She works hard for the money

Last week I got my {last little} tax return back and I was amazed to see just how something so {literally} small could mean so much to me and be something much bigger than it actually was. It was MY money! All mine! It was that nice prize at the end of a pretty hard working year for me that said “Nice one lady. This one is on me!” And I think it even winked at me, actually I am certain there was a wink at the end of that little phrase.

I have always worked, my whole life {well from about the age of 14 at least} and have always had a very strong work ethic instilled in me – thanks to my parents. I know how important it is to work hard, to do the best you can, to know the feeling of satisfaction of getting pay into your account, to get bonuses to get raises. I have always been “that” person who is in work extra early when I have been out on the tiles to the wee hours of the morning because I feel like I should. And I think I have maybe taken one genuine fake sickie in my whole career. Don’t get me started on the mother guilt and work – I actually said to my boss when I took 6 months leave without pay {which I am currently still on} that I wouldn’t hire me with the amount of sick days I had to take off because poor Harper was so sick. All. The. Time. I was ashamed that in my measly 2 days of work per week, I still couldn’t get it together.

So you can imagine that my adjustment to life as a stay at home Mum has been a hard{ish} one. Not really, but a little. I have always had time away from the kids. For myself. And that has kind of stopped for now. And I am OK with that. I have always prided myself on the fact that despite my silly little days at work, I had money being paid into our bank account. It makes me feel worthwhile. Valued. Or something. It’s hard to explain. So not having that, has made me work extra hard at making the house nice and tidy and a great place for Rob and the kids – which has kind of exhausted me. Well a lot. There has been not a lot of “Beth” time. So when that money came into my account it was such a nice surprise for me. I felt like I was contributing something again. Except that I wanted to contribute this entirely to myself. I figured I deserved it!

So after much discussion with Rob “ha ha de ha ha…this is ALL mine! MINE I TELL YOU!” I decided to blow the lot on something that would represent that working life chapter that I have closed the door on {for now}. I wanted something that I could look at, feel, have forever that would remind me of all those shitty drop offs at daycare, at crying in my car on the way to work having dropped off miserable kids, of getting “that” call telling me that even though I had just got to work I had to turn around and leave to pick up Harper. It was my blood money.

And there was a certain something that I may or may not have eyed off each and every time I popped into a local antique store. A little American spool drawer made of Oak that I completely and utterly fell in love with but could not get as I knew it would be silly to spend so much on something so small. But when I got the tax return? I knew, just knew that it could now be mine.

And it is.

It’s love. Plain and simple. And the little chair next to it? Oh my Mum picked that up for me at the local Farmer’s/Flea Market that we went to on Saturday morning. FOR $12.50! Yep, that perfect match was just $12.50. And those roses? Oh they are from my garden. SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! {which is incidentally just in front of these pretties so can be easily done}

I also picked up these spoons for a tenner. I love those old token travel spoons. My great aunt used to have so many of them hanging in those fancy spoon holders. Not quite sure what I will do with them, but I do love them so. Oh hi! See me upside down there in the reflection?

Oh! And the stitching in the background? A house warming gift from my sister who stitched in onto some hessian for me. I know, the women in my family are blessed with the stitching genes {which I completely, totally and utterly missed out on}.

I tell you what, each and every time I have walked past these beauties I am reminded of all my hard work. Those mornings. All that hard work and effort. And tears. And stress. And I am grateful that they are all rolled into something that represents my new life now. And I am going to learn that I can be valued in different ways all together.

Comments

  1. What a lovely set of drawers and it sounds to me like you absolutely deserve them. Enjoy!

  2. That’s a gorgeous little setup there Mama, enjoy the fruits of your hard work!
    x

  3. What a lovely idea – and love the $12 chair!!

  4. its gorgeous and you totally deserve it xx

  5. Well good for you, Beth. I totally relate. After working as a lawyer for many years, the past three years as a SAHM with the pixies have been such a change. On every level. So I get where you’re coming from.

    Ooh, and a big tick for your purchases. Wow, I had no idea spool drawers existed. Now I might just have to hunt down one myself…

    And the Eiffel Tower is divine. Did she use a pattern? I’d love to know. J x

  6. Beth, I am glad you are so happy with your new life and the chest of drawers and the $12 chair are beautiful.

  7. Love. Plain and simple. You so deserve it!

    I completely know where you’re coming from. I found it really hard not to contribute financially when I became at SAHM, it’s still something I battle now and then [even when Skip assures me that I contribute more than my fair share in other ways].

    You’ve seen both side of the coin and it’s now perfect you had a little coin to treat yourself. Enjoy. xxx

  8. It’s beautiful and congratulations. *s*

  9. noice! {so what are you going to sew first?!?}

  10. Fantastic! xx.

  11. So, so lovely. And the stitching – I am green with envy 🙂

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