Category: Life

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Life my novel-in-progress Random thoughts Work

Off and running…

So how’s your 2023 shaping up, dear Reader? Mine has been a whirlwind! Although it feels a tiny bit more relaxed, incrementally a little less hectic, than last year.

I’ve added some ‘physical health awareness’ time into my routine this year, and having one child fewer at school has given me a LOT more head-space, for which I’m grateful! And I’ve filled it (but of course) with other things… I’ve paid the Term 1 school fees, closed (and opened) a couple of bank accounts, sold then collected some budgies, had a vegetarian best friend stay for a week, processed a lot of books and kept on top of my ordering, and also done some gardening in there – as evidenced by my aching and stiff lower back as I type.

Oh, and add into the the time spent night driving with my eldest; an extra church activity or two, and more writing this year than any other year I can remember to date… and 2023 is looking good so far!

And the fact I wrote in my last blog post that I’d be querying by mid-March is still front-and-centre of my ‘not just important but urgent’ mental list. Truth be told, it might actually BE the whole list. I’m on track for that still. Kinda…

Speaking of which, I should probably get going now. There’s editing to do. I’ll leave you with this inspirational new(ish) writing from Veronica Roth, shall I?

See you next time!

  • KRidwyn
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Life More about me

Holiday happenings…

So it would appear that the last three weeks of December slipped by without my blogging. Whoops! And we’re at January 4th already, and the holidays are waning quickly. Sigh.

I’ve spent a bit of time at the beach / out in the sun in my garden over the past several weeks. I’m browner as a result (I had photos of both these but for some strange reason WordPress is declining to upload them.) and I also found out from my hairdresser that I should part my hair on the other side. One: it covers the greys and faded hair in my normal part, and two: it still has colour on that side, so I’m looking younger! On the down-side though, it feels REALLY weird and I’m not liking it much at all.

Well, that’s me. I’m off to work out why photos aren’t uploading, because I was planning on using them a LOT this year.

Wish me luck, dear Reader!

  • KRidwyn

 

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family anecdotes Life momentous events

Final milestones

Years ago, prior to children, I couldn’t imagine myself as a mum. Truth be told: I still can’t! And yet, I am. Muddling through as best as I can, and making mistakes left, right and centre. Sorry, kids.

But time passes and things get easier (or, at least, more routinized) and then you realise you can’t remember what life was like before the kids were around. Or in primary school. Or in high school. Or university, et cetera.

Me and my family? Well, Master almsot-12 – my youngest – is about to graduate Primary School. Seven scant weeks after, he’ll be the only pre-teen in my house. And just 16 months after that, all three will be teenagers (and yes, I’m already noticing the grocery bill…) and the eldest will be driving and in her last seven months of school.

Wait, what? Seriously?

Life’s going too fast!

Yup. Breathe. It’ll all happen, and it’s all survivable.

*deep breath* *take a moment*

Well, back to my point – because it’s been quite a rambling one this morning – my little man graduates from Primary School in two weeks. Hip hip, hooray!!

Well done, little man. Congratulations – you made it! I love you.

 

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Life Random thoughts

Eye sight

Eye sight: mine’s deteriorating. Rapidly. I’m quite sad about it actually; I’d thought I was different from everyone else and my body wouldn’t succumb to this ageing process. Guess I was wrong.

You’d think failing eyesight would be my cue to get a move-along with this whole ‘finishing my novel’ bit, wouldn’t you. Huh. Again, something to regret.

It’s a bit of a maudlin one this morning, I’m afraid, dear Reader. Sorry about that. Here’s hoping you retain your eyesight for much, much longer!

Have a vision-filled day,

KRidwyn

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Life momentous events More about me

Weighty matters

I read Scott Pape’s column from time to time. “The Barefoot Investor”, he calls himself, as he comments in a down-to-Earth, no nonsense manner on all matters financial.

One particular column stood out recently, on “investing in a good night’s sleep” where he hummed and hawed about purchasing a weighted blanket, did lots of research, then finally shelled out the money for one. And the results – much better sleep – were surprising.

So I did the same. I’d heard of them, and been pondering looking into the idea for a while, however Scott Pape’s article had me thinking ‘if it’s good enough for him…’ so I copied his process. Did my research, bought the blanket I thought was best… and I am literally AMAZED at my sleep now! It’s been 6 nights and I feel like I’m sleeping better than I have in decades. Seriously. It’s like I’ve reverted to my sleeping habits from my early twenties, when I’d fall asleep quickly, stay asleep (or fall asleep in minutes if woken up) and then awaken refreshed. It’s crazy!

It’s made me happy about the idea of sleeping again. And I can honestly say this is the one. I shan’t be buying another blanket ever again.

Have a restful day yourself, dear Reader!

KRidwyn

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Life More about me Random thoughts

Shoe size

I don’t own many shoes; I’m just not the type. (Sorry, those of you who are!) So when Hubby convinced me to join his gym several years ago, I splurged on a second pair of sports shoes, to use there. Fast forward to a few weeks back, when I looked at them and realised I should probably replace them.

So I did. Unfortunately though, the shop I went to (and didn’t have time to get to another) didn’t have any size 8 1/2 left – so I bought size 9 and decided to just deal with it. They weren’t too large anyway, I discovered, after wearing them to the gym a few times.

The following week though, school returned. And as per usual, I wore my size 8 1/2, non-gym sports shoes, on the day staff wear sport uniform.

By 3pm, I noticed not only did my shoes feel tight, my feet were really rather sore! Perhaps I’d been wrong all along, and am actually size 9 instead of 8 1/2?

So it was off shoe-shopping again yesterday. And I’ve concluded I really don’t like the current trend of sports shoes. Where have the colours gone from a few years back? Buying plain white or plain black sloes makes me feel like a school kid again. Sigh.

Have a pain-free day today yourself, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

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family anecdotes Life Technology

Constructing

I’ve been amazed by my son’s mind ever since he could communicate. He’d show me things and I’d marvel at how he viewed the world; so differently from me. And then once he could talk – which was later than most children due to his autism – I could admire his creativity still more.

He’s always had an affinity for technology. I remember him setting up the playstation, every plug into its correct place, without any hesitation. He was two years old. Which shouldn’t have surprised me, seeing as his seventh word (after ‘Daddy’, ‘Mummy’, ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’) was ‘iPad’.

But I’m still surprised by the creations he makes. Like on Minecraft: check this out.

I took the photo for this blogpost, then he asked, “Would you like to see it in the daylight? It looks different there.”

Oh! Love him!

Anyway, I just thought I’d share this with you. Have a creative day yourself, dear Reader!

-KRidwyn

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Life Random thoughts

Resistant…?

Visitors to my home quickly notice housecleaning is not one of my strengths. Far from it. I’m a believer in ‘good enough’ rather than ‘good’ in this area; living with a husband and three cherubs aged 15, almost 13 and 12 – none of whom I’ve managed to train with any huge degree of success in ‘tidiness’ let along ‘cleanliness’? – this is a battle I choose to NOT pick. Sanity trumps in this matter.

Not that I enjoy the clutter and dirt. I do what I can, within the limits of my sanity and potentially-undiagnosed-OCD-ness. And preparedness helps too.

For example, I buy clothes which don’t need ironing. And which don’t require specialised ‘wash-by-hand’ instructions. Yes, I’m one of *those* people who read the clothes labels!

The other day though, I was bamboozled, flummoxed, mystified (pick your adjective because I’m still so puzzled by this turn of events, I can’t!) because I read the label on my new five-pack of sports socks only when I was home, removing the tags.

Did you catch those bullet-points? The bottom one proudly asserting these socks were resistant to washing and dry-cleaning?

Resistant to washing. Really. On SOCKS???

If there’s anything you’d want for socks – arguably the clothing item prone to the most dirt and smell – you’d want them to love being washed! To embrace the process of cleansing; to relish the removal of smell and dirt and grime from their pores. To long for it, be eager for it, desiring all else to be clean, be greedy for the water and soap detergent more than any other clothes, to savour the cleanliness at the end of the process… and so on and so forth.

To deliberately design clothes – especially socks – with ‘washing resistance’? I don’t know. I guess I’m missing something here. Because to me, that simply beggars belief.

Here’s hoping you have a more enlightened day yourself, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

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Life More about me

46 / 52

As a teenager, I owned a couple of budgies. As a Mum of a teenager, I was happy to acquiesce with Hubby’s suggestion that we convert the kids’ old cubby house into an aviary. Space underneath gave plenty of flight area, and the ‘house’ itself was excellent weather protection and for breeding box placement.

Well, breed they have. Clutch number one had two chicks raised and weaned successfully. Clutch number two had seven, from seven eggs.

Exhibit A: Sherbet and Huffle, two babies from this second clutch. We kept five and sold two. And now, their Mum has seven more eggs ready to hatch in about a week. Seven more! Bringing our total to over 20…

It would seem I am now in the budgie breeding business. (If you’re interested in their antics, my Miss14 posts photos and videos on Instagram: budgie_buds__ and she’d love more followers…)

Have a “fruitful” week yourself, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

Categories
Life momentous events teaching Work

25/52

I wrote last week about my operation… well, kinda.

So I had surgery on the Tuesday, and had Wednesday and Thursday off work, and returned Friday – which also happened to be my birthday.

One of my incredibly wonderful colleagues decided she’d make me a cheesecake – both to cheer my up after the operation and for my birthday.

Made.

From scratch.

Using Oreos – SOOOOO scrumptious!!!

And all for me 😀

Wasn’t it pretty? And it tasted even better than it looked! I am so lucky!

Here’s wishing you a blessed week too, dear Reader!