#MySundayPhoto – The Heat of the Moment

~ traceyatwaterintowine

 

Joining up today with Photalife for #MySundayPhoto. Just one photo and a few words. A bit of a change from my wordier posts – part of my push this year to write simply from my heart without over censuring or overthinking and to go ahead and just try a few new things.

www.waterintowineblog.com

Taken at Mollymook on the NSW South Coast,  this photo kind of sums up where my little household is at the moment. Kids are back in school but it feels like we still have our feet in the sand. The early starts and regular routine of school and home and after school activities and bedtimes (however loose they are in our house) aren’t sitting well with us at the moment.

We loved the freedom of the holidays, where days are low on structure and commitment and high on doing whatever we felt like doing. I’ll be the first to say that there can be something very grounding and comforting in regular rhythms and daily routines but so far we have been reluctant to embrace them. The heat doesn’t help which has cranked itself up a notch just in time for the kids return to school so I’m putting ice packs in the school lunches and there’s plenty of whinging about scratchy school uniforms and closed in shoes. It’s a tough call after a summer spent in shorts, swimmers,  thongs (as in flip flops) and tank tops  or if your Ethan and at home, just your underpants Axl Heck style.

We’re holding onto our freewheeling summer as much as we can despite what the calendar requires of us and taking all the shortcuts. I abandoned the book covering and went with the ready made slip covers with all the pretty patterns that Livvy was so admiring at the newsagents, we’re using paper plates and plastic cups some nights just to cut down on clean up and I’m doing only the bare essentials required to keep us all fed and clothed and the house running in some vague semblance of order. I AM packing school lunches and reading all the school notes because I’ve fallen foul of that one many a time before. Everything else? I’m not making any promises.

Higher on our priority list right now are trips to the pool after school when we can, sitting in the one air conditioned room in our house, anything liquid with plenty of ice, wet towels draped over us at night, and food that allows the least amount of time in the kitchen, like salads that come pre washed with the dressing and the crunchy noodles  included and all ready to go  – genius.  Yes I could pressure myself to be be doing a whole lot more and to be running a tighter ship as it is regular term time after all,  but frankly it’s too hot and I’ve just no heart for it at the moment. See our bodies may be back at school  and work but our hearts are still on holidays and I’m right in the middle of a good book.

So for the month of February till the heat passes and the routine kicks in I’m giving this little family a hall pass. Sometimes we just need to do (or not do) whatever it is  in order to save our lives and our sanity. (The occasional cooler day helps as well). So here’s to all of us giving ourselves a little grace and making the adjustments we need to see us happily through our current  season.

Any hall passes being handed out your way? Would love to hear.

Check out other My Sunday Photos here.

http://photalife.com/my-sunday-photo/

15 thoughts on “#MySundayPhoto – The Heat of the Moment”

  2. Love that deep blue sky – the perfect antidote for the grey skies, sleet and biting cold in the UK at the moment. Half my wife’s family are from WA, and I do miss being able to just stroll down the road to the beach!

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  3. Hi Tracey, just looking at your photo I can feel the warmth of summer, although it’s a little way off for us at the moment. That back to school routine is a bugger and throws everything out of sync. I hope it starts to cool down for you soon.

    #MySundayPhoto

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  5. Gorgeous. Stunning. No wonder you don’t want to be tied to a routine. I’d forgotten what it looks and feels like … I have half term this week and the thing I look forward to most is not being ruled by the clock. Working in a KS2 primary school, term time my life is ruled by the clock. Bleurghhh.

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  6. Funny, I’m wrapped in my faded blue robe and my feet are snug in wool-lined slippers! So your photo holds a special longing for me right now. But I hope things cool off for you and yours soon, my friend. Arizona is no stranger to the heat and I do sympathize with you.
    Ahh, routine. You either love it or hate it. Structure tends to be my constant companion. But I’m learning to embrace flexibility. (I have to with a self-employed husband!)
    I heartily enjoyed your words today, Tracey. Have a relaxed (aka: lazy) day.

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    1. Ooh sounds cosy Gleniece – every season has its silver lining and being able to wrap up all cosy is one of winters. Temps have dropped a bit today which is a vast relief to everyone. No doubt there’s a happy balance in there between being all easy breezy and being very structured. Oh we always have something to learn don’t we. Thank you my friend – lovely to hear from you. Stay warm x

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  8. Wow look at the gorgeous blue sky, I love that you are having summer and am very jealous, we are in the middle of a cold windy winter, which looks beautiful but doesn’t always feel as great. I love the different seasons but always get to February and start to crave the heat x

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    1. Christie thank you. I’m with you, I do love the different aspects of each season but I think February might be a hard month to push through whichever side of the world your on – we are all a bit over the heat here and over there you’ve had enough of cold and rain. A change in season is as good as a holiday I’d say. Thanks so much for visiting

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