Impossible Princess
The week that was
Dear diary,
We have all been visited by the sickness that originated from Seren’s talking class, so in my head I’m creating a survival plan for the week. As is my plan for most weeks - just get through. Simon will be interstate for work which oddly enough seems to always align with one of us being unwell. I’ve been reading on TikTok (amazing source Minna) about radical acceptance. It’s some sort of psychological skill that helps you accept your reality or a situation as it is without any judgment or, in my case, spiralling. I think it could be a good thing for me to practice - going into a week without all the what ifs, buts, why mes, and catastrophising that come with anxiety. So we all have a cold. I can survive a week of looking after Seren, working, taking him to his talking appointments, and attending a meeting for my exhibition with a cold, no matter how rubbish I feel. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again. It’s really, truly and frankly, not the end of the world and I need to enforce that in my brain often.
As always my parents have been a huge help. Today despite me being unwell Mum has taken Seren (who honestly now seems completely fine) to visit my sister, and has hung out with him all morning. My brain says “Mum will get sick now and then I’ll feel guilty and then I also won’t be able to ask her to help me during the week” (even though she’d help despite anything) but. The acceptance thing. *insert zen image of a babbling brook* I cannot change what I cannot control (is that the quote?)
Another way my parents have been helping our current state of overwhelm is to offer to host Seren’s 2nd birthday party at their house, which has taken a real load off. We hosted his 1st birthday at our place and it was great, but we usually need to utilise the outdoor area for it to feel spacious enough. As it’s winter it’s a bit cold, and to have everyone cooped up indoors of our small place is just all a bit impractical and uncomfortable. Plus we have neither time, money or energy to do the ‘fix up around the house things’ we’d like to do before hosting anyone. With the pressure of having it at our house gone, I can focus on the fun things - food, decorations, presents. I decided it’s going to be a bee themed party, because Seren loves bees, and he’s still too little to tell me what kind of party he wants, so I take great joy in choosing. My little sister has beehives at her house so she says she’s going to come in her bee suit, haha. I also said she should bring some bees on little leashes but turns out that concept doesn’t exist/isn’t super ethical (there is a video on YouTube of someone putting a DIY dental floss leash on their bee but I don’t think it ended well)
Since we finished our garden we’ve had so many bees in it, and ladybugs. We only have the yellow ladybugs though, which after much research (just now) I’ve learnt that the yellow and orange ones are in fact an invasive species! A childhood fever dream memory that I’ve harboured for many years was picking up a ladybug and being bitten by it, which as an adult never made any sense to me. Apparently the yellow and orange ones bite, so that now checks out - glad I’m not mistaking dreams for reality. Regardless, Seren loves the bees and the yellow ladybugs. So while yellow and black is not my favourite colour combo, that is the colour scheme that makes the most sense for the party! I’ll add in some white and some daisies too just to soften it a bit (my preference..!) My little sister offered to make a cake too which is literally amazing. Family is the best!
Looking for bees and ladybugs!
Socks from my sister for Seren!
Got this vintage colouring book at Savers and it’s been a huge hit this week. I did a TikTok to showcase inside it, you can watch here!
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Two outfits from the week, below. I can barely look at my hair in the first pic. I’m having a serious hair crisis atm, trying to recover from a bad haircut and tempted to cut it all off into a lob? Bob? bol? But I loved my long hair until this hair cut… he used the thinning scissors.. always death. And added like an inch of hair to my fringe that I’m trying to now grow back out. Enough said.. If you can recommend a hairdresser or you are a hairdresser who is close to the 3072 postcode please DM me on Insta?
Pink dress is the gift I mentioned last week from Obus :)
Washing stuff for Depop. Love these pants.
And, a moment of appreciation for my Mum who made over our childhood cubby for Seren. He is OBSESSED with it and will drag anyone down there to play. Here’s a video I did on TikTok of it, and here are some pics!
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Watching/Listening:
I watched the Kylie Minogue documentary on Netflix the other night. Absolutely obsessed, the vintage footage was incredible. Kylie and Dannii’s duet on Young Talent Time singing Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves is everything. I didn’t love Nick Cave’s chosen descriptor ‘evil’ about Kylie’s teen fans, and how much he harped on about it. I don’t know him really so maybe it’s some sort of sense of humour or inside joke I didn’t get. Also, I was shocked to hear everyone, even somewhat Kylie herself!? Describing the 1997 album Impossible Princess as a failure. Did it Again is in my Top 5 Kylie songs!? And imo it’s her second best video clip ever, only second to Come Into My World.
We’re up to date on Widow’s Bay as of episode 7, Simon will be away when episode 8 comes out so I’ll have to wait. Episode 7 sort of went somewhere even wilder than I thought and it was much funnier than I was expecting.
Wishlist:
Of course now I’m considering what I’m going to wear to Seren’s bee party, but I don’t have a lot of money to play with. I found this Ganni dress on Depop which is black and yellow and not ugly. I think $100 is a bit steep though so I’ll make an offer and see how I go.
Ins/Outs:
In: A heater. I bought a $49 heater for my studio from Target and it’s been the absolute best thing. It heats the small space in like 5 minutes and it’s changed my life. Definitely could have come to that realisation sooner, but I’m happy I did!
Oh and guess what. The note I added to the bottom of my invoices WORKED and I got paid within my payment terms for the first time ever!
Out: I dunno, nothing. Trying not to be such a complainer. Sorry NOPE just checked back in, I got one - it’s parents bringing their kids to Seren’s talking class broadcasting “How sick they are” no thanks. Where’s your basic human decency my friend? (How’s that radical acceptance going Minna)
