Winter Sunday

I've got some gorgeous tulips blooming away merrily on my table right now, they are really unbelievably lovely. They seem to be have an extra layer of petals which makes them sort of semi-ruffled and quite flouncy. I keep stopping in my tracks to gaze at them, looking right in to the depth of the blooms and drinking in the saturated colour. Delicious.

Early yesterday morning we prized our two youngest offspring out of the pyjamas and away from their screens and encouraged their protesting bodies into clothes, boots and coats. A short walk up the road and into the muddy woodland, for some fresh air and exercise. I tried my hardest to ignore the persistent drizzle and overwhelmingly drab brown-ness of it all. Squelchy brown mud, rainy brown puddles, soggy brown leaves, damp brown bark and bare, brown branches.

Thank goodness for moss and ivy adding some welcome, verdant green to the brown proceedings.

I noticed down in the squelchy mud, amongst the soggy brown leaves, that the wild garlic is already beginning to sprout. The sight of those brave little green shoots made me grin and whoop out loud. Good job the woods were deserted excepting for my family who understand and accommodate my strange ways. Yay for new green shoots, double yay for signs of Spring springing forth!!

We got home just after 10am, pleased to shed wet coats and kick off muddy boots and be home and dry again. I made mugs of hot chocolate with a full compliment of squirty cream on top for the Little People, much to their delight. It's what Brown Winter Sunday's are made of.

I've recently changed something of my weekend routine which has made a huge difference to my Sundays. It's just a small change, but it's amazing the way that Sunday now feels so different to me. Would you care to know what it is? Well, I've declared Sunday to be a Laundry Free Zone. My Sundays had begun to feel seriously dragged down by the drudge of getting clothes clean and ironed for the week ahead. I would get to 6pm on a Sunday evening with a heavy heart, hating that I had to spend the last precious hours of the weekend folding and sorting a huge mound of clothes and ironing all the school uniform. So a few weeks ago, I made sure that I got the first laundry load in and out of the washing machine on a Friday evening instead of waiting until Saturday. Then on Saturday I worked hard to get through the rest, inviting Little B to help me fold and sort it all on Saturday afternoon. He is a very willing helper, not always the speediest, but not a bad little sock pairer and clothes folder. Although he does rather approach the clothes folding like origami, so many intricate folds this way and that!. Early Saturday evening and I ploughed through the ironing of the shirts whilst listening to the radio. Take that, Tedious Laundry Chore.

When I woke up the following morning, I had the double pleasure of a) thinking it was Monday morning before realising that joy-of-joys it was still Sunday, and b) no laundry to deal with!! It was like a heavy grey rain cloud had been blown away and my day was declared free for leisurely pursuits and the seeking of pleasurable activity. Be gone, Sunday Laundry Cloud!!

So now the flavour and feel of my Sundays are very different and I am very glad. I LOVE waking up on Sunday mornings and thinking about what pleasures will fill my daylight hours. Yesterday, it was new books to browse through - such beauty, style and inspiration in those pages, I'm really looking forward to reading them properly and trying some of the projects. I can feel a few new mandalas coming on.......flowers too..........and maybe a cushion or two......

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ps thank you so much for all your kind thoughts and helpful advice on my last post. I'm still struggling, but I am determined that February will be a month full of positive thinking. Bring it on x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Susan Durell]

Please could you tell me whether I may sell items I make based on your lovely patterns. I would, of course, give due acknowledgement to your designs.

I look forward to your reply, Susan Durell

[IGeorgina Pmela Davis]

Years ago I popped in to see a friend and she was ironing on a Sunday night!I thought to myself I will never iron on a Sunday night and can't remember doing so.I am happily early retired now and can iron when I please as it's only hubby and I now my three lovely girls all have homes of their own!I LOVE the peep of your bedroom and that book of vintage crochet looks inspiring!A lovely post.

[Janis Taylor]

Hello Lucy!
It is always such a treat and pleasure for me to read your blog and it always brightens up a dull day. I'm so pleased your beginning to feel better and long may it continue. Here's to chore free Sunday's! Onward and upward! Take care ~ Much love and hugs xxx

[Sarah]

It's so easy to let Sundays become busy and filled with chores. No matter how much I try to bring in Slow Sundays, I always seem to end up squeezing in loads of tasks and working my way through a domestic to-do list.
Perhaps I should make a concerted effort for 2016: Sundays are for pottering and relaxing, not doing jobs.

[Justine]

Those hot chocolates are seriously the best looking ones ever and the mugs so gorgeous!There was a reason the Sabbath was created.....for rest! We need a day to recuperate and rest and have a day off from chores! Hope you're feeling a bit stronger and healthier each day Lucy. Greetings from Australia.

[Anne-Catherine]

I come to set of your news because I go out of the hospital after an important operation and I see that your morale goes back up, it delights me, really. The anaemia is difficult to live as long as we did not understand what arrives at us. And then the treatment begins its mission and you go to see, will bring every to you a young better.
I lived near Paris to France, and I am your blog for a long time. I draw the inspiration from your comments, but not only: I learn English in your company.
I liked a lot your Laudry free zone, takes good care of you.xx
Anne-Catherine

[Annette My Rose Valley]

Hi Lucy
The smallest changes can make the biggest differences in the world. How fantastic to wake up to jolly Sunday with NO laundry cloud hanging above. And love the fact the littlest folds like origami... Ha ha ha. Makes me giggle on my rainy Wednesday morning.
Have a wonderful week.
Xxx

[Lu Douglas]

Oh heavens, I'd be dreading Sunday and would be grumpy and everyone would have a bad weekend when it's the time to chill. I NEVER used the weekend to do the laundry. Friday was also the day I worked hard to get things sorted. I do my towels and sheets on Mondays to spread it out. A weekend is never a weekend when the washing and ironing needs doing.:-( little by little, we change our old ways for the better and it's so SIMPLE. Sometimes,I wonder how come we need the online 'de-clutterer' who actually runs some website and has so many followers desperate to figure out how to have a tidier house, when the changes are so basic and common sense!! here's to a better routine for the Attic24 household. Go Lucy!

[Sue.]

It is so lovely to have a free day. When a person is mainly a full time at home person, it is easy to never take a day off. Especially when you have a young family. But...if a person works outside the home...they get days off! So, I always gave myself a day off when I was home full time with kids still in our home. Good for you! Enjoy your day off!

[Mira]

I always get all my laundry done on Friday or Saturday morning the latest (all 5-6 loads of it) and do the cleaning and tidying up as well, so that I can enjoy my weekend as much as I can. Since I have a dryer as well I do not have a need for ironing. I do own an iron but seldom use it. I will never forget a look on my youngest daughter’s face when she so “the thing” for the first time in her life. She must have been 9 or so. “What is this thing? What’s it for?”. :)

[Jo Brown]

Beautiful post with beautiful photography ..... just love those bright red tulips. Take care & enjoy your new 'laundry free' Sundays x

[Pat]

Dearest Lucy,

Bravo on the laundry change! Many hands and all that as the saying goes as well;-)
Hang in there...xo

Thank you for posting your stack of books. Will certainly look into the ones I do not have. Do have dear Wink's. Full of great patterns of which I have already made quite a few and more I plan to do.

Love, Pat

[Angel Jem]

I don't iron shirts, so that was never a weekend chore. I do love the idea of a day of rest, but actually now I work most days outside the home a Sunday of light household work (heavier than pootling but not as heavy as cleaning) can be quite relaxing.

[Edwina]

My maternal grandmother, who I never knew, had a rule that Sundays were a day of rest, so apart from cooking the main meal, she did nothing else. Several years ago I made similar changes to you, no laundry, no housework either, just meal prepping and that was it as far as 'work' went. We all deserve a day of rest, even lazy so-and-so's like me!

[bibliotecaria]

I know that feeling of weariness of anemia. I suffer from that tendency myself and am very familiar with the sensation of having woken up from a very nice nap, and still feeling tired and foggy. It's not fun.

But here's a challenge for you: consider all the shades of brown. I find brown to be a lovely color, especially when you look in nature and see all its differing tints.

[Maria João Machado]

It feels so good, having mugs of hot chocolate in a cozy warm home, after coming out from a cold morning outside.

[Claire]

It's interesting how such small changes can make such a big difference.

Laundry shmaundry. You would be shocked and horrified at my approach' (or non-approach) to laundry. I will not confess everything here, but let's just say that ironing and folding and wardrobes do not feature in my life. We all have our weak areas!

[Michelle]

What a fab post, yes I get all the laundry done by Saturday afternoon, so none on a Sunday, it so nice to enjoy the dayxxLovely flowers

[Clare]

Yay for the weekends and bah to pesky laundry mountains, enjoy the new books
Clare xx

[Joanne Coward]

Hi Lucy I am really lucky as everyone has left home now after 32yrs of lots of laundry now I only have a little to deal with. I to have just purchased most of the books you have and have thoroughly enjoyed scooting through them much inspiration just like your blog,much love

[Suzan]

A while ago it occurred to me that everyone needs a rest day. It may be enforced by personal religious beliefs or not. However, I benefit from doing only what is absolutely necessary and allowing one day of rest. Good for you for making the change.

[Victoria]

Hi Lucy, I'm glad to hear you are feeling brighter. I wanted to say thank you for your blog which has reignited my passion for crochet and helped me through some very dark days. 15 months ago I was given little choice but to leave my family home and take refuge with my parents. My teenage children have been in constant contact with me, but it's just not been the same as being a proper mum! Like you, I am a nester and love creating and caring and not having an outlet for this was difficult. I would look at your cosy home and think that I would achieve this too! In 2 weeks time I move into my new home, a cosy terrace with a wood burning stove. My children are going to live with me 50 percent of the time and I have some gorgeous blankets ready for them. Making these really did keep me going through some times of grief and loneliness, at the loss of my marriage and home. Thank you from the bottom if my heart xx

[Susan Smith]

Well done to you for changing some routines, that can really get you down at times. Hope it works well. The top book on your pile sounds interesting, so I think I may try and find it our library and check it out. Have a good week and take care.

[Laura]

LOVE your blog... You've becone a dear friend to me!

[Marjo]

Hi Lucy, small change big result! Enjoy your Sundays.