Home and Hearth

Home again - thank goodness that last week is behind me. Running around Devon, Somerset and London seeing clients old and new, pitching for new business and trying to stay sane and healthy all at once - the ultimate multitasking challenge.

Big fat dollops of guilt. I can't beat it, it just keeps coming, when I have to travel for work I feel like the world's worst Mummy, yet when I am home and abandon my desk to spend time with the kids I feel guilty too!!!! I have to work to pay the bills and mostly work from home (PR and writing) but do also have to travel to the UK abandoning the kids, animals, home and hearth!!!! The man is more than capable and a darn good cook, housekeeper, business manager and primary carer when I am not there but I still feel crap about my double life. Any miraculous ideas most welcome. Too many balls in the air and rubbish hand eye co-ordination I fear!

Anyhow, I am in love with being home, the house is freezing , dusty and a tad shabby but the views are breathtaking, the feeling of safety wonderful and the fresh air re-vitalising - no more black bogeys (thanks London).



Kittens sleeping in the sun - flattening my chives

Old Leo dog snoring in the kitchen

A clean and tidy office after hours of re-jigging today

Chocolate and Gogi berry cereals bars made last night a big hit

Mango muffins - not so well received

Carnevale time - magical parties in San Giminagno
The sun is warming the spring bulbs
I feel some time in the veggi plot looming
Bags of pressies from friends afar (very spoilt kids)
Promise of more income - hooray
We ate our lunch in the garden today - wonderful.
Photos to follow.......

Hope

Today I am so sad because we have a lost dog roaming the countryside near our house, for three days he has been sitting under trees or lolloping through the olives. I have tried everything to encourage her /him to come to me I have put down food and water all over the garden / hillside but it is too timid. And now it is limping, I know if I call the forestry police they will probably shoot it as it is an injured animal but to me she is someones lost dog and needs love and help. I checked the food bowls this morning but they were untouched. I feel desperate for the dog and its owner, though it is probably a hunters dog who has lost it's way and they don't bother looking for them in all reality when they go missing. Also we have had no sleep as the girl has been crying all night with a poorly ear, in the end we boiled an egg and wrapped it in a wet flannel and held the warm egg to her ear which worked in getting her to sleep at 4am. But I feel that we will have to give in and go to the Dr today. I wonder if the stressful things are related to Mabon? Could the start of autumn mean a shift in priorities again, ie. home, hearth, health and compassion? Rather than work and money? Maybe a large mug of tea and a peice of paper will help straighten things out as to what to do first and re-align our focus.