Day in, day out

Hi all, long time and no writing from me. As with everyone life has been busy in these unusual times. Coffee shop meets have been replaced by FaceTime and lots of text, Google meets are a regular part of the older kids timetable for school, Zoom meets are for the little one and family and friends catching up and I’ve begun to use the word meets regularly and about 17 times a day! Life is very different right now, isn’t it? I am just not stopping. I’m quite envious of those who are watching Netflix all day. Some days I’m lucky if I sit down at all whilst the kids are awake.

This is my day:

6.40am - alarm

6.50am - 2nd alarm

6.55am - 1 of the children arrives for a snuggle before we face the day.

7am - 3rd alarm and simultaneously snoozed alarm

7.30am - talk about the fact we should get up

7.45am - admit defeat....almost. Husband sighs and taps or laptop still in jammies.

8am - really must get arse out of bed and feed kids before their ‘meets’ start.

8.05am - breakfast and much needed tea

8.25am- send big kids to their ‘school’ for the first session.

8.35am - having fixed technical issues and minor bickering problems I consider getting dressed. Instead I play with the hamster or finish my tea. Usually both.

9.30am - must get that coffee! Where has the last hour gone? Take coffee to husband who is sitting at his new desk with his head in his hands already despairing.  

10am - bribe and cajole 4 year old into her Zoom circle time ‘meet’. Spend the next half an hour trying to keep her interested and paying vague attention, reminding her she needs to speak louder and not mumble. 

10.40am - 20 minutes break to refresh coffee, check on older two, remind them that whilst learning about horses and racing cars is an amazing and interesting education they also have several task for school to accomplish. Regular reply? “But I’m supposed to read for between 30 minutes and an hour a day. I’ve just spend an hour reading about horses!” Give up and make that coffee.

11am - supervise youngest for her half an hour lesson. The teacher is great and beyond patient. Our girl flits between excited, sad it’s not “real school”, and being distracted by her brother.

Noon - make lunch and breathe....but not for long! Stop kids arguing over something or other.

1.30-2pm - make sure I know who has what classes or work to achieve this afternoon. 

3pm - take husband tea and make my 24th coffee of the day whilst tying not to gorge on biscuits.

4pm - hope that the kids don’t suddenly get hangry whilst I’m preparing a snack. Take milkshake orders and turn into café owner yet again. Then take a break from the café and get everyone out of the house for a walk.

5pm - start on dinner. Stand and stair into fridge and try to stop looking longingly at the rosé which has learned my name.

6pm - finally I get a glass of rosé!

7.30pm - start the fight to get the kids into bed.

8.30pm - wit butt on sofa.

8.35pm - get called upstairs to sort someone out.

8.45pm - maybe do some yoga, maybe shower, maybe bathe, maybe drink myself to sleep in front of Netflix 

9pm - explain to eldest that I’d love to buy a horse but we don’t have room

9.10pm - explain your youngest that I’d love to buy a dragon but we don’t have room....or fire insurance.

9.20pm - sigh that kids aren’t asleep yet. Look over at husband who is still working on laptop and trying not to despair at work/kids *delete as applicable.

10pm - think about going to bed and eat more chocolate.

11pm - finally get arse in bed and read book.

11.30pm-midnight ish - fall asleep dropping book somewhere.

Rinse and repeat as necessary.

But when I look back over the work the kids have done whether that be breeding fabulous racehorses in science for the eldest, amazing artwork by the boy, how many characters the youngest has played that day (Toothless and Elsa the current favourites), the fact that my husband is still vaguely sane and the fact that I am too and I think we’re doing alright. It’s the little things at the moment. We may not be great when it comes to helping with maths but we can teach love and understanding. We’re doing ok and right now that’s enough.

This week I’m quite pleased with the gazebo shelter and who it’s a lovely shady space in our garden. There’s no natural shade in this garden and it can get hot. It’s already reached 31°C this last week. Luckily it’s cooling a little over the next couple of days. Anyway - the gazebo. So I ordered this Captain Stag gazebo from amazon and tone added some of our old curtains for added shade. It makes it feel slightly bohemian and my sister-in-kaw said we just need a magic carpet to finish it off. I love it, I’m sitting here now. It’s a wonderful hiding place and palace according to the smallest one. So I need to add to the above routine something about hiding in the tent (as it is now called).

Rosé anyone?

Much love. Xxx