I’ve been letting it grow out, but haven’t really been looking in the mirror much. Could do with a bit of a brush, though. 🙂
We’re at that stage with moving where things look a bit of a mess, and a lot still to do, but when you actually look properly, it’s not too bad. I had a bit of a frog in the throat earlier in the week, and I still feel a bit bleah – not sure whether it’s dust, or virus. I never know quite what to do with going out when I’ve got a cough/sniffle. Haven’t been going out much, anyway, and thought about giving our fortnightly cafe date a miss (mornings are hardest to get going), but went in the end. Even though there’s people around, it’s not too hard to keep my distance. So – a quick trip out, then back to boxes, dust, and the occasional unearthing of things I’d forgotten.
We’ll be moving (again) in around two weeks. After the initial flurry, it’s getting a bit exciting now… 🙂
And I’ve been steadily filling boxes. Some days I ache, and some I’m OK. It’s all good 😀
Most days have been stay-at-home days, but we’ve also been out and about. Yesterday we had a look round the new neighbourhood (we checked out the shopping centre up the road – nice bakery!) And we still made time for a cuppa and cake. Or in my case – hot chocolate and cinnamon cruffin.
I’m presuming it’s a cross between a croissant and a muffin. Sweet. Light. Just enough sugar to not be too sickly.
The skies have been beautiful lately. As the year starts to chill into mid-winter, the evenings fade into shades of pink and lavender. The other day was a lovely purply-to-blue sunset.
This evening, the clouds took up the hue.
Our housing future has been looking a bit cloudy. We had another open house last Saturday. There didn’t seem to be anyone who put an offer in, but an investor from the first open house did…twice. Both offers were refused. This Monday we got our notice to leave. It seems the owner wants us out anyway. We’ve looked at one place so far, which looked good online. It…was not. There are others bookmarked, so we’ll see how that goes 🙂
In the meantime… we wait. And trust. And probably, at some point, pack.
But the moon still rises, bright in the purple blue.
And the sun throws out its fire, as it leaves for another day.
Whatever the day, there is always hope in the world.
We got a call on Monday to say that the owner of this house is putting it up for sale. The agent came round Tuesday for a chat, and the photographer came round Wednesday to take photos for the listing. Which went up Thursday. This morning was an open house – not sure how many there will be. My laptop charger decided that connecting to my laptop was no longer in its job description…
It’s been…a week.
Still, I spent last night and today at an online conference, which has been inspiring. It meant that I was sat on the sofa with my headphones on while people were traipsing through the house. Worth it!
There weren’t many visitors, but it’s possible that one (an investor) might put an offer in. If that happens we might get to stay here. Yay! 😀 Our lease is up first week of September, so hopefully we’ll know by then.
Last Sunday, on our way to church, there was a rainbow through the clouds. It was bright, and a timely reminder that we are never forgotten, and that we can trust God with whatever comes our way.
It was brighter on our way in. But it still lingered, arching over the prayers outside the church building before the service.
❤
Here are a couple of songs we sang at the conference.
I don’t know what the next weeks/months will bring. Rain, or rainbows? Either way – it’s allgood!
I cut my hair today. Well, my fringe. And a bit off the sides.
My Babe was clipping his hair – something he does regularly. I shave the back bits, and tidy the tufts. My hair has been growing long for a while, and gets in my eyes. For one reason or another, going to a hairdresser hasn’t been something I’ve been able to do. So – clipper. Long hair. Obvious, really.
The first buzz took off a Huge Chunk of hair, and since that was right in the middle of my fringe, I had to keep going. It was a few minutes of horrified panic, mixed with grim determination. Possibly some tears. And, really, it’s not too bad.
I’ve recently been reading a book about joy. Then, in my online reading today, there was a lot of discussion about…joy. 😀 As much as my fringe looks slightly like someone came at me with a hedge trimmer, I can find the joy in the lightness, and being able to see unobstructed. Is it perfect? No…but why do I need perfection in the way I look? I like me! I had a shower, and everything looked a lot better. I’m snuggled into my fresh, clean sheets (changed today – yay!) with toes that have finally thawed out. Have had a hot cup of tea and a big bowl of porridge.
It’s been a busy couple of days. Tired, still, but I’ve been doing better. Next week starts another round of learning (a short course on business skills), and I’ve had appointments that have taken up time, so I don’t have any words of wisdom to impart… just some photos that I’ve taken over the last few months but that haven’t fit any posts I’ve made 🙂
Light hitting the delicate seed heads, and a faint shadow behind.
The moon! (with a hint of stars…)
Glass, and ceramic, and sunshine on old wood.
Jelly! Tasty and shiny 🙂
Glass, and water, in the late afternoon.
And a bright purple bouquet, catching the sunshine as I walked past.
This world holds darkness. But there are still flashes of light, if you look for them. ❤
Really, it has been a good day. Just still dealing with that post viral fatigue. The kind that feels like trudging through sludge. In lead shoes…
But I got housework done! It’s always hard to start the little cleaning/washing/organising jobs around the house, but I usually feel happier when I can see the finish line. And it’s lovely to have clean things around me.
Today, I thought I’d celebrate my Monday with a big mug of chai (and vanilla) tea, with crushed mint leaves from the garden (steeped in the tea, overseen by my happy unicorn tea ball 🙂 ), and enhanced with a splodge of honey.
…or so I’ve heard. The moon is supposed to be bigger tonight, with a pink tinge. It does seem brighter. Still doesn’t show up well on camera.
We’ve been snuggled in duvets/jackets/unicorn-onesies the last few days. It’s a bit harder to get going in the morning – so today we…didn’t, really 😀 I think most of our virusy things are on their way out, but shivery winter mornings tend to highlight coughs and sniffles. Got a lot of talking done, though!
I love the winter evenings, when the sky turns pink just before the darkness.
As for the strawberry moon –
I took a photo earlier in the evening, when the moon was still hiding behind the big tree. It does seem a bit pinkish.
Here’s the photo I just took – straight ahead, no hiding 🙂
The week has been getting better each day, and I have been getting more done. My boys seem to be brighter and happier as well! ❤ I’m trying not to fall into relapse like last week, so there have been some quick darts out into the world, and some snoozing under the covers…
While I’ve been recovering from the Nameless Virus the cactus under the stairs has been…budding?
I’m not sure if those will become flowers?
Last night I figured out night mode on my phone camera. I think.
You have to hold it very still, but outlines seem a lot crisper.
The cold nights have seen colourful sunsets.
…and the daytime cloud formations have sparkled with sunlight.
But tonight! Fire in the sky, as the cold night fell.
The beginning of last week was great! I did stuff. I even did more stuff! And then my body said, “No.”
Somewhere towards the end of the week fatigue whacked me over the head, and I’ve been trying to sleep/rest enough to replenish. I’m glad I did all the stuff last week 😀 Just might have been a bit more than my recuperating self was expecting! 😆
So, the boys are in varying stages of recovery from the “virus-that-has-no-name”. And my Babe started coughing Friday morning, and stayed in bed for a couple of days. Thankfully, he doesn’t seem to have caught what we had. Or he just heals really quick…
Today was a new day. Yay! I still needed to sit and rest. But I also managed the washing, and my share of the cleaning/dishes. Double yay!
In my sit-down-before-I-fall-down time I read some Mary Oliver. Then I put my headphones on, closed my eyes, and listened to a CD I picked up a few weeks ago ($1 at a charity shop!)
Here are two poems that sang to me. And two songs that spoke to my (weary) heart.
I Worried Mary Oliver
I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers flow in the right direction, will the earth turn as it was taught, and if not how shall I correct it? Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven, can I do better? Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows can do it and I am, well, hopeless. Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it, am I going to get rheumatism, lockjaw, dementia? Finally, I saw that worrying had come to nothing. And gave it up. And took my old body and went out into the morning, and sang.
How Would You Live Then? Mary Oliver
What if a hundred rose-breasted grosbeaks flew in circles around your head? What if the mockingbird came into the house with you and became your advisor? What if the bees filled your walls with honey and all you needed to do was ask them and they would fill the bowl? What if the brook slid downhill just past your bedroom window so you could listen to its slow prayers as you fell asleep? What if the stars began to shout their names, or to run this way and that way above the clouds? What if you painted a picture of a tree, and the leaves began to rustle, and a bird cheerfully sang from its painted branches? What if you suddenly saw that the silver of water was brighter than the silver of money? What if you finally saw that the sunflowers, turning toward the sun all day and every day – who knows how, but they do it – were more precious, more meaningful than gold?
a bit of creativity, a bit of eco consciousness, a bit of inspiration.... hopefully not a lot of pompousness and blathering :D
i'm not entirely sure what's going on here... let's travel along and see...
1000 Fields of Roses 