Thursday 6 August 2015

Unstructured

Is it, CT?
 

  



 


Hello all.

I'm debating an early night with my new book, watching Bake Off on I-Player or a film. Once I've put Olly to bed. He's watching Toy Story, although he really should be asleep. It's just been me and him this week, and the normal family routine has gone right out of the window. Even the holiday routine, which is generally very relaxed, has done a bunk.

Marc, Sam and Alfie return at various times tomorrow. Alf has been on an army cadet camp for ten days, and judging from the amount of texts and phone calls, has been rather homesick. He tells me that he has enjoyed it, but there has been tiredness and a cold to contend with, and no Mum administering any tlc. Not that I'm a particularly good nurse. I don't deal with blood very well. Ditto vomit. And I'm rather dismissive of colds. Apart from my own. Then I can found dragging my sorry arse about the house and looking for sympathy. I shall be very glad to have him home. I've missed him and his fiery temper.

Olly and I have made the most of the good weather, and embraced the bad. Yesterday we were picking strawberries and following the animal trail at our local pick your own farm. It was pouring with rain. I've left my wellies in Bristol, so slipped and slopped in flip flops. Olly ate his punnet in the car on the way home. Mine went into a cake this afternoon. I've had a slice, but I'm not sure that I like it much. I should have just eaten them with cream and meringue. We've been to the beach, gone swimming, found a new favourite Honey walk, watched numerous DVDs, hung out together, played Lego, gone to the cinema and he's been very helpful in the housework department. My windows have never been so clean. All in all we've had a thoroughly lovely time together.

I do think that I may crave some structure to my days soon enough. I am not able to swim during the holidays, and although I bought myself some exercise dvds, the cellophane is still intact. I say no more. I am ambling instead of power walking, and my sugar free thing is not so much right now. It's all too easy to fall into bad habits when the days coast along. And while I'm all for coasting (I've spent most of my life doing it), I don't want to entirely lose control.

I've been thinking, too, about getting a bit of structure here. I'm not sure how. But I do like the idea of at least one post a week that forms part of a series of similar posts. Perhaps I shall reinstate the happy. I really enjoyed that Little Birdie inspired project. Once September comes, and everything settles back into the term time routine, I shall be going back to work (albeit as a volunteer) in school, and as a counsellor once more. I may have less time, inclination or energy as I sit and 'be' with others. I will be returning once more to the tricky business of balancing work and home, which as many of you know is not always easy. Especially when you are doing it alone for the most part. Work will be good for me. But maybe not so much for the boys. We'll see. It's all part of my slow resurfacing. Back at the helm, with all guns blazing. Perhaps I need a nice new notebook to go with it? I've already bought the dress......

Have a lovely weekend.

Make sure you always have wine in the fridge.

Leanne xx



15 comments:

  1. I just put beers in the fridge over here. That book looks intriguing, I'm going to see if the library has it yet. I know exactly what you mean about falling into certain habits as the days coast along aimlessly. I'm so tired of it. One more week and we'll be back in school. I'm craving the routine so badly. I cook and bake too much when I'm bored. It keeps me busy but it's so bad for me. I hope you have a good weekend, Leanne.

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  2. Volucella zonaria I think, rather than inanis. It's a hoverfly mimic, entirely harmless and became established on these shores during the 1940s. Also our largest hoverfly. Nice spot, lady :o)

    Your holiday days are sounding lovely and I love that last pic especially. We've had some good 'uns here too- I love the altered rhythm of the summer when school is over and the children are free. Also love the return to structure in September. Bravo for you for your job. I think it will be marvellous for you and for the boys- does Sam go to uni in Sept? xxxx

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    1. That's the plan. Results day soon. Eek!
      L xx

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    2. J is off to Exeter to read French this Autumn- had a year out so her place is set. Loads of good luck for Sam, but you know, they always end up where they're meant to be xx

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  3. Hi Leanne. I like routines! Unstructured is good, too but sometimes it is good to know what's next. Back in a semi routine here... at work since Monday, schools back next week. Isn't it nice how even the most independent and/or unruly children look forward to coming home to mama? Good luck to Sam for exam result day! Christina xx

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  4. Sugar free is a thing of the past here too, and I'm struggling to find time to do anything. Just keeping the urchins fed seems to take the whole of the available time. Well done on the voluntary work and counselling, I hope you enjoy returning to structure. I often make things with fruit and think I should just have had it as it was. Plain and simple is often best isn't it. I hope it all goes well for Sam on results day and that he gets to go to the university he wants. Any chance Ollie could pop round and do my windows as well? I'll provide the strawberries. CJ xx

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    1. He's very keen, although a tad over exuberant with the window cleaner. And yes, fruit is better off just eaten from the punnet. I should have followed Olly's lead.
      L xx

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  5. September is an excellent month for restructuring - better than January, I reckon - so just go with the flow for a few more weeks. Can sympathise with the apres-cadet camp washing: had that a couple of weeks ago and can recognise that certain whiff of damp kit a mile off! And can also sympathise with results day...no more to be said about that... (six days to go...)
    Love your writing - your honesty is truly refreshing! x

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  6. It sounds like you and Olly have had a lovely time together. We're a little apprehensive about results day here, although ours are just AS this year. E tried really hard but doesn't think they went very well :( Fingers crossed for everyone. Well done on going back to work too. xx

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  7. I'm sure Alfie is going to appreciate you much more when he gets home, at least for the first 24 hours. It was always like that with my boys when they returned from cadet camp. Definitely buy the new notebook. And thanks for the tip. I've got wine in the fridge. Great minds think alike! :-)

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  8. I know exactly what you mean about that elusive balance between routine and relaxation, with such a fine line between enough free time and too much. Long days with no plans are delightful when the weather is nice, but bloody tedious when it rains I find. Your meandering days sound dreamy to me, and I'm enjoying mine, but I know that by the last week of the holiday I'll be ready for some structure again. xx

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  9. It's been wonderful catching up here, Leanne. My structure (including the blogging one) has gone completely out of the window and I'll be glad to get back into the swing of the new school year.Your posts always do me so much good xxx

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    1. Hey Isabelle,
      How lovely to hear from you! I was thinking about you the other day. I'm glad that you enjoy visiting this space.
      Leanne xx

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  10. Oh yes, definitely need the new note book! I know just what you mean about structure and the absence of structure. If I have no structure at all I get very drifty and not in a good, dreamy kind of way, more in a mooching around not really satisfied with myself kind of way. Mind you since I gave up my job a few years ago there isn't a lot of structure round here. Perhaps that is why, when the little there is goes out of the window I am left floating a little bit too free.

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    1. I know how you feel. Perhaps come September I'll feel as if I have too much structure!
      Leanne xx

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