Clear the mind...

It's as if ten year's worth of little, neglected home-related jobs are now conspiring to keep me busy every minute of the day. I note the irony of this as I used to write that I was so busy with work and now I am busy with home and suspect the common thread is: I get busy. I still can't quite get over the expanse of time that stretches out ahead of me and how wonderful it is that each day I can chose what I want to do. I also realise that I am in that sweet spot of having school-aged children, so I have hours in the day to get stuff done, and then I collect them and the evenings are a warm flurry of kid-related food and homework. I find myself saying to people, when they ask how I am finding my new non-working life, that I can't recall a time I have been this happy. Except I know that the last time I was this happy was when I was on sabbatical, so there you see: another common thread. Not working suits me. I do acknowledge how very lucky I am to be able to take this time out, and to spend my days doing yoga classes and clearing cupboards. Having time is a gift.

Meanwhile...

I have that seasonal urge to cut my hair off.

I revisited a favourite - 'The Breakfast Club' and despite knowing every word to the script, I loved it. And I still saw something new in it.

I secured tickets to see Boo's dream band next summer (again).

I heard about loss - the kind that makes you grateful that your brood are home, safe and sound.

I chose lace-up black ankle boots, that I predict will be my winter staple.

I gained a gazillion new Pinterest followers that arrived, like, overnight. Odd, but quite nice that they seem to like my curation.

I had a coffee morning with mothers who drink coffee. An art-form in itself; I came away wondering if I'd been too...too much... 'me'?

I noticed a preponderance of Autumnal Daddy Long Legs - they are everywhere!

I pondered the merits of how much advantage my children have in their reach. I'm acutely aware that they have opportunities that I never did and feel simultaneously excited and intimidated by this.

I felt the weight of needing to catch up with old friends. Something about this time of year takes me back to University days - and the five girls with whom I shared houses, life and loves (and books and essays written on old word processors and meals of casseroled sausage). I soooo miss them.

We are still not moved in to the new rooms of our house...hopefully by the weekend. Everything, presently, rests on the arrival of a plumber tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed.

I am secretly wanting it to get colder, I have wool to wear.

Gradually and rather pain-stakingly I am going through every drawer and shelf that has accumulated STUFF in or on it. I seem to trail around the house with a bin liner in my hand, filling it with STUFF. What is with all the STUFF??

I rue the fact that I a crap administrator and wish that I filed things when they arrived and wonder if I will ever be one of those organised people? Despite holding down a big job for years, I now see just how much the running of the home suffered in my mental absence!

There have been developments with L'Apothecary - but that's a whole other post...

And I kinda wanna do a blog makeover. This space needs clearing too. More to come.

all images via a well travelled woman