(Half) Speed Ahead

So we’re out of the in-between week, and into the new year.
I feel like I should have already taken off running.
It’s been a bit strange, factoring in the weekend. I’ll start…stuff…on Monday πŸ˜†

I’ve started the new diary. And the other new diary.
Here are the old ones (and the book I was reading).

I like to colour co-ordinate.

That top diary was started in 2022.
My handwriting tends to be tiny – I generally fit three lines into one ordinary-sized ruled line. It can take a while to fill a book!

Here are my new diaries. And the book I’m reading.

The book underneath is one I’ve had for years. It’s beautiful ❀ Which means I haven’t wanted to mar its beauty with my writing.
The cat diary has spaces for a drawing a day, and a written musing. The book is about writing.

Yes, every word matters, in the sense that it’s good to think about what we say, or write.
So, this year I will write. And draw.
I’m hoping to expand a bit from these books!
I don’t “correct” whatever I do each day – once the day is finished, I don’t touch it again. I also draw from memory, which means I end up with some strange images πŸ˜€

And so, I will cope with imperfection, and push past to good. Maybe even great!
I don’t know what’s up ahead.
All I can do is mosey on in to the spaces I’m supposed to be in, and see what I can do there.

So can you. It’ll be fun!

Published in: on January 3, 2026 at 10:47 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Here We Go!

Published in: on January 1, 2026 at 1:01 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: ,

Betwixt

Well, here we are again, in that weird in between week.
It’s New Year’s Eve, and the rain is cascading down outside.
We spent part of the morning talking over the year just finishing, and what we’re looking at for the year to begin.
I’m not big on New Year resolutions, but it is an opportunity to rethink and reset…

I’ve been working my way through the Christmas food. One of the things I indulged in this last week is Reindeer Bao Buns.

Cute.
Quite tasty (vegetables in hoisin sauce).
They’re meant to look like reindeer – the brown things are antlers.
I just can’t help seeing them as very cranky reindeer! πŸ˜€

I went for a wander the other day. Just down the road and back, which I’ve been meaning to do since we moved here (5 months now!), but haven’t got around to.
I still miss the cold, dark Christmas days of the U.K. – hot sunshine still feels a bit…wrong.
I do like that we can sally on into the new year with sunshine and flowers.
The neighbours have provided a variety of flowers to enjoy πŸ™‚

It’s still raining.
The garden will be glad!
❀

And yes – there is an (older) English language version...

Published in: on December 31, 2025 at 8:20 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: ,

Tell The Story, Again

Room

A touch of Tolkien, as the evening holds its breath…

…and an invitation to the inn.

Published in: on December 24, 2025 at 9:15 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

Milk And Cookies For Santa

By “Santa”, I mean – me!

How’s everyone going with Christmas preparation?
We’ll be having a quiet day (again) – not even doing stockings this year 😦
The tree is up, the pressies are wrapped, and there are choccies in the fridge!
I like to have things clean and tidy, so that’s pretty much sorted.

Time to rest a bit.
Have a cuppa, and a nice little treat.

The “milk and cookies” (I would say “biscuits”, but it doesn’t sound right…) were on a doughnut I had a little while back. I’d seen them in the cabinet a few times, and thought they looked good.

A fairly ordinary doughnut with icing, a squidge of cream, milk bottles, and a couple of tiny choc chip biscuits.
A cup of tea to go with it…
What could be sweeter?
❀

Published in: on December 22, 2025 at 11:24 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Having A Laugh

I’ve managed to free up a bit of space in my media library – not sure how many photos I can add, though.
We went out to see the lights last night.
It was a bit early – not yet dark – but still fun!

In fact – joy(ful)!

The entertainment for that part of the evening was…
Elve-is?

πŸ˜€

We didn’t stay very long.
Just a walk up the street to the big tree.
I enjoyed being in the lights and sounds…
having a laugh, with the trees!

Published in: on December 20, 2025 at 9:51 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Come, With Light

Published in: on December 18, 2025 at 10:50 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: ,

Peace On Earth

It was a hard weekend.
Being reminded of the darkness (again)…
The hatred bubbling over into terrible action.
Choices – actions – that are hard to understand
and some reactions that inflamed rather than soothed.

I don’t know what to say, really.
This is a season that heralds peace. Joy. Hope.
But it has always been in the context of a darkened world.

And so, I will pray.
Because I believe that to be a powerful place to start.
But I will also pay attention to the marginalised, and oppressed. The ones who don’t live in the same level of ease and safety as I do.
I will question the tendency to blame a whole community for the actions of one.
Look for what is true, and challenge unthinking reaction – whether mine, or others’.
And remember the words of One who came as a baby, to bring reconciliation.

This is what Jesus said (quoting Isaiah) –

β€œThe Spirit of the Lord is on Me,
because He has anointed Me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

****

There is still light.
Hope.
And peace for us.

Published in: on December 16, 2025 at 9:49 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

Storage Problems!

Not so much the house (although we’d have to think where we would put more “stuff”).
I went to put together the previous post and found, when I tried to upload photos, that I’ve run out of media storage space!
Just before Christmas – there will be photos to share!!

It’s been 18 years of free space, so I suppose I can’t grumble.
I’ll be looking at a paid plan to upgrade, although I might have to wait till the new year. Possibly delete some of the older media? Not sure yet…

I’ve been a bit off colour the last couple of days – not The Virus (or flu), but enough to feel a bit wonky – not being sure what day it actually is, and randomly falling asleep. Even while reading!
We’ve still been able to get the necessary things done.
I just don’t want to tackle taming my media library just yet.

Thankfully, I can still add some music πŸ™‚
This is for those who have had too much Mariah Carey, but still sort of like the song.

πŸ˜€

And this is those who are leaning in to quiet joy.

❀

Published in: on December 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,