ozcountryquiltingmum

How to fill in a day when you don't "work".

I think Mums who work are amazing, even though it isn't for me. You see, I just don't have time to fit in the paid work thing ...and I have a husband who says he didn't wait until 40 to get married to then never see his wife.

Being on a farm makes it all very different. While my sister and many of you bloggers know that after your husband has left for work you have 8 or 10 hours clear in which to do as you like (READ BLOGS!) I'm generally never sure when mine will walk in the door for a coffee or to get me to deliver a calf/lamb, (because these hands are useful for more things than sewing!) help shift machinery to the next paddock, run to town for parts, draft a mob of sheep etc, etc (as the King of Siam would say!) So time management and Ladies lunches and morning coffees can be tricky...and paid work really takes a back seat. It would have been especially tricky in the past 5 months that precious girl has been more out of School than there, I can't even think of a plan that could have dealt with that!

But, being what is probably a Type A personality that likes to be busy and organising and have a hand in a lot of activities, not being seen as a "worker" can be tough. Our western societies define us by what we do, and overcoming this need to justify our existence can be very tough. Anyway, it may have taken me a while but I am well adjusted about my role now... I look at questions about my stay-at-home role as a type of adult peer pressure, and as I never cared about peer pressure in my Youth, I really can't see why I should let it affect me now.

So lets look at today's "non-work" achievements:

DD having a few tummy pangs so she is at home, try to clean in the morning while intermittently watching "Annie get your gun" with her.(she is fast becoming a musical/Howard Keel addict.)

Finished off the "Writing champion" capes for DS' classroom literacy lessons.

Preparing for the School fete, which I am convening. A parent sent home a box of apples which I convert to 12 foot of Strudel...and it's good.

All the time working on more Zucchini and cucumber pickles, also for the fete (and for me!) The top photo is to show you how they started...a beautiful aroma as they soak... and the lower pic is the end result.

Manage to get the last tray of Strudel out by 2 pm and realise in the 1 and a half hours until I need to go and see my little niece for birthday #2 I could almost make her a tractor blanket so at least she gets something with a tractor on her birthday and here it is-

It's not bound just done in the pillow case style with a bit of seam left for turning then I ran around it with top stitch. Has a nice cosy polar fleece on the back and when I last saw it she was using it to sit on in her lounge room and having a snack. The proper quilt can wait until a couple of free days and no kids at home. I'd say maybe for Christmas now!

Managed to pull out some pre-prepared and frozen-for-just-such-a-day-as-this meatballs from the freezer and turned them into everyone's favourite casserole after arriving home at 6pm.

...So you can probably tell that the detox and extra rest program is going well and I'm feeling pretty good...now if I could just fit in that walk!