Re-balancing

Pheww, what a long week it's been! It's always a bit of a struggle getting back into routine after a holiday, and this past week has been no exception. I've struggled. Not in a dreadful way, but still, this sweet life of mine has felt like hard work these past five days. I've been feeling terrifically tired all week, like falling asleep sitting up kind of tired. Last night once the Little People were all up in bed I decided to go and have a lovely, hot bubble bath. It's all I could think about doing, there simply didn't seem to be the energy left to do anything else.

I've not yet managed to read my latest copy of Country Living, so I thought I would have a little browse through that whilst I soaked in the hot steamy bubbles. Actually I ended up falling asleep in the bath instead, waking up with a jolt and not knowing where on earth I was.

After my bath I retreated to my cosy bed to work a few soothing ripples. Actually I couldn't keep my eyes open there either, so I gave in and snuggled down to sleep just after 9pm. It's been like that most nights this week, I'm thinking perhaps the 5am starts are what's doing it.

I've had to stop and give myself a little bit of a talking to this week you know. I've been feeling for a wee while that the pace of my life has needed a little adjustment, a little bit of a re-balance, do you know what I mean? Sometimes everything seems to rollick along at such a pace that I'm left feeling a little out of control. The past month or so has been like this :: a great deal of socialising and indulging, far more than I'm used to. Truthfully it's been a huge amount of fun to kind of let go for a while, go with the (fast) flow and enjoy life to the max. I've been indulging my sweet tooth (oohhhhh those raspberry and white chocolate muffins mmmm-mmmm!), consuming rather a lot of vino, pimms and raspberry gin with good friends and neighbours, and throwing myself into a frenzy of socialising and creativity. Like I say, a huge amount of fun! But I've come to a point now where I instinctively need to have more balance, more control back in my life. My clothes are all feeling uncomfortably tight, the house is looking rather neglected, and stuff that needs to be done (like paying bills, making calls etc) just isn't getting done. The healthy diet and housekeeping regimes have slipped quite badly of late and it's time to slow down and pull things back together a little.

First up is the diet. This week I've tried to make an effort to eat/drink more mindfully. Not a strict diet as such, but a few small changes. No alcohol for a while. More water. Less sugary stuff.

And more fruit. I adore fruit, but it seems that I adore cake more. I'm not eliminating cakes/pastries/chocolate from my life (heaven forbid), just cutting back. Re-balancing.

My home routines have also had a little bit of a shake up this week and I've had to resist the urge to sit and crochet/sew all the time (so hard! I am desperate to finish Connie's curtains!) and attend to the business of cleaning up instead. I was reading through a post I wrote six months ago about balancing my time at home, trying to remind myself to be patient and not get so frustrated when I can't get everything done in a flash.

I spent most of yesterday at home with Little B, doing a spot of Home Loving. Lots of laundry sorting, tidying hotspots, emptying bins, moving a ridiculous number of objects from one place to another, scrubbing, polishing and cleaning. I think I'm mostly on top of it all again now, it felt good to really get stuck in and see results.

Friday is my day for fresh flowers, and I was able to pick my first little garden posy of the year for the table, yippeeee!

Alchamilla, geraniums, honeysuckle and rose. So so so pretty and so sweetly full of summer promise, raindrops and all.

This is next weeks task, I really must crack on and sort all this out. AGAin. The piles have reached ridiculous levels, they are teetering and wobbling and causing mayhem. I need to sort through it all, tidy it away. I need to mend those drawers that broke. Sigh. So much AWAYS needs to be done, it's so completely never ending. And all the while I am Sorting Piles of Accumulated, Miscellaneous Mess, I am not free to play with this.....................

...........now that's a Pretty Pile if ever I saw one!

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I treated myself to these new fabrics this week, they're destined to become part of my insanely exciting Connievan Curtain Pelmet Plan (CCPP). I bought them from a fabulous Ebay seller called Mrs Muffet (sweet!), you've got to check out her gorgeous collection of Fabric Bundles. They're perfect for the likes of me, as each bundle consists of five small 20cm squares which is just right for patchworking purposes. I don't want to give too much of my CCPP away just yet, but I will quietly mutter the words "patchwork"  and "bobble trim" >>>>>>> aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the very thought of it kills me with it's incredible frivolousness! No bloomin' wonder I don't want to clean my bathroom floor when I could be doing wondrous things with pretty fabric and bobbles!

I just fell in love with this fabric, it was included in one of the bundles but I also bought an extra fat quarter of it as I think it will make a most beautiful cushion back. I love love love my Homespun Cushions being in Connievan, but I also miss seeing them here in the Attic. As soon as the curtains are done, and the CCPP has made the journey from my Creative Mind and into reality, I'll make time to stitch up a few more patchy cushions for the sofas here. Maybe the mess and broken drawers can wait a little longer?

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Comments

[Lucinda Lynx]

I loved to read about Connievan's adventures in Blackpool! Awesome indeed!
And now that pile of fabric...it's great! I am sure you will tame them in no time.

[Rita Miller]

Greetings Lucy! I have to tell you that I enjoy reading your blog and taking in the wonderful imagery you provide. This comes all the way from the east coast of the USA- North Carolina!

[NutellaNutterson]

I adore that fabric! And it looks so familiar. I thought it was Tradewinds by Moda, but no... and it's not an Alexander Henry that I can spot... I would love to buy some over here in the U.S. :-)

[Sue Rawlinson]

love your blog - just nominated you for a "lovely blog award"
Sue x

[Sondra]

Those muffins look absolutely scrumptious!!! Where can I find the recipe?? I love the cupcake liners they are in too, so cute!.
I finally got caught up on your blog again. Congrats on being in print! I love visiting the Attic & seeing your latest creations. Hope you are feeling more energized.

[Dinahsoar]

Getting up at 5am will assuredly create the necessity of a 9pm bedtime..LOL. I was wondering though, might you be low on iron?

Balance is so important. It is fun to have fun and let things slide to a point. But order and method are a constant and a comfort -- and needful if we want to have the most fulfillment out of life. Without balance we are lopsided and that can cause us to spin out of control--definitely not desirable.

[Lisa]

I love reading your posts Lucy. I also absolutely love all your crocheting projects. I have completely stopped cross stitching at the moment (which i have NEVER done) and have become obsessed with crocheting. It is so interesting to hear you all talking about life getting so hectic that things start to slip. I'm in the grip of winter here and have just had a foot operation and so I'm confined to the couch which is nice as I can continue my crocheting obsession BUT unfortunately everything else here is slipping. Oh well, small steps!

[Meegan]

You mean to tell me that the Cleaning Good Fairy doesn't exist, and I've been waiting amidst this dust and clutter for nothing?

[Fleur Cotton]

Hi Lucy, it's me again!

Just wanted you to know that I have nominated you for 'the sunshine' award. Full details can be found on my post here:

fleurcotton.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/030-i-love-ones-and-zeros.html

I understand that if you have already received many of these types of awards you may not wish to join in, but I hope that the link on my blog brings in lots of new visitors to your beautiful blog. I chose your blog as it always makes me feel 'happy' and 'sunny' when I visit to see your colourful crafty projects.

Best Wishes
Fleur xx

[Josette]

Oh my goodness. If you didn't speak my heart today. I have been feeling that same feeling...just crazy schedule and not being able to keep things tidy. I know that I shouldn't let it bother me...but when I see mess it just depresses me. Thanks for showing us your pretties. I love those bright colors...I have to be truthful I am smitten with the red polka dotted one!

[Rebecca]

Dear Lucy
Oh yes your fabric is so pretty indeed. Isn't it a wonder how they keep coming up with such wonderful fabric, our eye candy. Have fun sewing.

[Ana]

Hello dear Lucy,how are you now? Finally I'm identify with you... as I to told you before,I'm tired after maternity. I'm a brazilian sad girl, rsrsrs, not so sad as I said,but I'm frustated with what happen after my litlle boy. When he sick, I'm feel appallingly sorry, because I want help him and I cannot, it's so bad to live like this, I'm immature for to be mom. He is everything to me and my house,sometimes turn a mess. The worst is my hair,my nails, my depilation, never I can care my body like before, because I have no one to help me,no one, with who I'll leave my baby?only my husband, but he works all the time. So I'm feel ugly and completly alone, my joy is the crochet and read you,are my relief. Thank you for exist, my distant friend,but you makes part of a cozy dream that I dream to me. Thanks

[driftwood]

hope you finally get to read CL too, there's a lovely article about silverpebble and her shed x

[Mary]

I am going through this too. feeling run down and over used, not enough time for the things i truely enjoy(crocheting, laying in the hammock, cooking quietly and alone, napping,gardening, etc)
Its been all about taking care of the kids, listening to the husband complain, driving EVERYONE EVERYWHERE, graduations, holidays, slacking on the housework(as soon as i clean it, they mess it up), eating too much junk and just feeling really tired.

[idiosyncratic eye]

I need these reminders too, thank you. :)

[Taylor]

Ah, I can relate....my piles keep getting bigger. Though I made a little headway last week and cleaned the kitchen table. Now to other things, like the dishes and such..but that darn crochet keeps calling me...I love your fabric! I been thinking about doing something fabricy myself. And rebalancing? I feel like I'm in constant rebalance! Thanks for your wonderful post!

[Sally Anderson]

Hi Lucy, I'm trying to subscribe to you wonderful, colorful blog but when I click on the links (both of them) to subscribe I get a page full of HTML code! I hope you can fix this because I really want to subscribe. Love all your yarny goodness! Thanks!

[Donna Edwinson]

..stumbled across this blog and found a new friend? Lucy, how fun and inspirational you are! Looking forward to spending the next 1/2 hour (coughhourcough)browsing your archive blogs!
Enjoy this day!
From NH
Donna

[Only Best For Baby]

Beautiful fresh flowers from your garden. Your home is always so colourful. Rebalancing is so important, taking the time out to do this is the hard part! Best of luck. x

[Angela]

Dear Lucy,
I couldn't find a contact me area, so I thought I'd leave a comment on the first post :)
Your blog is very inspiring, it's full of cheery colours and really homey and I love it to bits. It inspires me to make my own home homey myself rather than trying really hard (and failing) to save up for unrealistically priced homewares and accessories. I'm very guilty of lusting after things I don't need and can't afford. It's not healthy.

And besides, your house looks way better, more comfy and inviting and has none of the sterility and the 'be-careful-take-off-your-shoes' type atmosphere you see in catalogues and even in the houses of people who can afford that stuff.

So instead of saving up for a new table and chairs, we are going to ditch the broken chairs, keep the table and get 2nd hand mismatches and make them ours. I'm back into knitty and hooky projects and plan on making lots of yours. So thank you for brightening up my mind and helping to motivate me to help brighten up our little family space in a healthier way.

Love, Angela in Australia :) xxx

[Anna]

Hi, Lucy! May be I have missed this info in some other posts that you wake up at 5 am!!! You are a heroine!
The main thing is not to forget about yourself in daily routine. I hope you are feeling better now and full of fresh energy for a long week ahead! Loved the colors of your house, thanks for sharing it all :)

[Leanne]

Lucy,
Yes, get your iron checked, I felt the same a few years back, falling asleep all over the placee, and it turned out I was terribly anemic and had to take iron pills and eventually get a uterine ablation surgery.
Also, if you have been eating a lot of sugar lately, that will put you into a brain fog and leave you feeling lethargic.
I am going through a major re-balancing as well. Love your blog, it always uplifts me.

[sew]

Can you elaborate on Beth's comment?
Have you become famous without telling us?! ;)

[Claire]

What's this about simply crochet magazine Beth (above comments) has mentioned?
Come on .....spill.....

[Claire]

Hi Lucy
You should get your thyroid checked.
1 quick simple blood test.