My Daybook: 20th May, 2020

Outside my window…

it’s early morning, the dew is still wet on the grass, the sun is shining, the horse and foal graze in the paddock nearby, it’s going to be a beautiful day

I am thankful…

that our adult children have had seasonal work for these past couple of months. The work is physically demanding and the hours long, and with an hour travel both ways some days they leave before 6am and don’t return until 7pm. In only three more weeks all the ponds will be empty and the prawns all boxed and gone

I am thinking…

it’s time I wrote a fresh A Day in Our House it’s been years since I wrote one and my life looks quite different now with no babies.  There are so many new homeschoolers to whom it may encourage seeing how home education plays out in one family’s life, at least how one day looks because no day is ever quite the same as another

Learning all the time…

we have had a terrific, solid start to Term 2! Turns out isolation is good for that. Not only isolation but in depth planning; listing what books are to be read, what language arts needs to be done, coupled with clear instructions laid out for the children makes all the difference. It also doesn’t hurt that the children have engaged in a competition to see who can complete all their assigned work first each week

Celebrating the liturgical year……

we’ve been ‘attending our Sunday Masses with’ Fr Galea . He is so passionate about The Word, God’s love and the Eucharist. His homilies are so relevant to us in during Covid 19 isolation and extra bonus is the young children understand and love him

From the kitchen…

our adult children are experimenting with various meals and all of a sudden our weekly menu is featuring loads more carb meals, my scales are reflecting the change

 

I am creating…

I’m extremely excited with my Australian Books Database and how much progress I’ve made. We are now hovering just under 700 book suggestions for you, all grouped into a chronological history plan, various Australian cultural books and plenty on our flora and fauna as well.  I’ve also started working on a new project related to all these books to help you know just how you can use them, I can’t wait to reveal the final product to you

I am working on…

assisting a couple of our adult children with various needs; one needs paperwork that only we can provide going back 13 years ago for an exciting and special purpose, another needs a sounding board as he researches and follows leads whilst making an important decision.  Our adult children are rather independent but they are still part of the equation, they still need a loving hand from time to time, parenting doesn’t have an age expiration date

I am going…

well our children left the property on Saturday night for the first time in two months!! They tell me it felt a little strange, they were actually sad to ‘break their record,’ they had been hoping to stay at home for a year! I had to venture into the shops for winter clothing and discovered a couple of our opshops are open again, the joy to of browsing through an op shop (thrift shop)!

I am hoping…

that our churches can open soon, that’s what we’ve missed the most, being able to gather together with our Church community and most important of all, to receive Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament

I am praying…

• for our children, for their various needs which are on my heart, for two needs in particular
• for my mother-in-law who is isolating at home alone
• for our Church family, missing them and wondering how they are faring, so many are of vulnerable age
• giving thanks for the birth of a new great niece, with a new great nephew born in February this now makes nine great nieblings
• for a few of my sisters-in-law, they are facing various and tough challenges, with nine s-i-l’s there are usually a few prayers needed
• for all whom have been adversely affected in various ways by Covid 19

I am pondering….

about the differences in how each country has responded to Covid 19. Then all the differences between the Australian states and our rapidly changing restriction easements, then add in the ambiguity of some directives, with family members in four states and nieblings in schools in two states, we just can’t keep it all straight. Certainly I’m grateful we don’t have any children in school, our lives haven’t been hugely affected

I am reading…

Australian fiction this month:

Back to Billabong – Mary Grant Bruce, this is part of the Billabong Series that I loved as a child. Sometimes revisiting your childhood books is a welcome home and sometimes it’s not quite the same. Have to say this book was the latter, not quite sure why

Charlotte Pass – Christine Lee. With libraries closed I’ve taken to checking out our library’s ebook offerings, this was an Australian crime/suspense with a dash of romance. My favourite authors though for Australian Crime/Suspense and sometimes romance remain Bronwyn Parry, Sarah Barrie and Jane Harper.

I am listening to……

for Mother’s Day a few of our children gifted me with a set of wireless earbuds, I’m still getting comfortable with them, but I have to say they sure are noise cancelling, which may not be a great thing as it takes the children an effort to get my attention. Talking Mother’s Day, I was so spoilt, lavished on with attention and gifts and cards by my darlings, and we finished the day off with trying out our new firepit and toasting marshmallows

I am hearing…

a few of my children as they wake up, a younger son asks what work can he do independently, he is eager to start his learning day

I am struggling…

so many are struggling in isolation, some live alone and find it hard, my heart goes out to them, and then there are the financial hardships. I feel guilty for admitting that I’m actually loving being a hermit, as are many of our children but then I’m not really in isolation as I live with my tribe

Clicking around…

well my intention is to finish watching the summit workshops, some terrific ones there, but then I get sidetracked in building my database and checking out new ‘to me’ books, there are so many excellent Australian books I want read them all and share them with you as quick as I can

Around the house…

our space is looking well and truly lived in, we’ve Lego challenges being enacted three times weekly, including judging complete with the bricks. We’re in comfortable mode and our daily clean ups might not be happening as often as daily, it really is time for a thorough tidy up

One of my favorite things…

running, you know that feeling when you’re struggling on your run and all of a sudden you hit your stride and your body is effortlessly doing what you ask it to do, golden

A few plans for this week…

a few running sessions, and staying at home, luckily I love my home and love this tribe that I’m hanging out with 24/7.  I daresay Jem(11) will be keen for more driving lessons and will talk me into being driven around the property. Every since Dad let him behind the wheel he is keen to drive every single moment.

A little peek at my day…

we’ve reached the middle of the learning week, the children are throwing all their energies towards completing the majority of their formal learning by mid week, then the latter part of the week is their time for more natural learning. That means that today I’ll be called on to be available for any formal teaching lessons left that require me and to have concluded facilitating all the group sessions