Blog world

Yesterday the lovely Gina Ferrari came to our Guild to give a talk and share her wonderful work and I got to meet a blogging pal!  I must admit I was a bit tongue-tied - being someone who can feel awkward meeting new people, I found it slightly surreal meeting the real person from the blog - so apologies if I seemed a little strange, Gina - it wasn't personal, it's just me!

There was our usual faff about how to arrange the tables and more than a bit of a scrum around Gina’s table as she unpacked all her bags of treasure, but undeterred Gina’s talk was very inspiring and even kept the old biddies at the back awake. 

It was particularly interesting to learn that Gina's background, and her father in particular, encouraged her into an academic career, but now she is making her living doing all the things that she wasn't allowed to do at school.  Oh how that resonates.  Except I didn't even have the confidence-inspiring words "you'll never make money at art", I was just told that if I didn't commit myself to passing my A levels and getting to university, I may as well just get a job in Tesco - what a choice.

But while the embroidery was of course fantastic, I have to admit that I was most impressed by Gina’s refreshing approach to housework and resolved at once to accept with equanimity the state of fluff and disorder that is my own home!

Regime change

Following a horrifying prequel to the teenage years yesterday morning, we have decided to implement a regime change in this household.

Previously, the time between getting dressed and breakfast was allocated to the small child for the practice of musical instruments, whilst Mother used this time to do housework. 

During travels up and down the stairs with various domestic appliances and tools, Mother would often see the small child sitting on her bed attempting to put legs into tights and arms into vest whilst gazing into the middle distance.  Mother would often return 10 minutes later and find child in exactly the same state of not-dressed-yet.  Musical instruments were then either not played at all, or in a desultory manner.  Mother would also find that housework was not done, because all the time before breakfast was spent cajouling small child into clothes and music practice whilst fending off sarcasm and downright rudeness.

Under the new regime, breakfast is now served promptly at 7.30.  Anyone not dressed and at the table does not get fed.  Each instrument is to be practiced for 15 minutes, with a timer.  The practice does not end until the time is up, even if a small child is then late for school and has to apologise to Mrs B for being late.  Mother will use the time after clearing up breakfast to do the housework.

We'll see how long this lasts...