Good Little Car
Said goodbye to our old car yesterday… we’ve had the new one for a couple of weeks but I still wanted to say goodbye before this one goes to the wreckers.
It’s been a good little car, and I wanted to tell it so.
We’ve had that car since we moved back here – just over sixteen years now. It’s taken us many places and kept on going with minimal need for repairs, up till now. It’s about twenty years old, which is apparently a good age. We were reluctant to part with it – it’s always better to repair where possible – but there was a point where things were breaking at too great a rate, and fixing them was like plugging holes in one place while the next one sprang a leak…
We still have some of the good bits from this one in the new one, so it will still live on, in a way!
Thank you, little car.
You served us well.
Looking Up
I think I may have figured out the reason (or at least one of them!) that I like my favourite cafe so much.
There’s always something to look at – lots of knick-knacks, new decorative touches, books in odd places. This includes higher up on the walls, where you may not think to look at first.
I felt a bit down when I went in, but started to feel better after a while. Normally I would attribute that to the coffee and muffin (which I’m sure helps), but I noticed that I was spending a large proportion of my time gazing…up.
At the bottles in the window. At the plaster. At the lightbulbs. And the very act of looking upwards was also making me feel more “up”! I’m not sure what the other patrons thought of me staring up at the light through green bottles and grinning like a loon, but it made my day!
Here’s another of my views – a bee, I believe…
…and some words to journey by.
Velvet
Time is marching on, even though we’re only in the second week of the year. The flowers that my Babe got me have mostly died and been thrown away, but the roses dried nicely. I’ve put them in a little vase to keep for as long as they last.
It’s comforting to know that beauty continues even when the colour has faded and age starts to creep in.
What was once fresh and new becomes velvet. Softer. Gentler. And perhaps longer lasting…
New Colours
The new year hasn’t yet burst into full flower, but we’re only three days in…
Still enjoying the holiday languor. Noticing colour, achieving small victories. Still reading.
I was having my breakfast yesterday and was pleased to find my favourite dress matched the mango in my bowl. It’s ridiculously pleasurable to colour co-ordinate with your food. Not something I go out of my way to do, but enjoyable when it happens.
I see a lot of birds fly through when I’m sitting on the patio. Mostly they’re small, passing by on their way to a meal, or chasing each other about. We don’t often get something like this monster, which flapped in over the patio onto next door’s roof and proceeded to try and look inconspicuous…
And yesterday we finally tidied out the garage, which had been strewn with boxes from the cupboard under the stairs (no, we don’t keep Harry Potter in there. He wouldn’t fit). It was good to have a clean out, and better to get it all out of sight again!
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Space! Just in time to host a bit more colour in our year.
Our poor old car has served us well over the years, but finally gave up just before Christmas. We now have a “new” one – same model, one year younger, but less mileage and more life left in it. We’re able to have it courtesy of a friend who helps people who need their cars fixed but can’t really afford it – this is running well, at a price we can manage. It’s almost exactly like the old one, except without power windows. Apparently the air conditioner and sound system work better, though! And it’s a beautiful green colour!
Pretty! 😀
Can’t wait to go for a drive…
Hello, 2019!
Last day of the year!
I was talking to my Babe this morning about the past year… we agreed it’s had its ups and downs. It didn’t go the way we thought it would… some of that was good, some not. We will focus on the good and look up.
So – a new year. What’s to come? Nobody can say, really, so it’ll be interesting finding out.
I did one of those “word of the year” things recently. My word is apparently “courage”. I’ll see how that fits with the next year! All sorts of possibilities – different paths to follow, new songs to sing. I see new colours to come… new voices. I have some plans, but I’ve never been too good with New Year resolutions.
Here’s a few songs I’ve been listening to the last couple of days – maybe the start of a new soundtrack…
HAPPY NEW YEAR! 😀
A Little Bit Of Nothing
…sometimes does a whole lot of good!
It’s that strange week again – the one between Christmas and New Year. We tend to slow down, read books, eat far too much chocolate.
It’s not quite the next year, but it also feels like it’s not quite this year. The rush of Christmas is over, and the bustle of school and everyday life hasn’t yet begun. A lot of places aren’t open (the library won’t be until January) and people are off on holiday or visiting family.
It’s a good time to do nothing. Reset. Bare minimum.
Face forward for the best year ahead.
My day today? Reading. Chocolate. Laundry (because you can’t ignore everything). An unexpected bunch of flowers from my Babe ❤
…and a bit of love from my breakfast 😉
Enjoy your not-quite-but-nearly 2019! 😀
Frangipanis And Chocolate Chips
This week has been a big week. We had everything organised to be ready for Christmas, but… circumstances change. Rather than doing a big shop Monday and bits and pieces as needed after, I’ve been getting lifts with (lovely, kind) friends or taking the bus.
The nice part about shopping on my own is being able to sit and savour a coffee. Went to my favourite place and got a comfortable seat.
Enjoyed a coffee and a brownie.
Reflected on life… 😀
Contemplated a dragonfly, and found that my coffee loves me…
My story for the day…
On another shopping trip I had a bit more walking to do, but found a frangipani tree on the way – time for a bit of decoration!
Today was busy with finishing cooking/baking/cleaning for the family do tomorrow. I’m a bit tired now but IT’S DONE! Mostly. Some last minute bits to do tomorrow. Right now I’m taking the night off, watching “Elf”, and getting excited for tomorrow!
Merry Christmas Eve Eve! 😀
Waiting
We’re in the season of advent – a time of remembering and celebrating the birth of Jesus, and expectant waiting for when He comes again.
In just one week we’ll be celebrating Christmas Day. It’s worth contemplating the first Christmas, and remembering that
the Light has come…
Rejoice!
Clowns And Carols As The Rain Came Down
We’ve been to two carol/Christmas services today – I’m feeling very festive!
It’s been raining most of the day, so the cheer had a faint dampness about it… not enough to dampen the fun, though. The journey to the service tonight was a bit dicey – at some stages we could barely see ahead through the rain – but we got there safely.
I AM SO GLAD WE WENT! 😀
I have been doing so much better this year, but I still have bad days. On a bad day the thought of going to not one, but two, biggish events would seem almost impossible – even if I got there, I may be too fatigued/in pain to enjoy it… Today was just right. Lots of joy and reflecting on Christmas truth. Lots of singing! The morning included drama, littlies banging drums or singing (while Mary swung poor baby Jesus round, sometimes by his head), and some great singing. The evening included drama/comedy, clowns, a full choir and band…and some great singing.
We paused to take a breath amidst the bustle of the season.
And remembered the baby, born to be King.
Here’s the story (in the words of children) that was played during the service this morning.
1000 Fields of Roses 