Five on Friday - the nearly end of term edition


Oh man, it has been a crazy week. I am so looking forward to putting my feet up this evening. There must be something trashy on the telly, just for me. Apart from the usual, I have been worrying about the state of the world. How can I not? How can there be so much hatred and lunacy in a world that has the potential to be so beautiful??? I am speechless after this weeks latest pointless atrocities. Homophobia, sexism, inequality, deluded extremists, politicians with inflated egos, trigger happy madmen... the list could be longer but it pains me too much. Maybe I'll not watch trashy television but bury my head in the sand for a while instead. On a related topic: I am so annoyed that I am unable to vote in next week's EU referendum. I have been living here since 1998, I have been called for jury's duty but I can't vote? I am an EU migrant and I wonder about my future in this country that I have adopted as my home and that I love.

Give me a call when it is save to pull my head out of the sand, will you, please.

Moving on swiftly to less fraught subjects, here is my Five on Friday, joining in with Amy. I am as always striving for calm serenity in my life. Alas, it may be another time.


:: End of term madness is nearly over. Two sports days this week. Alistair won the spoon and egg race. I think he did, he came in first but dropped his egg. He is quite happy to claim the victory. James came third in the sprint final, second in the heats. I sneaked off before the parent race. I also banked the money from our summer PTA fundraiser without incident. It was such a relief. Just a few more days now.


:: At work, I did nothing particularly useful and I feel a bit underwhelmed. It took me an evening and part of the next morning to upgrade my computer's operating system which I needed to do to be able to view a remote desktop in full screen mode. What a faff. I had to lodge two support calls with Apple, both of which were dealt with efficiently and in a friendly manner and actually solved my problems. Customer service at its best. Further faffing included thinking about how to explain the inner workings of a particularly complicated piece of equipment in the lab for my next how-to video. I envisaged two sentences or so but apparently, many greater minds have written a lot more on the subject. Everybody at work suggested I just say it is a grey box that does magic. I may just do that.


:: Holidays near and not so near. We booked flights to visit Turkey in October. It was a rather spontaneous decision and I am still a bit dumbstruck. Over coffee one morning Richard mentioned that we should 'do something' in the autumn break and a few hours later, we had booked flights. We are Queen and King of procrastination and I am not quite sure how we actually managed to get organised in one day. We'll be staying in my godmother's flat, where I stayed two years ago. I am really looking forward to this holiday as during the summer, we won't have a all of us family holiday and it may well be the last year Sam is traveling with us. With regards to the imminent summer holiday, schools will be closed on the second last day of term next week (due to the referendum) and on the last day of school finishes at lunch time. What an opportunity missed to take the kids out early if only the referendum date had been announced before I booked the flights. We could have added four days to Tour of Switzerland and I might not feel so stressed about doing lots in very little time.


:: I feel like I am in the doghouse rather more than I would like to be. It is rather crowded at the moment actually. I confiscated Annie's phone for one day. She has no insight into why she might have deserved the harshest of all possible teenage punishments. She claims it is because she wasn't cheerful enough but I know she knows better. I evicted the teenager from the bathroom before he was finished with his grooming, I was rude to two friends last weekend (I apologised of course) and I also forgot to tell my mum firsthand about our autumn holiday. Things like that matter. Jack and James have joined me in the doghouse, too. Jack was being aggressive towards his walking buddies and had to travel in the naughty dog cage on the way to the Campsies with Tim, the dog walker. He feels no remorse. James got out of bed, opened the top floor window in his bedroom and climbed out onto the window ledge. Really! Annie spotted him when she came home from the play park and was hysterical. I am not surprised. I am feeling sick just typing this. James said he wanted to see how high high the top story of our house is. He also encouraged Alistair to climb out. I suggested he may judge the height by looking up instead. He feels no remorse for the actual climbing out of the window part but feels sorry for getting his little brother into trouble.



:: On the domestic front, the situation is deplorable. Something unspeakable has exploded in the microwave. Tomato sauce has made its way onto the ceiling in the kitchen, the dust bunnies are holding a dance in the corners, dog hair is permanently lodged into the rugs, various piles of paper started to accumulate in random places of the house (school work decanted home), the laundry pile is sky high and the windows are covered with dog nose and children's hand prints. The garden is out of control and the bins stink. I know what I'll be doing this weekend (hoping all goes away magically).

That's it all of my chest. Some good, some not so good, some underwhelming, some overwhelming. A pretty average week!

I hope you like my orchids, they have been flowering regularly for the past few years, despite ongoing neglect. I noticed another flower stem this morning, this one for a crimson red and yellow small flowered orchid. They are surprisingly difficult to photograph.

Have a lovely weekend! I know I will. I have plans to make something for myself and I also want to make a coffee scented scrub soap if I get a chance. I have a sweetened black coffee fragrance that is so real it is difficult not to take a sip. xx

Comments

  1. Oh Christina. Definitely one of those weeks. I used to brace myself when everything was going along too smoothly because you knew the sh.... was about to hit the fan! It is such a balancing act and you just have to accept you are going to be in the dog house with someone. I'd go for the 'me time' this weekend and let everyone just get on with it. I always feel it's better to clean when the thickness of the dust and fur is substantial! Thinking of you and sending lots of cyber hugs. B xx

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  2. P.S. The orchids are stunning :)

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  3. Oh I hope next week is better for you. Have a great weekend and try not to spend it all doing housework. I cleaned my windows a couple of weeks ago, a massive job, and guess what? full of dog nose and kids handprints again! Take care x

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  4. I am swinging between emotions of sadness and rage over what is happening in the world we live in, just cannot express it well in words but ARGHHHH
    I can totally empathises with end of term madness, we break up later than you so ours has not begun yet, but I am breaking out in a sweat just thinking about it

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  5. It has definitely been a week of lunacy and upset, it makes you wonder what the world is coming too. I fear that the politicians are making a mockery of the referendum, all I want is some honest information to which I can make an informed decision. I can't see that happening anytime soon. I am so glad I don't have the end of term lunacy to worry about anymore but I will say enjoy while you can they grow up so quickly. Have a great weekend.

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  6. Your orchids are lovely. Sounds like things have been a bit stressful, that's life though isn't it. Hope you enjoy Turkey, we lived in Izmir of 2 years, now they're very anti-American and I don't know that we'll ever go back.
    The hatred in this country is just astounding, I don't understand it. We're a prosperous country with opportunities for everyone and yet we've starting hating everyone who isn't exactly like ourselves.
    I don't like Hillary, but anything would be better than Trump.

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  7. Oh my goodness, my heart is in my mouth just thinking about James on the window ledge, no wonder Annie was hysterical. What a week you've had, on the plus side, things can only get better. Yes, the recent atrocities leave me wanting to bury my head in the sand too, the tragic murder of Jo Cox happened in my neck of the woods. Your orchids are beautiful, I've had one blooming since before Christmas, its flowers are just starting to die back now.

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  8. Very pretty flowers. It does sound like one of 'those' weeks. A part of me is glad I don't have to deal with teens anymore (at one point I had three of them at once!)but I also miss those days too. Holidays are always fun. Ours is coming up next week and then in a month I'll be off on my own!

    Have a great weekend - hope everyone stays out of the doghouse

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  9. I am so glad I dot have youngsters at home anymore, they can be so stressful to live with at times, glad to here you have a holiday booked and the orchids are stunning :-)

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  10. I do like your orchids! Roll on the holidays, I think you need a bit of peace and quiet. :-)

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  11. The news is awful at the moment isn't it. I can't bear it either, I have to switch the radio off when the news comes on as it is not suitable for small ears! I do hope your weekend is a little better than your week has been ;)

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  12. Your orchid photos are lovely, I think. You have a wonderful variety of different kinds. I hope you have a nice, calm weekend after your crazy week. I was you about three to four weeks ago and I thought it would never end, but look at me now - it's only a distant memory! That, or I lost my mind totally back there, ha. I hope you find your way out of the doghouse without too much trouble. I feel like I'm headed into one myself, for having exchanged phone numbers with a new acquaintance out of guilt...I kind of hope she never calls me. So mean, I know, but what can I say. I feel a little antisocial at the moment, blog friends excluded. :)

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  13. It's been such a depressing week, and now the awful murder of your MP has been added to the list. I try not to despair, but it's hard not to. Most of the people in this world are good, or at the very least don't have evil intentions. But the small minority who do can do so much harm in such a short amount of time.

    The prospect of a trip to Turkey will hopefully brighten things up for you, especially since it will be with all of your family. Your orchids are beautiful, and I'm sure you domestic state isn't nearly as bad as you think. It's easy to only see the things that need attention, rather than looking at the bigger picture. At least that's the attitude I'm trying to adopt in my house. Ha! :-)

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  14. Oh dear, it sounds like quite a week at your house. I hope that things will be calmer and some order can be arranged this weekend. Just try and hold out until the holidays. I think that sticking your head in the sand sounds like a good idea, it is where mine is right now. I am actually pretty terrified as to what is going to happen next in the world. Thank you for joining Five On Friday, hope you have a great weekend! xx

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  15. Mercy! Your week and the world's week have indeed been fraught with frightful human behavior! I have barely given a nod to the world events in my recent posts but have been moaning to God about the discord and praying for wisdom for those in authority, and thanking Him for the beauty around me, ...like your fabulous orchids. I have never tended an orchid...am scared to try...but admire yours so much! So are you from Oregon, Christina? I need to go back in your blog posts, I guess. May you and yours be blessed with peace and stamina! ...I can smell the sweet coffee soap...but please promise you won't drink it!!! xxxxxxxx

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  16. Honestly I'm terrible, I just forget things or don't take note in the first place - I've been assuming you were Scottish but am now assuming you're not , well not by birth anyway? I'm now thinking you've mentioned German before ? And then there's the mention of Switzerland ? Am I just the worst blog-follower ever ? Anyway either way you are lovely and that's all that matters.
    Jillxxx

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  17. Imagine what it is like living in Florida right now. Those shooting took place very near where my son will be at University, not that it can't happen anywhere it can. This week I have to admit I am depressed, with the shootings, the hatred, the ludicrous statements by one wannabe president and the thoughts by my so called fellow Americans that think assault riffles should be available to everyone.
    Hugs to you Christina,
    Meredith

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  18. You know what you have the most important thing needed for weeks like you've just had - your humour! I love the way you write about it all. Quite frankly I think all of us in the UK at the moment feel like we are on the fast wash inside a washing machine, what a dreadful week of news.
    Here's to a peaceful weekend exotic orchid style!
    Wren x

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  19. Share your feelings about the state of the world/this country.This referendum is stirring things up and people I'd thought were tolerant liberals are expressing surprisingly negative views on Europe. Life in our house also frantic as end of term approaches and housework neglected here too.

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  20. making coffee soap sounds like just what you need xxxx take care x

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  21. Gosh, what can I say to so much... My heart was in my mouth when you described the boys climbing out the window. And I sympathise over the mess everywhere. I don't have the very valid excuse of four children ( well, I do have four but they don't live with me so I guess I can't blame them) and a full time job... But I do have a small dog who takes up a ridiculous amount of time and energy, so the state of my house is depressing. And don't get me started on the state of the world... Events this past week are horrific. Hope you have a good weekend xx

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  22. Yes, it feels like every day there's a reminder that we're living in dangerous times, with upsetting reports of the tragic, life shattering consequences. Hope you manage a rapid departure from the doghouse to thoroughly enjoy some coffee fragranced making. Happy weekend.

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  23. Hey Christina,
    I'm writing this after tea on Sunday, so I hope that you found something appropriately trashy to watch, and had a relaxing weekend. I've decided that days (or weeks) like the one you've described above (I did laugh a bit. That's allowed, right?), are there to highlight the lovely days and weeks we also have. Otherwise I see no earthly point for them. Your orchids look stunning. I am thinking about acquiring some houseplants. For such a keen gardener, I have no plants inside. I rather like the thought of some elegent flowers displayed just so.
    Leanne xx

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  24. Oh lord my heart was in my mouth reading about your little ones! They are certainly sent to try us. I'm sorry your having a crappy week I hope this week is better for you xx

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  25. You are describing my house. Especially the dog hair. I winced when I read about the window climbing incident. Yikes. Glad it ended safely X

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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