Travelling On 2 January 2018 at 4:38PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Mortgage-Free Wannabe 4.7K replies 239.5K views

Karmacat

themadvix said:

Not sure what she was meant to do with her son - leave him at home alone? How odd!

Very odd. I'm sure its not policy, just one guard being a bit "off" in his interpretation.

Delichon said:

I went out and clapped too but, unlike in your area there was only me doing it. No one else visible or within earshot because our nearest neighbours are about half a mile away. DH didn't join me, I suppose he would have if he'd felt part of  community all joining in.  He even told me I was 'bonkers' for doing it all alone in the darkness  even though he is full of appreciation and admiration for NHS workers.  I didn't care what he thought, I just had to be part of something really special.

Good for you, Delichon!  You *were* part of it, even though you couldn't hear anyone else - I hadn't quite put that into words for myself, but thats it, absolutely - you strengthened the web of positivity.

And it's needed, no mistake.  Someone I know was walking back from the local shops when they were practically run into by a guy in despair, who'd lost his job, lives with his elderly parents, felt suicidal about what's ahead.  My friend spent 45 minutes talking him down from the metaphorical ledge   and has the sort of job where he has the Samaritans in his contact list, so he was able to give that too.  

themadvix

How awful Karma 😔 thank goodness your friend was there! I hope the man gets the help he needs.

Karmacat

Another positive thing for me, a text yesterday from a distant friend, I'll phone her today.  Need to rehang my porch curtains, give me back my privacy.  I "cooked" yesterday, for the first time in all of this: the old frugal brownies recipe from here on mse.  Rested on my laurels, I think, didn't take enough care - burnt and stuck, and wasteful as a result, even though it tasted good.  Must do better!  Will do better!

beanielou

I think we will see more like that man sadly I think. 

Karmacat

Right, I'm going to work harder on looking after myself: I won't just get washed, I'll use my gifted Liz Earle facial cleanser then do some stretching, *then* do some computery fiddle faddle.  Still got to request the direct debit/alike for France, thats a useful piece of work to accomplish.  And I *will* cook up a veggie stew in my slow cooker.  I will, I will.  And I will also put the peelings in the compost bin.  The reward (and yes, I do think like that, sadly!) is more computer time, or relaxing in front of a taped programme (I'm just finishing watching a docu on Hilary Mantel, fascinating, there's plenty similar).  The last piece of washing catchup: bedsheet thats waiting for everything else to dry before I can do it, plus the two pieces of handwashing from the holiday that I haven't had the space to do. 

If I can do those practical things: the Liz Earle, the direct debit, the veggie stew, the machine wash and the handwashing, that will be a huge win.  I'm going to think of it as emerging like a butterfly from a chrysalis at the end of the enforced isolation.

apple_muncher

It is good to look at it as an opportunity isn't it?

I have the opportunity to learn new tech skills to deliver quality teaching. I have the opportunity to connect with my pupils in a totally different way. I have the opportunity to do that from the comfort of my own home too!

I read a great piece this morning, in Le Monde, about how all the good intentions fade away and we're left wearing the comfiest and oldest and tattiest of tracksuits for the epic journey of bed - sofa - toilet - bed every day. And you can even fish the remote out from under the low coffee table without having to get up. But the downside is the drawstring that inevitably slips and you show your builder's bum (plumber's bum in French!), or it pulls out and you have to spend hours re-threading it. And then you see yourself in a mirror and realise that you have lost all self-respect!

Be that butterfly!

Karmacat

Be the butterfly, exactly!  You too, lovely apple

Not doing too badly here, since its only 2pm.  Used the facial cleanser (and the crazily priced muslin ), put the veg on - hmm, not a complete success, finished off one lot of onions, put some green lentils and herbs etc in, thats it - didn't chop up the old turnip.  Never mind, I can do that tomorrow.   And the machine wash is on, at the new higher setting I use for the moment.

Also more rejigging around the porch: some new post came this morning, and I put it in an old freezer drawer, right by the front door.  I'll open it later in the week.  Also washed down a side wall with bleach (mould is starting up again, when it's safe to have builders in the house, I'll have to have a discussion about that).  Tidying up too, since the "post drawer" is an extra burden for the little side table there.  I can make it work, actually. 

Gratitudes:

- the space to be a butterfly

- watching 5 blue tits running up and down the twigs and branches of my witchhazel tree.

- the pace of life slowing down a bit, so I can feel I have enough energy to get in touch with a few people.

apple_muncher

The thing with becoming a butterfly is that you get to spend lots of time cocooning first!

Karmacat

And I really did cocoon didn't do the handwashing or the direct debit (though I started the latter).  Hunted out the missing thingies to attach the curtain to the pole and felt v virtuous

Karmacat

I saw a rainbow from my kitchen window this morning

So today, it's about finishing off hanging the porch curtain; getting the direct debit out to my French bank (I've realised that might just be an email, not a handwritten letter I have to scan); keeping up with the dishwasher;  the handwashing of the two swish wardrobe items; and emailing my London friend, who sent me a letter - not opening it till the weekend.

I've got my next projects lined up but I won't list them, I won't, I won't - except I do need to start to pay attention to the garden!

ETA - two weeks today since I got home from the cruise - so I almost certainly didn't get it from that, either the trip itself or the rail journey once we disembarked in the UK.   Now here's hoping I didn't get it from the 2 shops I did that week, or the delivery last week.