Adjustment

This past week has felt very, very long and very full. Getting back into the swing of life after a two week break takes quite a bit of adjusting to, and sometimes I have to stop myself from sinking into a bit of a sulk with it. I really love the ease of being home in the holidays, the break from routine, the relaxed attitude to food, activity and the clock. It's usually only the first week mind you, then I am back on track and pretty happy with six weeks of being scheduled.

We had our first picnic tea of the year on Monday last week after a family visit to the dentist. We go out of town to our dentist, a small, friendly practice in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales village of Grassington. Afterwards, we often stop off for tea in one of our favourite pubs, The Fountaine Inn at Linton. That's it above there look, it is so impossibly picturesque and the food is wonderful. However, the weather on Monday was warm and sunny (hoorrraaaay!) so we decided to picnic on the green instead.

We settled down beside the river and enjoyed a lovely, simple al fresco meal (delicious Cornish pasties from a local baker with a large bowl of crunchy salad, then fresh strawberries from the market and some delicious chocolate covered cereal bars). It was lovely, and a great start to our week.

I managed to sneak a little bit of time in the studio last week, just a smidge of time in a busy week, but it was great. A little window of creativity making me long for more. September. I will be here every morning in September. Hold onto that thought.

I finished my basket liner on Friday too, just waiting for some decent light to photograph it so I can show you. I've got some more furniture prettifying to share with you too, oh those Liberty lined drawers are a bit heart-fluttery!

There hasn't been an awful lot of time for simply sitting quietly just lately. My days are long and busy, both at home and with various Little B things and Yarndale things out and about. I really appreciate the small pockets of me-time that appear occasionally. Like I say, quite rare, but you can be sure I make the absolute most of it. I whizz around the room like a dervish straightening blankets, plumping cushions and tidying away objects before I flop down and reeeeelax. Sometimes it's only ten minutes or so, but yes, I do appreciate those times very much.

I've been reading during these little patches of quiet time, which is quite unusual for me, as I am not a reader. Well not of novels anyhow. I much prefer magazines and homey/creative type books (still in love with this beauty and dive into the delicious pages day after day), but from time to time I do like to immerse myself in some light fiction. I have loved this book (Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher), all one thousand pages of it. Described as "serene and beguiling story telling", it's been a real pleasure to get lost in the details of someone else's imagined world.

I am love love loving the lengthening days here as we gently edge into Spring. It's such a relief to know that Winter is finally behind us now, gosh what a long haul it's been.

I'm not often out in the evenings, but on the odd occasion that I am, I find myself completely mesmerised by the colours and the light. So beautiful, with that pinky golden glow touching upon everything.

I confess I am finding life a little tricky at the moment, I wonder if it shows in my writing? The words aren't coming out very well, I've been trying to write up this post for many days, a bit here, a bit there. I am so short of time always, and often flat out tired in the evenings which is my only writing/blog time when the days are full of life.

Adjustment. Yes indeed. Hope it doens't take too much longer for it all to even out again. I feel like I could really do with another holiday.

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Edit to add :: re Rosamunde Pilcher...I have read and re-read The Shell Seekers countless times over many years, it is my go-to comfort read. I've also read September but the Shell Seekers remains my absolute favourite, I just love the descriptive writing so much. I've just ordered The Empty House and can't wait for it to arrive :0)

 

 

 

Comments

[Sandy]

Lucy, I dearly love your blog. Thank you for inviting us into your beautiful world. Your home, family and quaint little town are all so beautiful and I enjoy visiting. Thanks for always adding a little splash of color to my world.

[Gillian]

You'll get through it, your body and mind just need to adjust, like you say. The days can be relentless sometimes. But winter is behind us and summer is coming (please let it be a good summer...) so there is much to look forward to. xx

[Mónica]

No hablo inglés, pero me encanta visitar tu blog y mirar las hermosas fotos que publicas de los paisajes y de tus creaciones. Saludos

[amjaylou]

Hi Lucy, don't worry you'll soon get your blogging mojo back. It's good to kick back and ease up once in a while. I've just started a blog too and I'm finding it hard at the mo' to squeeze it into my busy schedule. Your constant energy and enthusiam always inspires me to keep going with mine! :-) x

[maggie]

I always look forward to reading your blog Lucy, I love reading about your day to day activites and I love your photo's. We have visited the Dales for the last 3 years for our holiday time and we just love it. Skipton, Grassington, & so many more pretty villages and towns. It is because of your blog Lucy that we read about and then visited Bolton Abbey. It is a must now for us each time we travel that way. Thank you
lots of love to you
Maggie xx

[Kathy, FRANCE]

I think I know how you feel - sometimes you need a holiday to recover from a holiday - you didn't do much relaxing on your holiday - lots of brisk walks and outdoorsyness!! have a bit of quiet time and enjoy it when you can!
I think this is a funny time of year full of hope but if you haven't any energy you feel as though it's leaving you behind!! women do give themselves a hard time too! we always expect a little too much of ourselves!!
Chin up - things get better when we're not really trying to change them!!

[Chel C]

Your 'Me' time will soon come and things will calm down. Sometimes we take on too much and try to be super women but it is so nice to just catch our breath and take some time out. Keep thinking of September. Take care. Chel x

[Jacky Russell]

I have only just started to read your lovely blog. I read very few because spending too much time online can be isolating and as a 'home bird' I have to be aware of getting out in the fresh air! I do hope you are soon on the up :)

[Jo Roberts]

Don't forget Lucy, holidays are for children not for parents! I always find it exciting at first but then ultimately hard to keep chipper through the whole of the holiday at home with the children. My girl has one more year before school so I am really enjoying dipping my toe into tutoring crochet lessons and I can tell you - you have so much to look forward to - it is fantastic. Jo xx

http://joeveryday19.blogspot.co.uk

[Hannah@HomeBaked]

I hope things even out for you soon x
I love the dramatisation of Coming Home and Nancherrow but have never read the books.

[Mariana Nortje]

Hi, I love your blog at this my first visit, but when I click on subscribe something funny happens. I get a whole page with a lot of typing, sigh.
will look in againa nd hopefully get it right.Mariana Nortje

[DUVERT Anne Lise]

Hello, i know you are very busy and it's interesting for you , but what about the pattern of the french bird , please , please. I always hope you don't forget;
Thank you, enjoy yourself
AnneLise

[Jones]

Oh Lucy! I am feeling exactly the same after our little Easter break - hard to get back in to the swing of things, and with the builders here too now I find that I can't properly relax. I'm either thinking about what they're doing, worrying about how it will turn out, or just wishing it were done so that the knock on chaos to the rest of the house can just sort itself out please! I hope you're feeling more Lucy-like soon.

So lovely to be reminded of that book, Coming Home, I loved it. They did an adaptation on ITV a fair few years ago, but it was nothing like getting lost in the pages.

Jones x

[AngelaW]

Life is so incredibly busy all of the time. In so many different ways, more so with a young family and hectic house. I have also struggled with life a bit recently...and have found that daily exercise and drinking more water and LESS tea/coffee has helped immensely... it makes me able to tidy up, cook, wash, clean and hoover without a second thought. :)
Happy Springtime to you x

[maypole]

Whatever it is, adjustments aren't always easy.

Not seeing you post for a few days, I thought you might be up to the neck in dust and building works!
Hope you are back in the swing of things soon x

[sew]

Sometimes I think it would be wonderful to wake up in the morning and have absolutely nothing to do! I suspect that your commitments are piling up (Yarndale, hooky group,house stuff etc., etc.,) and the changes in your life looming large behind! Little B will be growing up and off to pre-school or whatever, your studio awaits you with all that it brings. A quote I remember sometimes reads, 'Change is not made without inconvenience, even from worse to better' - and do you know who said it? Richard Hooker !! (No, I'm not making it up!).
I know I'm a million years older than you, but I do less & less during the evening and just think to myself, 'Well that's enough for today'.
Lose yourself in your book (I love The Shell Seekers too)- Rosamunde Pilcher is such an expressive writer - and so are you.
For a change of scene you could catch a train & come & see me again :)
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[Emma Breadstill]

The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher is another lovely book. Love all your pics, hooray for Spring! xxx

[Lise]

I go through phases of difficulty with adjustments. Or maybe it is just difficulty? Days where it is all just hard work, even though I live a good life. But it does pass. Making time for yourself is very important.

[Pats]

It's that old phrase "period of adjustment" which happens right through life! Just ride the wave and all will be well.

Grassington IS lovely, do you visit Linton Falls there at the back of the large car park there? Quite spectacular!

'Coming home' is a favourite and great viewing on DVD, the casting is so good. Keep smiling. x.

[Fiona]

You're not the only one finding life tricky at the moment. I'm finding it very tricky. I'm not really managing to blog at all at the mo so you're way ahead of me writing your lovely posts even if they take you a while to write. I'm also reading Coming Home at the moment. It's not the first time. It's one of my 'comfort books' as I like to call them. I have a few that I like to re-read because they're easy and comforting. Have you read any of her others? The Shell Seekers is really lovely too. Also set a lot in Cornwall. And 'September' was also good. Take care. Fiona x

[Kate]

The lack of light all Winter has not helped- I've spent a couple of days in the garden this week shifting a massive bag of manure ( what was I thinking when I ordered one so huge?) and two days in the sunlight have made me feel so much more positive and energised.
Sunny bench+coffee+book=feeling better.

But if you want something more strenuous I still have half a big sack of manure needs shifting...

[CJ]

Hope you are feeling more like yourself soon. It is true that everything passes. I often feel overwhelmed with all the stuff there is to do, and that causes so much anxiety - children, housework, garden, allotment, cooking, job searching and other more creative plans that never seem to get a look in until I am too tired. Half the time I am just holding on, making it through somehow, doing the best I can. Who knows how I will manage when (if) I actually do manage to get a job! Meeting friends helps a bit I think, maybe you can squeeze in some time with one of yours. It will do you good!

[Mahek]

It's always a pleasure to read your posts , they are always full of life and inspiration and I wish you could write one every day
My son is waiting for an update on Pip and Lola how are they?
Keep writing ...

[Shannon]

I feel exactly the same when vacation days are over - the alarm clock, homework, etc. seem so demanding... but once you adjust, all is right as rain. Thanks for taking the time and energy to share an update; I love the photos and stories about life in your corner!

[wendy]

Always good coming here and busy lives sure
do make you appreciate the little quiet moments ♥