You know how it is. Those activities you just have to do before you can settle to something else. Like tidying up before revising for an exam. Or finishing the ironing/cleaning the loo/scooping out plugholes before you make yet another visit to the hospital. Or just having a quick coffee before you get on with anything. I've been thinking about routines and rituals. I've written about it before and seen others writing about it recently. How the ebb and flow of life subtly changes and you develop new routines and habits.
:: I'm still a slave to a coffee. I love our bean to cup machine. It gets used multiple times a day and make the most delicious coffee. I have to have a very specific mug. My favoured Orla Kiely mug met an untimely demise at the hands of LittleR, so I'm currently on the look out for a new one. I'm liking the look of this one.
:: Since the onset of "the illness" my hands have never been more sore and cracked. Actually, that's not true. My hands were just as dry when both girls were born and I was hand washing multiple times a day. So my newest ritual is remembering to apply hand cream. You would think this would be easy...sore hands, oh yes apply cream. But no. I have to be very mindful to do this. I have some lovely cream and some prescribed cream neither of which are near me when I think ooh apply cream. Maybe I should string it round my neck?
:: Our latest (unwanted) routine is Early Rising. The littlest has taken to whining very early in the morning (somewhere between 5.15 and 5.40). I have no idea what's waking her. She doesn't want to get up but doesn't want to stay in bed. I have to go in and pat her, where after she might consider being quiet for another 15 or so minutes. Or not. It's very boring when you're sleeping badly enough as it is. Hard going on the ABO when he's been on lates too. We're thinking about a gro clock (although that had limited success with BigR!) and thicker curtains (to cover the blackout blind!).
:: My favourite new ritual is watering the plants. I'm expecting we'll be spending a lot of time at home this summer with plenty of it in the garden. So we've bought some new garden furniture and are making plans to grow 'stuff'. I'm working on the flower beds now. I sowed some cornflower seeds last week and they're just starting to sprout...I'm very excited. We've planted some peas (now proper plants!), beans (just poking through) and strawberries (bought with flowers on for best possible chance of success!) and I'm hoping to get a tub of carrots and radishes going. Never had much luck in previous years with carrots of radishes but you can try again can't you? The biggest thing is getting outside to water them but it's easier now as the girls are both a little more independent in playing in the garden, I can tend to the plants - before havoc ensues! And if the plants survive balls, hula hoops and enthusiasm from the smallest!
:: A ritual I'm hoping to get back is making. I don't feel I've been very creative the last few weeks. I've been seeing others' efforts and feeling the need again. So I've dusted off my sewing machine and ordered some new bobbins and needles. The skirts (I've mentioned before) for the girls are top of the list. I've been looking through my recipe books (getting excited to see Nigel Slater is writing a 3rd volume of Kitchen Diaries) and want to make some new things to eat. Just recently I made a (very delicious) pistachio cake adapted from a Fay Ripley recipe and some coleslaw. I was amazed how much tastier it was without the raw onion. I'm also keen to make an embroidery for my friend's baby girl. So, I have plans - now I just need some motivation to get started!
I'm sorry to hear about your Orla Kiely mug. Do get the Plum Meadow one, it is gorgeous! I'm liking the look of Plum Flower, I might put that on my birthday list : )
ReplyDeleteI have eczema on my right hand and it only started after I've had the girls. I've never had this problem when I used to work in hospitals and I was washing my hands many more times back then. I'm using a medicated hand cream at the moment and it's working. I keep it near the kitchen sink so it's easier to remember to use it. I'm also trying to get back to making and finishing projects. I hope you'll be able to make those skirts for your girls. They will be great for summer. X
Hey N,
ReplyDeleteI have multiple tubes of my preferred hand cream. In my bag, by the sink, in the car, by the bed...you get the picture. I figure that was my dry hand get some soothing. The garden is tough on them, and I don;t like wearing gardening gloves. How lovely to see some seedlings in your pots! I find it very soothing too. Restorative and mindful, which I expect is something you may need at the moment. I can't offer much advice for the early waking. It's a shame your little one won't settle in with you guys, at least you could snatch another hour or so. Olly has been very wakeful for the past month. Lots of night terrors, and the pox have contributed to it. We saw the sun rise this morning anyway ;))
I was devastated when my favourite mug broke. I think it was one of my first blog posts! Buy yourself the mug. You deserve it.
Take it easy. Much love,
Leanne xx
I have a preferred hand lotion too. I have tubes of it everywhere. I feel like I never stop washing my hands and do they ever protest in this very dry climate. Early waking is a tough situation. Mine both did it. Well, my son is nine years old and he still does it. He has never required much sleep. It was a rude awakening (literally) for this first-time mother who assumed that babies slept all the time. Not this one! :)
ReplyDeleteI think if my favourite cup broke I would cry.......
ReplyDeleteThe right mug is very important isn't it. Early waking is really hard. The only suggestion I have is keep her up later. I hope it passes before too long, being tired is such a drag. Keep going with the carrots and radishes. My carrots fail every year, but I sowed loads this year and some have come up. For some reason I can only grow radishes early in the season. No idea why, it's a complete mystery. I'm a handcream (and lipsalve) addict. Tubes of that Norwegian one everywhere, can't do without it.
ReplyDelete