Homemaking and getting back to normal

It feels good to be starting a new year with a clean and well organised house. If I was still writing for a living I'd also have daily schedules, to-do lists written out, my calendar marked up with birthdays, special events and various appointments, as well as a daily writing plan and monthly chapter list. Being organised makes things easier. It gives you a starting point and an end for each day and if you're smart, it will include family time and short breaks during the day. It's important that you take that time away from work because it helps maintain your mental health. If you're looking after babies or small children, even though it's difficult at times, you must have time to rest and relax whenever you can manage it. Child rearing can be intense and usually you have no one to step in if you get sick - it makes good sense to take care of yourself, so plan it into your days.  January is the ideal time to think about this kind of organising and to work out how to establish or improve daily routines.

There was a time when I'd spend a few frantic days over the summer holidays to clean and organise; now I do it in stages.  I started in early December - cleaning the linen cupboards, pantry, fridge and kitchen cupboards. In January I moved on to my craft supplies and soon I'll do some decluttering. I don't use the konmari method, I don't aim for perfection and I don't want to put pressure on myself to have things looking a certain way.  So I tidy drawers and cupboards my way so they make sense to me, I get rid of things we no longer need and I have everything in its place before the year starts in earnest.  If you've never done this, it does make a difference to your peace of mind and it will help you in your daily life.  If you don't have a lot of spare time in January, set one day aside when you have your annual holiday to clean a few of your often used cupboards and for organising the rest of the year on your calendar. Things will be easier if you've thought about the coming months and taken some time to organise and clean what you can. This is a job you can share, it's not for you alone, so involve the family and make it part of an annual process.

Yesterday I received a lovely package from Emm in South Australia. She and her family are moving to New South Wales tomorrow to set up a farm but she took the time to make me a little Gracie dog. Emm has a scottie dog too. She sent it with a jar of fabulous organic apricot jam from Sally at Jembella Farm. I've never met either of these two ladies but I feel like I've known them both for years. The blogging community is like that. We see into each others homes, share our thoughts and hopes and over the years we grow close.  Happy trails Emm, I hope the trip is a great adventure for all of you.

This is where they'll all live. Up high, next to Carl Larsen's kitchen.  The little cast iron scotties were sent by Gina, another long term reader and my birth twin. We were born on the same day in 1948.

Gracie inspecting the puppies on arrival. 

It was quite hot here today so I was out early watering the garden, then I turned on the air-conditioning and we all stayed inside in the cool. Jamie and I made cinnamon rolls.  There are two young ladies from Korea staying at Jamie's home so he took home 10 rolls to share with everyone. I'm trying to unravel a skein of hemp yarn that I tangled up like a mad woman. I give it ten minutes every so often and I'm slowly regaining my yarn. I'm going to knit some larger, open weave dish cloths with it as soon as it's ready. This is my first attempt at hemp knitting and when I'm used to knitting with it, I'll go on to knit another light shawl for winter.

Jamie loves baking and cinnamon so this was the ideal project.

I love this time of year. The summer holidays are almost over, the house is ready for another year of simple, slow, homemade living, the tourists will all go home next week and life in our region will return to normal. I have a full to-do list, I'm knitting and sewing and it's only six weeks till we start our annual planting. I'll be making cordial, pickles, bread and soap in the coming week. At our house there's always something to do. It makes for challenging days, home cooking, cupboards full of homemade jams, sauces and cordials, and the feeling that we are doing what we are meant to be doing.

What's happening in your home this week?