Friday, 11 May 2012

What Measure Success?

Many of the blogs I enjoy feature stay at home Mums living in apparent domestic bliss.
 
Angelic kids, lovely homes, plenty of craft time, me time, him time, us time, cooking tasty, nutritious meals straight from their own gardens.

Of course in reality, we all know that they have laundries full of washing, hairy legs, and the only picture perfect part of the house is that 2 or so square foot they have photographed.

A friend of ours was once present for a photoshoot by a big fancy architecture magazine. It was in the home of some big and fancy architects. Their home photographed beautifully. The curved timber walls a sight to behold. The minimalistic decor sharp.

In reality, apparently (is that an oxymoron?) they were slobs who lived in clutter and choas.

All the furniture, magazines, clothes and detritus was shifted from one side of the room to the other and back again.
A few days ago, I had an enjoyable afternoon in the kitchen. A successful day
if you consider that I managed to make a lovely loaf of fruit bread. (For breakfast.)

Blackberry cupcakes to die for. (Morning tea)

A scrummy, flaky meat pie. (Dinner)

Chocolate self-saucing pudding. (Sweets.)

Lets ignore the fact the bottom fell out of the loaf.

Some cupcakes sank.

The handle of the saucepan caught fire.

The entire house smells like a chemical fire.

By my standards, it was still a success I'd say.








Saturday, 21 April 2012

Crack O' Dawn

 We were on the beach early this morning.
Quite early.

We explored the dunes and expanse of beach.

We found the good...

The bad...

And the ug....gorgeous.






Wednesday, 18 April 2012

The Dress That Sam Made

These are the hands that passed the buttons.


 These are the buttons sewn onto the dress.

This is the lace that adorns the pocket attached to the dress.

 And this is the dress that Sam made.

 This is the cardi, knitted by Gran, to be worn with the dress that Sam made.


Sunday, 15 April 2012

The Circus Is In Town

On Saturday afternoon we all went to the circus.
Having just finished a book based on the circus
in the 1920's I have been looking forward to it. 

The circus is such a contrast between seedy and glam.
Behind all the oil paint and glitter often lies bloodshot eyes and tension. 

But we were there for the fun...and it was fun. 

I love the big top. 
The years of delighted kids and excitement has seeped into its fabric.

 Of course you must eat fairy floss.

You must act like a clown. 

 And of course perform too, if you get the chance.

 I have never heard Jack laugh like he did at the circus.

The trapeze artists and hula-hooping girls amazed Pip.
She couldn't just sit a watch but had to perform 
her own gymnastics on the sidelines.

What a laugh.


Saturday, 31 March 2012

Today's Wish List


This morning I woke up to a clean and tidy house.
We won't discuss the dead rat in the roof though or what it smells like.

This is what I would like to achieve today:
1.    Bake bread.
2.    1 load of washing in. 3 out.
3.    Re-make beds.
4.    Plant up lots of tiny flower pots with the kids.
5.    Put veggie seedlings in garden.
6.    Feed and water the  animals.
7.    Buy a birthday present for a party tomorrow.
8.    Buy pantomime tickets for next week.
9.    Be ready by 1pm for a meeting.
10.  Try to keep the house cool calm and collected.
11.  Look half decent for when we go out tonight.                       
      (Child free, with lipstick, like adults do.)








 How I plan to achieve this:
1.    Keep sense of humour.
2.    Continuously feed the kids.
3.    Don't look at the increasingly messy house.
4.    Ignore Jacks new trick of jumping on oranges to watch them explode.




Tuesday, 20 March 2012

Objects of Desire

All that timber, varnish, creaking ropes...
either you get it or you don't.