I meant to post last night and the night before. In fact, the night before that.
Tonight, when I intended to set aside time to blogging, I ran a deep bath and spent a long time wallowing in the warm water whilst reading pages I’d torn from colour supplements over the last few months. I have a small pile of torn pages. I never seem to get round to reading them.
I gave up NaPoBloMo last week. I didn’t have time to read other blogs and if I can’t read other blogs and I can’t expect anyone to read mine and because last week was just too complicated. A roller coaster of rental complications. I struggled to string a sentence together in conversation. I decided I was beyond using my fingers and my head in combination and frankly I was bored with it all. I couldn’t think beyond the packing box and a time when I wanted to think completely out of the box, packing or otherwise. My energy levels and imagination failed me. Unfortunately, dear reader I am still limited by packing boxes.
This post started life a few days ago as waving not drowning. I wanted to wave hello. I’m still here. I’ve not drowned in packing boxes and I’ve not. Mainly, because of LISTS. I have lists for everything. I cannot hold a thought in my head, everything has to go on a list. Overall lists, daily lists, morning lists, afternoon lists. Moving lists. Party lists. Christmas Lists. I am waving lists.
Christmas is brought and wrapped in sits in a box marked Christmas and for a moment I was glad my son can’t yet read. If that box goes, then there goes Christmas. A whole list ticked off. Accomplishment is a good feeling.
The party lists have not yet borne fruit. They are still yet to be ticked. I have a balloons, I have a disco ball and various other party items. All listed. I have a hit list of parents who failed to respond to my invite and whom I don’t know well enough to harass. I do admit to thinking bad things about them when I look at my party bag list. The perils of asking the whole class (and some).
This is the party playlist based on requests from local 4 and 5 year olds;
The Beatles. The ballad of John and Yoko.
Marc Almond. Brave boy.
Steely Dan. Peg.
Boney M. Brown Girl in the Ring
Gangman style.
Songs from the Jungle Book.
Carly Rae Jepson. Call me maybe.
The great big turnip
I’m a little worried about mixing them seamlessly one into the other.
I am expecting 40 (without the non-repliers). My party list is; musical bumps, musical statues, pass the parcel and dead donkeys. Some disco dancing (additional suggestions very welcome).
Today I spent working my way down a list of utilities providers. Wading through layers of websites and automated phone systems. Digging out customer references from piles of old bills. Soul destroying.
A friend dropped in and brought chocolate cake. The joy of good friends and here’s me abandoning all that. Not even a third slice of cake dislodged the feeling of unease.
In summary. I am a very tired person, from tired town but I have lists and some of the colour supplement pages to left read. And I have chocolate cake and that makes it all OK.
You just put your feet up, enjoy our cake & your reading. Tomorrow can wait!
thanks Julia. I am now on an enforced rest.
I was a bit worried about how much you were planning to do all at once in November! If it was me I would still be afraid, very afraid of a party with 40 kids, but I’m glad you have cake. And jealous that Christmas is already wrapped in a box! I am only just begnning to think about that! gulp.
I did it but am exhausted now! thanks for all your lovely comments Peggy. They keep me going X
Oh how I relate, sympathise and empathise with this post! I wrote a similar one a couple of weeks ago about ‘drowning under a to-do list’! I have now made some changes. You will get there, take each day as it comes
one day at a time and all that…. yup.
hope everything works out for you, you seem to have a lot going on
thank you very much Antoinette x
Party Games: 1.) Spikey Shapes. When the music stops you call out a form like spikey shapes and the children have to be e.g. spikey shapes (they can move). Other calls are tiny dots, wavey waves, jumping beans, robots, insects on their backs (I’m making these up as I go along.)
2. Ship Shore/Port Starboard (each has a corner or side of the room to run to. Calls: climb the rigging, captain’s coming (stand and salute), man overboard (swimming on the floor), dance the hornpipe, man the lifeboats (feet off the ground), ship ahoy (searching the distance and pointing), weigh the anchor (wind it down), storm at sea (trying to keep your balance), bunk beds (go to sleep), iceberg (frozen statues),
Good luck!
Fantastic game ideas! what would I do without you. thank you thank you. X
You are amazing. I am in awe of you. Christmas in a box already? I’m still just working on the plan that Jack’s too small to be that bothered about Christmas yet. Doesn’t sound like much of a plan does it?
You can’t hide from Christmas Craziness – the rest of the world is mad of for it. Embrace it! There is no escape. Trust me, I tried that. It didn’t work.
You can teller a great writer when one of their readers walks down the stairs early in the morning and thinks ‘Hope Gemma’s okay’ I haven’t had her blog in my inbox lately x
You may be tired but you sound mighty organised (impressed!) and well with that chocolate cake anything is possible even a party of 40. Which will be fab fun I am more than sure with that great music mix
I agree. Was thinking the same.
thanks Ali and your comments make it all worthwhile X
They do say moving is one of the most stressful experiences in life. Add Christmas and a birthday party to that mix and I’m not surprised you’re a tad flustered. Just think of the gin you can drink with us Southern blogging lot once all this is over. x
I agree. I am southern. Make it wine for me tho.
It would be so lovely to drink with the Southern bloggy lot. Soon!
am so looking forward to seeing you lot. even that Northern Mum.
Use iammoving.com and then go read my blog x
*snorts*
Best party game – get them all to lie on the floor and balance a jelly baby on their foreheads; see who can lie the longest. Also sleeping lions( incase you don’t know it, it’s as above (minus sweetie); grown up goes round tickling supine children and the one who laughs/wriggles last wins). Wonderful for when it all gets too hectic.
We did that game! it was a HIT! thank you. thank you. the rest of the party was complete chaos but this was a few moments of calm.
Mmm. Speaking as a scatterbrain who might have forgotten to reply to a birthday invite for a little one (and phoned in a panic the day before to ask if it was too late to accept) I would remind them anyway. They might be grateful.
thank you – I did! x
I felt your tiredness – and overwhelmed-ness? reading this, and I’m not surprised and I would do what you are doing – just keeping a load of lists to stop your head from spinning!!!! X.
thank you. am suffering now x
When I had to take a break last year ‘coz I kept fainting and ended up with a blood transfusion, @dorkymum said to me that they would all still be there when I got back. I held these words in my heart and she was right. We’ll all still be here when you get back. You’re doing brilliantly. Even having a bath and taking a break is just perfect for you right now. Pat yourself on the back X
wise words xx
Wow, it sounds like you have a lot on your plate at the moment and not all of it chocolate cake. Totally awesome that Christmas is ticked. The party plans sound amazing. Good luck with it all. x