I've completely lost it :(

[Rosendula]

I'm going through a bad patch. I just can't get my act together and I'm doing everything wrong! A couple of weeks ago, I decided to cut down on my work load by doing more bulk stuff, so (just as an example) I made a huge amount of pastry in one go and froze it in portions. We've started getting our meat from OH's friend's Dad. Because it goes from the shop to friend's house before either being delivered here or we collect it, they freeze it all, so I have to remember to take it out of our freezer the night before I want to use it. Well I keep forgetting, so we're having a lot of vegetarian meals. That's not too big a deal, but I decided to make sausage rolls, took the pastry and sausage meat out of the freezer, then things happened and I didn't get time for a few days, by which time the pastry had gone off and I had to throw it away. I took more out of the freezer last night, I checked the sausage meat and it looked and smelled OK this morning so I made the sausage rolls. Just tried one and it tastes off! Why didn't I think to fry a bit of the meat up to taste it before I wasted another load of pastry? So now I'm chucking away more pastry and sausage meat because I couldn't get my act together.

Then there's the bread. Followed my usual method of starting it off on Sunday evening, on Monday morning added more flour and put them in bowls to rise. It was Katie's birthday so we had to go out with her new bike and when I got back around mid-day, the bread had almost exploded and spilled all over! It usually takes a few more hours than that. I baked it anyway, and it came out OKish, although it stuck to the outside of the tins and looked a bit of a mess. But I thought the proof is in the eating and tried some, at which point I realised I had forgotten to put the salt in Not only that, but I usually take a bit of the dough to put in the fridge to start off my next batch rather than buying yeast - I'd forgotten to do that too.

These are just a couple of examples. It just seems that I can't get anything right at the moment and I'm wasting so much food, time and money. What's wrong with me? How do I get back on track?

[Annpan]

We all have days/weeks like this. I keep thinking the trick is to get into a routine, but I always get stuck in the rut of sitting on the puter or swanning around the garden doing not very much. And of course whenever there is something that I feel I need to get done, E always takes the opportunity to play up I find the use of DVDs and Daddy come in most handy (though of course then I just want to sit down cause I am mentally and emotionally exhausted )

So basically, I don't know, but here's a hug anyway

[Green Aura]

I think you've nailed it there, Ann. Exhaustion.

We're stuck in this supermum mould - work, cook, clean, be super organised, look good, be sexy, play with the kids, chop the wood, tend the garden, etc.

Maybe you just need to stop for a little while - even if it's only half an hour in the bath, where you can clear your mind, relax and then after plan tomorrow or whatever.

You're definitely not losing it honey, just a bit overtaxed. Let someone else take some of the burden for a while - you don't have to do it all.

Bit of R+R'll have you up and running in no time.

[StripyPixieSocks]

I definitely have weeks like that... sometimes it seems never ending but it will end.

I know it always seems wasteful to throw things away but it happens... I've done it but sometimes it just can't be helped!

Try to keep your chin up, take a deep breath and start with a clean slate as I always find if you start something after something has gone wrong that goes wrong too and it becomes a long and seemingly endless chain of things to make steam come out of your ears!

Forget the Pastry, the sausagemeat and the bread and start again :)

[Thomzo]

Sounds like you're a bit down at the moment and just need a bit of R&R. My stock answer is to make a list of the things you NEED to do. Be honest, do you really need to make the bread etc? Can you cope with some good shop bought stuff just for this week? It won't be as good as the home made stuff but it'll give you a bit of a break.

You do lots of things really well, focus on these and forgive yourself the odd off day.


Zoe

[gigglybug]

I definately have weeks like this, especially if DD is waking up at night!

It will pass

[Rosendula]

Thanks everyone Katie goes to bed with no nappy on these days. She's a bit later than my other two were at this, and with them I could pick them up and sit them on the potty as I went to bed, they'd do a wee and then usually stay dry the rest of the night. Katie's different. If I try to do that with her she screams blue murder for about 2 hours, so I've given in with the potty thing. She does have an enormous bladder and can get right through without a wee - some nights. Other nights I have to change the sheets twice, and it takes ages for her to get back to sleep afterwards. So I reckon I am a bit worn out from that. Add to it her birthday which was exhausting (she loved it ), a bit of PMS (honest, Maggie!), plus all the normal stuff and I guess my concentration levels were a bit low -> things went wrong -> felt miserable. You know how these things work.

I'd like to say I think things are better today, but I only got about 4.5 hours sleep last night and Katie's got a high temperature today so I'm feeling sleepy already and it's only 8:30am. But at least the PMS has gone so I can think a bit more straight. I suppose if Katie's going to be poorly, that means I have to sit down and cuddle her most of the day and will get the rest I need. Not the ideal way, but it will work and I'm sure things will improve over the next day or two.

Oh well, sheets to hang out first, then I think it will be reading all the new books we - I mean Katie got for her birthday