WHEW. It has been one of those weeks. It didn't start out like that, it just kind of snowballed. Last weekend we did our power famine, and for the next few days we piggy backed off that wonderful world without technology. No blogs or ipod games (only a quick peek at facebook!), No TV, more board games, LOTS of reading. It was wonderful. When I get into a good book, everything else can easily be swept under the carpet, and I was reading The Hunger Games Trilogy in every spare moment I could find (The ending was a bit rushed, but otherwise it was gripping)...and so my bookworm nature was satisfied like after a good meal. Ahh, bliss. That peaceful, cozy winter pace (cushioned around my normal weekly responsibilities) lasted until about Thursday morning when I got woken up and snapped back into my crazy life with a bang.
Sometimes I get the feeling that people think I have such a perfect cruisy life because I don't work full time. What a dream, right?! I understand - and they are right in a way, we have budgeted and sacrificed the extra income we could have in order to give me a more balanced lifestyle. I simply don't function that well when life is too full of responsibility, pressure and tasks with a deadline. I start to panic that something will be forgotten and get rather fragile, upset, run down and grumpy - hence my tendency to roster and schedule my life. I love lists and timetables. When we made the decision to have Luke, I wasn't sure I would cope with holding down two jobs, and I was right - when he was 5 months old it got too much for me, and I quit one job and reduced my hours in my other job. I think I have a pretty achievable schedule now though, I try and balance things so that I don't get that panicked feeling very often....although its weeks like this one that make me start to freak out a little and want to quit everything.
Back to Thursday - a work day for me. I had finally taken the first steps to get our playgroup registered with the Ministry of Education, and had a visit from them today. It went really really well, but the amount of documents I have to create, forms I have to fill in, finances and equipment I need to get sorted...well, lets just say I need more then my meager 7 hours in the office a week to do it. And unfortunately I have to have everything ready in just 2 weeks if we want to get our funding for the next 6 month period. That pressure does not sit well with me, and Friday was spent frantically trying to get things organised. I went into the weekend knowing that I had barely made a dent in my "to do" list, and half the things that I DID achieve need to be done weekly, so next week is a repeat on them before I can try to tackle the Ministry list. Sigh.
Saturday and Sunday were jam packed with church events that kept us all busy and all the kids are sniffing and coughing today after the late nights took their toll. Finally, today was a 'home day' - the one day of the week that I work very hard to keep free from all commitments. How did I spend it? Those same people who think that I have the perfect life probably think that I curled up with a book or played on the internet all day or something.
I didn't.
This is what I do with my day off:
I started the day cleaning up one of those dirty nappies that required a complete change of outfit. Good morning world! Then I washed the windows, cleaned out the rabbit cage, played board games with Kate, made 2 loaves of bread (one to give away), baked muffins and slice for the week, cleaned fly poo off the ceilings in the kitchen and bathroom, washed the skylight cover, taught Kate how to ride a 2 wheeler (well, started the process), fed the kids, started updating the photo albums (its going to take a while), did the dishes, played with Luke, did homework with Jaimee....you get the idea. And this is pretty much how every 'spare' moment I have is spent.
I admit that I LOVE my Friday in the office (even with all the jobs to be done) - it is such a treat to take off my 'mummy/housewife" hat for a few hours and pop on my "team leader/Nikki" hat. I sit down at my computer with a coffee and drink it WHILE IT IS STILL HOT!! I guess I have the best of both worlds, home and work, kid time and a smattering of me time - and I am very grateful, I wouldn't trade it for a second. But boy, it sure is busy juggling it all!
No comments:
Post a Comment