The Cycle of Life and Flying Fish

 Hello lovelies. It has been far too long. Some of you expressed a little concern in e-mails so I thought I should fill you in. There have been no health issues but I have found myself to be  considerably slowed down by the  Cycle of Life. Particularly the econo quick wash cycle.

Cycle 1: No matter what life brings, the laundry still dictates whether or not I feel in control of my life. I have been lax (lux?) with the laundry talismans and must throw some suds their way to keep them on top of things.

Unfortunately, a cranky Glaswegian Energex man came to switch over our washing machine to solar today and onto some sort of low tarriff savings device. This signals an end to spontaneous washing every time the machine is full. (Hourly it seems.) Who knew there were so many jerseys in a rugby team! As for the cycle of life- it is clearer than ever that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction in more than one aspect of life.

Cycle 2: Rain!  Finally the summer months have relented and it has been rainy and cold at last! How I love a bit of dreak weather. It's only two days till the shortest day of the year!

Cycle 3: Lots of people seem to be growing older very quickly this year, in their teens, seventies and preschool years. The signs are becoming more evident in their limbs. Some are longer, some are stiffer and some are ever more adventurous and skippidy doo dah.

Other limbs have started to behave quite differently as is demonstrated by the appearance of "the Flying Fish".

Cycle 4: The duck is back in the pool. Is it the same duck as every winter or a new duck or do the ducks now have a family tradition sending offspring on an annual pilgrimage?

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Cycle 5: The girls are baking swirly cookies again just to keep them busy and warm up the house. There has been little baking this year as there is just no time.

 

  After work on Monday I made pumpkin soup, a roast dinner and chocolate brownies and ice cream. It may as well have been a tin of beans, the speed at which it was consumed.
Last night we had leftovers.

Cycle 6: With the dodgy weather there has been game playing of the nostalgic  kind. My family loved board games growing up and now Lala has the bug. She has roped in some regular girlfriends and they always thrash me. I blame my drugs but that game should be renamed Clueless. Annie in the dining room with no idea at all.

 Other old games have returned with Shorty Divine finding some goodies stashed in the boys' room to recycle. Her favourites are, not surprisingly, the people.

Cycle 7: Some of the classic books have turned up that the offspring have been given and I realized upon starting the Jungle Book that I had not read all of the stories in it. Anne of Green Gables is next on the list and then A Gazillion Leagues Under the Sea.

Cycle 8: The crochet hooks are out again because it is Winter and I bite my nails if I don't hook. Anyway the three boychilds still need handmade blankets and I have an idea that it may take me a while and I have to stay well while I finish them. Following this logic they will take years to finish keeping me fit and well!

 Cycle 9: Under the pretext of getting Lala sports shoes, I got my annual Converse sneakers. They are always my winter foot wear of choice as it is still too warm for boots here. I need a job like this one where I am permitted to wear the Con daily.

 Cycle 10: When the students make art at school, samples are needed so I've been making things I haven't made for years. All the old skills from over a decade ago are bubbling up to the surface for a rusty run through.

If they don't all blow up I'll show you the results. They've been making pots based on the Hermannsburg Potters of Outback Australia.

There is apparently a very good display of them at GOMA in the new Indigenous Exhibition. That will fill at least one day of the holidays nicely. Hopefully I'll see some of you there. I won't be the one wearing a beanie!