Tuesday 14 October 2014

I am. I try to be. I am not.






I am
  • Cold – all of a sudden it’s Autumn and Autumn with a vengeance. The sandals are gone. I need to get some new socks and dig out my boots.
  • Enjoying days out – We went to the zoo at the weekend. LittleR was so, so, so excited to see a real elephant!
  • Going on another cookery course next week. I've not really challenged myself with technique but chosen things we might like to eat again in the future. I’m still using the goulash recipe I learnt a while ago very regularly.
  • Making lists. Of things I need to do at work. Of things I need to remember to do at home. Of things to make. Of ideas for things for the blog. Of books to read and books I've read. Of stuff to cook. Suddenly realising there’s a name for all the info keeping – a commonplace book.
  • Reading lots. I've found my mojo again I think. And I've lots of new book ideas from Laura and the year in books.
  • In awe that people can actually read. BigR is doing phonics at school. She’s blazing a trail in phonics and I’m struggling to keep up – letter sounds, blending, and the songs…I keep using the wrong tune with the rhyme!! Learning to read is really hard – especially for the parents!!


I try to be
  • Patient. In all aspects of my life but especially with small children.  I’m finding it hard to moderate my voice and not let the frustration show. I know I’m not the only one attempting  to get shoes/uniform on, hair sorted toys off the middle of the stairs all in the 2 minutes before we leave the house. I have to remind myself that BigR is only five. And might need to be told more than once with extreme patience.
  • On top of things and I think I’m getting there. Term started, my admin support went off sick and my Mum had surgery. I was super busy at work and then really tired. The kind of tired that creeps up on you and you fall asleep with the light on and wake up at 1am and have to get up out of bed to turn stuff off. I've been absent from here and from commenting and I've missed it. Here's to normal (whatever that is) service being resumed shortly..
  •  Happy to be sat outside in the rain at a children’s party. Still it was better when the other children went home and I got a go. Thank goodness I’d been prescriptive about pelvic floor exercises!!


I am not
  • Going to tire of old rom coms. I love You've Got Mail. It’s very good ironing fodder. And full of great (and coffee related) quotes “The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino.”
  • Able to remember how to join the initial circle in a granny square and then start the next row. I'll have to youtube it.
  • Able to stop buying new mugs. This one is particularly comfy in the hand.


I saw this great post from Jennifer and then this good one from Leanne and felt it was a good way to ease back in.

10 comments:

  1. I love a nice new mug, too. I too find it very difficult to be patient with my children, they are all over the place, demanding and all have selective hearing loss. I try but sometimes I think I need to show my frustration so the kids don't assume all is great. A good sock takes time to knit! It will still be freezing cold in January, or even in March :) xx

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  2. I've been enjoying these posts too. I think I might be working up to one as well. I loved discovering commonplace books. I shall break out a new notebook immediately. I hope you enjoy the cookery course and that it gives you lots of inspiration. CJ xx

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  3. I'm a sucker for new mugs. I have a cupboard full of mismatched ones, and a set of Penguin literary ones for when we have company...
    Commonplace books: yes to that. I need to stop with scraps of paper all over the place, and start recording bits of poetry, ideas, observations all in one place.
    S x

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  4. I doubt you'll be alone in following Jennifer's lead ... isn't this the most brilliant idea for a post :)

    Signed, a fellow mug buyer!

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  5. I always e mugs as presents to good friends and family. There is a shop in town that has some gorgeous ones in their window. It won't be long before I crack. I love the idea of a commonplace book. I think I need that in my life right now. Oh and bravo for your pelvic floor diligence. I love the quote from Dinner Ladies when Dolly remarks that Jean has let hers 'dangle' Sounds like me.
    Leanne xx

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  6. I'm so glad you did it too. I really enjoyed reading this, you're a very interesting person and I'm enjoying getting to know you more through your blog. I had to chuckle at the quote from You've Got Mail - $2.95! I paid over $4 for the smallest latte on the menu at Starbucks the other day. That movie is getting old now. :)

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  7. I've enjoyed reading this post.. I'm struggling with phonics too. I have to find out more about this ReadWriteInc. stuff and we'll look up those phonics songs on You Tube. Thanks for telling me about them.. Morning time here is always chaotic. I try to be organized by getting the girls' clothes ready the evening before but we still end up leaving late almost all the time.
    Hope you have a good weekend. x

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  8. I like these posts a lot, and I really enjoyed yours. I am also a list writer, and I try to be more patient, and I know that I will always have too many mugs! x

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  9. What a lovely read. I'm with you on finding it difficult not to let frustration sound through in my voice - one of the most difficult aspects of parenting, I think.
    And I LOVE the mug. Have just bought a cute new one myself (just couldn't help it) :-)

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