Category: Nonsense

I’ve taken up deep breathing

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Why? Here are some reasons just from today:

When it’s the afternoon and it takes you an hour and 10 minutes to walk the 800m round trip to the post office to check the PO box and pick up a parcel that I apparently missed the delivery for.

Deep breaths all the way, and it was a lovely walk. Even when Chanbe lost his cool because he wanted me to buy him the wooden model aeroplane that they had at the AusPost shop. So so many deep breaths and we all got through it.

When we’ve had a great dinner time, easy bath time, no trouble getting PJs on and teeth brushed, and Chanbe wants to read The Cat in the Hat and The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. For about the eighth time in recent memory. I take my deeeeeeep breaths and ask him very nicely if maybe he could choose two different stories tonight, since we have so many to choose from. And he did. Because I asked nicely and calmly. I am the adult, after all. (Meaning I need to set the example!)

When I’ve read the stories, (Chance ended up choosing two Hairy McLary books which I’m quite fond of) talked about what we did today, sung three songs, (I sang them Bike by Pink Floyd for the first time tonight and they loved it!) and brought them their cold water in sippy cups (man do I ever regret starting that little ritual a year ago) and Quindy starts up: “I wan’t more dinnnnnnaaaaaahhhhhh.”

I take my deep breaths and I calmly explain that she ate all of her dinner and her yoghurt and her fruit and now it’s bedtime. After a bit more fussing about (“I need a bandaid/blanket/froggy”) it’s done with and she is going to bed happy.

When I’m transferring my beef schnitzel from the frying pan to my plate and I drop it on the floor, and the Schnitzel von crumbs go everywhere (see what I did there?)

I took my deep breaths, brushed it off (I had just vacuumed the floors an hour before after the kids were eating grated cheese sitting down in the kitchen while I was cooking) and put it on my plate.

And finally, after a long day, and another day of not knowing when Hubs will be home, I should have known better, but learned the hard way, not to open a screw top bottle of wine while I’m holding it horizontally.

Deep breaths while I clean up the floor for the third time in 2 hours.

So there you have it folks. You heard it here first – breathing is good for you. I made a conscious effort to just walk around all day taking deep breaths, so when situations arose that needed me to be calm, I was already well on my way. I just have to remember it again tomorrow…

 

Add New Post

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I’ve tried to “add new post” about 5 times in the last week, and each time it has ended the same way – me closing my dashboard without having written a word. I think I’m suffering from a severe case of comparisonitis. I keep reading other blogs thinking “I wish I could write like that” or “I wish I could parent like that” or “I wish I could interior decorate like that.” It’s getting me nowhere.

I feel like I’m being really boring at the moment. I don’t have a lot going on that’s just for me, or for the purpose of growth and development. Oh sure I have ideas, but there’s just not a lot of action. My 101 in 1001 has been neglected for months now, and there are definitely some items that will be impossible to complete, like the ones that require me to do something for a whole year. Oh and go to South Africa. That is pretty unlikely. But I guess you never know!

One thing I have been doing almost every day is walking, and gosh it feels good. I even threw in a bit of jogging the other night, and it was much easier than I expected.

We are talking a lot about what we want to do with our house which is very exciting and lovely, but again, it’s just all talk at the moment. Once we have plans drawn up and an idea of what is happening when, it will all be a bit more real.

Hmmm what else. Oh yeah. I’m sick of talking about kid stuff to other mums. Like, seriously. I don’t have anyone up here (yet) who I can just shoot the breeze with. At playgroup it’s all “my kid does this” and “my kid started walking at this age” and “have you started Darby on solids” and “gosh my nipples are sore” and “gosh I’m tired” and “my kid doesn’t sleep through” and yadda yadda yadda. I think I just don’t like all the superficial small talk. I’ve said it all before to so many different people, that I just can’t find the energy to participate in conversations about the mundane. I want to talk about things other than my kids, though I realise that may be tricky at a playgroup.

The kids seem to have no understanding of my personal space at the moment. Absolutely none. My body is their playground and as much as I love a good snuggle and a little wrestle, I’ve been prodded, poked, stood on, slobbered on and kicked in more places than I care to list. I love my kids. No, IĀ love my kids. I just need some quiet time during the day to recharge. That’s where the walking has been great.

I’ve just sent Hubs and the kids out on a mission to pick up a few things for the house, so I can potter around (read: have a shower) in peace and quiet.

Although, Darbs is having a little nap. Maybe I should join him…

 

 

A little obsessed

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Can someone please tell me why I’m all of a sudden a little obsessed with this guy, and this song:

I know I’m totally behind the times on this one, as the song was released back in 2011. It was #1 in Triple J’s Hottest 100 in 2012, and even though we did appear to have listened to the countdown that year, (I checked my blog history to confirm this!) I guess I just hadn’t heard the song that much at the time so it went under my radar.

Hubs and I listen to Triple J’s Like a Version albums. A lot. We have recently acquired volumes 7 and 8, and Eskimo Joe do a “version” of Somebody that I used to know on volume 7. This is what sparked the obsession. Then I looked up the original and watched the above video clip. About 4 times in a row. Firstly, I don’t normally like covers that sound exactly the same as the original – I figure, what’s the point? Add your own spin! – but I do love that Eskimo Joe have pretty much replicated the awesomeness of the original. And I don’t know what it is about that clip; the simplicity maybe? The close up of his face and his amazing mouth and voice? The fact that he really looks like he’s singing his heart out in the clip? The artwork?

I really don’t know. All I know is that at least a dozen of the half a billion – yes, billion – views of this clip on youtube have been me.

I wake up humming the song every morning, and go to sleep as I belt out the chorus in my head every night. It’s got me good.

Changing my tune?

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I pride myself on not being quick to judge, not believing everything I see and hear on TV/in the media/in movies, and not jumping on any bandwagons. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha….. I can’t even keep a straight face when I typing that rot, let alone saying it out loud! In the words of Jo of Little Women (the remake) fame, “I’m hopelessly flawed” (to which Frederich responds “we are all hopelessly flawed.” *sigh*)

I judge. I jump on bandwagons. And I most definitely change my mind about people when I read/hear about differing points of view. I’m a shocker and am completely embarrassed by how much, after reading only 30 pages of Vivian Cash’s autobiography “I walked the line” I have changed my tune about June Carter and Johnny Cash’s romance. Vivian was Johnny’s great love. I don’t doubt that June and Johnny were in love and were very happy together, but it was Viv (did I just refer to her as Viv? Yes I did) who stole Johnny’s young heart and shaped him into the man he was.

Okay okay. I may be jumping the gun a bit here, but seriously, my heart is already aching for a love lost and a marriage that could have, nay should have, lasted a lifetime. It did for Vivian Cash, but was unrequited by her first and deepest love.

I’m going to admit right now that I’ve had a glass of sparkling red wine, am packing up our house, am missing Hubs (he’s away for the night – yeah I know. It’s one night), am counting down til I get my cast off (FRIDAY!!) and am feeling just a teensy bit sentimental and melodramatic. Still, I’m looking forward to reading more about Vivian and Johnny’s romance. Stay tuned for more judgement!

Self portrait

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You know how sometimes you grab your camera or phone, take a photo of yourself and go “wow! That’s awesome!” And sometimes it takes a few more goes (and adjusting some settings) before you’re even remotely happy with the outcome? That happened to me the other day. I started out with a little of this:

But it kind of made my nose look bigger than it is, plus I didn’t like the angle (or the background). 
So I tried this:
Kind of a “glancing up all sultry-like”, but I just looked dopey.
Speaking of dopey:
I’m not exactly sure about what look I was going for there, but I realised I need a hair cut and colour.
Then came this one:
…where I went from dopey to goofy. And realised I also needed to WASH my hair.
By this stage I was getting a little bewildered:
So I moved inside for a change of scene. 
And a change to black and white:
Aaaaaah. That’s getting better (though, my nose still looks a bit big. Or maybe it just is). 
Do I really need to push my luck?
Turns out, yes I do:
I think that was supposed to be my bedroom eyes shot. Oops (and poor Hubs).
And then we went back to goofey.
The purpose of this “shoot” was to get a new profile pic, which I did (I used the first b&w one) but have decided that once we move house, and I get my hair coloured and trimmed, I’m going to ask Hubs very nicely to take some headshots for me. That way, hopefully, we won’t have to go through this exercise again… šŸ™‚

Too much TV

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I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this much, but Hubs and I don’t have a TV. We haven’t had one since we moved to Melbourne over 3 years ago. Do I miss it? Sometimes. Would I watch it if we had one? All the time. Would it be quality TV? Probably not.

The only thing I really miss is watching the footy (or any sport for that matter), but every time I get the opportunity to watch tv, all I do is complain that there’s nothing good on. You see, I hate reality tv shows, almost as much as I hate facebook, and when seemingly 80% of tv shows are “reality” (and I use the term VERY loosely, just as I would use the term “friends” on facebook) there doesn’t seem much point in getting a telly.

Other reasons?

– I end up watching crappy shows that I don’t even really like and feel shame afterwards.
– I find myself planning my whole day around what’s on TV. (Friends is on for an hour between 10-11am, so I try and get Chance down for his sleep before 10am or after 11am. Shocking.)
– I get annoyed when Chanbe wakes up and I’m in the middle of watching Master Renovator’s Dinner Date Idol.
– Infomercials. Need I say more? Yes I need. I bought something I saw on an infomercial the other day, and I’m not proud of myself for doing so. I just get. Sucked. IN!! (I haven’t told Hubs yet – I’ll “surprise” him when it turns up! Woo!)

Since we’re in Wang for the better part of the next month, I’m sure I’ll be watching a lot of crappy tv. I just won’t be able to help myself!!!

I’m going to bed now

/ Renae / 1 Comment

means different things to Hubs and I. For me, it means:

Taking the dishes from the coffee table to the kitchen
Making sure all the food has been put away
Going to have a shower
Brushing my teeth
Taking my seretide
Hear Chance wake up
Go and feed and re-settle Chance
Turn the lights off, lock the doors
Get into bed
Realise I’ve left my phone in the loungeroom
Go and get phone and then get back into bed

For Hubs, it means:

Walk into bedroom, take clothes off and get into bed

Boys are such simple creatures šŸ™‚

Stuffing around

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On our most recent trip to Brizzie, Hubs’ sister Lsl’s pool was empty, so Hubs decided it would make a tee-yodally awesome skateboard ramp! Woo!

Since that didn’t work out so well for him, he thought he might try with the BMX.

As Hubs was poised, ready to rumble, I was pretty sure he was just posing for the camera, but the thing about Hubs is that, deep down, he’s a boy. A boy who loves a bit of mischief, so it was still possible that he’d give it a go. But the shallow end of the pool wasn’t a challenge enough for him. So he went to the deep end….

“Hubs? Huuuuuuuuuuuhhhhbs????? Pleeeeeeease tell me you’re kidding!!!”

Thankfully he was kidding*, but who can resist a good gag photo shoot??
*No hubsbands were harmed during the making of this blog post

The name game

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Pregnant? Looking for a good name to call your first/second/third/etc born?

One word.

Credits.

When I was pregnant, I loved watching the ends of TV shows and movies to pick out names that I liked. I still do it! You get to see names in a new context, other than name books and we certainly saw some good ones!

(That’s not how we came up with Chance, but I got our future daughter’s name from TV!! Let’s just hope I have myself a girl some day!)

((I’m not pregnant.))