Friday 15 June 2012

Healing


Hello all you lovelies
Thank you so much for your heartfelt get well wishes, you are all so kind and caring. Andy is healing slowly but surely and his beautiful mind is being restored each and every hour.


I don't want to use my blog as a space for the "heaviness" of life, instead, for me it must be a lighter, more joyful place where I can concentrate on the little things. The smallness of events and makings and sightings and collecting in my life.


So, to cheer me up this post is just about the things that I have seen, done, eaten(food is my comfort) and found joy in amongst the heaviness.


Old suitcases, ah...I love you. Way back in my early 20's I bought a lovely old leather suitcase from a junk shop in Pietermartizburg, South Africa. When I immigrated to the UK in 1996, I packed some of my precious belongings in it and each time I went back to visit would sift through it and reduce the contents as I grew older. Some of the things I felt so important in my my early adult years seemed so funny and silly to me as I grew older. One of my biggest regrets about sifting out bits and bobs was getting rid of my cats eye glasses collection! Bah, they would sell well now on etsy or e-bay. Anway, when we went back to SA this Easter unfortunately a moth (or 2) had eaten away at it causing it to crumble and I had to throw it away. That was a sad day and now I am on the look out for a replacement but don't want to pay the earth for it! My original one cost R10.00 equivalent of less than a pound with today's exchange rate.

{I will tell you a little secret though, I have a little suitcase up in the attic which I bought years ago at a car boot sale for Alice to put her dolly's clothes in and after we gave a lot of them away to a charity shop, the case was no longer needed. I promised to get rid of it at our next carboot sale but I just couldn't help myself and have kept it! Ssshhh, I plan to hopefully transform it into something as gorgeous and of course functional as this}




These are some of the images that have kept me distracted this week in amongst hospital visits, keeping things as normal as possible for Alice, multiple phone calls and texting and finding some time to keep creative for my relaxation.


When the elusive sun came out once this week I was like a lemming down to the sea and needed to dip my toes in the cold water.It made me feel real again after the traumatic events of last weekend. It was good.




Playing with my plastic deer I bought in Sweden last September (childish non?)




Admiring my potted plants in our courtyard garden
gimme that colour




Eating delicious French yoghurt and Green & Blacks mini choc bars from Judges bakery  in Hastings old town. Delicious.



Playing with nail varnishes and choosing colours I would never have tried before. Life is short after all? and 42 is the new 32?



Hanging washing on the line once this week and admiring Alice's pretty cotton PJ's matching her hanging basket she planted afew weeks ago.



Rooms with a view




Watching lettuces drown grow with all the rain we have had this week




Trying not to be as lonely as a cloud {these beauties were made by my stunning friend Bronwen}




How clever is she




Sewing an A-line skirt from my beautiful South African shweshwe fabric which I buy when I am out there



Helping our growing up girl pack for her PGL 4 day school trip to the Isle of Wight this weekend {Rose, her hippo is her sleeping companion/cuddly, no other will do)



Eating more comfort food ~ goats cheese, spinach and roasted veg on toasted granary, yum
Not sure about you but food is my go-to comfort thingy, nothing else will do :o)




Aaahhhh yes and some simple 'no concentrating too much' sock knitting with Noro silk garden sock yarn


Thanks ever so much for visiting and your comments are so welcome. I have a 101 plans for being creative this weekend whilst Alice is away and Andy is resting. I need to finish off this baby blanket for next Wednesday and the knitted rabbit too as Alice's teacher goes on maternity leave. I want to paint, bake this cake, knit, make this, package up my give-away which poor Stephanie has been so patiently waiting for, watch a movie or two, cycle along the coast weather permitting, pick flowers, sleep, eat and just stop for a while.


What are you up to?*
Hope it's a relaxing one
See you all soon
Penelope 
xox


*ps. Doing NOTHING is my favourite answer to this question by the way, it's my favourite waste of time x

11 comments:

  1. I have just got back from a 3 day residential at PGL in Caythorpe. I think your daughter will LOVE it, it's fab fab fab. Food is my comfort too and I adore goats cheese.
    This weekend I am doing nothing - I need a rest after all the non-stop activity at PGL!!!
    I hope you have a peaceful and relaxing weekend as its important to look after yourself at the moment too.
    Take care xx

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  2. Hello Penelope
    I have very much enjoyed this post it has been relaxing to follow what you are doing and your thoughts at the time of writing. Rose looks well worn and well travelled by the looks of her, seems she does her job well too. Reviewing what you say you are doing this weekend I am wondering if you are going to be able to fit that all in??
    My plans are to finish off some lesson plans...enjoy my grand-daughter's company tomorrow ....and off to the swimming pool together prepare lunch for all the family,off to a local craft market Sunday and just sit back to do some crochet...the latter is my quality time.

    Have a great weekend.

    Amanda :-)

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  3. Glad you are seeking the good cheer and keeping your chin up. It is lovely to see photos of Hastings via the view from your windows, I lives in Hastings for a long time - St Mary's Terrace on the west hill, I do miss the views...

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  4. Beautiful Post Penelope, glad hubby is getting better! Pretty toes in the sand! To brighten your weekend I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award :)
    Victoria xx

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  5. Lovely post, you are like my SIL with your flip-flopp'd feet, I'm rubbish at wearing them, my feet just get so cold!

    Food is my comfort too.......I love to plan meals and enjoy different flavours, plan a day out according to where we may eat!

    I love your skirt, made even better with your SA fabrics. My mil brought back some folded triangular bits of printed cotton, I've made a cushion cove with one and sewn some tiny beads on, but I forget I have more upstairs, I must maak a plan.

    Take care, enjoy your doing as little as possible.

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  6. I beg to differ but doing nothing is never a waste of time m'dear. Do lots of nothing between those 101 things won't you. Methinks you might need to rest up yourself this weekend.

    Sadly my comfort food of choice is chocolate, if only it were something as healthy as that tasty looking sarnie!

    All good wishes to Andy x

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  7. Come on, let's face it, who ever pigged out on lettuce? Comfort food is.....comforting! Glad things are looking up for you all, and as Annie says, don't forget about you.

    42? A mere whipper-snapper - I am hoping that 60 is the new 40!

    I love that Noro yarn it is spectacular. i wish I could knit those beautiful socks you see on everyone's blogs, but I have too much fabric and too little time. enjoy your week end, Pennylope and hugs all round for a full recovery. Lxxx

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  8. Hahha Lynne.... pigging out on lettuce! That's funny. :) Yes food is my comfort thing too. Macaroni cheese being the ultimate, for me. Or oats porridge. (My best, growing up, was Tasty Wheat porridge with a knob of butter melting on top, and lots of milk and sugar.)

    Those fabric suitcases are great - I keep a lookout for oldies but haven't seen any good ones in the charity shops yet. Eyes peeled though. You never know when the perfect gem will be hanging about in a manky old corner waiting to be found.

    Glad that Andy is getting better. Have a good weekend.

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  9. I'm so sorry that the business and bugs on Planet Penny has meant that I missed the fact that Andy is unwell. Such a worry for you, and miserable for him to be stuck in hospital, I hope he'll be home very soon.
    I'm sure Alice will have an amazing time on her trip, and it's very wise to have lots of projects planned so you enjoy some 'me' time instead of missing her and Andy and feeling blue. That cake sounds fabulous, I wish I was around to help you eat it!
    Sending lots of love, I hope to get down to the South Coast very soon and it would be lovely to see you xxx

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  10. I'm so glad it sounds like Andy is on the mend. And for you, some toe-dipping in the sea, gentle crafting and yummy foods sound like just what you need.
    Your skirt looks lovely, it looks like summer even in this chilly air!
    Wishing you a peaceful, healing weekend
    Jane x

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  11. I love this post about light, inspiring, beautiful things. Through focusing on those things we can bring big wonder to our days!

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