my biggest current worry
I am still obsessing over tortoises. Still much to learn. I can't even buy a pair of trainers without extensive research (and trainers can be returned easily) and I imagine it will take months to years before I feel confident enough to make a decision.
The laundry this weekend was surprising. I was hanging out two loads on Saturday morning and noticed there were more school clothes than school days. One teen is on study leave, the other definitely did not change his school uniform daily. My nose cannot be fooled easily. It turned out that neither bothered tidying last weeks clothes away but thought it might be easiest just to tip it back into the laundry basket. I need to stop trusting them and check how they actually do their chores, one being to sort the clean clothes into a blue Ikea bag for each of us. The teenage brain is a wondrous and enigmatic structure.
At work, I am reviewing all the marking and feedback for another programme for which I am the external examiner. I completely underestimated the time this would take... I have allocated one day but will need a second one at least. It is good though to get insight into a different programme at a different university, it helps me develop my own programme, courses and assessments. I see it as a form of reflective continuous professional development, for which I am paid (pocket money but I'll take it). I am also building up my reputation, another positive aspect. I am so glad that the programme is super interesting and covers all the things I am interested in.
I managed to get some sewing done. At the time of year, it is purely functional, replacing t-shirts essentially. Plain grey and black and boring but practical. Sometimes I am tempted to buy t-shirts rather than making them so I can focus my sewing on exciting garments.
Thanks for visiting today. Nothing much exciting to report but on the whole I feel content and in control. The plates I am spinning are still up in the air so all good. 😊
I had to smile when you said they had put the clean laundry to wash with the dirty - I have a suspicion one of my daughters did the same thing. I never minded spending time at work if something interested me (paid or unpaid) it was much better than the daily grind of routine stuff that had to be done.
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn’t reply last time. Life has been hectic. We have a very old tortoise that my husband had as a present when he was about four. It seems his father bought him in a pub over a pint of beer. As you did in the fifties. He was fully grown then so at least ten so he’s well into his seventies if not more. I think if you buy young ones they can be tricky to have in their early years as you can’t let them hibernate.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what breed ours is but he’s very tolerant. He hibernates in the summer house from November to March and then lives up near the house in a little wooden house with straw for the rest of the year. He eats bananas, lettuce and forages in the garden especially my veg patch! Not sure where you can buy tortoises now as I don’t think they are quite so common. Good luck and good luck on the teenage laundry situation 😹 B x
When spinning plates, I sometimes find that instead of worrying about dropping one, it is rather satisfying to throw one instead ;)
ReplyDeleteI have lately adopted colourful 'trainers'. I limp and don't walk much, but at least my shoes look interesting.
ReplyDeleteAre Allbirds brand shoes available there? They make a very nice shoe with a dark sole to match the top (wool or bamboo fiber top) that looks a bit more formal but is as comfortable as any walking shoe I've ever had. Not sure if a "trainer" is a more technical running shoe than this.....
ReplyDeleteCeci
Content and in control are very good things. Well done on the marking, it sounds as if it has been a useful exercise. I have similar washing issues here. People wear things for a couple of hours and can't be bothered to fold them up neatly for the next day, so they just throw them in the general direction of the washing basket. And my other pet peeve, when a beautifully folded stack of t-shirts are taken out to find one at the bottom and then the others are all screwed up into a ball and stuffed back on the shelf. Grrr. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteM&S trainers are very comfortable, especially the ones with a chunkier sole (nice and bouncy) and they have a good range of colourful ones at the moment.
ReplyDeleteLong time reader, first time commenter here. I love On Cloud shoes and have them in several colors. They're great for running after buses and trains, and standing at the lab bench all day, and don't have a big profile like Hokas. As a fellow scientist, sewist, and mom, your blog is such an inspiration to read! Thank you for sharing your beautiful life, with all the hard work it takes.
ReplyDeleteI can only wear lace up FitFlops now - comfortable support from the moment I put them on. Good luck with the search!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I did the same thing once to my mother at thirteen. She was furious, and rightly so. Teenager can be so exasperating. Now that I am the one doing the laundry, I appreciate how hard she worked. I hope you get the new trainers. It sounds like you will use them all the time.
ReplyDeleteChristina, you are not alone in looking for a comfortable set of trainers (sneakers or walking shoes here). So many brands are advertised online, but having a wide shoe size means try-ons are essential for myself. Hope you find a pair that work out well, but those older blue runners may well be kept for home use. I can't recall the laundry situation in my home when growing up.
ReplyDeleteI have done the same arithmetic at the washing line, and remonstrated with my two culprits. Such a frustration when family laundry seems endless anyway!
ReplyDelete