Monday 20 June 2016

Monday miscellany



This is a bit of a throwback to my old 'Midweek miscellany' posts, I suppose. And the blue of those forget-me-nots matches my current mood. It's wet and chilly and the house is so gloomy under all these clouds.


Joe's really pushing my buttons too. He's becoming so argumentative (usually in public) and very wilful. Preschool reassured me today (after witnessing a massive strop) that he's just 'expressing himself'. I waited until I dropped him off and reached the car before expressing myself - quite swearily. If that's not a real word, it should be.


We've actually had an OK week other than storms of the meteorological and metaphorical kind. A ride on the steam train, complete with packed lunch (his grandparents couldn't make it over on Friday and he was really upset, so we had a day out).


I escaped for a cup of tea and a slice of cake on Thursday, as we had a joiner in to finish some jobs. Joe was in preschool and I fancied a bit of a breather so I visited our local museum and wandered around the raised beds with my camera before holing up in the cafe with a book.


We now have a mantelpiece. Jay actually put that up. It's an old piece of wood I spotted in my stepdad's garage which had been on his boat for years. He kindly sanded it and cut it to size and now I can faff and arrange things to my heart's content.


I've been buying so many good things to eat lately. I'm gluten-free and have recently cut out dairy too. I'm not sure whether it's that or a supplement I'm taking, but the brain fog which has plagued me for years has gone. I feel clear and sharp-minded (well, almost) and don't feel like going to sleep all day long.

I do still eat meat (mainly chicken) and fish. But there are a lot of fruits and vegetables in the house. Joe's mad on podding peas. I'm buying nectarines, apricots and strawberries. And one of my favourite things about this time of year: cherries at the market. Handfuls of them to bring home and scoff.


Yesterday we headed over to Cheshire to collect some plants from our friend who has a nursery. We drove home with a car full of dahlias and cosmos, poppies and geraniums. He gave us some empty hanging baskets too and plenty of things to plant them up with. 

We pottered about in the garden until the rain started to come down. Jay took Joe indoors but I just put my coat on and carried on. Rain in June isn't necessarily a bad thing. It saved us a lot of watering in too.


I tried taking a few pictures around the house but it really is dark. 


We'll be breaking out the white emulsion before summer ends. The pale grey/green is nice but realistically a low-ceilinged cottage in this part of the world needs a blast of brightness. 


You can just see the old book case I finally painted pink. It could do with taking outside once the weather picks up and I'll 'distress' it a bit. (The bird box in the photo near the top of the post is painted in the yellow paint I was so excited about a month or so back).


School preparations continue apace. We already have some bits of uniform ready and waiting (P.E. kit mainly) and this afternoon I'll be taking Joe to playgroup, which is held in the school. The reception class teacher is going to meet all those due to start in September, and they'll get to go and see the classroom. 

I will probably drink tea with the other mums and enjoy the peace for a very short time.


The dill in the photo below was growing at the museum the other day. I have loads of it in little pots, grown from seed, that needs planting out. Another garden job waiting for the rain to clear.


Strange how on Thursday afternoon we were eating ice cream in the park and then by weekend we were back to jumpers and socks. I'm hoping that by the time the summer holidays begin it'll brighten (and warm) up.


And right now it's time to go and collect Joe. I'll probably walk down the lane and see how the hedgerow's changed over the past few weeks, take a deep breath and see what crazy mood he's in when I arrive. Wish me luck...


Have a great week.





8 comments:

  1. The best advice I was given when my daughter was little - is to pick your battles. Rudeness or hitting out were the battles I fought with my daughter, and the rest you have to let slide or you are constantly bickering with a toddler... We got through it, and teens weren't too bad because the ground work was laid. Good luck

    ReplyDelete
  2. both of my toddlers had moods that were affected by the weather, stormy skies = stormy todder.

    your photographs are beautiful x I hope you found joy in the hedgerows x

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the gorgeous blue of those forget-me-nots. Sorry your little man is testing the boundaries. It can be a difficult time, but like most things it is a phase that passes. Tea, cake and faffing with stuff on a mantelpiece all helps!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sympathy re this stage of parenting. It does pass, as you know -- now I'm watching my own figure how to deal with an angry small person. I must admit I was often awestruck at the will and commitment of someone who otherwise has so little power to control their world. . . I remember one particular tantrum, the then-two-year-old son furious at the constraint of his car seat, raging and raging and, of course, unable to undo the buckle. All the power on my side except that I couldn't dial down his volume. . . .I love your photos here, and I'm astonished at how much calm they convey despite the week's challenges. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. The sun may be hidden, but you have captured a little magic in your photos despite the weather.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ah, boys in moods, I know it well. Gorgeous photos today, so much glorious green. The rain has really made it all explode hasn't it. I hope Joe came home in a more peaceful mood for you. CJ xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good to catch up with your miscellany. The weather has been very odd hasn't it, hot, cold, wet, dry, whatever next! Hope that Joe settles!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Beautiful set of photos and moments from your week, now I remember moody boys, mine still express them selves at 18 and 26 !!!
    I could do with a "weeds please" sing for the front "wild Flower" bed, as I'm sure some people think I have just not bothered, the bees love it though.
    Hope the sun shines on you this week..
    Amanda xx

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...