Canteen Lady

Well now, it’s been a while between drinks, hasn’t it?! A little quite on the blogtern front as I get my head around working outside the home again. Fortunately, it’s the same place as the kids go to school so I just don’t go home from the school run I’m already on – bonus!

I have been hired as the canteen assistant at our school’s very homespun canteen, and I. am. thrilled. It’s such a special school and the canteen is very much at the heart of its community, so it’s an incredibly positive and joyful place to spend my time every day. In many ways it’s like dialling your home domestic duties up to 11 as I make endless pots of popcorn, batches of muffins, and wash a hundred million piles of dishes every single day.

I wondered how I would make the adjustment to working outside the home again, given I have my much-beloved writing routine, but it has been the best transition of any job I’ve ever had. My brain is no longer filled constantly with deadlines and research when I’m on and off the clock alike, it just deals with work when I’m there and SWEET FREEDOM FOR MY BRAIN when it is not. I’ve dialled my writing commitments back quite significantly and I no longer feel like I need to rush home from anywhere to get it all done before school pickup, or the freelancer guilt I feel every second I’m at home and not pumping words out.

The canteen is truly a positive and happy place to be, with people ducking in and out all day for a chat, and the good vibes of people coming together for a cause we all believe in. I also get to do every day what I’m good at, and I can’t tell you what that’s done for my self-esteem. Add to that my contribution being valued and I’ve basically hit Stacey Nirvana. So forgive my radio silence, I’ve been having the time of my life 🙂