Well, hey there! Yes, I'm back. I may be sleep-deprived, covered in spit-up and still wearing yesterday's pyjamas, but I'm determined to put fingers to the keyboard, if only for the chance to do something that doesn't involve nursery rhymes, cooing and breast milk.
It's not that I don't love being a mum. It's a cliche, I know, but it truly is the best job in the world. It's just that I'm not quite ready to completely give up what makes me, well, me. And I don't think I should have to. As one of my friends said yesterday, "Happy Mummy, happy baby" and as spending time on my projects is what keeps me sane (that, and a strong cup of coffee or two), I think I owe it to my son to keep this blog a-rolling.
So, in that spirit, what are my plans for May?
Well, with my free time severely curtailed, I obviously have to choose my projects wisely. Hence, this month I'll be:
1. Cooking with ancient whole grains
Lately it feels as though hubby and I have been subsisting on potatoes and pasta. They're quick, they're versatile, they taste great and they have amazing comforting properties that only new parents and insomniacs can appreciate.
However, sometimes a girl needs a carbohydrate shake up.
Earlier this year, I started following Lisa Leake's blog 100 days of real food, in which she shares her family's quest to minimise processed food in their diet. While I'm not convinced that all of Lisa's rules are for me, I heartily endorse her suggestion to eat more whole grains.
Like most people, I suspect, at Chez Machin, we rarely venture beyond the staple grains of wheat and rice. So this month, I'm going to explore some of the less well known grains like quinoa, amaranth and millet - basically, whatever I can get from the health food aisle of my local supermarket. Hey, we've got to eat - might as well make it interesting.
2. Reading Moby Dick
Being a breastfeeding mum, I seem to be spending an awful lot of time sitting on my bum in a comfy chair. It's tough, I know, but someone's got to do it :)
Still, with the lion cub eschewing any attempts at maternal bonding (I think he views any interruptions as attempts to steal his stash), I need something to keep me occupied in the wee hours of the morning. And even though I'm an avid reader, I'm embarrassed to admit I've never read the Melville classic ... time to remedy that.
So there you have it. Only time will tell if I've bitten off more than I can chew, but for now it feels good to be back in the game.
