Saturday, March 30, 2013

The Working Week

I am 3 weeks into my life as a part time working mother. I should write that with capitals....but
I am so freaking tired.
My body, my head, my mind.
So much to take in, to give out, to learn, to live, to do....
I love it. I love having to be somewhere at 9am, I love being relied upon, I love talking to so many different people throughout the day.
I had not realised that this was what I was missing.
I love the car ride from work to pick up kids, that solitary 10 minutes to prepare for the next shift.
I love that the time that I have with my kids is richer, funnier, happier.
Which is not to say that's how all of our time is spent together.
Maggie has been throwing some truly magnificent tantrums. It's like Paranormal Activity has control of her body. Somebody call an exorcist. Help! My daughter is possessed by a demon....
Full respect to her for them, and fortunately, so far they are Private Shows only, just for us lucky few who live with her at home.
Leo has been crying wolf about being sick for school, a completely new phenomenon. Most mornings from me he gets a bit of sympathy, a gentle prod in the right direction followed with a suck it up and get ready for school. He is fine.
I'm alternating the times I pick them up after school, so we have a small amount of solo time together whilst we go to pick up other child.
I've managed to squeeze in a whole week (and by that I mean 4 days, it is Easter) of waking early & taking the dog for a walk. This has occurred two weeks running and I'm thinking I might be close to making this a habit. I've even managed to ramp it up to a 3k jog plod a couple of mornings, impressive, yes, I am.
We were supposed to go camping but it has rained more in the past week than it has this entire Wet season so we stayed home instead. I've done some gardening, some drinking and even some pot smoking. Having a terrific time. Not getting quite as much done as I dreamt I would, but the floors got cleaned today, the soil looks healthy (such a sense of achievement in helping dirt become Better dirt) and most importantly our little family is all together driving one another mad with love.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Books

I just finished this book, A Fault In Our Stars, by John Green.
Love. Teenagers. Cancer.
When I say finished it, I mean absorbed it. Through my eyes and straight to my heart.
It was beautiful, sad, hopeful, funny, desperate.
He may be my new favourite author. A rival to the great Johnathon Tropper. A funnier James Frey.
I attend a monthly bookclub, where I consistently drink too much wine and stay up far past my bedtime. But it is all worth it for that night out, talking books.
Last month we read Magician, (Raymond E Feist) a classic fantasy book that is ridiculously big, with terribly small font. An exciting story, but tempered for me due to far too many characters with long winded names and titles from many made up places. Hard to keep track of them all.
Last year my favourite was a book called Loving Frank, written about the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It was 'historical fiction', an amazing story with a terrible end. If you read it, whatever you do Do Not read up on him beforehand. Total spoiler.
I'm eagerly awaiting the final instalment of the Sookie Stackhouse series, which is to be released soon. I'm determined to finish 'All That I Am', by Anna Funder, which has been on my bedside table for many months now.
At least it hasn't yet been relegated to a drawer, like 'The Life Of Pi' before it, or 'The Happiness Trap' by Ross Harris. Some people keep sex toys in their bottom drawer - mine is more a spot for books I just didn't love enough to finish....but maybe I will....one day.
Next for book club is 'Sweet Tooth', by Ian McKewen. There is a small chance this will be a little too high brow for my low to medium brow size, but I'll give it a shot. Just in case I'll be off to my local (library) shortly, to see if it's in stock.
In the meantime next cab off the rank (book off the shelf?) is A Fortunate Life, AB Facey. They say it's a classic, and if that's what They say, then I'm definitely in.



Monday, March 4, 2013

What a week

What a week.
A Job Interview. A panel of 3 and me. Nerves running through me like cocaine, but I manage to pull it off. Said some good stuff, some great stuff and some oh fucking hell what was I thinking stuff.
Not a lot of eye contact as we said our goodbyes and confirmation of a 'thanks for trying but...' came this morning via email.
Screw You Anglicare, you bastards.
Seriously, what a great organisation though. I would have loved to work there.
Assholes.
Anyway, onward and upward.
My friend recommended a Chinese Massage place to me. It's located in Wagaman, next to a take away shop and a corner store. I booked in for a 30 minute session last Tuesday.
Oh good lord.
Best massage ever. Half way through she pulls my knickers down & gives me the greatest back/bottom rub I've ever known. I swear there was nearly a happy ending.
I'll be back.
A group of friends and I have been gathering 2-3 times weekly & exercising. It's fun, hard and motivating. I'm blessed to have good friends & it's lovely to spend quality time productively with them. Eg sweating & laughing ourselves silly.
Finally, re work, I've had an email this morning from my current workplace offering me a position 2 days a week, as a support worker for Unaccompanied Minors in the Detention Centre up here.
I am bloody delighted. I do believe the universe is working with me, or possibly I am working with the universe. Who knows?