Thursday, April 12, 2007
The minutiae of my school holiday life.
No whinges, no tapping off.. just 'minutiae'.
It might not be very interesting though. Sometimes I think me having a rant is much more exciting.
I've done a lot of sleeping in, which I feel a bit guilty about, especially when Marc is having to go to work, and the work is stressful to the point that I am quite concerned about him.
He likened it last night to having about 20 cakes to make at once, and everyone's cake order is urgent, so he is having to try to make them all at once, instead of what would be the sensible thing to do and make them one after the other. Problem with doing that is he has 'contractors' he must supervise - and he can't leave them doing nothing while he concentrates on making sure his cakes are done properly, because they will be being paid a few hundred dollars an hour to do nothing.
Meantime the cake orders keep coming in (and he gets more emails in a day than he has time to deal with). And people from that project in Malaysia coming out today and tomorrow, so that one guy who has 'all the knowledge in his head' can impart what he knows.
Maybe I should have made him resign.
At least he got sleep-ins over Easter. And at least given I'm at home, he doesn't have to worry about what's for dinner, and all that sort of crap. Except when I do stuff like make bolognaise for dinner, then realise I didn't buy spaghetti while I was in town! And so he has to stop at the shops and buy spaghetti on the way home.
We went in to the shops on Tuesday because #1 had organised to go iceskating with friends. I was feeling blecchy that day (hence forgetting the spaghetti) but it didn't stop me spending money... (or maybe that's what made me spend money!)
I bought this apple slicing/coring/peeling machine:
I had seen it at christmas time when we visited a friend, and I thought back then "I want one!". She'd got it through a school fundraiser thingy though. I'd forgotten about it till someone mentioned bringing theirs to netball so we might try to flog some slightly healthier alternatives to all the lollies we sell. She told me where I could buy one around here.
I think we are going to be getting through a lot more apples around here, simply because of the novelty value. It's even making me eat one right now.
I also bought some new sandals for me. Don't get too excited. These are Orthaheel casual slip-on sandals to wear around the house, and not too far afield. Given that I have to wear orthotics in my normal shoes, you can imagine how hard it is to wear casual slip-ons. The girls have not called them 'Grandma shoes' yet - they probably realise they will get a flea in their ear if they do.
And I had to buy the younger two more joggers. Ali's were coming apart at the sole, and Zoe was growing out of hers. Kids! Why do they have to keep growing (and wearing things out?!)
They wear them everyday for school, plus need them to be ok for cross country which is coming up this term. I went in to Amart Sports because I felt I should attempt to buy cheaper shoes if at all possible. I wasn't in the headspace for it - feeling a bit nauseous and dizzy. Then I survey tables upon tables of shoes on sale, as well as all the shoes at 'normal' prices on the wall display. It made me more dizzy. How the hell would I know what was an appropriate fit.?(Given my orthotic issues, I have always erred on the side of expense and having them fitted for shoes which give them appropriate support, as they all tend to pronate like I do - or so the machine at Athlete's Foot tells me.) I was asked if I needed some assistance, and when I said yes, we need joggers, and they need to be measured, the guy said 'Um, we can't find our shoe measurerer at the moment.'
FFS!! Oh well, it was the excuse I needed to walk out, drive round to the Plaza, and let Athletes Foot do all the decision making for me. The only problem I had there was that there was only the one style in kids shoes (which thank heavens Ali still fits in, even though she could also fit in an adult's size at around $50 more!)- BUT! They only had that style with PINK bits, and my 11, nearly 12, year old daughter DOES NOT LIKE PINK. Nor is she particularly enamoured of having exactly the same shoes as her 8 year old sister!!
Her only other option was the boys' style, and it had far too much black on it for her liking. I buried my head in my hands for a minute.. and Thankfully! she opted for the lesser of two evils - pink trim. And, after the assistant suggested it, she came home and coloured over some of the trim with a blue texta.
Had a lazy day yesterday. Guilty as anything because I spent far too much of it inside, and it was the best day we'd had since the start of the holidays/Easter. Wind had dropped to a bearable level. Finally I dragged Zoe with me to walk up onto the headland near us (and then walk up the beach with me), so that I got a big dose of 'DO YOU REALISE JUST HOW BLOODY LUCKY YOU ARE LIVING WHERE YOU DO?'
Our house is only one street back from the street along the beachfront.
And this is 'our' headland.
Meanwhile Caitlin stayed in her pjs ALL DAY, and I just didn't have the energy to hassle her. Her logic is that in term time it's full on (and she is right), so I suppose, why shouldn't she be a sloth. Even if it's excruciatingly hard to deal with as a parent because you feel she should be out in the fresh air getting just a little bit of exercise...
Today we have to hit the shops again, this time for her, because, goddammit, the girl has grown out of pretty much all her clothes. Hello puberty, belated as it is compared to her peers. Problem is this is just the start of it, really. She has finally got the height, but is just starting with the shape. So it is a bit scary wondering how long anything we buy today will fit her. The girl does need to wear clothes though, so there is nothing for it but to buy stuff.
What is even more scary is if she doesn't fit into the chainstore clothes anymore, and we have to venture in to the OTHER shops.. the ones with the REALLY REALLY LOUD music, and clothes that are designed to only go half way up their bum crack.
Wish me luck.
It might not be very interesting though. Sometimes I think me having a rant is much more exciting.
I've done a lot of sleeping in, which I feel a bit guilty about, especially when Marc is having to go to work, and the work is stressful to the point that I am quite concerned about him.
He likened it last night to having about 20 cakes to make at once, and everyone's cake order is urgent, so he is having to try to make them all at once, instead of what would be the sensible thing to do and make them one after the other. Problem with doing that is he has 'contractors' he must supervise - and he can't leave them doing nothing while he concentrates on making sure his cakes are done properly, because they will be being paid a few hundred dollars an hour to do nothing.
Meantime the cake orders keep coming in (and he gets more emails in a day than he has time to deal with). And people from that project in Malaysia coming out today and tomorrow, so that one guy who has 'all the knowledge in his head' can impart what he knows.
Maybe I should have made him resign.
At least he got sleep-ins over Easter. And at least given I'm at home, he doesn't have to worry about what's for dinner, and all that sort of crap. Except when I do stuff like make bolognaise for dinner, then realise I didn't buy spaghetti while I was in town! And so he has to stop at the shops and buy spaghetti on the way home.
We went in to the shops on Tuesday because #1 had organised to go iceskating with friends. I was feeling blecchy that day (hence forgetting the spaghetti) but it didn't stop me spending money... (or maybe that's what made me spend money!)
I bought this apple slicing/coring/peeling machine:
I had seen it at christmas time when we visited a friend, and I thought back then "I want one!". She'd got it through a school fundraiser thingy though. I'd forgotten about it till someone mentioned bringing theirs to netball so we might try to flog some slightly healthier alternatives to all the lollies we sell. She told me where I could buy one around here.
I think we are going to be getting through a lot more apples around here, simply because of the novelty value. It's even making me eat one right now.
I also bought some new sandals for me. Don't get too excited. These are Orthaheel casual slip-on sandals to wear around the house, and not too far afield. Given that I have to wear orthotics in my normal shoes, you can imagine how hard it is to wear casual slip-ons. The girls have not called them 'Grandma shoes' yet - they probably realise they will get a flea in their ear if they do.
And I had to buy the younger two more joggers. Ali's were coming apart at the sole, and Zoe was growing out of hers. Kids! Why do they have to keep growing (and wearing things out?!)
They wear them everyday for school, plus need them to be ok for cross country which is coming up this term. I went in to Amart Sports because I felt I should attempt to buy cheaper shoes if at all possible. I wasn't in the headspace for it - feeling a bit nauseous and dizzy. Then I survey tables upon tables of shoes on sale, as well as all the shoes at 'normal' prices on the wall display. It made me more dizzy. How the hell would I know what was an appropriate fit.?(Given my orthotic issues, I have always erred on the side of expense and having them fitted for shoes which give them appropriate support, as they all tend to pronate like I do - or so the machine at Athlete's Foot tells me.) I was asked if I needed some assistance, and when I said yes, we need joggers, and they need to be measured, the guy said 'Um, we can't find our shoe measurerer at the moment.'
FFS!! Oh well, it was the excuse I needed to walk out, drive round to the Plaza, and let Athletes Foot do all the decision making for me. The only problem I had there was that there was only the one style in kids shoes (which thank heavens Ali still fits in, even though she could also fit in an adult's size at around $50 more!)- BUT! They only had that style with PINK bits, and my 11, nearly 12, year old daughter DOES NOT LIKE PINK. Nor is she particularly enamoured of having exactly the same shoes as her 8 year old sister!!
Her only other option was the boys' style, and it had far too much black on it for her liking. I buried my head in my hands for a minute.. and Thankfully! she opted for the lesser of two evils - pink trim. And, after the assistant suggested it, she came home and coloured over some of the trim with a blue texta.
Had a lazy day yesterday. Guilty as anything because I spent far too much of it inside, and it was the best day we'd had since the start of the holidays/Easter. Wind had dropped to a bearable level. Finally I dragged Zoe with me to walk up onto the headland near us (and then walk up the beach with me), so that I got a big dose of 'DO YOU REALISE JUST HOW BLOODY LUCKY YOU ARE LIVING WHERE YOU DO?'
Our house is only one street back from the street along the beachfront.
And this is 'our' headland.
Meanwhile Caitlin stayed in her pjs ALL DAY, and I just didn't have the energy to hassle her. Her logic is that in term time it's full on (and she is right), so I suppose, why shouldn't she be a sloth. Even if it's excruciatingly hard to deal with as a parent because you feel she should be out in the fresh air getting just a little bit of exercise...
Today we have to hit the shops again, this time for her, because, goddammit, the girl has grown out of pretty much all her clothes. Hello puberty, belated as it is compared to her peers. Problem is this is just the start of it, really. She has finally got the height, but is just starting with the shape. So it is a bit scary wondering how long anything we buy today will fit her. The girl does need to wear clothes though, so there is nothing for it but to buy stuff.
What is even more scary is if she doesn't fit into the chainstore clothes anymore, and we have to venture in to the OTHER shops.. the ones with the REALLY REALLY LOUD music, and clothes that are designed to only go half way up their bum crack.
Wish me luck.
Labels: photos, shopping, Trivial and lovin' it
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i've given up on orthotics (flat feet, rotating shin causing knee joint probs) I go for decent joggers instead but at home schlep around in socks anyway defeating the whole purpose.
and my feet have "grown" / spread from a 7 and a half to a 9 and a half since the birth of my daughter, some of that during my brief pregnancy late last year so I refuse to buy too many shoes (not that I like buying shoes anyway) until future babies are over and done with. Has anyone else had this problem or am I a freak?
sorry to hear you've been feeling crappy, I hate the fact that mum's can't just pull the covers over their heads and someone else takes over for a while.
ps. nice to know someone else is in their pj's :-)
and my feet have "grown" / spread from a 7 and a half to a 9 and a half since the birth of my daughter, some of that during my brief pregnancy late last year so I refuse to buy too many shoes (not that I like buying shoes anyway) until future babies are over and done with. Has anyone else had this problem or am I a freak?
sorry to hear you've been feeling crappy, I hate the fact that mum's can't just pull the covers over their heads and someone else takes over for a while.
ps. nice to know someone else is in their pj's :-)
Ah yes the "apple slinky" machine. I saw one at bf's sister's place. Mentioned it as an idea for the canteen at school, principal's son brought theirs in but I must admit we haven't used it much. I need more practice with it and I don't want to leave the kids to use it without me what with the pointy bit and all. Please keep me updated. I'd love to know how you go with it.
This was posted by 
: 1:43 pm
: 1:43 pm
School holidays... Now grandson is a teenager he will happily spend the day reclusively in his room (and in his pyjamas) unless dragged outside by his cruel mother or grandmother. The last couple of days I've cruelly forced him out of the house, although not exclusively in my company. Hanging out with grandma... Yuck! We went to Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market and managed to lose each other (deliberately) for an hour today http://www.qvm.com.au/home.php then met for lunch.
I don't think that a portable apple peeler would have any use in this house. I like mine with their skins on... the rest of the family might it for a couple of apples and then lose it. Now an onion peeler, that I might buy.
Note on orthotics... they certainly make a difference if you need them. My feet feel so much better since I've been using them, I don't end each day in semi-agony.
Shishyboo, after four children I think I went up a full shoe size and my feet seemed to get wider. Perhaps I'm just more splayed out than I used to be, definitely older.
You are right Tracey, you live in an unbelievably beautiful environment.
I don't think that a portable apple peeler would have any use in this house. I like mine with their skins on... the rest of the family might it for a couple of apples and then lose it. Now an onion peeler, that I might buy.
Note on orthotics... they certainly make a difference if you need them. My feet feel so much better since I've been using them, I don't end each day in semi-agony.
Shishyboo, after four children I think I went up a full shoe size and my feet seemed to get wider. Perhaps I'm just more splayed out than I used to be, definitely older.
You are right Tracey, you live in an unbelievably beautiful environment.
I reckon my feet went up a size since having kids - or got wider or something. Well, I certainly no longer fit into the court shoes I had back when I was in my mid-20s. Now I don't wear that type of shoe anymore anyway, given my orthotic issue (and the fact that the ones I had killed me when I tried to wear them after I'd been pregnant! I tend to think that one pregnancy does it to you.. I don't think my feet expand extra with each pregnancy.
The apple slinky can just slice and not peel! Which is how we started using it. Anyway, we are going to try it at netball, though Marc says if it's popular we should buy one for netball and not use ours. Friend reckons they use the one in their school canteen (though it wouldn't be staffed by kids). At least with the Healthy Food guidelines in the canteens, it wouldn't be competing with lollies, like at netball.
The apple slinky can just slice and not peel! Which is how we started using it. Anyway, we are going to try it at netball, though Marc says if it's popular we should buy one for netball and not use ours. Friend reckons they use the one in their school canteen (though it wouldn't be staffed by kids). At least with the Healthy Food guidelines in the canteens, it wouldn't be competing with lollies, like at netball.
I hate buying shoes for the boys. TExcept for the 8 yr old, they're all in mens, and they all have odd feet so we can't buy the cheap ones.
Love the apple machine! I think having that at your sports events is a terrific idea. I wonder if you could roll the un-slinkied apple in cinnamon, so it has a cinnamon edge after it's cut?
Is it me or is word verification getting a little full of itself?
Love the apple machine! I think having that at your sports events is a terrific idea. I wonder if you could roll the un-slinkied apple in cinnamon, so it has a cinnamon edge after it's cut?
Is it me or is word verification getting a little full of itself?
Ashley has an over-supply of cake orders at his work too - it is not surprising at all that everyone is quitting and getting the hell out of his workplace like a stampede of wild elephants. Hope he can take care of himself.
Yep the pictures of where you live are pretty darn great. Oh how I want to feel that sun on my back right now, rather than the chill in my bones.
Yep the pictures of where you live are pretty darn great. Oh how I want to feel that sun on my back right now, rather than the chill in my bones.
The apple slinky is a major wish item in our house. The tuckshop has it and does a roaring trade - and a lot of the kids eat fruit like this that won't eat it any other way. Although if I bought it it would be for me as 'Salina prefers her apples whole (or as she just advised me, cooked for dinner!)
Classic stuff, MM!!
You're right Rootie. Our kids have very little idea of what they have. They are thoroughly spoilt when it comes to swimming at the beach. They've recently seen a tv show on Bondi Beach, and they cannot believe how many people are on the beach and in the water.
You're right Rootie. Our kids have very little idea of what they have. They are thoroughly spoilt when it comes to swimming at the beach. They've recently seen a tv show on Bondi Beach, and they cannot believe how many people are on the beach and in the water.
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