Life between the plans

I've been counting days and maybe hours until this evening. School holidays are here. No clock watching, no list making, no planning...

Even though Sibs is now a teen I still relish the time off with her and the chance to have lazy morning chats. School holidays have always been special times for me. The first morning off used to involve watching Play School in our pyjamas, but we've now moved on from there. Now it's just morning tea in our pyjamas where we ponder the day ahead.

When life is so jam packed with mostly necessary routine, it's an absolute luxury to take back control.

There's a little plaque with a quote that I bought on my trip home a few months ago that's hanging in the hallway. 

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".

It's from one of my favourite songs 'Beautiful Boy' by John Lennon. The Double Fantasy album was the first LP that I bought for myself way back in the early 80's. I still have it and I still love it. 

It's funny how some quotes and sayings just stay with you, and this is one of them. Yes, I am a planner and a list maker and most of the time this works for me. Sometimes though I need to not know what's happening tomorrow. Just live the day and see what it brings.

These next two weeks we'll fit in a bit of shopping, maybe some painting and baking, some time in Noosa and time to catch up with people. I don't know exactly when all of this will happen....we'll just wait and see.

Happy holidays,

Spring time stuff and happenings.

Spring is here in the Southern Hemisphere. It doesn't last long before we get hit with the heat of Summer so I have to try and make the most of the precious few weeks left of cardigan weather.

Life here seems to be getting busier all the time. I feel like one of those hamsters in that perpetual round exercise wheel! I have swapped around my working week and slightly changed my hours so I'm often a little confused as to what day of the week it is. Sibs is involved in different music, dance and sports activities that have early mornings and now one evening to plan. On top of this, during this last week or so there has been extra music rehearsals and a strings concert, Sibs has joined a new netball team and I have joined a Choir and a singing group and have been to the theatre twice and to watch a band on Saturday night.  No wonder I'm feeling that there's fewer hours in my day. 

Those that know me well will know that whenever I get super busy I crave quiet time. It's my way of re-energising. I find that I have to talk myself out of that silly feeling of "I shouldn't just be sitting here" and enjoy the fact that I have the chance to do nothing for a little chunk of my day.  So in the middle of the mayhem of a Monday with a hundred and one different plans in my head I headed to the library for some escapism books and I spent some time experimenting with a new crochet stitch and some chalk painting.

The world didn't stop because I didn't mop the kitchen floor!
Then after a couple of hours I was back to crazy lady with a mission to do all the tasks on the to do list.

When I posted the above photo of the books on instagram last week my sister in law thought the top one was 'The Secret Strippers Club'. I'll just clear up any confusion - it's Supper Club! I can't tell you what any of the books are like yet as I haven't had time to read them!

So what else has been going on? Last week whizzed past and by the time it was Thursday evening I was ready to drop, However. I needed to think about a lunch that I was going to the following day. A lunch with 369 other women of whom about 367 were complete strangers! Not quite my idea of re-energising.

I had quietly ignored the emails that had been flying back and forth about this lunch with messages about remembering to book manicures, pedicures, hair, spray tan etc (!?) (Still not sure if they were serious or not!)

It was getting more and more like 'The Real Housewives of Brisbane' by the minute.

I did not take on the advice and did not source a Spring dress from an exclusive little boutique. I opened my wardrobe very late on Thursday night (possibly very early hours of Friday?) and made a choice between two frocks. I did manage to paint my toenails to match my dress though. Then just as she was getting ready to leave for school Sibs informed me that the chosen dress was a little 'granny looking'. Really!!

Out came dress number 2 and it was deemed ok....

But....there was a nail polish clash.

Breakfast of a coffee and a chocolate croissant helped me to decide on a better colour - even though carbs were a no-no according to the last email about my preparation lead up to the lunch! (Such a rebel!!)

I managed to muster up some enthusiasm and remind myself it was all for a good cause.

During the lunch, there was lots of champagne - "in a chilled glass please!" (told you it was like Real Housewives!), speeches, silent auction goodies, noise and more noise. Fours hours later I was done.

I met some lovely ladies and I met some interesting characters but I couldn't wait to kick off the strappy heels and stop.

I'm still in that hamster wheel this week, still not getting to bed early enough, still constantly planning the next day and then the next, but I'm getting on with it. I always say that it's about living the moments.

I almost didn't take my own advice and thought about not going to see a band last Saturday night because a little part of me thought that it was sensible to stay at home.  I'm glad I went. It was four hours of noise, but it was really good noise.

I have choir rehearsal tonight, a 7.15am breakfast meeting in the city in the morning, a get together with some girlfriends on Saturday night and on Sunday I will do absolutely nothing!

They say that Spring time brings new energy and I really hope that it throws it my way.