Full & Thorough Reporting: The summer holiday edition

Well hello you. How are you? It’s been a little while so thought I better let you know what we have been up to, in between of school holidays, Covid isolations, work and now back to school. I made a little reel about it all earlier in the week when I was feeling nostalgic that they are over for another summer and year. I love the summer break with the kids and really start to hit my straps and now it’s fully back into the swing of life and routine. Last time I wrote, we had been at the farm headed to the beach where we enjoyed a beautiful 10 days. We got some sunshine, lots of rain but time with the kids who both had friends up. We then had cousins come and stay for a few days before dropping the big two back with their cousins on the Northern beaches.

Then we were home and back into the swing of work. I juggled Mags with the office while the big two are constantly happy to completely flake out and binge watch TV for days at a time. There was little cleaning, trying to get organised and catch ups with Archie & Dots.

It was on the Thursday of this second last week that poor Lucy discovered that their house was all positive to cob and given that we had the kids over for a sleepover, we were all close contacts so we went into isolation. From there Rob tested positive (I think he got it from jujitsu the week before, rather than the kids) as no one actually ended up tested positive from them.

We had 8 days of isolation at home where I tackled the anxiety and stress by deep cleaning the house. No corner was too big (and there are many that are still left behind as I ran out of steam and desire after some massive days).

It’s such a stressful time being in isolation –  I found it very lonely and filled with anxiety. Rob was able to head out to his office studio (that has a bathroom) so we were lucky he could do that but you can imagine how at times, cough, I was less than bubbly at times about preparing every meal and snack for him and dropping it out with clean washing in between dealing with tantrums from the kids about missing this and that and being bored etc etc.  I was worried and upset that Harper missed her first day of school. I was stressed that we were going to all get it one by one and our isolation would continue to roll on. I was worried about everyone being sick – Rob was actually not too bad but Lucy has been very sick (she tested positive on day 6 so her isolationist. began again). Her kids barely any symptoms at all – and Chris sick with a normal type cold but both he and Rob have had a lot of fatigue. It’s tough not being able to leave for anything, including a walk…relying on people to help get food and use online shopping when you can for windows that can be a long time apart and as you would know, lacking lots of things with supply chain issues. I struggled big time. So I cleaned and cleaned and tried to organise away the stress. Which didn’t really work BUT did tackle some jobs that we needed to do. So that’s a bonus.

We got out Saturday and the kids have started school this week: big two on Monday and Maggie and her cousins yesterday. Can you believe that Dots has started school? HOW?! I can FINALLY get back into the office and into things which feels great. Running your own business in holidays can be such a struggle with kids – especially little ones. I cannot wait for Lucy and I to be back in the office together…working on the business. Bring it ON. I have been trying to walk again in the mornings – get up early and get back into not drinking mid week…quite the thud back to reality. But for someone that loves routine (until she doesn’t) it feels good….if not exhausting.

I have mentioned to a few friends this week how much I am feeling the age gap between the girls at the moment. Harper now seems all of a sudden so grown up and much more connected to Daisy than Maggie. Thank goodness for her cousins is all I have to say. I have been feeling exhausted by the small things that I have been constantly doing for 15 years now…the “check on me Mum” before she sleeps at night 56 times, the going to the park, the need to be out and about and entertained that comes with little kids. I feel every one of my 44 years as I head into the new year of parenting. And at the other end I can see the future and letting go of the others closer than it ever has been before…I know summers like the one we have had are not endless. There will be work and friends and other adventures for them soon. While the small kid days seem so very long and endless, the big kids days seem to be going too fast.

There’s definitely a fatigue and fog as we head into the new year over many of our heads. The worry, the uncertainty about kids and school and business…it’s as crazy as it was two years ago when all of this began. I can’t imagine the worry that essential workers have: our poor healthcare workers who are flogged, the teachers who are worried about the year ahead…the business owners in many industries trying to get up and dust themselves off AGAIN. And we have to listen to politicians ramp up their bullshit as we head into an election. It’s a lot. If you are feeling tired and unmotivated is it any wonder? Be kind to yourselves and others as there are so many people (rightly so) struggling right now. I can’t tell you how much we need to be patient and kind with each other right now.

But that’s enough about me, and us, I want to know everything!
What have you been up to?
How are you feeling mentally and physically?

I hope you guys are all doing ok. 2022, let’s just get on with it. Let’s not do it! Smash it! Let’s go! Let’s just take one step at a time, while we can and admire the small victories we have right now…like clean walls!