Bouncing Back

Monday morning and I am sat here smiling stupidly to myself. You would probably laugh if you could see me actually. I am sat at my desk, slurping hot coffee, grinning away at my laptop. The house is still and quiet, and for the first time in ages I am also feeling miraculously still and quiet. But more importantly, I feel content to be still and quiet and it feels like the most humongous relief. All of last week I felt like I was permanently on edge, wondering why I couldn't settle, wishing I could relax and unwind, feeling like I might burst into tears at any unexpected moment. I was sleeping like the dead, yet I was waking up each morning feeling exhausted. Not so today......hooray!!! Today I have finally bounced back, full of energy, happiness, zest for life.

I. Am. Back.

Ahhhhhh, thank goodness for that!!!

I have a new mug for my morning cup(s) of coffee and it is making me absurdly happy. I absolutely love these generously sized Cath Kidston mugs (this one is called the Kentish Rose stanley mug), they are a pleasure to use. I treated myself to this one on Friday, during a rare shopping trip to The City. I went by myself on the spur of the moment, hopped on the train and went to enjoy a few hours mooching around the Big Shops. It turned out to be great therapy. I soaked it all in, enjoyed being somewhere very different to my own cosy little home town and came home feeling happy.

I only bought a couple of things. The above mug, plus new oven gloves, and a much needed new duvet cover. We had literally worn out our previous white cotton duvet cover which we bought a good five years ago. The fibres had worn away to nothing and it was ripped beyond repair. We have still been sleeping in it (it's all we had), but kept getting all caught up in the ripped bits!

I adore pure cotton, plain white bedding, but it is surprisingly hard to come by. After doing the rounds of all the big department stores with no luck, I suddenly remembered about The White Company. Of course! I was in and out of there in about five minutes flat as they had exactly what I was looking for. This is the bottom of their bedding range...I think it's called their Basic Range. Plain white (no embroidery, ruching, pin tucks, pulled thread work, satin borders etc) 200 thread count Egyptian cotton. WOW. It really is the most beautiful bedding to sleep in and I can highly recommend it. I have slept a LOT this weekend (a twelve hour stretch on Saturday night!) and feel great for it.

My weekend was so nice. Nothing much on the agenda other than just being home and enjoying simple family time. It was mild and I wore short sleeves, propping the kitchen door open to let the fresh air into the house. Everything was still damp from the days of rain we had last week, and it smelt completely Autumnal. Damp wood and stone and earth, mixed with the smell of wood smoke in the air.

I went into town early on Saturday morning, leaving the rest of the family still in their pyjamas. I wanted to visit the butcher to buy meat, the market to buy veggies and flowers, and the baker to buy a crusty granary loaf. You probably wouldn't want to see the chicken, bread, spuds and parsnips in my bag, but thought you might appreciate some floral goodness.......

....oh yes, deep joy, it's dahlia season!

Aren't they amazing? They are locally grown and never fail to make me hugely happy each year when they arrive at the market. Love love love their exuberant and showy-offy nature.

I bought orange ones this time, which is unusual as I am usually suckered in by the hot pinks and reds. They are completely smile-inducing.

On my way home I found my feet heading towards my studio, almost of their own accord. I hadn't intended to call in there, but somehow I found myself stood in a daze outside the café door. I had been so busy smooching with my dahlias that I had sort of walked on auto-pilot and arrived there a bit by accident. So I took it as a sign that I was meant to be there and duly went in and sat myself down for a stunningly good coffee and a chat. It was lovely to be there as a customer, I feel as if I belong there.

Oh, orange dahlia.....stop it! Stop shouting for attention, you know I love you!

Love love love (and  then some) having a jug of fresh, vibrant flowers on the table.

And in the bathroom. Dahlias joined here by a single, hardy pot marigold, self seeded and discovered in amongst the weeds in my neglected back yard. What a joy it was to find.

Talking of joy, I picked up a little bit of colourful hooky at the weekend. No bunting. No yarn bombing. Just sweet, delicious, personal, indulgent all-for-me hooky. I came across a few of my experimental bits n bobs last week (in the fruit bowl). Some samples and half-worked ideas, projects that are sitting patiently in my Creative Mind waiting to be released. There are StAcKs of ideas up there you know, I am currently full to bursting with ideas. First to be let out is a little flowery project, and I'm really, really excited to get it off the starting blocks. More of that coming soon.

It's soooo good to be back, did I say that already?

Thanks as always for stopping by, I appreciate your visits more than I can say.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

ps Part 1 of my Yarndale story coming tomorrow x

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Frances]

Lucy, you do sound (in your wonderful writing style) definitely recovered from that brilliant Yarndale weekend. Belated bravos to you for your amazing contributions to that event. How I wish I could have visited "for real" but seeing the reports by many bloggers was also fun.

xo

[Vee]

I alwauslove to read your blog, i do not postcomments often, because english is not my language
I love crocheting and we are saving money for our own caravan, we will name her : crommivan, because our familyname is Crombé
Greetings from belgium !

[Susan M]

So glad to see that you finally got to relax! Looks like all of your hard work paid off.....reading about Yarndale all over the web! Sure wish I wasn't an ocean away....would have been wonderful to attend....

[Jools Morgan-Jones]

Glad you're back to your usual fab self, Lucy - you've had a LOT going on with the Yarndale stuff and running a home full of lovely little people too, so it was bound to take it out of you. It's good to know you're feeling better now xx

[Jo]

You've inspired me to get into the garden and cut myself some dahlias - thank you. That orange is glorious - I love the colour of this blog, it's why I read.

[Nanita]

Aww, so happy to see You Are Back!! Your post just made me enjoy my day a whole lot more :-) xxxx

[Sonja]

So happy that you are back, Lucy! I love your pretty dahlias and I like orange, such a cheery colour. Can't wait to read about your Yarndale experience. I couldn't make it but loved to read all the blog posts from participants who posted their website on the Yarndale facebook site. A bit like being there myself.

[cristina]

I'm happy if you once again energized, Lucy!
I always sleep with cotton sheets and are wonderful! do you have more wrinkles and be ironing board but they are a treat for the skin and senses! Really! dahlias are lovely, all flowers are beautiful! but orange is spectacular! Thanks to convey the happiness, peace and above all energy, including: thanks for inspiration!

[Anne Marie]

Lovely photos. Love the flowers, it's such a trek to get flowers from our market as it is 6 miles away and if I go in car, I have to carry them the long way to where I always park. If I go on train or bus they get crushed. I tend to buy flowers in Aldi, where they are cheap but not so lovely as yours.

Love the Cath Kidston mug, do you put two Nespresso shots in or just 'water it down with milk" if you know what I mean?

[Barbara Seiver]

I must confess that I couldn't pick out a Dahlia from a mixed bouquet. When you showed them to us, I thought, "No, that's a chrysanthemum!"
Wikipedia tells me the two flowers are cousins. In fact, I suspect after reading about the Dahlia that it was offered as the "football chrysanthemum" to pin on our jackets for the homecoming game in college. Now I know - thanks!

[Lluisa]

Welcome back!!Love your flowers, your cup....I am glad you are here :)

Lluisa xx

http://spinningyarn74.blogspot.com.es/

[Lise]

Glad to see you are feeling better!

[Rosy Nancarrow]

I'm really not surprised you have been so exhausted - you were on your feet all weekend you know (and chatting to everyone!) Glad to hear that you have bounced back now though and I bet it feels good to be doing hooky for yourself! I have to say I am giggling and ridiculously happy seeing your photos thinking "I've been there!" and "I had coffee in there!" xxx

[Fiona Marchant]

Glad you are back...glad you have regained your inner calm.
Apart from the "buzzy brain". I have one of those too. Setting up my own little shop on Etsy, wondering whether to have a go at running an adult sewing class before Christmas. Lots of crafty ideas swimming around too...shame I have to work. Anyhoo, have started on two of my Yarndale goodies..and enjoying doing them. Take care...

[julita]

It's good to have you back Lucy!!!!

[Natas Nest]

Nice to hear you're feeling balanced again :-). Great pics, love the bright orange dahlia!

[Angela-Southern U.S.A.]

Hello Lucy! Glad to hear you're bouncing back to normal. We've missed "normal Lucy post." Love, love, l-o-v-e the dahlias! Here you're more out to find mums(chrysanthemums)this time of year, in fact I bought a lovely potted candy corn version(orange, yellow and white) one yesterday. Have a great "normal" day! :)

[maypole]

I loved this post, especially the naughty Dahlia.

White cotton? no comparison. Fresh and crisp! you cheered me up with your lovely post today.

[Vicky]

My grandad grew dahlias - they always remind me of him :)

[Ada Bea]

Hello back! Glad you are feeling more you after what must have been an exhausting few weeks, even though I also know it will have been full of highs! I'm a fan of pure cotton white bedding too, we've not had anything else on the duvet since 1990!!! But of course I do love those vintage sheet pillowcases as well....soon I'll have my very own crochet pillows on there too! Have a lovely week sweetheart! :) x

[Winwick Mum]

Nice to have you back! I love dahlias too and used to grow all kinds of varieties until I got too worn out fighting a losing battle against the slugs and snails. I'll try again another year, but I still grow those lovely pot marigolds - none of your cultivated varieties, thank you, they have to be the proper ones!

PS The man at the Herdy stand at Yarndale told me that orange is a very creative colour (as he sold me an orange mug!) so perhaps you picked the colour to fit with your mood! xx

[Gail simpson]

just read and loved every word x You cheered me up no end Gayle xx

[Jo]

Glad to hear you're feeling more like yourself again, it can be hard to wind down after a huge event like Yarndale. I'm loving your new mug, I have a thing for mugs even though I rarely use them, I don't drink many hot drinks. Markets are a great place to buy flowers, especially things which are a little more unusual. I have some dahlias in the garden, such zingy colours they come in.

[Inge]

Glad to hear that you are feeling better!
Lovely flowers!

[Emmy]

Lovely, Lucy. A lovely attic24 post. I was excited to see that it is a back-to-normal post, with flowers, cup, and little hooky projects :) Your dahlias and hooky flowers look gorgeous!