I thought this post could be a benchmark in among the last few weeks, and not mention real estate at all … well, maybe just to say James loved the house, and we’re going to bid at the auction. But onto more important things.

It’s interesting how life just goes along the way it does, and the more you try to impose your will on it, the less you’re able to. For a control freak like myself, that’s disturbing. Now I look back over the last few weeks, there’s been some kind of grand plan in the works - just not my own. One of the coolest things I’ve been experiencing is renewed enjoyment of the house I’m living in now, having disconnected myself from it altogether. Part of the renewed enjoyment has been housekeeping - I let the place become a disturbing rats nest of horror. Yesterday I weeded the garden - some of you who know me may keel over in shock (yes, Ria, I’m talking to you!), but my garden is now weed free - unless you count parsley, and frankly, if you do, don’t come to visit. Miss M helped me, and remarked “some of these are taller than me”. I soon realised some of them were taller than me. That became particularly clear as I had to use a spade to shear through root systems that went deeper than I’d imagined possible. So now my rubbish bin is full of green waste, and I can see all the way to the back gate unfettered.

The other thing on my mind is dressing to go out. We’re having work drinks on Friday night, and I normally bail out due to lack of child care. This time, I have an inbuilt babysitter, as my delightful mother is coming to stay. I’ve discovered it’s not a great idea to ask a precocious eight year old for fashion advice, because they might be a little more insightful than you’d like. At one point, after I’d suggested I just wear jeans, Miss M asked me how many times I’d gone out recently. I hedged my answer, and she told me I needed to be more experimental in my clothing choice. Knowing she was right, I pushed my jeans to the back of the drawer with a heavy sigh …

Today I’m loving: Ria’s coming to stay!