How Does She Do It?

It’s a question I’m often asked.

I try to explain my weekly work schedule in the home and outside of the home and I see people’s eyes glaze over. In truth, the writing part of my life is not a hardship. I could sit at a computer and write my heart out. Some days I have to restrain myself from writing too much and ignoring all the other tasks put on pause while I write something that’s on my mind.

I find working outside the home a welcome distraction from writing. My ‘day job’ so to speak involves working with numbers and engineers who are wonderfully ignorant of the food writing world, but equally appreciative of food.

The gas thing is that I get the usual Irish martyr syndrome moment and pass off the question with a description of how bad my laundry skills are, or how sometimes I forget things when I’m exhausted after a 10 hour day in work and just want to fall into bed.

In reality though, I think all of us working parents should give ourselves a pat on the back. Sometimes making it to the end of the day is just enough.

Maybe I shouldn’t make silly comments about how I’m failing at housework in favour of writing. We should all cheer every small achievement in what we do. Because at the end of the day, if we don’t accept that even getting from start to finish of a Thursday is a big deal in itself, then we’ll end up beating ourselves up for not being as perfect as the next parent.

How do I do it?

I do it because I have to. There are bills to be paid, kids to be reared, a battle to be fought with the bank, and a future to make for my family. I don’t feel like I have a choice, and yet I embrace the challenge.

So this evening I want to say thank you. To the wonderful person (you know who you are) who was visiting my ‘day job’ today and told me how much she loved this blog and my cookbook. It’s not often my two worlds collide and today they met serendipitously when I was having a rough morning. Thank you for your feedback which really lifted my spirits and gave my colleagues a right chuckle.

You are the reason I do it all, the reason why I started the blog in the first place. I always said that if one person read the blog it would be worthwhile and that still stands.

If you’re looking for me, I may just be celebrating the end of Thursday with a giant mug of hot water. Epic. 😉