On the Homefront

In hindsight I think I have been suffering from Re-Entry Syndrome this week. 

You know that feeling when you first return home from a gorgeous trip feeling inspired and invigorated and you sail through the day with an abundance of zeal and a smile on your face? That is exactly how I felt upon returning from Vietnam after a lovely interlude with the Pianoman where I didn't have to contend with dishes, interruptions, routines or demands. However, that feeling is quickly replaced after a week or so with a general fatigue when the reality of the daily grind bites and suddenly the washing piles up, the children start bickering again and the clothes dryer breaks down from overuse.

I didn't realise I was suffering the post-holiday blues until I woke up this morning and everything was bright and sunny again. I looked out the window and I swear you could be forgiven for thinking that we were experiencing an early Spring. The weather is such a tease. It is cool but the sun is shining and the sky is a brilliant blue. It makes me very happy indeed.

I do love this time of year. 

The trees are blossoming.

There are all sorts of pretty things happening in the garden. I walked around the house today and look what I found. We have cream and pink Hellebores, Jonquils and Daffodils and Snowbells too. 

Mustn't forget the Whippet. He is also soaking up the winter sun, rearranging himself across the floor as the shadows change position.

And it's lambing season! 

Is there anything more delightful than the sight of these little white woolly lambs? My gorgeous friend down the road has an orphan lamb that we got to cuddle today. So far, we haven't had any orphans of our own but with thousands of lambs being born in the area at the moment there is a good chance we will see one up at the house in the near future.

A few of you have asked how the Kidlets coped without us for the 10 days. Well, I was never really worried about them as much as I was concerned about me missing them as well as the mental health of their Grandparents who so kindly offered to look after them. I know how hectic and demanding the days can be. Although I told them to please just do the basics and forget about all the extra stuff, they insisted on wanting the "complete Grandparent experience". So to that end, although I'm a bit of an 'unplanner' of sorts, I left behind a folder of Timetables, Schedule of Activities and Maps with detailed instructions which would have rivalled Tolstoy's "War and Peace". They did an absolute stellar job and they all had a lovely time together. An extra special mention must go to my Father-In-Law who has earned himself "Legendary Status" from my friends and teachers as he had to care for the 4 Kidlets all by himself for the final 3 days as my Mother-In-Law had to head back to Alice Springs for work. Like many men of his generation, he is not renowned for his hands-on approach to child-rearing but to his absolute credit, he continued on with the routine and managed the swimming lessons, playgroup and school stuff with ease. In fact I would say he had to go the extra mile. This is the final text message we received from him the night before we arrived home.

To say he had the complete Grandparent experience is an understatement.

Speaking of excellent parenting, have you heard of those negligent Mothers who put their children to bed with a Panadol only to find out days later that their child has actually a broken limb? Well that negligent Mother was me. After 8 years of parenting we had our first break. And with all the shenanigans the boys get up to, I did not think the first break would go to Miss Fancy. On Monday she slipped on a ball on the basketball courts while at school. It was just a bit sore and we heard nothing more about it until Thursday when she opted to give Hockey training a miss because her wrist was still sore. I took her straight to the GP that afternoon and an X-Ray later confirmed she had broken her wrist.  Apparently braking a bone doesn't always hurt and the only tears we got from her was when the GP told her she's be off sport for at least a month.

In other news, Blue Eyes got his first Certificate at Assembly today. He has been working so hard at School, trying to catch up because there is an extra year of schooling in the Tasmanian School system and he therefore missed out on doing 3 day Kindergarten last year. His Award was for "Fabulous work in all areas of his learning".

I am in organisation mode in preparation for the new addition (more on the 'bump' next time, I promise!) and to simplify my life a bit, the Pianoman drives the kids to School in the mornings and the kids are now catching the bus home from School. They have been literally begging me to let them do it since we got here but I just wanted to make sure they were all settled in first. The little bus drops them home right at the bottom of the driveway and they walk up to the house. Sometimes it takes them a good half hour. Look, here they come now!

Finally, I am so excited about the Olympics. Are you all in Olympic fever too? It will actually be the first time in 12 years (since Sydney 2000) that I have watched the Olympics from the comfort of my own lounge room. 8 years ago, Miss Fancy screamed her way into the world as we watched Ian Thorpe swim for Gold from the birthing suite of the Hospital and 4 years ago, in a case of deja vue, the twins made their entrance into the world as Stephanie Rice took Gold in the Pool in Beijing.

And that is a little of what is happening around here on the home front. Sorry to bore you with all my wafflings!

I am tapping away on the laptop tonight because The Pianoman has a bad case of "Man-Flu" and has crashed on the couch with the Whippet, abandoning his game of "Plants v Zombies". Think we are in for a very quiet weekend.

What about you?

Update: The Pianoman is mortified at being photographed with the pink granny blanket while looking very unflattering but I reassured him that it was all in an effort to keep things real.