Trying to Get Back to Some Sort of Normality

I know, I know…it’s been a while since my last blog (apart from the Halloween article which I set up months ago) where I promised I was back. However, I think I underestimated how exhausted I would be and how decimated my basic get-up-and-go would get. I just ran out of puff after Ian died.

I’ve had a rest now and am still frantically trying to get back to some sort of normality. I think it’s going to take a while, so I’m not kicking myself for not being back to the way I was quickly. Anyway, I’m back at work and back to feeling like I’m rushing along at a terrific pace on the days I am there. When I think about it deeply enough, I actually feel I’m being swept along by a massive wave with no chance of relief. Sounds a bit melodramatic, but when I look at the things I have to do on a work day, I can see why I felt that way:

I get up at 6am and let the dogs out
I have my breakfast and feed the dogs
I do the dishes from last night, the ones I left last night because I was way too tired to do them
I get the kids up by shouting (several times) and switching bedroom lights on and off until they emerge from their duvet cocoons
I got and get a shower and get dressed
Then I make sure the kids are up, dressed and have brushed their teeth
I have a quick tidy up and think if there’s anything else I need to do before leaving
I drop my boy off at Afterschool’s morning session and the girl at the train station (she takes a train to school) and wait for my train
The train arrives and I diligently ignore fellow passengers by reading my book (I can’t be bothered with small talk first thing in the morning…just saying!) – the actual journey time takes 45 minutes, but it can take me an hour-and-a-half to get to work by the time you factor in travelling to and from the station and waiting for the train
I then go to work and spend all day in front of a laptop or in meetings
I do the same train journey home
I collect the boy from Afterschool and we go home
I greet my daughter and dogs and then make dinner
Then I have to make sure the boy has done his homework
I put a washing on and check to see if there’s anything I need to dry
I check the boy’s homework
I feed the dogs and guinea pig
I hoover the downstairs because it’s all messy again
I think about doing the dishes but am too tired, most of it goes into the dishwasher anyway
I think about doing the ironing, but again am too tired
I make sure we all have uniforms and clothes for tomorrow
I go to bed at 9pm and read for an hour

In amongst all this, I have to remember who’s doing what when (the kids mainly), who needs money and how much and anything else that needs remembering. I often fail on this and only remember something when I’m at work and unable to do anything about it.

I’m not complaining about doing all this, don’t get me wrong, but it explains why I’m so tired and feel like I am being swept along.

Plus the clocks went back last weekend, so that all adds to it.

Anyway, that’s my moan for today, so how are you? Hope you are all well and again, apologies for not being around that much recently.

So what’s been happening in your life? We had a busy weekend. My friends George and Raymond came up from London to stay overnight. I invited some other friends who also know the dynamic duo and we had a fab night of catching up over wine and Chinese carryout. Then I got the karaoke machine out and it was a bun fight for the microphones! Ah it was a great night.

I didn’t feel so great the next morning, mind you, but it was well worth it.

I decided that the evening would be Halloween themed and decorated the house with the help of the kids. Getting in the spirit of the occasion, my friends arrived with pumpkins and Halloween donuts (G+R) and a fabulously hand carved pumpkin (Annmarie and her family) as well as wine and chocs and flowers. It was a great laugh.

You know how there are some friends you don’t see very often, but when you do it feels like you’ve never been apart? Well that’s what it’s like with George and Raymond. I hadn’t seen them (with the exception of Ian’s funeral) for a couple of years but last weekend it was like I see them every week. I’m sure I’d feel the same way with other friends of mine if I didn’t see them for ages, but I’m lucky enough that I see most of them every week.

Monday, of course, was Halloween and we had a few guisers at the door. My boy went out with his friend and his friend’s mum (thanks again for taking them C) and the girl went round our estate with her friend. They came back an hour later laden with sweets. I manned the door and handed out bags of sweets to the neighbours’ kids as well as my own (despite them having had their bags earlier that day! Chancers!).

The rest of the week has been pretty uneventful. The dogs are doing well except last week I had to buy the girl a replacement pair of shoes for school because Casper, our little Yorkie, decided her shoes (which were only weeks old) made a tasty snack. I discovered one shoe in his basket chewed to bits. Sigh. Luckily the local shoe shop was having a sale so I got replacements for £20.

Casper has been doing his level best to destroy everything he comes across. I know it’s him because he looks far too nonchalant when I demand to know who’s chewed things. Over the past few weeks, we have lost the school shoe, someone has chewed a door sill, numerous pens and pencils, part of an eiderdown duvet and the boy’s school jotter was peed on. I had to write his teacher a grovelling letter explaining what had happened and to ask for anther jotter. That’s on top of Casper (and I know it’s him) peeing and poohing on the carpet despite there being puppy mats down less than a foot away from him. Sigh.

The good news on the dog front is that while I’m at work, our local dog walker takes them out for me. He films them and puts the films on a social media site so that doggy parents like me can coo over our beloved four legged friends. I’ve watched a few videos starring Casper and Millie and I love seeing how happy they look.