'The oil is there purely for your pleasure as you do your laundry' - the perfect generosity of the thinking of this. And so yes to the excellent sadness of making ourselves redundant
I feel the school run pain but I don't have it anymore and I miss it so much. You are clever though, our job is to make ourselves redundant, so we can only clap our own backs when they disappear into the sunset. (Oh, but the sobs we still sob.... )
Your description of your son leaving for the bus in the dark was just perfect. Have also been feeling those feelings waving my own Year 7 in the (civil) twilight - it doesn’t feel very civilised x
Oh, as the parent of an eldest child in year 6 this both makes me hopeful for the future and feel the impending sadness just on the horizon. I’ve been trying to practise being more hands off and letting them fail a bit more this year - oh, but it’s hard!
My children are grown with their own children now but I remember well the debate over how far we went to help them. On one occasion my husband sneaked into the school after hours and, dodging the janitor, managed to get into our daughter's locker to retrieve a much needed text book. He only did it because he knew the teacher was an absolute dragon and would have made our daughter's life miserable. I know he actually really enjoyed the challenge.
So heart breaking all that morning bustle. When I saw my grandson’s stiff upper lip this morning my eyes filled with tears. Here’s a poem so we can all wallow a bit more:
Walking Away
It is eighteen years ago, almost to the day – A sunny day with leaves just turning, The touch-lines new-ruled — since I watched you play Your first game of football, then, like a satellite Wrenched from its orbit, go drifting away
Behind a scatter of boys. I can see You are walking away from me towards the school With the pathos of a half-fledged thing set free Into a wilderness, the gait of one Who finds no path where the path should be?
That hesitant figure, eddying away Like a winged seed loosened from its parent stem, Has something I never quite grasp to convey About nature’s give-and-take — the small, the scorching Ordeals which fire one’s irresolute clay.
I have had worse partings, but none that so Gnaws at my mind still. Perhaps it is roughly Saying what God alone could perfectly show – How selfhood begins with walking away, And love is proved in letting go.
Watching children grow must be full of those poignant moments. I’d started making my own washing powder from a recipe in Nancy Birtwhistle’s book and I wouldn’t want to go back now. Having moved from beautifully soft Yorkshire (I’d never de-furred a kettle before then) to hard Lincolnshire I despaired of ever having soft clothes again. She leaves out the salt but adds a squirt of washing up liquid. What does the salt do, I wonder? Off to research.
I'd love to see your recipe Moira. I have no idea what the salt does...I'm just heartily relieved not to be using all those chemicals in the big box ones
Me too. The only thing I’ve had no success with is dishwasher powder, leaves white marks over everything and goes solid. I read later it’s impossible as the anti-caking ingredient used by manufacturers will get you a swift visit from a certain branch of the police force if you try to buy it off the internet 🫢. I’ll look it up and post.
Thanks for sharing the recipe. This is something that I've been meaning to do for a while, so a timely reminder for me to get my act together. I'll try the geranium oil, sounds divine.
I completely agree with your son that humans should not have to be up and about whilst it is still dark but here we are😩 I can't see it changing any time soon. My children have been out of school a number of years now but I do remember packing them off like mules! Games kit, food tech stuff, plus what seemed like an entire week's worth of books, oh and lunch boxes! Rarely a week would pass without me having to pop to school with something forgotten but essential.
Many thanks for the laundry powder recipe. I am excited to give it a go. I used to make laundry "gloop" (that was it's name and honestly should have set alarm bells ringing) and I managed to block the pipes twice. Your recipe looks much more suitable. Isn't geranium essential oil devine😌
The jeopardy of the school bus thing is heightened because his school is MILES away…if he forgets something I can’t just go and deliver it easily. I wonder if, being a few years out of this phase, you now remember it nostalgically? I am currently wishing it away 😬
Oh no not really (is that awful? Probably) we were lucky that we did live close by but it didn't stop me from getting throughly fed up having my (me time) interrupted! I can totally understand wishing it away, it's stressful to both parties.
I forgot to say last week re favourite smells. Though I'm pelargonium mad , particularly for the scented type the ones that really get me are your average bedding type. The spicy scent gives me butterflies in my stomach . Just adore the whole family. 💕
Please can I come and live in your house Laetitia xxx
YES but WARNING there is a LOT of shouting at 6am
No problem, I’m always up by then. Just packing my bag….
SAME
Imagine the fun
'The oil is there purely for your pleasure as you do your laundry' - the perfect generosity of the thinking of this. And so yes to the excellent sadness of making ourselves redundant
The real danger comes when we don’t let them mess up…that’s perilous, but still … how SMALL they are 😫
I feel the school run pain but I don't have it anymore and I miss it so much. You are clever though, our job is to make ourselves redundant, so we can only clap our own backs when they disappear into the sunset. (Oh, but the sobs we still sob.... )
THE SOBS!
Your description of your son leaving for the bus in the dark was just perfect. Have also been feeling those feelings waving my own Year 7 in the (civil) twilight - it doesn’t feel very civilised x
HUGS to all year 7s everywhere xxxxxx
Oh, as the parent of an eldest child in year 6 this both makes me hopeful for the future and feel the impending sadness just on the horizon. I’ve been trying to practise being more hands off and letting them fail a bit more this year - oh, but it’s hard!
😫
My children are grown with their own children now but I remember well the debate over how far we went to help them. On one occasion my husband sneaked into the school after hours and, dodging the janitor, managed to get into our daughter's locker to retrieve a much needed text book. He only did it because he knew the teacher was an absolute dragon and would have made our daughter's life miserable. I know he actually really enjoyed the challenge.
SUPERDAD!
So heart breaking all that morning bustle. When I saw my grandson’s stiff upper lip this morning my eyes filled with tears. Here’s a poem so we can all wallow a bit more:
Walking Away
It is eighteen years ago, almost to the day – A sunny day with leaves just turning, The touch-lines new-ruled — since I watched you play Your first game of football, then, like a satellite Wrenched from its orbit, go drifting away
Behind a scatter of boys. I can see You are walking away from me towards the school With the pathos of a half-fledged thing set free Into a wilderness, the gait of one Who finds no path where the path should be?
That hesitant figure, eddying away Like a winged seed loosened from its parent stem, Has something I never quite grasp to convey About nature’s give-and-take — the small, the scorching Ordeals which fire one’s irresolute clay.
I have had worse partings, but none that so Gnaws at my mind still. Perhaps it is roughly Saying what God alone could perfectly show – How selfhood begins with walking away, And love is proved in letting go.
C Day Lewis
Oh my. Thank you. 🙏
Watching children grow must be full of those poignant moments. I’d started making my own washing powder from a recipe in Nancy Birtwhistle’s book and I wouldn’t want to go back now. Having moved from beautifully soft Yorkshire (I’d never de-furred a kettle before then) to hard Lincolnshire I despaired of ever having soft clothes again. She leaves out the salt but adds a squirt of washing up liquid. What does the salt do, I wonder? Off to research.
I'd love to see your recipe Moira. I have no idea what the salt does...I'm just heartily relieved not to be using all those chemicals in the big box ones
Me too. The only thing I’ve had no success with is dishwasher powder, leaves white marks over everything and goes solid. I read later it’s impossible as the anti-caking ingredient used by manufacturers will get you a swift visit from a certain branch of the police force if you try to buy it off the internet 🫢. I’ll look it up and post.
750g Washing Soda
625g Bicarbonate of soda
250g Epsom Salts
1 tbsp washing up liquid
Essential oil of choice but not citrus (cakes for some reason)
Ok I may give this a go and add some washing up liquid! Thank you so much 😊
Thank you. I’m v undomesticated but intrigued by the recipe…does the powder go in the drawer or directly into the drum? Sorry!
I put it in the drawer but honest I don’t think it matters!
Cheers
Thanks for sharing the recipe. This is something that I've been meaning to do for a while, so a timely reminder for me to get my act together. I'll try the geranium oil, sounds divine.
Do let me know what you think and YES to geranium oil forever!
I completely agree with your son that humans should not have to be up and about whilst it is still dark but here we are😩 I can't see it changing any time soon. My children have been out of school a number of years now but I do remember packing them off like mules! Games kit, food tech stuff, plus what seemed like an entire week's worth of books, oh and lunch boxes! Rarely a week would pass without me having to pop to school with something forgotten but essential.
Many thanks for the laundry powder recipe. I am excited to give it a go. I used to make laundry "gloop" (that was it's name and honestly should have set alarm bells ringing) and I managed to block the pipes twice. Your recipe looks much more suitable. Isn't geranium essential oil devine😌
The jeopardy of the school bus thing is heightened because his school is MILES away…if he forgets something I can’t just go and deliver it easily. I wonder if, being a few years out of this phase, you now remember it nostalgically? I am currently wishing it away 😬
Oh no not really (is that awful? Probably) we were lucky that we did live close by but it didn't stop me from getting throughly fed up having my (me time) interrupted! I can totally understand wishing it away, it's stressful to both parties.
Thank you Laetitia for the laundry recipe. I will be making this. Look forward to your Monday musings 💕💕
I forgot to say last week re favourite smells. Though I'm pelargonium mad , particularly for the scented type the ones that really get me are your average bedding type. The spicy scent gives me butterflies in my stomach . Just adore the whole family. 💕
They are the BEST
Let me know how it goes. I also look forward to the chats we all have in the comments here - thank you for reading x
I’m going to my cupboards now to seek out the ingredients and make your washing powder great idea can’t wait to try it.