The Blues

Winter Down Under

On June 25, 2010, in Family, Writing, by Rosie

It’s rather fresh down under. And in the country of Australia, too.

Okay, now I’ve got the obligatory weather/rude/innuendo joke out of the way, here’s ten things we’d like to do over the coming school hols. The kids get two weeks off from today, it’s nearly July and pyjama mornings are in the air!

In no particular order:

10. Stay in PJs until 10 am:

I’m not one to stay in the PJs all day, but it’s a luxury to wallow in them through breakfast on these cold, wintry mornings.

9. Write up some special words and laminate them for the family:

A friend wrote this inspirational African saying on Facebook today. I love it so much, I’d like to incorporate it into our lives in some way. (Yet to be decided)

“Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself.

They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.

African saying”

Thanks for sharing, Karen.

8. Snuggle in bed until 8:

This is difficult with children. Pip and Pop are old enough to get their own breakfast now, so I’ll be leaving out the cereal boxes and bowls to grab an extra half-hour or so beneath the doona.

7. Cook with kids:

Specifically, Make Fiona’s Chicken, Leek and Oat Soup and this divine, scrummy, yummy White Chocolate and Raspberry Waffle Pudding

6. Teach Pip and Pop to ride a two-wheeler bike with confidence:

It’s late to start, I know. Both Pip and Pop are poor riders, and I have fear that Pip is going to go into her Bike Ed class in term 3 as the only child who can’t do a wheelie. That would be okay if I wasn’t a former PE teacher.

5. Be kind to the dog:

Effing Jones is a handful, and sometimes I am not as nice as I could be to him (eg: when he pulls washing off the line). The kids have made up this song ‘Everybody loves Efff-ing, except for mum!’ and they sing it quite loudly. It’s time to apply Karen’s African saying to all members of the family, even four-legged ones!

4. Teach girls to sew:

They already have an appointment with their paternal grandmother. They both want to sew, not stab their fingers with needles, which is what would happen if their mother taught them.

3. Encourage ‘creative time’:

So I can totally ignore them and finish drafting the ‘Unravelling’ manuscript. Also, I need to work on this website, which has NO history of writing and seems to collapse every couple of hours.

2. Have a sleepover with my schoolfriends:

You’re never too old for a sleepover with schoolies. I am so fortunate to have four wonderful, very different women in my life that share a history of teenage years, friendships, fight, sickness ‘n health, life, death, marriage, non-marriage, in-between marriage, boys, animals, song, laughs, sobs, drinks, nightclubs, fightclubs (not really, but it rhymes!) and sheer years.

We ‘are what we are.’ It’s nice to have a girl’s weekend, and even though we can no longer party like it’s 1999 (dislocates hip, shatters knee, creates more wrinkles) it’s still a blast. Love you, girls.

1. Don’t set an alarm:

Need there be more? The luxury of the holidays beckons.