more time please!!!

I don't know where this week has gone!

In theory, having longer days ought to make it possible to squeeze more into the day, right? Well, either I am very disorganised or there just seems to be more to do and I still run out of hours!

I read a blog post last week written by a stay at home mum, who was describing how full her days are - of baking, making, family and blogging plus all the other stuff that keeping a house and home happy and healthy involves. I don't have any problem with that - people make their own choices about what is right for them and their families according to what their circumstances allow. But I do think that there is busy and busy! 

I can only speak for myself, but I work 40 official hours a week (plus a whole lot of unofficial, unpaid hours - welcome to public services!) and try to be a 'good mum'. And that's where I think the problem is. Many of us judge ourselves by our ability to keep on top of everything and consequently carry a lot of guilt when we don't quite feel we're managing it. I have so many friends who are in the same position as me - working long hours, studying, running a home and feeling generally dissatisfied with their lot. 

Sometimes it is difficult to keep things in perspective and that was part of the reason I started to write this blog - so that I could get a sense of balance about the good and happy things. There are lots of good bits in my life; lots of things that I enjoy and appreciate and somehow recording bits out of my day makes me realise that actually I achieve quite a bit. Would I like to be able to be a stay at home, baking, blogging, crafting girl? Sometimes, yes. But I would so miss the stimulation of the challenges at work and my work colleagues that I know I, personally, would go a bit stir crazy! 

This last week has been so ridiculously hectic that I have barely found time to take photos and haven't managed a blog post at all! In between work and shopping, collecting son 2 from Derbyshire, finding a car for son 2 (courtesy of the bank, who I have to be nice to for a year now...), arranging insurance, finder cheaper electricity supplier (£10/month less! result!), balancing the bank accounts and trying to keep enough cake in the tins and food in the cupboards for hungry menfolk, I have caught up with a few friends, had two spontaneous trips out to see Eliza Doolittle & Stacey Kent (courtesy of short notice tickets going begging) and even squeezed in a little bit of crochet (I am nearly to the edging of the daisy blanket - no photos yet!). 

Am I on top of everything? No!!! But...the sun has been shining, I've had some fun this week, my family are all back at home for a bit and if there is a generous coating of dust on everything, just for now, I can't worry!

Yesterday was so lovely, I spent pretty much all day out in the garden trying to beat the weeds into submission. I do love the garden but boy, does it take up some time! Yesterday was serious clearing, weeding, cutting back day (fingers crossed no more heavy frost!) and although it looks a bit 'butchered'  at the moment I am hoping I can now keep on top of it with a quick potter round every week or so... We'll see!

The daffs are nearly finished now but the blossom on the trees is gorgeous and buzzing with honey bees. 

I can never quite decide which is my favourite - the crab apple starts off deep pink and then opens into fragrant pale pink flowers. The plum has delicate all white flowers and the apple has buds that look as though they have been brushed with the palest pink. I think I love them all and they are particularly gorgeous against a blue sky.

The flower beds are filling out with lush new growth now - although I did make a few bare patches pulling out nettles, couch grass and some horrible creeping weed that seems to have wound its way through every plant (seriously, my garden has been badly neglected for some time!).

Up close, there is so much colour and detail appearing...

Don't you think it is amazing that nature produces so many beautiful and different shapes and colours? 

At one point we had a complete family effort going on - we cleared the pond (sorry newts and frogs, but it was getting so choked up with plants - I hope they've all found their way back; today I have to get rid of the slimy roots and weeds that we left on the side so the creepy crawlies could all get home), we sanded and re-oiled my bench, we lopped overgrown branches...

It was lovely to have all my grown up boys out with us - pond-dipping remains as fascinating to a certain 22 year old as it did when he was 10!

Revitalised bench! This is surrounded by honeysuckle and is a lovely place to sit in the evening later in the summer when the smell is just divine.

And from here the view is...

 

This was taken about 6pm and the sun was still bright and warm, casting long shadows across the garden.

We have this tree that I really love - it is very late to come into leaf (no sign at all yet) but it has this amazing bark that peels off to reveal lovely reddish brown new bark underneath. Its called a paperbark maple and yesterday evening the sun made it glow. 

All in all - A Good Day. 

Now today... I have to crack on with the long list of jobs outstanding...

• Write blog post - check!
• Washing (this might be a challenge - the water has just been turned off!!)
• Clean & tidy round.
• Shopping
• Make tea/cakes
• Write article for patient support group
• Complete patient safety project 'next step' work
• Ironing 
• Tackle the front garden
• Get rid of smelly pond debris!
• Collect monitoring equipment from patient's home 
• Make a bit more progress with dissertation...

I daren't put it on the list as a 'to do' but I might try and sneak a bit of hooking in there...

It is entirely possible that I will not manage all of this! But I have made a note to self... do what you can and be happy with that!

Til next time then...

Sx