Simple Woman's Daybook: 18th April 2011

Outside my window ... another beautiful morning. I could get accustomed to this! Cooler than it was a week ago and forecast to cloud over this afternoon, but still very pleasant spring weather. Lots of green on the trees now.

I am thinking ... I must try to get to sleep earlier. I have realised that during the school holidays when there are people around all day, I buy myself quiet time alone by staying awake far too late.

From the learning rooms ... Angel is determinedly revising for science GCSEs. Unfortunately, she spent a week revising the wrong section of the books, but at least she realised her mistake before she got too far with it.

I am thankful ... I made it half way through my 40 bags in 40 days challenge. Admittedly, I am not going to manage the other 20 this week, but 20 bags is at least respectable.

From the kitchen ... oh HELP!!!! Passover starts tonight, which makes menu planning extra complicated; we have a couple of American students staying over Wednesday and Thursday; Angel and Star come and go at random times in the school holidays, sometimes with friends. Yikes! Think maybe lazy chicken (chicken and potatoes slow cooked in a casserole) and chilli may be on the menu somewhere. As for the rest ... ?????

I am wearing ... very old blue pyjama trousers and mismatched pink pyjama top. The elastic has pretty much gone in the trousers and the time has come to accept they have reached the end of the line. I'll cut them up for cleaning cloths later on today.


I am creating ... still socks and cardigans. Finished Mum's socks, and have now started a pair for myself to use up the cotton yarn.

I am going ... to do battle with a long to-do list today. Lots of unexciting but necessary chores.

I am reading ... Climbing the Bookshelves by Shirley Williams (autobiography).

I am hoping ... Little Friend N continues to recover well. He had a tonsillectomy the day after we went to the zoo last week. 

I am hearing ... Cherub watching TV downstairs. Actually, I suspect Cherub is playing and not watching at all so I should really go down and turn it off, but I am being lazy.

Around the house ... reasonable order considering it is school holidays and the girls are home. I have reinstituted the "five minute tidy" I used to use when Angel and Star were little. Set the timer and everyone tidies for five minutes. Amazing how much can be done in five minutes, and how racing against the clock motivates Cherub!

One of my favourite things ... small girls in long nighties. C.U.T.E.  I bought Cherub a couple on Saturday to replace her old outgrown ones.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... Today: Catch up day for housework, supermarket shopping and a little studying, and Star gets back from her weekend away with her friend; Tuesday: To Tevye's sister's for a seder meal; Wednesday and Thursday: hosting an old homeschooling friend's son and his friend (they are spending a semester studying in Rome and have some time off to travel); and of course it is Holy Week and Easter weekend. Probably won't manage to fit in my archive day and band practice this week.

A picture thought I am sharing ... Tevye and I spent a lovely day pottering around Cambridge yesterday. There were quite a number of buskers, including this one with a unique selling point - he plays the guitar and sings from inside a litter bin. Bizarre!

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