Dreamers and Do-ers.

I know where I want to be. Two years from now, ten years from now, the vision is the same and it is as dauntingly clear as my reflection. Unfortunately for me, I am in the first of the world’s categories; I am a dreamer, a thinker, a planner, and no matter how much I want to, I cannot seem to become a do-er.

A week ago (yes, it has taken me this long to write this post – Exhibit A) I had my first ever full ‘day off’ from mum-ing. R would be delivered to me every 2-3 hours for a feed but otherwise, the day was my oyster. I went to bed the night before with visions of how productive and fulfilling it would be – I’m talking pampering, writing, reading, hot coffee and transforming my house into a spotless, Pinterest-worthy wonderland. I awoke, apparently defeated by slumber, with negligible motivation for anything except sleep, Instagram and junk food. Exhibit B: I spend the majority of the day indulging those three vices and then, in my last hour, made a mad dash to the bathroom for a shower to wash on some dignity before the day came to a close. And that was basically it.

So why? How is it that a full night’s sleep seems only to render me inert? Please tell me I am not alone in this. Can a dreamer become a do-er, and how? Rather than regret, I’d much prefer to wake up in ten years filled with contentment and some goals achieved.

On a brighter note, half-term has been fantastic! The kids (who am I kidding?) love having Daddy home from school for these periods during the year. For all its faults, this is definitely one of Teaching’s perks. National Trust exploring, swimming, cafes and Easter egg hunts are our memories, what are yours?

Jaide x

 

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Snowdrops in Lieu of Snow.

It has been a few weeks since our wander around Hodsock Priory, but as Spring still isn’t in full swing, a gallery of our afternoon still feels appropriate, and even timely.

It’s a Saturday and it’s freezing. Absolutely freezing. We arrived at Hodsock Priory and made a B-Line for the cafe and its soup and coffee. Eventually we mustered the courage to venture outside and, while it swiftly dawned on me that my two pairs of socks were not going to be enough, our bravery was well rewarded.

#theyearinbooks – The Cuckoo’s Calling.

January.February.March.April.May.June.
July.August.September.October.November.December

If February’s book did anything to me, it made me long for London. Yes – even with the death, intrigue, polarity of wealth and construction work so incessant it became a character itself – my heart yearns!

Now You Are Two.

When you were in
I could not have known
How life would change,
Nor how much I’d grow.
Life held its breath,
Until you were born;
Love did begin
When you were in.

Poised For Renewal.

Spring is in the air, everywhere I look around. I don’t know what it is about the changing of the seasons that leaves one so susceptible to the compulsion to reflect and renew (and clean – or maybe that’s just me?!) but I find myself looking back at the last few months and feeling a little underwhelmed. The desire to kick-start my commitments is officially ignited and maybe it’s foolish, maybe it’s wise but the ability to improve myself is something that I must believe in.

Kedleston Hall – Before the Snow.

Kedleston Hall is our absolute favourite National Trust property. Being only 30 minutes away we have probably been there in each season, but never in the snow. This last trip we missed the white magic. By. One. Day – ‘devastated’ is an enormous understatement.

The Perceptive Child.

In some ways, the youngest members of our families are the wisest and most mature. We miss so much of who they are, how they communicate and what they are capable of, by assuming otherwise.

#theyearinbooks – Reading List 2016.

Happy Epiphany! So the 12 Days of Christmas are over and with them my semi-suicidal mission to complete a blog post a day. I am alive however and, despite being slightly worse for wear, apparently I can’t get enough… Introducing #theyearinbooks, an initiative from Laura at Circle of Pine Trees, in which the participant commits to reading (at least) one book a month for the duration of the year – I shall certainly be doing the least in this instance!

Introduction to Organic Living.

Why does it seem that ‘organic’ is a notion considered only imperative for babies? The majority of weaning food available on shelves is organic, far more organic clothing and bedding is produced for the under-ones, even skincare largely follows this same trend. Pharmaceutical solutions to every cough and hiccough are shoved down everybody’s throats and you have to really search for organic infant formula, so there are exceptions, but on the whole, ‘stuff’ for bigger people just seems to be laced with toxic chemicals as standard, implying that we can ‘handle it’ once we are weaned… this seems a bit ridiculous to me.

A Golden Curiosity: Part One.

A Golden Curiosity.

Amba the river mole was the stubbornest of the stubborn river moles. She would get ideas into her head that no amount of reasoning, pleading nor bribing by her closest friends Butters, Porry and Pip could get out again. Not surprisingly, this led them into a great many undesirable situations that they all (mostly Pip) would rather forget.

As most days begin in sunny England with a question of the stability of the weather, Amba was once again staring seriously into her cupboard.