Beneath the surface

One of the surprises blogging has brought me is the realisation that good things happen when not expected. Over the last few months of ill health I've been taking it easy, doing only what needed to be done. For a time when I sometimes did nothing more than watch TV, it is surprising how life rolls forward, more productive than ever. 

I think I knew that rich growth comes out of crisis but I don't think I appreciated how much life keeps giving us even during humdrum periods of nothingness.

A little like Spring.  After weeks of dreariness, unpleasant coldness and wintry neglect, Spring sees the most beautiful specimens appear out of nowhere. Colour, scent and beauty rise triumphant. 

Winter: seemingly dormant and yet significant work is happening beneath the surface. We just can't see it. We have to trust it is happening, if we recognise it at all.

I usually have a list of goals, or at the very least, a to-do list. But I didn't while I was sick, except for a few jottings here and there.  And surprisingly, I've managed to tick off a goal or two from my list.

I have managed to:

• stop taking sugar in my tea (a step towards healthier eating)
• start making 'rock cakes' ( eating healthier foods by cooking from scratch, less sugar than recipes for biscuits etc)
• cut back on time on the internet (certainly not always, but trying to be more intentional about using it of an evening)
• persevere with letting the colour grow out of my hair, though it looks like it'll take forever   (living greener and simpler)
• buy a couple of hats!  I only buy hats for the sun. I don't buy hats 'for fashion' but this time I was glad to have an excuse. I desperately needed something to hide the contrasting hair colours which, to be honest, is not so easy on the eye! I think the socially anxious me wanted to wear hats but was always too reluctant to take the plunge. 

So there you have it. Things that didn't happen when I was 'fighting fit' and life was 'normal'. Theses are  the obvious things. What's exciting is that a lot more has probably happened beneath the surface. It's just that I don't realise it!

It's good.

It's good to be getting out in the fresh air.
... in the sunshine
... experiencing warmth
... as busy neighbours tending their yards
... and young ones run around the park

It's great to be getting out in the garden,
... bearing witness to Spring's emerging glory
... in the dirt
... as flowers blossom
... and new ones take root

It's grand to be waking up early again
... getting things done
... beyond the bare necessities
... finding comfort in work
... making plans
... making plans happen

Priorities

The sun is out again. Hooray! It’s been so cold and wet so many days that I think I may have fallen into a trap of doing very little these last couple of weeks. It was just too miserable to get out of bed before 10 o’clock. As I look out the window, I've decided that a walk around the lake is definitely on today's list.

As I write, the Australian leadership is up in the air, is difficult to define and is something of an enigma. Or, at least, it seems that way. Really, all is well. I know of no fellow citizens whose lives are in turmoil because of the recent election and its yet-to-be-decided outcome. Procedures are in place. Final votes are being counted as is prescribed when there is no clear majority.

Like my life. I still have my job, my partner, family and friends. I still have my home. Hospital visits are part of my weekly routine. For now. Really, all is well and I have no difficulties. The usual procedures are in place. Not that I’m always following them. But they are there to pick up when I am ready.

Like the Australian government, life is operating a little differently for the moment.

I compiled a list of what is important to guide me through this time, to be used until life settles, to refer to when my mind wants to switch off. I formulated it at a time when I didn’t realise I was adjusting to all that was happening, when I had been feeling rather anxious. It had to be a simple list. A list of priorities.

1. Rest. Priority number one.
2. Reflect and relax. Do things which bring joy. Even if it is just for ten minutes. Take time out.
3. Drink water.
4. Eat well.
5. Exercise. Walk. Perhaps one day run.
6. Love and acceptance. Because sometimes my patience runs short and I need to know what to say, what to do, how to react in a split second when life is challenging.
7. Listen. I think this will be on all of my lists for ever and ever. I aspire to be a good listener. A reminder, too,  that life is is not all about me!
8. Do jobs. Sometimes I do not want to do the dishes. Sometimes I do not want to do my paid work. I need to keep my focus. I need to do some jobs.
9. Organise. I am absent-minded. Truly. I need to keep lists and write things down.

The hospital visits are important. I am no longer anxious as I approach all things medical. I am becoming comfortable with the hospital routine. It’s more my day-to-day routine at home and work which are often up in the air. Hence the list.

I sit in the waiting room and watch other people and I see that some of them are dealing with some heavy stuff. I get perspective on my own situation.

Like the Australian government, I know what the result will be. It will be OK. While things are a little unusual at the moment, they are sure to settle in the ensuing months, albeit with a few adjustments here and there. 

A Winter Walk

   

 When things are not quite right one of the surest things to help get me back on track is sunshine! After many, many days of rain and miserably cold temperatures some beautiful sun came our way. So I got outside and I walked. Along with sunshine, walking is the other thing that does wonders for my morale. Needless to say I enjoyed my winter walk immensely. 

     Life here is slowly returning to normal after my unexpected visit to hospital a month ago which was followed by a short time at home recovering. I can't deny that the experience threw me much more than I would ever have anticipated. I believed that I had a very good handle on life, with all its ups and downs, but this episode certainly tripped me up. 

     Getting out this week and going for a walk and feeling the sun on my face was so key to helping me get back on track when life has been feeling as if it's getting out of whack. Taking time to reflect, create and garden are other activities which nourish my soul. My arm's still not strong enough for heavy gardening but I do hope to get in some more reflection time and creativity in the next few days.
     The other aspect which frustrated challenged me was that at times it was simply a matter of resting. No reflecting, no walking, no working, just resting. Which was all very weird when work sat untouched in my bag, my laptop lay idle and the carpet cried out for a clean. 
     In the meantime I have discovered that exercises do work and do make a whole lot of difference.
     Patience, my friend.
     So today I am very grateful for cheery, winter walks in the warm sunshine and I'm grateful for the unexpected beauty that appears here and there along the path. 

     And I'm grateful for the feeling of getting back on my feet. 

Navigating another pothole in the road

   Here I am, having not blogged for a while. I've been taking time off to deal with a medical issue that appeared out of nowhere. I'm still taking things easy as I recover. 
   When I was little I used to be scared of doctors and a myriad of other things. Throughout this very recent experience, I was surprised to see some of my childhood anxieties return. It was a very weird, dejavu-type feeling as I headed off to hospital last week. I felt like a four year old all over again.

   I was very fortunate to have family providing loads of support and I'm very grateful for friends who dropped in with flowers and homemade goodies. When family and friends have been sick I've usually been too busy to help out!! 
   Now there's some food for thought...

   My prognosis is very good. I know many people go to the doctor's and end up having to deal with much more than what I have come away with. 
   In the lead-up to the operation I found myself drawing on my anxiety-coping skills. It was good to know that having to learn those skills years ago has given me strength in other areas of my life many years later.    As I waited for test results I remembered to keep it very real. I kept in mind that this experience is part of the natural flow of life: ups and downs, challenges, joys, opportunities to learn and grow. I stayed focussed (OK, maybe not always) and I have learnt enough to know that I matter and it was OK for me to take time off from work (I have plenty of leave, so that was not a concern) and not feel guilty.  
   I guess you could say that I recognised it for what it was. Another pothole in the road of life.
   As I mentioned earlier there were times when anxiety did creep in. The little child in me lives again. As well, the post-operation time has been more difficult than expected. My arm has been sore and I've found everyday things challenging. Things like brushing my hair, picking things up off the floor, writing, having a shower and so on. I've been anxious about some of these smaller things more than the bigger issues.  

   On the bright side I am on the mend. I feel happy as some of the regular rhythms of life make a cautious return. Yesterday I made some sweet buns using a very simple recipe. It's been terribly dull here with winter rains and cold weather so it was a pleasant surprise to see pops of colour in the garden. I couldn't resist bringing some of that colour indoors when the sun came out yesterday afternoon. Last week I scheduled an afternoon to do a blog post. Just over a week later it's happening. 

As a friend explained the other night, you have to take care of your body and make sure it's OK. No matter how much I want to blog or organise the front room of our house, I'm learning that it can only happen if my body is ready. I think I'm still trying to accommodate this idea. How many wellbeing gurus cry out that power is all in the mind? I remember one yoga teacher once told our students that the mind is your strongest muscle.   I  thought that was rather profound and I wanted to display it in the classroom.

But over the last two weeks my body just wanted to sleep and rest...

Though I do believe that difficult times reap incredible growth and richness...

It's rather like going on a holiday to a first time destination .... great anticipation of the unknown... minus the sunglasses and photo snaps...And they speak a different language...

Mr S had a workmate over for lunch today. He got up early and cooked a small feast. I could hear him singing and joking around as he prepared curry pies, steamed buns, taro and corned beef. It was very plain to see - and hear- that he was in his element. He doesn't cook as often now because his nails are so bad and he's usually too tired from work. I think the last few weeks have been confusing for him as he grew up in a community where people did not articulate their health needs and concerns. Indeed, people in his community employ different but very natural-based methods and knowledge  when it comes to wellbeing. And as when one learns any new language (cf the language of hospitals and health practitioners and western science), it takes time to learn and accommodate new concepts and terminology.

It was very heartening to hear his joviality and see his brilliant smile filling the house all of this morning.

And to see that life goes on and good things continue to happen, no matter what!

Goals for May

I thought I'd take some time to look at my goals for this month. I pencil it into a note book but I thought I'd also think aloud here on this page.

Last month:

• Plan each week: too tired some Fridays, it's then hard to find another time to do it, not menu planning some weeks also meant extra trips to the shops. Weekday lunches are going extremely well. I average three times a week so that's a definite improvement on the last few years. Less screen time - less TV time, yes (well done :) ) , less computer time, NO!
• Exercise three times a week - NO, Not happening! Well, I did jog once a week but on the weekend it was too cold and wet. Oh, and I did buy new runners which are much more comfortable.
• Reflect - I'm happy because it's on my radar. See Create. Yet to find a definite time where this can happen.
• Create - I did print out one inspirational quote one morning.
• House - Yes!  I've been doing little jobs here and there which has made it easier to keep the house tidy. I finally got rid of the children's desk in the front room and have now replaced it with an op shop find that I love! 

• Garden - Yes! With the help of Mr S we have refreshed the garden. 
• Be social - Yes! Mr S made some buns and we visited family members. It was a good 'excuse' to call on people. Both Mr S and I find it hard to impose ourselves on people so sometimes we need a 'cover'. It can be quite hard for very shy people to initiate social interaction, which is all the more reason why I need to keep working on this goal.
  

Looking ahead: I've underlined things to take note of. 

• Planning - Keep this for Friday nights. This month I think a good shopping list is my goal. 
• Exercise three times a week - I really want this to be part of my lifestyle so it stays on the list. I think I might need to change mealtimes to accommodate midweek exercise. 
• Reflecting 
• Creating - Do I have time for this? 
• Around the house - If I do the dishes at night then I have time in the  morning for house work and other tasks, even for reflection. I've got a good work schedule this term so I might look into making a 'reflection' time before work. Monday or Tuesday mornings could be a good time to reflect. Could tie it in with a chai latte!  
• Around the house 2 - Hang up pictures... yes, I know it never happens, but I will attempt to do one picture this month. If I blogged it that might help?? I also want to declutter the clutter in the study. Ten minutes at a time rather than always jumping onto the computer.
• Garden - finish putting mulch down, a quick tidy here and there each week, help Mr S with the vegetable garden
• Be Social - invite friends M and B over for dinner, as soon as Mother's Day is over.

I prepared this post a couple of weeks ago. Both Mr S and I have not been well but we are finally on the mend.  It's another reminder to me that goals are not the true baseline in my life. I am learning to tune in to what is happening around me and to be in the present moment. Nevertheless, good goals are good guidelines and do help me stay focussed and organised, and keep my life intentional.
I have started decluttering the front room, ten minutes here and there. I'm now off to do the shopping with a carefully thought out shopping list. I'm determined to get back to exercise so I've 'scheduled' a walk after my shopping. My social anxiety tendencies are saying "Avoid! Avoid! There'll be too many people around on this lovely morning" but my logical mind is telling me to be strong and to shift my thoughts over to what I really want to do. So, have a lovely Sunday. I'm off to shop and walk!!

This week

Another week has passed and now we've got a long weekend. I had a very tiring week. I went two days without eating until late in the day and I feel I'm paying for it. It's a reminder that not only do I need to make sure I menu plan every week but I also have to keep in mind that we probably need to buy more each week. I think I went out to pick up extra groceries three times this week. Hmmmm!!

I've been trying to do extra study this term. I'm on a team working on a new program for our school and I've realised that it's a whole new language. I feel, too, that if the school is investing in us we need to do the job honourably. After all this is all about the students' education and ultimately their future.

I went for a run this morning. In my new runners. Which carried me along so swiftly. Actually, not! I had to cut it short as I'm not very fit at the moment. I want to squeeze in a run during the week but in the mornings it's dark and getting cold and in the evenings I am usually too tired. So I will challenge myself again to exercise three times this coming week. I figure that any exercise is better than nothing so let's see.

When I look back at the week and reflect it seems that it's a time of adjustment. I have a new and very different routine at work. One day a week I work off-campus and one day a week I work on the project.  The weather is changing making it harder to fit in a spot of outdoor gardening or exercise. I remember Martha Beck's advice many years ago to go with the flow when life goes awry. Life's not awry here but I think her advice still bodes well as I try to find the rhythm with a new routine and new demands. Like an autumn leaf being carried down the river, that is what I plan to do.

Today I'm catching up with friends and after that I hope to get out in the garden. I also want to get in some study. The best thing, of course, is that tomorrow is another holiday. Life is full of so many wonderful things!

During the week, as part of my reflection time, I worked on an A4 version of the following quote. I had been thinking that painting and crafting can take a lot of time but  getting creative on the computer can be faster, so I tried it the other day when I had a spare half-hour. I tried to format the final product so that it was suitable for the blog but it wouldn't work. As I said above, this is a week of readjustment so you get a readjusted version of the quote (and may I say not nearly as good).

Enjoy your week and keep moving with the flow!

Taking time to reflect

My holidays are coming to an end and I'm glad to say I found a couple of hours to reflect. I have to admit sometimes I overplan!! So in the second week I reminded myself to let go a little, which meant planning less and enjoying more, allowing imperfection. And it helped a lot.

The second Tuesday of the holidays I got to stay at home.  I tidied up the house first thing that morning and then gave myself "time out" to stop and reflect a while. I knew if I left it to later in the day it might not happen so I made it a priority to do it before lunch.

I had already decided what I wanted to focus on. One of my goals this year - in fact, for many years - is to listen well. When I was younger I did this really well, probably because I was usually too anxious to speak! Anyway, nowadays I often find myself speaking over people. Sometimes I forget I am doing it while at other times I find it hard to stop. I had planned to use reflection time each week to focus on this sort of thing but it hasn't been happening. 

My aim on Tuesday morning was to brainstorm my thoughts on listening and draw out one aspect which I could display as a reminder each day. As I started to brainstorm, I felt compelled to note all that was good rather than thinking about listening. There was much that morning that was beautiful in my immediate surroundings. It was a warm, sunshiny day and Mr S and I had been doing some work in the garden. So I jotted some of those thoughts on paper. I was surprised my mind went that way when clearly the time was meant for reflecting on listening. I'm glad I allowed myself to be open to any random thoughts. In the end,  I still managed to come away with a few ideas for a small poster on listening.

There's a little girl who sits on top of a hill at some distance from the rest of the world. She contemplates life as she sits on that hill.  She often appears in my doodling and, as you can see, she made an appearance on Tuesday.

I remember reading a few years ago how much easier it is to be creative when you remove expectations ("Vein of Gold" by Julia Cameron ). Expectations to be the best. Expectations to impress. I'm no artist but I often procrastinate because I think too much about achieving a particular outcome. Really, it's important that I just take time to create and express my ideas. The final result is not so important and it helped to keep that in mind  the other morning.

 It was great to be able to take time out this week to think about things. It did take more than half an hour but there was certainly a pay-off as I felt nourished and motivated to move along with the rest of the day.  I think it also helped me to set a rhythm for this week: some time for working, some for the family, a little for friends, some for me, some for relaxing, and much to be enjoyed.

Weekend Baking

We're having a very lazy Sunday here. It's a little dull outside which makes it perfect for keeping warm inside. 

I didn't get as much done in the first week of the holidays as planned. So it's time for me to reset my plans for the week coming. Mr S and I have been "refurbishing" the garden. I had hoped to have half the house clean by  now. Well, the reality is one room down and many more to go! I've done a little exercise and I've tried a couple of new recipes. I made a start on some craft which was superb but have yet to complete it.

I plan too much. I really do. At one point last week I laughed to myself as I sat down to paint, cryptic crossword to my left, laptop in operation close by. 

As I've hinted before, we try to cook from scratch as much as possible - but that can mean more time in the kitchen and more dishes to wash. I really value exercise but that often takes priority over other things on busy days - so the house may not get tidied. I need to do work preparation, which doesn't always leave time for the fun things like craft, blogging, reading, family tree ...

I've been waking early to take Mr S to work. If I stay up when I get back home, I can get a lot done around the house but sometimes in the morning, the wild thinking, creative part of my brain is not yet in action. Sometimes I go back to sleep after dropping Mr S off. Then I wake and feel as if I have wasted half the day.

I can't do it all. So my goal this week is to plan with my brain switched on to the reality channel. Focus on what I can do. Focus on what nourishes the soul as much as some of the practical things.  Value sleep if that's what is needed. I hope it works.

Yesterday Mr S got busy baking some buns for friends of ours. Here are some photos of the buns with freshly grated coconut. His family calls them German buns but I'm not sure why. They're terribly delicious.

Have a good week.

Happy Easter

Hooray! Holidays are here and I am ever so grateful for them. I lament the burden of extra work on weekends and in the evenings but I guess this is the payoff.
I hope to do a lot of things around the house and in the garden these holidays. I haven't been doing much exercise  lately so I really want to get back to that. 

Meanwhile...
Around home, it looks like Mr S has caught the festive decorating bug. This is his handiwork:

Weatherwise, we had a short springlike spell of weather. The mornings are cool now that autumn is here so any warmth and sunshine are precious. It was quite a surprise to uncover yet one more bunch of grapes hidden amongst the vine. The grapes were small but full of flavour and incredibly sweet. 

Another welcome surprise was the rejuvenation of a fuschia I bought a while ago. Mr S also had a hand in this. I give up when a plant seems dead but he tends to it and in its own time it comes back to life.

I had a lovely afternoon tea at Overnewton Castle farewelling two colleagues who are retiring. Another very close friend of mine is preparing to retire next year.  It's got me thinking about what retirement might look like for me. 
Sorry, on a negative note, but I thought the price of the afternoon tea was exorbitant. The food was good and there was plenty of it. The setting was lovely, too: the building was over 150 years old which is rather unique in this part of the world. But still not worth the price. 

Hope you have a happy Easter if you are celebrating. Enjoy the break. 

(Here in Australia it's a four-day break.)

Missed opportunities

       

The other day I had a delightful conversation with a young colleague. She told me that she studied Vietnamese at university and has spent a lot of time over in Vietnam, working on her language skills. She speaks very well and has a good command of the tones which are very challenging for most western tongues.
I sat there admiring her and a little envious. In that moment I wished I had had the same opportunity in my life. Perhaps if I had learnt Vietnamese when I was younger I might have mastered those tones and remembered more than what I did learning it in my later years.
Some people get amazing opportunities, I thought. Imagine if such an opportunity had come my way!

I'm not fluent in any language though I've dabbled in a few. It has to be said that one of my greatest dreams would be to speak fluently in another language.
Shortly after that conversation with my colleague, my mind started ticking over. You see, I spent over four years, off and on, learning Vietnamese and tackling those tones. Some days it was hard enough remembering the words, let alone their tones as well. I stumbled my way through that experience and now I am left with a smattering of useful expressions such as "Go away", "Can you tell me how much it is to ....?" and, of course, "Oh, my goodness!"

And then it hit me. 

I did have my opportunity. 

I had four wonderful, exciting and difficult months in Italy when I was younger. I was a nanny. I stayed with a family who expected me to work hard but who were also very good, hardworking people. When I arrived there my conversational skills were rather slow and stilted. I could barely converse. By the time I left, I had learnt to speak conversational Italian with ease.
However, at that time, I had social anxiety and didn't know about it. I would cry each day as I handwashed the baby's clothes. I felt both elated at what I was experiencing and claustrophobic at the same time. I would dream about being back home waiting for my dad to walk up the drive, as he got home from work. There I was on the holiday of a lifetime. Days off were spent alone. I was missing time on my own, away from the ever present grandmother, so I could refuel. I didn't know how to negotiate. I didn't know how to draw on my inner resources. I didn't know how to make the most of each moment, each day, each precious opportunity as I desperately tried to live out my dream of being in Italy and immersed in the language.
So I kept crying each day as I washed the baby's clothes. And finally decided to leave the position. Prematurely. My dream job.
I tell this story to help people understand what happens with social anxiety. On the surface, a little shyness seems trivial. Nothing to worry about. And yet,  it affects people. It gets in the way of them reaching their true potential. It stops people fulfilling their dreams. It constantly leaves people with a sense of failure and inadequacy that hangs on much longer than necessary (OK....because we let it...).
And so that delightful conversation with my ccolleague  reminded me of the fragility social anxiety brings to people's lives. One of the hardest things I found living with SA was not being able to rely on myself. When confident and assured I could do great things. When anxious I would fumble and flounder and flee.
One of the reasons I  do this blog is to make people aware of social anxiety. I've been fortunate in my life that I can learn from my mistakes and I've been fortunate to have had counselling which has helped me cope better with daily life. It is my hope that by sharing some of my stories some readers might recognise social anxiety in someone they know. Knowing means you can do something about it (ultimately it's the person with social anxiety who has to make the change).

The pot-holed road is not as bumpy as it once was but, looking back,  it sure would have been easier to have had the option of travelling a smoother road and reaching a sunny destination, rather than having to cut the trip short each time!

Central Vietnam

How the love of simple living was borne in me.

The Old Mill,  Hahndorf

It struck me suddenly the other day that my interest in simple simple living (after all, I do a modified version, a simple version, if you like, of what I see others doing) while inspired by bloggers and all, may not be borne out of the world I thought it was. Yes, I learn about simple living from others around me who choose to take the road less travelled. Yes, I am drawn to doing things differently. Yes, my introversion probably finds the simple life more attractive than the hullabaloo of modern living. But the other day, I recalled my time travelling to De Smet in South Dakota, many years ago now, and realised it was probably borne out of my love of the olden days. You see, Laura Ingalls of Little House on the Prairie fame lived in De Smet!

I love Amish stories (modern tales but reminiscent of the olden days), old family sagas, Janet Oke's "Love Comes Softly" series and many other books of that draw you into a life long past. I don't have a bucket list but, if I did,  I  might put on it: dress up in a dress form the 1800s and wear it around all day, bonnet and all!

I think I loved the old way of being. Remember The Waltons and the way they gathered together of an evening and went off on walks to the pond. People walked along tracks in the woods, breathing in fresh air,  rather than waiting in a sea of traffic surrounded by metal and fumes. Jon English died this week which took me back to Against The Wind when life was very simple and even harsh. It  was the time of one roomed huts and horse and cart and not much more, but still there was plenty of love and camaraderie to be found.

I love seeing the old and the beautiful when I am out and about. Whenever I've travelled I love seeing old buildings.the simple ones, the ones where people made their homes and gathered together day after day. Mr S and I got tickets to see the Lost Trades Fair in Kyneton over the Labour Day weekend. We are really looking forward to it. I picture myself walking up and down the dirt paths, admiring the skill of true craftsmen and women and getting a little lost in the beauty of it all. I fancy it will be a little bit like stepping back in time....

Of course, simple living does hark back to the olden days. The two are definitely related. Yet, long before the words "simple living" were spoken, I do recall my interest in the alternative way of living evoked in stories about the past. I watched Little House on the Prairie and wished there was an actual house just like the one in the show, where you could go and stay for a week.

So there you have it. What I thought was an interest borne out of my awareness as an adult is more than likely something which was inspired by stepping back in time, a love of the old way of doing things, romanticised perhaps in all the stories I have read!

Lost Trades Fair 2016

Keeping it simple

This year I have not focussed as much as usual on simple living but keeping it simple still plays an important part in our life here.
We cook as much as possible from scratch, and this works especially well on weekdays and when the routine is in order. When the routine is out of whack, I succumb very quickly to cheap and nasty, but delicious, alternatives! This year I have managed to make lunch at home a lot of the time, so that is another way we're keeping our diet healthy and simple. I'm not so sure that it is always cheaper.
We've been growing vegies in the garden for a while now but this year the patch has not been as fruitful. In fact, we did much better last year planting out of soil that had been compacted and must have been sorely lacking in nutrients. At the moment, Mr S is picking the zucchini while they are small, otherwise they start turning bad the bigger they get. The strawberries grew well but I just didn't put in enough of them. Always learning!!!!
Our grapes were our biggest success and I can't wait until next year. It was really nice being able to share our produce with others. We shared with neighbours, family, friends and workmates. The only way we managed to do it was because Mr S covered the whole pergola in a net and we pulled down the plastic blinds around the sides. I think it also helped keep the insects out.
I consider my flower garden an important part of my simple living regimen. It keeps me grounded and puts me in touch with nature. I try not to use too much water and where possible we use water saved at the sink for the smaller plants. We hope to get a tank one day. We've also been saving the water used when washing the rice. Over summer I didn't get outside too often as it was too hot. As autumn comes I hope to get out there a little more.
The other way Mr S and I keep it simple is by not letting consumerism rule our lives. I menu plan while Mr S is very good at using up every last crumb in the cupboards. Yesterday he made up a couple of apple pies in order to use up the last few apples sitting woefully in the fruit basket. We both try to op shop and we both do fairly well at avoiding the mega-shopping experience. On Thursday we went to get a present for a friend at one such place and Mr S was turned off by the smells. He was right. I'm sure there was an overkill of what seemed to be plastic type smells which I had never noticed before.
So, there you have it. Our simple living journey will go on in 2016 even though my goals for 2016 do not reflect that.  We will continue to plant vegies and cook as much as we can at home. If the opportunity arises during the year, I would like to try my hand at sewing or soap-making. Other than that, I hope we can have a good life by organising our lives more effectively, making conscious choices about what we do and how we do it, and by being open to what naturally evolves day to day.

Goal checking

Mr S and I are spending a quiet Sunday at home. My energy levels have been low for a couple of weeks so I've been trying to avoid doing too much. Meanwhile, Mr S is keeping life simple as he works pretty hard during the week and needs to catch up on rest on the weekends. Hence, a very quiet Sunday for us.
It's fair to say that in the last week life has been more about doing what we can and letting the rest go. The idealist in me wrestles with that, though by now I know that I have to let nature prevail. It's very humbling and I must say, it certainly has helped me shake off my perfectionist tendencies.
I thought I'd make the most of this time now to do a quick review of my goals. This month has been busier than usual with several social appointments  so I need to keep the goals manageable. 
I'm pretty happy with how things are going. The early morning routine - on account of Mr S's work - means I get a lot done of a morning. I've hashtagged the goals which I have managed to work on and I've underlined the goals which I think I can get to in the next few weeks . 
I think at this stage I need to consolidate what I've started. If possible, I want to find an effective way to reduce screen time. If I can reduce screen time it might give me time to do some art work or read a book. Hmmm!!

GOALS 2016

Organisation

• Use Friday night to pay bills, menu plan and organise weekend and week ahead.  ##
• Wake up early. Do small jobs before and after work. ##
• Make lunch three times a week. ##
• Reduce screen time. Make screen time more intentional. Before going back to work, I did keep the TV off till evenings which was a great effort for me.## 

Health

• Drink lots of water daily.##
• Eat food made from scratch. ##
• Exercise three times a week. ## In the holidays it was easier.(Must include yoga as a way to maintain back care. Run twice a week.  Ride once a week.)  I start yoga next week!

House

• Do one cleaning job a week. (Usually does not happen. Think about how it could happen!) OK...happened twice because people were coming over!!
• Get broken window handles fixed.
• Finish setting up front room. Getting there. Just need to get rid of the rubbish and an old desk.
• Hang up pictures.

Me

• Take time regularly to indulge, relax, enjoy: read a book, create/paint, work on my family tree, visit the countryside/beach: Sitting outside of an evening, time to reflect
• Learn something new: possibly sewing or making soap
• Find a regular time each week to reflect. ##
• Go to a talk or a play (x2).
• Invite friends over or out once a month:  Keep practising those social skills which are too easy for me to overlook.    

In summary:

Organisation: very good, big improvement from 2015

Health: very good start to the year, can I keep it going?

House: The house is looking good :) :) but I really need to get on to some of those jobs that need doing but just don't get done!!!!

Me: A nice start to the year