Farewell Boredom, My Old Friend

As I have mentioned before, my life now is so far removed from the 9 to 5 life I led before, that I find it hard to remember what living it was like.  But one thing I remember is people saying “Won’t you get bored?” when I told them our grand plans for the move (which at the time seemed so far-fetched it was like it was all happening to someone else – and sometimes I wished it was).  Prior to the kids arriving, I’ve been lucky enough to never have been out of work and I’d always worked full time, then when they came along I went down to three days a week – so boredom was definitely a legitimate concern.  But I can confirm I don’t get bored, I don’t get the chance.

I am always busy doing something.  The wet, windy and dull days are filled with the mundane things like cleaning up after the kids, washing and cooking to keep the troops fed.  The chickens need feeding or cleaning out, eggs to be collected – something which could be mundane too, but as this is something I used to dream about when doing the 9 to 5, it is anything but.  And you have to be on your toes with the chickens at the minute (though, ironically, I can’t wear sandals in the coop anymore as they try and eat my toes) as they are always on the lookout for the treat I’ve brought in, and if I’ve not got one, then I’m fair game – goodness knows what’d happen if I ever fell over (again) in the coop, I’ve no doubt they’d be on me and pecking the soft bits before I’d be able to scream “roast dinner”.

Waiting anxiously for their next treat

Now the days are getting longer, I’m spending a lot more time outside on the garden digging, and digging and digging.  And when the miraculous day dawns that the patch is finally dug, the crafty barn needs a huge overhaul as the kids have emptied out all the useful storage solutions all over the floor, creating their very own toymageddon.  Oh, and when that is done we want to dig some more, as we want to put in a washing up bowl nature pond (though I’m hoping the kids will be able to help with some of that digging), as well as make a more defined rhubarb and horseradish patch – at the minute it’s just a scruffy patch the chickens used to dustbathe in, and now the cats have taken it over to use as a toilet.  And there’s a flower bed to sort out too.

Flower bed in the making

Feeding the local bird population is also a daily task, or it should be, but I have them on rations and so feed them every other day or so – I don’t like to feel they’re taking me for granted.

Sparrows waiting for the feeders to be refilled

In my head I also have a thousand and one crafty things I want to do; I have new ideas for cushions, I’m planning to make a footrest out of empty plastic bottles, there’s a mud kitchen to make from pallets, I’m keeping my eye out for a cheap coffee table which can be turned into an ottoman, the dress I’m knitting for the girl has ground to a halt and the boy keeps pestering me about a jumper I’d promised to knit him (“Mummy, WHEN are you going to start knitting again??”).  But I feel like all of this has to wait until the patch is finished (though then the planting starts, so I ask myself when will I do all of the above??)

And on top of all that are two small people to entertain and try to keep moderately happy.  The days pass in a blur and before I know it, it’s the weekend again and we feel we need to get to the hills as they are, afterall, why we moved here, so we need to take advantage of them being on our doorstep.  Though, of course, we don’t go every weekend – or even every other weekend, but we know they’re right there, and sometimes that’s enough to put a smile on our faces.

There is so much to be done, so much to look forward to doing, and so much to be pleased to have achieved that boredom is definitely not a friend of mine, in fact I can’t even imagine it being a passing acquaintance for some time yet.