"Efficiency" is a virtue....

..that I am so lacking in. I am often amazed when I find people who seem to be everywhere, partying, socializing, updating facebook status, tweeting often, travelling, watching movies, working, reading, gyming, cooking and have a perfectly run home with happy kids and support causes close to their hearts and go that extra mile for it.

I think I have abundant help but I still just can't get above the basics. The morning chores are perfectly divided between the hubby and me and we take over from each other as necessary. I get the breakfast and the dabba moving and he is responsible for everything else, getting the peapod up from bed(which takes him half a minute and me 30 minutes of endearments and screaming and threatening thereafter) to feeding her breakfast while ironing her clothes to getting her ready. I have the final responsibility of combing her rogue hair and getting them in control and walking her to the bus stop. After the peapod leaves I have an hour almost till the hubby & chattambi are up again. I use that time some days to read - that is if I am reading something, else to catch up with some blogs or bake (that is a recent activity since we just bought an OTG). That is also the time to water my plants, fold some clothes and get some order back into the rooms. God forbid if I have started a book, then its just reading and everything else gets into the back burner. After both the boys are up, we get through breakfast, bathe and change while the maid sweeps and scrubs the floor and cleans the utensils. So we try to leave the house in pristine condition to return to in the evening. These days I am not as busy at work as I did like and so do browse at work but then half the world is blocked there so there is only so much one can do.

Most days I reach home by 6:45 - 7. The kids play with their friends at my mom's place untill 7-7:30pm and then I pack them back home and when we are back I have the cooking lady come in and prepare dinner in 30-40 mins while I change and freshen up. Normally the kids are doing their stuff, sometimes playing, sometime fighting and we adults talk. If I am reading something, then I just pick up the book and try to disappear into a corner and leave P and the kids to themselves. Once the maid leaves, feeding the kids start. Depending upon the mood of the day, mine and the kids, the dinner could stretch from 1 minute (which means, if the kids don't want - I just say OK) to 45 mins which includes lot of screaming and crying and threatening (which means, the kids dont want and I and the hubby have got into an argument about what and how they should eat). P is very strict about the kids being in bed by 9:30-10pm during the week. So that deadline applies to me too bcoz untill I am not in bed with them and switch off the lights they dont as much as lie down. The days I am reading, I lie down and keep reading and the kids are jumping over me or having a pillow fight and P keeps getting angrier by the minute.

Where is the time to go on facebook or twitter or socialize?, I ask.

Every time I start reading, specially the ones that can't be put down I am in deep trouble with the daily chores. Once I am done with a book I tell P, I am not starting an another one and then he plays the devil's advocate and encourages me to read because he doesn't get to read as much. That is all I need to start again and then starts the next volley ball match. Once I get into a book, I can not get out untill the last page. And if its a romantic flick then God save me, I can not put it down untill the last passionate kiss...sigh.

How do some do so much more than I manage to squeeze into a day. If you look at my schedule, I am pretty packed but the pace is relaxed but still the regret I have is I do not keep in touch with my friends as much as I would like to. I do not socialize as much as I would like to. I do not blog as much as I would like to. This year, I atleast managed to meet quite a few friends and I hope I can keep meeting more friends than solely parents of peapod's friends. Want to do many more lunches and dinners with people who knew me as a fun person before the kids. Want to watch more than 1 movie a year and want to get back in shape. But when and how? I do not know. I worry if I do anything more, I might never see my kids awake.

Any tips from anyone ?

So what am I reading next. I am yet to begin, these are waiting by my bedside to be picked up any day now.

1. Never look Away by Linwood Baclay
2. The hand that first held mine by Maggie O'Farrel