Day Ninety Two
Having joined Weight Watchers yesterday, I gained great satisfaction from cooking Chicken Passanda (curry) from their online bank of recipes. We had a friend round for dinner and I was glad I’d made the effort to cook something other than fajitas. It was gorgeous, it could lull me into a fall sense of security that low fat food, minus the coconut and cream, could really be a long term solution to a life long problem.
Day Ninety One
Today I was glad I found the grace and maturity to deal with a difference of opinion with a colleague without crying or bitching behind her back in a bid to get moral support. It’s hard being a real proper grown up sometimes, today I had to force myself to believe that my opinion was as valid as hers and it was worth ‘fighting’ for. Common sense prevailed, I didn’t blush or break out in a nervous rash. I didn’t do what Daisy would do which is lunge backwards onto the nearest sofa in embarrassment or as Annie would do and shout ‘My Potty’ at any possible interlude. I kept it together, breathed deeply and said my piece. She listened while I died inside and she decided she agreed. Anyone remember the advert for ‘Pampers pull ups’- all I could think is ‘I’m a big girl now.’
Day Ninety
A Sunday spent in creche during church sometimes feels like a waste. I could be playing with my kids at home, why did I bother to dress them and bring them to play here? Today I was glad I made the effort, I had the chance to speak to two women I rarely see and it was good. It was inspiring to see a little girl who was born at 27 weeks now at 18 months, doing fantastically well. She is discharged from all her clinics and developing perfectly. Every child is a miracle but Sophie is truly amazing.
Day Eighty Nine
I love Saturday mornings when Rick doesn’t have to go to work. We tag-teamed our lie-ins and by lunch time I was well slept and the boiler was fixed meaning I could walk around the house barefoot again as I love to do. My brother and his family brought us lunch and we spent a blustery afternoon indoors doing the only thing one can do on a windy day and that is eat lovely M&S soup and bread, drink coffee and wile away the hours. I ended the day by marking 60 essays, I felt the burn, as will some of the lazy beggars when they get their papers back on Monday.
Day Eighty Eight
Tonight I collapsed in a heap. I had mountains of marking and reports to write and instead I lay on the sofa, almost unconscious. No Friday night date tonight! Our boiler is broken and will not be fixed until the morning so our house is unbearably cold. How people survived without radiators really blows my mind. I have a hoodie, a dressing gown, socks and a sleeping bag on and I’m still freezing. Tonight I’m grateful for all the other days when I had heat and didn’t even notice it.
Day Eighty Seven
Thursday lunches with Sandra and Alice are a highlight of my week. Our kids go to nursery together and we take it in turns to have lunch in each others’ houses. We talk about everything, and I mean everything (!) and I return to my family and home at tea time, feeling sane. Its so comforting to know that other women have the same family planning issues as me, worry about the same ridiculous non existant weight problems and have the same tendencies towards full frontal honesty. I love it, no faking it on a Thursday afternoon.
Day Eighty Six
Pancake Tuesday must be coming up soon. I think it may be my favourite day of the year. The shops were selling everything you need for the perfect pancake today so I stocked up and I made far too many for dessert. Sugar and lemon, forest fruits and creme fraiche, chocolate sauce and banana? Just too many choices and so little time. A mid week treat does everyone good.
Day Eighty Five
Yippee for exceptional closures! Daisy’s nursery was closed today and it meant we could spend the day without any rush or demands on our time. The three girls all headed to Lisburn to spend the day with Granny Rea. Never during the day do I sit and face my mum in an armchair and have adult conversation without endless interruptions. Somehow today we managed it for an hour and a half. Annie slept and Daisy vegetated in front of their new Samsung 34″ TV. It was great to be able to think clearly and really communicate with her. We talked about thoughts that had been in my mind for ages but I had never taken the time to tell her, nothing serious, just ideas about my job and career plans. She was really encouraging and I loved that she was able to listen. I drove home enormously grateful that I have her. I suppose I should tell her rather than writing it here.
Day Eighty Four
An extremely busy day that included sleeping very badly last night with Daisy beside me as the dreaded chest infections are back. I then went to work and wrote reports and marked mock papers. I sped home via ‘Jacksons’- the local fabulous butcher and made tea for my mother in law. By that stage my adrenalin was pumping and I made it to my Thai Bo class. I couldn’t live constantly at the speed I lived today, but for a once in a week experience, I loved the buzz of getting stuff done.
Day Eighty Three
I still take the Music Group in my church, even though we now live 12 miles away. Not usually a reason to be thankful. Rehearsals are now at 10.30 on a Sunday morning and I spend most of Saturday dreading them. This morning however was unexpectedly enjoyable. I love the people in it and we had a laugh and learned two new songs. I also had a great chat in the kitchen and drank tea. I felt I was with my family, accepted for my foibles and encouraged to be a better person.
