3 November 2008

Catching up with housework

It’s been a funny old weekend. I think the haze of pain and painkillers is finally leaving me, I’ve done some work on my book and tried to catch up a little on housework not done over the past few weeks. Not doing my work here disconnects me from my purpose so getting back to it feels comfortable and reaffirming.

Hanno is sick now. I don’t know what’s going on! We have been pretty healthy all our lives then all of a sudden we’ve fallen in a hole. I took Hanno to the doctor on Saturday morning as his blood pressure was fluctuating and just before we drove up the mountain, it registered at 85/60! Two days ago it was 150/95. At the medical centre it was 90/65. He was also tired and had problems with his waterworks. The deadbeat doctor didn’t bother doing a urinalysis! He just gave him a referral to a pathologist to have a urinalysis and a blood test on Monday. Hopeless! Anyhow, we came home and spent a quiet day with him sleeping on and off. He feels a little better now but will go back to his regular doctor during the week for a proper checkup.

It’s been two weeks since I slept a full night in our bed but the past two nights I’ve slept like a baby. Sunday morning woke at 4am – which is my usual routine – checked the blogs, emails and did some work on the book. I had breakfast, Hanno woke at 7am and then talked to his nephew in Germany for an hour or so on Skype while I talked to my sister, Tricia, on the phone. Hello Tricia! She reads my blog every day now.

I fed Alice and Hettie and let the chooks out for a while. Walked through the garden checking out the vegetables and deciding what we’d eat that day. I watered various plants, checked seedlings, picked about 5 kilos (11 pounds) of tomatoes and fed a selection of green leaves to the chooks.



Bread was made, washing up done and one load of washing was hung in the sun to dry. Then I spent an hour or so listening to the radio while I sorted through a pile of laundry that needed folding and some of it, ironing. That allowed me to sort out my clothes for work today too. When I took the folded and ironed clothes into the bedroom, I made the bed and cleaned the bathroom.



I have set up a workstation in the sewing room because I can go there and close the door to work undisturbed on the book for as long as I like. I made some notes about new ideas, mapped a loose timetable for myself to catch up on the missed time over the past three weeks, and went through some notes and clippings. It’s really lovely in my sewing room. I have a view of the front garden, a radio, fan and all manner of yarns, cottons, scissors and needles. Where ever I look there is either fabric or yarn, and jars full of buttons and pieces of ribbon. I am at home there, I’m in my natural habitat.



After lunch I checked on what oils I have on hand, as I’ll be making soap during the week, and then made up a batch of laundry powder. I sat down to read some more Nourishing Traditions and ended up napping for an hour. Bliss. It's a real joy to be able to nap whenever you need to. Slowly, over the course of the next two hours, dinner was made, the garden checked, worms fed, pot plants watered and shoes polished.

It was gloomy outside all day with the threat of rain. Hanno took down the washing in the late afternoon while I did more work on the book, we ate dinner, I tidied up and did a few rows of knitting. A fairly busy day drew to a close.

I am grateful to be back caring for my home. Sitting in a chair all day bores the living daylights out of me - even if that time is sprinkled with knitting and reading. The real work of a home involves physical effort and nothing is as life affirming or satisfying as spending a day putting things to rights when they've been left undone. I'm not quite done with my catching up but I'll get there soon. I have work today and tomorrow but I'm thankful that I am well enough to go.

I hope you are all well and able to do whatever your work requires of you. Thank you for all the prayers and good wishes I've received over the past couple of weeks. I appreciate them and you.
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31 comments

  1. I am so envious of your sewing room. I've spent the past two days sewing doll quilts (to pay for music lessons for my son) which means that my kitchen bench and dining room table are covered with fabric and quilting paraphanalia.

    I live in a four bedroom house, but all of the rooms are filled up with boys. You think they'd offer to share, but no.....!

    Luckily I have a four day weekend (I love the Melbourne Cup!) so the house has a sporting chance of being put back to rights over the next couple of days.

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  2. Dearest ((Rhonda))so thankful that you're feeling better and are able to be up an about a bit more. Do celebrate all that you're able to do, and rest, rest, rest, as you need to--you, *and* dear Hanno, too. Much love to you both. Thinking of you and praying for you, and sending big gentle hugs to you both. Tenderly, Jewels
    p.s. Your *creative* room looks so lovely, cosy, and inviting. What a beautiful view. I'll enjoy picturing you snugged in *there* :o) I do so agree that there is nothing quite as lovely and satisfying as actively engaging in the wonderful things of caring for home and those we love, but do be sure and take things slowly and don't over-do. I hope Hanno gets that proper check-up with *his* doctor, soon, gets some answers, and is soon feeling himself again. Please do tell him that we're thinking of him, send love and care, and are praying (and as he knows, that's *no small amount* of love and care and prayers ;o).

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  3. Rhonda I think your blog is fantastic come by and collect your award.

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  4. I hope you and Hanno begin feeling better soon! I understand your frustration with the dr.
    I haven't been able to read all your posts recently, but did see that you are reading Nourishing Traditions. We are following a similar path and have been blessed to find a wonderful cooperative where we can get raw milk, cheeses, and organic veg at a very resonable price. We have had gardens in the past and had hoped to get one going this fall but my dh had to have surgery on his shoulder and I don't expect that we'll get a garden in before spring.
    Anyway, I hope you are on the road to recovery and that Hanno will be very shortly too.

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  5. Hi Rhonda, if you get up at 4.00am and get through that amount of work in one day while not feeling 100% what were you able to get through before yur illness?!
    Take care
    Peggy

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  6. Feel better soon Hanno! Rhonda, I hope this bad patch with health problems is over very soon.

    I look forward to reading your book

    Best wishes,

    Anna Marie of the Bread

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  7. I am so jealous of your weekend!!

    In fact rhonda I am enviuous of the way you are able to conduct you days. I guess when the kids are all gone it will be like that nbow it seems everything gets done in "bursts" for the most part - in between other things. I love to read how you went about your day though it inspires me to keep trying to get to that.

    Hope Hanno feels better there are some evil viruses going around at the moment.

    daisymum

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  8. Rhonda, you two look after yourselves won't you. Take care.
    love Jenny

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  9. Rhonda,

    I am so glad that you are up and doing what you love. I just love hearing about how you've spent your day:)

    Hanno will be in my prayers:)

    Love,

    Renee

    gardendesk.com

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  10. hope you're all feeling 100% soon. It's good to hear you're on an upward path anyway.

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  11. I am so sorry to hear about your health issues. I hope these things are able to be sorted out and that Hanno's blood pressure can be controlled. Cherrie

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  12. Dearest Rhonda,
    I would love to have a sewing room just like yours. At the moment my machine is in the lounge room & my fabric's are in a cupboard in my room. I just love to look & touch my fabric when I don't have time to sew!! I am lucky to have every Tuesday to sew. My little girl Jessie goes to daycare just that one day and I go to a sewing circle, (called THE CACKLE CLUB) because we laugh & talk so much! It starts at 9am & goes to 3pm. We share such good friendship. The lovely ladies are all older than me but we get along so well. They teach me so much about sewing & knitting.
    I do hope you & Hanno get through this patch of sickness.
    Take care & God bless
    Melissa

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  13. I am hoping and praying that you get to 100% and that Hanno gets well soon. I hope the doctor can put things right for him!
    You got so much done this morning! I feel lucky if I can get to half of that in a day let alone a morning! I have bad hips and lost a day of work because of it today, occasionally they don't let me walk so well.
    You and Hanno encourage me so much!

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  14. I'm so glad your knee is mending, Rhonda, and you can be off those spirit dulling painkillers. Now what is going on with your Hanno?

    A question. Does Australia have a socialized health care system?

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  15. I have been thinking of you lately and hoping that you were ok. Hope things continue to improve for you both.

    I didn't like to bother you with an email to check on you.

    take care
    Kate

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  16. I hope you & Hanno are feeling better soon. You're in my thoughts.

    Ciara

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  17. Sounds like a lovely sunday to me! I get tired when I dont have enough to do - thats when when the worst type of boredom sets in... and off course being to frantic is no good either, but a day like yours is very satisfying as its nice and steady. Hope youre both feeling better. With doctors, you can request stuff to be done, and you tell them if you know what should be done for them to give you a referral or test etc. If youre sure that Hanno needed an extra test or soemthing then you can request it and the doc should carry it out...worth knowing for the future.

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  18. Hello Rhonda. My best to both you and your dear Hanno. Donna J.

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  19. Go gently, Rhonda and Hanno. Thinking of you every day. xx

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  20. I am wishing you and Hanno well.
    You are right about how good it feels to get the housework and garden work done. This is how I spent my Sunday today. Doing Autumn cleanup in the garden and then some housework and then this evening, I crocheted a couple rows of an afghan I am making. I feel a sense of accomplishment and will lay my head tonight with a clear mind.
    Love your blog

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  21. I sat on the sofa today to rest and woke up an hour later from a DEEP nap.

    They truly are bliss. :)

    I was wondering, what is your weather like there now?

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  22. Hi Rhonda - glad to know you are catching up and feeling better. Hope Hanno gets some proper medical care soon, and feels better as well. How fortunate you are to have a sewing room! :o) I have a single, all-purpose table - for eating, and kneading dough, and ironing and sewing and writing... we live in a tiny 3-room cottage, but I love it.

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  23. Hi Rhonda, fingers crossed for you both on the health front.

    The funniest thing happened as I read this post and scrolled down to the photo of the iron over the cross stitch. I could actually smell the ironing. You know that hot, steamy, clean fabric smell? A most extraordinary experience.

    Lucky you with your tomatoes. Mine just began flowering yesterday.

    Lisa x

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  24. Would you be so kind to forward me your laundry powder recepie? I am experimenting with a few but all American and one cannot buy washing soda here....

    Thank you ever so much.

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  25. Dear Rhonda,
    Your blog is so very inspiring and useful! Anna at Domestic Felicity pointed me in your direction and I've been reading for about a month now, with such pleasure. I wanted to take a moment to let you know that you and your husband are both in my daily prayers. You are so generous with your knowledge, and the skills you share are so very valuable and, sadly, in danger of being lost without good souls like you to pass them along. Please let me also say thank you, thank you, thank you. Many good thoughts and even more blessings to you and your family.
    Warmly,
    Tracey McBride

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  26. I am impressed by your achievements and worried about the doctor's lack of interest.

    I also had a lovely smile. I have a Tefal iron and the same pillow cases. We have worn one set out. I love my European pillows.

    I hope you both feel 100% very soon.

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  27. Rhonda,
    Sorry to hear that you and Hanno haven't been feeling well, but I hope this finds you both doing much better and well-rested.
    Take care of yourselves and God bless.
    :)

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  28. I know how you feel. I have been sick for well over a week and I still feel off. My house went to the wayside.

    It was nice to get up today, and while I am still off, get some things done around here.

    First I noticed that one of kitties threw up all over my sewing mat and sewing machine and cutting rulers...fun stuff my life lol.

    BUT now the laundry is done, dinner is in the crockpot, polishing and sweeping complete and I have time for a hot drink and a visit before I make dinner rolls.

    I am sorry Hanno has taken a turn and I hope he is up and better soon.

    I understand about the joys of a sewing/craft room. I love mine even though I have put shelves on every wall for my Stock a Year Stockpile Challenge.

    Somehow the food comforts me too.....hmmmmm lol!

    Have a fun day and don't do too much at once.

    Caryn

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  29. thank you everyone. You are all so lovely.

    Suzan, our health system gives us free hospital and mostly free doctor's visits - we sometimes have to pay a gap fee. Hanno and I have private health insurance so we generally don't have to pay much for our treatment.

    Brenda, it's starting to heat up. Now we have coolish nights - about 15 - 20 degrees C at night, getting up to the high 20s in the daytime.

    me sebastian o, my recipe is 2 cups of grated soap, one cup of washing powder and one cup of borax. I believe you can buy all the ingredients online. Mix it all together and use ¼ cup per wash. I pre-treat stains.

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  30. Hi Rhonda

    Another day in your paradise. You make housework sound so effortless and enjoyable. I do understand what you mean about putting things to rights when they have been undone. Nothing better than getting that room straightened or that dirty mark cleaned off the wall.

    Have a great week and beyond,

    Cheers - Joolz

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  31. Your sewing sounds and looks like a wonderful place to be! So cozy. I'm glad you're feeling better and I hope Hanno will also feel better soon.

    Manuela

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