Calm, Peaceful, Relaxing, Slow, Thoughtful...

I knew I had a very hectic week coming up, so thought I would take it easy this week – of course, as always, things went exactly to plan.

For some strange week, after skiving for almost a month (benefit of not having anyone staying at the moment) and not doing any housework, the house looked a mess and I kept thinking I had to sort the mess out. For some strange reason, at 6am on Saturday morning, the spirit of the domestic diva hit me and I felt impelled to take apart the whole house. Probably not a sensible idea to do the whole house in one hit as I found out:

Worked through kids wardrobes, taking out the clothes that were too small.

Saw that it was a “wash day” (read bright sun and a fresh breeze) and stripped all of the kids beds and put the linen in the wash.

Sent poor hubby to the laundry with a great stack of duvets and blankets.

Took the nets down from the windows, fund more than one was ripped and needs to go in the bin.

Scrubbed the bathroom, which shocked everyone. Should have done this after I gave the kids a bath, because it just got mucky again.

Took Gorgeous’ bed downstairs for hubby to get rid of to free up space in the kids room.

Looked behind the kids bunk bed and found a whole wash load of clothing and enough rubbish to fill a bin. This is not the first time they have done this despite my getting very angry with them. They call this the “rubbish side” and continue to throw junk down the side. Gorgeous then decided he also has a “rubbish side” and decided to throw papers and wrappers down the side of his bed too. Not very nice to pull out rotting banana skins and other things that are not recognisable though. When I complained to my mum, she told me off for not teaching them proper manners and told me to put a little bin in their room. When I complained to Aunty F (the live in Aunty), she suggested I put a laundry basket in their room.

Finally recovered from cleaning the kids room and managing to stop complaining about their messiness.

Cooked five baby chickens and 4 1/2 kilos of lamb (don’t ask).

Had a cooking lesson with Aunty F: lamb and bitter gourd – absolutely delicious!

Aunty F announced her friend would be coming to visit and bring her four kids along for a play date. Said friend was lovely and great fun, her kids spent three hours making my kids cry in various ways.

Had a bite to eat with her when two of my favourite cousins turned up – my sisters lovingly call these two Beavis and Butthead because of the similarity of their laugh. Had a quick chat before they were off again.

Hubby came back with the washed duvets and blankets and was off again.

Friend was still there, when my dad called from the airport – my cousin had arrived from the airport – huh did I miss something? Apparently, he has not told anyone, in case he got deported by immigration (which happened to another cousin of ours).

Waited for friend to leave, left piles of washing in bedroom and living room and headed over to mum’s, who was in a foul mood. Dad had called from the airport and asked what was for dinner as guests from Pakistan were on their way. Luckily it being Saturday and mum having a fixed two-week menu, it was the turn for a rather respectable chicken and rice. Met cousin, had lovely dinner, tried to calm mum down and headed home.

Hubby saw how tired I was and hoovered the downstairs, whilst I crawled into bed. I don’t remember a day in my life when I have been this tired.

The next day, I managed to catch up on my sleep and then...

Took the linen cupboard apart, found some linen storage bags in the lid of a suitcase that had been there for two years (hubby had mistaken then for suit bags – see those things I hoard do come in handy eventually). I re-packed all of the blankets, duvets, spare pillows, towels and bed linen (most was what my in-laws use when they are here) and managed to free up a shelf for my party supplied and dessert table dishes. Also found some nets that I didn’t know I had (more hoarded stuff coming in handy!) and the fairy lights we culdn’t find last Eid.

Stood over Gorgeous to make him take a nap so that he couldn’t disturb us during the Sisters Circle. Had our sister’s circle, with some new ladies that came along mash’Allah because they were interested in learning more about Islam.

Went through all of the kid’s toys and books and freed up part of a shelf for my cookbooks.

Fund my husband’s toolkit and managed to get some nails in the wall, much to my own amazement, to get a giant, very heavy map on the wall which hubby bought home from one of his jobs one day (I think it was moving items for an Iranian airline – I do love his job)

Decided that I was going back to work the next day without having had any rest or fun, so asked hubby to take everyone to the park. Took a picnic and picked up mum and Kooky Little Sister on the way. Spent a pleasant hour and a half watching the kids being ecstatic because they have been finally allowed to break out the water guns (just as it turned cold again) and chatting with mum.

Got home and found myself still clearing away laundry and dishes.

Got the kids into bed and then fell asleep on the prayer mat at Esha (night prayer) time. Woke half an hour later to find Gorgeous sitting on my bed watching me “You were asleep mum, I saw you”.

I think I have learned my lesson – if you do a little bit every day, you don’t have to end up doing everything in one go. Will I actually learn my lesson and stick to this though? Well I intend to take this week a bit easier anyway as work is going to be tough this week.

BTW – please, please do make dua for my friend – she is in her 20’s and has three very small children. She woke up Friday with a headache and had to go into hospital, turned out she has had a brain haemorrhage, after a day-long operation she is still in a coma and her family is devastated. May Allah (SWT) bestow health on her and give her family strength and patience.