Grateful: Filling The Tanks

Our water tanks ran bone-dry this week. I've been accessing my inner pioneer woman as I boil great pots of water for washing up and spend long minutes scanning the skies while smelling like a good French cheese. Last night, the deluge arrived; a hammering, soaking rain that filled - at least partly - the tanks, and sent me gratefully back into the arms of my beloved bathtub.

The metaphor is not lost on me. My own tanks have been feeling parched lately too. I have been making too many withdrawals - catching up with old friends, drinking wine, filling each busy day with too many tasks. This year, my resources have been limited. I rail against the necessity of slowing down, of making life smaller, of cutting things out - but I have to change my ways.

Yoga and early nights are my new companions, as we roll into the new school year.  Last year, I found myself coming to the end of each term absolutely buggered. I limped in, each time,  like a marathon runner in a humiliating lactic acid meltdown. I juggled about four significant spine-breakdowns in 2012, and didn't enjoy too many days without the pain monkey on my back. Ooh, I don't want to do that again.

This year, with Ted three days at pre-school and Georgie starting day-care one day a week (eek!), I am looking forward to creating a smoother routine. A calmer mama. How calm?

This calm, dammit!



But by bit, I am going to try and refill these tanks of mine. Seeing old friends is restorative, especially when you realise you are rolling into middle age in matching specs. If only all lighting was so kind. (I'm talking to you, morning sunshine!)


Laughing with girlfriends feeds the soul. Cooking nurtures me. And creative collaborations - more later -  are exciting. (Flexing my mental muscles rather than the physical ones is a great idea.)

I am grateful to be here today, on my feet, roasting a chicken with lemon and butter, dancing with the kids after dinner (even though I danced so wildly tonight to Jani Joplins 'Take A Little Piece of My Heart' that I accidentally punched Teddy in the face.) I am grateful for the soaking rain that has allowed water to gush out when I turn a tap on. Miraculous engineering!

More grateful with Maxabella:  thisaway.