Thursday, August 27, 2009

The Housekeeper Ran Off With The Pool Boy


...that's what my friend, SuperAmazingMommy always tells me to say if people come to my house and comment on my housekeeping skills as of late. "Just tell them that the housekeeper ran off with the pool boy!"

Incidentally, SuperAmazingMommy and a few other friends were over yesterday and SuperAmazingMommy's first words as she stepped into our house were, "Okay, and where is this mess you speak of?!?" Needless to say, I felt much better! Thank you, SuperAmazingMommy!

Here's one of the reasons I haven't had time to keep my floors so-clean-you-can-eat-off-them. Ummm...Even if they were, would anyone really want to eat off a floor? I don't think so.The girls were out AGAIN! They've just been moved into new pasture, yet seem to want what they're not supposed to have. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Hmph. This is what I saw from the kitchen window! Bad girls! If you look closely, you can see some of the calves out there too!
We've also been in the process of building our front deck! FINALLY! It's only been in the works since...before Little One was born?? I have to say, I am in love with power tools!!! If only my city friends could see me now! *sigh* No make-up, baseball cap, and I haven't had a manicure or pedicure since my wedding three years ago! I'm also embarrassed to say that I have become extremely clumsy walking in heels since I don't wear them often anymore. Try walking on gravel roads or in hay fields wearing heels! You'd twist your ankle! Hubby once scolded me for wearing flimsy flip flops while on the tractor. I think he's finding being married to a city girl rather amusing.
Some of you may know that while I was on hospital bed rest for the end of my pregnancy, we were getting renovations done on the house. I guess it was a good time for me to be out of the house! The house was lifted off the ground a few feet so they could redo the foundation! Here's Hubby sussing out what to do with the deck.
Of course, the other thing that has been keeping me busy is...
this little cheeky monkey in the photo above! Look! She's sitting on her own!
No time to make Hubby the lunches he has grown accustomed to. It's a tuna melt with (fresh from the garden) tomatoes for lunch!

I have a confession. There have been some very challenging times this week (the cattle misbehaving, Little One screaming her head off because she's been super cranky, the farm, the house, the chores, the never ending list of responsibilities and things to do...and the "you only have one child, so why can't you handle everything?" and comments similar to that). It's been so exhausting and challenging, that I wonder if going back to work might even be less exhausting?

I'm so thankful I get to spend every day with my precious little one in her first year. If all I had to do was devote my time to taking care of her, maybe it would be a bit easier. But, it's not. We've got a farm, cattle, jobs on the side, a student (and another one lined up). I decided to take a year off teaching ESL students, but sometimes I feel like I need to go back to not being at home with a baby and doing housework and helping Hubby on the farm all day. I know that sounds awful, but it's so exhausting!

Do you ever feel like you need a vacation from your life? :)

Just a video our my sweet, sweet, sweet Little One.

15 comments:

Jan said...

Wow, I have no idea how you manage to keep up with all you do. I can't imagine anyone criticizing you for any shortcomings. And like you I don't know why anyone would want to eat off of a floor anyway.

Unknown said...

Jan:
This is why I love you! Have you received your chocolate in the mail yet? :) I didn't send it by XpressPost, so there's no tracking number. The postal worker said it should arrive this week...unless the guys at Customs have decided to eat it!

robert said...

Being married to a 'city wife' provided many interesting moments for me - which certainly continue to appear ;)
Until I'll get 'used' to them, sit beneath our lemon trees, having a nice cup of tea, watching my son playing with small stones, he found in the garden.
Wish you much fun in the from now on starting adventure of life, sitting, surely soon walking, running, flying...
A holiday from life? - Well, of course thought much about it, in fact even today, only to run back home, listening to a "Papa, Papa" calling.

Jackie said...

ok, now i am ticked. next time someone makes a 'not so nice' comment to you.... smile sweetly and tell them, that your priorities are your daughter and husband first and what a great world it is that we all have different ones and how nice it would be if everyone respected everyone else's. And if that doesn't work, punch them in the nose=) heehee
I hear you though! Once a friend told me when I dropped in and her house was a bit messy, she said, "you are here as my friend and not as a guest."
And I loved that line. Plus, I figure if people don't like the mess, don't come back. ok, betcha you didn't expect that big vent.

Patti McK said...

I pray for a vacation from life everyday!! But it never comes... *sigh* Being a farmer's wife is a tiring job on it's own without having the responsibility of taking care of a (super sweet, beautiful, sometimes challenging, adorable..) little one and trying to keep some order in your house! I absolutely hear you my friend!!
My week has been going about the same as yours by the sound of it. Dealing with escapee cattle every day, trying to keep my house "clean" (we all know that doesn't happen), and trying to spend as much quality time as possible with my kids, all while my "farmer" husband is at work off the farm!! I sometimes feel very cheated, and I have even been known to become jealous of these moms who's only job is to look after the kids and the house. I would love that!!
Anyway, take care, and give me a call if ever you need to vent!

Calfkeeper said...

Add on the canning and gardening issues and I would say exactly what Patti said.

Sometimes I'm even jealous of those moms who can drop their kids off at a daycare and go happily and peacefully off to work. No getting crapped on by calves or greased up by tractors.

But then I think again and am happy at home.

Cherry said...

I hope this doesn't come off wrong, but I would LOVE to be a farmers wife, teacher and mother.
I know, grass is always greener, eh?
I know it is HARD work but don't you also feel a sense of balance in your life and accomplishment?
My life is so out of whack and unbalanced and I don't love much about it except the people in it. But I don't get to see them hardly so what's the point right?

But I do have to say that I am grateful that I can consider cooking, gardening, canning etc. to be fun things to do instead of chores or work.

See, I'm the person that is jealous of those who work with the earth for a living. Can I come be a student of yours?
All in all, I think we all wish we could take a vacation from whatever life we are living.

Cherry said...

BTW - I also think that shoveling snow and scraping ice off a car is fun, and I get a kick out of changing a babies diaper -- but I have never been able to wear heels gracefully.

Such a California city non-mommy girl!

Unknown said...

Robert:
Thank you so much for this comment! :) Made me smile.

Unknown said...

Jackie:
Tee hee! I <3 you! This comment also made me smile. You are right about the priorities. You mentioned before in another comment about kids growing up too fast and wanting memories being of spending time with them and not cleaning the house. Words to live by. I need to have that etched on my forehead...or on the welcome mat outside our front door! ;)

Unknown said...

Patti:
You know, I am sooooo glad to have you so close by! Even though we live 5 minutes away, we so rarely get together because...we're both busy on the farm and at home with the babies! It's still nice having someone so close who is going through the same things. See you soon! XOXO

Unknown said...

Calf Keeper:
Oh, your comment made me laugh! So true!

I guess there's a flip side to every story. I know my friends who have to go back to work right after their mat leave is up have a terribly difficult time going back to work. Then there's the issue of being at work all day and then having to rush home, pick up the kids at daycare, make supper, do dishes, bathe the kids, put the kids to bed...

I often wonder which is more exhausting. I guess in retrospect, I need to be thankful that we have a happy, healthy, beautiful baby girl and that I'm lucky to be spending quality time with her while I can.

I'll be getting ESL students in a few months, so it will be a 24-7 job since they live with us on the farm too. Add baby, home, farm, and other jobs onto that, and let's see how much a balancing act I can do :) Should be interesting. I'm thinking I'll ask my parents or Hubby's mom to watch the baby when I teach though.

Unknown said...

Cherry:
Oh, it didn't come across the wrong way at all!!! :) Thank you for posting this comment. You kind of helped me put things back into perspective. THANK YOU!

Sometimes the grass does seem greener on the other side and sometimes when things get so crazy, we just get a bit frustrated and discouraged. Thanks for bringing me back to earth. Hubby keeps reminding me that though a farming life is not an easy one, it's a rewarding one. He also reminds me how lucky we are to have a cozy home, a farm, beautiful land, a beautiful baby girl and each other. Must not lose sight of these things...even when the going gets tough.

J said...

God she's cute.

People who say things like that are stupid. Just remember me saying that next time it happens, OK? Think to yourself, "Julie thinks you're stupid". Then you don't have to feel guilty for thinking it yourself. ;)

Um, I went back to work when Maya was 4 months old, then was home for awhile longer after we moved, and then went back to work when she was about 10 months old. I hated working, really wanted to be home with her. Really wanted it badly. And yet, even then, I had to admit that working was SO much easier than caring for a baby. And with the house and the farm and the students and all? I cannot imagine how you do it.

Take some time every day to pat yourself (and your husband!) on the back for staying sane. You both rock.

Jinxy said...

I think you look great in your baseball cap and drill.

I don't know how you keep up with it all. I also only have one but not cows or farm stuff to deal with and I can hardly get anything done. In fact my Hubby has made dinner everynight since Lily was born.

From Our Farm to Your Table

Blog Archive

Farmers Feed Cities

You Can Find Me Here!




Affiliates

Brand Ambassador for

For Fellow Bloggers

Connect With Advertisers - Sign up for SocialSpark!
A Reliable Blogger

Proud Recipient

© 2006 - 2012 Life on Manitoulin. All Rights Reserved. Powered by Blogger.

About the Blog Author


City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
Contact Me

Les Boutons!

Life on Manitoulin: Just a bunch of ramblings from a city girl gone country!

Life on Manitoulin: Just a bunch of ramblings from a city girl gone country!

Let's Connect

Members

Support


Photobucket


Related Posts with Thumbnails