Simplifying Life - Mark II

mary43

Frugalswan - sorry - must have cross-posted. Lovely to see that you've managed to get to a quieter level of life. Keep it going.

ceridwen - I know - not coincidence at all..........can't be as somehow it always seems to happen - when things are really stressful one of the previous kids will phone or drop in, just when I'm thinking to myself 'why do I do this ????'.............all of a sudden I see them and know exactly why it is.

Mind you.............doesn't happen every time there's a hiccup of some sorts - usually over a build up period when I'm starting to want to 'throw in the towel' - it's like someone somewhere knows I need a gentle nudge.
If you'd heard the racket outside out house a while back though and you were one of our long suffering neighbours - you'd be wanting me to give it all up too.........................lol
Our oldest lad's solution to all problems seems to be joining the army ! His friends are trying to talk him out of it -they can see as well as me that no way is he physically or emotionally fit enough to cope with it all.
It's a kind of 'runaway' technique he tends to use.........things go wrong and he wants to go forgetting his problems will follow him.

sarahs999

Hello all and thanks for the welcome! I had a good weekend with the family; with a particualrly pleasing 'simplifying' part for me: I had been commissioned to make some Mary Poppins cupcakes for a friend of a friend's daughter's birthday; when she came to pick them up she was SO pleased that it gave me a real buzz. Then I took the money she gave me and spent it on a nice afternoon with my DH and son at a funfair and drinks in the pub. It just felt really..... real, if you know what I mean, making something, being paid for it, and then spending that money on enjoying ourselves. That's sort of how life should be, shouldn't it? Not direct debits and standing orders and overdrafts.

And this morning I suddenly had a fantasy that I could ask work if I could drop a day. I've been finding life quite tough recently; we've been trying for another baby and I've lost two this year. My son really doesn't like his childminder, who he goes to on a Monday, and the other week when I was feeling rough I took the day off to be with him and just hang out. This morning he said to me, 'Mummy, why can't Mondays be mummy and archie days?' and I suddenly thought, well, why can't they? My DH is now working full time, so we are both in full time work, which I never wanted to happen when we had children. We do have big debts to pay off, but then perhaps it will just take a bit longer. DS goes to school in September and then I'll never get this time back again... plus, we're planning that I leave work altogether when we have another baby (well, leave this job anyway. Something else part time later, I imagine). So I'm full of excitement, even though I know work will probably say no (we work on a national weekly magazine and our deadline is Tuesday so it's unlikely I'll get mondays off... but then, if you don't ask, you'll never know....). Off now to figure out how much money I'd lose to see if it's possible....

Sx

mary43

sarah - you're right, if you don't ask you don't get and as you say these days with your son you'll not get back again. Time flies too quickly ans you could miss so much.
Young girl who phoned me yesterday is working two days a week at a hairdressers after qualifying..........her course was part time so she could see her little boy quite often and she is determined not to let the years slip by and miss out on so many of the things he'll do.

ceridwen

A link I found on another blog that fits in well with this thread:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-25ilNvj0k

entitled "more enough".

mary43

Thanks ceridwen - I'll have a look at that later.

Well, kids no longer at war - in fact young one went to school (under protest) yesterday and this morning no protest at all !! Just need to sort older one out a bit now and let him no that ''No.,he can't invite all and sundry round when he thinks fit and will he please throw out the wretched bean bag that is currently spilling little tiny balls all over his floor !! '' I'd also like to locate the dustpan and brush last seen somewhere in his 'pit' !!

Desparately need to get a carpet sweeper that actually does the job and one that I can use ! Ours packed up and we bought one thats so lightweight even I can pick it up but its not the best when it comes to sweeping the carpets ! (thats my moan for today.............lol)

Managed to get another christmas gift basket done this morning so thats eldest sons girlfriend sorted, youngest son, and his girlfriends birthday and christmas that come together. Bit by bit the 'stuff' on my spare bed is beginning to lessen. If I aim to get one done a day I'll get there by the weekend and can relax..............I did say 'if'...................lol

ceridwen

Hi Mary

Well thats summat - the young lad going off to school today with no protest. If he "ups" that a bit and positively goes off there whistling - well, perhaps he's found an added "incentive" to going to school -;) - of the female variety!!

mary43

ceridwen - don't think he's got his eye on a girl there...........maybe he just realised that showing off gets him nowhere.........(think he's got his eye on next door neighbours daughter but she's 14, very mature and he actually takes notice of what she says. She's a good ally to have..........lol)

So, all is peaceful, he's gone out now with his mates, the older lad is in with two of his glued to football on the tele...............as is OH ! Well, its either than or the US election (which I have to say I'm getting just a bit bored hearing about!)

ceridwen

Hi Mary

No chance of me getting bored with all the tv coverage of that Election - no t.v. anymore!:D Just been reading odd bits in the newspapers and the total consensus of opinion on the U.S. environmental blogs that I read that Obama is the one they want to win. Good start to the day then when I heard he has won :beer: - lets just hope this one is okay. He's gotta be better than Bush - darn nearly anyone would be better than Bush.....I'll just try to overlook the little fact that I rather "fancy" Obama (join the queue there I expect:D ).

Re the young lad - so thats the young woman thats encouraging him then - a neighbour's daughter, not someone at school. Well - thats probably even better news. Always helps to have the right "allies" - heh! With it being a neighbour - then hopefully she will also encourage him in "positive" ways on the homefront generally.

tori.k

hello to all ! ive been a lurker for a while as been trying to catch up on the old thread as well as loads of others,...got to admit this is my favourite....i love my simple life...however hard it maybe,life is a fantastic gift....ive got nothing of interest to post at the mo,just thought id say hi and good luck to mary...ive 2 sons and no telly so war (with the usual teatime truce) is a regular event in our house lol......p.s raise your glass to America...well done Obama

mary43

Three cheers Obama - as you say ceridwen, he has to be better than Bush - Cold wet day and I'm not feeling so good........chest infection lingers on............so day of doing nothing in particular. Was to go to a meeting this afternoon but I've rung and said I'll not be there.............I'm sure they'll manage without me.