I’m a Winner

Hooray, I’m a winner (for the second time ever).  I want to skip around and dance to celebrate.

Back in 1998 at the school fete I entered a raffle and for the first time in my life I won something.  Of course with my winning came the fear of having to catch the school bus home with my winnings and then to explain that the guinea pig I had in my school box was really mine!  Fortunately Squeaky the guinea pig was welcomed into our family with very little trepidation or anxiety.  He lived happily in our yard for many years keeping the grass neatly trimmed.  

Until today Squeaky was the only thing I have ever won.  Today when I eventually had time to open my non-work emails I was pleasantly surprised to find an email from Robyn at the Craftivist letting me know that I had won a competition she was hosting.  I am now to be the proud owner of a book that sounds amazing – Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist.  Now I must be honest, I had not heard of Shauna before but after reading Robyn’s review of the book and how it renewed her faith in humanity I knew I wanted to read more so I entered the competition.  Actually I was really interested in the book and I entered the competition again over at Robyn’s other site, One Small Action.  Lucky me, I won.  

 

Cold Tangerines – image from the author’s blog

I can’t wait to read Cold Tangerines.  Once read I will even attempt to tell you about what I find but I can’t promise anything, I don’t actually do reviews but did I mention that I am really really really looking forward to reading Cold Tangerines.

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And in other completely random news… I had to wake the kids for school this morning at 8.35.  They were dressed, fed and cleaned in 12 minutes – a new personal best.  I then ran around frantically for a further 3 minutes trying to find the car keys.  Finally I found them and we jumped into the car and were on our way.  The kids were walking through the school gates as the bell rang – perfect timing and a sleep in for the kids.  

Waiting

Skip right on by if you don’t what to hear me moan and groan.

Knowing that this week my foreseeable future is going to be insanely busy I decided to be proactive last night.  I cooked three separate meals, last nights, tonights and even tomorrow nights so that at least we would have something decent to eat in the after school/after school activities madness.  If all goes to plan I will pick the kids up from school and rush to either work, sport or other after school activity almost every day.  We generally won’t be back until 5.30pm and by that stage the kids are likely to have joined me in the tired and grumpy camp.  At least now we will have dinner almost ready.  Continuing in my proactivity I even went to bed relatively early thinking that I would also be well rested as well as prepared.

It was a good thought and a great plan however the planets were poorly aligned and it just didn’t quite work out that way.  First there were the child wakings.  Although I didn’t have to deal with them, the stomping up and down the stairs at 3am were enough to wake the dead.  Finally the stomping stopped and the house resumed its silence but the cat was awake.  Of course 3am is the perfect time for a cat to have a wash, on the pillow beside my head.  She was swiftly relocated but soon came back seeking warmth and comfort.  Eventually she climbed under the doona so I couldn’t hear her purr or wash.  At around 3.30am I turned Dr Horrible back on knowing that I would be asleep within 3 tracks, not because I don’t like Dr Horrible but because I can lay with my eyes shut and still see what is happening as I listen.  In fact I have seen it so often that I could probably recite it unprompted!

I barely remembered listening to the intro music and I was out cold.  Unfortunately before I knew it I was awake again.  There was no light in the room so it was clearly too early to contemplate waking.  Time for more Dr Horrible and it was only 4.12am.  Again the music worked.

Then I was awoken by someone who need not remain nameless as he was the only other person in the room.  He was totally asleep and extremely gropey and bloody annoying.  A few kicks and he rolled over but I was awake – AGAIN.  Time for Dr Horrible again.  This time the magic was losing its amazing sleep inducing power and I actually watched Episode 1 and started Episode 2 before falling asleep again at some time around 5.  

The cat was removed some time between then and the alarm sounding.  Needless to say when the alarm did sound I was in no mood to get up or even be civil.  I am glad that I didn’t plan of doing day 2 of the couch to 5K this morning.  Instead I hang out washing, put another load in to wash, made lunches and prepared the after school snack bag.  Now I am waiting.  Waiting for the kids to wake.  Wondering if I should wake them.  It is 8.22am and there is no noise from them save the odd cough.  I think I will cook some toast for them and then go wake them, peel their jammies from them and try and dress them before rushing out the door.  I am expecting tears, lots of tears.  Wish me luck!