Keeping Cool

January in Melbourne and you're bound to get a few day over 40. Hot days melt into hot nights and with no air-conditioning, I turn to cooling drinks to get me through.  This one is one of my favourites; ice, lemon, mint and a healthy spoonful of raw sugar. Add water, stir and sip. Close your eyes and imagine yourself onto a hammock or beach with cooling winds and gentle waves lapping at the sand. It is a drink that is almost impossible to improve.

I'm solo-parenting at the moment. M is away for two weeks and it's me and E ruling the roost.  I'd love to tell you about all the fun we're having but to be honest it's doing my head in.  E does not cope with change very well (what kid does?) and there have been too many changes in her life recently.  Tantrums and outright disobedience are a regular occurrence and I find myself caught in that tricky situation of not wanting to reward bad behaviour but needing to reprimand for safety's sake.  It's a tricky line to walk and this week I feel like I'm failing. I keep having to remind myself to be gentle - on her and on me - this solo-parenting thing is no walk in the park but neither, I'm sure, is being two.  Gentle. Calm. Cool. This will be my mantra as the temperatures rise this week. Just like the heatwave this solo-parenting gig will end too and in the meantime I'll keep sipping my mint/lemon tea and try to keep my head cool.