#950 The 5-minute parental break

I wonder if my peers out there who have their parents look after their kids, realise how lucky they are.

I mean, it is a GOLD deal. You have the people that raised you, who love you and care for you and who are your number one supporters, caring for your child. You might be at working, getting your hair done, or even lucky enough to get a night out with your partner while your parents put your kiddies to sleep at night.

I was lucky for a short time anyway, where my parents co-assisted in watching baby girl when I first went back to work after maternity leave. Although it was only part-time, there was the greatest security and comfort in leaving my daughter with them, knowing she was being looked after, let’s face it, with MORE care than they had ever looked after me!

It lasted just under 2 years, until health issues and a major move impacted the schedule, and nowadays, they aren’t involved.. in that way.

But when I go to their place, I love, that I will always know the care, love, and babysitting duties are always there and on offer 😉

My parents said today: “Go and lie down. We’ll take her outside.” I was feeling tired after ALL THAT FOOD (i.e. Mum going overboard as usual) and was just feeling a little heavy, so I took the advice they had so adamantly laid out for me.

I lay in my old room, looking at the picture that has been on my wall for at least two decades.

I can safely say with 95% confidence that it was given to me on my 12th birthday, and I can even tell you with assurance who gave it to me. I find there are many things from my childhood that are cemented into me, whereas ask me about my early 20s and I am all “HUH?”

But I lay there for all of 5 minutes, enjoying the calm, listening to my breath, my body, and the happy cries of baby girl yelling excitedly from the yard.

So when I got up, I naturally spied on them from the kitchen window and saw them playing.

I could have gone back to lie down. But I decided it was better to join them. 🙂

 

#949 My newspaper break

Today on the last day of term 3, I forced myself to take a time out.

And no, it had nothing to do with the knowledge that the next 2 weeks would be spent entertaining and keeping a busy and curious 5 year-old busy. I am actually looking forward to all the activities we can do together, as Spring keeps shining her light our way… oh, and did I mention the sleep ins?

The sleep ins. Ahhh.

I made myself sit down in the sun today, because I needed to give my body a break. Waking up only days earlier to the sudden onset of chills, muscle aches and headache, scared me into awakening. My body was telling me to calm down and relax, and if I didn’t listen, more of it would shut down.

So, I listened.

There are ALWAYS jobs ‘to do’ and things to tick off of the never-ending list. But I took the paper that I had bought today – and mind you I haven’t bought the paper for myself in years – and went outside to flick through the pages in blinding sunlight.

It was still. Two pigeons sat on our roof, peacefully and sleepily looking down on me. Crows cawed in the massive gum tree a couple houses down. I could hear some house being built across the street… sounds of cars driving past…

And meanwhile, the sound of paper turning as I flipped through, was the immediate and most calming sound of all.

#948 Rainbow on the road

My gratitude today comes from the sights I witnessed while driving home from work.

A rainbow that you drive underneath as rain trickles down, is sure to bring a smile to your face.

And then as I got home, I actually couldn’t resist this:

I know, I know. Another sunset? But you see, it was all the more sweeter, because I snapped it before I walked in and got the best greeting in the whole wide world.

“Mama’s home!”

She sure is 🙂

#947 Aches be gone

Oh, it is the sweetest thing. You take your health for granted, and then life decides to suddenly heap some shit upon your head –

BOOM! and you wake up sore, with muscle aches, a pounding head, and an inability to focus… man do you wish for those days you wasted away while being healthy.

Something happened to me yesterday. Maybe it was Hubbie’s cold rubbing off on me far too late in the game. Maybe it was seasonal, what with Melbourne weather saying “now I’m hot… no I’m not! WINTER darlings!” Or maybe it was the kids birthday party I took baby girl to on the weekend… we all know kids means germs and God knows what.

But I had some kind of bug that luckily only lasted 24 hours… because today I woke better, rested, still with this kind of dull ache reminder in my head of what was, reminding me to take it easy, but still, FABULOUS compared to what was yesterday.

And I was sooo grateful for it. The health. The absence of soreness and achiness.

Here’s to the simplest and best things in life… being healthy 🙂

Photo by Jony Ariadi on Unsplash

#946 Peninsula sunset no. 3

When I post a sunset photo as my gratitude for the day, it is usually because one of a few things:

A) The sunset, is actually spectacular

2) I am at a loss to talk about anything exciting that happened that day, or

Z) I am soooo sick that posting a pic of the horizon is easy-peasy.

Today’s reason?

It’s a triple whammy. All of the above.

So I think I’ll leave this right here.

#945 Sunday ‘chef’s special’ night

Hubbie has been doing something lately on Sunday night’s.

Wednesday night’s too. When he has been home all day you see, he takes it upon himself and becomes…

THE CHEF.

It is all the more sweeter, because I never asked him to do it, nagged him, or even dropped hints hoping he would take it on board. It just somehow… happened.

I ain’t complaining.

It gives me some time to do things I don’t ordinarily do. Often I have found myself sorting a part of the house that has recently become disrupted by our kitchen reno. Finding a box, that still hasn’t been unpacked, and unpacking it. Even if it’s just blogging about something, taking an earlier shower, or like today, sitting on the couch with baby girl while she watched her youtube dolls play, and I researched rugs, well, so be it. It is awesome, and any person would agree that no one would say NO to extra, free time to do whatever it was they wished.

I love it, and the dinner ain’t bad too.

😉 My man, looking after me. I am very grateful for it 🙂

 

#944 The best footy seats in the house

I was in prime position tonight, all decked out in appropriate footy gear as I watched my team, the Pies, take on GWS in the semi-finals.

I had the best seat in the house… like, LITERALLY.

Because I was in my pjs, on the couch, with my fam beside me doing whatever it is they pleased, as I watched the two teams clash on screen, all nice and warm and toasty and comfortable as the winds HOWLED outside the house around us.

Ahh. A perfect way to spend a cold Saturday night. Barracking for your team, and then watching them win. 🙂

The black and white army will be ravaging this year 😉