We’re still settling into September and finding our stride, even if some people are insisting on trying to turn it into the new January. I’m wrecked – just as well I’m not going to see Garth!
• THIS week I’m mainly wondering when it might be a good time to take the foot off the pedal a bit, take a few breaths and just ‘be’? I only ask as everywhere I look and scroll, I see that September is being touted as the new January. Who gave that the green light without telling me? At every turn I’m getting (unasked for) advice on how to get a head start on the new year’s resolutions and make those life changes right now; not to dilly dally for the next three months, but to get stuck in … pronto. That’s all well and good and I’m all for getting a step or two ahead (yes, I do set the breakfast table the night before), but sure what are we supposed to do in January then? Get going on the Easter plans? Kickstart the ‘get ready for summer’ regime? If we’re not careful we’ll end up lapping ourselves and there’ll be no coming up for air. I saw someone posting a picture of selection boxes in a supermarket the other day. C’mon like! Let’s all relax the cacks a small bit please.
• Here’s a thought … what if we all just opted out of this constant ‘living in the future’ approach? If we slowed down and just dealt with the here and now? For starters, imagine how amazing Sundays (my least favourite day of the week) would be? It would no longer be a day when you were frantically clearing the last of the laundry, doing a mental check of who needs to be where during the week, threatening to resign or divorce your husband because it all seemed a bit impossible, while also trying to fit in a ‘spin’ or something half meaningful in case the kids had to share their ‘nuacht’ in school on Monday? Imagine if you didn’t have to start the week until Monday, and Sunday became a day of rest again? Sounds good doesn’t it? Will we chance it? Who wants to go first? What’s the worst thing that could happen? Actually, on second thoughts ….
• Maybe I’m losing it a bit (more than usual!), but basically what I’m asking is if we can just let September, be September. That’s all! Speaking of which, how are we all settling into the ninth month? We’re a bit rattled to be honest (you’d never have guessed!). Day one of back to school saw us all bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to go with around 45 minutes to spare (with the teeth brushed). It was fabulous. Day two saw me pleading with the six-year-old to get out of bed at 8am, and breaking the bad news to her that leisurely breakfasts with TV were a thing of the past. We need to realise that it’s a marathon and not a sprint and once we settle down and find our rhythm we’ll be grand. Just grand. Of course this week, there’s the return of the after-school activities to factor in and also homework. But nope, it will all be grand.
• It’s funny how autumnal it’s after getting all of a sudden too. By funny, of course I mean, totally grim. I was up the other morning before 6am, letting the dog in or out, I can’t remember, and it was barely light, and the evenings are drawing in swiftly too. I’m kind of half sorry now I didn’t get a ticket to see Garth Brooks in Croke Park this weekend and go out on a high. I’m quite partial to a bit of Garth (or Gareth as he’s called round here!), although the way things are globally, it’s really more Dire Straits at the moment.
• I hadn’t planned on droning on again about electricity costs but it’s hard to ignore the elephant in the room, or more like the clothes horse in the room. My husband has declared the tumble dryer off limits and it is killing me, one load at a time. I have been tempted to turn it on when he’s at work, but I’m half afraid he has it rigged up with a nanny cam or something. We’re on a rate where we won’t have to remortgage if we just use the appliance between the hours of 2am and 6am. It’s a bit like having a new born in the house again – instead of getting up to make a bottle, I’m getting up to put the washing on. Sure no wonder I’m all over the place!
• Finally, Met Éireann has released the new list of storm names for the 2022-23 storm season and it’s quite the eclectic line-up. It includes Antoni, Betty, Cillian, Daisy, Elliot, Fleur, Glen, Hendrika, Íde, Johanna, Khalid, Loes, Mark, Nelly, Owain, Priya, Ruadhán, Sam, Tobias, Val and Wouter. Headline writers must already be putting their thinking caps on (living in the future and all the rest). How about: Mark up? Not on your Nelly? Black (out) Betty? I’ll just get my coat.
