I’m back… Almost

Wow, I feel like I have been offline forever.  Between renovating, sick kids, work and did I mention the renovating I have barely had time to sleep.  

In the few minutes I have had in between doing other things I have tried to read a few blogs, but even that has slipped.  I opened my reader this morning to see 387 unread posts, more than enough to keep me reading for a day or two but there other things to do – catching up on my other blog, unpacking boxes of things ‘hidden’ during the renovations, trying to get on top of the never ending loads of laundry but first a trip to the Open Range Zoo with the kids.  

I have missed blogging and being online enjoying some quality ‘me time’.  I have even been writing posts in my head throughout the day but haven’t had time to find the laptop let alone blog.  Typically when I don’t have time to blog, I have had plenty of blog-fodder and rants.  Hopefully I will be back in the blogsphere soon.

Bliss

Sunday morning and the house is quiet!

I dragged myself out of bed at the very civilised hour of 9 am and I am the first out of bed.  OK, so girl-child did wake and wander downstairs much earlier, but after a calm rational discussion “you can’t sleep in my bed, go donwstairs or back to bed’, she wandered out.  I didn’t even open my eyes but I think I grunted that she couldn’t sit outside the bedroom playing or crying, she moved on again.  I wasn’t really sure if she wandered upstairs or downstairs, but I didn’t hear the front door open so I rolled over and went back to sleep.  Apparently she went back to bed and back to sleep. 

Oh how I could use this time to be productive.  There is plenty to do, but most importantly the almost finished and beautiful backyard is filled with sunshine.  Quick, grab something to lay upon (an old cot mattress that was refound during the cleanup) and the laptop and get out there and enjoy.  So here I am sunning myself along with the cat, catching up on some long awaited blog reading and listening to the soundtrack of Dr Horrible’s Sing Along Blog.  What a perfect way to start what is bound to be another crazy busy day.

When my bliss is disrupted by other beings, i will start to do and perhaps catch up on some posts but for now – relax in the sunshine!

Fever all through the night

Well after waking up fine on Tuesday morning, I sent boy-child to school saying if he felt bad he could call and I would come and get him.  When I picked him up afterwards he was feverish and glassy-eyed again.  We picked up girl-child from kinder and went to dancing.  

As I expected, boy-child claimed he couldn’t dance today his legs didn’t work and his head was too heavy to move.  We sent girl-child into class and boy-child snuggled on the couch in the foyer with me.  Within minutes he was asleep and snoring loudly.  Needless to say, after dancing it was home and straight to bed.  He wasn’t eating anything other than a banana for dinner.

Wednesday morning he seemed fine again, interested in food, laughing and joking but he was still a little warm.  Instead of going to school, he tagged along with me and came to work.  He sat quietly reading books and drawing pictures for over an hour before deciding he wanted to help me with my work.  We lasted for another hour or so before becoming a little fragile.

We headed back into the office to send some work home with the plan that I would do another few hours work.  Work didn’t happen, but I did manage to get some more painting done before going to get girl-child from daycare.

Normally when I arrive at the daycare house, girl-child comes running.  Today she was snuggled into a blanket and her teddy on the couch all glassy eyed and feverish.  Hooray, 2 sick kids.  Fortunately man-child was able to ‘work from home’ today.   

Tomorrow is the last day of school for the term, at this stage I don’t think boy-child will be going.  Apparently he stayed in bed until after 2 and then fell asleep on the couch.  He dozed off and on until 7 before going to bed.  He couldn’t sleep in his bed, his head was to heavy to sleep on top bunk, so now he is in my bed.  Girl-child took herself off to her own bed at around 6 and managed to sleep through me painting the dormer window alcove in the top room.

Hmmm, I don’t think much painting will be done tomorrow.  Time is running out and my energy is waning…

Grumpy Old Troll

I would like to think that I easily admit when I am wrong, unfortunately I am not.  I would like to think that I am rarely wrong but that would just be deluding myself, it is much more likely that I am just stubborn and pig headed.  Tonight I tried to admit I was wrong, that someone else’s decision was a much better decision and even that was all wrong.

Yesterday we bought shelving to install in the walk-in robe of our soon to be bedroom.  From the time we planned the renovations, I always pictured the visible clothes hanging area to be on the wall that you would see as you walked into the robe.  Man-child always assumed that it would be on the opposite wall because who really wants to see how messy we hang our clothes.  As he begins marking out where the supports for the clothes shelves were to go I mentioned that I always thought it would be on the other wall.  He explained why he thought it would be better out of sight and had me thoroughly convinced that it should be where he had planned.  He then decided that he didn’t want to be wrong, so he installed the shelving on the wall I suggested.

So the shelving is up and today, in between cleaning up vomit and changing dvds, I began to move our clothing into the robe.  Do you know what?  Man-child is right, it would look much better on the opposite wall, the wall he wanted to use in the first place!  We have far too many clothes between us and already it looks kind of messy even though everything is folded neatly.  

We still need to find some sort of drawer storage solution for stuff that doesn’t hang up.  I am thinking something like this would look great – neat clean lines with storage boxes for stuff that never gets folded (sock, jocks, singlets, sports gear and such).  It would be much more inviting to look at than lots of hanging clothes that probably need ironing and it would be able to house other bits and pieces that never seem to have a house.

Anyway, I decided to mention all of this to man-child.  Admittedly, I did preface the conversation with “I know it is going to piss you off but…”  Well I was right it did piss him off, it pissed him off that I was annoyed that he didn’t convince me to change my mind and it all went down hill from there.  All of a sudden, instead of getting the “I told you so!” that I expected and deserved it became an “everything is my fault” and “I always stuff things up”.  We had an argument (well as argumentative as we are), in front of my best friend, about who was most pissed off.  

In the end we agreed to leave things as they are for now.  We can’t buy the cabinet we I want until we get rid of our current furniture and I think we have spent too much already and the ’savings’ are dwindling far too quickly.  Besides, neither of us feels like patching and repainting walls, especially as I am so incompetent at paintings and we still have 2/3 of the house to paint in only a week with both of us working!  

I really knew the outcome of the conversation prior to having it, so why in the bloody hell did I start it?  Did I want an argument?  I really struggle to say I am wrong and your ideas are better!  And now we are on our way to netball and man-child is singing “I’m the grumpy old troll who lives under the bridge”, wanting to know where his bridge is.

 

On a side note – the vomiting stopped as quickly as it started.  I haven’t been brave enough to see if the paint work has been stained.  Girl-child is back to her normal self and boy-child is still complaining of headaches and achy joints but his fever has subsided some.  He isn’t sure if he wants to go to school tomorrow but thinks he should because they are having an incursion.  I am crossing my fingers that he will go, I am behind on my work already.

Spring Bugs

After writing about how I was enjoying the beautiful Spring weather, it is gone.  Not only is it cold and blustery, it has brought with it the Spring bugs.  Last night, both kids were feeling unwell, girl-child with earache, boy-child with a fever and aches all over.  Between 11 (just after I had gone to bed) and 4 there was 76 kajillion trips upstairs to comfort two grumpy and ill children.  

Needless to say, when I dragged my sorry self out of bed at 7, all achy and tired from exercise, exertion and lack of sleep, I was the only one awake.  At 8, when I was still the only one awake I decided to wake man-child to get him to work at an almost decent hour.  I figured that if the kids were still asleep they really needed it and made arrangements to stay home from work.

Girl-child woke just after 9 proclaiming that her earache was only a little bit there.  Boy-child stirred at around 10, only to tell me that he felt sick and didn’t want to go to school.  He told me that his head hurt, his throat wouldn’t let him talk normally and his tummy hurt.  He also still had a fever and has added a nice chesty cough.  Another dose of medicine and another book to read and he was asleep again in minutes.  I left him and wandered downstairs to check on girl-child.

Before I knew it there was screaming from upstairs so up I ran.  Boy-child is hanging over the edge of his bed and crying “I’ve got throw ups and I can’t get out of bed quickly”.  The poor boy couldn’t get off the top bunk to make it to the ensuite but he was proud that he didn’t get throw up in his bed (because he wanted to go back to sleep).  Unfortunately the throw ups were sliding down the wall, the beautifully prepared wall that was waiting for me to paint.  I threw boy-child into the shower to calm down and set to cleaning the wall before tucking boy-child into my bed for some more rest.  Fingers crossed he can run from my bed in a hurry should the need arise.

It doesn’t look like it will be a very productive day.  Let’s throw into the mix the fact that it is the kid’s end of term drama performance and the day should get a whole lot better!

Why I hate Painting

Well my extensive to-do list has painting the ENTIRE HOUSE a priority prior to getting new carpet next week.  I am the one wanting the walls painted prior to the carpet, therefore it is my job to make sure it gets done in time.  

First job – moving everything away from the walls to be painted.  Now this is a job I can do.  All it really needs is a little bit of logic and a lot of determination to move furniture.  This is where we are really lucky (NOT), the furniture that is currently up top will eventually be on the middle floor.  It really isn’t worth moving now as it will only have to be moved again when the carpet is installed.  Let’s just move it to the middle of the rooms, stack as high as possible, cover the mountain of stuff and then paint!

Oh that’s right, there is still more to do before painting can begin.  Step two – preparation.  Oh so much fun.  Let’s spent a beautiful sunny day cleaning down walls ready for the paint, but don’t stop there, you also have to get rid of any sawdust and plaster powder that is still on the carpet.  Hmmm, now this is a job that should involve a vacuum cleaner and I hate vacuuming, perhaps even more than I hate painting.  What should I do.  I could just vacuum and be done with it, but that would be far to logical.  Lets procrastinate some more and rip out the carpet.  Of course this involves moving all of the furniture that was just strategically stacked in the centre of the room.  Who cares, move furniture OR vacuum?  Moving furniture will win any time.  Now that the carpet and all of the offending dirt has been removed, the furniture re-stacked it is finally time to paint, or is it?

Step Three – painting.  If I were organised I would be ready to paint now.  Of course we I haven’t decided on a paint colour, so it is off to the hardware store to collect colour swatches and sample pots, then painting random pieces of wall before finally deciding on a deeper shade of the same colour that is already on the walls! 

The final step – painting.  Finally it is time to begin, I can put it off no longer, or can I?  Yep, of course I can.  Someone taller than me needs to paint the ceiling first, I don’t want white paint splatters on my ecru walls.  And now it is time to paint.  I hate painting and I have only just begun  

It feels like Spring

Finally it feels like spring.  The sky is blue, the sun is shining and people seem to be generally happy.  It is a great thing.  To kick off feeling like spring, I have joined a Sunday morning fitness get-together.  

It turns out that one of the kinder mums is also a personal trainer who is looking to set up her own business in the area now that their family is a little more settled (they only moved here earlier in the year).  We started at 8 this morning for a warm up run, some interval training, weights, core exercises and some stretching.  Despite the exercise, it was quite pleasant.  I know that they are all exercises that I can do on my own but I am essentially lazy.  If I can find an excuse to slacken off, believe me I will.  By committing to this group I will actually turn up, see I am so lazy that it is easier to just go than to call and make excuses.  Hopefully this will be a better start to getting into shape than when I was running early in the morning.  Perhaps it will even motivate me to start running again, who knows?

I am sure I will be extremely sore tomorrow, not just from the exercise this morning but from painting 3 rooms last night and this morning and moving furniture from the middle floor to the top floor.  If only the hot tub was filled, I could do with a good soak.  It won’t be long now until everything is finished and I can relax in the tub for hours on end, I can’t wait.

Progress

The latest progress report…

 

• the walls are built and plastered,
• the lights have all been replaced
• extra lights have been installed
• extra power points have been added
• the toilets are now all working and not leaking
• the cracked basin has been replaced
• the dripping tap has been repaired
• the deck has been laid
• the storage seat is almost finished
• a floor has been added into the roofspace
• the carpet has been ordered

Still to go

 

 

• build shelves in the wardrobe
• paint everything, like now, before the carpet goes in
• clean the mess and put things into new homes
• enjoy living!

Look at how much outdoor space we will have!

We have added to our original list of what we wanted to do but figure that if we are going further into debt and can’t ever afford to leave the house again, we may as well enjoy being at home!  

Random Nothingness

I feel like I don’t have time to blog the way I want to.  It is important for me to keep SuperRelish up-to-date as it is a journal of my kids and the bizarre things they do and say as well as the adventures they have.  I want to be able to look back and remember significant moments and special days as well as all mundane day to day madness.  I guess it is kind of like scrapbooking but without all the mess of paper and glue.  

As well as having the kid’s journey documented, I want to have my own space online.  At this stage it is only my space.  No one I actually know knows that I write here.  As a result, the time available to actually write and clear my head is limited.  I still don’t know why I want this space kept a secret, it isn’t that I actually write anything that could be perceived as offensive to family or friends and I only write what I would actually say.

Perhaps it is that I want something in this hectic life that is mine and only mine.  Does that make me selfish?  I know that I have moments of total selfishness and it is my selfishness that led to me crossing to ‘the dark side’ and insisting on getting a macbook, despite having never used a mac before in my life.  I just wanted something that was mine, all mine.  The theory was sound, but kids aren’t technophobes and can go from one laptop to the next without any problem anyway.  Man-child still insists that macs are confusing and difficult to use, but most of that is him being just as stubborn as I am.  

Hmmm.  I seem to have lost the point of this post.  In fact I can’t even remember where it was headed.  It was something about not using this space the way I want to use it, but not knowing how I want to use it and for what purpose.  I think I want to try and write about me and where I fit in the wider world as a way to clarify and define my opinions, but that would seem to imply that I have solid opinions about anything.  Basically I don’t know what I want, so how can I get it?  

My favourite quote has just popped into my head; If you always do what you have always done, You will always be where you have always been.  This quote usually motivates me to do something, to instigate a change of some kind.  Maybe I am ready for change?  

Hopefully that change will be a clean and organised house when the renovations are done.  Speaking of renovations, there has been huge amounts of progress and the end is in sight.  Before the end, I have to paint and I hate painting almost as much as I hate vacuuming, but that is a story for another time.

My Babies in Blue

The kids were totally crazy tonight, it was like they had been filled with red cordial or coke or some such hyper making kid juice and I was dreading bedtime.  After reading a few chapters of James and the Giant Peach, they promised they would be quiet and go to sleep quickly.  I kissed them goodnight and wandered down to the study.  I could hear them talking for a few minutes and then all was quiet.  I really should have thought more about it then – hyper kids being quiet, too quiet can never be a good thing.  Unfortunately I was more interested in getting my own dinner ready so I let them be.

Man-child went to close the window in their room and look what he found.My Little Boy Blue

His Partner in Crime

There seems to be a theme to my kids and blue…

Boy-child had another night time adventure with a blue texta when he was younger.

Another craft project gone wrong ended up with girl-child being covered in blue oil paint.

What it is about blue and my children?  Should I just get rid of all blue craft items?