Wednesday this and that . . .

 

(source)

 

Do you ever watch videos on YouTube about simplistic living. I have been watching a few different ones lately. The first one is Forgotten Way Farms, and another one is Joanna's Dream Home.  Joanna doesn't have a lot of videos but I find them quite fascinating to watch. She does all the work on her little cottage by herself.  (Oh to be younger and  more agile.)  Forgotten Way farms has a ton of videos on everything decorating, cooking, etc. Another one I really enjoy is Laci Fay, the Vintage Girl Next Door. 

Mostly though I just listen to music on YouTube. Music and the Spoken Word. The Tabernacle Choir, etc.  I don't have a stereo anymore and I left my music collection of the last forty odd years in the UK. I had packed them up in some boxes along with my DVD collection, hoping I would be able to bring them, but at the end of the day sometimes you have to make hard choices and leaving them behind was one.  I was just happy to get out of there with what I did.  Stuff is just stuff and you soon learn how unimportant much of it is.

Anyways, I enjoy watching these videos of people making their homes cozy and whatnot. My oldest son keeps telling me I need to do videos but that is never going to happen really. REALLY.  First of all I am lacking in the expertise to do so.  Secondly, I am not interested in ever being on camera for any one or any thing. I hate the sound of my voice, and I am not attractive in any way physically so I doubt anyone would find my videos inviting on both counts. I am content to do what I do and how I do it.

 

I ordered this five minute journal ages ago on IG. It finally came the other day. (Why do these things take so long to arrive?  I am still waiting on these fold up shelves I ordered back in January. Never arrived and now I can't find my order.)  Anyways, the journal did finally arrive.  Its a great concept, although I probably could have just done it all on my own. Knowing me as I do however, I knew that I wouldn't unless I had forked out some dosh to do so. 

The five minute journal is a gratitude journal with pages for six months worth of daily entries.  I am really into gratitude. I think a life lived with gratitude is a better life.  

The pages are set up in such a way as you take a few minutes in the morning to list the things you are grateful for, and some goals for the day,  along with an affirmation. Then at the end of the day you take a few minutes to list some things which brought you joy in the day and any lesson you might have learned along the way of your day.  

I've been doing it for a few days now and so far so good.  Aside from the pretty blue cover, there is nothing really attractive about it.  I mean no where to put stickers or such and I do love stickers, but this journal is all about feelings not about pretty.   There are lovely quotes scattered throughout however, and we all know how much I love those.  

Dreams are the seeds of change.

Nothing ever grows without a seed,

and nothing ever changes without a dream.

~Debby Boone 

 

This is the latest scented candle I have been burning and enjoying. I have always enjoyed filling my home with beautiful smells. When I was younger I used to keep a saucepan filled with water, cinnamon sticks, orange peel, cloves, etc. on the back of the wood stove most of the year.  My home always smelled like I had been baking something delicious.  It still does, or at least I like to think it smells nice.

I love the scent of bergamot and I love the smell of pipe tobacco. I also love the smell of wood smoke. Funny that. I can't stand the smell of cigars.  I really love the smell of this candle.

I can remember when I was at school, you could always tell which kids came from homes that had wood burning stoves in them.  I grew up smelling like second hand smoke. It was not until I quite smoking myself in my early thirties that I realized what that actually smelled like.  

I have some not so very fond memories of childhood trips in the car being suffocated by my mom's cigarettes' and not being able to open the car windows. Mom never wanted to entertain the thought of her hair ever getting mussed and so we always had to keep the windows in the car closed. Combine that with the constant static of my father's ham radio . . . its no wonder I used to always get car sick. Not so fond memories, those  . . . 

I went through a period of time when I was in my teen years thinking that one day I wanted to live in a big old farm house like a hippy . . .  doing everything from scratch, growing my own food, making my own butter and cheese, etc.  A quasi hippy. I still wanted to be able to take showers and I was not into free-love.  But I did want to be sort of off the grid and independent. Living a life which wasn't constantly interrupted by modern day problems and ills.   

Even as a young adult I used to dream that one day I would win the lottery and then we could have a small hobby farm, that was totally self-reliant with its own generator, etc.  The hard work that these would involve never entered into the equation of my fantasies.  Of course back then I never thought about getting old.  In my mind I guess I was always going to be young and capable.

And here I am now, a senior citizen. How did that happen?  I think I blinked one time too many!

I have my foot person coming this morning to cut  my toenails.  I am so grateful for that. It was getting to be something I was having difficulty with and being a Diabetic I need to really be careful with my toes and feet.  When I worked at the Manor I used to go to a Chiropodist every six to eight weeks.  My feet always felt like a million bucks afterwards.  Having someone work on your feet is out of my comfort zone to be honest.  My feet are not my best feature. I have bunions and flat feet, and swollen ankles, etc.   But I am also at a stage in life where I almost don't care what anyone else thinks to a large degree.  Almost being the key word. I have not totally lost my vanity yet, but it is slip, slipping away a small degree at a time.

I am meeting my dad and his friends for supper tonight.  They really enjoy having me, and to be honest I enjoy going. Spending this extra time with my father is special to me. I have no way  of knowing how much longer we will be able to do this and so I have decided to make memories where and when and as I can.  I never really thought of myself as being a good conversationalist, but apparently I am.  My father says I have been places and done things and had experiences that are quite interesting and they all enjoy listening to them.  I don't know about that.  I am a person who hates empty air space. I fill it with words . . .  

 

One of the last things I ask God for every night when I am saying my prayers is for Him to help me be a source of light and love to those around me.  Its not always easy. I have my moments when I need light and love given to me, but most of the time I try to be as positive as I can be.  My heart breaks daily over those around me who are suffering pain, or loss, or whatever. My friend Leona lost her husband Gary a week ago yesterday. Not entirely unexpected, but then again  . . . are we ever really ready?  Another friend of mine, her husband tried to commit suicide at the weekend while she was talking to her daughter on the phone.. Very sad, but thankfully she caught him in time.  Another friend in the UK lost her husband who was ill with leukemia to sepsis a few weeks back.  Whenever I am tempted to feel like life is hopeless I remind myself that it could always be worse and that I need to grab the joy and light as and where I can. To dwell on all the positive in my life because of the fluidity of life, the ups and the downs . . . I try to be my best each day.  That's all I can do.  I hope that others who are within my sphere of influence feel the light and the love that I have to share. 

Sometimes I get distressed because I haven't been as attentive as I should be, or could be . . .  for emails that are often answered a few days too late, or words that should be spoken that are delayed in the delivery.  I don't know what happens to my time. It seems to disappear at warp speed every day.  I don't think it helps that I need to work every day and am always cognizant of that need. I feel often that I cannot let up because if I do then I might not be able to meet my financial commitments.  Each month I strive to meet those and to be able to put a bit aside for an unknown future.  Sometimes I am a bad friend.  Sometimes I don't get to do the things that I really should do, but I try to do what I can.  If I fall short I am truly sorry.

I am a bit miffed because my next door neighbor in the UK told my husband that all the stuff in my home was sold and the money went to me.  So. Not. True. They sold what they could for what they could and trust me when I say they didn't get a lot for any of it really, not what it was worth and . . .  in reality  . . .  people just don't want other people's junk.  A lot just went into the tip or charity shops. I think he is thinking I should have a wad of money to send to him when he gets out of prison because he will have nothing to start up with again but the clothes on his back and what was in his back pack when he went in.  I am not sure what to think about that. My tender heart is aggrieved because of it, even though I know it shouldn't be.   At the moment I am dancing as fast as I can.

And with that I will leave you with a thought for today  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

•。★★ 。* 。

° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚

˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛

˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

*Life isn't about getting and having,

its about giving and being.

~Kevin Kruse•。★★ 。* 。 

In The English Kitchen today . . .  Keto Strawberry Cheesecake in a Jar.  Seriously delicious, low carb, gluten and sugar free. Diabetic friendly and sized just for one. 

I hope that you have a wonderful day filled with light, love and much happiness.  Don't forget! 

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And I do too!