A Slow Monday, A Day of Gratitude

Today I dont feel like writing about something profound or deep or introspective, today is simplicity, its earthy and its wholesome.

Some days slip past without fuss. Today was one of those slow and easy ones... nothing grand, nothing spectacular, but full of the kind of moments that remind me life is already good.

The boys had a job this morning at a farm down the road, their little business of weeding and yard work keeping them busy (and a few dollars in their pockets). Clare and I always lend a hand, partly to make sure the clients feel they’re getting value for money, but mostly because it’s a good excuse to be alongside the boys as they learn the ropes of real work.

They went at it hard, two solid hours of pulling weeds, hauling stones, tidying, and carting tree branches. The best part wasn’t watching them sweat though....it was hearing Eli pipe up at the end, asking the owner for feedback. She didn’t hold back. She praised their attention to detail, their output, and the fact they carried themselves well. As a dad, there’s nothing better than hearing your kids are both hard workers and decent humans.

It matters. Whether they end up in offices, trades, or something completely different, they’ll always know how to roll their sleeves up. That skill alone....the willingness to put your hands on tools and get stuck in....guarantees they’ll never be without a way to make a living.

The rest of the day had its own rhythm. Mum’s starting to improve after her surgery, her mood lifting with her recovery. Dad’s still tense ahead of tomorrow’s procedure, and understandably so. Any time doctors talk about going into your body, it rattles you, even if the odds of trouble are low. I’ll be taking him in, and hopefully just sitting there with him will ease the weight a bit.

Clare and I took the boys to Yo-Chi after their morning’s effort, rewarding them (and us) with yoghurt. We lazed by the Mandurah foreshore in the winter sun, the boys running wild while Clare and I lay on a park bench, eyes closed, just soaking in the peace.

Back home I chopped a heap of wood for Mum and Dad. The next few days are forecast to be wet and cold, and between their surgeries they won’t be in any state to swing an axe. Small jobs like that feel good....practical ways of looking after the people who once did the same for me.

We also ticked off a milestone on the house front today with the architect. The final design review went well, everything we wanted got covered, and now it’s over to him to finalise elevations and drafts. With a bit of luck, the cost comes in under our budget. That number hangs over me like a storm cloud, but even storms break eventually.

Clare crowned the day with an epic dumpling soup....the kind of dinner that silences a table because everyone’s too busy eating to talk. She was glowing from the praise, and rightly so. Food has a way of pulling people close, and tonight it was no different.

The night ended with laughter. We pulled out my kick ass (and real) katana and spun ridiculous stories about dystopian futures, defending our little farm with handmade weapons and invented fighting styles. Half serious, half silly, fully alive.

Nothing extraordinary happened today. And yet everything did. Work ethic in the boys, kindness in Clare, family slowly healing, plans for a home taking shape, a good meal, a silly story, a shared laugh.

Life is good. I feel good. I feel loved. And if that’s not worth gratitude, I don’t know what is.