To be real or positive? That is the question ...

Mostly I try to remain cheerful in my blog, and there does appear to be a trend for blogs to be uber-positive (well so I've been reading out and about on the net!) which is all well and good, but I do think there's also a place for realism.  And the reality is that for the past couple of days I've been feeling really, really homesick.  I can liken the feeling to being smacked over the head with a very heavy, wet fish ...  There I am sailing along quite happily, content with my lot in life, enjoying the environment I'm in when ... wumph ... that darn fish flies up and whacks me on the head!

I suppose I'm writing this  for all the people out there who do experience homesickness, and for those doubters who believe that it doesn't really exist.  It is a physical feeling of sickness, as well as a spiritual yearning, and for some of us a sense of emptiness at the very root of our soul.  This might be all a bit too intense, but I want you to know it's real, you know?

Now that's not to say I'm not happy here, and this is where is gets complicated.  I love my home in the Hills, my surrounds are some of the most beautiful I've had the privilege to see and be part of.  I'm surrounded by a fantastic group of supportive friends.  I'm lucky enough to have friends and family in 3 countries around the world.  I can see all the good, but sometimes, I just feel sad, and that the best thing that could fix it is a trip back home to the UK. 

Dark and light ... just like life ...

But it's not all doom and gloom ... our ups and downs are a normal rhythm of life ... and that is coming from someone who has at times made downs her normal rhythm of life, so I know what I'm talking about and which rhythm I prefer!  It's OK to be sad and it's OK to be happy - it's more than OK to accept that sometimes life is pants and that it's time to rest and be kind to yourself until the low passes. 

Acceptance stops the struggle and allows you space to be.  For me I show kindness to myself by taking a walk in the woods, (as I would wherever I live in the world, so it looks as if some things remain the same wherever you are).  Or I sit and create, perhaps a quilt that needs finishing as in the pic above :)  I give my ruminating old brain something else to think about ...

So, I guess I'm happysad, which isn't really that bad, after all it shows I'm alive and well and experiencing life's wealth of emotions ... and that is good thing :)

Snoozy Sunday

The softest most marshmallow-y scarf in the world!

Today has been a lovely traditional snoozy Sunday.  Sitting on the sofa watching telly, kids snuggled up to me, playing I-Spy with Little Man in a sunny bedroom, watching as the rain clouds drift across the sky and change the light.  Knitting and finishing a scarf for HB for her winter journeys to uni.  Making chips and gravy for lunch; naughty but nice :)

And this evening, Little Man influenced by watching 'Come Dine with Me' organized some entertainment.  Actually he was very good at delegation to be honest - he got his big brother to make the paper airplanes for the 'race' and his mum to write out the jokes for the dinner guests to share after eating!  But he had put in a lot of effort really as he'd already laid the table, complete with napkins and helped with the washing up, so it was only fair to join in with the spirit of things.  Lots of laughs ensued ... and hardly any X-box or game consoles in sight ...

Our plans for tomorrow?  Well, after such a restful day we may go up to the oval and practise some bike riding, and maybe make a leisurely trip to Spotlight as I have been commissioned to make some Ninja headgear and I've discovered I don't have the correct needles ... and the client is not prepared to wait very long.

How was your weekend?

Creative Thursday: CAL show and tell

Firstly, I don't know what's happened to my blogging!  I keep thinking of things to write about, work it all out in my head, even take the photos and then forget to put it down in my blog!  I just have a virtual blog running in my head!

So, I had a look through my photos and found my CAL pics - I finally finished the yarn eater blankie (follow the links to free patterns on the menu on Sarah London's blog) which I started about 18 months ago, and if I say so myself, it's lookin' mighty fine!  Already it's been commandeered by the kids who are snuggling up under it as winter takes a hold (you know when it's been about 17 degrees in the day!)  We've gone soft after living here for over 9 years :)

I've been asked a few times what yarn I used for this - it's simply acrylic 8 ply yarn, a mix of some Panda Magnum yarn and good old Spotlight basics yarn.   I find the acrylics have lovely bright colours, and I wanted a real rainbow coloured rug, just ignore the slightly unnatural dyes and fibre content :)  Actually Sarah London has started another CAL, again with the yarn eater pattern, but this time using motifs - it looks lovely, I may have a go at that, using real wool this time and more muted autumnal colours.

What have you been up to this week?  Stay warm, or keep cool depending on where you are ...

Rainbow

I took my daughter for an interview today and on the way home we saw this:

Rainbows make us both happy and HB even more so when I told her it was a good omen - rainbows are the symbol of hope and change.  So hopefully it's a good sign for the job hunting ...

We don't often see rainbows here, and my theory is that usually when the sun is shining it's busy searing your skin - and doesn't co-exist with rain, both of which as we all know are the two prime ingredients for rainbows.  Not that we get that much rain either really ... whinge, whinge, some people are never happy :)

Great pic though xx