A day in the life

2008-09-10T11:27:42+02:00

I start to wake up at about 6.30am (when did this ever happen, I used to get up about 15 minutes before I needed to leave for work). I’m not in my own bed, I got pushed out during the night, first Lily came into bed, because she had wet hers in the night and then her brother (not sure why he appears). It’s a king sized bed but with 6’3” and two children I found myself with one foot on the floor.
By 6.45 I’m out of bed. I go back to my room to find only one child left in my bed, Freddie has gone back to his for some reason. I wake up Dad and go for a shower. The water is all but cold, we have a wood burning stove which heats our water and we haven’t lit it for three days.
Out of the shower and get dressed giving Dad another push to get out of bed on the way – he need to be out soon, because he has to be home by 3.30 to pick up the children off the school bus and he works 45 minutes drive away. And yes he makes it out of the house.
I go down downstairs to get the packed lunches for the children ready. By the time I’ve finished that they are both in the living room in front of the TV watching Dora the Explorer. They do have to eat something for breakfast – we aren’t very good role models here, it often a piece of toast in the car for me. Then school clothes on. Its raining so I have to find their coats. Out of the house for 8.40am. and walk down the road – I need to see one for their friends Mums, usually its just across the road to catch the school bus. This term it’s full of Little ones, last year Freddie was the only one form the reception class who caught the bus. This year the are five of them some days – they look so small on the bus.
Back to the house by 8.55 ready to get into the car for the hour long journey to work. I go to turn the car around and get go too far onto the grass opposite, it’s been raining and the edge of the grass is just mud. The wheels are spinning, can’t go forward, can’t go back. Half of the car is in the middle of the road, luckily it’s a quiet road. As I go find some bits of wood to put under the wheels to see if that will help my neighbour comes out and offers to give a push. At 9.04am I am on my way to work. I arrive in the office at 10.10am.
I leave work at 4ish and am home just after 5pm. Dad has been home since 3.30. there is a smell of cooking as I go through the door. The table is covered with flour, they have been making samosas.
Tea is veg. curry with rice and lentils (far too much rice and lentils), on the carpet in front of the fire, while watching the Simpsons. The children used to love rice and lentils – but today eat almost nothing. At about 7pm Dad falls asleep on the floor. The children and I go into the other room and start to look at stuff on the computer – sending messages to distant family members using facebook. They say good guilt tripping stuff “we love you”, “we miss you”.
Just before 8 I start to warn them its time for bed. Upstairs just after 8, much fussing about to get clothes off, teeth cleaned etc. We all lie in my bed for a story. Freddie has chosen three books, a Thomas the Tank Engine one which looks as if may have been in the bath, pages stuck together, unreadable, a book about animals – so once more we read about the differences between mammals and retiles and rehearse what is a vertebrate and what an invertebrate, and finally and Bob the Builder story. Then into their beds, first making Lily’s with clean dry duvet, cover and sheets, she’ll have to make do with her Thomas cushion as we have run out of clean pillows. Quick cuddles then sleep.
I’m back down stairs by 8.45. Dad is still asleep. I put some washing to dry in the cellar and put the weed on sheets into the machine – when will it all dry with all this rain? I empty and refill the dishwasher and handwash the pans. Dad wakes up about 11 we watch a documentary on Channel 4 then I go to bed about midnight – he is nocturnal, not sure what time he comes to bed.
I enjoyed listening to my new CD in the car - 3 Daft Monkeys, Social vertigo.

Comments

ending violence aginst women

2008-08-13T12:31:43+02:00

After over twenty years’ involvement in the women’s’ movement, including more years that I wish to count working paid and unpaid with women who have or are experiencing male violence (including 10 years as a volunteer with a Rape Crisis Centre), recent developments in my area have made me start to think that the priority now has to be reducing the incidence of violence against women. Much of what I’ve seen coming from government, local government and the health service strikes me as un thought through, not taking into account feminist perspectives and concentrating on “the easy to reach” known offenders. But we’ve had thirty years of supporting women (admittedly underfunded and under-resourced) and the violence continues. As a feminist what I want to work towards is a world in which women do not live in fear of sexual or domestic violence (and nor should anyone else). I see a need for a huge change in society that makes this form of behaviour as unacceptable as drinking and driving, I see a need for intensive work with young people about how they relate to each other. None of this should be at the expense of work with survivors, that is vital and has to continue and is desperately in need of more funds but ultimately I want a world in which those services are no longer necessary.Am I alone?

Comments

Welcome

2008-08-13T12:22:55+02:00

Hello and welcome

I'm in my forties and I guess feel a bit isolated due to work and motherhood (a recent development in my life).

I've spent most of my adult life involved in the womens movement in one way or another and am missing it, missing the friends, the debate the activism. I want to air my ideas and get feedback from like-minded women.

so here I am

Comments

purple parlour

A day in the life

ending violence aginst women

Welcome