If the last few weeks have been gorgeously sunny with clear blue skies and breath taking autumn colors, this last week has been quite the contrary... Rain, rain, rain, grey, grey, grey and wind, wind, wind. And today is just another one of those days.
The week has been busy with all sorts including school meetings, activities, job chats and chores. But I have also had the pleasure of some lovely coffee mornings with friends, crochet time and reading.
Jay had to go to Canada in the last minute and so I quickly switched on to Single Mum mode. There was a time, when the kids were younger, when he traveled a lot in work, and looking back at those days with toddlers and babies, I'm not sure how I could pull it off. But I did. I was Supermum. I still am (she says and looks like that blushing smug emoji). Today it is much easier as the kids are more independent. They take care of themselves in the mornings, they are in school all day (part from Emmy Bo who still comes home for lunch), but after school is when the hard work starts - juggling homework assistance, dinner making and taxi service for activities and appointments.
I have a strict routine:
- I get up BEFORE the kids in the morning.
- I dress in my walk gear (because if I don't I end up in a funky mode and get glued onto the sofa in front of Netflix. And that might sound great, but it actually makes me feel like crap...).
- I do chores in the mornings (often laundry) and prepare lunches while kids have breakfast.
- I walk Emmy Bo to school and then do my 5K walk.
- I take a shower and get ready for the day, have breakfast and make a list of THREE things to accomplish (although I have to admit that my list most often contains between 5-10 things To Do and I never manage to accomplish them all... That is why I should write down ONLY THREE things. Got to work on that...)
- I have cleaning days (No I don't... But I would like to have. Got to work on that too...).
- I make simple dinners like stews, soups, pasta dishes...
- I say NO, if I know I can't split myself in two, and I avoid over booking my calendar.
The routine works. But, it is essential to be flexible when being a Single Mum. Improvising and swapping things around, finding quick solutions and put everything in action in the last minute can be a challenge... But I'm pretty good at it. I guess I have had my fair amount of practice throughout the years... I wonder if you can add that skill to a CV?
Jay came back on Thursday but left again for the weekend, taking Nelly Bo to London for her Sweet 16. She was in tears of excitement as going to London has been on her wish list for years. I'm so happy for her. Two days of shopping, sightseeing, restaurants, a show and museum visit. Intense, but I'm sure she is loving every minute. They come back home tonight. I can't wait to hear all about it.
Well, I had a small hope to see some sun today, but I don't think that is going to happen... Instead my laundry is still wet on the line and I'm thinking that maybe I should run it on the centrifuge program one more time and bring it inside... It has only been hanging out there for three days (!!!).
They say snow will come tomorrow. I got the winter tires in the back of the car, and I'm thinking if I should be brave enough to put them on myself... Or maybe not. I still haven't planted my tulip bulbs for spring. And also, I've been wanting to make a picture wall above the sofa in the living room for a long time... I bought some heather earlier this week with an idea of making a wreath... and I have a number of crochet WiP's that needs attention... So, lets put this into practice now - THREE THINGS:
1. Laundry
2. Plant tulip bulbs
3. Picture wall
4. Clean up flower beds
5. Sweep front of house
6. Change bed sheets
7. Sort and clean my crochet spot
8. Make an autumn wreath
9. Change tires on car
10. Study with Luca Bo
11. Study with Emmy Bo
12. Go for a walk
13. Crochet on my granny square WiP
14. Answer emails
15. Order Christmas gifts on Amazon
16. Book French conversation class
17. Overview my Etsy Shop
18. Mop floors in kitchen
19. Prepare for next week when Jay goes to Miami - Single Mum mode on...
20. Write another list...
I'm not doing very well am I...
PS THANK YOU ALL for your wonderfully warm welcome back here on the blog. Your warm greetings has really made this week very special against all odds with bad weather and all... I'm so happy to hear you're still here with me. Just lovely to be here with you. Xxx
PS 2: It frustrates me that all my pictures get blurry when I attached them to my blog posts. Anyone who knows how to make the pictures crisp as the originals? I save them as JPEG and customize the size to 640px wide... Medium quality...
Kärlek
Annette
Annette
FOLLOW My Rose Valley HERE:
It is good to see you back, on any terms :-)
ReplyDeletexx
My list is pretty much like yours. I think as long as it is prioritised then the three most important things will get done and anything else is a positive bonus xx
ReplyDeleteYour list looks like mine! I hope you share the London trip with all of us!
ReplyDeleteCindy
What nice photos and how great is it to go to London for your 16th!!
ReplyDelete(I hike a mountain on mine, during a horrid weeklong school camp).
You had me at Three things. And getting dressed into walking gear (05h15 for me then?!)
Good idea to make 3 things go to the top of the list! So glad you're back!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of picking three things, but like you I always end up with a lot more. 'Sort and clean my crochet spot' sounds like a nice chore to have, I'd definitely make time for that one! What gorgeous cosy photos, especially the yarn and the cat and the crochet. Wonderful. I hope Nelly Bo has a wonderful time in London, what a fantastic treat. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteHi Annette, I love lists too, I definitely get more done using them. I'm so delighted that you're back! xx
ReplyDeleteLovely homely photos! Focusing on three things is a good way to make chores less daunting. I don't make lists to pretend I don't have any chores... which is probably not so efficient. I do however have a habit of short bursts of activity, 20 to 30 minutes at the most. I find I get much done like this. I hope Nelly Bo had a lovely time in London and I am wishing you a peaceful week full of crochet and other wonderful things. x
ReplyDeleteAlways lovely to see a post from you. I really like the idea of a "3 things list" and will give it a try. Beautiful images - so cozy and delightful.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to read your stories here again Annette! I'm quite terrible with lists and setting priorities myself. Should really work on that :). About the picture size thing... I'm not familiar with blogspot (use WordPress myself), but it should be possible to Google the optimum picture size for your blog. Maybe 640 is just too small. I would personally use a higher quality than medium. And don't forget that light levels are getting down again this time of year. That results in more grainy pictures... X, Judith
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see you back on your lovely blog!!!
ReplyDeleteI am good in making lists, but finishing them is something else...
welcome back!
ReplyDeleteloved your previous post 'old fashioned blogging' well written & a pleasure to read. love all the photos!
thanx for sharing
I love reading your honest reflections on life. I'm a list person too but the way I write lists has changed in recent years. I used to write long to do lists which were ongoing, a few things got ticked off and more were added. It was only when I struggled with a severe bout of depression and anxiety a few years ago that I started to use lists a bit differently. At my lowest I was recommended to write a list of my achievements, even as simple as getting up and having a shower. It really did help as the list got gradually longer day by day. These days I tend to write short manageable to do lists just for that day. Anything I don't manage to achieve can be moved over to the next days list but I never put too much on. I do have another long term list of things I'd like to get round to (or feel I ought too) but dont put them on my daily lists or they'd end up being moved from list to list for weeks and hang over you like a threat. You should try for a day just writing a 'have done' list rather than a 'to do' list. It'll surprise you just how much you do in a day!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back !!!
ReplyDeleteYou have been missed :)
So happy to have you back in time for the holidays....
No more Maya & Izzy?
ReplyDeleteHooray! You are back! Happy (belated) Birthday! (mine was October 30! - fellow Scorpio!)
ReplyDeleteNelly is 16?!?! Where has the time flown to?
I love lists! I see we both have 'sweep the front of the house' on our lists! I also see that, like me, there is no imminent danger of that being crossed off the list anytime soon! lol!
Welcome back Annette!
~Dana
PS - Do you ever do something that isn't on your list and then quickly write it on your list simply so you can cross it off as finished? Yup! I do that lol!
ReplyDelete~Dana