Monday, August 21, 2006

Summer time/s ...

... and the living ain't easy.


Well, isn't it quiet in Blogland? - people being on holiday/ in the garden / on the beach / preoccupied / doing other, better, different things..... summer time, different kinds of time ...

Plenty going on though, in other lives, countries, times, realities.
Time can go at such different rates, in different areas of one's life.


This week I have been mostly:

sorting recent vintage button acquisitions

sorting some of the above for a button swap with Donna (little things, great pleasures)

failing to spend time in the garden due to persistent rain
(at least, at the times when I've been up and feeling like gardening)
(but my repairs on leaky water butt seem to have worked, hurrah)
(but of course persistent rain means I don't need it now, doh!)

spending too much time on the computer (games, mostly .... )

bickering with LG DC (most definately DC not LG) - 11 - going on (permanently - pre-menstrual -) 14 years old
(and no she wouldn't like it if I talked to her in that tone of voice and I wasn't shouting actually yet)
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SHOUT?

finishing painting of hall/stairs/landing - started last June - could be worse....

not thinking about work
(who? what? students? marking? essays? timetables? means nothing to me ..... )

not doing housework (hardly any, anyway ... )

making tassels (details will follow, on my other, crafty blog) (yes, its as weird and gratuitous as it sounds)

visiting parents

managing not to drink too much wine
(when there is wine in the house, that is. Not much shopping being done these days).


Easy times, at times.

Not always easy.

I'm doing extremely well in my resolve to work less and live and enjoy life more. To the extent that the house is getting a bit squalid, tbh, and there isn't much food around. In the fridge/freezer that is..... theres always enough in our famously capacious cupboards to keep us gong for at least 2 weeks. A result of being brought up with a well-stocked walk-in larder.

I'm spending time playing games on the computer, leaving the washing up, letting M. do almost all the cooking, ceasing to see dust and dirty windows, becoming hardened the sight of "needs to be done" and almost completely innured to the pig-sty which is LG's bedroom.

(almost)

So life is easy in some respects.

(M cooked a roast tonight. Yummy. But could I throw out the carcass etc.? - as we are going away tomorrow? could I b******. The stock pot is hissing and steaming even now, to make tasty, nutritious, cheap chicken stock to go in the freezer for a meal on our return. A result of being brought up by someone who grew up during the war. Dig for Britain and all that. Sigh. Though I can now sometimes leave food on my plate. If I'm seriously too full. Sometimes. It is an achievement, titter ye not.)

My grandfather fought in WW1. In the trenches at Ypres. Blimus. And there are values which I do value, imbred into me, as a result of all that. But its a dodgy business, inbred values.


Things "at home" are also getting much easier.
No more counselling till Sept., but some corners have been turned, I think, and the view ahead is now brighter. (I think) (mostly)
( :o} )

My mother is also fairly stable and comfortable at the moment. She's having chemo - purely palliative, but seems to be working for now, slowing down the secondaries. She's got v. good pain control, a wonderful Macmillan nurse who visits at home. And its her birthday on Saturday.

I've been buying dresses for her - always small, and recently shrinking because of osteoperosis, most of her is now about size 8. But she can only wear dresses now, not trousers/skirts, loose around her waist because of the main tumour and needs size 18. Maternity dresses are the perfect solution, so I've been shopping on eBay.

I'm also buying headscarves, and looking in my craft books at little crotcheted hats, as the side-effects of the chemo set in.

Not easy. And leaving is not easy, at the end of each visit. And thinking about the future is not easy.

But in the meantime - we have another birthday with her, which we'd anticipated we might have to face without her.

Keep your fingers crossed for her wedding anniversary, which is Sept. 1st.

We're off again tomorrow, myself, LG and M, to spend up to a week with her and prepare (secretly and furtively) for the arrival of the rest of the family for her birthday.
Looking forward to early nights, tassel-making - and just being there.

9 comments:

The fabric of my life said...

I was going to do a list of what I was up to this week too. These holidays are exhausting, I shall be glad of a rest when they go back to school. I have sorted some really beautiful buttons for you and will post them today. I hope you have a great time with your family and that you mum is able to enjoy her birthday. It must be so hard for you all right now and I think of you often. x

Sarah said...

Oh...chin up poppet, I feel for you I really do. Thinking easing thoughts ...sending them to you and your mum xxxxx

Gretel said...

Have good time with your mum, Lettuce...mine died of the big C when I was 12, so I never got to sort things out with her. I know a few friends who've had that chance and I'm so glad for them.

hugs

G

grumpy old woman said...

I'm so glad things have levelled out for your Mum for a while. I'll definitely be thinking of you guys on Saturday - a bitter sweet time for you. And on the 1st - that'll be next Friday, won't it?

Dons and I will be away on our hols for both of those dates so we can remind each other to raise a glass to you and your Mum and the rest of your family.

BTW - the tassles sound interesting, as do the vintage buttons - must pay a visit to your crafty blog.
~(:o})=

ramblingwoman said...

Have a lovely time with your mum and family Lettie. I hope she enjoys her birthday (I keep writing other stuff and then deleting it) Anyway, I'll be thinking of you all and see you Tuesday! Lots of love xxxxxxx

tlchang said...

Button sorting is one of my favorite past times... Vintage button sorting is even better.

Best wishes for you and your family.

Molly Bloom said...

I hope everything goes well for you at the weekend. Glad that you are neglecting the housework and stuff. That is good. I do that all the time! Life is too short. And we've suvived on the store-cupboard and the things lurking in my freezer for 2 weeks now...to save money. I, like you, believe in not wasting anything.

I hope everything goes well this week. Love to your mumxxx See you soonxxx Can't waitxx

Dizzy said...

Glad to hear that you are at last able to switch off from work, housework, tidying, LG's room, etc, etc. Especially the work though - well done you! I also happy to hear that things 'at home' are becoming easier and brighter ~(:o})=

Have a lovely family time with your Mum and Dad. Everyone has said what can be said, I will just add that I hope your Mum is well enough to enjoy her day. Send her my very best wishes, and to your Dad too.
Lots of love. xxx

Jonah said...

In my opinion every person ought to browse on it.
links | here | HP DeskJet 510 cartridge