Today we celebrate the birth of my adopted country, the place that has been home for the last 6 years.  This afternoon we are celebrating with friends, but this morning I am celebrating a couple of silent hours alone.  This may seem a bit mean, to be pleased to be sitting in a silent house and knowing that Stephen is coping with both boys without help, but this is bliss.  I can feel myself decompressing; the quiet house (if not quiet surroundings, shhhhhh everyone!), the lack of demands, the room to think.

There is so much going on right now, we are trying to juggle the needs of the boys, keep up with school, keep up with home and housework and cooking decent food and the shopping and the bills and on and on.  And we are building a house, let’s not forget that.  All wonderful and part of our chosen life but also tiring and taxing and sometimes just a bit much.

So this morning Stephen swooped in like a guardian angel and said ‘You need this.’  As usual he is right.  So I will bake a brownie cake and try and squeeze in another batch of jam while taking a shower and putting a bag together.  Then I will drive, with the music of my choice playing, pick up my mucky family and head off to our lovely friend’s for a Canada Day bbq and swim.

Sound like paradise to you?  Me too.

Photo by Huwyl