What's not to love about a first day back at work?

I started work again yesterday and it was lovely! On the first day back to an old job no one needs to show you around or introduce you (except to the new staff who are finally meeting the 'Naomi' they've heard reference to for the past 11 months - they appear underwhelmed), you spend time going through emails and setting up all those preferences that seem to have disappeared from your computer profile, you chat, have coffee, catch up on all the gossip and generally have a nice time.

I know this is going to change, but it was so refreshing to have a day totally in my own headspace. As a parent you much have very little time to ponder the direction of your day - its all dependent on the little folk and their wants, needs and desires. To be able to have a thought, and follow through with it (ie mmm, coffee, i'll get one, oohhh that's what hot coffee taste like!) was nice. And I feel heaps more motivated to do stuff at home, knowing that the time here is precious. I think I need work. Anyhoo, the kidlets won't know much different, Nath has gone part time too so Paddy doesn't have to go into childcare and Lily gets a whole day with her Dad.

I also made a little project bag the other day... I don't often get time near my sewing machine, what with trying to be an attentive parent and all. But Lily decided to play games on ABC kids site so I got to sit beside her and sew - periodically helping her to find Iggle Piggle or dress Mixy. I got the fabric from Calico Patch at Gold Creek, and put a little pvc window in so I can see what project is contained within. It was such a quick job, but it does the trick!

And here is a look at some poppies that my mum gave me... they looked stunning in the 6am sunshine... Sometimes I'm grateful that my little man gets me up at 5.00.

A very Aussie wedding

My uncle got married out at his property in Yass on the weekend. The bride (and her ring-bearing Border Collie) arrived on horseback and wore complementary Driza-bones. It was certainly a different wedding, but was free of the pretentiousness evident in so many other weddings I've been to. They really did just want to share their ceremony with friends, and then celebrate being married. We headed into the Memorial Hall later for a spit roast and an Elvis performer (which was Lily's favourite part of the day - after getting over her disappointment that the bride didn't wear a big white dress) and lots of catching up with family. A lovely day!

Nice things

A gift from Happy Spider for helping her name her new spinning wheel... Its called Retro Specto and I love it! There isn't enough orange yarn in the world I say.

And a postcard from Melissa over at Operation Nice - how much do I love that blog? And how nice is she to spend all that cashola sending things hither, thither and yon? Thanks chicken!

And so it ends

My maternity leave ends this Friday so its back to work on Monday. I know it hasn't technically been 'leave' but I feel that I've achieved very little since being away from work (apart from raising a beautiful child!). I suspect this sense of frustration at being unable to do everything I want to do in my life will continue for some time, but I can't help getting cranky that I don't have enough hours, arms or resources to do what I want to do with my time.

I recently wrote some 'commandments' as suggested by the happiness project which I'll share with you.

1. Don't overthink or overdo
2. Breathe
3. Realise there are limits to what activities I can maintain in my life
4. I can do anything for fifteen minutes
5. Get dressed and showered and beautified* every day (currently this means 'use deodorant and run a brush through your hair')
   
6. Get outside
7. Be compassionate to myself so I can be compassionate to others
8. Nothing will change, if I don’t do anything different
9. CHOOSE to be positive
10. Be grateful

I'm constantly trying to work out systems to do more and do it better and do it faster so much so that these mini-mantras can sometime be my last defence against self-harm. Sometimes the pathological critic is the only voice I hear all day. And seriously, I'm the luckiest woman alive! I have a wonderful, supporting, loving husband who is a wonderful father to my two healthy, loving children. I have a job, a house, [more than] enough to eat, can afford health care and luxuries. So. I don't really know what the point to this post is, except to say that I will now have work to add too my list of stuff to do. And that I should probably try to be a bit kinder to myself.

Anyway, have a lovely day everyone. The sun is shining (should really get in and fix the garden, plant and fertilise... and then there is the washing to do, and oh my g*d that pile of folding could topple and suffocate one of the kids... then there is the ironing, and the kitchen is filthy, and i've got those couple of sewing jobs for the in-laws that I really should do... why do I spend all my time on the computer?... gee there are some amazing people out there, you could do that if you stopped phaffing about looking at blogs, maybe you should check out flylady, or diy planner.com, they could help you organise your life, surely an hour looking at an organising site is time well spent? Meanwhile the vacuum isn't going to run itself around the house. Shame I can't knit and vacuum at the same time. Watch out cat, geez, we don't look after you much anymore do we? Best check you've got water and food. And when did we last clean the kitty litter? This garage is a mess! I really need to unclutter this place. I'm hopeless really. Where is that unclutterer website again? etc etc etc etc).

Shhh!

Ahh. Paterson has slept well. Up at 5am for a feed but that's ok. Lil was sleeping with me, but now she and Daddy are asleep in my bed. Its 5.30am. Not worth going back to sleep. Maybe do some surfing? Oh, that would be lovely. Its so quiet. You know what would make it perfect? A coffee. Mmm. Do I risk it? We've got two kettles - electric (noisy) and stove-top (slow). Best go with the quiet slow option. Don't want to wake anyone. Creep into kitchen. Fill kettle, prepare cup, plunger etc. Waiting, waiting... ahh, love the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Just take back into study and plunge at your leisure. Nearly time. Slowly, slowly plunge. Pour delicious beverage into oversize blue mug and warm hands (its chilly this time of the morning!!). Oh, this is going to be so good. Craft blogs and coffee - match made in heaven. Open mouth to take first magical sip....

"Good Morning Mummy!!"

Bugger.

Meet Me at Mikes: Mike-ro-scopes - Spring 2008

Meet Me at Mikes: Mike-ro-scopes - Spring 2008

Man, this made me laugh! Tee hee hee. I'm a scorpio by the way - i'd like to think its accurate!

This is... my favourite fabric/craft shop

Upon thinking about this topic I began to realise that I rare buy fabric. More often than not I inherit it from my Nana. So I guess she is my favourite fabric shop. I do get a little from the Quilt Shop at Gold Creek Village but that's about it!