شكرا ان التتكلم عن الابوة والامومة.
: ) : )
Showing posts with label being a mother. Show all posts
Showing posts with label being a mother. Show all posts
Monday, 19 October 2015
Saturday, 4 July 2015
Messy task, sweet opportunity
It was lovely to spend a couple of hours clearing out T's uni room and loading up the car. We had to be inventive, use a pillow case as a bin bag, find ways of opening doors with every arm filled with heavy things. I dropped a lamp base on my toes, but it hit all of them at once and the force was dissipated. T was proud to keep marked assessments showing lots of high marks. We agreed that teachers marking work are heroes.
His flat mates are so kind, holding doors open for us and making it easier.
Lots of sorting out and deciding. Lots of feeling tired, hot and sweaty. I told T to lie down on the bed at one point, just rest. I headed to his little bathroom and stopped thinking for a bit while cleaning the sink.
The car was so heavy I drove at 20 instead of 30. All those speed bumps.
(from several weeks ago)
His flat mates are so kind, holding doors open for us and making it easier.
Lots of sorting out and deciding. Lots of feeling tired, hot and sweaty. I told T to lie down on the bed at one point, just rest. I headed to his little bathroom and stopped thinking for a bit while cleaning the sink.
The car was so heavy I drove at 20 instead of 30. All those speed bumps.
(from several weeks ago)
Wednesday, 1 July 2015
Who's this then? - Thank you - Infrared Thermometer - Moon lit night
Another go at writing a 3rd person bio:
'Sarah Maitland Parks got started by the man at the write-your-own-poem Tube Train tent at Poetry Parnassus in London 2012 and by taking part in the Modern and Contemporary American Poetry MOOC run by the University of Pennsylvania in 2013. She studies Arabic, loves encouraging other poets, and blogs at globeonmytable.'
'Sarah Maitland Parks got started by the man at the write-your-own-poem Tube Train tent at Poetry Parnassus in London 2012 and by taking part in the Modern and Contemporary American Poetry MOOC run by the University of Pennsylvania in 2013. She studies Arabic, loves encouraging other poets, and blogs at globeonmytable.'
Thank you
First poetry workshop, of a sort: A young man sat me down on a bale of straw with a sheet of blank paper on a hard surface with a pencil attached with a piece of string. There were simple instructions on how to write a first poem, so I looked at the Thames and wrote about my mixed up weekend.
First poetry workshop, of a sort: A young man sat me down on a bale of straw with a sheet of blank paper on a hard surface with a pencil attached with a piece of string. There were simple instructions on how to write a first poem, so I looked at the Thames and wrote about my mixed up weekend.
First reading I attended: Readers and organisers at the Migrant Resource Centre, 3 blocks from where I grew up. Iraqi man who chatted with me, but then said nothing, not a single physical response to my question: 'How's your Arabic?' His heart may well have just fallen shattered from its sockets, or I might have sounded a bit rude? I will never know.
A household with sons
Means coming into the kitchen at 10pm and being lasered to see what temperature I am. After a bit I use it to see how warm it is outside by aiming the red beam out of the window, 26c. Then I get all excited and stand outside aiming it into the night sky, 1c and -5c.
Moon
I am always going out with bags of rubbish. H tells me, you just fucked off and left me. I say yes, I am busy doing housework. Really, I'd been standing at the gateway listening to the quietness, feeling the night air moving. It is the 1st, so one breath is all the meditation I can do tonight. He had come out to find me, but didn't want to know about the bright moon light.
Sunday, 10 May 2015
Feeling twins - Looking at bed linen - Alan Buckley
A pregnant woman invited me to feel her twins
I felt the instantly familiar sensation of the surface of the belly, with the baby's head moving in the waters a few millimeters away. I never thought I'd feel that again. I can't bring it to mind, it is a sensation my hand recognised and my primitive mind, but not my conscious mind. I have no words for it at all.
Bed Linen
Maybe it is ok to buy a soft mattress topper, fresh pillows and a super soft synthetic duvet. Create a nest of simple pleasures. Knowing how to do without these things is necessary, but I don't have to live in a war zone any more.
Memories of that lumpy because of springs mattress in Edinburgh are funny in retrospect. Using the end of the duvet as my pillow because there was no pillow, of any sort. Did that box room have a window onto the hallway? If it did, the light would have shone in at night, so it probably had no window at all. It was a big cupboard.
In Paris I used to trust that the cockroaches would not learn how to climb up the bed legs. I guessed the bed was far enough away from the kitchen area to not be attractive to them...all the time knowing they only came out in the dark, and that whenever I brought a friend back I'd keep her talking in the hall while I turned on the light and let them have time to scuttle away.. The horror.
Even here I had a wasps' nest in the wooden beam last summer. It emitted wasps day and night. I must be very calm to sleep amongst all that. They made their slow way to the window, but kept on stopping off to buzz round the light. In the dark they buzzed around the room, but I don't hear much, so slept through it all, though I kept the sheet right up to my nose and over my ear as a precaution.
Alan Buckley
We had a great workshop on redrafting poems. I love taking a knife to a sheet of words, gently teasing out exactly what I want out of it.
I made a haiku out of one. That could be a private entertainment and way of focusing right in on what any poem is saying to me. Or it would be like taking some phrases and making a simple display of them, from a much wider choice. No limits to the number of tiny poems I could make from the bigger source poem. With acknowledgements of course.
My mind goes back to the Ashmolean Museum with a particular cabinet in the basement I sit with every time I visit. I want to leave a small love letter to the curator for being so clear with the displays. All those choices made from a much bigger set of items, a sophisticated version of what I do at work now.
What else? We all went quiet when he read out the poem to his ex-girlfriend Katie, who died nearly 6 years ago. How many of us have had to experience that? I have always assumed a dignified and calm silence was the best way out of any ended relationship, but life might overtake that stance I suppose.
The poem on the whippets and running was wonderful. That silence came over us again for that one.
I felt the instantly familiar sensation of the surface of the belly, with the baby's head moving in the waters a few millimeters away. I never thought I'd feel that again. I can't bring it to mind, it is a sensation my hand recognised and my primitive mind, but not my conscious mind. I have no words for it at all.
Bed Linen
Maybe it is ok to buy a soft mattress topper, fresh pillows and a super soft synthetic duvet. Create a nest of simple pleasures. Knowing how to do without these things is necessary, but I don't have to live in a war zone any more.
Memories of that lumpy because of springs mattress in Edinburgh are funny in retrospect. Using the end of the duvet as my pillow because there was no pillow, of any sort. Did that box room have a window onto the hallway? If it did, the light would have shone in at night, so it probably had no window at all. It was a big cupboard.
In Paris I used to trust that the cockroaches would not learn how to climb up the bed legs. I guessed the bed was far enough away from the kitchen area to not be attractive to them...all the time knowing they only came out in the dark, and that whenever I brought a friend back I'd keep her talking in the hall while I turned on the light and let them have time to scuttle away.. The horror.
Even here I had a wasps' nest in the wooden beam last summer. It emitted wasps day and night. I must be very calm to sleep amongst all that. They made their slow way to the window, but kept on stopping off to buzz round the light. In the dark they buzzed around the room, but I don't hear much, so slept through it all, though I kept the sheet right up to my nose and over my ear as a precaution.
Alan Buckley
We had a great workshop on redrafting poems. I love taking a knife to a sheet of words, gently teasing out exactly what I want out of it.
I made a haiku out of one. That could be a private entertainment and way of focusing right in on what any poem is saying to me. Or it would be like taking some phrases and making a simple display of them, from a much wider choice. No limits to the number of tiny poems I could make from the bigger source poem. With acknowledgements of course.
My mind goes back to the Ashmolean Museum with a particular cabinet in the basement I sit with every time I visit. I want to leave a small love letter to the curator for being so clear with the displays. All those choices made from a much bigger set of items, a sophisticated version of what I do at work now.
What else? We all went quiet when he read out the poem to his ex-girlfriend Katie, who died nearly 6 years ago. How many of us have had to experience that? I have always assumed a dignified and calm silence was the best way out of any ended relationship, but life might overtake that stance I suppose.
The poem on the whippets and running was wonderful. That silence came over us again for that one.
Thursday, 23 April 2015
Mothers use their bodies
I had a little think as I was standing in the kitchen. Last autumn was very stressful.
I used my body to sleep on my mother in law's sofa the night she came home from hospital, just in case. Then I used it to sleep on our own sofa, a few rooms further away from her, but still near her door, just in case.
Only 2 weeks later I used my body again, to sleep in my mother's double guest bed, which I would have shared with her, only she then decided to be in with my father, but I was there on the floor above them, just in case.
This Easter holidays, it's a bit of a theme.., both T and H were unwell, along with me, so I lurked on the sofa, feeling dizzy when lying down, but better when I was sitting up. In good moments I used my body as a mother to investigate rooms which might have needed help (bleach...), put the laundry on, then went back to not ruling the household with my eyes shut and feeling odd.
When I can, I sit in the kitchen using this laptop, which means I can be asked to move money from account to account, or listen to words. Even the cat wants me, so sometimes I have time to sit and let her fall asleep, sprawling her furry arms and legs in different ways each time.
Not being there is profoundly wrong, yet sometimes has to be done. Is there a being there which doesn't include the body? No, there's no getting round that fact.
I used my body to sleep on my mother in law's sofa the night she came home from hospital, just in case. Then I used it to sleep on our own sofa, a few rooms further away from her, but still near her door, just in case.
Only 2 weeks later I used my body again, to sleep in my mother's double guest bed, which I would have shared with her, only she then decided to be in with my father, but I was there on the floor above them, just in case.
This Easter holidays, it's a bit of a theme.., both T and H were unwell, along with me, so I lurked on the sofa, feeling dizzy when lying down, but better when I was sitting up. In good moments I used my body as a mother to investigate rooms which might have needed help (bleach...), put the laundry on, then went back to not ruling the household with my eyes shut and feeling odd.
When I can, I sit in the kitchen using this laptop, which means I can be asked to move money from account to account, or listen to words. Even the cat wants me, so sometimes I have time to sit and let her fall asleep, sprawling her furry arms and legs in different ways each time.
Not being there is profoundly wrong, yet sometimes has to be done. Is there a being there which doesn't include the body? No, there's no getting round that fact.
Tuesday, 31 March 2015
Tove Jansson - The Listener
Over the past couple of nights I have read through this collection. The atmosphere starts off fine enough in the stories, but there is a particular point in each one where it swerves off the rails and I become concerned, aware of my discomfort. The writing is so calm, yet describes such isolation from other people.
'The Storm' was my favourite story, for the long night with the wind howling round:
'It no longer came in gusts. Now the wind pressed in on the city from the sea in a continuous roar, a rising and implacable sound.'
The strangeness didn't help my mind, as I was not sleeping, constantly waiting for a problem from one of my sons and in myself...being a mother isn't easy...I thought of those with more than 2 children and with younger ones. Better than the alternatives though.
'The Storm' was my favourite story, for the long night with the wind howling round:
'It no longer came in gusts. Now the wind pressed in on the city from the sea in a continuous roar, a rising and implacable sound.'
The strangeness didn't help my mind, as I was not sleeping, constantly waiting for a problem from one of my sons and in myself...being a mother isn't easy...I thought of those with more than 2 children and with younger ones. Better than the alternatives though.
Tuesday, 17 March 2015
Election Fever - Daily Diary - No Traces
Elections
I didn't ever expect to be paying attention to the Israeli elections. I am not going as far as with the US ones, no getting up at 5am to see what happened. Or staying up nearly as all night with our elections. I love it when I am able to do that. Twitter is my best source of info.
German daily diary
I have written one for H, to show him how I do this for my Arabic. I explained how just using German means he can read it back and practise the words he knows that way.
Then I explained how he can have a small dictionary of just the words like heute and ich bin which he might want to use each time he writes about his day.
My 3 years of effort are being condensed into 5 mins of tips for him. Mothering in a nutshell...
No Traces
Since H has started at LVS I have stopped making home ed notes. There is no record of the sort I used to create. It is a loss to have no perspective on what has happened since Sept 2014. I am disconnected from a process which I used to be part of and carefully observant of. How easily I drift away from a previous way of living. I wonder how other home ed families experience the moving on phase?
I didn't ever expect to be paying attention to the Israeli elections. I am not going as far as with the US ones, no getting up at 5am to see what happened. Or staying up nearly as all night with our elections. I love it when I am able to do that. Twitter is my best source of info.
German daily diary
I have written one for H, to show him how I do this for my Arabic. I explained how just using German means he can read it back and practise the words he knows that way.
Then I explained how he can have a small dictionary of just the words like heute and ich bin which he might want to use each time he writes about his day.
My 3 years of effort are being condensed into 5 mins of tips for him. Mothering in a nutshell...
No Traces
Since H has started at LVS I have stopped making home ed notes. There is no record of the sort I used to create. It is a loss to have no perspective on what has happened since Sept 2014. I am disconnected from a process which I used to be part of and carefully observant of. How easily I drift away from a previous way of living. I wonder how other home ed families experience the moving on phase?
Friday, 19 December 2014
2nd childhood
From what I have glimpsed of it,
it explains many things about being the mother with a small child.
The arrival of body functions at frequent intervals,
no delay, the sun suddenly comes out, or goes in.
The near complete absence of relationship to me,
it's a one way black hole. Protect myself. Also give.
The breakdown of my own life within a few days,
split into moments of this and that.
The ever present present, I stand there saying:
what was I doing, what am I doing?
My swift development of ruses to escape from a world where
requests pile on top of requests.
The pleasure of 5 minutes staring out of a windscreen at
steady hills in the distance.
The impossibility of putting any of it into words,
it all sounds vacuous, trite, plain wrong and misses the point.
The person changes from interaction to interaction,
no description is fair or true, just a bad attempt.
These are my reflections now on how it felt a few weeks ago,
not pretty, but real, intense, unavoidable.
When I had small children I was unaware of all this
and how it is the way things are, I see that now.
I bounced back quickly this time, but it was only a month,
not long years of night and day.
...
I have now given this a good edit. I am still uneasy with it. I'd written in single lines across the post window, but the published window is narrower, so I had to change it all into pairs of lines. Each long single line was meant to stand alone from the next. I could copy it onto a text edit file and print it off for myself as I want it to be.
...
it explains many things about being the mother with a small child.
The arrival of body functions at frequent intervals,
no delay, the sun suddenly comes out, or goes in.
The near complete absence of relationship to me,
it's a one way black hole. Protect myself. Also give.
The breakdown of my own life within a few days,
split into moments of this and that.
The ever present present, I stand there saying:
what was I doing, what am I doing?
My swift development of ruses to escape from a world where
requests pile on top of requests.
The pleasure of 5 minutes staring out of a windscreen at
steady hills in the distance.
The impossibility of putting any of it into words,
it all sounds vacuous, trite, plain wrong and misses the point.
The person changes from interaction to interaction,
no description is fair or true, just a bad attempt.
These are my reflections now on how it felt a few weeks ago,
not pretty, but real, intense, unavoidable.
When I had small children I was unaware of all this
and how it is the way things are, I see that now.
I bounced back quickly this time, but it was only a month,
not long years of night and day.
...
I have now given this a good edit. I am still uneasy with it. I'd written in single lines across the post window, but the published window is narrower, so I had to change it all into pairs of lines. Each long single line was meant to stand alone from the next. I could copy it onto a text edit file and print it off for myself as I want it to be.
...
From what I have glimpsed of it, it explains what being the mother is.
The arrival of body functions at intervals, no delay, the sun comes out.
The near absence of relationship to me, a one way black hole. Give.
The breakdown of my own life within a few days, split into moments.
The ever present present, I stand there saying: what am I doing?
My swift deployment of ruses to escape from a world of requests.
The pleasure of 5 minutes staring out of a windscreen at steady hills.
The impossibility of putting any of it into words, I miss the point.
The person changes from interaction to interaction, no description is true.
These are my reflections now on how it felt a few weeks ago, unavoidable.
When I had small children I was living it, not seeing it.
I bounced back quickly this time, but it was only a month.
...
I like having to chop words out quickly, replacing them with shorter ones, making quick decisions. No version is final, all of them could be played with to make something else entirely.
...
I like having to chop words out quickly, replacing them with shorter ones, making quick decisions. No version is final, all of them could be played with to make something else entirely.
Wednesday, 10 September 2014
"Fuck off! Don't go!"
As every parent will recognise, this is a very expressive term of endearment from son to mother. I took it as such immediately and it made me smile. Made my day actually.
My revenge/appreciation/sign of love is to use it as a blog post title.
Non-parents, I can hear you rolling your eyes from here. I promise, you'll be laughing one day when you get the pleasure of hearing similar words. Big smile.
My revenge/appreciation/sign of love is to use it as a blog post title.
Non-parents, I can hear you rolling your eyes from here. I promise, you'll be laughing one day when you get the pleasure of hearing similar words. Big smile.
Friday, 5 September 2014
Fog is lifting - 3 x 3 haiku
Fog is lifting
Yet how much
Fog there is
Picking out words
Flipping to 'translate'
Dictionary on knee
This is new
Never seen before
A new certainty
I know that
Not the meaning
But the sound
Just stop trying
Flick through words
Put on done-heap
Sounding out carefully
Frowning a bit
Aha it's 'television'
Wondering about 'Bashar'
It must have
A real meaning
I already know
'Assad' means lion
What's the plural?
Doing these means I am not thinking about anything else, so it is a form of meditation, keeps my mind focused. If I write on paper I can acknowledge all thoughts as they come along, then let them go to see where my attention will go next. I can try to be as truthful with myself as possible, no censorship.
Nothing like sitting here able to type out my own stuff on my own blog. I'll enjoy this one day in the future. I wish I could persuade my mother to write one though. It would only be a fair swap for starting to use a mobile after much pressure.
I gave in eventually and now use a mobile phone after being given one for some Christmas, more than once in fact... Talk about not giving up on me. I had small children though and getting calls while I was busy, and I was always busy, was the last thing I wanted.
Yet how much
Fog there is
Picking out words
Flipping to 'translate'
Dictionary on knee
This is new
Never seen before
A new certainty
I know that
Not the meaning
But the sound
Just stop trying
Flick through words
Put on done-heap
Sounding out carefully
Frowning a bit
Aha it's 'television'
Wondering about 'Bashar'
It must have
A real meaning
I already know
'Assad' means lion
What's the plural?
Doing these means I am not thinking about anything else, so it is a form of meditation, keeps my mind focused. If I write on paper I can acknowledge all thoughts as they come along, then let them go to see where my attention will go next. I can try to be as truthful with myself as possible, no censorship.
Nothing like sitting here able to type out my own stuff on my own blog. I'll enjoy this one day in the future. I wish I could persuade my mother to write one though. It would only be a fair swap for starting to use a mobile after much pressure.
I gave in eventually and now use a mobile phone after being given one for some Christmas, more than once in fact... Talk about not giving up on me. I had small children though and getting calls while I was busy, and I was always busy, was the last thing I wanted.
Monday, 30 June 2014
Passenger - 'Morning Song' Sylvia Plath
Passenger
I told T how proud I was to be sitting as a passenger in his car. We were driving off to get his second tank of petrol. I gazed at the clouds. Not quick glances, but real long idle stares as it wasn't dark. I didn't check the junctions. I thought I should be paying more attention to the possible surprises which I always get when I am driving. Hedgehogs, cats, new potholes and oddly parked cars all come out when I'm driving.
Love set you going like a fat gold watch - 'Morning Song'
Earlier I had a second session on Sylvia Plath with my Sunday poetry group. A poem I had thought to end with turned out to be unsettling. I still love it, but between us we found so much more in it than I had seen by myself. We share our own thoughts, but get so much further and so much faster by sharing them in a group. I can't imagine it working with more than 3 people though.
I told T how proud I was to be sitting as a passenger in his car. We were driving off to get his second tank of petrol. I gazed at the clouds. Not quick glances, but real long idle stares as it wasn't dark. I didn't check the junctions. I thought I should be paying more attention to the possible surprises which I always get when I am driving. Hedgehogs, cats, new potholes and oddly parked cars all come out when I'm driving.
Love set you going like a fat gold watch - 'Morning Song'
Earlier I had a second session on Sylvia Plath with my Sunday poetry group. A poem I had thought to end with turned out to be unsettling. I still love it, but between us we found so much more in it than I had seen by myself. We share our own thoughts, but get so much further and so much faster by sharing them in a group. I can't imagine it working with more than 3 people though.
Friday, 20 June 2014
So many firsts
I bought a car today, saw my son sign the paperwork, drove off separately and met him at a nearby supermarket car park, ate and chatted, bought a bit of car kit, sat with him while he drove to put some petrol into it, watched the process, paid, walked back to my car, drove some distance behind him on his first independent trip back to work, had a goodbye in that car park and now I'm off to London.
We will keep in touch by text until I get back tomorrow sometime.
The previous attempts to find a car were all wrong. With this one every step went well, even when they didn't, if you see what I mean. The overall flavour of the process was good right from the start.
We will keep in touch by text until I get back tomorrow sometime.
The previous attempts to find a car were all wrong. With this one every step went well, even when they didn't, if you see what I mean. The overall flavour of the process was good right from the start.
Wednesday, 18 June 2014
If you *had* to learn something new, what would it be? - Films - Elia Suleiman
I was out at a party this evening. We asked each other this question. One person wanted to learn to play the piano and I confessed to wanting a structured group working on taking photos. Then I realised I adore watching film of people talking about their passions. So learning to make short films would be wonderful.
A few weeks ago H and I filmed each other being ourselves in the kitchen late at night. It runs for 10 minutes and is exactly what goes on. I am washing up and half listening to him, then he says something which gets my attention and I immediately pay close attention! Then he sits leaning right back at the table and we chat idly for a while. It's such a lovely glimpse of something which is normally transitory, beyond precious and never captured.
The film I have been watching has a long interview with the director Elia Suleiman. I have watched it twice now. I am fascinated with being able to just gaze at a person sharing their love for what they do and sharing their thinking. By searching for good links I have found out about his latest film 'The Time That Remains' and have ordered it.
A few weeks ago H and I filmed each other being ourselves in the kitchen late at night. It runs for 10 minutes and is exactly what goes on. I am washing up and half listening to him, then he says something which gets my attention and I immediately pay close attention! Then he sits leaning right back at the table and we chat idly for a while. It's such a lovely glimpse of something which is normally transitory, beyond precious and never captured.
The film I have been watching has a long interview with the director Elia Suleiman. I have watched it twice now. I am fascinated with being able to just gaze at a person sharing their love for what they do and sharing their thinking. By searching for good links I have found out about his latest film 'The Time That Remains' and have ordered it.
Wednesday, 9 April 2014
Hilarious old post from 2009
This is just so true and funny. If I hadn't blogged about my dreadful day as a mother it would have been lost for ever. I hope it gives you a good laugh. It shows how lovely T and H were, and are.
http://shinynewcomputer.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/not-good.html
http://shinynewcomputer.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/not-good.html
Saturday, 22 March 2014
Baby Worship - Wriggling and Shifting Against Me
We had a meet up based around the birth of a baby in our group. She is 9 months old now and back in Oxford.
We took turns to hold her, gaze at her, call her sweet names and generally show a side of ourselves only a baby can reveal.
I noticed that she behaved, moved and reacted differently with each of us. How responsive is that?
We plan to meet up again in 2 months to find out how she is then and catch up with each other too.
I miss that side of being a mother so much.
We took turns to hold her, gaze at her, call her sweet names and generally show a side of ourselves only a baby can reveal.
I noticed that she behaved, moved and reacted differently with each of us. How responsive is that?
We plan to meet up again in 2 months to find out how she is then and catch up with each other too.
I miss that side of being a mother so much.
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Special Animals
I had a bear, no name, but with velvet paws. It went to live on a shelf above my parents' bed. It is still there! You can imagine how dusty he is by now.
I now have a shelf of special little creatures, most of whom do have names. They haven't been needed for a very long time, but they are carefully stored and displayed near my bed.
Is there a name for this tradition of the parent winding up with all the soft toys in the end? They probably mean more to me than to anyone else now.
I now have a shelf of special little creatures, most of whom do have names. They haven't been needed for a very long time, but they are carefully stored and displayed near my bed.
Is there a name for this tradition of the parent winding up with all the soft toys in the end? They probably mean more to me than to anyone else now.
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Covering the whole spectrum
In the morning H and I discussed what was wrong with home education and felt some emotions. Physics was mentioned.
At lunchtime I handed him a science revision book which covers all 3 sciences clearly I thought. I also forwarded to him the 2 most recent Oxon-home ed email digests so he could see what was on locally.
By tea time he had pronounced the book boring and wanted to make shortbread with me. We had such a great time, converted weights, halved the quantities, doubled them again in the middle of mixing, and wound up with delicious shortbread and a happy, satisfied mood.
My offer of a formal tutorial time spent sitting in the drawing room discussing anything he fancied was turned down flat, but we just happened to discuss all sorts of interesting things over supper at the kitchen table, even though he told me he disliked the kitchen.
It was that sort of a day, up and down and around about.
I will go into our family saga of paypal losses, hacked gaming accounts, stolen tech items, deleted email accounts and a broken brand new tech item another day. My desk is covered with files for each of these traumas. I am the go-to fixer, even though I am trying to be very slow and grumpy about it. I can't help being a tiny bit proud that I can speak politely and effectively to people working in big organisations.
At lunchtime I handed him a science revision book which covers all 3 sciences clearly I thought. I also forwarded to him the 2 most recent Oxon-home ed email digests so he could see what was on locally.
By tea time he had pronounced the book boring and wanted to make shortbread with me. We had such a great time, converted weights, halved the quantities, doubled them again in the middle of mixing, and wound up with delicious shortbread and a happy, satisfied mood.
My offer of a formal tutorial time spent sitting in the drawing room discussing anything he fancied was turned down flat, but we just happened to discuss all sorts of interesting things over supper at the kitchen table, even though he told me he disliked the kitchen.
It was that sort of a day, up and down and around about.
I will go into our family saga of paypal losses, hacked gaming accounts, stolen tech items, deleted email accounts and a broken brand new tech item another day. My desk is covered with files for each of these traumas. I am the go-to fixer, even though I am trying to be very slow and grumpy about it. I can't help being a tiny bit proud that I can speak politely and effectively to people working in big organisations.
Friday, 11 January 2013
Time to up my game
This evening T was the one calling me on my bad manners, slurping as I ate a very tasty chocolate. He said sorry, but I said it was ok, as it was the start of a new phase, when I need to be more lady-like again, after the permissive years of having younger teenagers. All of a sudden behaving well matters to T. As he's my older child he is taking me along with him, requiring this of of me.
Friday, 28 September 2012
Doing 5 things at once, this is a record!
I am listening to one full piece of music, eating soup, checking my blog roll, doing rows of knitting, warming my feet in a deep bowl of hot water and a 6th, writing this post.
There is a 7th...keeping an eye on my phone in case T texts from his trip North today.
I think there is a point where multi-tasking becomes being in a muddle!
Interestingly, I know I won't rush off and do something else because all 4 limbs are occupied and both my ears are clamped with the headphones. It is a mini mother holiday.
There is a 7th...keeping an eye on my phone in case T texts from his trip North today.
I think there is a point where multi-tasking becomes being in a muddle!
Interestingly, I know I won't rush off and do something else because all 4 limbs are occupied and both my ears are clamped with the headphones. It is a mini mother holiday.
Thursday, 3 May 2012
Face-lighty-up type smile
Half an hour ago H came to the kitchen and said he didn't feel well, then went to his room.
After 2 hot water bottles by his feet, the duvet pulled up to his eye brows, the baby white polar bear put on the pillow next to him and his lap top brought close...he beamed at me.
It sounds like teenager-itis, a chill and or all-too-much-all-of-a-sudden-itis. Or all three at once.
I forgot to mention the tv beeper and a new pair of warm socks. They are part of our medicine cupboard round here. Slow medicine is what we do.
Next to me I have a mug of bright orange vitamin C to boost me up just in case there is a lurgy going around.
After 2 hot water bottles by his feet, the duvet pulled up to his eye brows, the baby white polar bear put on the pillow next to him and his lap top brought close...he beamed at me.
It sounds like teenager-itis, a chill and or all-too-much-all-of-a-sudden-itis. Or all three at once.
I forgot to mention the tv beeper and a new pair of warm socks. They are part of our medicine cupboard round here. Slow medicine is what we do.
Next to me I have a mug of bright orange vitamin C to boost me up just in case there is a lurgy going around.
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