Break up Break!

I need to log this for future reference… just like I have a tattoo to remind me of some life lessons!

As my break draws to a close (I think..) here are things I’ve done… no!… accomplished during this time!

1.       Spent 2 entire summer vacations at home with parents. That is an accomplishment considering all the lectures & advice I had to put up with, taunts & jeers … & indirect references from relatives that I had to field AND all the housework I did! Its not something I enjoy but I did it! I did it for my parents & for my children. Part of it, I feel, I did for myself… but I’m not totally sure about that..

2.       Did not react to taunts on not being a ‘contributing member’ in my family! (Apparently money is the only contributing factor). O yes! Accomplishment! Now this is important because its easier to react than to not. Also, there are relationships that once are broken cannot be fixed. I have earned my way to a reasonably stable position among my in-laws & its more peaceful this way than to be right & to be heard!

3.       Used a lot of forgotten unattended stuff that I had accumulated over all these years. The accumulation happened because I bought things I thought I needed but didn’t actually back then. 😊 But I’m glad I did. It kept me comfy during the break. :P

4.       Handled the kitchen like a boss! 😊 Got compliments for all the food I prepared for my in-laws during their visits. Got my kids’ breakfast and lunch ready & packed, got them ready for school, fed them & took them to the bus stop every day on time on my own. No hubby, no maid. All the other kids had maids & 2 available parents & were yet running to catch the bus – almost 10 mins after the bus reached our stop! I’m definitely happy with this one! Nobody has credited me for this, I realized one day & I properly schooled my hubby about this! But men never listen… correction – married men never listen. – well at least not to their wives!  

5.       Completed a course that was loooooooooooooooooooong pending!! It was on my to-do list for too long & it was something that restricted my confidence at work. Although this is only the initial course & I have to gain experience & do the second part as well, I still feel more confident because I understand the subject better. I hope I get to complete this one in another 2 years. That will be my endeavor.

6.       Crocheted! Made scarves and caps & sweaters, gifted them, got compliments, gave lessons… This could be a whole new career option if I have more patience & if I can increase my crocheting speed. What was also quite heart warming was a compliment I received from my doctor sis-in-law. She said it was a great hobby and could help prevent dementia, thanks to the hand-eye coordination involved in crochet! 😊

7.       Finished a book! This was the most difficult and my most prized accomplishment of the break. It took me more than 20 attempts to get started on that one book and it was not until a couple of months back that I really started reading it. Atlas Shrugged! & so did my brain!!

I was a huge fan of Ayn Rand once I finished Fountainhead a long time ago. That was during another break about 10 years back. I told myself I will read Atlas Shrugged because it was the more famous one. My brain was too hyper to go beyond a couple of sentences each time I tried. In the end, I completed 1064 pages in 2 months! Am I thrilled or what?! Pat on my back. I’m proud of myself. The important thing is to keep going. The way I got started was by completing 10 pages a day at least. It required a lot of discipline and it worked. So, I have to take up other books now & keep it going.  Just got gifted something that I wouldn’t normally pick up but… I never read any of the books he gave me. At least this one I should! I owe it to you, D!

8.       Painted! 😊 Now this is a tricky one because I’m not sure if the fact that I painted is an accomplishment or that I just completed what I started. Nevertheless, its done! I love to paint but I don’t really have the skill to paint free hand. So, I got myself a paint by numbers kit and completed it. The framed version hangs in our front room now & I have to say, I’m quite happy with it.

9.       Discovered diamond painting, completed one & got my kiddos to complete another 2. One is framed in my bedroom and the other 2 are in the kids’ grandparents’ houses. I think I’m about done with that fad.

10.   Tried my hand at aari embroidery. Long way to go before I can do it at a decent pace but I did complete one piece of embroidery & it was appreciated a lot too 😊

11.   Finally got the ceramic wind-chime I wanted for so long & just started painting it. Put it on hold because of a mind block. Have to finish that next week.

12.   Got a convection oven & baked chocolate chip cookies!!! Yippeeee!!! Also made pizzas. Now the only part of this plan that’s remaining is to bake a cake. I have about 2 weeks of break left & I hope to catch up on this one.

13.   Restarted my blogging! Huge tick on that! 😊

Wow! Putting that down in words is almost therapeutic!!