Five things I might do if I quit TV.

Now I need to be clear that this is a decision being pondered not one being made but here are five things I might do with the extra time.

1. Finish, in fact start, the little boys baby book. His sisters is done. Not looking forward to explaining that in a few years when he does not want it shown to his latest girlfriend but does not want the thought he maybe was not quite as interesting!

2. Finish the children's book that is three quarters written.

3. Call the friend that in November I promised I would call her back in a couple of days and still have not.

4. Learn how to decorate cakes so they look as good as they taste. Or just dig around for some more recipes to try. Or in fact spend a few child free hours in the kitchen trying out the recipes.

5. Read some more books and definitely some auto biographies if I can ever work out where the nearest decent second hand book store is.

Hey..that list did not even require thought and none of it stressful. All things I like to do. Things I should happily chill out doing with time to chat to Mike or anyone who wants to drop by. Maybe I should have pushed for ten things........ .

Should it be this hard?

When we started this season of Lent we decided to give up a few things, to bring a bit of focus into what was important. We agreed that we would do it quietly, not making a discussion out of it with folks. Well that side of it has not worked very well so I feel free enough to blog my learning and my challenges, effectively with the entire world, but in reality with a few folk who check in on occasions.
Mike and I decided to cut out all dessert, all chocolate, all biscuits (cookies) and also not to watch any TV. These are not essential items. These are things that large percentages of the population have never had the opportunity to enjoy but can I confess to being actually quite upset about how hard I have found this. I do not enjoy being out and watching others tuck into chocolate biscuits and cake but that is OK. The times I have really struggled has been when I am at home and tired or a little stressed and all I want to do it seems, is put on some tat TV and munch my way through a bar of chocolate. Something in me needs rewiring.
I listened in horror the other day to Mike suggesting that maybe we should keep this up in some measure. What?!! I had been living for the 12th April and the Easter Bunny egg hunt before church! Maybe, he thought, it would be good to get rid of the TV altogether or at least can the satellite package and perhaps introduce a dessert ration. The look on my face was noted and before I could utter a word it was suggested to me that if we were really into maladjustment then maybe it was something we should be considering. Ouch! A low blow I thought intially but a skillful one as this has not been far from my mind since..................................... and maybe, just maybe, there is something in it.

Mother's Day and Children's Day?

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I enjoyed the fuss that was made of me and the lack of chores. Mike almost did the ironing, or at least a couple of pairs of his trousers, saved by a phone call from his dad and me not willing to watch the meticulous ten minute effort on one pair!!
I am all for Mother's Day, a chance to salute my own mother who I know I am so like and yet can only pray I can be half the Mum she is. As I looked round at church y'day tho I saw so many struggling having lost their mothers in the last year or so, the grief very real on their faces. I thought of friends who have that ache for a so longed for child, and I remembered a Mum who buried her little girl in the last month. How tough for these folks in a world which does not just say "thank you" and "let me do the dishes, put your feet up" but forces us in every shop to look at huge bright displays.
Our little boy really got into Mother's Day. At nursery there had clearly been a big secret all week and on Friday the secret was to come home. He thrust a package into my hands and then complete consternation when he realised that Friday was not Mother's Day. There followed a whispered conversation with the nursery teacher as he tried to work out how he would get this package home and then what to do?
"This is a surprise for you," he announced "and you are not getting it until Mother's Day" and I watched as he used it as a weapon all the way home wondering what would be left of it. He then engaged the assistance of big sister to help him hide it.
On Saturday when I returned from swimming with the big sister he announced. " I have been nowhere with Dad and you have not not to look up there!!" You have just got to love it!! He was so pleased with himself Sunday morning with all the surprises.
At lunchtime he was clearly thinking. "When is Father's Day?" he asked. He pondered the answer to that a little. "Well............ when is Children's Day?"

On the subject I am not blogging about- again!

Had my haircut today. I was totally fascinated to know what Karen thought about the condition of my hair. Actually to be truthful after a week and a half of bicarb (ie three washes) I was concerned that she was going to say that it was falling out in handfuls, damaged at the roots. Tip top condition, clean, healthy and shiny was the verdict. Keep it up she said. The occasional bottle of beer she suggested may be a good substitute for the apple cider vinegar rinse but that is unlikely as I really do like drinking my beer!
The washing detergent is working great for the grown ups. I quit almost immediately with the kids clothes, too concerned about causing a flare up of their eczema. The eczema is what sparked all this chemical free drive.

Oops poor kid! Bad mother!

One of the challenges I had set at the start of this was our diet, eat local, eat organic. It is maybe something I need to be giving more time to and let me just confess something awful I did this week that was certainly not a good form of maladjustment!!

Our little girl and I had terrible Mondays. School for both of us was a place of stress and I spent a great deal of time on Tuesday morning preparing us both for facing another day, a new and improved day. It was not until I set my foot on the back door step on return in the evening that it dawned on me I had not made her packed lunch.
I met her with a "Hello, what in the world did you eat for lunch?"
"I ate the sandwich and chocolate bar that you had put in there, silly Mummy!" was the reply.
My heart sank when I realised that she must not have finished Monday's lunch! And today when she refused a ham sandwich saying that the ham I had bought for y'days sandwich had been yeuchy (I had confessed, honest, but she is 5!) it did not make me feel any better! But a 28 hour non refrigerated sandwich must have been bad.

BS and ACV

Ok I said a few weeks back that to be taken seriously it was important not to blog about your hair however I just can't help it and know that there are not too many of you out there taking me seriously so..................................... and very quickly.......

I read this blog of a girl who uses bicarb soda as shampoo and apple cider vinegar as conditioner and on Saturday I gave it a go. I went happily to school on day three without a bag over my head!

It's bananas!

I am pleased to see fairtade making the headlines again this week.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7926788.stm
Altho I do not plan to join a fairtrade event we will certainly continue to be a fairtrade banana house!

All of you who visit us will be pleased to know that that following a major and repeated vomit episode I turned immediately to the bleach. There was no debate this time. I love our green cleaning but at times...................................!!

Good news and a wee challenge!

Seriously good news. Cadbury Dairy Milk is going Fairtrade soon. This is some undeniably good chocolate and the fact it wasn't fair trade was a bit of a conscience issue because the other stuff, tho guilt free, was not nearly as tasty. Check out http://www.cadbury.co.uk for more info. There is a good debate going on there. The sooner they get their other products like Fruit and Nut fairtrade too the better!!

I have just discovered a hole in the knees of my jeans, the main stay of my non working wardrobe! Sob! Having two young children means my jeans knees do take a pounding and the fact that I hurt my back y'day morning and have done even more floor time than normal, (if I can move from one place to the next without getting up, all the better) has probably pushed the fabric into meltdown. This will be the first time since I started the whole charity shop challenge that I do actually "need" something ............... so a pair of size 12 jeans please and long length. What is the chance?