2016 version 2.0 The fresh start I've been looking for

photo by Katherine Jamison

Boy do I love a new start, a fresh page, a reboot!  For us in Victoria, today is the first day of term 2, and for me it's a fabulous day for a fresh start, and a new chapter, and drop-in to see if my blog still exists.  It does!  Winning so far.

As a Mumma working from home I get so excited about the school holidays.  I don't dread them at all, ever.  I imagine slow mornings and free time, no lunch boxes, no drop offs, no pick ups and no after school activities.  I imagine the mountains of things I can accomplish without the constrains of those schedules and structures, all that free time.  Then every school holidays, on about day 2 I realise.....the kids are here ALL the time!   

Now I am very grateful to be blessed with two little possums who have lots of interests, including each other, and they generally have no trouble finding things to do, games to play, worlds to create.  The problem is that these things often involve such parental inconveniences as hauling every item of food prep equipment out into the garden to be filled potions, pastes and “perfumes”.  Or maybe a spot of cave building with every bed to be stripped, every pillow and cushion utilised and linen cupboard emptied for maximum comfort and creepiness.   How about a little paper craft in the loungeroom, yeah, lets snip and rip and spend two hours making lots and lots of confetti, and then we’ll throw it at each other, just once and then walk away to find something else to do because there’s no room in the loungeroom now - its covered in teeny paper bits and scissors and caves and toast.   And then there’s my work, which is not neat, not tidy, and not confined to a small area.  

Art Town, Prahran Market

That is school holidays at my place.  God it’s a mess, but its how we roll.  I know there are programs, and workshops and play dates and sometimes we do a little bit of that, but for the most part, maximising “free time” is what our school holidays are about.   I sometimes worry that in the busyness of the term, in the pursuit of their interests in after school activities, they may forget how to amuse themselves, how to be bored for long enough that they find their own solution.   So far so good.

The truth is, in these holidays I’ve had a lot of work to do, and it couldn’t wait.  I have two exhibitions coming up in the next few weeks so I’ve been painting every day and many nights too.  The girls have been awesome, providing remarkably useful feedback at times, and hardly any offensive commentary :)  Six new paintings complete.  Gold medal for School Holiday Management awarded.

However, today is the first day of the rest of my life.  Yours too.  I’ve tidied up the holiday chaos and I’m ready to launch into 2016 version 2.0  There are exhibitions, which I would love you to come to, there’ll be some gear shifting, challenge setting, path forging, and even some *gasp* travel.  
I may or may not write all about it here, depending on which way the southerly is blowing but if you join my mailing list we can stay completely in touch.  I’ll be sending out all of details regarding the upcoming exhibitions this week, so jump on the list now by following the link below.
I hope your holidays have been happy, and even if they haven’t, its a new term, its a new day, it will very shortly be a brand new hour.   Just start over.

Jacqi xx