February 2, 2010

Nude Or Food?

Today I had to make a tough decision. Should my husband go to work nude, or would my kids go to bed without dinner?

I made my decision as I was driving home from the fruit shop with my fuel gauge on empty (my family had been without Vitamin C for three days so that took priority over filling the car with petrol). Having dropped the kids to school, attended a short play date with Toddler, done two hours work, and rushed to the shop, I had around 63 minutes before pick up time.

I had the Toddler to settle, shopping to unpack, emails to return, a stack of laundry to do, and dinner to make.

Which ones to do?

I decided that, as my husband had literally worn all of his shirts at least twice, and the next option would be to go topless to the office (which would not necessarily have a positive effect on client relations, upon which our income depends) I would do the laundry.

(And for the record, yes, I am solely responsible for doing the laundry. My husband could do it, but on the rare occasions he is not working, I would prefer him to do chores I despise even more, such as wrestling the Toddler into her bath, or playing Monopoly with our son.)

Having elected to tackle the laundry, I didn't have any time left over to cook dinner for the kids. Still, I reasoned, they could dine on fruit and veggies. Okay, so they hate most vegetables, but no doubt they're aching to get into a melon, having been deprived of natural produce for so long. And if not, well, there was always cereal.

Laundry Vs Meals is only one of the many decisions I am forced to make on a daily basis. My time alone is incredibly limited - around five and a half hours a day between drop-off and pick-up - and once I have the kids, I'm able to do approximately... well... nothing, unless it can accommodate one toddler clinging to my knee, and two older kids talking in either ear.

So each day, I must prioritise amongst my immeasurably long list of multiplying-like-a-virus tasks.

Do I change the beds, or tackle the dirty towels? Do I deal with the bills, or earn some money to pay them? Do I clean out the fridge, or buy some more food to put in it? Do I sort out my husband's parking fines, or let him go to jail for a while? Do I ensure my children are fed, bathed or clothed?

HOW CAN I POSSIBLY DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE ????????????

The answer is, I can't. So right now, I'm finishing this post, and going off to read the paper. I'm going to forget my list for a while.

Using 'a while' in the sense of three-and-a-half minutes. Before the laundry calls me back again.

What about you? Do you ever feel overloaded???

19 comments:

  1. This post spoke to me, no it SANG to me! Kerri I logged on in my own three and a half minutes of "spare time" feeling grumpy and cranky, (granky) and I feel better.
    Right now I have no time alone until both older offspring start full time school in two weeks and with toddler continually in tow, I feel like I'm constantly paying off one task in order to complete another and not doing anything well at all.
    Now,
    I feel better.
    A) because I'm clearly not alone
    and
    B) because you are so bloody funny.
    Thanks x

    ReplyDelete
  2. hahaha so so true. Multiplying like a virus. I hear you! It is so good to know I am not the only one debating how to spend time. Cowboy has had to bring back shirts from the 90s for work before because I haven't washed them, think I prioritised cleaing the toilet that week!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have laundry to do, children to pick up and a website to run. I also would really like to speak with a great blogger called Kerri Sackville who is yet to discover that the OLD editor of Kidspot is god mother to Simon Baker's children. I could get you an introduction ....

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think you know I agree with you otherwise I wouldn't be lusting after foodless dinners on twitter.

    There is just not enough time in the day, it doesn't matter how efficient you are, it's just not possible. And god forbid you add a curveball to the situation like a sick kid and even the basics go out the window.

    I'll admit it, sometimes the toddler has peanut butter pizza for dinner. Which is really peanut butter on toast - but I use a pizza base instead (because I may be lazy, but I can still be gourmet)

    At our house the cleaning is what tends to bight the dust, oh and my exercise. Looking after the toddler and getting all my work done has to come first. If only I could exercise while I was working, then I would be getting somewhere.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kerri,there's something strangely comforting about your blog. It makes me so glad that we don't have kids, and I'm not in love with Simon Baker either. I don't know how you cope..........

    ReplyDelete
  6. How much do I love a bit of mummy solidarity and, I'm-strugggling- too-ness? Up to the moon and back. Thanks Kerri (and commenters)for sharing - cos I'm having one of those days too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well starting a new fashion with unironed shirts and pants would help, was, dry,and wear , I wuold call it the crinkle style, keeping the kids on baby food (from supermarket ready to go) would too, husnand can have some as well, an you would have plenty of time for yourself, funny post as always, thank I had a good laugh! love ooxx

    ReplyDelete
  8. How much do I love a bit of mummy solidarity and, I'm-strugggling- too-ness? Up to the moon and back. Thanks Kerri (and commenters)for sharing - cos I'm having one of those days too.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This sounds a bit familiar. A bit like my house. I just leave everything till the last minute. For example. Leave the washing until husband has completely run out of undies. Then do it. Completely run out of dishes? Better empty the dishwasher. Kids are black and a bit smelly...better wash them. And so on and so forth and everything slots right in on a need to do basis. Works for me! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm a bit of a weirdo then, as i seem to thrive on my lists of things to do (4 children, 2 businesses, 1 house load & 1 dog to walk) but it's been over a decade of building up to all this & getting it right. Just for the record, no husband for 10 months (literally choses going to war for a living) & we have a 50km round trip to school every morning & afternoon. Yes, we're military, but it's a machine - when the balls drop, they land on my head!! No help around, 'tis just moi. I like it, i have to, no one else is going to do anything for me, so i day dream while i clean & do homework from the treadmill, the children don't bat an eyelid. Happy days. Bit giddy today, all 4 resumed school today, he he, love Posie

    ReplyDelete
  11. Almost daily. With a full time job, a one-year old, 2 dogs, and a husband who all need things done for them, I feel overwhelmed regularly. That's probably why the floors don't get mopped as often and my poor truck hasn't been washed in months. This morning I had to choose between fixing my son breakfast and making sure the husband had clothes for his work trip. Breakfast won this time. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh my god, I know exactly what you mean. I work full time, study part time, try to be a wife, daughter, granddaughter, friend, blogger and of course, a mum. I have learnt to exist on very little sleep and to do nothing very well and everything rather poorly. On the rare occasion I get a few hours to myself I cook huge quantities of food for my son so at least he's well fed. My husband lives on chicken nuggets and I live on bagels.

    I'm knackered, narky and more than a bit sick of it all. But I figure, what choice do I have? I'm sure one day I'll be sat at home, after Sam has moved out, after I've retired not knowing what to do with myself. Actually, that's crap. I'll have baths, read books, play online and drink a lot of vodka. I can't bloody wait.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh, YES! Constantly. The last 3 days have been manic. I have my horrible, over-scheduled Monday with activities booked in at almost near impossible times to meet. Then Tuesday I have a day to myself, but I write for the school newsletter, run errands, clean or, like I did yesterday, search half of Sydney for a jar of chermoula paste, only to later find it's mouldy when I open it. (Grrreat.)

    Weds the 3yo does a sports-based programme for 1.5 hrs. Which is nice, because I can sit and just watch him, read, doodle in my diary, sip tea...but I spend the whole time thinking about ALL I have to do when I get home, and what's NOT getting done whilst I'm sitting there.

    Today is the 5yo's bday (so now the 6yo), so I have to clean the house and prepare for friends to come for cake. Instead I'm typing this.

    Can't do it all. Won't do it all. That's life. x

    ReplyDelete
  14. Goodness, I think I am overloaded just reading how hectic things get. While I can totally sympathize, I guess I cant quite emphasize...(have I got them around the right way?!!!)...
    I am currently a huge fan of China's One Child Policy, and my partner is home with me 90% of the time (he is a musician). So that tends to really cut down on the overloading....

    ReplyDelete
  15. I usually choose food because I HATE folding clothes. If I don't wash em, I don't have to fold em. Having said that, baked beans were invented for such days. How anyone ever lived without them in the old days is beyond me...

    i would also like to meet Simon Baker - perhaps you could hold a competition for someone to go with you when LexyB antes up on the promised introduction?

    ReplyDelete
  16. You look oddly familiar, were you in my hole last week ? Or perhaps you were in the laundry basket with Teddy ?

    ReplyDelete
  17. I hear you! I also have a 3yr old, work full time an hour each way away from home and run a business in my spare time. Just the other day I totally cracked it over the enormity of the to do list. I am so glad to hear that I am not alone!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Almost daily. With a full time job, a one-year old, 2 dogs, and a husband who all need things done for them, I feel overwhelmed regularly. That's probably why the floors don't get mopped as often and my poor truck hasn't been washed in months. This morning I had to choose between fixing my son breakfast and making sure the husband had clothes for his work trip. Breakfast won this time. :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh my god, I know exactly what you mean. I work full time, study part time, try to be a wife, daughter, granddaughter, friend, blogger and of course, a mum. I have learnt to exist on very little sleep and to do nothing very well and everything rather poorly. On the rare occasion I get a few hours to myself I cook huge quantities of food for my son so at least he's well fed. My husband lives on chicken nuggets and I live on bagels.

    I'm knackered, narky and more than a bit sick of it all. But I figure, what choice do I have? I'm sure one day I'll be sat at home, after Sam has moved out, after I've retired not knowing what to do with myself. Actually, that's crap. I'll have baths, read books, play online and drink a lot of vodka. I can't bloody wait.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks! Love hearing from you.

Like it? Share it!