Blogtober 2024 :: Day 15

Blogtober Day 15 :: Tuesday

Back to morning walking today and out into the cold we went at 7am. When we set off, the night was still clinging on and I found that my eyes didn't quite know what to do with the low half-light. I felt like I wanted to open them extra wide to let more daylight in, and everything looked like it had a grainy black and white filter over it. The sky did eventually lighten a little (7.35 in the above photo) but my goodness it was a gloomy ol' start to the day.

Takeout coffees again for us this morning because the Mr is busy, busy busy and hasn't got time to stop for a morning break at the moment. I am so grateful to have an exceptional coffee shop within a few minutes walk from home, they roast the beans right there in the shop so you can imagine how tasty and fresh the coffee always is.

I think making time to sit and enjoy a very good cup of fresh milky coffee (or any favourite drink) is like morning meditation/gratitude journaling all rolled into one. I don't need to write down my gratitudes on paper because I talk them through in my head multiple times a day as well as typing them out to share with you here. And I think the act of simply sitting still and being in the moment (no phone distractions) while sipping a fantastic coffee definitely gives me a sense of inner peace and calm which would rival a meditation session. 

Above photo - a most delicious salted caramel Stroopwafel, a gift brought home from Amsterdam by the big boy-child. If you look closely you can see I'd already taken two bites out of it before I thought to take the picture, I just couldn't hold back. My goodness, these things are good mood boosters. Way better than meditating any day of the week.

I was late heading out to do my food shop today because I was prancing around taking photographs and the morning simply disappeared in a puff of creative camera faffery. The front of my house faces east and it's definitely the best time of day for me to take photos, even when the light levels are as poor as they were today. You can see the above photo perfectly demonstrates todays gloom, it felt as if the sky was falling down. Oh, that's just reminded me of the Chicken Licken story - hands up if you know what I'm talking about??!!

No matter how gloomy the weather, there is always colour and joyful little visual snippets to be found if you keep your eyes open. I do try and remember this and practice what I preach (some days this is easier than others).

I sat and did some admin on my laptop this afternoon, online banking, repeat prescriptions actioned, emails that needed to be sent. My little desk in the corner of my bedroom is so messy and piled with random stuff that it's currently unusable, and I am quite ashamed to confess that here in public, please don't judge me. It would only take me a little bit of effort to clear and tidy so that I can sit there again, so I'm declaring it a number 1 item on my to-do list for tomorrow. You can hold me accountable.

Instead of sitting at my desk I sat on my bed, propped up with squidgy pillows and swathed in colourful crochet. I've pinched J's laptop lap-desk (which I totally ridiculed him for buying), and I hate to admit it but it's actually really useful and I use it all the time. (it's this one if you'd like to imagine it a-top my stripy blankets).

Bedding wash day today, it's one of those jobs that's a chore but the results are well worth the effort. I love my old soft and slightly faded Cath Kidston pillowcases, I have a lovely collection of them bought over the years (first ones bought in 2008 in a local shop sale). I made sure to re-make my bed earlier on before sitting down to write to you, so I know that it's all done and ready for me when 9 o'clock ticks around and my brain shutters want to close. There's nothing worse than reaching that shutter-slam point of tiredness in the evening and then having to wrestle with a king size duvet cover. Goodness, I do so love going to bed, it's honestly such a sweet spot in my day, an underrated pleasure especially when it's Clean Sheet Tuesday.

Now then, before I love you and leave you and sign off on Day 15, I've got something to tell you. Some news of sorts, well it's more news of forthcoming news....

.....and it's inside this big white box. I've been sitting with this box for quite some time, and the news it contains inside is BIG. This news has been in my head for almost a year, and I tell you it has been the biggest challenge keeping it locked up tight and not telling a soul. The granny square on top of the box isn't really any kind of clue, it's partly there for scale, and also to tell you that this news has made me very happy and smiley and I'm excited to share more with you very soon. The lovely team at Stylecraft have declared that Thursday 17th is go-go-go day, so expect Blogtober Day 17 to be all about The Box.

Something SPeCiAL is coming......!

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Comments

[Becki]

Oh Chicken Licken I remember reading it to my daughter using lots of different voices for the different characters, then forgetting which voice was for which character and falling about laughing at my mistakes!! Such good happy memories. Mmm I would have a hot chocolate with my Stroopwafel. Love snuggling underneath my crochet blankets especially in the drizzly grey weather we’ve been having!! How exciting, I’m really looking forward to seeing what’s in the box tomorrow!! Thanks Lucy, also loved the gorgeous photos of your visit to the sea and those magical Fairy Steps. Love and hugs xxx 🥰🤗

[ChrisB]

I need to take the ‘change bed early’ reminder to heart 🙄 last night I got upstairs at 11:30 to find I’d forgotten the sheets were still out on the line and I needed to remake the bed! I faffed with a stupid tight king-size fitted sheet, duvet and pillows and then couldn’t sleep and had to go down and make cacao and watch an episode of Life on Mars until 01:30, grrr! (It may also have been because I had lunch with my brothers and had a delicious americano at 15:00 which is obviously beyond my limit for caffeine 🤦🏻‍♀️). Started a Sungold blanket though so lovely bright colours to uplift. Exciting news for tomorrow …

[Sandra]

I am wondering if it is some kind of subscription box? Like Bella Coco and others?

[Tineke]

Bedding, freshly washed and dried outside, so the scent of nature is in it. Then, I slid inside it, my cats sleeping beside me already. My fluffy boys are no night owls like I am, squeaky fresh, mmmmmm. I love the scent of stroopwafels, but gluten-free is blech. Coffee is a life elixir, eh?

[soso27110]

ah octobre, l'automne avec ces chanhement de couleurs dans les arbres... bonne journée à vous

[Deb]

Yes, if I won the Lottery it would be clean sheets every day and the hairdresser twice a week! On a very wet and gloomy day here in the NYM, with some equally gloomy life admin to be tackled, a yarn surprise in the offing is a very cheerful distraction so thank you yet again, Lucy! X

[Penny]

Think Chicken Lickin started my dislike of horror films, I remember having to read it aloud and was asked by the head mistress what I thought about it. I said it frightened me and she told me off, saying I should have asked for another book! That was over 60 years ago and I can still visualise the moment. 9pm is my time to huddle up in bed, read etc, perfect on clean bedding day. Can't wait for the big reveal.

[Hannah-nz]

Lekkere stroopwafels! Waiting for something SpEcIAl!

[DeLynn]

I love going to bed also — especially on the clean sheet days! I read once that Wallis Simpson had hers changed every day. If I had a maid, that would be one thing I’d love! Instead, I will enjoy every 5-6 days!

Looking forward to hearing about the surprise!

[Pam M Australia]

Our version is Henny Penny

[Annie Chermak]

Oh my, now I need to go find a Stroopwafel to plop a-top my cuppa!! YUM!! (And I always knew Chicken Licken as Henny Penny, but I guess the sky falls all the same no matter what the name!!) ~;-) Can’t wait for Thursday!!

[Corinna Mazzotta]

I loved the Chicken Licken story as a child - in fact I think I still have the Ladybird book somewhere! 😊
I miss those kind of waffles. We used to be able to get ones made with maple syrup (I can't have sugar), but sadly Biona stopped making them. ☹️ I loved them with fruit for pudding.

The box announcement sounds very exciting - I must remember to check back Thursday. I'm not getting any notifications on Read at the moment, so having to remind myself to check your blog when I come to bed. I'm enjoying reading about your day at the end of mine. Especially the reminders to find joy in the little things! 😊

I do my first paid shift in employment for 23 years tomorrow, so I'll definitely be looking for the joy. I'm working in my local farm shop and I'm nervous but excited all at the same time. Especially as the till is ancient and I'll have to calculate the change in my head. Just hoping my mental maths is still up to the challenge through the menopausal brain fog! 😂

[Kelly Heald]

Eating biscuits is definitely not better than meditation, if you did it you would know, the more you do it the better it is.

[Veronica Howard]

I remember telling my children the story of chicken licken , ducky lucky, turkey lurkey, and Foxy Loxy and the other characters. How exciting that you have a box with a surprise and well done for not peeking 👀 how your fingers must itch. Been making pom-poms with my granddaughter and decided to do a teeny tiny one. We got very excited about looking at the finished item but, alas as we took the sides off the whole thing disintegrated into tiny bits luckily we both found it hysterically funny!

[Linda]

I know exactly the story you talked about.
Grey and overcast here in the south today.
Managed to get out and tidy some of the front garden. So much the garden bin is full and not collected until next Tuesday.
Hopefully bulb planting tomorrow.
A sad day today as I remember my Aunty, her journey ended today so I must keep in touch with my dear Uncle. Sadly I couldn’t get to the funeral.
I’m intrigued by the surprise box. Hurry up Thursday.
Hoping for a nice day tomorrow. Linda x

[Linda from Boston]

Oh wow!!! I do love a surprise!! And I hate waiting!!! New yarn colors??
Will just have to WaIT. Your coffee looks delicious; such pretty cups too. Our weather is gray and chilly………but a warming trend is coming for the weekend. Will be waiting patiently for tomorrow. Oh…..here in the US, we called the story of the sky is falling Chicken Little.