Slow Living - Doing It Old Style!

dND

Thanks @leftatthetrafficlights.  I figured out that as I had around 300 boxes, if I only empty 3 per day it will take me around 3 months! 😱  So I really need to get a wiggle on but I do need somewhere to put everything.

Yesterday it was a sunny morning so I got a load of washing on the line and then set about hacking back the garden for about 2 and a half hours.  Hard pruning is a bit of an understatement but sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.  Unfortunately that means that I am going to have a lot of clearing up to do.

Today though, it's verging on rain so I'm indoors.  There's a very long cycle race on TV so I have that on in the background.  I'm not fussed about watching live so stop and start it as and when I need.  It's in Flanders - I love all the aerial shots of the countryside and the cameos of the places of interest which is what got me into watching road races. 😁 

Chocolate bunny has been greedily devoured so it's a bit of a laid back day although cleaning the kitchen floor is calling.

Florafauna

Thanks @valli,i will make sure we have a ramp. It'll be interesting to see what arrives 

Cherryfudge

Wednesday2000 said:

Have you felt sea sick at all Brie?

I was thinking of going on a cruise, but realised I probably would get sick. I don't drive, but even in the back of a car I feel sick. The only thing I can use without feeling sick is trains and the bus. I'm glad I didn't book a cruise before that thought struck me!

This sounds a bit like what I experience - I'm fine on public transport, which is often diesel or electrical, and in diesel cars, but apart from that, road transport makes me sick. I'm fine on a plane and I'm fine on a boat, unless I get downwind of the smoke stack or a smoker. That said, I've not been on rough seas.

It only took me about forty years to work out that it's petrol fumes that trigger the sickness, as can perfume. There was a travel sickness medication which made a wonderful difference but which I can no longer take for medical reasons.

It might be worth monitoring how you feel on different transport. Our diesel car is not good for the environment but is much better for me. I've noticed over the last few years, though, that modern petrol cars aren't nearly so much of a problem. I don't know if that's because the petrol is sealed off better, or I've got more tolerant from having a break from sickness, or what.

@Brie, the cruise sounds lovely and you will be coming back into sunshine!

Cherryfudge

We had a lovely day yesterday - frantic in the morning as there was food to prepare and cleaning to finish, but we met up with family for a late birthday celebration at a café we love, then we all treated ourselves to annual passes for the nearby gardens so we could spend time together not only that day but at minimal cost whenever we can get any of us together.

In the evening, back at our house, we had lots of pizza and salad and just generally enjoyed being together, then this morning I had a text from my son's girlfriend who had just caught up on last night's Gardener's World programme. Turns out it featured the exact place we'd visited!

I've also been handed a poorly Swiss Cheese plant which I'm going to try to nurse back to health, then give back to the owners. I do tend to have more plants than I've room for, and I think I'm reacting to touching this one (apparently some people do, as they're toxic), so it won't be here long term.

Florafauna

Lovely quiet day here, breakfast with the youngsters and dog before they set off home. Chilling and knitting here then went for a lido swim which did me the world of good. Now back and chilling, dinner is in the oven. Watching a film now and enjoying warming up by the fire. Pals coming tomorrow for lunch so will be making curry and flatbread 

leftatthetrafficlights

@Florafauna - Well done on the gardening session and I glad your swim went well 😁 Having visitors (and visiting others) is lovely but, for me, I think the feeling of being able to truly relax once they have left/you've returned home is outstanding 😁 It makes you appreciate home just that little bit more...

@Valli - I've never thought about having windows open when I'm cleaning, probably because I'm normally singing my head off! 😂 I may try it in the kitchen though as it takes an age for the floor to dry in there 🤦‍♀️ 

@dND - thats a lot of boxes!!! 😳 well done for tackling the garden! It's always difficult when a garden has been vacant for a while so I'm sure that a hard prune will let you see where you are in the months to come 😁 my bil watches cycling so he can look at the scenery too! 

@Cherryfudge - I'm glad you finally worked out what makes you travel sick - it's such a horrible thing to suffer with 😔 It sounds like you had an amazing time with your family! 😁 Good luck with the cheeseplant! 

I've had a really busy but lovely day today - I went out for a walk first thing then came home and did an asana practice. I then had an oatmilk latte and a couple of vegan pain au chocolat for breakfast. After that it was into the garden to get the front garden finished and plant the rest of the raspberries and bulbs - I also took and potted up some clematis cuttings. Once that was done I made ivy laundry detergent and some moisturiser then put some lights up in my yoga room. Then I prepared the veg for dinner along with cooking some white beans in stock, sage and thyme and mixed grains for later in the week. I'm going to sort the kitchen in a minute then go and get a shower and do a meditation session. 

It's the first time that we've had a 'Sunday dinner' in as long as I can remember!! We had leftover okara loaf, homegrown sprouting broccoli and cabbage, swede, carrots and horseradish mash. I used some of the stock from the beans as the base for the gravy 😋

 

Valli

Kitchen floor dries much more quickly with a couple of windows open… if i have doubts i use the steam mop.

Ive cooked a lunch but in a leisurely style, with veg prepped, DD made a Victoria sponge which she filled with jam and cream…and which I put in the fridge after dinner.  This evening i knitted the left front of the baby cardigan, so the right front and band to do, buttons to sew on then i can get back to my garment, which is a sleeveless cardigan (it probably has another name really) which i’m knitting with wool liberated from mum who is no longer able to knit due to dementia.  

leftatthetrafficlights

@Valli - please post a piccie of the baby cardi when it's done 😁 

Happy April everyone!! 🥳😁 

Today will be a busy one for me - I do my regular 'maintenance' jobs in the house on the 1st of the month, plus I have a lot of seed sowing to do today - but I'm looking forward to it 😁 

I'm also starting to do two asana sessions from today - I have a 12 month 'build up' plan for my practice as my lack of fitness and strength was impacting my ability and I finally had to admit that I couldn't do it all at once 😔 I don't know why I thought that I could do no physical exercise for about 25 years then throw myself into an hours asana practice daily!! 🙄🤦‍♀️😂 Thankfully, I finally accepted my limitations and am making good progress by listening to my body instead of my delusions! 

Food is pretty much cooked already for today - we're having bubble and squeak with white beans in sage and thyme so all I need to do is mix some stuffing into the mix I put together yesterday, bung that in the oven then reheat the beans 😁 

Right, I'm off to start with a chamomile tea then get on with the cleaning of the wm, dw and td before going out for my walk 😁 have a lovely slow day!! 

Moorviews

It feels like today is the proper beginning of Spring. Birds are giving it some wellie out there!
We had a lovely family walk yesterday morning, followed by lunch at a pub, tea, playtime and chocolate back at home. It was quiet out in the morning, in part due to the clocks going forward I should think. 

Today, I hope to finish some sewing and chill out. There are a few things that I need to try and organise so I might make a start if I feel like it. There are hot cross buns to be finished too!

Wishing you all a lovely day ahead 😊

Florafauna

Had a rainy swim, then came home and cooked lunch with OH. Lunch guests arriving any minute, hope they are hungry as we have three courses ready for them
Planning some sewing later when they have gone, need to cut out a new pattern - a dress for my daughter this time. Cold, wet and damp here but cosy inside