Attic24

Change of Plan

I gave up my car a year ago as it spent way too much time sitting idle on the road and I could no longer justify the expense of owning it. I figured I can pretty much get whatever I need in my town by using my feet, but it does take some energy and effort. I've altered my shopping routine and no longer do one big weekly food shop. Instead I shop daily, both at the supermarket and in town from the market/butcher/baker, and carry it home using Little B's pushchair in lieu of a shopping trolley. It's hard work (we live two thirds up a steep hill), but needs must. Yesterday also involved a two mile round trip to go to the Post Office depot to collect two parcels for J. Plus a trip to the hardware shop to buy a large bag of kindling wood for the fire which I managed to carry home (along with the food shopping) balanced precariously on top of the pushchair hood.

What I'm trying to say in my usual round about way is that I've been busy this week, and I've felt really physically tired at the end of each day. Too tired to sit and write. Last night, I really, really wanted to spend time writing my "November" post. I settled down at my desk and uploaded all my pictures, it was about 8.20pm. Little Lady came by and said in her sweetest voice that she really wanted us to sit on the sofa by the fire and do some colouring together. I moaned. I tried to put her off. I told here this was My Time. I told her to go and colour by herself cos I needed to Get On With My Writing. And then I heard my own voice and it sounded so gruff and mean and selfish. Silly, silly me. So I closed down my laptop and made a Change Of Plan.

I pulled the green sofa right up in front of the fire and plumped up all the cushions. I lit candles. I put a huuuuuuuge log on the fire. Then Little Lady and I settled down together. To chat, to sing, to snuggle, to listen to music, to watch the fire. It was sooooooooooooooo cosy. A lovely, peaceful end to the day.

A little while later, when the Little Peeps had finally been persuaded into bed, I went and made up my bed with freshly laundered sheets, still warm from the tumble drier. I filled my hot water bottle and slipped it under the duvet. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh my sweet bed!!! How I look forward to seeing you each evening!

Just before I drifted off to sleep I browsed through a few pages from one of my bedside books. This one is called "Words on a Simple Life", I've mentioned it once before....the words fill my heart with happiness and gratitude.

So.

I've still not managed to write my November post have I? Already it's 3rd December, Advent has begun, Christmas is fast approaching and I've got that all-too-familiar feeling that I am behind with absolutely everything.

Never mind. It doesn't matter. It'll be OK.

So until I can find the time to sit quietly with my thoughts and write about November, this mosaic of images will have to suffice. November was good, wasn't it?

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Words on a Simple Life

Late on Sunday afternoon, when the rain briefly stopped raining and the sun peeked out, we pulled coats on and strolled ten minutes up the road to visit our town's local castle. You know how it is, you live somewhere a while and quite often don't really think to do the touristy things sitting on ones own doorstep. Don't really think to pop along the street and have a mooch around a 900 year old medieval castle (one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England, apparently) which stands very conveniently at the top of the High Street.
But on Sunday the castle was open for free to residents of the area and so along we toddled, and mighty fine it was too.
As with all fine Tourist Attractions, as well as the ancient attraction itself, there is also a lovely looking tearoom and a souvenir shop. It was the latter which we decided to call in to, even though visiting these sort of shops with eager Little People can be something of a strain. The Pester Power is enormous, the sudden desperate need for Castle Pens, fridge magnets, badges is urgent. I got away with limiting the purchases to two very small soft cuddly toys @ £1.50 each and a bag of chocolate raisins, but boy, it was hard work getting Little Fingers to leave the other merchandise alone.

Anyhow, I am babbling, I am sorry....get to the point Lucy, chop-chop!  Yes the point of this is to tell you about a little book I spotted in the castle souvenir shop and purchased for myself. Its called "Words on a Simple Life", by Helen Exley and can be found here along with other delightful sounding titles in the same series.

If you click on the top picture there, you'll be able to read the description written on the back of this dinky little book :: it's basically a collection of images and quotes, celebrating the "quiet joys of life".
Now this is not normally something I would go for, I have never owned any books of this nature before. But something about this little golden book really touched me.
I keep coming back to it's pages, keep reading and re-reading the words :: words on a simple life. These words are so appealing, so meaningful, so wise, they touch my heart. Yes, they do!

Take these daffodils for example. So very simple.
A bunch of 20 stems cost less than a pound.
They can be purchased without guilt, brought home and enjoyed wholeheartedly.
To me, they capture the essence of living a Simple Life.
The joy they bring me is immeasurable. Priceless.

I have split them up and distributed them around the house....

....simply displayed in an empty milk bottle on the hall shelf to make me smile as I pass through one of the most stressy times of my day (getting Little People out the door at 8.30am with polished shoes and all relevant school paraphernalia).

I've also put little bottles holding a few blooms on the kitchen and bathroom window sills, for providing joy when ones hands are in the kitchen sink and brushing teeth.

And beside my bed too, for providing joy when I drift into my dreams at night and greet the day each morning.

It seems somehow so luxurious to have flowers beside ones bed, don't you think? Yet so simple at the same time. I would urge you to go out today and buy yourself a small bunch of flowers to put beside your bed, Arrange them in a little jar, a pretty mug,or a small vase and enjoy the pleasure they bring.

I thought over the coming days and weeks I might share some of the quotes with you from this little book. Some are very short, just one sentence, some are longer. This is one of my favourites, it was written by a man called Thomas Dekker (c 1570 - c. 1641), so he was around dispensing wisdom a pretty long, ancient time ago...

"To awaken each morning with a smile brightening my face;
to greet the day with reverence for the opportunities it contains;
to approach my work with a clean mind;
to hold ever before me, even in the doing of little things, the ultimate purpose toward which I am working;
to meet men and women with laughter on my lips and love in my heart;
to be gentle, kind, and courteous through all the hours;
to approach the night with weariness that ever woos sleep and the joy that comes from work well done -
this is how I desire to waste wisely my days."

Have a great day everyone, waste it wisely.....
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