All I want for Mother's Day is ...

1. A breadmaker - so I don't have to faff around with yeast rising and buns proving to have fresh tasty bread.
2. A pasta machine - so I don't have a faff around rolling the bloody stuff out by hand, ending up with it too thick and coming out of the saucepan like tyre rubber. (Don't mention Sunday night.)
3. A lie down - now that H has given up his day sleep (but only at weekends), the days are awful long. There's only so much train track building and demolishing a girl can take.
4. Something from Oxfam unwrapped, like the chance for another woman to have a baby safely.

Feet, meet grass and sand

Hi blogworld, it's been a while. I've been taking a break from the screen in my non-work hours and having a little holiday, playing around in my garden, and catching up on some knitting. Don't I sound 148 years old?

Here's what I've been up to:

Harper turned two

My wee boy is now two years old. I can report he has embraced the 'terrible' in terrible twos somewhat, but as his vocab and mimicry of grown ups increases, so does his charm. Il est tres charmant. We celebrated his transition from infancy, where we now have to pay for him to fly on a plane, with a party. It was awesome. Our lounge was full of people, toys and food, and though the day started off a bit cruddy, it fined up and the little ones could do a bit of freeranging out in the yard. We were so chuffed so many people made the journey to K-town to see us, and H was chuffed with his swag of presents, so thanks everybody! Shame the kids didn't like my cupcakes as much as the icing I plastered on it - I was still finding cupcakes with the icing scraped off them the next day.

We went on holiday

Being on holiday means forgetting about; the work shoes, what day it is, the news, being on time, washing nappies, making lunches the night before.

And means embracing: barefeet, bare bums (if you are two), snoozing on the couch, grass, hot dogs on a stick with sauce, laying yourself out to dry.

We did all this in spades as we drifted north to Auckland, Whangarei and the Bay of Islands for two weeks off.
And wore my ear drums out.

I went and saw Pavement play their first gig in ten years with The Bram at the Auckland Town Hall which was awesome and nostaglic and fun. They sing one of my top five favourite songs of all time.

Two weeks later I was back in Auckland for the Pixies gig at Vector, which was really fun too, especially as I was there with some really great pals; MatnNat, The Bram, and Ange. Thanks dudes.

Where I am

Right now I see:

sun streaming outside on the paddock where cows gently graze

Monique chomping furtively on some home grown corn

wide open windows

curtains ruffled by a slight breeze

my own barefeet

I hear:

Monique furtively chomping on corn, talking to herself about not having any ripe avocados

the ever-present blistering of cicadas

some native bird I'm not familiar with

the space where the sound of the newsroom, the toddler and the cars should be

And I smell:

toast

sunblock

homegrown tomatoes roasting

Bliss.

End of the tunnel

As of yesterday I finished the bulk of a huge project that has had me tied up evenings and weekends for nearly five months. It's been a good project but very challenging in places, especially when the evenings have been long and light and all I've wanted to do is sit in the garden watching my plants grow.
The strain on poor Postie has been immense - I have barely cooked a meal or washed a plate for ages. We've been like ships passing in the night. By the time I get to bed, P has been asleep for a while, and when I wake up, he's already gone to work.
So with Harper up in Auckland until Saturday with his grandies, P and I have a couple of nights to just be. No chores, no work. Tonight, I may even take a walk in the hills, and sit in the garden listening to my plants grow.

Stretched

Today marks a year since I became a Working Mother (TM). Now don't get all offended you stay at home mums, I'm not insinuating that you don't work, or have a rough time of it, cos I know. But working outside the home fulltime is a special kind of compromise. Not a day goes by I don't feel the pull.
However, I am also treated to something really quite wonderful when I get home from work; that tiptap of his slippers, or the padpad of his feet on the kitchen lino as he half runs to meet me.

2009: The Verdict

What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before? Wore high heels to work on a consistent basis. Made bread.
Did you keep your new years' goals, and will you make more for next year?
No, but not because I didn't work at them. And no, I don't think I will. I would like to have a year without trying to do anything.
Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.
What countries did you visit?
Um, I barely left the city all year, except for this time, and that time.
What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Time to craft.
What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Sorry, there isn't one.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
The few stories I wrote that were actually really good, like this one and that one.
What was your biggest failure?
Not convincing certain people that even though there was a recession on and money was tight, spending $1500 on an outrageous great idea I had was worthwhile.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
What haven't I had this year? There are the umpteen colds (I have one now), the viral labyrinthitis, a gastro bug, etc.
What was the best thing you bought?
Sukin products. Especially the conditioner. I was hoping that I could have said "an awesome home for me and my family" but alas, no.
Whose behaviour merited celebration? Ange's. I would never have survived a year like she's had and still been able to make stupid jokes about it. Yey for Sweeney's Mama!
Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? Those clowns at Copenhagen. Vendors with closed tenders and buyers with big chequebooks.
Where did most of your money go? Savings. *yawn*
What did you get really, really, really excited about? Buying that house in J'ville. Then having it ripped out from my grasp. And Harper's first steps and words (gone, blankey, milk) were pretty amazing.
What song will always remind you of 2009? This Tornado Loves You by Neko Case. It pretty much sums up the year's weather too.
What do you wish you'd done more of? Making stuff, like clothes. Walking in the hills.
What do you wish you'd done less of? Procrastinating.
Did you fall in love in 2009? I guess so, because I do love our backyard.
What did you want and get? A stunning opportunity to earn a bit more dosh. A proper vegetable garden.
What did you want and not get? Where to start. Let's just say Nepal.