It's as if ten year's worth of little, neglected home-related jobs are now conspiring to keep me busy every minute of the day. I note the irony of this as I used to write that I was so busy with work and now I am busy with home and suspect the common thread is: I get busy. I still can't quite get over the expanse of time that stretches out ahead of me and how wonderful it is that each day I can chose what I want to do. I also realise that I am in that sweet spot of having school-aged children, so I have hours in the day to get stuff done, and then I collect them and the evenings are a warm flurry of kid-related food and homework. I find myself saying to people, when they ask how I am finding my new non-working life, that I can't recall a time I have been this happy. Except I know that the last time I was this happy was when I was on sabbatical, so there you see: another common thread. Not working suits me. I do acknowledge how very lucky I am to be able to take this time out, and to spend my days doing yoga classes and clearing cupboards. Having time is a gift.
Meanwhile...
I have that seasonal urge to cut my hair off.
I revisited a favourite - 'The Breakfast Club' and despite knowing every word to the script, I loved it. And I still saw something new in it.
I secured tickets to see Boo's dream band next summer (again).
I heard about loss - the kind that makes you grateful that your brood are home, safe and sound.
I chose lace-up black ankle boots, that I predict will be my winter staple.
I gained a gazillion new Pinterest followers that arrived, like, overnight. Odd, but quite nice that they seem to like my curation.
I had a coffee morning with mothers who drink coffee. An art-form in itself; I came away wondering if I'd been too...too much... 'me'?
I noticed a preponderance of Autumnal Daddy Long Legs - they are everywhere!
I pondered the merits of how much advantage my children have in their reach. I'm acutely aware that they have opportunities that I never did and feel simultaneously excited and intimidated by this.
I felt the weight of needing to catch up with old friends. Something about this time of year takes me back to University days - and the five girls with whom I shared houses, life and loves (and books and essays written on old word processors and meals of casseroled sausage). I soooo miss them.
We are still not moved in to the new rooms of our house...hopefully by the weekend. Everything, presently, rests on the arrival of a plumber tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed.
I am secretly wanting it to get colder, I have wool to wear.
Gradually and rather pain-stakingly I am going through every drawer and shelf that has accumulated STUFF in or on it. I seem to trail around the house with a bin liner in my hand, filling it with STUFF. What is with all the STUFF??
I rue the fact that I a crap administrator and wish that I filed things when they arrived and wonder if I will ever be one of those organised people? Despite holding down a big job for years, I now see just how much the running of the home suffered in my mental absence!
There have been developments with L'Apothecary - but that's a whole other post...
And I kinda wanna do a blog makeover. This space needs clearing too. More to come.
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| all images via a well travelled woman |
