Hoppo Bumpo (n): A children's game. Played by folding one's arms and hopping on one leg. Aim is to bump opponents, so that they lose their balance. Last person standing wins.


September 14, 2008

This is ... what I do with a spare 10 minutes

Despite suggesting this week's theme, I'm a bit stuck.

Do I speak about what I should be doing with that 10 minutes? Or maybe what I like to think I do with it? Or perhaps admit what I really do with a little spare time?

Well, Mr Hoppo Bumpo, if you happen to chance upon this, let me tell you that every ten minutes of the day is accounted for. Apart from running after Argy and Bargy all day, there's the washing, ironing, shopping, bill-paying, repairs, appointments, gardening, cleaning and vacuuming. The great cycle of household tasks are done with regular monotony.

However, I'd like to think (loftily) that I spend a spare 10 minutes broadening my horizons. As I've mentioned previously I do love magazines. I'm an avid reader of the monthly, Australian Stitches (which generous friends gave me as a subscription) and the bi-monthly US publication Threads. Ten minutes is just enough time to digest a technical article, gain a little inspiration or discover some must-have new product for the wishlist.

For example, today I have been reading about how to use a blind hemming foot on my machine. I've also been studying how to sew flat fell seams. I've discovered that there's a product that will distress denim so that it frays and become all holey. Hmmm ... how perfect when I need more of Mr HB's jeans for refashioning into clothes for the boys (evil laugh: mwhua haa haaa). More soberingly, I have also read that in the commercial world, a pair of jeans can be sewn in just 14 minutes. Which begs the question as to why this project remains incomplete after nearly 44,640 minutes?

The answer, I'm afraid, may be revealed in the next paragraph.

For in reality, this is what I really do with those spare 10 minutes. Yes: its just me, a cuppa, a block of chocolate and my blog reader.

Note: There is every chance that the illustration in [3] may be indicative of what is happening following over-indulgence in [1] and [2]

Thank you to Sharon at Handmaiden who is guest-hosting "This is". I had great fun picking the theme and I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else has come up with. Look over here to see who else is playing along.

18 comments:

  1. That is so funny as I had the same problem defining which 10 minutes to share. I use to love rading mags but haven't much lately these couple though look really good, I will have to hunt them down at borders, for my next spare 10 minutes. I too could assure Mr HB that there would not be too many spare minutes with 2 boys running around.

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  2. ohhh yep..im with you...its nice to find time to read our magazines and a cup of tea is never far...the simple things in life!

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  3. This was such a good read. Am so pleased you do something good for yourself.

    HAd a good look at your jeans and I have seen people use the top part as pencil cases! But I like he idea of remaking jeans for a little person.

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  4. and those ten minutes in bloglines ...sometimes turn into an hour... or more

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  5. sometimes I have good itentions to read some fun mags or technical and then i sit down and the laptop seems to be calling me ...as it is now.....bloglines seems to have become that 10 min read

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  6. I love those magazines too. I also (with my 10 minutes) have been known to look at Home Beautiful (the mag, not my house)

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  7. I love that you have to be accountable to Mr HB. I think my husband thinks I am on one big holiday, and magically everything seems to get done. Poof! I'll magic myself an extra ten minutes, or maybe sixty. Now wouldn't that be a treat??

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  8. Ahh.. how I love a spare 10 minutes to read a magazine and have a cuppa. It's a good way to spend it.

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  9. A house with children is like "Groundhog Day" ...something is always popping up here or there.

    But you have the best use of 10mins...quiet interaction with 'friends' combined with sugar and caffeine. It's just as well chocolate doesn't taste as good with tea! (imho)

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  10. a girl after my own heart! Chocolate, cuppa and blogs.

    BTW I have announced the winner of the pear giveaway :D

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  11. Definitely time used wisely. Now I'm off to find myself some chocolate and a cuppa so I can do this properly ;)

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  12. Yes, a spare 10mins is hard to find...but mine is usually filled with tea, chocolate and reading too

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  13. Thanks for a great theme this week..and YES pampering is the new 10 minutes...indulge more and often and it's a case of "Why wasn't I doing this more often?"...now another 10 minutes is coming up time for a cup of tea!

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  14. Great topic. Makes me realise just how much we cram into our everyday! And I must confess, I have a spare 10 minutes now and what am I doing? Reading blogs again...with a cup of tea of course. No chocolate (it's not even 9am!)

    Also makes me realise that we deserve more than 10 minutes of 'me time' each day!

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  15. great theme - I'm with you on the cuppa+choccy+bloglines. it just goes hand in hand doesn't it :)

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  16. yep. me too - bloglines, a nice cuppa and a big block of choc - ahhhh perfect!

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  17. I've never heard of those magazines (yes, I am living under a rock)...that could be the beginnings of a whole new addiction!

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  18. Thanks so much for the great theme! I thoroughly enjoyed posting my "this is" this week!

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Thanks for dropping by! I love hearing what people have to say. Leave a comment if you like.