Categories
places to visit

15/52

Holiday perfect views. And boy, were they needed!

I hope you’re also able to receive what you need this week, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

Categories
Life Random thoughts teaching Work

Out the window…

Holidays! A time of refreshing and renewal. A break from routine (and yeh, I needed *that* one like a kick in the head) and a needed period of not-regular-activity so that time with family and friends can happen.

Some routines should never be broken though. Eating and sleeping, hygiene, etc, these must all be maintained at some kind of a minimal standard. I think pretty much everyone would agree with me there. Sure, the work – school routines can go ‘out the window’ for holidays, but I wonder what other ‘important stuff’ we let slip without meaning to, or even realising.

I remember when I was a girl, reading ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott. The four daughters decided to take a break from their routines for a week, and see what would happen. Laziness, slothfulness, uncleanliness, and arguments resulted. By the end of the week, all four were keen to get back into their normal routine.

But the lesson wasn’t over. Day 1 of routine again, and the discovery was made that their pet bird had died. No food or water for a week had killed it. Tragedy had resulted because some things had been let go, which should never have been.

Relationships fall into this category. Does that mean that relationships are just routines? Like the apostle Paul I rush to say, “Perish the thought!” But that doesn’t mean that we can’t, out of necessity and convenience, consider them routines for the sake of this example. Because when these get neglected, tragedy strikes. They die.

So. These holidays, I have resolved to relax the ‘work’ standards and improve the ‘relationship’ ones. Let’s see how well I do…

And have a great week, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

Categories
Life Random thoughts

On sleep…

So I’ve been a self-diagnosed insomniac for years now. And I’ve kinda always prided myself on what I’ve been able to accomplish on minimal unconscious time.

But I’m coming to the realisation that these days I can do less and less.

And that saddens me.

Time was, I could go to bed at 2am, get up at 4am, do a 16 hour day, or an 18 hour day, or perhaps even more… and do it all again the following day.

No more though.

I’ve always been an early riser. At the moment, I’m up at around the 4 – 4.15am mark. And I love that. I love my morning routine, and I never want to give it up.

But it’s meaning that I can’t stay up too late at night. And that’s the bit I don’t like. I crave the ‘me’ time I get, after the cherubs are in bed for the night. Perhaps I’m just being a little too selfish? Wanting ‘me’ time prior to 6am, and again in the evenings?

I’ve been told I’m a pragmatic person. Realistic. Maybe I am; I don’t see it myself. And I certainly don’t want to acknowledge it in this particular set of circumstances! I want to have my awake time and keep my patience (and my sanity) too ๐Ÿ™

I guess that’s my arrogance talking though, yeh? And that’s a little embarrassing.

So I’m going to stop typing now. And try this week to (as a wise friend once suggested) be ‘rhythmic in my rest’. Feel free to join me in a ‘seeking sleep’ quest this week ๐Ÿ™‚ or not, too ๐Ÿ™‚

Either way, have a great week, dear Reader!
— KRidwyn

Categories
Life places to visit teaching Work

Done and dusted.

Phew! What a term! Glad it’s over.

and I’m ecstatic that this just so happens to be my view right now…

[and it’s only just now I remembered I hadn’t posted the photo yet… whoops!]

Have a wonderful week yourself, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges Christianity family anecdotes

Sipping from the saucer #26

I work at a Christian school. The pastor of the church which established our school has a saying: โ€œThe LORD has blessed me so much, my cup is overflowing (taken from Psalm 23) and Iโ€™m sipping from the saucer.โ€

I like the visual, so Iโ€™m using it here, in this month-long blogging challenge focusing on the blessings God has poured out on me.

And now, blessing #26. Because I could NOT have done the last week that I’ve done, without this amazing lady. She has been there for me, and for Hubby, 24/7, full of enthusiasm and ‘nothing is too hard for me to do for you’ attitude.

Always and forever, my inspiration. And I KNOW that she’ll be horrified to be on here, and to be acknowledged, but… Mum, you’re the best. Thank you for everything – for giving me life and for helping me to live it ๐Ÿ™‚ and even for the toasted mince sandwich you’re making me for lunch so I can sit here and catch up on #blogJune posts ๐Ÿ™‚

And, dear Reader, I trust that you’ll be noticing those in your life who are the blessings that they are to you, too!

Have a great day, dear Reader!

— KRidwyn

Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges Christianity

Sipping from the saucer #15

I work at a Christian school. The pastor of the church which established our school has a saying: โ€œThe LORD has blessed me so much, my cup is overflowing (taken from Psalm 23) and Iโ€™m sipping from the saucer.โ€

I like the visual, so Iโ€™m using it here, in this month-long blogging challenge focusing on the blessings God has poured out on me.

Today, blessing #15.

I love my Mum. And do you know what I love even more? She lives close enough that, on special weekends like this one, she can stay at my place with Miss13, Miss10 and Mr9, and Hubby and I can GET AWAY!

Hip hip hooray!!!

It’s not yet 9am and I’m typing as Hubby drives… and I’ll publish the post for #blogJune 16 late tomorrow I think.

Have a blessed day yourself, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges Christianity family anecdotes

Sipping from the saucer #14

I work at a Christian school. The pastor of the church which established our school has a saying: โ€œThe LORD has blessed me so much, my cup is overflowing (taken from Psalm 23) and Iโ€™m sipping from the saucer.โ€

I like the visual, so Iโ€™m using it here, in this month-long blogging challenge focusing on the blessings God has poured out on me.

Today, blessing #14.

On Tuesday this week, I was driving from school to collect Mr9 from his CrossFit class, when two ambulances hurtled past me, sirens blaring. A police car followed – and as I gradually made it to the scene of the accident, where a fire engine was also on scene, I noticed that traffic had started to pile up quickly – far more quickly than I had anticipated. The accident, although not a major one (minor injuries only, from what I could gather) had occurred on a roundabout which was a major thoroughfare for the area, meaning that the ‘rubber-neckers’ (as Hubby calls them) – people who slow down more than is warranted, so they can stare at the action – were holding up traffic more than usual.

Now this wouldn’t normally have been too much of a problem, except that on a Tuesday afternoon, I’m on a pretty tight schedule. Leave school at 4. Collect Mr9 at CrossFit by 4.15; head back to school to collect Miss10 from her private Dance class at 4.30.

And, judging by the traffic jam, that was not going to happen!

Cue phone calls. To the school’s Outside Hours Care. To the Dance teacher. To my parents, who live quite close to the area, and who were able to look after Miss13 and Mr9 for me while I doubled back to battle the traffic and collect Miss10 from the school.

And – HUGE blessing! – everyone was able to accomodate me (and Miss10, Miss13 and Mr9) – with zero notice, with zero fuss, and with care and consideration all around. How awesome is that?!

I’m surrounded by so many who care for me, who love me and are willing to help me and my kids when I need that.

And I’m so blessed to have these people in my life.

So thank you, people! I appreciate you and want you to know that ๐Ÿ™‚

And, dear Reader, I hope you too can have a truly Blessed day today!

– KRidwyn

Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges Christianity family anecdotes places to visit Work

Sipping from the saucer #8

I work at a Christian school. The pastor of the church which established our school has a saying: โ€œThe LORD has blessed me so much, my cup is overflowing (taken from Psalm 23) and Iโ€™m sipping from the saucer.โ€

I like the visual, so Iโ€™m using it here, in this month-long blogging challenge focusing on the blessings God has poured out on me.

Today: blessing #8โ€ฆ and itโ€™s the reason why this post is late! Check it out:

Not one, not two, but FIVE tickets to SeaWorld, courtesy Hubby’s work and his colleagues. So that’s where we were yesterday – and a BRILLIANT day was had by all ๐Ÿ™‚

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

– KRidwyn

Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges Christianity family anecdotes Life More about me

Sipping from the saucer #6

I work at a Christian school. The pastor of the church which established our school has a saying: โ€œThe LORD has blessed me so much, my cup is overflowing (taken from Psalm 23) and Iโ€™m sipping from the saucer.โ€

I like the visual, so Iโ€™m using it here, in this month-long blogging challenge focusing on the blessings God has poured out on me.

Today, blessing #6.

It’s my birthday today. I love that I’ve managed to make it to 44 without too much damage, physically or emotionally, to myself… and hopefully also, to those I’ve interacted with over the past 40-something years!

Anyway, yesterday after work, I arrived home with my cherubs remembering what state I’d left the house in, that morning. Knowing that Hubby would be leaving during the day for a three day conference, I’d done only the ‘most-urgent’ of the housework that morning (plates into the sink, not even rinsed) because I’d be able to complete the rest of it in the afternoon, at a more leisurely pace, without feeling as though I was a ‘bad housewife’ – because of the lack of a Hubby to witness just how lazy I could be! (And how slowly I could get it done…)

So I unlocked the house and walked in – and found the kitchen and dining room clean, a HUGE bunch of flowers on the table, and a box of chocolates and note with them!

“Happy birthday my love!!! Sorry I’m away. See you soon. Love Ian.”

I must admit, I found it difficult to read through the tears in my eyes. What a sweetheart!

And if Hubby isn’t a blessing from the One who created me, I don’t know what is.

I hope you have an awesome day today too, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

Categories
family anecdotes Random thoughts

Turn around twice…

The other evening I looked across my dining table at my Miss10 and noticed her elbows were resting as wide apart as my own. It startled me; the revelation that she wasn’t a ‘little kid’ anymore.

I shook my head, and said, “Do you know, it wasn’t that long ago when you [Miss10] were on a booster seat; you [Master9] were in a high chair; and you [Miss VERY MUCH 13, JUDGING BY THE ATTITUDE] were seated on a normal chair, with your chin just past the height of the table.”

The cherubs looked at me quizzically. “What’s a booster seat?” asked Miss10.

I sighed. Those memories, all seemingly so recent in my own mind, I had assumed were all-pervasive in my children’s too, but no. I shook my head again, then answered.

But in the back of my mind, the realisation that they were growing up, far more quickly than I had given them credit for, petrified me. My own Dad has always said, “Turn around twice and they’ll be grown” and I’d laughed and nodded indulgently. But suddenly I understood.

You get busy, life happens, and then suddenly, when you stop and notice, they’re grown and their elbows on the dining table are the same distance apart as your own. And you were so busy ‘doing’ the journey that you didn’t realise that the journey WAS happening! And yes, by ‘you’ I definitely mean ‘me’.

So I’ve decided that, like I tell my students all the time, to ‘wake up to yourself’ – I need to do this. I need to ‘wake up’ and take notice that, while all this life is happening, it REALLY IS HAPPENING and I would do well to pay attention and enjoy it while I have the opportunity!

How about you, dear Reader? Had any startling revelations lately?

And have a great week!
–KRidwyn