Whittling not carving...

Carving out time, that's what I've been trying to do, since the beginning of December - but all I've been managing is a bit of whittling ... a very little bit ...


But, things are about to change, and today is the first day of change, today is the first day of THE new SCHEDULE. We've been revving up towards it this week, me and Daisyfay - increasing our implementation of THE SCHEDULE each day. I knew I was on it last night, when, washing under control, I made mini vegetable crustless quiches for packed lunches alongside cooking dinner. Uber-mommy or what? And tonight ... something unheard of has happened... I am sitting in the armchair in front of the fire writing this. The washing is controlled, I sat with Daisyfay for an hour doing schoolwork without time stress (admittedly, late schoolwork), Paul is cooking dinner... I could find jobs, our house is the sort of house that always has jobs ...but nothing is pressing.


 And why? Well, THE SCHEDULE, obviously!!


And, possibly, the fact that it is the Thursday evening of a typical week and we are not at climbing, which we have been every such Thursday since 2011! Climbing has moved to a Monday - this has necessitated much reorganisation of my week - but tonight it is paying off ... who'd have thought...? Even Daisyfay noticed - "Isn't this nice?" she said as we did her work, "We never do this, it's so much better."


So ... is it THE SCHEDULE ... or is it climbing moving ...?


Not sure yet, but have definitely managed more carving tonight ...

The stretchiness of time

I have added up the hours I need this week. I have added up the hours I have this week. They do not match. I have significantly less hours than I need. It's that gap thing again...

This week is bonkersly busy, so was last week, and the one before ... it should calm down a bit after this weekend ... a bit...

Daisyfay has Grease this weekend ( my mum is coming - no hours allocated for cleaning - eek!) - dress rehearsal Friday (clashing with Summer Fair at my school) - two performances Saturday (clashing with Summer Fair at her school ... I promised cakes in lieu of presence ... not holding out great hopes at present, but am determined to try...). Tomorrow is Parents' Night for her, she should be at swimming for her assessment and it is Brownie Entertainments Evening, for which she is supposed to be half an hour early ...swimming is biting the dust ... hopefully we will get away from Parents Night in time to drop her at Brownies, so we can then arrive half an hour later to be entertained! I also have to finish my reports - getting there, but the hour count, compared with my typing speed, slightly worrying. Then let's add in the normal time slots for : school choir, community choir, climbing, athletics, tutoring ... oh bugger!!

But, you know what, in the middle of my chaos, I am revolting!! On Thursday instead I could gain hours, but I am not, I am having my bi-annual hair-do, hopefully - and I do not care...
...ish!

Next week - many things, but less, especially on the clashing front - but still ... things can only get better... can't they ...?

Wonderment

I am in a state of wonder.

Or is it shock?

I am nonetheless very happy ... though bemused by my own stupidity ...

I am at climbing - nothing unusual there! Not our normal night so no-one to chat to ... brought the iPad to occupy myself in a gainful way ... decided to try and sort out my emails, as I tend to stockpile them, over months and months... did lots of deleting ... and reading of the unread ... and discovered a wonderful thing ... I paid off a credit card last August! Now you would think I would remember this, but, for some reason I hadn't, and, what is more, thought I still owed a rather hefty amount on it.

Wonderment. Oh happy day! Makes up a bit for the debacle of the car and the phone.

Not sure it's exactly a grassy plateau, but I'm not complaining ...

Skyfall

Daddy and Daisyfay are bonding over Skyfall - they watched For Your Eyes Only last night too... she's getting a tad concerned ... am I being a bad parent ...?

Never mind - I appear to have some time - for the first time in I don't know how long. Summer holidays - actually enjoying the break - have power-washed the house ( kind of fun ...), back garden much improved, general getting with the programme...

The bank is acknowledging me again!!! I have a 12 month plan ... which might work... :-)

The Miracle Girl is on top form, freed from the constraints of school, full of energy. We went climbing yesterday, but outside... sheer rock faces ... eek!!

Just So Festival next week - me and Daisyfay getting excited, Paul ... ambivalent thus far... but we're looking forward to it. We have invested in new camping stuff, so pleased with it!

Definitely moving forwards with the plan - how come I don't seem to be any closer to the campervan ...?

Climbing

So, climbing is taking over my life! Or has the Miracle Girl already surreptitiously taken over my life ... hmmm.....

My weekend:

Saturday:  get up - clear up - sort various kitchen machines - practise Lion King audition for part quite obviously destined for much older child - drive Daisy Fay to Performing Arts group - go to tutoring job - come home - peg washing on line - make packed lunch - pack change of clothes - pick up Daisy Fay - drive to climbing centre in Warrington where the rest of her climbing team are in the last round of the North West qualifying for the national championships ( and some of them did! Yay!!) - spectate while child goes off to socialise - spectate with child - drive home - express relief that Paul has sorted out home-made pizza for movie night - fall asleep halfway through second film!

Sunday:  get up - clear up - sort various machines (the hamster wheel of life) - plan food for week - lament lack of time for weekly shop - entrust cash and limited shopping list to Paul, knowing he will not be as frugal as he should be! - make yet another packed lunch - pack climbing kit - pack still as yet unread reading book - drive to climbing centre in Liverpool (reading book on the way) - pay entry, hire ropes etc. - buy coffee - contemplate need to learn to belay whilst watching Miracle Girl's squirrel impression - text Paul that we will be too late to buy wine at 25% off at Tesco so he will need to go - drive home - sort stuff for Monday for me and Miracle Girl - eat (very good) Sunday dinner - clear up - sit down - fall asleep!

The Miracle Girl has passed her Level 1 climbing qualification - she now has her own harness and belay device - and there's a chunk of money I won't see again!!

                                                

This is not going to go away ...