I woke up feeling blah this morning, it was wet, windy and rather miserable to say the least and I felt tired after a hectic week at work. I did, however spend the first hour I was awake, drinking tea and listening to some music and ended up reflecting on how much I love my job treating cancer patients and cancer survivors.
I never want to forget the elation I feel after knowing that I might just have improved somebody's quality of life by providing reassuring, practical and meaningful evidence based nutritional advice. I also have the privilege of driving around the west of East Sussex and treating people in their own homes or whilst they are receiving chemo/radio-therapy in the Hospital Day Unit and those having symptom management in the local Hospice. I love what I do and try never to take this for granted. I feel like I am one of the lucky ones who gets paid for doing something I really love.
This reflective hour instantly removed the blah-ness from my head space and I decided to spend the afternoon in Lewes, a beautiful market town in East Sussex after dropping Andy and Alice off at the football in Brighton.
I'm so pleased I did because I had a wonderful wander about, drank tea, did some knitting and a little shopping and took loads of photo's.
I'm really becoming a yellow and mustard colour freak, just can't get enough of it.
I also have a secret love of keys and key holes, just can't help it.
A refreshing pot of Lady Grey tea in Wickle whilst continuing with knitting my teal coloured waist coat, is always a must for me when I visit Lewes.
Such colour and design inspiration.
I bought this beautiful Phaidon city book of Rio De Janeiro for Andy because it's his life time desire to visit Brazil and the photo's in this little book are amazing. Oh, and a little roll of washi tape for Alice to have some fun with.
And for me? I couldn't resist this linen and cotton mix simply styled dress in White stuff. It was less than half price in the sale, I love a good bargain at the end of a good pootle about.
How about you?
Are you also fortunate to do what you love in your work?
What do you do to lift your blah days?
Thanks for popping in, have a fab week ahead, we are off to the Cotswold's in England next week for a couple of nights to visit an old friend of mine from South Africa, can't wait. It's always long nights of chit chat for us and I always leave exhausted but very happy.
See you all soon
xox
Penelope
Oh now look -I was in Lewes on Thursday, for a pootle about. :) In the same shops as you too. Parallel lives or what! (I love Lewes.)
ReplyDeleteYou are blessed to have a job you love - it's the best way to live. I cannot imagine how awful it must be to get up every day and trudge off to a day doing something dull and meaningless - or even worse, to something you actively hate, yet have to do to pay the bills and eat. Dreadful.
Hope you have a cracking time with your friends.
Thank goodness for people like you who are there when someone is at their most vulnerable, my Mum had cancer twice and the staff who looked after we're so caring! Have a lovely time with your friend! Ada :)
ReplyDeleteHi Penelope! Wow, I really admire you for the work that you do. I think it must be hard to see the suffering that people go through, but knowing that you can be there to care and help must be very rewarding. I think getting quiet and counting ones blessings, is a sure way to lift the mood on a 'blah' day.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I love Lewes! I've only ever visited there twice, but it is one of my favourite places for perusing and drinking tea! What a lovely way to spend an afternoon! I hope you and your family will have a truly wonderful time away next week. Enjoy catching up with your friend! There is nothing quite like the fellowship with old friends from home!
Much love, Tania ♥
You have two of my favourite words in this post, 'pootle' and 'blah', and I always find the former is a cure for the latter.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many people who can benefit from dietetic support - I'm waiting for an appointment myself due to the RA and still not being able to chew - it is a life giving service and must be tremendously rewarding to be a part of.
Have a lovely break in the Cotswolds x
You rightly feel fortunate in your work, Penelope, and I'm sure there are loads of people who feel glad you were there to support them. When the dross of the 'job' gets you down, the kick you get out of the 'work' carries you through. As a paediatric nurse there were many times I felt privileged to be doing the work I did, and certainly as a Health Visitor - particularly working with mothers with post-natal depression - I felt I was earning my space on the planet.
ReplyDeleteThe 'blahs' are fewer since retirement, but they do come, and I just have to acknowledge that nothing stays the same, nothing lasts forever; enjoy the good times, because they will not last, but also don't fret the bad times too much as these, too, will pass.
Oh, I really like the stair corner with mustard-yellow walls, and the juxtaposition of lavender yarn with the Art-Deco-ish cookbook cover.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I do what I love (at least when it comes to making money), but I do enjoy what I do. Having the right people to work with really helps. For the blahs, sitting down with a bit of crochet always lifts my spirits. Also taking a walk or a bike ride. And a cup of tea never fails to give a lift!
Your job is so very important - what a difference the right food can make to someone fighting cancer.
P.S. I've never heard the word "pootle" before - but it's perfectly descriptive and instantly understandable. :)
P.P.S. We watched the video of "My Family and Other Animals" the other night - hilarious. Thank you for the recommendation. I also ordered the book from the library - there was a waiting list, so it's obviously popular.