Mrs Smyth Gets a Life #1
My whole life I’ve had various hobbies that filled in quiet moments. Occasionally these hobbies would grow larger and larger until they required more supplies (a short lived quilting obsession) or allowed me to make a living from them (writing songs). It’s safe to say that most of them wax and wane and certain moods or seasons would bring them out to play again.
Then, I fell pregnant. I lost most creative urges, so I played out my list of booked gigs, fiddled about with some letterpressing and handicrafts and simply wanted to think about Being a Mother. How fulfilling it would be, growing and raising a human, with sunlight filled jaunts in the vegie garden and going everywhere with a baby. The baby wouldn’t cry because I’d know precisely what to do, because I would be It’s Mother. I’d wear my hair loose and flowing with no need for shoes…
That last bit’s a joke. I really like shoes. But can you see where I’m going with this…?
After my mad nesting flurries where I baked five dinner meals in an afternoon, made doona covers and matching chairs and canvas hangings for the walls and crocheted my firstborn a toy cat and washed and folded tiny pink clothes I was ready for a baby. I was ready to Be a Mother.
Then after an interesting labour, our daughter Millie was here. By week 12 I was beginning to have a handle on this whole motherhood gig. Then, I realised that I was…bored. Enjoying my time with Millie, but slightly resentful of those around me with hobbies and things to do. I wouldn’t call assembling cloth nappies a Rockin Good Time, but what did I call a Rockin Good Time? I had no idea.
So I started making lists. I love a good list, but I’m often too ashamed to follow through with writing them. Fun times huh? I made a vow to myself to indulge in writing a good list about whatever tickled my fancy. It makes me happy. So I do it.
So far, riveting topics covered have been various ‘favourites’, towns to visit and so on and so forth. See, I can’t even tell you interwebs.
But one list I will tell you about is one I’ve affectionately dubbed Mrs Smyth Gets a Life. It’s a frequently updated list of things I’d like to do, some small and some big. The first few were a bit like housecleaning… and one was ‘Finish the Plastic Bag Holder You Started in 2009’ (see picture). And I did. One Sunday I sat on the deck listening to the radio and crocheted until it was done. Glorious.
The next was ‘Sew a Headscarf’. I found a pattern and spent a day plonking the baby on the floor next to me while I tried to remember how to use my rotary cutter (thank you quilting obsession). I was chuffed with my efforts! It’s a big chunky so I’ll make another using a thinner material…but this was the only material I had. It matches my doona cover, chair and canvas wall hangings. (chortle)
Coming up this week is ‘ReRead ‘How To Have Your Second Child First’. Everyone needs this book I think… I’ll write more about it as I go.
So there you have it folks… Mrs Smyth Gets A Life… stay tuned.
