Anyone for Cake? …
There's some left, want some?
Our household is a mad house at the best of times, with four young children (and a hamster, can’t forget Tod!) … but yesterday was a case in point.
Found myself doing all of the following, all at the same time:
- Baking birthday cake for my now eight year old son, with the ‘help’ (ahem!) of my four year old daughter, off from school with the tail-end of a non-too-pleasant winter virus doing the rounds – not a bad result though, see pic (some left for today, wahey!)
- Skype chatting with one of my developers, getting an important piece of development onto one of our live systems
- Fielding phone calls from my wife, who was in hospital with our 1 year old Pip who’d been admitted for the same viral infection (out now though, he’s doing great) and kindly adding items to my to-do list and things to bring in when visiting later
- Trying to keep on top of emails, and failing miserably
- Tidying up and washing up and cleaning up after breakfast armaggedon that morning
- Stopping said cake from burning in the oven (though only just!)
And they say men can’t multi-task! 
Actually enjoyed the timeout from the normal routine, especially the time with my four year old, inbetween various diversions, and doing multi-tasking that meant something other than switching between windows and browser tabs.
The mad house continues today – Pip back from hospital last night, but required lots of TLC last night, so not a lot of sleep to be had by either parent, and all four kids off from school today with same virus.
The point? Sometimes, stuff just happens, and you just have to roll with it …for example, I had quite a bit planned yesterday, and not a lot of it was done. It can however end up giving you a useful change in perspective and a reassessment of priorities, and it’s always a useful lesson in learning to be flexible and willing to adjust plans.
For example, what seems important one day, can fade away the next, especially when a child or other loved one is ill.
Stuff will always ‘come up’ that gets in the way of the best laid plans. That’s life.
But don’t throw the plan away. Adjust, and carry on. Persevere.
Saw a poignant poster in the hospital yesterday while visiting Pip, loved the quote:
The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running.
By Steve Shaw on Nov 5th, 2010. Comment. 
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Comments on Anyone for Cake? …
So refreshing to know you exist, that you aren’t just a name out there. Nice article.
Understand (and loved your piece here) Thanks. I have four sons and although they are mostly grown up and left home (and the hamster died) I find that stuff still happens. That’s life!
BTW A little off-subject, Steve, but that poster is a blatant misquote of Ecclesiastes 9: I prefer the original – I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.
Love it! Every Mom, and lots of Dads relate. And, you actually enjoyed the whole thing. That is the refreshing part. Way to go, Steve!
Great article, that cake looks pretty tastey!
Hi Steve
Sounds like you had a very varied day and your cake looks delicious! Wish your son a “Happy Belated Birthday” and I’m glad Pip is home and on the mend. Thanks for sharing.
@Andrew J Titcombe: Yep, ’stuff happens’ (in itself a blatant misquote of a less publishable saying
) regardless of status, circumstance, location … impossible to escape the stuff that’s going to get in your way when you’re busy making other plans.
@Kirsten A. Womack: Don’t tell, but had to shave off the slightly burnt bits, and the icing covers a multitude of sins
@Cynthia Minnaar: I’ll pass it on, thanks Cynthia!
Hopefully everyone’s fit and healthy again soon, Steve, and you can get back to work!
The joys of working from home, eh?
Neil.
Hey Steve,
Glad to hear your family is on the mend and that you were able to have a family birthday celebration with homemade cake.
Yes, icing is to lopsided, burnt cakes as bondo fiberglass putty is to an old car.
Hope everybody is back up to snuff by the time this gets posted:)
Congratulations, Steve, for your son’s birthday. I’d love to send him one copy of my special kids’ book “Barry’s Adventure”. I’m sure he’ll enjoy reading this funny adventure lived by my pet dog Barry, my twin sons (still tweens at the time ) and myself. Barry was a very special dog who was born on my sons’ tenth birthday! At the time we still had his parents, his grandmother and a poor dog we had adopted, but…
Please let me have your address.
Thanks so much for your usual good advice. I wish I could follow all of them!
Cheers and a very nice WE.
Dulce Rodrigues
I think the fact that you actually found the time to bake that cake speaks volumes about how much you love your family, and can organize your day to spend such wonderful time with them while managing a busy internet business.
You have been inspiring me for a couple of years now, Steve, and I think that cake is PERFECT!
Best wishes to you and the family (and of course a big Happy Birthday to your little boy!).
Cheers, Kath
@Neil Shearing: Thanks, Neil
@Dulce Rodrigues: Very kind of you, and I’m sure Ben would love it – can be sent to post address here
@Kathy Tremblay: Thanks, Kathy – if only I could post you a piece