two. Doesn't he look happy in the picture above?! Yes! But it was momentary. The vast bulk of today George was fairly miserable. He whinged all the way to the car, in the car, at the gardens. OK, I'm being unfair, some of the day he was alright but he still managed to do his usual Houdini act in the car and get his arms out the straps (how I cannot phathom, they are tight) which presses our buttons, he sat in bushes, let his feet go from under him when we wanted him to walk. He refused to sit in the bath, he screamed at the top of his lungs when I moved the potty because I didn't want it on his head. And why am I suprised????!!! He's two!! Maybe he really doesn't want to go in the car. Maybe he doesn't want to go in the bath and I am making him do all this stuff! Maybe I should be putting a potty on my head! Maybe that's the answer to stop me being such a grumpy mummy! 

Anyhew, I'm feeling much better about everything this evening. Quite possibly because the children are asleep now and I am actually doing something I want to do. And now I don't feel so stuck it's time to get on with the crochet! 

With regards to the Yeats quote, let's hope all the wallow's going to make me very wise.

 

Knights!

:: George the destroyer ::

We were invited to a lovely birthday party at the weekend. But on Saturday morning I got up a bit bleary eyed (I went out 3 evenings last week. 3! I can't take that level of sociability) and realised that I probably should have got the enormous knight costume at the early learning centre on Friday morning rather than imagine I would make something that evening. Of course that evening George didn't/wouldn't go to bed until 9.30 by which point I'd cracked out the wine and crochet and had completely forgotten about it.

But in the end I did manage to make something resembling a knight tabardy type thing Saturday morning and it didn't take too long. It is VERY rough around the edges and I let George press the foot of the sewing machine so it went wrong in quite a few places but it did the job to make me feel like we'd made an effort to get into the theme of knights & dragons. 

Ruby being the only girl decided she wasn't going to be a knight and resolutely refused to be a princess as well, instead opting for a fairyish costume with her new Laura Ashley T-shirt that her nana got her. I felt a bit triumphant that I'd talked her out of a black and brown stripy one and managed to get her to change. Got to find some small victories in life.

:: Being scary ::

Had a fairly busy Sunday as well with the kids, beach in the morning - how I hate keeping track of them when it is so busy - and Wakehurst Place in the afternoon, which of course I love. It helpfully rained after all the effort of getting there but we managed to squeeze in a quick lunch and a bit of a walk.

 

I was inordinately tired after another evening burning the midnight oil with friends on Saturday night and an uncomfortable nights sleep in George's bunk. He fell out of bed at some point in the night and after scooping him up and calming him down, I obviously felt 10 steps back to my own bed was too much hassle. For some unphatomable reason Gwyn got the lie in on Sunday before heading to work. So today is very much the day to rest (after the school run of course) and get back on top of life. I've reached critical mass with the laundry after doing none for a week. Ruby helpfully pointed out earlier that the basket doesn't shut anymore and that it's all falling out meaning it's one load after another. I can barely contain my excitement. 

Have a good week!

 

Edinburgh

We went to Edinburgh last weekend - on a plane and everything, a long time has past since this has happened. Budget smallness not withstanding we still got to witness that amazing blanket of cloud:

And it was the longest amount of time we've spent away together just us, since Ruby. With the two of our little ones safely ensconced in the care of the grandparents we were free to roam the city for my friends Clare and Adam's wedding. 

What a gorgeous city - such breathtaking architecture that requires your full admiration at every corner, lots of great historic places to visit and plenty of shopping. No wonder it is over run with loads of visitors.

We dropped off our luggage at the premier inn lauriston place - (I do love a premier inn, is that sad to admit? you know exactly what you're getting, it feels very reassuring if you're somewhere new and alas we were not there on a hugely romantic weekend *fill in the blanks* but to celebrate someone else's - it fitted the bill for us... but I feel I'm digressing a bit. Anyway there is alot to be said for no suprises, aka a safe bet)

We got a good days sightseeing in - the castle, the parliament, LOTS of walking around

I got this brilliant photo of Gwyn at the castle

To stand alongside almost the same photo of his dad nearly 15 years ago

Finding the same spot was a game in itself. They look so similar it's scary.

We got some lovely thai food on this close:

And in the evening we ate at the Dome in Edinburgh which, as a venue, is just SPECTACULAR. As a destination for dinner? hmm... I'm giving it a 7/10. Things like a dirty napkin and table cloth when you sit down because someone has clearly had a cup of coffee there earlier... is the type of thing after years in the service industry that makes me feel a bit disappointed really. It's not a cheap restaurant and details like that - they make a difference. Plus the food, albeit nice enough was nothing special. 

We followed dinner with a cocktail at the Bramble Bar after a recommendation from twitter (got to love twitter!) we had a lovely bramble there but only after ditching a stray I'd managed to pick up at the Dome. 'L' and her other half were in Edinburgh for the half marathon on Sunday and quite possibly I couldn't have started chatting to someone more drunk or someone who could have infuriated/insulted Gwyn more in the time between leaving the Dome and getting to Bramble (probably about 5 minutes) Gwyn is quite possibly the most laid back and easy going guy you could meet but 'L' and he? Let's just say she did everything possible to make me shine (like the light I am *ahem*) She cussed his red desert boots, his tweed jacket and slagged off the lovely Bramble bar - leading us to the easiest get out clause 'if you don't like it.... LEAVE' - which, thankfully when delivered politely worked a treat and we had an early night before the nuptials on Saturday.

The wedding?

The wedding was BRILLIANT but I have no photos because it was at the Edinburgh caves and thus very dark, gothic and atmospheric and the iphone simply doesn't have the capability to capture the event. I know - lame. Take a look at the venue photos and you'll get an idea of what I mean

Here's me and the beaut bride the morning after the night before anyway. It was a really great celebration - a very happy way to spend a weekend. I can't believe we have known each other 19 YEARS!

And I got a ring too during my stay! Yes! I've been engaged since February - somewhere between sicksville and fluville and I've mentioned ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about it. Anyway that suffices as an announcement I think - I'm getting married to the lovely man above! AND I LOVE RED DESERT BOOTS AND TWEED JACKETS.

 

One month off!

I seem to have inadvertently taken an entire month off. Where has the time gone?! There's been a number of reasons for that - the familiar stuck feeling you get when you blog coupled with the physical incapability of sitting down compose a sentence. I was written off with that flu/non eating/sinusitis business for two and a half weeks in the end. Two and half weeks of aimlessness.

There was a lot of lying around on the sofa with the children for that time, neither of them were good either, all of us were sleeping it off or in my case 'resting it off' - I learnt that whatever it was we had was going round the playschool as well.

There were a few highlights in that fortnight of course, mothers day being one of them. That morning I got to go to a really sun drenched yoga class but I left with the most cracking headache after allowing my sinuses to fill up with total crap as I leant forward. The kids were absolutely lovely that day - we attempted a beach picnic but we cut this short pretty abruptly. One can only watch their children shiver uncontrollably with cold for about 10 seconds without feeling deeply uncomfortable about it.

Then, one day NO HEADACHE. It was AMAZING!!! You don't get to appreciate your health until after a period of feeling super substandard you get it back. I spent the rest of the week getting ready for Ruby's birthday party.

This was the best fun. It looks like one of those awful 80s cakes from a Jane Asher book. I particularly like the jelly fish in the 'sea'. 24 eggs went into making this baby, kilos of sugar and butter. URGH! It was gratifyingly popular though.

Ruby had a great time with all her little friends. It was that brilliant sunny weekend - we were so lucky with the weather! There was even a BBQ - IN MARCH!

I think though out of a day filled with highlights, my sister dressing up as a parrot is pretty up there - almost on a par with being so chuffed I'd managed 4 years as a mummy!

And that weekend after two nights at the bingo (I do love the bingo) I won £500! My first time of getting to call 'YES!' The other times I've won have been £4 here and there which was shared winnings from a friend's book. There's generally a 'split winning's agreement' between who I end up going with so we all left a bit flush and it paid for Ruby's new bike so I was pretty happy. Of course I've stretched that £165, justifying dress and book purchases on the back of it as well as 'putting it towards Ruby's party'. If only £165 really bought so much in real life.

The Sunday morning, Ruby was treated to a build a bear Hello Kitty by her nana. She was so so so happy. Just completely taken in by the whole process of making a friend. It is a great and very expensive concept and it was packed with children making birthday bears.

But then, things took another turn. We went to a birthday party a bit later and despite having an hour or so running around, Ruby started to shiver indoors, didn't want any party food on her plate and weakly asked me if she could go home. On the way back I popped into the shop and got a paper and I asked her if she fancied anything. She said no and I knew something was wrong. Ruby then ran a temperature for the next 5 days. She threw up everywhere within an hour of getting home. It was all over the stairs, hit the wall across the hallway. Just epic sick. And then of course I got it. The Monday I didn't get out of bed once. Norovirus was back. For the second time in three months!!!!

I'm not entirely sure I'm cut out for long distance running, everytime I have done a half marathon (2) or a marathon (1) I am REALLY unwell afterward. Acute bronchitis, flu, norovirus. You name it I catch it. Now the kids bring back all sorts of disgusting illness around with them I'm that much more susceptible to it and I'm sure my immune system can at best be described as suppressed since dad died. Whatever, it's very depressing all round. That was another week of recovery.

But finally, we are out and about again. Here's my mini bravehearts out in the outdoors. We watched far too much tv in March. There was no chance of driving or walking anywhere. I've done very little crafting. I think I have about 40 granny a days to catch up with. I will do it - I don't want to let that slide at all. (Even if it has slid big time!!) I just couldn't even concentrate on a granny square. The prospect of sorting out breakfast, lunch and dinner seemed insurmountable let alone bothering to pick up a hook and yarn. I really was ill.

Anyway - I've been better for what feel likes ages now, I just hadn't got round to visiting this space. I have plenty of crochet to photograph, a very special project is starting to take shape!

Health, happiness and all the good stuff to you

Amy X

Be a lighthouse

:: "Our good spirits are challenged in winter" - Yogi Tea ::

If I was really delusional I could probably convince myself the pressure headache, chronic dehydration and all consuming tiredness are because I'm experiencing epic jetlag. I've just flown long haul to somewhere really exotic and when I open my eyes I'm in a 5 star hotel. Oh no! I've opened my eyes and I'm at home, there are tissues everywhere and a suspect piles of chocolate biscuit crumbs beside me threatening to stain the sofa. And Peppa Pig is on. Again.

All of us are completely full of the cold. AGAIN. Ruby not so much but George and I have been in it for a few days now. The crappy sensation that starts a cold began on Saturday evening and I can safely say I have been a write off since then. I haven't really been able to read or crochet or enjoy all the sofa time at all. The highlight of my days comes if I can squeeze in a sleep! Today's a bit different though, despite the headache I can feel I'm on the mend. YAY!

Don't you love yogi tea? I got this in the health food shop this morning. It sounded fairly appropriate: 'Cold Season' It doesn't particularly taste of anything I don't think (though not much is tasting of anything) but I do love the idea that its 'to remind us of the splendors and delights of summer.' After the last few days I am very much looking forward to summer!

The crocheted block above is from this book. I am working on a secret project for a friend and plan to do a block a day for the next month or so alongside my granny a day. I really like the idea of focusing on a project and splitting it into manageable chunks rather than binging on a project and leaving it unfinished. I'll share more when it's almost done. Speaking of that granny a day project I am now 6 days behind. Eek. Maybe if I stay up past 7 this evening (It could happen!!)

I seem to have boxes of different granny squares everywhere around the house!

I definitely know I'm feeling a bit better because I'm starting to make lists again and high on the list is to make something with all these crocheted bits. List making is always a good indication I think.

Hope everyone's well and happy X

Friday Feeling

:: Best picture of the week ::

Very slow start this week. My legs were aching!

I couldn't face taking Ruby to pre-school on Monday - the hill I live on was too much to contemplate and driving felt beyond me (AND very lazy as its only a matter of minutes away)

Lots of sitting on the sofa and not doing very much for a couple of days.

:: Marbulous ::

But when a new set of marbulous arrived to supplement the existing, I made this.

Unsupervised about 20 minutes later George had karate chopped it into bits.

:: At nana's (my nana's!) ::

We've been to Nana's - that's my nana's, their grand nana's - where the children spend all their time eating biscuits! Within seconds of walking through the door you are guaranteed to hear Ruby say, 'nana, I think I'm a bit hungry' - woe betide if nana ever runs short on biscuits. Do nanas ever run short on biscuits?!

:: After a heavy biscuit session ::

When we got back, George had fallen asleep in the car, Gwyn carried him into the lounge, took off his shoes, put them in the cupboard under the stairs and came back to this.

 

:: All too much ::

I couldn't bear to wake him so he slept while we had dinner and instead we all had a very late night!

 

:: Cornflour GOO ::

Today there was no preschool and we made cornflour goo (2 parts cornflour to 1 part water) I'd forgotten just how satisfying this stuff is! Ruby was entertained for about an hour. When you apply pressure to it, it's solid, when you hold it up and let gravity do it's job it's liquid. The science bit is here.

:: Cornflour 2 ::

If you were feeling particularly reckless you could always add food colouring. Today, I wanted to keep it simple as we had just been potato printing already and there was paint everywhere.

:: Perfect potatoes ::

Up until last week it had never occurred to me to use cookie cutters to get the perfect potato print shape. I must be daft. Only because there was a text request for a cookie cutter from one of my friends that helps organise the toddler group did the possibility even come to light. I've always muddled through with a knife, trying and failing to make shapes, all very unsatisfactory. But a cookie cutter in the potato and then the knife? Perfect potatoes. Doh!

:: Raw chocolate brownies ::

And where did all my energy come from today? I'll place good money on my green smoothie, some raw pasta and these, raw chocolate brownies, the recipe for which can be found here.

Over the last year or so I've been amassing a random collection of 'new to my kitchen' ingredients and equipment, new recipe books and I've added some new 'raw' blogs to my feed. It slowly starts to creep in as you realise eating more fresh inventive food is not only really exciting but gives you loads more energy and makes you feel better.

In a happy coincidence (serendipity?) there was a lone bag of detox your world cacao powder at my local health shop and I remembered a recipe on Polly's blog that I've been wanting to try out. I am guilty of a bit of an addiction to Galaxy chocolate. Hands up, every night I have a bar. Or a big bar. Easily. But I'm thinking more and more along the lines of curbing this, particularly as it's starting to feel like I'm having it for the sake of it and I'm starting to notice the taste is beginning to feel artificial (I know!!!! Worrying!!!) Cacao is an amazing superfood because there are over 25,200 anti-oxidants per spoonful (Anti-oxidants are molecules capable of interacting with free radicals which can damage vital molecules in our cells. They slow the aging process and strengthen the immune system.) You would be hard pressed to find anything with as many anti-oxidants per spoon. There is more information here.

:: George and his brownie ::

George and I couldn't get enough of this dark, rich, dense chocolatey concoction. Actually, that's a bit of a lie, it is so rich I had to stop. George could have happily munched a ton of the stuff so convinced he was that it was chocolate (he is completely addicted to the stuff and frequently asks for it on waking)

This, however was Ruby's reaction:

:: Not happy ::

She hated it, in the same way that George hated the cornflour goo. So hard to please them both at the same time!!

I felt like I'd had a coffee after mine. A bit buzzy, which is quite a strange sensation for me, I probably have a coffee now about once every six months and I get so clumsy and a little bit disorientated I resolve never to have it again. I managed to smash a bowl and stick the high speed blender on full of water without the lid on today....skills.

:: Flowerbed ::

Anyway, for the first time in quite a few weeks I've had enough motivation and energy to try and sort the garden out a bit. This mysterious grass that smells of spring onions has surfaced in every available bit of soil in my flowerbed and I've been really worried it'll be choking my bulbs. Not worried enough to do anything about it until now, but today was the day.

:: Answers on a postcard ::

I don't know what it is (I don't really know anything about gardening!) but the roots are shallow mostly and abundant.

In the end I managed to clear it a little...

... and now hopefully my crocuses and tulips will be a bit more noticeable when they flower.

In any case now it's dry I intend to spend a little time in the garden everyday clearing and beautifying, it was very calming and satisfying today. And the children loved being out there for the first time in months I think.

Have a great weekend!

X