tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post3103333938793636600..comments2024-03-18T16:49:08.253+11:00Comments on All the Blue Day: At Home With MotherJohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803297366197086152noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post-46897360242713733692014-08-22T15:30:51.925+10:002014-08-22T15:30:51.925+10:00Dear Siwzy, a girl after my own heart!
Lynda, I am...Dear Siwzy, a girl after my own heart!<br />Lynda, I am just so pleased you have found a piece of housekeeping technology that your menfolk are excited about. Long may it last:)<br />Dearest Judy, this blog is such good therapy for me. You are all so wise and kind. Yes, there is desperation there, because that perfectionist gremlin is so hard to beat. Yes, happy, you are so right, allowing sheer happiness to creep in is a key.<br />Lovely Fran, hiding under the bed with the dog and chocolate biscuits is a perfectly rational response to modern life. But, yes, let's potter together. We will live forever and not get ulcers that way.<br />Dear Gretchen Joanna, I would love to change my blog roll, I have lots more to add too, and I love your new blog, but GAHH, technology. I won't actually promise to do it, but I will promise to steel myself to actually attempt it..<br />Hmm, Miss Maudy, you are scaring me. I have a list on a piece of scrap paper, generally scrawled in a green texta, or whatever is to hand. I am not technical, organised or clever. I will look at these sites, but they will probably hurt my brain..Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17803297366197086152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post-78125441335846826872014-08-22T09:17:46.629+10:002014-08-22T09:17:46.629+10:00You do inspire me, always, with your housekeeping ...You do inspire me, always, with your housekeeping hints, and this post is no exception. Maybe this is an appropriate post & comment in which to ask if you could do a little housekeeping of your "Good Reads" blogroll, and either update the feed for mine to www.gretchenjoanna.com or (and I won't be offended if this is your reasonable choice) remove it altogether. It is disheartening to see it always near the end of the list because it links to the defunct version of my blog. Sending love and thanks and best wishes down your way....GretchenJoannahttp://www.gretchenjoanna.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post-16384979636793309032014-08-22T04:47:47.562+10:002014-08-22T04:47:47.562+10:00All of a sudden, reading this post, I think you mu...All of a sudden, reading this post, I think you must be my long lost sister! Maybe it's just our crazy modern way of life peppered and punctuated by social media that would have us all turn into the Stepford Wives overnight and be complacent and compliant till the bitter end (oh so VERY bitter ;) ) but my fear of failure has me failing to even attempt these days. Sanctuary is sitting out there like a wound that won't heal and I need to get my dragging heels out to do things out there. Not entirely sure what to do as veggie gardening and I are about as natural together as chalk and wellington boots. What do you plant when? How much? What seeds am I supposed to be planting now and how the heck am I supposed to be preparing the ground?! Its dirt isn't it? Hasn't nature been growing in dirt without my assistance for years?!<br /><br />I got to the bit of this post about pottering...about nibbling out little increments of tasks and suddenly I had an epiphany. That's my new mantra! I am going to nibble a bit every day. I am going to replace my frustrated nibbling of food with nibbling of tasks. I can pot up a few seeds a day, or sweep the kitchen floor or hug a dog or two or survey the jungle patch and make a plan or two...I don't have to come back shell shocked with disbelief and hide under the bed with 2 packets of Tim-tams because I am full of fear and loathing about my lack of ability to do pretty much anything that I need to do around here, but I can potter...I can snip a few shrubs with my secateurs, I can walk the dog and grab those eggs in that nest on the side of the driveway ("YES I SAW THEM HEN! HAHAHA!"...) and I can slow down, stop hating myself for not being perfect and can just start living a "real" life rather than the life that keeps sternly waggling it's perfect nail-polished (it has nails?!) finger at me in a most accusatory manner. <br /><br />I like the list and tick idea. Sometimes it's all that gets me through the day. Thank you for this post Jo, you have given me the courage to head up to Sanctuary with a bit of paper and a pen and make a bit of a list...<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post-46220457134666048012014-08-21T19:54:50.041+10:002014-08-21T19:54:50.041+10:00Oh Jo! Your posts make me smile, even though there...Oh Jo! Your posts make me smile, even though there is an underlying note of desperation (perhaps despair?) creeping in. Big hug honey! Be kinder to yourself. No one will notice any extra cobwebs except you!<br /><br />I think we all have times when we despair about the constant mess, and pressure of meal times. There are options though. One is to just let some of those standards slip and prioritise some more enjoyable activities. This is my favourite solution, but I do enjoy cooking (especially when the kitchen is clean. Sigh!)and gardening. I have trained myself to be able to work on my veg patch while totally ignoring the knee high lawn surrounding it ;-)(And yes I am ignoring urgent work deadline to comment on your blog!)<br /><br />Another is to follow advice from someone like Flylady http://www.flylady.net/<br />or something similar, where you have a good routine. This is the current you, I think. She talks about 15 minute stints and lists too. I can't do that as I enjoy being spontaneous. Even thinking about clearing the garage out reminds me that I haven't been camping for a while, so tent and kids get chucked in the back of the car and off we go for the weekend.<br /><br />But really its about you. Find what you love doing, maybe reading, or socialising, or walking, or just pondering, and do it until you feel happy enough to face chores.<br /><br />Of course if you can earn some money doing something you enjoy, you could always then pay someone who does love cleaning to do that for you, or visit more restaurants where a keen chef can enjoy meeting your perfectionist standards. It doesn't mean you have to leave the home. Try making some money from your writing for instance. You have a lovely writing style :-)<br /><br />Make your goal to be perfectly happy, rather than perfectly clean and tidy.Judyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00371314706811756465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post-69965167388228423642014-08-21T19:31:05.770+10:002014-08-21T19:31:05.770+10:00I may be good at many things but housework is not ...I may be good at many things but housework is not one of them and frankly, so long as the house is functional (we have dishes to eat off) then im OK. Id rather spend my time doing things i enjoy. I will admit that last night i indulged myself (not a common thing) and bought a steam system. I had to drag it off my husband at 11.30 and tell him to go to bed. He was going round the house checking what it would clean, so there are random spots of clean among the 20 yrs of accumulated grime. So, my house might get a make over this weekend. So long as it can be done with steam. Eg. the teenager steamed the kitchen floor tiles today and the grout is now whitish instead of black. <br /><br /> Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12605358521258969537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post-10485439785656206422014-08-21T18:06:11.300+10:002014-08-21T18:06:11.300+10:00I love lists, first on the list, read my book, sec...I love lists, first on the list, read my book, second make a list, third ..... not got there yet, still reading my book!Stitch Make and Mendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928379983883855654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post-71754192660208193652014-08-21T14:23:51.298+10:002014-08-21T14:23:51.298+10:00Oooh, serenity. One day I shall experience that I ...Oooh, serenity. One day I shall experience that I expect. I'm not sure what I would do without children around. I'm pretty sure it won't be cooking though:)Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17803297366197086152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post-58352197746084617712014-08-21T10:24:00.679+10:002014-08-21T10:24:00.679+10:00Oh my goodness yes. Ok, I will confess to being on...Oh my goodness yes. Ok, I will confess to being one of those weirdos who cooks (bakes) for relaxation; and a confession - I've been Home Alone for a week, and every night since I've been home, I have cooked a fancy meal with multiple ingredients that weren't all out of jars (and had fancy leftovers for lunches, too.) BUT there's a difference between cooking for an appreciative audience (moi) and the peanut gallery who turn their collective noses up if it's not three veg and meat.(Tonight, I am planning to call the chippie and get some grilled fish and a couple of potato cakes and make a salad. Mmm.) <br /><br />Oh, and I totally hear you on the list making. The micro list is much easier to wave about when the question is raised "what did you do all day?" (Copious baking also covers that, lol. And it's more fun!) Normally, when the boys are away, I spend at least a full day doing all the things I can't do because of the running around to sport, breaking up fights and collecting random children from various places. However, this trip - they've gone from Sunday to Saturday and I will be at work. So I am just enjoying the serenity and the ability to watch what I want on telly!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post-73392098475892272422014-08-21T09:22:53.797+10:002014-08-21T09:22:53.797+10:00Hi Dar - I love immersing myself in big projects, ...Hi Dar - I love immersing myself in big projects, but I rarely finish them. Also, it drives me nuts to have to stop and break up fights or drive someone to hockey. Hence the slower pace. For now. One day I will be able to spend a entire day in the garden:)<br />CJ, that 'I don't like it' comment pushes ALL my buttons. Sometimes I threaten to only serve toasted cheese sandwiches forevermore.Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17803297366197086152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post-11773364498026790402014-08-21T07:14:07.709+10:002014-08-21T07:14:07.709+10:00I'm a big fan of crossing things off of lists ...I'm a big fan of crossing things off of lists as well. I know exactly what you mean about the housework and the cooking, it's ALWAYS time to start thinking about the next meal. And then when I put it in front of them, they say, "I don't like it" before they've even tried it. AAAGH! CJ xxCJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14311693185700341580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4838234360213313454.post-70791744268359251052014-08-21T03:56:40.648+10:002014-08-21T03:56:40.648+10:00I am good at knocking off big projects, but I don&...I am good at knocking off big projects, but I don't sweat the small stuff too much - dishes and dusting and minor repairs. I like your approach.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com