teenage-man boy and mini- fork night

  

This last week it has been Tom's birthday. The last year of his teenage years gets underway and has left me thoughtful  about this time of both children leaving their childhoods firmly behind and assuming greater adult roles but at the same time there remains in all of us ( and at times especially me according to the kids) that desire to be and  want to act as a child...

...  So it was much hilarity that Rosie and I searched for silly pictures to adorn the wrapping on Tom's very sensible  grown- up gifts.  Duvet cover set, socks and undies and a lava lamp. How adult  are those presents?   He even expressed a genuine liking for them all - so polite. Well that's what you get I say when you don't offer any sensible suggestions of your own. Still birthdays have other redeeming features like going out for breakfast with your family and then because you are 19 and full of  sufficient self- belief you throw yourself another great party which  your friends later say was the best night out they had for a while. ( something your mother cannot even contemplate doing even in her wildest imaginings)

                                         

                           As I make this post I am having trouble matching up the photos and words so you will have to look down to see where the photos fit.  You may remember several weeks ago my wonderful find of a set of cocktail forks from the recycling shop at the tip for just $1? To make good on that find we decided we'd have a mini- fork party night on  Sunday. 

Here is what you do to throw an excellent most outrageously fun mini- fork party. 

1. Get yourself a set of mini- forks. 

2. Plan a mini - menu. ( cheerios, roast veges cut into tiny chinks, tiny salad tomatoes, and chunks of tiny cheese.)  Desert - a mini fondue - mini marshmallows and chunks of fruit in chocolate fondue made in  mini -fondue maker

3. Set the table with best cloth, nice candles you best mini china.

4. Eat only with mini forks.
5. Tell mini jokes between courses ( short jokes - one liners or knock- knock jokes)

6. Play one party game ( pin the tail on the donkey)

7. Play mini table soccer.

8. Clean up only a mini bit and leave the rest till another day.

Then when you're fully done your grown up part tells you to remember that moment, that time, that day because as the young adults go more than they come those times are fewer and further  between. All the more reason for your childish self to shamelessly cheat at pin the tail on the donkey, and to be the sorest loser at mini soccer. 

Here's to a week of moments to treasure.

Cheers Marg

                                         

Mirth and Mockery...

Now tell me please what does a person have to do these days to be taken seriously.  Anyone who reads this blog will know now that for several weeks I have been extolling the virtues of deep breathing as taught by Saga from Christchurch. What do I get for my trouble? Nothing but Mockery and mirthful laughter at my expense. Take a look at these cards produced for my birthday by Rosie and Miriam.

 Actually I found these cards very funny and Im happy to be a source of such ongoing amusement.   It's been a really nice Easter. A mixture of being at home - watching series one of Jonathon Creek ( another Weirs purchase) and another climb to the top of Mount Cargill. We went up to see Miri and Bill and the boys in the Maniototo and tonight I'm putting together a parcel to go back to Wellington.   Muesli, gluten free chocolate chip biscuits ( yet to be made) some homemade peanut butter ( which has already claimed the lives of 3 mice - figure that one out!) and these lovely collector teaspoons.( another Weirs score) I don't know if you can see but there is one from Port Chalmers and another  from Kingston - where we often used to take the kids on holiday when they were little. So both places have some old associations and hopefully fond memories. 
 A final word about breathing before I go. Focusing just a little for a few moments a day on my breathing before I go to work ,does I swear make a difference to my head space. I am noticing more consciously where my thoughts are - or more to the point where they are supposed to be as I get on with the day.   Anyway enough of that. Here's to week of not taking yourself too seriously !!   Marg

The Day after the Night Before (I survived a 21st)

8.45 Saturday morning there is a car honking outside my window. I'm still in bed - barely conscious - I'm supposed to be dressed and ready to go. My friend Toni is picking me up. Off for a day long course on learning dispositions and key competencies. She is getting impatient. I crawl to her car still in my PJs." Give me 2 minutes".I croak "and I'll be right there". I wish I could iron the exhaustion and sleep lines off my face. No luck!! That's what you get for having a 21st birthday at your house the night before.

They tell me they turned off the music about 2.30 AM and after the big ones went to town(Hey do any of you know that town only gets going at that hour?) Tom stayed up and cleaned up the lounge, cleared the dishes and sorted the bottles for the recycling bin. He's a good lad. It was a great night. Thank you so much Miri and Bill and Catherine for being family there with me for Rosies birthday.

It was a night I had in truth been feeling anxious about. Not the having friends and family round for dinner part. I'm good at that. I love that bit. No it was the after dinner bit. The PARTY bit!! That takes me way out of my comfort zone. Any insecurity I ever had culminates in hosting a party. Who would come? Do I know anyone who would want to come? What say no one comes?

As I heard today it was an opportunity for me to practise 'growthmindset' thinking. That is , do something that carries a risk of failure. I need not have worried. It was a really fun night. Some of my friends ,some of Tom's friends and many of Rosies friends were there. Everyone looked like they had a great time, nothing terrible happened and today Rosie said it had been  exactly as she wanted it to be. Very Good. One down and only one to go. Thank goodness I did not have 8 children. My parents were wise. They did not go in for parties. They saved themselves a lot of needless anxiety.  Now that I have mastered the art of Parties it's only dogs and flying that I need to feel anxious about.

Have a great worry free week.

Marg