So studying is in full swing here, as I'm coming to the end of two modules which have run simultaneously. For one, I'm tweaking a 3,500 word essay. For the other, I'm starting to commit to memory 24 DR C SIMS cards, ready for an exam 0n 13th August. There's quite a lot to do, and when essay fiddling and revision is having to squeeze around full days of lectures, it can be tricky to prioritise. But studying is far from all I do. Yesterday, it probably didn't even make up the majority of my day...
I got up, chatted to the children over breakfast, put the bedsheets in to wash, did a 20 minute HasFit workout, showered and dressed. I sorted the hair of the small people, ensured they had everything they needed (for sports day, but minus parents, moresthepity) and walked them to school. Once I got home I hung the bed shets on the line, admired the flower beds, then did the huge pile of washing up, while logging my laptop on to join the lecture. Happily, I managed to be sitting down in the lounge by the time it actually started. After the lecture, we had some questions to research and find answers to, then share on a discussion forum, so I did half before eating lunch. I also rescued the bedsheets as it was looking threatening overhead, although it didn't actually rain in the end.
I made myself a mayonnaise slathered salad for lunch, and watched 10 minutes of FRIENDS bloopers on YouTube. Rach had a rare day at the office, so we couldn't have a sneaky episode at lunchtime, which I missed. I also relished a leftover scone from out glamping weekend afternoon tea, with plenty of spread, jam and tea. And I popped the guineas out for a run on the lawn.
This is how it looked at the actual afternoon tea - I must do a blog about our wonderful weekend away. Sadly, I had none of this amazing vegan cream which tasted, according to Master R, like melted rainbows.
Suitably refreshed, I worked on the second set of questions, but was then alerted to the fact that there was an afternoon Teams meeting, which I hadn't put in my diary, because it was about the assignment which I've more or less finished. I was going to opt out, but then I was rung via the Teams App on my phone. So then I sat on the call, with half an ear on the conversation for things I needed to know, while sorting out membership requests and new joining questions on the village community facebook page, which is gradually evolving, having been set up during lockdown No.1. Eventually, I switched my camera off, so I could start to memorise the revision card for yesterday; hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and pre-eclampsia.
At 3pm, I walked to collect Master R and Miss O from school and on the way home we dropped by to chat to a lady we got to know during lockdown, because I hadn't managed to speak to her for some weeks. We had a good catch-up on the doorstep, then posted a reference for another friend before heading home.
Once home, we prepared gifts and cards for the SEVEN adults in their combined classes. I'd been to Clear to Sea and bought a few bags of lovely magnesium bath salts with rose and lavender, and acquired some used, clean, coffee jars to store them in. I decanted the bath salts fairly and tied bows round them while the kiddos drew personalised cards for each adult and wrote a message of thanks. I was really proud of them, actually, because they did it quite happily, telling me what various adults' favourite animal or food was as they included it, and wrote the thank you messages pretty much unprompted. They do do a good thank you card.
Rach cooked dinner while I cleaned out both guinea pig hutches and sorted out some of the waste into the compost bins, then we all sat down to dinner, before I whisked Master R out to Cubs. While he is there, it's my routine to whizz to the allotment for an hour and a quarter. Last night, I strimmed the paths, planted out two small pumpkin plants that I'm not holding my breath for, weeded around the salad plants, and harvested spinach and strawberries. The weather this spring has been so weird, leafy things have grown pretty big (strawbs, potatoes, spinach) but other crops have really struggled in the cold (courgettes, pumpkins, cucumbers). However, my neighbour is already harvesting courgettes and their pumpkins are huge, so I kinda think it was something we did... but I have a greenhouse! Seeds were sown early and kept warm and watered! I'm perplexed, and frustrated to think that the pumpkins probably don't now have time to actually produce any fruit.Anyway, I collected Master R at the appropriate time, watched him play with his friends in the park for 5 minutes, then we came home. He had some fruit for a snack before bed, while I painstakingly removed spinach leaves from the stalks ready to blanche and freeze. Very labour intensive, but I did end up with 6 muffin cases worth of spinach by the end of the processing session, and that's better than a poke in the face with a sharp stick. I popped up to kiss him goodnight, then muttered facts from the 4 revision cards I'd already learnt while I tidied the kitchen and dealt with the spinach.
By the time I got to the sofa, it was already 9pm, so I decided not to attempt anymore studying. I'd done what I wanted to achieve that day anyway; my aim is to learn one card a day and I've got time later to make final adjustments to my essay. So I ate cake, watched FRIENDS, and then sloped off to bed.
And most days studying from home are similar. Yes, I work hard on my midwifery studies. But I also work hard on community projects, organising events to make the village greener, tending the garden and our veg beds here, getting veg from the market on a Wednesday, visiting the allotment to work on that, processing food we've harvested (we've had to freeze some strawberries this week because we have SO MANY and we made some smoothie, some of which is frozen as lollipops), looking after the 5 pets, playing with the children, keeping the house clean and tidy, dealing with the constant laundry, attending the odd XR meeting, commenting on planning applications (basically a part time job for many of us living here!) and studying dog behaviour and training in preparation for adding to our family.
I see it as a positive. I do not eat, breathe and sleep midwifery. I'm passionate about it, and committed to my studies. I have the real fear of responsibility, which provides the necessary motivation to memorise complicated treatment protocols and drug dosages. But I have other priorities and interests too. And there is that saying, isn't there... if you want something doing, ask a busy person! I've always been that sort of person. If there's something important to be done, I will find a way to fit it in. But I do sometimes forget about spelling practice or homework, or send the children in wearing the wrong kit! You can't win all the battles all the time!