Still Here

I thought I'd better pop in.

Just to let you know that I'm still here.

Started Semester Two this week, you see.  I've ploughed through admin guides, set up study folders, noted assignment due dates (and topics, gulp!), ordered printed materials, and tried to decide whether to buy required course texts (or just borrow from library - they will cost me about $160 total and we simply don't have the money - so far I am borrowing and will see how that goes!).

This on top of booking a physio for my poor back, finally sorting the craft and study boxes (three of them!) into some semblance of useful order and squishing the craft stuff into the hall cupboard and the study stuff into the office cupboard, half-sorting the laundry cupboard (hmm, really should get that other stuff out of the washing basket before we need to use it again!), listing various outgrown Munchkin items on Trademe, preparing for a big church event for Share (the church ministry I run), buying some Brolly Sheets so we can get Munchkin out of day-time sleep nappies, and persuading Munchkin that he can go to sleep without his dummy at night now (an ongoing concern - he is pretty motivated to get the toy truck on top of the kitchen cupboards and has been going without the D for day sleeps for a few months - the issue is really that he's finally sleeping through the night well and I don't want to mess with that, so we are just doing 'going to sleep without dummy' at present but getting it if crying in the night, then will ultimately throw it out).

Plus of course the usual grocery shopping, eating, sleeping, getting everybody up and dressed and to kindy on time, feeding chooks, weeding garden, making sure guinea pigs don't run out of grass...you get the idea!  Normal Mummy-ness in fact.  Grin.

I'm facing my biggest workload in the next 2.5years.  It's scary.  But I guess if I can do this, I can do the rest!

Things are having to be culled.

The bigger guinea pig hutch might remain pieces of wood in the garage until summer.
The half-finished blanket may stay as just that.  I will not stop knitting, by any means, but I don't have the where-with-all to get it finished in a month's time for shipping.  I need to just plod along, therapeutically calming my study-hyped brain with row after row of brightly coloured knitting.  No pressures, thanks.
The Operation Christmas Child boxes will also probably not make it to shipping.  A money issue more than a time one.
If I plant spring veges, they will be seedlings.  No growing from seed for me this year.
Dinners need to be simplified...so I'll be thinking about what worked well during Placement and focusing on those recipes.  That means I won't be making the delicious pumpkin pie a friend shared a recipe with me for.
Blogging will be a 'when I feel like it and have time for it.'  Hmm.  The interesting thing will be how often (or not!) those two variables combine in one week!  Grin.

Study is priority.  Passing is essential.  Being nice to my family is also rather important!  Taking care of myself, likewise.

I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of workload here.  Thought the first week would just be a bit of 'hi, how are you' stuff.  Huh.  Guess I was wrong.  I have 5 readings in one paper, 3 in another, and then I realised part-way through today that I'd completely forgotten about the existence of my double-semester paper!  Opps.  That could be problematic.  Note to self:  REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE THREE PAPERS THIS SEMESTER!  Do NOT forget again!!!

I will be here, lurking, as always.  You might hear from me.  Or you  might see a few pics from time to time.  But no promises of greatness.  Other than study greatness, of course!

Amy