When is your favourite time of the week?
Mine is Monday, 9am. I get back from dropping DorkySon at school, turn on the radio, empty the dishwasher, start some laundry… Then ten minutes to sit down and plough through a bowl of muesli before I head to Pilates. It is the quietest time of the week. It is my chance to breathe, deep and slow.
Mine is Tuesday morning, round about ten. It’s blogging time. I take a look at the scraps of paper, scribbled-in notebooks, posts in draft, and work out which can be whittled into better shape. I sip tea from a favourite cup, snack on macadamia nuts, tippity-tap at the keyboard as I try and put the right words in the right order. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s always worth trying.
Mine is Wednesday, just before three, when I pick DorkySon up from his last day of kindy for the week. He’s had library, exercise, music class. He rushes out the door, shouting goodbye to anyone who’ll listen, then launches into loud chat about his day. He presses a crumpled pile of notices into my hand, holds up a painting or craft project, asks if I’ve brought the car or bought him candy. It is home time, and Wednesday afternoon hugs are the warmest, fiercest ones of the week.
Mine is Thursday, at 4pm, when I sit and watch my boy swim. I’ve learned to ignore all the things I dislike about pools – the clammy air and stifling smell of chlorine, the knots of other people’s hair around the drains. I switch off from that, and take thirty minutes to marvel at DorkySon as he kicks and dives, splashes and sprays. I am there with a warm towel and a carton of juice when he clambers out, teeth chattering, and comes to find me.
Mine is Friday morning, when we get the fridge stocked for the weekend. DorkySon and I pop on our sunnies and our cosy jackets, find some good tunes on the car radio, and head into town. Norman and Dann first for a chocolate vehicle, which always seems to take so long to choose. Salamanca Fresh, for bacon and watermelon, then the Wursthaus, for a nicer-than-usual bottle of wine. We head over to the fish punts for some scallops or blue eye, then it’s up to the library for a new pile of books. We are home by lunchtime; spend the afternoon with our noses pressed against the window, anxious for DorkyDad to finish work and join us.
Mine is first thing on Saturday. Coffee in bed, sometimes even two. Reading, wrestling, conversation and cuddles. We all catch up on the week just past. It’s an easy start to the weekend, no hurry for showers or breakfast. DorkySon snugs up on the sofa with chocolate milk and cartoons, I run out for a paper from the petrol station over the road. DorkyDad gets busy with bacon and pancake mix. Time slows down on Saturday mornings. It’s a shame they only come once a week.
Mine is Sunday evening on the sofa with DorkyDad. Just us, with some crap film on, or maybe a cooking show. If there’s really nothing we’ll light a fire in the kitchen instead, sit with our books or the latest New Yorker. A snack dinner; crackers and cheese, maybe some salami, slices of apple. We stay close, think and talk about the week ahead – nights out, work travel, buttons that need sewing on. We say that weekends go too quickly; they should last three days rather than two. Mondays aren’t so bad, though, and we tuck into bed with a smile.
That’s my favourite time of the week. When’s yours?
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I’m so delighted to have been shortlisted in the Best Writer category of the BritMums Brilliance in Blogging Awards. Thank you so much to you all for your support. If you would like to see DorkyMum make it into the final six, please vote for me here. Voting is open until Friday May 16th.
Thank you also to the Sunday Tasmanian who were kind enough to run a piece about my nomination.
Dorkymum | Stories from Tasmania 
I love that you love your every day. My favourtite times are when i rise at 530 always buzzing with ideas and I write coffee in hand relishing the quiet and then at 3.30 when i collect my gorgeous children from school and i haver them back with me noisy chaoptic and loving at home where i like them best of all
I know that you do that Becky, because I am always online mid-afternoon, and you are the first of my British friends to start posting on Facebook and Twitter. I watch your Pinterest boards update and imagine you up very early in the UK. I love that hour when I start to see UK friends wake up! xxx
What a list of utter gorgeousness distilled onto a page. Love how the greatest moments are the small things, like you each day of mine has its own rhythyms and highlights, always a treasure to be found in amongst the chores!
Oh you are a love, Sonya. I will keep hunting for that treasure!
Fabulous post. Gorgeous writing (as ever)…. I loved the way you picked out your favourite everyday moments through out the whole week,and wrote it in such lovely detail. It made me feel so relaxed. What a lovely start to my day, reading this post! X
I have learned to love the time difference, it has really made me appreciate the rhythms of our lives – the give and take, the ebb and flow of every hour. Maybe we should all move across the world to find our inner zen!
This is an utterly gorgeous post to read as I sip my coffee. Once, when I was in a low place, a friend sent me a card. It said, ‘a perfect day is hard to find. Perfect moments are everywhere’. I guess we just have to take the time to appreciate them.
You are so kind to comment, Amy. What a lovely sentiment, definitely one to remember xx
Oh Ruth this sounds idyllic. I loved reading every word of it. It’s a beautiful reminder to take hold of the things that we love and make the most of them.
From a writer as talented as you, Stacey, that means so much. Thank you xxx
Your precious moments are very similar to mine. With regard to blogging, even though I often write about travel, I make sure I enjoy the time with my family when we are away and just scribble things in a notebook. So lovely to come home and write up when I have the house to myself.
Enjoy your wonderful son – I still get a thrill when my boy comes home from school. He’s 18 now and I will only be able to do this for another week before he leaves. *sniffs*
You are a smart cookie. There is nothing as inspirational as silence, is there?! Can’t believe your boy is so big, Trish. Good luck to him with whatever comes next. x
Oh what a great way to start your week!!!
Yes! Although when I’m stiff as a board on Tuesday morning I might not agree with you!
Ah Ruth what a gorgeous description of family life. You totally deserve that Writer award. I’m practicing in my heels though so I can go and receive it for you 😉
Haha, thanks Helen! I’m thrilled to be shortlisted, but no expectations of going further. It’s great to be alongside so many of my favourite bloggers though – I’ll be happy whoever wins! x
Don’t trust that Actually Mummy she’ll run off to the bog and locked herself in, stroking it…
I do love this Ruth – the swimming time is a bit I love too, chattering teeth and the little ‘cold!cold!cold!’ walk towards me as I hold out the warm fluffy towel ready 🙂
It’s lovely to be a Mum sometimes isn’t it?!
Lovely. Just absolutely lovely. I am a big fan of the simple pleasures in life, the rhythms of each day and each season. These simple pleasures, these little things, are actually the big things and you’ve captured that beautifully here.
xx thanks lovely xx
Once again you’ve taken the simplest pleasures and made them sound absolutely amazing. You deserve that writer award Ruth. The way you write writes warms my heart x
You are a love, thank you Donna x
Ahh I need to slow down and take more moments to notice these things. Although, I doubt my food shopping trips will ever be as glamorous! Beautiful post.
We do plenty of non-glamorous food shopping too, but I won’t be blogging that 😉 x
What a beautiful collection of moments. My favourites are the last 5 minutes before we tuck the boys in when they both still want ‘just one more cuddle’ (I’m sure that won’t last!) and Sunday mornings when they squish in between us in our bed, bickering about which cartoon to watch and making plans for the day.
Oh, one more cuddle! Some night I love that five minutes too, and other nights I just want it to be done already so I can go and eat dinner! But I know that when he’s older and goes to bed without one more cuddle I’ll miss it like crazy x
Wen I first saw the title of this post, I actually thought it said “What is your favorite time of DAY.” I re-read it and saw my error. But then I read the post and though, “I am psychic!” Monday through Friday, my favorite time is coming home to cook with Mark, and watch a silly movie. Of course, I often work evenings and am not terribly fond of those… Weekends, it is time in the morning in our garden on Saturdays, and then our trip to the farmers market in Sunday mornings. I guess you could say the market is my church! ~ David
Farmers Markets are wonderful places aren’t they? It’s lovely to connect with the people who have actually produced the food, rather than picking up something packaged than has flown several thousand miles to the shelf. It sounds like you guys have a lovely daily routine too – I know Young would empathise with your desire for quiet nights in front of a movie. When your job involves so much socialising it can feel like a bit too much effort to do it in your spare time too! xx
You sound so happy since the big move and am so delighted that you have all settled in to a routine that clearly makes you so happy. A beautiful post. Mine is Monday Morning. Monday is “all bodies day” according to the boy when both Mr B and I aren’t working and we do something lovely with the boy and little miss….or even just do nothing which is often better x
Ahhh, ‘all bodies day’. That’s just adorable. Family time is so precious isn’t it, especially when you manage to have fun doing not very much at all 🙂 xx
Such a simple yet beautiful post. I love hearing about your life; your words really create clear images and you sound so blissfully happy.
Thank you so much! xx
Great blog…
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment x
You’ve made me stop and think about my favourite time of the week now. I loved this post
Ruth and feel as if I got to know you a tiny bit more too. I think the girls bedtime has to be one of my favourites, we tuck them in, dad lies on one of the beds (he changes over daily to avoid arguments) and then I read a book to them. It’s a precious moment which soon will fade away as they are getting so very good at reading by themselves so I’m cherishing every moment whilst I can
Ahhh, that’s lovely Mari. Even if you stop being so involved in bedtime soon it sounds like you’ll have great memories, and you’ve laid all the foundations for the girls to grow up happy and secure x
It’s all a bit relentless at the mo, work slips into everything and life feels like one long fragmented bunch of interrupted undone half baked jobs, no one quite feels like their needs are met. Hmmm, not feeling it this week am I….
Oh dear 😦 Big hugs Penny. I hope things calm down for you soon and you’re able to step back and breathe a little xx
Thank you – you’ve made me think about how I don’t cherish every day moments enough. You’re building some wonderful memories for DorkySon which I’m sure he will one day recreate with his own children.
*mwah* you are lovely, thank you for the nice comment x
That is a beautiful post. Those little moments, written so eloquently, captured perfectly. My favourite times would be similar although I don’t go to Pilates and don’t have the way with words that you do! x
Thank you for the kind words Donna! x
What a really inspiring post, I am going to stop and think what I love about each day and then something to look forward to will never be far away. I love watching my boys swim and that is tonight 🙂
Have fun at swimming tonight! Thanks for the lovely comment x
What a lovely idea for a gpost! I love how you find a favourite moment for every single day of the week. We all need to look forward to our favourite moments in life. My favourite time is watching my girls playing together nicely without fights and when they are hugging each other.
what a gorgeous post, how totally fab that each day has that one special moment for you. my favourite time every week day is without a shadow of a doubt picking ronnie up from school, seeing him bound towards and fling his arms round me. at the weekend it’s friday fish and chips and lazy beginnings to the days snuggled in bed x