Shambolic Living

Home Alone: The Empty Nest

Janine — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 22:01:28 +0000

The empty nest looms in my near future. One more year before the youngest heads out into the world without my micromanaging her every move. I can feel the rotor blades on my helicopter starting to slow. I heard a whisper of what may be last night, when I found myself home alone for...

Why I’m Glad I Had Children

Janine — Sun, 14 May 2017 08:19:51 +0000

A twenty-something work colleague has decided that she emphatically does not want to have children. Clearly her choice, good on her. However, she did remark that us mothers in the office weren’t very good at motherhood public relations. Every day she hears our stories of the challenges we face dealing with our children who range...

Week in the Life – Sunday

Janine — Sun, 23 Apr 2017 12:38:34 +0000

So Sunday rolls around and it’s a very lazy day. There’s breakfast in town at LV’s … eggs benedict for the Princess Child, fruit ‘n nut toast for me. I’ve decided after years of NOT scrapbooking I’m going to put the photos from this challenge into an album. I try to sort out exactly which...

Week in the Life – Saturday

Janine — Sun, 23 Apr 2017 04:51:59 +0000

Saturday is our final day with Hippie Child, she’s heading back to uni this afternoon. The Princess Child wants to get a new profile photo for Facebook so we do an impromptu photo shoot. Afterwards, there’s lunch on the back deck. Princess Child uses up the leftover ingredients on another pizza, and makes sweet potato...

Week in the Life – Friday

Janine — Sat, 22 Apr 2017 05:36:32 +0000

So Friday has arrived and with it that feeling of overwhelm as you realise you haven’t done enough of the “practical” stuff during your four-day-break from work. There were tradesmen to call, appointments to be made, junk to be chucked, alas I’ve achieved very little of it. Instead I start the day with a coffee...

Week in the Life – Thursday

Janine — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 00:13:00 +0000

Thursday is a day mainly spent at home. It turns out to be a poor day for photographs, all are taken on my iphone (does anyone else think the 6s doesn’t take very good quality shots? – I guess it’s probably just my lack of skill). Princess Child, the photographer, doesn’t take any shots today...

Week in the Life – Wednesday

Janine — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 06:31:00 +0000

We begin Wednesday in our hotel debating what to do this morning. The car has to be removed from the hotel carpark at our 10.00am checkout – why are there so many RULES in the world! The girls have told me they are not to keen on the idea of ever moving to Sydney. I...

Week in the Life – Tuesday

Janine — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 11:58:37 +0000

So this is Tuesday. We are taking a quick trip to Sydney because the girls have tickets for a concert. Just a few days ago I waxed lyrically on Instagram about my regrets over not taking enough family holidays while my husband was alive. Today I am reminded whenever we try to leave the house,...

Week In The Life – Monday

Janine — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 12:22:33 +0000

Over at Ali Edwards blog she is completing her annual Week in the Life project. It’s a chance to document in detail one week of your life via photos, blog or scrapbook. Her chosen week this week coincides with my being on holidays so I’m going to give it a go. Although it won’t be a...

Reading This Week – Worse Things Happen At Sea – William McInnes, Sarah Watt

Janine — Sun, 09 Apr 2017 21:33:52 +0000

Anyone who has survived a long-term relationship (and I’m talking decades, not just a year a two) knows it is an adventure in joy, despair and resilience combined with equal parts humour and anger. This memoir of family life by Aussie Actor/Writer, William McInnes, and his Film Director/Animator wife, Sarah Watt, captures the nuances of daily...