Fun, family and much needed rest

Sophie
Jul 11
2 min read

Updated: Jul 12

After a busy Monday and Tuesday at work, I have taken the rest of the week off and it’s been great! E still has school holidays until Monday, we’ve given O that time off from daycare Wednesday to Friday too (he really needed the break I could tell), and Al has Wed, Thurs, Sat and Sun off too, only working Friday. My little brother and sister in law and our 5 year old niece is visiting this week too, staying with my parents, so it’s been great to see them every day. All the cousins have played so well together, we’ve been out for a rainforest walk, eating out, swimming in my parents (heated) pool, and today we have a zoo visit planned. It’s been so nice NOT to think about work for a few days. There’s been time for reading, for cleaning the house (while the kids played at Nana and Papa’s house), time for naps, and of course lots of socialising and family time.

O and his cousin running ahead on our rainforest walk. Our stroller days are behind us finally!

Also, the weather has been wonderful. It’s been tshirt weather in mid winter, which is fun. Last weekend me and the kids spent both mornings in the garden (Al was at work). I even for the first time ever did the lawn mowing (we have a lot of it)! It seems ridiculous that I’ve never done this basic yard maintenance skill, but I’ve always lived with a male (father, housemate, boyfriend, or husband) who’d done that job. It was immensely satisfying to conquer that skill on the weekend, (the hardest part was getting the mower started). And it looked so good after!

Me hot, sweaty and exhausted, but satisfied!

I’ve also had time to play with my new Erin Condren planners, filling out my monthly dashboard, mid year review, hourly weekly pages, and some dailies in my petite planner. I’ll do a planning deep dive soon, but for now here’s a photo of my pretties.

Happy Friday everyone! Has anyone else done something basic for the first time in midlife? Anyone else started in a new planner mid year?

4 Comments

Lisa’s Yarns

Jul 12

I mowed my yard when I was growing up and it was so much work. It was a huge yard - 3 acres! I used the riding lawn mower and never used the push mower which was used for trimming. Now Phil handles all of our yard care! I could learn but he seems to like to own that domain.

The time with family sounds great! It’s nice that you have siblings with similar-aged kids! Most of my nieces and nephews are so much older than mine! My younger sister’s kids are close in age to mine but live so far away. They are actually at my parents this weekend but I couldn’t swing a trip up there since…

Sophie

Jul 13

Replying to

Wow 3 acres, you’d need a ride on for sure. We have a ride on but it’s too old so we need to get a new one- but until then we use a push mower! So much travel right now, I hope it’s all going smoothly.

Daria P

Jul 11

Hi Sophie,

well done on the yard!!! We used to mow our lawn but then we had kids and well... Now we hire people to come and mow the lawn, pick up weeds, and otherwise beautify the yard. I have ideas how to use that lawn mowing money but it's the opportunity cost... We simply do nt have time. or energy.

Not starting a new planner since I kind of did that in May when I spontaneously ordered a new planner for my birthday... I gave up on it since...

We don’t really have time for mowing either, and we were going to hire someone, but then I decided I wanted to put that money towards travel for a family trip, and instead do it myself! But our grass gets long between trims for that reason.

That’s a shame your aren’t using your new planner from May. I imagine all the stuff with your Dad affected things. Perhaps after summer break?