Monday, September 21, 2009

Ready, set, RELAX!

It is the season of 1-day weekends. I work every Saturday until November 14. After work this Saturday morning, I went to an afternoon of Cub Scout Den Leader training. I became a den leader so I could be more involved in my son's activity, understand what is going on, and influence the quality of the programming. I had no idea how much time I would be committing that didn't involve him. In addition to the training on Saturday, I went to a 3 hour pack planning meeting on Thursday. Ugh! On Saturday night, I had volunteered to work at the drive-in, so I had a chance to come home, change clothes, eat a sandwich and collect the kids, and then I was off again. While there, one of the Board members (our drive-in is the nation's only non-profit community owned drive-in) mentioned that the Board was interested in asking me to serve. I'm trying to think of how many different ways I can say "No." While flattered, I am just so over-extended right now. I am still recuperating from 3 years on my son's daycare Board.

So, I vowed that nothing would get me out of the house yesterday. I was going to RELAX. It started by sleeping in until 9 AM. I didn't know I COULD sleep in until 9 - guess I was tired. After fixing a big "guilty working mother Sunday breakfast" and cleaning up, I settled myself on the porch with some coffee and a book. Aaaahhh! I love porch sitting! Each of my cats took a turn curling up on my lap, and I was "peaceful" personified. I was reading Jane Peart's The Pattern, the first of her 3 book American Quilt Series books.

It certainly isn't classic fiction; the characters are not very well developed and the whole thing reads as if it is designed for 13-year-old girls, but that's OK. That means there's no killing or swearing or gratuitous sex - how refreshing! There is not as much quilting in it as I had hoped, but perhaps books 2 and 3 will have more. After getting my fill of reading, I filled the crockpot for dinner, and settled in to sew. Here's what I got done on my scrappy star quilt that I am actually not working on, since I don't need to start anything new right now. ;)


While sewing, I listened to a Dick Francis book on tape. In addition to these blocks, I finished two more GGG blocks - I think I now have 10 or 11. I also managed to sew some patches onto my Cub Scout Leader uniform. (Not my favorite kind of sewing, mind you, but I felt guilty neglecting something that was supposed to be done while doing something that I wanted to be doing. Luckily for me, that guilty feeling didn't spill over enough for me to tackle my dirty floors or bathrooms.)

My only concession to motherly/housewifely duties yesterday (besides meals) was helping the kids clean and vacuum their room. Honestly, though, that isn't really work. They are old enough that all they need is some direction and they can get the room clean lickety-split. Then, I vacuum while they shriek and tumble and attack the vacuum with swords. It's actually quite fun! Then, after bathtime and bedtime stories, I wrapped up my sewing, tidied up my sewing space (I can't WAIT until my sewing studio is finished!), and slid into bed with a sigh. What a wonderful day!




5 comments:

Lane said...

Ahhhh, I feel relaxed just reading about it. My day was similarly not stressful. I spent a lot of it quilting leaves and flowers and catching up on several seasons of the TV show Bones. But, most of my reading was Sydney reading to me. It's our newest thing. She reads while I quilt. It's almost as good as a book on tape. Lane

Nancy-Rose said...

ACK! You're killing me! I soooo want to do this quilt with you!!!

I'm just taking a ten minute break from reading a kazillion pages on Keynesian economics, globalization, and ethics (when will I get to something juicy???) - - and you're just torturing me!!

Ah well, I'll quilt vicariously through you this next little while.

Nancy

Angela said...

Erin, you will not regret being your son's Den Leader. Jim was David's den leader for all 5 of his years of Cub Scouting (David is now in Boy Scouts) and there was ALOT of work, but the joy is immeasurable! Folks do not realize how much going on behind the scenes - Jim was in charge of his den and campouts, and I was the Pack Treasurer for 3 years. But I would never give up the time we all spent together. The girls went along for most of our adventures, too... :o)

Kim said...

Okay Erin.....I'm a bit older than you..okay a lot older but if there is one thing I wished I learned earlier it would be the ability to say "NO".
You are busy enough with the boys, the house the job, trying to have a hobby, scout leader....you have to say "no" to more than what you already have going! Think back to being on a board....its hard work, time consuming and usually costly too.
And the holidays are on the way.......
Just say no and don't feel guilty.
Your boys are growing up fast so spend more time with them now.....they'll be grown before you know it!
Happy sewing

Kim said...

Oh I was so dizzy by being up on my soap box I forgot to say...love this quilt ...can you share the unit sizes?

And did we learn which twin is you?

Quilty Hugs,
Happy Sewing