Shambolic Living

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...

HOME ALONE

Janine — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 10:36:17 +0000

Well this is an unusual scenario. I’m home alone. One child is off camping the other at a birthday party sleepover. I’ve just realised I haven’t had the house to myself since I went back to full-time work. I think I’ve forgotten what to do with myself. I did consider running around the house naked. The...

What will they say about me when I’m dead?

Janine — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 21:18:23 +0000

It’s the one event of your life over which you have no control. While you may be the main attraction you are no longer in a position to direct activities, control the audience or influence the speeches. Your funeral is left in the hands of those you leave behind. Don’t panic, I’m not leaving this...

Just Keep Swimming

Janine — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:21:28 +0000

I thought about writing a to do list this morning but was too frightened to see how many things would be on it. Instead my Mummy brain is clogged with 101 things that need to be done with absolutely no idea how I will fit them all in. So I ditch the attempt to complete...

Another Sad Goodbye

Janine — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 06:36:06 +0000

The house is a little quieter today. There’s no padding of paws up the hallway, no frenzy of barking when you arrive home, no little yap to let you know you are taking a bit too long to dish out his dinner. For the first time in 10 years we are without a pet in...

Mother Guilt

Janine — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 22:28:17 +0000

Image from © Lime Lane Photography Can someone please explain to me the purpose of mother guilt? You know the way mums worry, stress, feel bad, whenever they “let the children down”? It appears I have doubled booked myself this morning. This week I received one email, three text messages, and participated in two...

Team Sports – Why Do We Do It?

Janine — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 01:52:18 +0000

I am exhausted this morning. Last night I played the longest, hardest game of soccer EVER. Oh all right, I was on the sideline but I swear I ran every inch of that field in my mind. It was finals night. Five minutes from the end we were leading 1 – 0. The Grand Final...

How Many Computers Does One House Need?

Janine — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 21:08:40 +0000

How many computers do you have in your house? We have one PC and one IPAD and frankly I don’t think it is anywhere near enough. It appears that a blogging mum and two kids (one in high school and one in last year of primary) puts an impossible demand on the one, sad computer...

This is What Happens When I Try To Be A Responsible Parent

Janine — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:35:31 +0000

It is clear that for 90 per cent of the time I’m flying blind with this parenting gig. Look we’ve survived 15 years, everyone is still here, there are only a few physical scars (Princess Child had a habit of throwing herself into activities with a little more vigour than her coordination development allowed; hence...

Five Things I Should Have Learnt By Now

Janine — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:35:17 +0000

Over at Life in A Pink Fibro Alison Tait wrote a post, 10 Things I Learnt Last Week, then Alana at House Goes Home picked up the concept and ran with it to create 8 Things I didn’t Learn Last Week. Now in a shameless rip-off due to limited time and little creativity I’m going...