Happy Valentines Day

It's always a special evening in our house. I bought Peter a yummy bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and a tin of chocolate covered brazil nuts which he will love and I have to promise not to eat on him........ He came home this morning to help me carry the groceries inside, and said he wanted me in a negligee when he got home........ I don't have any - which he knows. Goodness knows what he would buy if he actually went and got me some. It wouldn't fit for starters because the man has rose coloured glasses where I am concerned and wouldn't buy it big enough. I bought myself a bottle of sparkling shiraz, normally kept for Christmas, but I felt like something different and didn't feel like champagne perse........ and sparkling shiraz is delicious. Cold bubbly and with that beautiful dryness that you can only get from a shiraz mmmmm For dinner I went and bought these chicken things the butcher makes which are delicious and effortless. It's chicken with spinach and cheese and puff pastry. They've made it ina roll, and you buy it by the slice. It cooks in about half an hour and is delicious. Something premade that's actually really really good. I am just going to have some beans, broccoli, carrots and potato with it. Nice easy dinner, with maximum flavour, I like that.

I worked yesterday, so the drought has broken. They rang me today and booked me for more days in April and May, so at least I know that's coming up. They spread the days out over several weeks, and made it a contract, which means the money won't be as good as a normal TRS day (About $90 per day less), but I am not in a position to knock it back, so gratefully accepted it........ It felt so good knowing that it was starting up again. Now I just have to hope it continues so that I can meet all my obligations. Currently we are paying for food out of the 'extra' money that Peter earns, and that's not something we've ever done before. I tried so hard to keep the shopping down in price today, and managed to reduce it a little, but boy I was scungy and frugal...... My groceries are usually around $220 - $240 per week. That includes two bottles of wine, today I managed to do the whole lot for just under $200 and that included the wine (not the present wine) and the chicken from the butcher. We normally go and get extra stuff during the week too, maybe some milk, and some vegies if we are cooking something special on Saturday night, but the last few weeks, we have been making do with what we have home.

I have to go and pick up the kids shortly, they are at after school care, so gives me a little breather on a Thursay - don't have to race out at 2.30pm to pick them up. It's been raining on and off again today, so I need to be quick in between downpours.....

A quiet rainy one

I have lived here 18 years, and this is the wettest I have ever known it. I know we are supposed to have a 'wet season' every summer and that's normal, and it's something we don't normally have. I hate rain........don't mix me with water, unless it's self inflicted via a shower or a swim. I hate getting my hair wet. I spend time doing my hair every day, and even put on makeup, so I hate getting wet, probably what I hate more than getting my hair wet, is that I get cold. Nothing worse than getting into a car - wet- and having to put the a/c on because otherwise the windows would fog up, and I am sitting there in a singlet top nearly freezing my ninnies off....... On the upside there's nothing more conforting then having my kids and me all sitting here watching TV, playing the gameboy reading or whatever in our jammies at 4.15 in the afternoon, and the rain is pouring down and we are all home safe, comfortable and dry, and a yummy chile con carne is cooking on the stove top. Only downside is Bunny is still out working, although apparently this afternon he is under cover which is good for a change.

I woke up this morning with a sore throat and whopping headache, so, after I dropped the kids to school, had a couple of panadol and my breakfast, I headed off back into my nest. Spent an hour and a half just dozing and felt better for it when I got up. I spent the rest of the day dusting, tidying, and clearing out junk which I just collect. I also did my exercises that my physio has given me to do. I feel better in the legs this morning, although the hip flexor exercises hurt, I don't hobble everytime I get up from a sitting position.

I made pikelets again for afternoon tea, and they were better than yesterdays....... Bunny will be happy to know I made extra for him.

I had a Mac OS X update to do today.Thank goodness I had increased my broadband plan as it was 340MB worth of Leopard updates.......

Spoke to my parents today which was nice. They are housesitting, and horse and dog and bird and cat sitting for my brother and his wife while they are on holidays. I can't believe how much I am missing them. Not that I see them all the time, just knowing they are away is weird......

Planning and healing and hurting

I've had a good day today, I was productive too, which is always a good feeling. I didn't need to do any housework which is always nice for a change - well that's if you don't include the washing, cleaning out the linen cupboard, cooking dinner, making pikelets for afternoon tea, emptying the dishwasher and cooking dinner as housework lol.......

In the morning I put together some of the kids' story books and searched and printed off some activities that I could do if I was ever to get called into the special school. I had my name down with them two years ago, even did volunteer days, and never got called in, even though they were happy with me. I need to go back and remind them that I am still interested. I know there are teachers who are going on leave and who are pregnant, so I may have a chance.

At noon I had my physio appointment and I was so glad for it. I am still in quite a lot of pain, even though I know she is helping. I walk out of there feeling so much freer and the pain is gone.......it's now dinner time and I had to take some Panadol as I am feeling quite sore. She gave me more exercises which I have done, and she also did acupuncture while I was there. Every time I get up to walk, my legs feel really sore, and then it takes a few steps and they don't feel too bad. I hope she fixes me........

Monday afternoon homework is always quite an onerous task. Thankfully Billy-Joe does his with little help from me, but the other two needs loads of help. Mickey needs assistance with reading, Sammy is great there, his reading is fantastic. Actually he has no problem completing his homework at all, it's just like pulling hen's teeth, as his concentration levels are kaput........ We always get there in the end though....thank goodness. They are all very responsible and love to do all their homework in one afternoon instead of spreading it out over the whole week. This means we only read on the other afternoons, but I know it's all done.....

Dinner is really easy, Billy-Joe is at scouts and we are having Honey and Mustard Chicken Tonight, I can't help myself though I had to add more salt, garlic, more seeded mustard and I added some corn too. I hate plain food, in hindsight I should have made the green curry which was my other option for tonight. I just didn't want to be in the kitchen all afternoon. Bunny has take Billy-Joe to scouts and will be home shortly.

It's Valentines Day on Thursday, always a special day for us. Unfortunately my financial status deems that I can't buy anything......... I may just end up getting a nice bottle of wine I think.

Am finding peace.......

One of the wonderful things of this life, is that one can always improve oneself. I try so hard all the time, to try and be a better wife, better mother, better friend, even a better stranger. I do want to make a difference. I want to be gracious and kind....... I am caring and loving and fiercely loyal to those close to me, but I want to be better. I also want to lose or decrease the amount of stress in my life. These are my main foci, for this lifetime.

For my birthday Barbi gave me a beautiful book called "Peace for the Woman's Soul', it's a Christian based book, based in bible readings, but what I love about it are the inspirational insights written by 'normal' Godfearing people...... I get lost in the Bible, I can't make sense of all the way they write, and this book is easy to read, and very very soothing....... So, combined with that, and the wonderful power of prayer, I think I am starting to make inroads, and am becoming the person I knew I could always be.

As a foundation, I need to rely on what I have. I have a small family and a small circle of friends, all whom I love deeply. They have all brought something special into my life and enrich it daily. Who am I without them? So why don't I try to make myself better for them?

School's gone back, mayhem (or the level of mayhem that I allow) is back. But I am going about my daily chores/responsiblities with a grace and a quiet love which has been awesome for me, for my kids and last but not least for my blood pressure.

I love my family and I love for them to have things 'just right', and while I am not one of those mothers for whom the children (and husbands) thinks is a door mat, I am happy to make my family's life rich and full of all the 'motherly and wifely' influences that I can give them. Let's face it, that's what they will remember when they are all grown up. I want them to remember a Mum who loved them deeply, taught them, cooked for them, laughed with them, helped them, talked to them, protected them, nutured them..........that's what I want them to remember.

I am, and always will be a works in progress in more ways than one.