A meme to get the ball rolling

Writing my blog is a bit like a conducting a relationship. Sometimes I pay it a lot of loving attention, visit daily and am totally absorbed by it. Other times I need a little bit of space to attend to other things, refresh and renew. Yes, blog and I have had a bit of much needed space, and absence certainly has made the heart grow fonder.

Two things. Firstly, fiance noted the love triangle developing between myself, blog and him and requested some quality time. I think his words were something to the effect of:

Fiance: 'You're on the computer too much, why don't you turn it off and spend some time with me of an evening. Hey I know, maybe we can watch the sport together!'

Nic (thinking quality time and watching sport = oxymoron alert!'): 'Uh huh! Ok but does that mean you'll come with me to salsa classes one or two nights a week?'

Fiance: 'Errrrr.....'

Secondly, I've had a good run after 18 months as a stay at home mum, but as much as I love blogging, it isn't paying the bills. So in early May I returned to the world of work 3 days a week. After that little shock to the system, and taking some time to adapt to life juggling work and family, it's time to blog once more!

So it was really appropriate that Heather from My Travels with 4 Kids tagged me for this meme....'Repost your first ever blog post'. The rules are that I need to repost my first ever post, then tag 5 other blogs to do the same. What a great exercise to review where I've been, where I'm heading and how my blog has evolved. In fact when I first signed up to Blogger I had no idea what I wanted to say and took 6 months to write my first post (no surprises there!). So here it is:

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Learning the Art of Homemaking (originally posted 7th September 2009)

I've been responsible for a £10 million pound marketing budget. In one quarter I juggled and delivered 22 marketing direct mail packs on time. I once project managed an event that involved 70 members of staff over a period of 6 weeks, working 12 hours a day. And yet managing a home has been by far the hardest thing I've ever done.

I now have a new found admiration for my mother who at the tender age of 22, had a 16 month old and a new born, kept a fastidiously clean and tidy house, and kept us clothed and fed on a shoestring budget. I believe that Homemaking does not come naturally to most women. It's a skill, an artform that is learned just like any job role. In my mother's and grandmother's day women were expected to take on the role of full-time housewife once they were married. Their education revolved around learning home duties. Now women have more choice and education revolves around developing a career.

My mother dropped by with some books I had stored at her house since I had moved to London. Amongst them was a book titled The Collin's Book of Household Hints and Tips. 'Oh no', I protested, 'this isn't mine, it must have got mixed up with my books'. 'Oh really?', my mother replied with fake nonchalance, 'it must be one of your grandmother's. Oh well you may as well keep it since it's here now.' Hmmmm, are you trying to tell me something mum? A 'quick' flick through revealed some interesting and alarming advice. You're meant to clean the fly screens on your windows at least once every three months, mirrors can go for a month between cleans, but toilets and floors should be cleaned everyday! I'm still getting around to clearing away the dishes from last nights dinner!

So now my new education begins; learning the art of Homemaking. But first I guess I better get out of my pyjamas and attack those dishes!

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Haha I think I may have lightened up just a little since then!
 
I'm passing this meme on to the following:

Boobies Babies & A Blog
The Truth About Motherhood
Meaningless Meandering from a Madmother
Punk Rock Momma
Pampers and Pinot

So thanks Heather for pulling me out of my blogging rut and helping to remind me how much fun blogging is!

Until next time,
Nic