Lately I've been spending a lot of time reading blogs.. Time when I could have been doing my own. (Marc keeps asking me if I've posted in the Bike Blog about the Sydney Spring Cycle, and the answer is 'Not Yet'.) And time when I could have been doing a kazillion other things around the house. As usual. Doesn't take much to throw me off my good intentions.

Hell, how many good blogs are there out there? And if people regularly read even half the blogs they have on their 'Blogs I Read' lists, then how do they get anything else done in the day?

My M.O. the past few days has been to get on the computer as soon as the kids leave for school. While I eat my breakfast. Which is ok, because you can't, for example, clean the toilet while you're having breakfast. And while I have my coffee. Because you can't vacuum the floor while you're drinking coffee. And you're entitled to a bit of relaxation time. Right?

Problem is, next things it's nearing 11am, and I've done stuff all, except maybe throw on a load of washing, and maybe hang it out. Then have another cup of coffee. And sit back down here again for far too long.

So then the guilt kicks in. I think of stories I have heard about my maternal grandmother. When my uncle was still living at home, and going to uni, for the first time there were days when he'd be at home. He discovered that she would apparently wander around all day, reading magazines.. and drinking cups of tea with Vincents powder. Then get the vacuum cleaner out just before my grandfather was due home from work, and act all tired. Grandad would then feel sorry for her, and tell her to put her feet up while he got dinner.

I'm a bit scared of turning into my grandmother! Although there is not much danger of Marc getting home in time for dinner, let alone to cook it. Though as I write this I realise that last night that is exactly what happened. I was so disorganised. I procrastinated all day over what to have for dinner so that when he arrived at the netball twilight comp at around 6.30 - where Cait was playing and umpiring, and I felt obliged to stay because I am secretary - he had to go home with the younger two via the supermarket to pick up stuff for dinner, because I hadn't made it there yet. And prepare it when he got home. OK, so it was just ravioli, and sauce. But still. I felt bad. Except that because I didn't cook, I actually felt like washing up! (Novel idea that.. the cook doesn't wash up - except every other day of the year in our house.) And I had left the kitchen clean, and water on the stove ready to boil, and saucepan out for the sauce, and bowl and board out ready to prepare the salad (which Alison did)- so why the hell am I feeling bad?!!

I wasn't actually sitting at home doing nothing all day yesterday either. (Only the morning!) I put my name down for a school library book repair workshop... so I spent from 12-3 learning how to repair books (and eating the lunch that was provided!) I have taken a bit of time out from helping with anything at the school this year. (I have "issues" with the current canteen supervisor, so no longer do canteen.) So I decided I should make an effort to be involved with the library.. Yesterday was the first step, and I will try and make it a weekly thing.

In between reading blogs, what else have I managed to achieve, one might ask? Apart from barely keeping up with the laundry, not a lot.

On Saturday morning Marc and I got up at Some Ungodly Hour and took the Santana (our road tandem) into town - ostensibly to do a ride for the first time with a cycling group. Unfortunately the times advertised in the cycling column in the paper were wrong. We went the same route that was advertised and passed them coming back... We later tracked them down to where they were having coffee, and got the low down - half hour earlier start time - and different start location! - so will possibly try and do it again another time. Clocked up 30km at a fair pace, plus it was him and me time, so all good really.

We were fairly industrious the rest of Saturday. The clothesline was chocka full of washing, and I mowed the back yard while Marc did the whipper snipping.

Sunday was Zoe's belated birthday outing - ten pin bowling with 3 friends. Had a big sleep in - helped along by the start of Daylight Saving - but by the time I'd done the cake decorating after Caitlin failed the time management test (ie. she was going to do it but kept doing stuff on the computer... so I ended up doing it) it was time to go, and that took care of Sunday.


Monday was swimming.. which was hard but good. 50 x 50m - in 70 seconds. Ok when it's freestyle.. much more of a challenge when it's drill, or just kick. One of those classes when you think 'shit, this is outrageous' but you feel quite chuffed to have achieved it. It must surely be doing you some good.

In between all that, I have, however, been reading a lot of blogs.

Labels: birthdays, introspection