Westacre Day minus 15
Hilde did another day’s work in the office and got flowers from a grateful tutor. Before driving back to Westacre, Alex had another stab at fixing the toilet cistern (he never gives up, even when he says he will). Meanwhile, in the bungalow, the plasterers are nearly finished.
This January, why not start the year with an empty jar and fill it with notes about good things that happen. Then, on New Years Eve, empty it and see what awesome stuff happened that year. Good way to keep things in perspective! ~Krystal~
(from my friend Lucya’s Facebook wall)
Do you ever feel like your life is spread around a hundred different things? Like your soul is divided into many little bits, scattered to the four winds?
When many demands are made on our energy and our attention, we need to bring ourselves back to our centre, to the sacred here and now.
Just sit still for a while. Perhaps light a candle to focus your attention. Then actually call the scattered parts of you back to yourself. The bit that is worrying about a family member. The bit that is still thinking about work. The bit that is fretting about something in the future. Call them to yourself. Visualise these bits of you joining you in the light of the candle flame.
Feel your power grow as you gather yourself together. Breathe with it for a while. When you are ready, you can blow out your candle and give your full soul attention to just one thing. The thing that is here and now.
Westacre Day minus 17
Alex was at home in Harrow today, and did domestic things like having another go at fixing the toilet cistern (it didn’t work and he’s now officially given up), doing some washing and cooking Hilde some dinner when she came home from work.
Hilde was working at City Lit, making decisions about the programme in 2013-2014, long after she’ll have left.
Meanwhile, in the bungalow, the electrician has placed some new sockets and the plasterer has tidied up some walls and ceilings. It will look different when we get back there.
Westacre Day minus 22
Alex and Hilde have escaped the DIY madness for a little while. They’ve travelled to Belgium, where Hilde’s cousin is getting married on Saturday. News services may be suspended for a while.
An inspirational TED talk about the importance of connection in hard times, and the importance of the human heart.
Westacre Day minus 23
As Alex put it: there is a kitchen sink in the work surface, with a tap that makes hot and cold running water and a fully functioning set of waste pipes connected to the waste. Not bad for a day’s work.
Especially since the day’s work also involved moving more stuff around in the bungalow, so the plasterers have access to the main bedroom and the en suite.
Hilde has (hopefully) had the last difficult day at work, and can relax for the last two weeks. But first there is a wedding to go to in Belgium.
Westacre Day minus 24
The professional plasterers have started work. They have replaced the ceiling in the extension (lovingly called the East Wing) of the bungalow, and have plastered the new porch. They will keep going for a couple more days.
Alex, in the meantime, has fitted some of the kitchen cabinets, cut the worktop to go on top, and was still working at 9:30pm, trying to fit the sink.
Hilde was doing her London job, trying to find ways to attract more people to the City Lit Welsh courses.