More creations!

It's been a lovely, busy weekend. I really feel I've got a lot done.

Yesterday, I had another lovely afternoon with Jaihn. After soaking up some of the Sun's rays over a cup of tea and some crispie cakes, we had a good few hours craftiness. I made these earrings and made a start on a few other pairs. It feels good to be creating again. I think working with something other than paper is what I need at the moment.

Today, Graeme and I went shopping in the morning. I got some nice new flip-flops and saw a lovely hat that I may have to buy as well! Then we came home, had lunch and played badminton outside in the garden.

This weekend has been the first time I have actually been in our garden. I've only ever peered at it out of our bedroom window before. It's quite a lovely space. There's a huge willow tree at the back of the garden, which has created it's own little world under it's branches. That end of the garden is really wild - there's loads of ground ivy and bluebells. Then in front of it, there's a nice flat area that is perfect for badminton/picnics/barbeques. It's a space that I think I want to get to know better over the summer!

This evening has been a flurry of cleaning, cooking and holiday preparations. I really will sleep tonight!

Symptoms of being a Sharon growing-up:

1. Nothing seems nicer than having a garden and growing veg/fruit/flowers/weeds (using skills learned from Sims2: Seasons).
   
2. Watching Battlestar Galactica results in serious philosophical discussion.
   
3. You want a shed complete with potter’s wheel and kiln to be your craft space.
   
4. Knitting in a rocking chair seems like a fab way to de-stress.
   
5. You’re concerned about the day that you can no longer isolate your muscles for belly rolls.
   
6. The thought of being an elderly prim is actually worrying.
   
7. You can hardly move in your kitchen for appliances.
   
8. You worry about never reading all the books that you’ve bought (and keep buying).
   
9. Sharing cake with friends is the nicest gesture in the world.
   
10. You're thinking about buying your boyfriend a trip on Virgin Galactic for his 40th.

I made this!

Yesterday morning I was seized by a serious bout of creativity. I had seen this pendant in Bead magazine and I fell completely in love with it. I loved that the knot is a prosperity knot as that’s something I’d like to draw into my life at the moment (not really money prosperity, but real life prosperity). Putting the knot together was a really amazing experience. My first attempt was terrible as I approached it with a “this looks easy” mentality. Que: one very big, messy knot. The second attempt was a real willing into existence. It was slow, careful process that lead to a lot of energy going into the piece. Perfect.

I had a lovely weekend on the whole. Yesterday afternoon, Jaihn and I took a little trip to Regents Park. We saw the giraffes at London Zoo (through the fence, admittedly)! They are such beauties. Then we sat until the sun went down at the little cafe beside the boating lake. It was really divine.

Saturday was domestic day. Graeme and I had a little trip to Homebase and we got some bits & bobs. I've got all sorts of plans for the garden when I come back from my holidays. I want to make up another two windowboxes and plant some veggies. Might be a tad ambitious but I need a project for the summer months!

Current things of joy!

1. Spring! It’s sprung, the grass is ris and heck,I know where all those birdies is. Outside my living room window singing away when I get home in the evening :o) It really is wonderful. I seem to have blocked out the aircraft noise now, so all I hear is little birdies singing away!
   
2. Lunch in the park. This is mainly a product of 1. That hour of escape with a good book to the park is heaven to me at the moment. It’s my ray of light in the grey, dullness of work.
   
3. The Northern Lights. No, not the phenomenon, the book by Philip Pullman! I have intended to read His Dark Materials for a while now. A friend kept at me, until I caved and bought the first book yesterday. Soooo good. I just had to buy the other two yesterday!
   
4. Melon (cantaloupe). Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a bit weird about fruit. I am really limited with the fruits that I can actually eat. It’s a texture thing, nothing to do with the taste. Also, oranges upset my tummy. So, apples, papaya, cherries and melon are my limit really. It makes me so happy to see sunny Melons in the shops again :o)
   
5. Holibags! The tickets arrived yesterday and it feels so close now I can smell it. YAY for impending Cretan sunshine!
   
   

Two weeks later...

And so much has happened. I feel like my feet have hardly touched the ground over the last few weeks.

First was my Dad’s retirement. All in all it was a lovely day. There was a presentation at his workplace, which Mum, Graeme and I attended. It was a lovely experience and I think Dad was over-whelmed at the outpouring of gratitude that he received. I’ve realised that our family has a trait of being terribly self-effacing (or self-defacing as Graeme puts it), which in some ways sweet, is not very healthy. I’m really pleased for Dad though, as I think this will mark the start of better things in his life. He’ll be safer too (I hope), which makes me very happy.

I had to leave Edinburgh on Sunday evening to travel to Sheffield for a conference. Nothing really much to say about that one, except I am glad it is over!

After a few busy days at home, it was off to Bedford for Easter and Graeme’s birthday (both the same day, how convenient). I really had an amazing, relaxing weekend. On Saturday, we had a Barbeque and played croquet at Graeme’s friend Jamie’s house. I had never played croquet before and after one game, I decided to leave it to the boys! It’s a bit of a nasty game but good fun all the same.

Easter Sunday saw a visit to the Rothschild’s house (lol). They donated Ascott House to the National Trust and boy, is it a beauty. Within minutes of walking in the door, we discovered a Hogarth and a Gainsborough! The gardens were something else too. They looked out over the Vale of Aylesbury giving a truly fantastic view of the countryside.

In the evening, we had a slap-up meal courtesy of Graeme’s Mum. Plenty of chocolate eggs were also eaten!

So, it’s kinda back to semi-normality now. Although, there is so much wonderful energy about at the moment that I feel like I am about to burst sometimes! I love Spring and all the moving-forwardness associated with it. It’s all good and I’m sure it’s going to get better.