Trials and tribulatons of a working Mum who does the mad arsed dance

There are good days and bad.

Today was a good one, mainly.

However I have just come in from hanging washing out in approx 6 degrees of bitter coldness.  Obviously not a chance that the washing will dry but if I left it any longer the flannels, towels and dishcloths would get up and walk around.  Yeah, nice.  My lounge already looks like Chinese laundry so it had to be done.  But currently I can't feel my fingers. 

You would think as I "work from home" I could manage to do it reasonable hours. Nup.  And as the frostbite (surely not an exaggeration) was settling in my fingers, towels flapping in my face with the lovely smell of comfort softener I began to reflect.

Working from home ain't all it's cracked up to be.  In fact I think it would be a damn sight easier to get in the car and 'go someowhere' to be at work.  Coffee breaks, adult conversation, lunch (not at a stupid hour), no access to the chocolate that lurks (or should I say DID) in the back of the pantry, no pressure to get things done that aren't 'work' related.  I could dress nicely, well nicer than what I'm wearing now I mean.  Makeup is good, my current charges don't really give a rats about how I look but sometimes the pimples (yes zits at my age, god help me!) could use hiding.  Not to mention the "laughter lines".

There are upsides though.  I get to drop my kids off, pick them up and especially with Miss 3 see the look of 'that's MY Mum' when I get her.  Sometimes I get more than one child asleep at the same time.  Precious precious time to myself.  I get to spend time with Miss 3 when she's not at the local preschool.  I get rewarded with smiles and cuddles from my charges.  I see there developmental stages and am learning to appreciate them.  When they are your own kids sometimes you miss them as your so busy with "life".  My work life means I stop and see them and get to share them with their parents.  I pretty sure that's appreciated.

It is rewarding.  And I know I'm good at it.  It's sometimes the juggle - mad arsed dance I do - to fit it all in that gets me.  So sometimes I'm tired.  I'd go as far as to say, sometimes I get a bit (just a bit) grumpy.  On the other hand how many people get to play, really play?  Observe and learn. 

And you know what - the whole mad arse dance may well catch on ....look at the macarena it was HUGE.