Tuesday 1 May 2012

The Simple Woman's Day Book




FOR TODAY, May 1st, 2012...

Outside My Window...

It is quite. quite overcast . . . and looks like rain . . . again.  Roll on summer!

I am thinking...
It is hard to believe that here we are already the first of May.  The year is slipping by very quickly.  I remember a first of May quite a number of years ago now.  Todd and I were holidaying in the Black Forest.  All the shops were closed in the little village we were staying in.  We had opted not to go on the excursion trip for that day with our coach tour.  We spent the day walking around the little village and having a beautiful hot chocolate at a little cafe we found which was open.  It must have had about six inches of whipped cream piled on top of it and was delicious!  Afterwards we walked along the high street, looking in shop windows and then we discovered a little Baroque church which was open and so we went inside.  It was so beautiful.  The outside of the church was actually pink!  Inside it was decorated with beautiful gilt and painted murals.  Such lovely memories of a May day long ago . . .


I am thankful for...

 All the simple and small things that make my life so very full.  I am very grateful for a heart that seeks and embraces these types of things.  My life is richer for it.

From the kitchen...
Well . . . um . . . there's not a lot.  I'm really slipping aren't I!!  Wait . . . I did buy some Swedish Ginger Thins at Ikea on Saturday, so they are there, but that is kind of cheating isn't it, no matter how gooooood they are!  ☺


I am wearing...
Black and white jim jams and my slippers. 


I am creating...

 


I did this yesterday afternoon.   She was dancing in my head all morning just waiting to get out.  (I was so distracted by her that I forgot to telephone my daughter, which was very naughty of me.  I'll have to give her a quick call today and apologize!)  I didn't know this little girl was in my head until I sat down at my craft table and began to sketch her.  She just came out.  I knew something was in there, just not who it was.  What do you think???  Will she do???


I also have a card order I am working on and a comission waiting in the wings.  Superdy Duperdy!  I love it!

I am going...
Well, I don't really have many plans for the rest of this week.  Just my Presidency Meeting tomorrow night for RS and then we have Stake Conference for the church this weekend.  Our RS has been charge with the duty of providing supper for about 12 people in between the Priesthood and Family sessions on Saturday.  I am doing the mains.  I think I'll do two big trays of lasagne as it's simple and easy to transport.  We have our missionary correlation meeting on Thursday evening as well.


I am reading...



Heaven Is Here, by Stephanie Nielson

From last week:  I think you would pretty much have had to be living under a rock over these past four years not to have heard of the story of Stephanie Nielson, who blogs over on The NieNie Dialogues.  She was in a really bad accident  in 2008 when the light plane her husband and his flight instructor were flying crashed.  She was burned in over 80% of her body and her life changed completely.  She has been an inspiration to so very many people in the world since then, with her honest and poignant writings.  I am a fan and I could hardly wait to read her book.






It arrived in the post yesterday and I have not been able to put it down since I cracked it open.  It's beautifully written and I am really enjoying it.  I highly recommend it to anyone.  I think it is a runaway Best Seller!  

Post Script:  Still reading this.  I'm about 2/3 of the way through.  I really am enjoying it.  I thought Stephanie inspired me before I read this book, but I am even more inspired by her example now.  She is truly amazing.


 I am hoping...
I am hoping that we get a summer this year.  We haven't had much of a summer here in the North West for a couple of years now.  A few warm weeks in early spring and that's been it.  The rest of the year's been pants . . . wet, rainy, cold.  I want SUMMER this year and not just a few good days sprinkled in between horrible weather!  I am putting my order in now!!


I am hearing...
Nothing new really. Mitzie is snoring away on the sofa. The keys are tapping. The birds are singing. The odd car drives by. The clock is ticking. It's very quiet actually . . . a typical early morning.

Around the house...




I found this picture the other day and fell in love with it.  I would absolutely adore having one of these in my garden.  It would be so easy to make, if you could find the stone for it.  I can imagine sitting there on a hot, hot day . . . the stone feeling cool beneath me.  I'd feel somewhat like a Fairy Queen I think, watching over my domain!!!  Hear ye!  Hear ye!!  The Court's in Session!  Now where are those tumbling elves???


One of my favourite things . . .
I have a very vivid imagination and I love playing with it.  Oh, there is no end to the amount of adventures I've had in my head.  I've argued with the best of them . . . spoken to Kings . . . travelled the world . . . met famous people and not so famous people.  It has ever been that way with me.  I wish I could get all of my thoughts and imaginations out there in a tangible way to share with those around me.  I can only ever manage to get scraps out there . . . not nearly enough!


Something new about me ...
I was once on my  hometown's swim team.  I'm not sure exactly how I got on it, because I don't think I was a particularly good swimmer.  I could swim, but I was definitely not swim team material.  I remember on one meet I was given the Butterfly Stroke race to do.  I was absolutely hopeless at it.  I remember feeling horribly embarassed afterwards.  I had not even finished the first length of the pool when everyone else was done, having swam both lengths.  It was not a nice feeling.  I am not normally a quitter, but I quit the team after that.  I think I realized how bad I really was!  It was all quite, quite humiliating!


One of my guilty pleasures ...
I
adore salt and pepper pistachio nuts.  I could eat bags and bags of them.  Mitzie loves them too.

Pet Peeves...
I think litter bugs are really annoying.  The amount of garbage and litter we pick out of our garden every day is amazing.  Empty crisp packets and candy bar wrappers.  There was even some dirty baby wipes there one day.  Cigarette buts, McDonald's wrappers, you name  it.  Somehow there is a fresh pile every morning scattered in our garden.  They blow in through the gate.  I feel like
Victor Meldrew
when I say this, but . . . "I don't believe it!"  I was always taught that you did not throw your rubbish and litter on the ground for someone else to pick up.  Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone did???  What a mess it would be.  I can't understand the mentality of people who just throw their refuse on the ground.  To me it shows a total lack of respect for their environment and their community.  I think it's disgusting.


Here is picture thought I am sharing...








“Life is nothing but a series of moments.  Start living the moments and the years will take care of themselves." ~Cesare Pavese (1908 - 1950)


I think the single most best advice I could leave with anyone is to romance the present.  Live your present.  Don't ever wish your today's away.  Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow might never come.  Today is what we have and we must make the very best of it that we can.

As a closing thought I would like to leave you with this:

 

"No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse."
~Jeffrey R Holland

We really should not dwell on these things.  Better to remain positive and to just keep doggedly putting one foot in front of the other.  No journey was ever accomplished by standing still.

And there you have it . . . my day book for this week. Don't forget to hop on over to the Simple Woman to check out the other day book entries! (Or better yet, do a simple day book entry yourself! It's not that hard and I am betting you would enjoy it!






Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . a delicious "Supper Dish." 

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