And a Happy Christmas to all :-)
Just a quick one this morning as I'm doing this a day early, I've mentioned.
Two more Clarion blogs:
Shane Jiraiya Cummings and
Tessa Kum.
Have a great Christmas, everyone!
xx
Panic? Moi?
I keep forgetting I'm doing Christmas "day" on Christmas Eve this year. I just realised that's 2 days away and I'm thinking... "hmm."
It was # 3 son's 10th birthday yesterday, and I still have a houseful of kids here, on what I am going to dub "cleaning day". OK, to be fair, most of them are my kids, but never mind. I have some extras.
So today's Cleaning Day. (I could also call it get rubbish to tip day, or mowing day or washing and ironing day or wish I hadn't left some of this to the last minute day).
Tomorrow's Cooking Day. We've decided to go cold buffet, so I'm cooking the roast ahead and then, well, colding it.
Friday's It.
So.
Bye.
PS: New
Clarion South blog:
Susan Wardle.
Bye again.
Warning, Will Robinson! Clarion Zone!
Clarion South starts in just under two weeks (January 3, to be precise). Since this is my first year "on committee" (I was "Dogsbody Number Two" last year), I'm likely to throw in a few comments. Or so. I'll also post up any blogs of this years' victi-, er, I mean, successful students, as I become aware of them.
For now, the first couple are here:
Jun Aras
Suzanne Church
It's a little rude of Clarion South to be interrupting Christmas and New Year and my birthday and stuff, but we make allowances. :-D
On other stuff, I had a fun weekend.
Saturday I went to a film with my older boys, I got some free tickets to the Rotary hildren's Film festival at Noosa and we had a choice between
Polar Express and
Christmas at The Kranks. Krunks? I don't remember. We saw the latter (it was a no brainer choice, really) and it was actually quite funny.
I then left my boys alone with a box of matches and a running chainsaw (yes, I am joking!!!) and hightailed it to Brisbane where I spent a pleasant evening at Nicky's being threatened, for no real good reason I can think of, with a smothering murder on a regular basis from Damon. He's got all this passive aggression going on. Who knew?
Mind you, the fact that I was teasing him unmercifully may have had something to do with it. OK, I never actually
said anything, but he knew. Yes, he did, grasshopper. No, I'm not going to say what I was teasing him about, she says in a dignified tone. That would be telling. Sheesh. What happenes at the Nicky's stays at the Nicky's. :-P
Nicky made a really yummy souffle and we watched
Muppet Christmas (not the Carol one with Scrooge in it) and the
Black Adder Christmas Carol (except I dozed off half way through that one. Been a long week with not a lot of time to sleep). Nicky prevented my murder, which was nice. We opened presents, which was also nice. :-)
Sunday I went to see I heart (love?) Hukabees with Scott. Weird movie. I think it's one of those films you either like or not, that you either see the point of or don't, that you see as amusing or stupid. I'm in the "like, see the point, amusing" camp. Mostly. Watching Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin do long-term husband and wife was very funny actually, not in a "laugh out loud" way but in an ironic way.
Anyhow, I'd like to finish today's ramble with a quote from one of my Lifeline friends, Dark Spider. It's originally
here. I like it because it matches in with the sentiments I expressed on my
Music as Life post. Let's face it, we love to quote people who agree with us.
"Lots of people are willing to die for the person they love, which is a pity, for it is a much grander thing to live for that person"
The Nature of Happiness
After the whole mental tiredness thing a couple of weeks ago, this week has been remarkably good.
Nothing's really changed except my attitude, I think. I think. Perhaps. Maybe I just am more settled in a few things than I was; certainly the shutdown helped a bit.
My Christmas shopping is complete and I have a full weekend coming up. Kids are healthy, had a great visit with Nicky yesterday; I have some great friends. My divorce hearing has finally been set for March 8 next year. My mower broke down and the grass around my house is about yay high, but who cares? It's amazing what a slight shift can do for your mental health. :-)
Btw, I've decided my new mantra is "Hi, my name is Heather. I'm Needy, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that."
On a (mostly) unrelated note, just for Jen's information: that "love" thing? I'm
gone. Big Time.
What Kind of Coffee Are you?
Or, if you're to believe the Washington Post's new dictionary definitions competition winner, "What Kind of Coughed-upon are you?" :-)
Do the quiz
here. Report your answers. It's immensely important.
Well, not really. But anyway.
My results:
You are a double espresso at three AM.
You are the tortured, nail-biting essence of coffee. You see visions. You could change the world if only you were up at the same time as everyone else. You have created a programming language that throws errors if the code is not written in iambic pentameter, and you are infuriated by the typos in the new edition of Ulysses
. You practice sarcasm as a form of tantric sex, and your cats have doctorates. You believe in virgin sacrifice in a good cause.
I hate these quizzes. They always just reveal too much about me. Sigh.
:-D
General Chitchat
Listening to: my compilation CD and
Last of the Mohicans. Not together, of course, although... nah, even I'm not that insane.
Mood: surprisingly chipper. My Christmas shopping is almost up to date, I had good dreams last night and all is good with the world. Well, maybe not the world in general, if you watch the news, but it is here. The danger of this is that one tends to start to be suspicious of that, in a "wonder what's coming" sort of way. Shouldn't be, but there you go.
I saw a film a while ago, I can't remember the exact name but it was
something like "Twelve conversations about One Thing." That is wrong, I know it isn't "twelve" but it was a number higher than 10 and lower than 20 conversations about one thing. Basically the One Thing was the notion of happiness, and how if others see you happy they will try and tear it down (usually) and also about the nature of "happiness" whether it's tangible, what qualifies as "happy": cheerful? Basic Contentment no matter what happens? Elation? So, if you're not in a constant state of "emotional" happiness, you're not, basically, happy, even if you have no (real) complaints?
One of the sayings flashed across the screen was
"The moment you stop and ask yourself if you are happy, you immediately become less so."
I'm not going to ruminate on that, but it's true, I think. Certainly gives one furiously to think.
ROFL -- I just received this in my inbox from Jen:
Subject: Chocolate Eaters
You can't eat Beef, Mad cow....
Can't eat chicken . bird flu
Can't eat eggs ... Salmonella
Can't eat pork ... fears that bird flu will infect piggies
Can't eat fish ... heavy metals in the waters has poisoned their meat
Can't eat fruits and veggies ... insecticides and herbicides
Hmmm!!!!!!
I believe that leaves Chocolate!!
Chocolate is a Vegetable
Chocolate is derived from cocoa beans.
Bean = vegetable.
*Sugar is derived from either sugar cane or sugar beets.
*Both are plants, in the vegetable category. Thus, chocolate is a
vegetable.*
To go one step further, chocolate candy bars also contain milk, which is a
dairy. So candy bars are a health food.
Chocolate-covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all
count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.
**Remember**
STRESSED spelled backward = DESSERTS!
Send this to four people and you will lose 2 pounds.
Send this to everyone you know (or ever knew), and you will lose 10 pounds.
If you delete this message, you will gain 10 pounds immediately.
That's why I had to pass this on - I didn't want to risk it.
hahahahahahaha.
Turkish Delight....mmmm.... hazelnuts.... mmmmm.... Hmm! I'd like to add that Turkish Delights are made out of roses, which is a health-giving herb and hazelnuts are protein, with essential fatty acids and brain nutrients.
Hehe. I should eat more.
So... what else is there to say? Not a lot. I could complain about the rain, but I won't. You don't complain about rain in a land like Australia *grin*. Mind you, I'm thinking I will try and get some washing done in this sticky sunny lull because I am running out of clothes to wear, you can imagine with seven people in the house that the washing is a full-time job. And when it rains for a week, and you don't own a dryer... hehe. I tend to give the kids' clothes the priority so I'm now considering nakedness. Ew! There's a picture you don't want in your head hehe. I mean it. Legions would go blind.
I could also complain furiously about the ex. He's making things a bit difficult for my older boys, who all want to get mum (ie, me) a Chrissy present but don't want me to actually be involved with that, surprisingly enough. He won't even take them shopping, even if I was to give them some money, which is a bit childish, really. But all is good, the boys have offered to do some extra mowing for some cash and my mum has stepped in and will take them to the shops. So I'm choosing to ignore it: there's always a solution to everything.
It's a little ironic, actually, when you consider that we've basically re-arranged christmas so that the ex can have all of the kids on Christmas Day. We'll (us, my mum and her hubby) be doing the "thing" on the 24th instead and I'll have a day to myself on the 25th, a Good Thing, actually: the actual "exact date" isn't important and this way everyone wins: the kids get 2 Christmases, the ex gets to see them all at once instead of a 3/3 split which is what most weekends are, and I get the first day off where I have
nothing planned except to do nothing should I choose to do so... er, unlikely, but there you go.... in almost a year, just before Clarion starts. All good, as far as I can see. I had to spend a bit of time explaining that to the mother of my daughter's best friend, who innocently asked what we were doing on Christmas Day and without thinking, I just said, "oh, I'll be on my own." The poor woman was almost in tears until I could explain that I was OK with that, and why.
I wouldn't say "no" to a visitor, but I'm actually copacetic with it. :-) Looking at a pile of books I haven't read yet and haven't had the quiet to do so, or I'll write. Or sleep (yeah, that's
really likely). Actually, the plan is to re-edit & re-structure the book (again), but I'm waiting on a crit to do that, so it may not happen. I'm a little dry inspirationally.
I also just finished taking the kids around so they can get stuff for their father (hehe!), but I'm at the point that the only reason it even bothers me is that #3 son was so upset about it. I don't need presents from them, and said so, but he really wants to get something for me, bless his heart. It's just another example of how the ex doesn't really consider the feelings of others in his decision-making processes. It's aimed at me, but it's affecting his children who he claims to love. The person I actually feel sorry for here is, in fact, the ex., but enough said.
My daughter has taken to drawing horses. She's pretty good at it, too, for an almost 8 year-old. Woohoo.
OK, washing machine stopped. Time to go. :-)
Woman Humour
Listening to:
Era. Haven't listened to this one for a while, actually. For anyone who hasn't heard it, it's a mix of a made-up language that sort of sounds like Latin, French and nothing all at once, with mix of choir/chant music and electric guitar. Some in English. I don't mind it, but I didn't like
Era 2. It's based in the Cathar histories, presumably. It has been said that the Cathars had their own language before they were mostly eradicated by the Catholic Church during one of her many "eradications".
Mood: damned tired and partially insane.
Nicky sent me this today, thought it was funny.
Subject: Women
PREGNANCY Q & A & more!
Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A: No, 35 children is enough.
Q: I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes university
Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.
Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational.
A: So what's your question?
Q: My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right?
A: Yes, in the same way that a cyclone might be called an air current.
Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.
Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor?
A: Not unless the word "divorce" means anything to you.
Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.
Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's nappy very quickly.
Q: Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?
A: When the kids are at university.
"ESTROGEN ISSUES"
10 WAYS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE "ESTROGEN ISSUES"
1. Everyone around you has an attitude problem.
2. You're adding chocolate chips to your cheese omelet
3. The dryer has shrunk every last pair of your jeans!
4. Your husband is suddenly agreeing to everything you say.
5. You're using your mobile phone to dial up every bumper sticker that says: "How's my driving-call 1- 800-"
6. Everyone's head looks like an invitation to batting practice.
7. Everyone seems to have just landed here from "outer space"
8. You can't believe they don't make a tampon bigger than Super Plus.
9. You're sure that everyone is scheming to drive you crazy.
10. The ibuprofen bottle is empty and you bought it yesterday.
TOP TEN THINGS ONLY WOMEN UNDERSTAND
10. Cats' facial expressions.
9. The need for the same style of shoes in different colors.
8. Why bean sprouts aren't just weeds.
7. Fat clothes.
6. Taking a car trip without trying to beat your best time. [ROFLMAO]
5. The difference between beige, ecru, cream, off-white, and eggshell.
4. Cutting your hair to make it grow.
3. Eyelash curlers. [Actually, for the record, I've never understood these].
2. The inaccuracy of every bathroom scale ever made.
AND, the Number One thing only women understand:
1. OTHER WOMEN
Of Friends and Phone Calls
Listening to: My kids watch
Shrek 2Mood: perplexed. Not because of the kids or the movie. hehe.
Q: How many Arians does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Only one, but it takes a lot of lightbulbs. (*smash*)
I've been asked to explain something, so I will, today, try to do so. Trouble is, I don't fully "get" it myself, but there you go. That's the nature of life: you're always being asked "why?" about things when you're not sure yourself. However, rather than just giving up, I will usually try to find out. If I don't know something, I'll worry it until I do. There's a lot to be said about admitting you don't know something, but the whole reason for that is so you can find it out later. :-)
So this will be more of a ramble than usual, but bear with me.
The good news is that I know I'm not the only person who's like this. So that is a Good Thing.
Here's the thing: I was admonished by someone the other night because I hadn't phoned him in about, I think it's 3 weeks or so. My instant response was "well, you haven't exactly phoned me either." What I
wanted to say was "and there's something wrong with your dialling finger is there??" ;-)
I understand that this person doesn't usually phone anyone else, either, so it's nothing personal. I think. No, he's quick to reassure me there, and it actually doesn't bother me
too much. However, I realised that
nothing over the last year and a half that this person and I have done, in other's company or just us, has been instigated by him. It's always a group thing, or a mutual third party, (or me) who says, "Hey, want to go to a movie?" or whatever.
Again, I really don't have a problem with this, he is who he is and I love him and that's perfectly OK. This is not a treatise on who he is (or whether he should be that way or whatever), but why I react to that the way I do. He's just the current example of what I mean to give the question context for the person doing the asking.
See, that one-sided thing always sets off alarm bells for me. And this is why, I think:
I once had a friend, who I will call Mark, who I met when I was 15. He was similar to my current friend: in 16 years of friendship, he never, ever called me (unless it was to return a call I'd made), asked me to go anywhere or what-have-you, even though we did lots of stuff together. And that honestly didn't bother me: he was like that with
everyone, to the point where he started complaining not long after we left school that he was losing touch with people and how he hadn't heard from his best (male) friend in six months. Of course, I was blatant enough then to ask "And is there something wrong with your dialling finger?" but I'm pretty sure he never got it. In my case, he was always happy to see me (he said) and I didn't have the unselfconfidence thing going on; there was a history, I was comfortable, blah blah. He always returned calls and, let's face it, he was horrible at keeping in touch with his girlfriend or his mother, let alone anyone else. Partly to save money on phone bills, partly because he just didn't get that he actually was affecting others by being him. He didn't get that people would want to talk to him and he constantly needed it proven to him that they would go to that effort--without him ever having to make the same effort.
Fact is, though, that's what happens. I was happy (at the time) to just get that this was who he was and that if we wanted to stay friends then I would need to contact him every year or so. Didn't bother me at all. Didn't bother him at all. But most people just end up going "well, bugger it then, if they don't want to know me..."
Because that's what it looks like. That they just couldn't be bothered. In Mark's case, if you didn't bump into him at work or the pub, you were off his radar and he never contacted anyone he didn't need to. That was him. But in most cases, if people don't contact you, ever, it's a subtle brush off. I have no issues with that. But, usually, I can tell the difference.
Mark and I, I should probably say, were never more than "just friends". I had a bit of a crush on him when I was 15 for a bit (actually, if the truth be known he was the certified unrequited LOML in a Xander-Willow way for a while, but we all grow up, hehe). There was also a period of time (I found out much later) he felt a similar way about me, but I think those times didn't coincide and it's not like he behaved any differently at the time, so who could tell? (Words, gentlemen, always help, and I think I will say again that an offer of a car pool does NOT a date request make!) We went on several trips together, spent quite a bit of time. But I always had a lot of affection for the guy, which is why I bothered, of course. He was (is, I should say, AFAIK, he isn't dead or anyhing) a good bloke, fun and witty. A Virgo though. Virgo males have their issues. I have nothing more to say about that.
Thing about me: if you're a friend of mine (as opposed to an acquaintance or what-have-you), you're important to me. Not in an obsessive sort of way, of course. Usually (evil grin).
You're on my mind, anyway. So, if I see a book or a film that I think someone will like, I'll think "oh, such-and-such would like that," etc. Of course it'll be a different person depending on what it is, but whatever. It's a part of that "many trains of thought all the time" thing I do. So, even if I'm not "in love" with someone, if they're a friend, they have an influence on my emotional life. Small, medium, whatever. So, if they say something mean, it hurts. If they say something nice, it
matters.
Of course, if I
am "in love" with someone, that's a whole different matter. Multiply my lack of confidence by the power of ten-point-two. Then there's the whole hand-shakey thing going on, the pretend-I-don't-care-what-you-think and the "no touchy until you touch me" rule. And the URST, which explains the "no touchy" rule, but let's not go there.
No different from most people, really.
Or so I thought.
Having said that, I'm also the sort of person who doesn't like to impose themselves on other people's lives. If someone doesn't contact me around as frequently as I contact them, then that's pretty one-way and I take the hint, with allowances for the individual of course. I don't just drop by someone's house without an invitation until there's the spoken "open invitation". Heck, I won't even SMS someone without a valid reason without an invitation. I'm easier on the other guy, though. Impose on me all you like, I'll let you know if you've gone too far. hehe.
Of course, I get that friends come and go, that's life. I'm OK with that, because I'm actually medically sane.
No, really.
I also get that people have lives, that they have better things to do than make me the "centre" of their world (never expected that of anyone and I don't do it myself: that's just for the record). I have a couple of very long-term friends who I speak to on average once a year and we take up where we left off and all's good. There's the distance thing as well. Sometimes one or the other of us will just go "holy toledo, six months has passed and I haven't spoken to Clare/Heather" or "...dad" or "surely, it's not Lisa/Heather's birthday again, wow, time flies" etc. In fact, if I haven't heard from someone in a while, I just presume they have a life and put calling them on my "to do" list. Often, they call me before I get a chance. Usually, within the day. Frequently, just as I'm thinking about them.
Back to Mark. The last time I saw him was March or so last year (2003). My friend Liz visited from Singapore (and that was so great I hope we can do it again sometime Liz!) and we flew down Canberra way then drove the 1800-odd kilometres back up here so that Liz could see sum-muth-u cun-tree. We popped by to Mark's work (he's a sheep farmer) and Liz had a taste of country life, sheep farm and all. Actually, we chopped wood, which was actually more fun than it sounds. His last words were "keep in touch".
Which I did, of course. Now, with Mark, that basically amounts to a phone call every month or so and the odd email. Not like I was in his ear every day or anything, I'm too busy for that. People have lives. But, the last good phone conversation we had June 2003 was actually a really long one about my book, he was helping me with a stodgy character and it was usual, pleasant, etc. Happy to hear from me (actually he return-called me), business as usual. Then he stopped returning calls two months running, which I thought nothing of because he's like that with everyone, right? Then the last phone call about September last year, I called to let him know my change of email addy and he just said "Not interested, Heather" and hung up.
And that was that. The end of a friendship that spanned half my life with no explanations and no preamble.
Kick-in-stomach-type OW...CH.
But then, annoying. I hate not knowing what the hell I did wrong.
But I dealt and it's done.
However, now I'm a bit gun-shy. When you add that to the fifteen years of the "you're worth freakin' nothing to nobody" message I got from my ex husband (usually acommpanied by some verbal insults or, occasionally, a fist) I'm now a little less stable when it comes to what are, essentially, one-sided friendships. Actually, there's even more to that ex thing which explains my attitude even more but I'm not going into it. The close friends know.
So what that means is, while the other person is just "doing what they always do" and thinking everything's fine (and wondering why I haven't called in 3 weeks :-P) I'm wondering if I'm actually imposing in an unwelcome fashion in their lives. Not that it's on my mind all the time or anything, but when I go to pick up the phone to give someone a quick call, I hesitate and usually decide not to. Because my friends are important to me and I don't want to be a pain in the arse. I have actually been on the other end, where someone you don't want in your life won't leave you alone and you're too polite to say "Go away." (for the couple of like-me friends I currently have, this is
no-one I know right now :-P)
Which is why, by the way, if you read this, person-with-wee-admonishment-that-wasn't-really, you didn't hear from me for 3 weeks. Wasn't sure if I'd be bothering you. And I'm not big on that whole "ouch" thing. "I don't want to talk to you", even in that context... OUCH. :-P
There are some reasons, I think, people tend to leave the "keep in touch" thing to others (I have a son who is incidentally like this. I've watched him do things that, to him, aren't a rejection but actually are to anyone watching, including to the person trying to make friends and then he'll complain in complete ignorant perplexity that he can't seem to make friends. He honestly doesn't know).
One: they're shy and don't make friends easily, and over time the friends they did make have let them down. So there's a "why bother?" thing going on. I did that for a while, until a couple of people dragged me out and made me realise that it's actually worth it. Yes, I'm actually shy, deep down. Hey, stop laughing!!! Some people talk more when they're nervous, you know! :-P
or
Two: they really don't give a crap about the people around them and don't mind if people think that of them.
or
Three: A bit down from the "don't give a crap" thing. They do, but they want others to make the effort because that proves something to them, that they're worth something. It's just that they've forgotten the fine art of knowing how to make
others feel like
they're worth something. Been here too, briefly. Waste of time and doesn't work. Others just think you fall into the "Two" category. And it's actually quite manipulative when you think about it.
My ex still does this. His kids think he doesn't care because he wants them to prove to him they love him. Guess who loses?
or
Four: They really don't get that they are important to others, and have an effect on those people when they ignore them. They think that others can't love them. Or won't. They just don't have the "I'm an important person to my friends" on their radar. It doesn't occur to them that the other person actually has real affection for them and that their own lack of interest actually affects the other person negatively. If they did know, they might be different, but for whatever reason, they don't.
or
Five: They do get that they're important to me, personally, but I creep them out. They want me to go away, please, and are just too polite and/or gutless to say so.
or
Six: all of the above, in bits and pieces, depending on whether the moon is in the fourth house and Saturn's in retrograde and butting heads with Mars.
hehe.
Basically, I'm less accommodating than I used to be, mostly because I've had enough of feeling like I'm crap to people. I'm not, and most people don't treat me that way: I have some fantastic friends. But I'm all accommodated out after the ex. I'm not the sort of person, however, who wants it all my way, but I'm more likely to take a one-sided friendship as an "I don't care, go away" message, simply because that's how my lizard brain works right now. Even when the intellect knows full well that isn't it. And no-one likes to be taken for granted, either, and I'm no different.
I can be selfish too. What a surprise, she says dryly.
Of course, there are periods of time when either side of a friendship will be doing all of the contacting for whatever reason. One friend, for example, has had a hell year at work and for about 4 months he never called simply because he was exhausted and nesting and feeling blobby and he needed someone else to call him fairly regularly so he wouldn't socially (and emotionally) fade out altogether, so I made sure I kept in contact. However, over these last 2 months it's been the other way around, he's kept in contact with me despite his busy-ness because he's aware of the pretty crappy stuff I'm dealing with and feels the need to make sure I'm OK. Which I appreciate, because without his contact, and the contact of a couple of others as well (you know who you are), I
wouldn't be OK. I'd be decidedly Un-OK.
But that's what friends are for. We need each other.
Lone wolves die.
End of Schoolyear Madness
Yeah. What the title said.
I have a child in high school, one in preschool and three in primary school (and one at home until he goes to preschool in 2006). Number 2 son is in his last year of primary, so there are all sorts of high school orientations and a graduation later this week.
I went to drop off #5 to preschool yesterday and somehow got roped into doing their end-of-year-show backdrop. I'm not really sure how it happened. I remember asking about his costume (he is a Roman soldier with a big line "Go to the town where you were born so my soldiers can count you and write your names down in my book." :-) ). I remember the teacher talking about how busy he was, and him pointing to the full-wall of butcher's paper. The empty butcher's paper and how he still had to do the backdrop. I remember commenting "Oh, like a tromp l'oeil". Then somehow I was painting it.
I'm not complaining (although after a full day painting yesterday my right arm is!!). It's been about 4 years since I have done anything like that. In fact, apart from the odd
Warhammer model, it's been about 4 years since brush has touched canvas, wall or wood. If you don't count the spray painting job I did on my son's new bedside table 3 weeks ago. Oh! or the interior of the pantry, I painted that a few months ago too. But it's not the same.
Not turning out as badly as I thought it might, either, although I'm back at the preschool today to fill in details and donkey.
Which means I must go now. I still haven't done my Roman soldier's costume!
Mind Crisis Over
Thank heavens. Of course, as usually happens after a meltdown, I dealt with my terminal apathy by catching up with the housework.
Now, I am going to say right now that no-one can call me a cleaning freak. I'm not a Virgo. However, with six children in the house, if you go for a couple of days without at least doing the basic maintenance, then you're screwed. Royally. If I don't vacuum the lounge at least once a day then within 24 hours it looks like I'm some sort of slob who never ever vacuums. Like, ever.
I will sometimes do the just-do-the-basics thing (usually when I'm exceptionally busy, which is... er, all the time actually), but never for more than a couple of days. By "basics", I mean a load of washing, getting the washing up done (the kids do that), keeping the food chain going, that sort of thing.
But I've been down for a week. After a week of "only basics", maostly because I'm moving kids around. I looked at my house on Thursday night and thought, "Hell's bells." And this time of the year is a BAD time for the apathies. Christmas, and all that.
So, in the last 36 hours (including to 2am this morning hehe), my task list:
* Shopping. Actually I did that Thursday night after another emergency call to the ex. he fed the bairns for me. That was nice. Of course, he also allowed the littlest to urinate on my just-washed carpet and the five year-old to draw on the walls, but there you go. He doesn't multi-task, poor dear.
* Fed cats. Treated cats' flea problem. Treated carpets and bedding. Swore furiously at both cats and fleas. Disadvantage of living up here: spiders, fleas and lice don't have a winter hiatus, making them more difficult to keep under control, even with a clean house, hair and kids. In Canberra they died back once per annum. Frosts, you know.
* Move oldest (Mr 14) to his own room downstairs (with his help), the room that used to be my office. Make huge mess in downstairs area. Look at mess, go "oh, well" and close door. Set up new bed.
* 17 loads of washing. I'm not kidding. In 2 days. Of course, I was washing some curtains, and all sheets & towels, and a couple of doonas as well.
* Go through clothing for kids for hand-down roster. Hence some of the washing. Stored clothes don't always smell too good. Realise I don't need to buy as much as I thought this year, due to the fact that I received a whole bunch of size 14 boy's clothes a few years back, mostly brand new. Woo hoo. While in storeroom, make half-hearted attempt to clean out some of it. Cleared soem floor space. Yippee. Now I can fill it with the junk that came out of my office. :-)
* Find Christmas decorations in storeroom. Realise that small children have been in them sometime over the last year. This is a Bad Thing. Make note to buy some new decorations.
* Clean bathrooms.
* Clean toilets.
* Wash walls in mine, and daughter's, and Mr 14's bedrooms. And bathrooms. I'll do the other two rooms next week. Take down spider webs.
* Cleaned and mopped daughter's (age almost 8) room thoroughly. Discovered source of unusual smell. Ewwww. Used copious amounts of lavender & tea tree oil. (Lavender for the smell & antiseptic & anti-viral qualities, tea tree because it is 5 times as strong an antiseptic as carbolic acid and is non toxic. And repels fleas, lice and mozzies, just fyi). Set up daughter's new mattress. Old mattress will go to three year-old, as I expect he will be wetting the bed for a couple of years, and I won't give little kids brand new mattresses. That's just silly.
* Make mine, daughter's beds. Will get to younger boys when I get to their rooms. Mr 14 is old enough to make his own.
* Replace two light bulbs.
* Replace one light bulb. Break new bulb in process by dropping it because the power was on and it startled me. Clean up broken bulb. Put in another new bulb. Turn on light. Bulb blows. Sigh and leave it be. Who really needs two hallway lights anyway?
* Clean kitchen.
* Clean some old stuff out of the fridge.
* Vacuum floors, dust surfaces.
* Clean dripped candle wax off TV. Decide falling asleep with nearly spent candle burning a bad idea.
* Fold 12 loads of washing (five still on line). Leave ironing for later. Less than an hour to do, actually, due to my "fold everything off the line" policy.
* Shower. Decide against dyeing hair right now.
* Large bags of rubbish to the dump: 7
* Number of overs of # 3 son's cricket played before game washed out: 15
* Number of mental plot changes made to my Epic Fantasy novel: 2
Listening to: Evanescence
Fallen. And
Gladiator. And
Last of The Mohicans. And
Best of 1927. I need the energy!
Mood: Pretty good. I have a birthday party to go to this arvo and then some friends are coming over afterwards for DVDs and slothfulness. All standing invitations still apply. :-) Except I've run out of yummy candles. Bummer. Fortunately I must've sent out psychic distress signals 'cos Damon called and will bring some.
Lunchtime. The hordes are hungry. Well, at least the 3 bigger horde peoples. The 3 younger ones are at their dad's.
Bye. :-)
Ibuprofen and paracetomol
are my friends. That is all.
