Gardens, children, blogging etc

I've been thinking lately of maybe giving up the blog. I feel as though real life is demanding my full attention. It is sort of good therapy to write things down but it's not anonymous (I have at least one work colleague who drops in) so I don't feel I can really let rip about stuff.

I have decided to make a big effort to be with the children more and give them better experiences than watching TV while I'm blogging or playing on the computer while I'm doing the chores. I've been reading an eye opening book by Maggie Hamilton called What's Happening to Our Girls, and it has made me think more about all the negative influences of marketing, teen culture, etc that they are subjected to. I tried really hard to turn off the tv and computer on the weekend (without laying down the law as that doesn't work too well in our household). The girls had a great time drawing, playing outside more than usual and sticking together cardboard boxes and toilet rolls to make "cameras". It helped that our lovely neighbourhood girl a couple of years older than E. who visits a lot is so good at pretending and creating with them. Mind you, as I type this, the girls have been eating dinner and are now watching a DVD. Oh well....baby steps.

I went with a school mum friend to her playgroup last week. I've neglected to do stuff like that with G as with two children and a dog, I seem to have less time for regular classes etc. I was active in the Australian Breastfeeding Association when G was born so all the get togethers I went to for that served as a great social network for both of us.

My friend's playgroup met at a local beach which has mud rather than sand but the kids didn't care and had a great time. It was so wonderful to watch G running around in the fresh air with the other children and enjoying a sense of freedom while the mothers sat on our rugs and ate the morning tea leftovers.

Here's a little update from the garden. The little snowdroppy things that my mother-in-law gave me (I think she calls them "snowflakes") have come up again in the fairy garden and look gorgeous nestled in amongst the moss (and weeds).

More excitingly, I have my first buds on my lavender bush. I planted it about a year ago and had sort of given up on it. It wasn't doing much and was overshadowed by the crazy passionfruit vine on the fence and the giant geranium next to it, but suddenly I have buds and can look forward to breathing in that relaxing fragrance whenever I am out in the garden and can run my hands over it.

The petunias in the front brick garden bed which Kipper can't really get to are flowering and adding some much needed colour to the front yard.

If I do retire from blogging in the near future, I'll still be enjoying what my bloggy friends are up to, especially Tammie, who is pretty much my sole faithful reader right now (no pressure, though, Tammie!)

Time to pay some attention to those pesky children (just kidding, girls).