At the moment I am in a flap. I haven’t really settled in to the New Year yet. That happens to me and I always tell myself,
“everything will be all right once we get into a routine.”
Some years I never got into a routine. I had to carry my diary around with me everywhere otherwise I would find myself scheduled to be in umpteen places at once, which isn’t good, actually it’s bloody impossible. I wrote down nearly everything, except regularly occurring activities like ballet, gymnastics, mass, jazzercise, that kind of thing. It was the extraordinary that I had to diarise, doctors and dentists appointments, play dates, rehearsals, auditions, callbacks, dinner parties, party parties, that kind of thing.
When my children were older and could not only speak but remember their own commitments, I didn’t fret so much, they would not let me forget one of their activities. But what if I was at the ortho, a million miles aways from McNeny World, when my youngest reminded me that it was parent day at ballet and I’d promised to provide the healthy snack? Soooo, I still had to keep a faithful diary.
And now that they are semi independent, I still need a diary because somehow, and I really don’t know how this happened, cross my heart and all that, I am busier than I have ever been. But the commitments are bigger, like flying to San Francisco for a long weekend for an audition my daughter wanted to attend. That’s not just a two hour ortho appointment, it’s a weekend away from any other commitments I may have liked to have made…dinner with a friend, lunch with hubby, that kind of thing. Then there’s my son’s move this weekend, and a retreat next weekend, and my daughter’s first and last college show which opens at the beginning of March, which I have to be at every night, and then a couple of birthdays and writing group, then Spring break with all the added activities because school is out and I am needed as company for a movie, or a shopping spree, or a quick lunch, or a hair cut. Don’t worry, I’m not under the illusion I am invited for my riveting company, I am the owner of the credit card and can underwrite the success of an outing with a mere swipe! Then there’ s a trip to England for a whole week to visit the schools in London my daughter is interested in. Funny, with the other offspring I could jump in the car to visit schools… then we’re in the middle of Lent and that is always stressful because I have to make a note of that special discipline I have undertaken this year, there have been so many…. and it’s only February!
So, guess what I did? I went and got myself another calendar! Hello double booking!
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
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