#1890 Dishes and dancing

Let me share something mundane, but nonetheless something that we all vary widely on.

Chores.

I actually, don’t mind doing the dishes. Just as well, because I do them 3-4 times a day. I find it somewhat soothing and therapeutic, the very act of water running and cleaning things an automatic act, allowing my mind to wander and reflect.

But ironing? I put off the task as much as I can.

In fact, I don’t think there’s much need for ironing. There, I said it!

Even though I don’t mind doing the dishes, when I’m washing those at the end of the day post-dinner, I like to put music on.

Tonight before dinner, I had on Bedtime Stories, one of my all-time fave albums. I’m in a certain type of mood when I play that album. I can switch easily from the daydreamy and wispy ‘Inside of Me,’ to the raw and upfront ‘Human Nature’ with lyrics like “I’m not your bitch don’t hang your shit on me.”

I absolutely LOVE the album.

But after dinner I put on something else. Something both baby girl and I like.

The Dirty Dancing soundtrack!

She seriously loves the songs. She’s even put it on on her own, just to bop along and dance while we are in the other room.

She loves the high-pitched ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry,’ the mashed potato and twist references in ‘Do You Love Me?’ and even boogies down to the Merengue!

How lovely is it to enjoy some of life’s simple chores, like dishes, accompanied by music? 🎵💖

Again, little things. It’s all I have.

#1889 End of day peace

I’m grateful for the peace I get when the house falls asleep at the end of the day.

The quiet. The pause.

The chance to regroup, plan for the future, collect my thoughts, and realise that I’ve been doing this, for so so long.

The ‘keeping on going.’ The ‘getting there.’

The peace helps you achieve that. One foot in front of the other.

One more second. One more hour. One more day.

And on and on and on.

The peace helps.

#1888 Hubbie

Tonight it’s all about my love.

For helping me when no one else can.

For lifting me up when I fall down.

For saying the right words when no one else speaks them.

For holding me when I am sad.

For wiping my tears when they fall too fast.

For knowing exactly what it is I need, before I even know it.

For all of that, and so much more…

I am eternally grateful, for you. 💖💖

Photo by Valentin Antonucci on Pexels.com

#1887 It’s Friday then…

I love Fridays.

Who doesn’t?

I’ve previously written about the anticipatory excitement one gets when Friday rolls around.

For me, when 3pm on a Friday comes around. 😁😁😁😁

Hell yeah! It’s the best. Knowing you have days off ahead, is FAR better than any of those days off, let’s be honest.

It’s the anticipation.

So today as I clocked off from my work office at home, logged off my laptop, and headed into the kitchen where baby girl was happily waiting, I started singing…

“It’s Friday then, then Saturday Sunday what?”

We’ve been singing this song ever since a Friday has rolled along, ever since we saw the absolutely fantastic video of that guy that just jumps out of the car and dances to his hearts content when he hears the song.

And so we did. Baby girl and I ripped up a storm on the kitchen dancefloor, because…

“It’s Friday then, then Saturday Sunday what?”

#1886 Precious little fingers

New little fingers, and new little toes.

I met one of my closest friend’s little baby today, and ooooh!

He is just the sweetest thing 😍

I am such a sap nowadays. I walked into her place and immediately welled up and nearly cried, at the sight of him sleeping in the corner, mittens on and arms up, oblivious to the world around him.

In several months, our entire girls group will have littlies with them.

My high school group of girls. We’ve known each other now for 2 decades, some of us going back even longer.

It’s the stuff of dreams. We used to talk about this in high school. All of us still being friends and catching up together, and having our kids together too… making them be friends with each other, you know, all that starry-eyed optimistic talk you have about how the future will be.

To know that soon ALL of us will have a littlie around the table when we meet up… well it’s just darn amazing.

There’s nothing quite like holding a newborn. Everything else just melts away.

Can’t stop grinning. He is absolutely precious. 💖💖

#1885 Keep that snail pace

All I can say is, don’t give up.

Things aren’t perfect, and they can always get better. But I find myself at a point where I feel like despite everything, there is nothing else to do BUT keep going.

Keep moving.

Keep yourself distracted with passions, personal pursuits. If some things aren’t working out, well then find what IS, and run after that at full-speed.

But also, don’t be hard on yourself. I found myself the other night nearly crying with despair to Hubbie.

“And I want to do this, and do this, and I’m trying to do this, and then I’ve got my book! Then I want to do this, AND this…”

The list goes on and on and on.

We put sooo much pressure on ourselves.

We want to create this perfect family life. But we have to also work, and make money. Maintain the house. Cook wholesome food. Clean. Wash clothes every second of every day (or so it seems). Feed people.

But also chase your dreams! Be fit, exercise. Eat mindfully. Take time out, but don’t waste a second!

Play with your kids. Give yourself me time. Take walks. Sleep in. Keep in regular contact with family, friends.

What the actual fuck am I to do with all that?

Something has GOTTA give.

I’ve been giving so, so much lately. I can only do things, and move forward in incremental steps, and it’s these tiny baby steps I’ve been taking that are making me feel like things are actually moving.

Snail place, but still moving forward.

And that leads me back to, don’t give up.

It’s so tiresome and banal, telling people to not give up. I’ve felt like telling people over the last shit year who’ve passed out that quote, to piss off and shut up.

But I find it to be true, too true. Even in super-crawl slow-mo pace, I find it to be the most factual of all things.

Keep your head up. Look at what positives you can… even if it’s the blanket on you right now. A hot drink. Sun peeking through the clouds. Someone sending you a nice message. A cute cat.

I am skilled in the art of looking for things in the smallest of spaces. I should know. It’s awfully difficult, but it can be done.

And I guess, it’s nice to be passing out this advice, instead of looking for it.

Progress.

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com

#1884 My little helper

I am so simple lately.

(You might even say boring, but meh 🤷‍♀️)

I hit a wall after lunchtime, I was freezing cold, and then BANG!

Sleep overwhelmed me.

Well I couldn’t sleep, duh I have a child. But I did lay down on the couch, and baby girl brought me her musical merry-go-round figurine to lull me to sleep, and my water bottle and my phone, all within reach.

Awww.

But balance… she oh-so-quietly complained I had to get up and make my coffee, as well as her BABYCINO.

No rest for the tired here. Just as well we have caffeine. 💪☕

#1883 Feet up

I don’t know how I rigged this.

But I’ve been relaxed and seated on the couch for like, 2 hours, doing my OWN thing.

Netflix. Writing. Photos.

Feet up.

No one is bugging me! And they’re awake!

Shhh… Or they’ll hear us.

You know, they.

THE FAMILY.

🤣

#1882 Sunday Our Day no. 5

Nothing screams “Sunday Stay Home!” like a freezing cold, wintery blast that has descended upon your temperamental weather city.

And coming off the back of a busy day yesterday, it was all the more exciting to just do nothing.

Excitement… at nothing. Huh.

Whether it was watching Netflix. (I started the new season of Riverdale this weekend).

Cleaning and clearing out baby girl’s room.

Making a slow lentil soup.

A coffee break with my family.

I had the best time, with zero guilt associated, in just doing nothing in particular…

Just dabbling a little here, and little there.

No pressure. All relax. 😁

#1881 Saturday night Bowling

Tonight we went to a great new place local to us, General Public.

It’s an entertainment venue that has a little bit of everything. Food and drinks of course, but then there’s the side ice-creamy and dessert bar, the doughnut store, bowling, pool tables, and arcade games! It caters for all, from those heading out for a date, families, and friends meeting up for some games.

We grabbed some food and drinks…

then doughnuts…

then dessert… (😬😬😬🤣)

And then headed up to our booked bowling lane. 😁

It was AWESOME. We had the best time.

• 

• 

And you know what is better than bowling on its own?

Bowling, and BOOZE.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Honestly, best night EVER. Maybe it’s because we haven’t been bowling in yonks, so it was something interesting and different, or maybe it was the ideal night in, with the weather turning all winter-y on us today… or maybe, bowling is just great.

And being out and about with loved ones, is just GREAT.

And so everything is great. 💖💖