Plan, what plan?

I thought I knew how this week would be. Another round of library, park, swimming, maybe museum, maybe a ramble somewhere wild, food shop, Church... Somehow the sun just leaves me feeling so different, *everything* is different.
It isn't that we haven't done those normal weekly things...  Though we have taken a couple of spontaneous jaunts - I thin the biggest difference is that I am at that tipping point of spending more time outside than in.

Artisan bakery in town = ciabatta and olives for snack on Monday, followed by the first of the English strawberries we could find = everyone is happy.
The first day of summery weather did that magical and awful thing of showing up every messy corner and dirty floor and fingermarked window. So I cleaned the heck out of my house and was unbearable for at least 24 hours in my panic to Make the House Nice. My problem (well, one of my problems) is that I am utterly all or nothing. So when I clean up, that's all I can do, and I'm a horrible person to live with until it's done. The kids can either have a pretty tidy clean lovely house, or a mama who plays with them and makes things and sets up fun crafts, but apparently not both. Fine. Back to the latter, then. I give in!

The house might not get quite so bad so fast if we're all outdoors most of the day, anyway.
Yeesss, that *is* my kitchen when it's clean. Don't ask about when it isn't. Anything beyond the most basic cleaning is a rarity. And I can't decide whether I'm mostly looking forwards to getting rid of the horrid old stained units or if I'm mostly terrified of having to empty every single thing out of there for a few days...  :S  On the other hand, we actually built the clothes storage for the children that they have been needing for about six months (and that we bought over two months ago).

Main Lesson Book with Morgan just isn't going, right now. She has so many things she'd rather do. As usual, I am struggling to let go whilst at the same time knowing that her instincts are way less socially conformed than mine and I can TRUST her.
I am feeling drawn back to spontaneity.  It is, after all, what comes most naturally to me.  Planning is out of my usual mode of operation - and although a little bit helps things run more smoothly, a lot just stresses us all out.

Mud pies are far more interesting than adult-planned lesson time. I know, I know. Relax, mama! At least *mud* doesn't worry me!
 
Nor, apparently; sharpie body art, bare feet in the garden, or small children helping out with the fire...
The meal plan has gone out of the window too. We'd rather eat fresh cool simple food, and food cooked out of doors.

Swimming was followed by the rest of the day in the shade of a tree on the park, just sitting.
And all the rest of it, every ordinary extraordinary thing...

The normal is absolutely transformed and renewed with a break from the torrential rain.