If only the kids could be put to work!! Sadly no. They can usually be found mucking about at my desk, either toying with my expensive broadcasting equipment, pilfering stationery or trying to mouse-click their way to their favourite Cbeebies TV show.
But frankly, I wouldn't have it any other way. After several years working part-time, secretly enjoying it, but also in constant anxiety over the remnants of my career... I'm finally back to full time journalism. I tried (and failed thankfully) to get a 'swallow-you-up' job that would have flung me from story to story with little hope of seeing my children (not that part of me wouldn't have relished the relative peace and quiet of news!) Instead, I'm working from home, picking and choosing between lots of superb assignments. Even on the busiest, most demanding days professionally, I'm able to spend a few minutes with the kids at lunchtime or bedtime.
It may not last, but for me, this is the perfect work-life balance.
By August, both children will be in school (the little one only half-days). A small part of me dreads the fact that their infancy is over. But truth be told, most of me is just joyful. I'm free of the gruelling baby dependency, but not of the sweet attachment and innocent neediness.
So while this blog has mostly been about children and monsoon gardens, occasionally interrupted by something resembling news... I now hope it will morph into what I'd always intended it to be before life took a perfectly lovely left turn: a consistent blog on modern India, occasionally interrupted by some lovely gardening or parental wisdom (ha!)