Slow Living - Doing It Old Style!

MissRikkiC

Seasons greeting to everyone celebrating. 

Christmas here has been such a joyous time. The best we have had yet I think, both since the children and before; which takes some beating since I no longer have my mum at Christmas time. 

We saw my family, great friends, my OHs family, more friends and also had some time to spend just as our own little unit and it was just beautiful. It is currently bringing a tear to my eye thinking about it; I’d say that was a feeling of gratitude and something I’ve previously struggled to really connect with. 

On Christmas Day, my 4 year old was thrilled to receive her very own gardening gloves from us and all day asked to go and do some gardening. We finally got around to planting red onions, shallots and garlic. Maybe too late for them to be successful but we did it and for the joy it brought her, being outside gardening with me, and therefore the joy it brought me, it will be worth it even if we don’t get a crop. 

This thread has really helped me in the recent weeks, in understanding what should make me happy and content; from reading what makes other people feel that way. That might be a strange thing to say, as you’d think I know what makes me feel like that but due to so many things in life I’ve always struggled to feel the moment, connect with what is good; because instead I have swallowed so much bad that I turned the noise down on everything else. 

It’s helped so much to read your thoughts, as here I am, reflecting, connecting and feeling all the feelings. So thank you and happy 2025 to you all, slowsters. 

weenancyinAmerica

@MissRikkiC - thank you for your comments on what makes you happy and content. I am going through a very tough time at the moment and it really helped me to do the same thing. Thank you.

leftatthetrafficlights

@KajiKita - my main gardening book to read this year is the Self-Sufficiency Garden by Huw Richards - I also bought myself the Charles Dowding planting calendar for 2025 so will be working with that too. I follow them both on YouTube too so get a lot of info from them. 

@Moorviews - it sounds like you've had a wonderful festive period! Walking is such a peaceful and connecting activity - it's definitely something I will be doing more of in 2025 😁 

@MissRikkiC - I'm so pleased you've had such a lovely time this holiday period!! 😁 I'm so thrilled that you have gained so much from this thread - hopefully you'll be able to continue to build on the peace that you're developing 🤞 

@weenancyinAmerica - I'm so sorry that you're having such a hard time at the moment,  I hope it quietens down soon and you get some time to relax 🤞 

It's been a busy couple of days with elderly relatives, kids and grandbabies - I'm still managing to get a yoga nidra practice in everyday which is helping keep me sane but I'm looking forward to having my solitude back!! 

I'm making a chickpea and potato curry tonight - the pie went well and there are plenty of leftovers so we have frozen that for later - I'll use the leftover veg in the curry tonight and then we may eat out tomorrow but if not, I'll have to think of something else which is not easy with mil - she's not an adventurous eater!! 🤦‍♀️ 

Anyway, I'd better get back to playing hostess - have a fab slow day!! 🐌😁

KajiKita

Thanks 😊
I have treated myself to a permaculture calendar for next year. I have had a read through over Christmas and I think it will help me get my head around both permaculture principles and what is right for each season, iyswim. I will have a look at the Huw Richard’s book 😊

A non-adventurous eater for a MiL … that rings a bell here too! 😉 Good luck. 

KK

Brie

Just want to wish you the best of the new year @leftatthetrafficlights
hope all goes well for you. and your dinners continue to look jewel like!!!

Duchess2

Good morning all. Been “forced” into very slow living as DH and I started with a stomach bug on Christmas Day. We both still feel weak and not up to much. Oh the plans we had for the hols. Oh well. Just wanted to say all the very best to you @leftatthetrafficlights for your 2025 detox. Happy New Year. I hope it is all that you hope for. Thanks for the thread this year. It’s made me mindful of my self-care. Hope to “see” you in 2026 🐌 xx

leftatthetrafficlights

@KajiKita - Huw has the YouTube channel which is all about permaculture so it would be worth giving it a look 😉 I've learnt a lot from it....

@Brie - thank you, you too!! 😁 

@Duchess2 - oh no!! 🤦‍♀️ what awful timing 😔 I hope you're both starting to feel better 🤞 I hope you have a better start to new year! I'm glad the thread is helping you to take care of yourself and I hope it will continue in my absence; it seems to have been a happy place for quite a few people 😁 

Thank you for all your kind wishes for my detox, it's very much appreciated 😁 I must admit that I have a bit of apprehension about it, it's been years since I haven't accessed my phone regularly for the forums and the news and not watched TV (I'm still accessing meditations, pranayama, asanas, exercises, yoga nidra and new age music on YouTube but won't be watching anything else). It's going to take a while to get used to the idea that it's a full year detox but I'm sure the one I completed a few months ago will make it feel slightly less like I'm dropping off a cliff!! 😳😂 

I've had a beautiful day today - my ds, dil and grandbaby came over for a couple of hours and once they left we went out to have a coffee with mil. We ended up in a restaurant on the broads so we had a late lunch and watched a stunning sunset over the water - it was truly spectacular! 😍 

We popped to the shop on the way home to get fruit and salad for dinner and I've been preparing the fruit since I've been home while singing my head off 😁 we're all still stuffed from lunch though so no idea when we'll be eating!! If we get round to it while I'm still semi-conscious, I'll try to remember to take a piccie 😁

It's the new moon tonight but I'll probably be asleep by then so I've prepared my yoga room ready to do my new moon meditation and reading in the morning- that way I can get my day started without disturbing anyone else. I'm hoping that I will get most of my day tomorrow alone which would be lovely as dh and mil are planning on travelling around some of their old haunts so I'm thinking that quality time together will be good 😉😁 

Okay, I need tea and some hommous and tortilla chips so I'll leave it there 😂 have a fab slow evening!! 🐌😁

leftatthetrafficlights

New moon reading and meditation completed. I'm awake stupid early (I got up at 1am but had been awake for ages🙄) but I think that I had a lot of stuff whirling round in my head 🤦‍♀️ The meditation helped (didn't think about anything for 20 mins!) but then it was back to plans and visualising my 2025 😂 I've spent some time brainstorming and got lots from my head to the paper so that's a major bonus - I'll hopefully be able to get some sleep now 🤞 

Food from last night 




I'll be back on later with my farewells for now 😉 Have a fab slow morning!! 🐌😁

Sausageroll14

That looks beautiful @leftatthetrafficlights ! It all sounds like a very deep and meaningful morning. 

We are slowly waking up to the last day if the year. I wish I was more positive but it's a 0/10 for me on this particular year. I am so ready to draw the curtain across on this one. But 2025 sounds like we could be friends 😁

Moorviews

@leftatthetrafficlights  - I shall miss your beautiful, colourful meals illustrating the thread 😊 You have been very inspirational in many ways. Good luck with your detox year and everything in 2025. I have done without tv in the past but I enjoy watching something in the evening now. 
@Sausageroll14  - it hasn’t been a good one for me either. Let’s hope there will be better times for us all in 2025. 

@MissRikkiC - what a lovely post. 😊
hugs to you @weenancyinAmerica xx

I too have been awake through the night, it was so bright that it had a full moon feeling, but it is a new moon instead and the light was starlight. It was a beautiful clear night and sunrise but the cloud is coming in now. My copy of Lunar Living is in the post and also a stargazing guide for 2025. I was looking forward to receiving them yesterday but am having to be patient! I have ideas about my diet, the kinds of exercise that I need and what works best for how I live my days, going with when my energies are strongest and when and how I need to rest. Rest for both my mind and my body. Dealing with my poor sleep has been one of my focuses this year and I have definitely made progress. Also, the habit of prioritising fluid intake is now firmly established. I shall continue following this thread through 2025 as I have appreciated the lovely posts and inspiration slowsters are sharing.