Weekend Work

I was just wondering how many other professions spend most of their weekend working - essentially unpaid.  I do all my marking and preparation in the evenings after the kids have gone to bed and usually when marking season is upon me carve out time during the day on weekends where husband occupies kids and I do marking.
It mostly sucks because it means my freetime is actually spent working.   It isn't just me being inefficient - apparently it is a real problem with all Uni lecturers now.  See the link here which is more or less on this issue.  And it is worse for us casuals.
Oh well I should probably stop blogging and instead get back to marking and writing up next week's work.

10 years

So I recently celebrated ten years of marriage. I think I am allowed now to talk about what makes for a good marriage between a me and a my husband. I am not sure I am qualified to talk about what would make a good marriage for other people! But I can think of some things I would like to say...

Lesse if I can do ten...

1) He really does love me.

2) I really do love him

3) You don't have to talk about how you love each other all the time.

4) But you should take the time to kiss and touch and say the words every day.

5) Gestures mean a lot - stop talking about feelings sometimes and look at what he does.

6) Equality is what you are both comfortable with - not what someone else says is the right balance.

7) Give credit.

8) Giggle together every day.

9) Talk code to one another - develop your own couple language and use it to bind and to bond,

10) Apologise.

Hmm that was easy. Maybe I can keep going? Orrrr maybe not.

Blogging is hard work

I wonder why I thought I would have time to blog when I barely have time to do anything else? Ah well.

Update: have job interview for permanent full time position locally. Ironically if I got it my teaching commitments would be less as only one employer!

Secondly Unit Coordination is not much fun - no wonder no one wants the gig.

Am embarking on the process of applying for a PhD. If they accept me I will be truly mad.

Housework is not happening often enough so comes in large unwieldy chunks.

Marking is behind and overwhelming me.

Marriage? Well this weekend coming is good for it I hope. 10th anniversary dirty weekend!

Must get back to everything.

Semester Resumed

So semester has resumed in its full glory.  Six hours face to face at one Uni and 9 hours face to face at the other.  

Exercise has gone in the can.  We didn't even get through the first week before the youngest spent a Thursday night throwing up.  Then gastro meandered through the rest of the family.  By the time we recovered from it and the consequent sleep deprivation it was the weekend and sleep in time!  I sleep in Saturdays, Damien on Sundays.  But Monday hubby had to fly down to another state so we had to get up early so no time for exercise.  Got home from work too late Monday night and Tuesday too knackered from 100% on call parenting.  

If not looking after neighbours kid this afternoon I might try convincing the kids to come for a walk.  

However I have lost 3 kilograms now.  So woot.

New plan

Ok.  So now we are trying to set the alarm at 6AM.  Ugh.  It is winter here too!  And we take turns being the  on-call parent.  The non on-call parent has to get up and exercise.  If you stay in bed you turn into the on-call parent.  This way we can both fit in some exercise.  We tried it this morning.  I did a 20 min weights work out.  Felt good.  And not as cold as I feared.  Tomorrow I am on call parent. If the kids sleep so do I.  If they don't then I have to do the morning routine.

Wish me luck!  

Unreasonableness

I am sure there are people out there with children that are not unreasonable but nonetheless I feel compelled to list the things that people without young children ask that is completely unreasonable.

1) That you be on time.  Goodness knows I hate being late, but when you have young children things do not always go to plan - no matter how good your plan is.  Absolutely guaranteed that if you are running on time a poo nappy/diaper will happen just as you about to walk out the door.  A big smelly escaping poo that takes ages to clean and involves a change of clothes.

2) Keeping your young children quiet (at any time for longer than say 5 mins).  The reason is that children do not have impulse control.  If it is in their head it is spoken a second after, usually at maximum volume.  If they want to jump up and down then they will do so.  It is not naughtiness it is because their brain has not developed enough for their impulse control to kick in before the action does.

3) That they keep things clean/unbroken/untouched.  If you don't want an under 12 to touch it don't leave it out.  If they can reach it it will get touched.

4) Expect you to have a conversation when your children are present.  Sure we can, so long as it is realised that it will be interrupted, usually at the most critical moment in the conversation.  Kids have radar that way.

5) Stay up late (even if kids have gone to bed.  Two reasons.  I am tired - have spent the day with kids - that is exhausting.  Two: I have to be up first thing in the morning.  No sleep in to catch up (kids wake anywhere from 5AM onwards) and almost never get a chance to get a nap in during the day either.   So no I do not want to stay up past 11PM unless you want to be the one to look after the kids in the morning while I sleep in?

There.  Got that off my chest.  I am sure there are others but those are the biggies!

Cooking

I have to cook dinner most nights.  Especially now I have to watch what I am eating.  No more pizza dialed up for dinner.  

Anyway my problem is I have to cook for 2 young children, at least 2 adults and most nights a third adult.   On weekends another adult is not uncommon.  Sometimes 3 other adults and another child.  And everyone has food issues.  Driving me nuts.  As is inventory management.  Almost guaranteed that whatever I decide to cook someone will not like.  And no one apart from my husband is grown up enough (some are real children) just to lump it and eat it.  One of my pet hates is fussy eaters.  Young children I can understand (and have had from time to time) but once they reach the age of reason that is it I am afraid.  Eat your food even if it is not your favourite.  

If someone prepares food for me I eat it.  Even if it was beetroot and brussels sprouts.  Whole.  Boiled.  I'd ask for salt n pepper and condiments but otherwise I would eat it and thank them!!!!  Anything else IMHO is rude!