…blogtober day 14 :: five fun things for Friday…
The performances have been and gone in a resounding success. The chores have been done. The fridge & cupboards are restocked. The children have been ferried to their classes, and home again. The rain has scudded on by, and the sun is poking it’s head out again, just in time for the weekend. Before I clock off though, and kick off my weekend crafting, there’s one more thing to do – today’s post!
Here’s five fun things that are making me happy this afternoon
Spring sunshine (when it makes an appearance). Mr Barefoot is the gardener of the family, but has delegated weekday waterings to me until he gets the irrigation up and running this weekend. It has been delightful this week to take myself off to the garden, cup of tea in hand, and watch the ground turn dark around the cheery little seedlings as I wave the hose in their direction. Every now and then, as I moved in the right way, a little rainbow would poke it’s head out to join the party also. A stolen moment of peace in my day makes me feel much more centred and grounded. I can’t wait for the flowers to start blooming also!
Weekend sewing plans. After our trip away, and a busy week, I’m looking forward to a slow start and an easy day getting some sewing done to top up some wardrobes. If I get really lucky, I might even get to cut out a new pair of leggings for me, and swimmers for Miss12. I still have my sewing machine out from the kindle cover and iPad cover I sewed up during the week, so some more sewing is first on the sewing agenda before I pack it away. The poor thing is feeling rather neglected, and is throwing a tantrum – the foot pedal has decided to stop working. Mr16 is going to test all the bits and bobs and connections for me with his multimeter, but I have a sneaking suspicion I’m going to need to order a new pedal. As much as I don’t like using it, I’m rather glad for the button stop/start functionality!
Learning to love my own company. A dear friend has been sharing her adventures of learning to date herself in a new season of life. Ahead of last night’s performance, all four children were taking an additional class at their drama school each week. Crucially, this lesson was for all four. AT THE SAME TIME. That’s something of a rare occurrence. The first week, I found myself at a loose end, and found myself lamenting that said friend didn’t live close enough to meet me for a drink. With a bit of encouragement on their behalf, and a reasonable amount of courage on mine, I did something I have never done in my life. I went out by myself. I took a book, I found a spot by the window, and I enjoyed my drink while reading and watching the world go by for 45 minutes or so. It quickly became a habit, and rapidly lost it’s strangeness. Soon, it was my weekly treat. Yesterday was my last day of child free time, and you can bet I went and enjoyed my wine immensely, coupled with a new book.
Books out of my ordinary choices. I get the Kindle First newsletter, and this month was a two book month – as a Prime member** I got to choose two books for free (normally one free a month, and before I had prime, they were only $1.99. A no-brainer, really). Normally I agonise for days over my choices, leaving the tabs open on my phone to revisit and read the descriptions of my shortlist and ask Car what she’s picked and think about it some more. This month, there were no obvious me-type choice, and I just jumped in and grabbed two books that sounds vaguely interesting on the day the newsletter arrived. I started one yesterday with my little self-date – The Keeper Of Enchanted Rooms** – and it’s a magical fantasy with a touch of (I think) slow burn romance. Not normally one for the involved magical type books, I’m finding this one a good change of pace! And really, who hasn’t wanted to remonstrate with a kitchen that doesn’t want to behave and keep itself clean?
The Colour Crush Grid Journal Class. I’ve only done one lesson, and I’ve got an itch the width of the Murray in flood to get back to it. Last lesson I used gelli prints on regular printer paper, but enabled by The Minister Herself, I fell over no less than three packets of calligraphy paper in Daiso. Add in my new stencils, and I can’t wait to get stuck into making all kinds of delightful messes.
I am unreasonably pleased to finally have arrived at the weekend. It’s felt like I’ve been running at full throttle since I got back, and I didn’t sleep well while in Sydney. Strange bed, strange noise, all the overthinking. I’m looking forward to a family movie tonight with all four kids, since the teens youth group doesn’t start until next week. The mister is bringing home chicken and chips for dinner. A sleep in tomorrow is top of my to-do list. With the builders due to start any day now, we have to clear trailers and spray units and slashers from the house block. The grapes and asparagus need moving. In between all that I’m hoping to finish a book or two, sew a heap, and get some arty play time in as well. Busy in the best possible way, just the way weekends should be.
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Many years ago, I had a job which involved travelling and having to eat by myself in restaurants. I absolutely hated it, until the day when I arrived at a restaurant to be sat opposite the door. “Oh no,” I said in horror, “I can’t sit here, I need to be in a corner where I can hide with my book!” “I think you’ll find this is a good seat,” I was told … and it was. I was in exactly the right place to watch every one else coming in and looking for the seat in the corner where they could hide their heads in their books and it made me realise that it wasn’t just me. And actually, nobody else is looking at you so wherever you sit and whether you read or people watch, is entirely up to you 🙂
So true!! So much reluctance is often led by our self consciousness, and not the reality. I’ve had a couple of people comment but overall most people don’t care, or think it’s a great idea.