Again, this is much later than I had hoped for to be writing my next post, but I'm going with the old cliche of better late than never! Seriously how do these cliches end up in our language and how long do they have to be around before we start thinking of them as old?!? The tunes I used to listen to as a teenager are now considered retro according to some music labels! Anyway I digress again....
The positive look is that time is moving quickly, but then this could be a bad thing as I've a few Christmas crafts I'd like to do before then and as its been over social media and on the TV there's not even 100 days before Christmas now and those of us who are crafters know how long even the smallest simplest things can take!
In line with that I've already started making Christmas stocking tree decorations! Now I've the debate of which charity I am going to donate to this year instead of sending Christmas cards out, plus anything that comes from the Christmas tree decorations. I try to think of a charity with which I have previously supported through voluntary work over the years or one which is close to my heart, whilst not repeating them in consecutive years.
Now it is (slightly) cooler and the hotter days are behind us (or so we thought but apparently - if you believe the weather reports - there's a mini heatwave due to hit next week!), hopefully the Uhthoff's syndrome can behave itself for a few months, and give us a rest from the influences the weather has on the MS.
Instead the mist/fog that surrounded us a few days ago decided it would be funny to behave like optic neuritis, when I get an eye (or both) that give the appearance of misting up and within a split second, clears, except it wasn't clearing up quickly. My brain was baffled! It truly felt like I was having to work harder!
Seriously if it isn't one season, its the other! But I did see (pun intended) the funny side to it, even if laughing to myself on the school run may not be socially appropriate, and could get the men in white coats involved!
This academic year has already led to so much more being available to my son after school with various clubs and groups - plus he's not as extremely tired as he was last year after school so can manage the extra activities without a major breakdown.
What no one told me though, was this can hit you harder than them starting school! I was one of those Mum's who didn't cry when my child started school, and I reckon I took it in my stride without feeling too lost.
Starting the after school activities however, I suddenly feel lost! All this extra time to do my crafts! Well maybe I should put a bit more time into my writing!
There is also the role that has taken on more importance - the taxi driver - taking my son to all the different events and clubs and picking him up. As long as the back seat driving isn't every single journey I will cope! Although he did tell Grandad the other day that he was driving too fast!
I would say the last couple of weeks of the holiday flew by and to some extent they did, but oh how the fatigue hit!
Its that dreaded unknown again; is this my new level of fatigue; is this fatigue from the Tysabri; or is it just that its the end of the summer holidays and my levels in reserve are running very low?
Whilst time will tell and will I ever truly know, its been time to implement back up plans!
During the last couple of weeks of the summer holidays I have managed to call on friends to help out, they've driven us to places for trips out (more like the children can play and we can sit and have a brew from the cafe and maybe, just maybe a piece of cake), they've kindly taken my son for me for the day and I can rest, and when I've not managed the housework to a standard (or at all) where you could welcome guests they've invited us around to their house instead for a play date!
Seriously where would I be without these people!
Now I love cooking, putting ingredients together to create a fantastic, flavoursome meal.
By the end of the school holidays I was putting together a meal from the freezer with the microwave! In my defence the meals are previously homecooked fantastic, flavoursome meals that I have frozen.
Relating back to the fatigue this worked well for us, there was a good selection of meals in the freezer from previous weeks and it got us through the final week generally healthily... the chippy visit may not have been so healthy!
I have carried on this type of cooking this week (minus the chippy - so far!) in the hope I can build up my reserves of energy. I'm sure by the end of the week I will be able to manage to rustle together a tuna pasta bake!
As for labeling school uniform... why did I leave it all to the last minute??! I went to label his school trousers, only to find I hadn't even washed them! Quick message to other school Mum's and to my relief others were sending their boys in shorts this week *pulling out his school shorts from last term*.
I sorted out enough school uniform for Monday and Tuesday telling myself I would do the uniform for the rest of the week AND all the extras of uniform whilst he was at school... I've done the uniform for the rest of the week. The rest has been labeled but is still in a heap un-ironed on the ironing board.
Now my little one is back at school, he is happy going in and his teacher is a character. He always welcomes them all into the classroom and acknowledges the parents/family/carers around which can't help but bring a smile to start the day!
Of course I'm going to miss my son being around quite so much, but I am going to be happy about a bit more rest; and maybe about being able to drive without a backseat driver for the whole week (only over another ten years of him being a backseat driver, then I can get him back!).
We got through the six weeks, we're both in one piece - that is each - although my son coming off the ramp on his bike and ending up with his bike on top of him and bruises and cuts everywhere was a close call. We've had fun, started new hobbies, and made memories of places we visited, and activities we did.
Now he's back at school and I need to make time for me to do the housework; clean; cook; iron school uniform; mindfulness; rest; hairdressers; and writing my blog on a more consistent basis!
