Well after coming home from ProBlogger all motivated things haven’t gone so well with my blogging have they!? Oh well, I am here now so lets get on with it and have a good old natter. It seems my internet is playing nice this morning so lets do this.
Things are still going well in the kitchen and I haven’t been a total nutcase yet. I really am waiting for the cheese to fall off my cracker (a saying Mr Chardy likes to tease me with, ha ha ha – it is true though). I have taken all of your lovely messages on board and I am being kind to myself. It is working and I am so much happier. I think something else has made me rethink my attitude too…. I revisited the book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. Have you read it?
I read it years ago and it really is fantastic. Can’t recommend it highly enough. Every single thing written in there is so true and when I was reading it I kept thinking “has he written this just for me”?
Rules of Engagement
I was reminded of this book last night while chilling out on the lounge after returning from the kitchen. I needed a bit of mindless TV to relax before bedtime so I watched Rules of Engagement. God I love that show – it is hilarious. The main characters are a middle aged-ish married couple, without children, named Jeff & Audrey. Every time I watch it I think they are exactly like Mr Chardy and me. She is always getting frustrated with him because he won’t listen and he gets frustrated with her when she is annoyed with something. It got me thinking…. I am pretty sure the man who wrote Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus actually wrote this tv show too! It is like a walking talking version of the book.
Just one quote from the show last night by Jeff: “My wife was upset, I needed to fix it…. when you take your car to a mechanic you don’t say – don’t fix it just hug me”…. so Jeff is always trying to fix Audrey’s problems when all she really wants is understanding, reassurance and a hug, she doesn’t need him to fix things. And this my friends is exactly what the book is all about. When I was down in the dumps I think it was escalated because I kept wanting Mr Chardy to understand and just give me a hug, but when you read the book you understand that they just don’t work like that. You also understand how to deal with them when they aren’t all that happy. It was such a light bulb moment… oh god, would you listen to me, somebody stop me… lets move on….
The Bachelorette
I need to talk to you about another trashy TV show I started to watch last week…. now, don’t judge me, lord knows I am judging myself …. it is … The Bachelorette. And after paying out so much on the Bachelor I can’t believe I am now hooked. They have totally reeled me in. Did you watch it? Please tell me you did and I am not the only one. My picks are Dave (the Plumber) and Sasha. I know it is all a game and believe it is totally scripted and I also think they plant a few dick heads in there. My pick for the planted dick head is that international model…. what a wanker. And not even one bit attractive, I can’t stand to look at him, he thinks he is some sort of god. It is hilarious. Who are your pricks…. oops I mean picks?
This Glorious Mess
Now tell me, are you on board with this podcast – This Glorious Mess? If you aren’t get on with it, I am telling you – it is brilliant. If you are a parent (or even if you are not – my Govie loves it too) you need to listen. It is so funny and everything they say is so true. It isn’t about perfect parenting it is about the glorious mess that parenthood is. They don’t sugarcoat anything and they tell it how it is, I think that is why I love it. You know I like to keep it real, and they do too. A new podcast comes out each Friday and last week they were chatting to Jessica Rowe. She definitely keeps it real and has a new hashtag on her Instagram: #CrapHousewife – ha ha ha. I love it. She doesn’t claim to be able to do it all and she certainly doesn’t claim to be a domestic goddess who packs one of those amazing (or ridiculous) lunch boxes straight off Pinterest. She does claim to do a lot of lunch orders and believes you can’t beat a packet of Shapes thrown in for good measure. She has stopped trying to force her fussy children to eat healthy meals and just gives them what they want.
Holly also agreed with this and I am right there with you guys – as Holly said – we can waste a lot of time grating vegetables and trying to create a yummy healthy meal for our children only for them to refuse to eat it. The only thing this achieves is us as parents getting really really angry. I don’t think we are angry that they won’t eat it, we are really angry because we just wasted all that time and food making something they were never going to eat anyway. I have don’t this so many times, I have even tried to force the food into their crying mouths…. OMG – who am I. I am shaking my head remembering that one. Well – no more people…. I am over it and just give them what they will eat now, and guess what – they are ok and they are happy, and so am I. They will survive, I am pretty sure of that, and one day they might even eat properly. Who agrees?
What else has been going on? Lots of cooking. Look Aileen, I tried my hand at your cream buns and they turned out ok, they ate them anyway. I don’t think the rolls were as good as yours, but it was my first try.
The kids are enjoying school holidays and I am enjoying them too because Miss Gabby has been helping me so much, that lady is worth her weight in gold, what a worker. Amazing. I know anything I ask her to do will be done above and beyond my expectations. It has been so great to have her help. I am sure she has enjoyed a little break from the school room and all of Tom’s questions too. Does anyone else have a boy in year 5… and do they have serious attitude at the moment? Will it pass?
Right, I am sure, if you have made it down this far you really do have better things to do than listen to me ramble on. If you have made it this far – thanks for listening. It is great to be back, now I need to get back into some sort of routine. Off for my morning walk now.
How are things going in your part of the world?
Glad the cheese is still atop the cracker Chards.
Not much happening here. We spent last week camping and so I’m spending this week trying to catch up. It seems that left to it’s own devices the cookbook will not write itself, which is quite a disappointment! 🙂
Those cream buns look delicious – you’ve inspired me…
… to stop at the bakery today! 😛
A x
Thanks Amanda… I can’t believe the cheese is still on the cracker and no sign of falling off yet, and if there is a sign I just take a deep breath and “let it go….”. Oh I wish I could come on one of your camping trips you lucky thing. Hope you had a wonderful time. No that cookbook won’t write itself my dear… maybe a cream bun will help you along! Go and make one you clever thing. 🙂
Lovely to hear from you and glad all is well in your neck o’ the woods! I loved that book and the other one I loved was The Five Love Languages – for which there is even a kids version i.e. understanding your child’s love language. It really helped me understand myself and those around me better. This whole relationship thing can be pretty tricky sometimes!
Hi there stranger… I haven’t actually read the Five Long Languages but I know what you are talking about, I should get it and read it.
Rules of Engagement is the bomb and I’m sure I’m married to Jeff. How hard is it to just give a hug?
Ha ha ha, I absolutely love it too, every time I watch it I feel like I am watching my own life, too funny!
Just checked your page to see if there was a post an nothing and I thought I hope chards is ok and then over to fb and there you are. Also glad to hear the cheese is still on the cracker.
Hi Lisa…. so glad you are still checking in to see if I am still here… has been a while hasn’t it. My internet has just been so slow, and it has been nice to have a break too. Thanks for saying hi and reading! 🙂
My husband doesnt watch too many TV shows but he loves Rules of Engagement and so do I. We both have a great laugh at Jeff and I reckon it is the fact that he is right on the money with everything he says and does. I am enjoying a day off work. I could be working but spending a day with my daughters is more important and it is me also being kind to myself.
Go you… we all need to be a little kinder to ourselves… it is definitely working for me! You are so right about Jeff. He cracks me up and reminds me so much of Mr Chardy… Mr Chardy couldn’t give a toss what anyone thinks about him and doesn’t think he needs friends… I am the opposite, ha ha ha.
I’m glad you haven’t dropped your cheese. By the way, what a great saying. I am glad you are coping in the kitchen and those cream buns look delish. It was great to see your post today. I guess that is the thing with being busy, no time for other things. I might have to read that book, I’ve never gotten around to it. Enjoy the rest of the school holidays.
Ha ha ha, my husband came up with that saying Anne, and now my kids say it too… “oh no, Mummy’s cheese is falling of the cracker”. ha ha ha. That book is fantastic Anne, I think everyone needs to read it.
Yay…I was so glad to see your post in my inbox! Also happy to hear you are being kinder to yourself. I never read the book, but I remember watching a talk show (maybe Oprah) about it. So it didn’t feel quite so weird when my husband got me a vaccuum cleaner for Christmas. He truly felt that since it would “make my life easier” it was a great gift…lol.
Ha ha ha, a vacuum cleaner – what a game man, too funny, but yes – they do mean well. Great to hear from you Heidi.
Glad you are still in the land of the living Miss. Chardy. Will we see you in ‘The Weal’ this weekend?
Oh Meldie, you have no idea how excited I am about seeing you this weekend…. are you staying for a Sunday Session? See you Sat. xx
Yay! You are doing fab! 🙂 And the cream buns look amazing!
Men are from Mars…. and sometimes, I friggin wish they had stayed there!! Exhibit A: Guy I have been seeing (for 6 months) told me to move to be with him…. 12 hours later; he says, sorry I actually don’t have feelings for you…… AFTER I HAD SAT AND WATCHED 80 MINUTES OF FN FOOTBALL AND 2 EPISODES OF MASH WITH HIM…. seriously, he could have told me before that!! Or before I drove 2 hours to hang out with him. (I swear my friends only keep me around for my disasterous, but ridiculous, dating stories!)
So anywho….. lol I am actually really great 🙂 AND happily back on the market, so if you know of a man with a plan / knows what he wants …. give him my number 😉
Oh Evie…. bloody hell! Football and Mash, that is 110 minutes of your life you will never get back, ha ha ha. Glad you are going ok though. 🙂
lol exactly!!
I should have known something was up, he was trying to kill me with boredom!!
Ha ha ha ha, and yet still 110 mins you will never get back, ha ha ha ha. Onwards and upwards my friend.
Hi Miss Chardy! Yes, you do give up on vegetable extravaganzas in lunchboxes after a while, my kids eat salad sandwiches now, but it did take them a longtime to recover from chips sandwiches, oh i mean vegemite sandwiches rather. I just figure they will eat like grownups one day, i remember hating vegies when young, now i enhale vegie stir fries and thai food like there is no air tomorrow. You can still get smart alecs in high school, but older they seem to get, the more they are showing remorse, evenafter a day or two i have found, so you can reason more wih them (usually). You also can laugh will older kids more too on good days, when you can more than a groan out of them! A good laugh at a good show helps i find too! That with a glass or 2. I think we all lose it sometimes, sometimes multiple times per day actually. Oh my goodness, i think i partook in the art of stuffing mouthfulls of food into toddler cake-holes when kids were having vegie tanties once…..or twice , back then lol!!!! 😉
Ha ha ha, glad I am not the only one Miss Twinings! Oh and I am so glad I don’t live in town and have to pack a lunch box… lord knows what they would get. Probably a lunch order every day! Great to hear from you!
I haven’t had a cream bun since about 1981 … drool! Don’t judge me but I’m LOVING The Bachelorette. Wednesday and Thursday nights best nights on TV!! x
Ha ha ha ha, go and grab yourself a cream bun, you won’t be sorry! Oh and as for the Bachelorette… they totally sucked me in, I am all over it… who is your favourite? I think I am going to need to speak weekly about this on the blog just to get everyones favourite. Sasha…. oh Sasha… could he get any hotter? And what about that cute little soccer player who looks about 16 not 34! I do love Dave the Plumber too. Can’t wait to watch it tonight. 🙂
Oh good on you, I did have a thought you might have packed your blogging bag in. Glad you are back! I do like reading your posts. It’s like having a chat! I hear you on the husband thing. Women just want hugs and to have a bit of a cry and they just like to ‘fix’ things. Might have to read that book! Xx
Oh Mrs T, you won’t be sorry if you get that book – it is fantastic. You will be nodding at every single page, I am telling you now! I thought you might have all thought that I had given you all the flick but no… I am still here.
Men are from Uranus, now that’s a book I want to write – in fact I’ve just given myself a good idea. They really quite useless at giving us what we want, well at times. So lovely to have you back in my inbox, what’s new with me, another surgery next week, HYPERTENSION and lots of other boring crap. Love you long time xxx
Oh no Em. Good luck with the surgery! God I think you are my husbands Twin… he always calls that book: Men are from Mars Women are from Uranus, ha ha ha ha.
I listen to This Glorious Mess while I’m running:) I could listen to Andrew Daddo all day, everyday!!!!! What a man!!!!
It is one of my all time favourite podcasts, I love Andrew too. My other favourite podcast is Two Fat Expats.