Brilliant Bookshelves

Those of you who read Catherine's post about the bookshelves will already know that, alas, there was a tiny hiccough. I thought it was high time for an update, because Garry has done a totally beautiful job on the shelves. Here are the before and after pics...

Before...
After...
In this shot you can just see the kitchen to the left and the laundry to the right...

Catherine's Music Lessons

Catherine recently told us that she'd like to learn to play the clarinet.

We suspect that she just picked this instrument out of thin air, because she hasn't really shown any musical interest before.... and since the clarinet is such an unlovely instrument when played by a total beginner, we have reached a compromise. (Mind you, I think the clarinet has beautiful tone when played well, so it's nothing against clarinets as such).

We have now got a little Yamaha keyboard and Catherine is booked in for weekly piano lessons. If she keeps them going for a whole year, we will revisit the clarinet idea. I think it's a good way for her to learn some basic musical theory and it's certainly a less expensive instrument. We can always pass on the keyboard if it's not a success.

Getting There!

I'm finally starting to feel as though my new home routine is in place. It has taken some tweaking, but it's getting there. One of the problems was that there seems to be too much stuff I need to fit into each day. Apart from cutting back on how much I do, though, I can really only get around this problem by doing things more efficiently/faster. The level of stuff I'm talking about here is very basic, you know - clean up lunch dishes, empty bins, do budget and bill-paying, etc. So they're not really things I can stop doing altogether.

In addition to this list of daily tasks, I also try to do *one* extra job each day - this is at the level of making a doctor's appointment, working on tax returns, reading textbooks for uni, etc. Aiming to fit in only one of these per day has been helpful as it puts less pressure on the afternoon.

Finally, I have three "special challenges" for myself each day - these are the things I don't like to do, but feel good about if I get them done. My three challenges are: to get some exercise; to put away all the clean washing; and to do one Flylady mission in the house.

It has helped to see these tasks and challenges as additional to my actual daily "work" - which is taking care of the kids, doing school with them, and dealing with their requests. I used to see these things as interruptions to my work, so the attitude adjustment was useful (and necessary).

Frogs and Lettuce

We had a few specks of rain here this week - not a lot, but enough to wet the ground. The result was a chorus of frog calls that night, which was a pleasure to hear. The next morning a tiny toad-like creature hopped out of my composting area. I quickly captured it (not with my bare hands, of course) because I thought it looked like a juvenile cane toad.

After lengthy comparisons to online pictures and descriptions of various frogs and toads, I am certain it wasn't a cane toad, and *think* it may have been either a Dusky Toadlet or Smooth Toadlet. So the little fellow was released back into the compost to croak another night.

Meanwhile, the lettuces I planted some weeks ago have been supplying us with daily leaves for our sandwiches. I never used to buy lettuce but now we're growing our own, we seem to use it every day.

My Personal Trainer

I am not someone who is known for my love of exercise. So to get me up and moving requires a lot of determination and effort. Thankfully, I have found a very dedicated and strict personal trainer to help me improve my fitness.

Introducing... Christopher D. Hills, personal trainer extraordinaire!

As part of his current curriculum, Christopher is supposed to design, implement and evaluate a personal training circuit for himself. However, since it's hard for him to do the suggested exercises himself (for obvious reasons), we've agreed that I will be his guinea pig instead.

So far, he has created a motivational poster which hangs beside my desk; he's evaluated my current fitness levels (in the areas of strength, flexibility, stamina); and he has created a ten-station exercise circuit designed to improve my fitness in those areas where it could use some work (all three, of course!).

I started my new regime yesterday, with enthusiastic encouragement from my personal trainer, who is not impressed by my lack of fitness or my attitude. LOL. He is a hard task master and won't let me get away with any pitiful excuses. I'm supposed to do this for FOUR whole weeks - if I survive, that is. So wish me luck, everyone!

Welcome, Karen

As of last Monday, we have our first Sunshine Coast respite worker on board! Karen will be joining us three mornings per week, mainly helping out with Christopher's school work as a tutor. It is great to finally have some respite hours underway again.

Karen has already slotted into our routine very well, with both kids giving her the thumbs up. We will continue to look for at least one other carer to share the load, but it's lovely to free up a little more of our time each week. As my university load increases, this extra help will be crucial to keeping all of us sane :)

43 things are now 6 things

Right, this 43 things thing is addictive - I have doubled my list and now have 6 things I'd like to achieve in my life... WOW! {tongue in cheek?}

Here they are:

* drink more water (this is going well so far)
* keep a journal (am using my glass dip pen and real ink for this!)
* learn to run (am in the 2nd week of an 8 week 'running training program') - this one may kill me yet....
* participate in the Nijmegen Vierdaagse - dream on, Tamara
* collect all of Maeve Binchy's books
* collect all of Elizabeth Goudge's books. This is my all-time favourite author.

Avoiding the martyr syndrome

As Garry is partly out of action at the moment (see Garry's blog) I am trying to avoid the martyr syndrome with varying success. Taking on the bulk of Christopher's care and housekeeping is tiring, particularly as we made a trip back to Toowoomba this weekend. Actually, in some ways that made things easier, with additional entertainment (in the form of cousin Emma) and extra helping hands (in the form of Granny and Pa).

Still, I am feeling a little more tired than usual.

So I tend to become a martyr. Which is not very attractive :(

I have been working on that this weekend, and am making some headway, I think. I hope. After all, it's not helping anyone if I am sighing and moaning about what needs to be done. Plus I feel bad about myself. Consciously trying to avoid that mindset has been quite helpful. Reading Maeve Binchy books also helps - she is like a bucket of cold water over the head when it comes to attitude adjustments (in a good way).

Wish me luck, guys!

43 Things

I have recently had fun messing around on a website called 43 Things. The whole idea is that you choose 43 things that you really want to do in your life, and then you use this website to track your progress, journal, send yourself reminders, see who else is aiming for the same goals, etc etc.

I have listed a grand total of three goals for myself, in the hope that they might just be manageable. But the list of 43 things can also be used to dream a little, and keep track of some things you might get around to one day.

There are thousands of ideas for your personal "43 things" listed on the site. You can also keep track of the things you've already achieved and whether they were worth it or not. You can even leave tips for other people attempting to reach those goals.

If you think this sounds really boring - and ok, I can relate to that - at least click on the link and have a glance at the goals on the first page. Do they stir up any long-forgotten dreams? Do you think you might want to dust off some of those dreams and give them another go? I'd love to hear about it if you do!