In our home this week…

Husband away,  finishing jobs, starting new ones, new books, exercise, movies, softball, websites, food, coffee, resumes, portfolios, lawn, cars, fitness, iron supplements, centrelink…

John has still been away for work. For the second leg of his journey, which was this week, he was out bush on exercise so we’ve had no contact with him. In some ways I wonder if this is better than him being at barrackes because at least when he is on exercise I know that I can’t speak to him. There is no question about it so I don’t even think about it. But when he is just at a base i wonder if I could send him an SMS, just to let him know I’m thinking of him. Where there is room for a question mark, it often makes things that little more difficult, doesn’t it? Sometimes black and whites re just easier to live with.

As regular readers will know, my eldest daughter is a barista. My younger daughter also managed to get a job at the same place as Miss A. However, last Saturday the shop closed down. 🙁 At the beginning of the week both my girls were out of work. Miss 18, who is 18, didn’t want to work in just any cafe or coffee shop so we knew that finding a job (that was also flexible enough to work around her softball) was not going to be easy whereas Miss R, (16yo) really just wants a job and wasn’t going to be quite so particular.

The girls employer helped Miss R get a job at Cibo and she starts on Saturday. Naturally, she is nervous, but I think she’ll get the hang of it. She is really keen to be finished with school (she is doing yr 11 at school, which includes Cert 1 and 2 in Hospitality) and get out into the world.

Miss A decided to looking for a job herself. She approached a few places but despite wanting to give her work, they all said that they can’t at this time, and cited the current economic crisis. Fair enough too. There is a lovely, family-friendly cafe that we have frequented since we’ve been back in SA so she went in spoke to the boss. Well, it would seem that it will all work out as a hand fits to glove as he doesn’t have a lot of work available but only a few hours per week. This is great as Miss A is also studying her Cert3 in Fitness and preparing for a major, short tournement in July is taking much of her time. But the best thing about this place is…it is ministry based, not financially driven! All the workers are believers and the cafe has an outward, serving, open, welcoming, relational style of ministry focus. This suits Miss A to a ‘t’. Hallelujah! She starts on Sunday, which may seem weird for a cafe but they host big breakfasts as an outreach…cool uh? Oh, even better- the boss knows his coffee very well and he uses a Fair Trade blend! She might also be doing some freelance baristering around the place so that will also provide for some interesting learning opportunities.

Master J has been a little distracted this week as he leaves tonight on a bivouac, where they’re heading out bush for the long weekend as part of cadets. He loves it and is so excited. He has been mowing the lawn, polishing boots, ironing clothes, studying manuals and will need to go to the shop today for a few items, like hoochie cord (whatever that is). He’s been going on with his fitness regime. Argh, I find it quite frustrating at how quickly young people can get into shape. It’s just not fair!

Caleb pottered. He did a little on the exercise bike although I’d like to see a little more. However I can’t complain too much as he gets all his lessons done quickly and without grumbling or complaining.

The boys pottered on with their lessons this week although I changed things somewhat. Just changing things up a bit…to keep them on their toes. 😉 John has started a new book for Science: The World of Physics by John Tiner and Caleb has to read out loud to me for a few pages once a week. Both boys are having a season of copywork again. That’s how we work. We don’t do the same thing 160 days of the year…we have times of focus and then we’ll put that on the backburner for a bit while we focus on something else. This helps to keep their focus fresh.

As for me, I’ve had a lovely week, just being with my children. We went to the Drive In last week to watch Night at the Museum 2 which we thought was pretty good. Just clean fun. Not excellent but just good. I’ve had the whole week with Miss A, which has been lovely especially as know it isn’t always like this. Physically and fitness wise I’m a little disappointed. I wanted to work extra hard on my fitness routine while John was away but it hasn’t quite wokred out the way I planned. My varicose veins started getting sore again and  I went through a period where I was very weak. I know I have megoblastic anemia but it hasn’t bothered me too much until now…I wonder if it is because I did increase my workout load and there just isn’t enough iron to cope with it. So I also started on a new iron supplement this last week. I am severely anemic but despise taking iron supplements because of the negative side effects. However, I found a new supplement at the Chemist. It is called SpaTone and it is a 100% natural liquid iron supplement. Being natural is a real bonus! I have not any of the usual side effects that come with iron supplements. Only problem is the cost…it’s not what I’d call cheap. If you want to know more about this great product (and I get nothing, no commission, not anything…I just like it) then check out the SpaTone website and read the faq.

But the best part is that John comes home sometime this weekend! Yahoo! Sure both girls will be working in their new jobs, Master J will be away out bush but…but John is coming home! And it’s a long weekend! So if my blog is quiet and I’m not on the forums, you’ll know why.

But please tell me this, if you have any ideas…my husband is not a messy man. Okay he’s certainly not Mr.Clean but he isn’t even home long enough to make too much mess. So how is it that the house has been super easy to keep clean and tidy this last 2 weeks? We’ve done very little housework yet the house is fine. How is this so? My enquiring mind needs to know. I’d love to blame John (evil grin) but in all honesty, I can’t. So what is that?