Back to it

Gosh, such gloomy grey, and cold wet-wet-wet we've been having here this past week, I've really struggled getting back into routine in this awful weather. Nothing worse than coming home after getting wet through and knowing that in 1.5 hours you will need to put on a still wet coat and go out and do it all over again. I've felt like I haven't warmed up all week, have been perpetually cold and damp.

It's not so bad though, I've been making a conscious effort to rise above the gloom and shake off the post holiday blues. I'm almost there with it. I've worked my way diligently through the gazillion loads of laundry that always materialises after a week away, and it's felt remarkably comforting to be busy doing domestic things.

On Friday morning when Little B was happily at playgroup, I put on my apron and whizzed around number 24 with the vacuum cleaner and floral duster. I sang to myself. I picked up and tidied away many, many stray objects, emptied bins, folded laundry and straightened out the sizable textile element of the living room (currently five blankets and a whole gaggle of cushions). And when it was all done I felt relief and happiness flood through me. I am Blessing my Home, doing my job, getting Back To It. And it feels right and good. Hoozah!!

I also made a wondrous discovery on Friday, you will probably laugh at my stupidity actually, giggle at how long it has taken me (many weeks) to work this one out. On Friday mornings after I've dropped Little B at playgroup, I wend my way home across town via the shops and market. Buying groceries, fresh fruit and veg, bread, flowers, toiletries, whatever we are in need of. I always end up struggling with very, very heavy bags, arriving home all hot and sweaty and exhausted. But yesterday, I had a light-bulb moment and I thought :: hang on a minute!! Why struggle carrying hideously heavy bags when I have a set of wheels at my disposal? Why leave Little B's pushchair at playgroup when I can use it to transport the shopping? So now on Friday's, Pushchair will magically become Shopping Trolley, how marvellous!! I did get a great many odd looks pushing a pushchair full of blanket-wrapped food around (I think it was the long french stick in place of the child that did it), but I care not. My arms and back were so thankful!

This weeks floral extravagance from the market comes in the form of three bunches of "cheerfulness" for £3. I can't tell you how much I love love love that these narcissi are really actually called CheeRfUlness (like officially really that's their proper name), how sweet is that?? They smell divine, and looked super-cute wrapped in my ripples as they rode home in the pushchair. Looking (and smelling) pretty good on my table too.

Part of Friday's Home Blessing also involved a clean up of my mantel as I packed away all the Easter decs. I've left the blossom flowers on the twigs, and Miss Fleur could in no way be packed into a shoebox, so it's still looking very pretty and Springlike in here.

Hmmmmmmmm? You've spotted the little vintage dish full of embroidery threads????? Ah yes, those. Well that's the subject of another post entirely, you'll have to wait for the low-down on those balls of gorgeousness.

Cheerfulness and sweet mushroomy goodness has made it's way up into the bedroom as the Home Blessing activity isn't confined to the ground floor. One of the things that I most love about coming home from holiday is that I get to fall in love with my bed all over again. Gosh, I do adore my bedtimes, such simple, pleasurable bliss to enter the land of nod between crisp cotton and plumped up feathers with a bit of hooky goodness thrown over the top.

I baked with Little B on Thursday morning, always a good plan when the weather is yuckity-yuck and the heart is still a little achy. Helping a 2 year old to crack eggs, play with an electric whisk, dollop mixture, then lick out the bowl is a wonderful thing. Add to that the warmth of the oven, the delicious smell of baking that fills the house, the fun of icing and decorating with newly purchased sweet-hearts and the satisfaction of eating a homemade bun with an afternoon cuppa, well, it all adds up to something simple yet marvelous.

What else....oh yeah, my windowsill seedlings really grew a lot whilst I was away, just look at them go! I'm planning on seeing to them tomorrow, they need "potting on" now before they get too leggy and weak. I'm treating myself to one of those small portable greenhousey type things, you know the sort I mean? Like a bit of metal shelving with a clear plastic rain mac that zips up over the top to keep the chill off.

These cute little basil seedlings were given to me by TF (Talented Friend), she has green fingers as well as stitchy ones. These weeny seedlings already smell so lovely and the scent of them instantly transports me to Summertime. I am desperate not to kill them (my fingers are not green), I talk sweet nothings to them daily and do not ever want to report news of their demise to TF. I want to see them grow into strong mature plantlets so that I can proudly talk tomato-mozzarella-basil salad on a warm summers day with TF. Fingers and toes crossed, I'm going to pot them on tomorrow with the rest of my seedlings and settle them into their new greenhousey home.

Something else that I really do want to get back to is my ripple, it's been a tad neglected of late. I sat and worked a few rows this morning, then had a little ponder about the dimensions and where I'm at with it all. I laid it out on top of ripple number one to check on the length and I'd say I've maybe only got ten more colour changes to work through. I feel a bit like I don't want it to end, but at the same time with the weather being still so chilly I'm really looking forward to pressing it into service. It's taking on a delicious weight, quite a substantial blankie this one. I really do adore it.

Well, I think that's about all the news from the home front that I can muster at the moment, thank you as always for bobbing by. I love that you visit and stay a while to chat.

Much love to all, see you again soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

Comments

[lucy]

How funny, I read that as "Nooky" goodness, going on in your bed!!!!

[Cathy]

Always interesting time visiting with you and your family! :) Yep, a clean house sure does make us feel good!!! :) I wish I could get my sewing mess cleaned up, then I'd feel much better. Hubby does the gardening here. He planted some grasses outside...you know...those really tall kind of grasses. They are so cool the way the blow in the wind! Welcome back home! ♥♥♥

[Cate]

It sounds like you're really getting back into the swing of things, post holiday. I'm looking forward to seeing which colors you add to the ripple next. Mine is on hold until then, so I've started a granny stripe blanket. Life is so boring without something to crochet.

[Laura Miller]

Goodness Lucy, I really don't envy you that weather! I remember that damp chilly bone-hugging cold from my time in the UK when it sometimes seemed as tho I'd never be warm again!!! Your ripple is looking gorgeous (as always) - almost ready for huggles and cuddles!!! Take care. lol xxx

[Sarah]

It's grey and cold in Dorset too. I had to smile at your shopping trolley, you must take a photo of it all laden with food! I love your butterfly in the window and those wonderful daffodils.
Hope it soon warms up!
Sarah x

[Samantha]

I have house envy. I dream of a house with knitted/crocheted items at every turn. Btw I nominated you for an award on my blog :)

[Lynn]

I've been doing some cleaning today in preparation for mum mum coming to visit us here in Ghana, so we have had pretty similar days! I plan a day of yarn happiness tomorrow! Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Lx

[Deco Cat]

The ripple looks fabulous and the cakes delicious!

[Anita]

Saturdays are always cleaning day at our house. I love your home and I love when you share pictures. I always get some nifty decor ideas from ya! I also get inspired to do things...like make those cupcakes!

[Zoe]

Wow, i love your home and blog! I get serious withdrawls when i can't read your blog for a while! I wish my home could look as homely as yours. I seem to move junk around mine a lot, but we're getting there. Where did you get that fabulous butterfly sticker with 24 on? Ibve got a serious case of the wants!
Zoe
Xxx
Http://notyouraveragezoe.wordpress.com

[gina c in al]

It will be Connievan season soon! And time for summer ramblings. The clouds will pass.

[Catherine]

Liked the idea of you with your pushchair shopping trolley! Last year when it was really snowy I took the plastic sledge to the supermarket and dragged a whole week's shop home in it - it was great, I felt very adventurous:-)

[Cornelia]

:-) I am happy: i have the same lamp (fungus) here in Svitzerland:-) Bye Cornelia

[lynne at Textile Treasury]

Great to see another post full of colour. Do so admire the spirit with which you 'blessed your house' - I have slacked off lately - too much other stuff happening.

Do mind the cover of your mini greenhouse, Lucy - we bought one for me and put it near the kitchen wall - first really bad winds and off it came and ripped. Just sayin'.

Must be off, kids will be skypeing from New Zealand - hurrah, 'hugs' through the computer screen!

[lily]

Lovely post.......oh how I miss my pushchair shopping trolley!
lily.

[Trish]

Well done for writing such a lovely positive post and beating back the gloom of wet weather and post holiday-ness. The sun has been out today too- hurrah! Love the heart cake decorations. My boys have really got into cherry bakewell style fairy cakes and your hearts would be perfect for those. Very curious to know what the embroidery threads are for???

[Jeanette]

I enjoy your updates so much. I am trying to be inspired by the laundry and Home Blessing here but I need an attitude adjustment. LOL. I'm going to start a ripple blanket just as soon as I finish my hexegan. It was also inspired by your BRIGHTS. Thank for sharing your day with us.

[Ana]

Paceful photos, as always, thanks for sharing, Lucy, kisses from Spain.

Vintage Collages

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[Angela]

Loving your neat and tidy and cheerful living room! It's inspiring me to get about my home blessing -- thanks!

[Karen]

I saw this crocheted flower bag on another blog (http://lidialuz.blogspot.com/2011/08/prenuncio-da-primavera-bolsa-de-croche.html), and immediately I knew this bag is your kind of bag. I adore the colours and flowers. :-)

[Truly Myrtle]

Ahhhh, nothing like a dust, wipe and fresh flowers to lift the mood. Fresh baking definitely helps too :)
I'm dying to hear about the bowl of thread.....

[Louise]

Love the cute light-up mushroom! Didn't realize it lit up when you bought it! Adorable! Welcome home! It's good to have you back!

[kim]

Ohhh yum!! I've had lots of days to catch up on so have spent a lovely few minutes curled up on the sofa reading your holiday exploits. Your blog is so amazingly homely - thank you for sharing your corner of the world. I read avidly but don't comment all the time. xx

[Thriftwood]

Lovely post, you're making me want to spring clean! We had one of those greenhousey portable things last year, am sure will be fine where you live, but on my windy island it flew around the garden like something from the Wizard of Oz, depositing cucumber, chilli and tomato seedlings all over my lawn and driveway! We found cucumbers growing In very strange places ... The plastic boxes with lids on that you get strawberries and mushrooms, etc, in are great propogators to plant seeds in and placed on a warm windowsill will get your plants off to a good start. Have a lovely weekend xx

[Akhila]

I love your home. I wish you were my neighbor.I'd hang out with you all the time:)