We’re housesitting on a 1200 acre property in the south-east
of South Australia. Surrounded by
majestic red gums and a colourful garden, the house is a beautiful old sandstone
homestead with 14 foot ceilings and creaking floorboards that I’m sure must hold
untold secrets of a bygone era.
Bertie the cat is curled up beside me on the old
leather couch, both us basking in the warmth of the morning sun as it streams
through the window.
I'm surrounded by books, in fact if I stop to count
the various piles on tables, cabinets, and any bit of spare space around me,
there’s actually 37 in total. All
different, all intriguing and many that I would love to immerse myself in. A small metal plaque screwed to the bottom of
a timber bookshelf says "Railway Museum Liverpool Street London", and
has me wondering about the story that must accompany that lovely old piece of
furniture.
In the 'front room' - the formal lounge, there are
more shelves and more books. In fact I'm overwhelmed and want to read them all,
yet my busy brain cant seem to settle long enough to just finish reading one,
it’s thirsty for more. Like a kid in a
lolly shop, I keep going from one treat to the next to the next.
I am filled with a desire to create. Having never been very artistic or creative I
have no idea what it is my heart wants to craft. I have some unfinished tea cosies I’ve been
knitting, an ongoing, unfinished tapestry that challenges me to return to it
soon, patterns and balls of alpaca yarn wait patiently for me, and I’m suddenly
aware that I seem to have a lot of ‘unfinished stuff’ about me, including my practice
on the recorder. I know if I don’t pick
that little instrument up soon I’ll start to forget the notes and how to read
the little bit of music that I’ve learnt thus far. Yet my normally active self seems to have
temporarily ‘retired’. Even my usual
routine of one hour’s exercise each day has come to a standstill these
last few days. Is it the grey skies that
have affected my get-up-and-go? Because
I feel sure it’s got-up-and-went!
I’ve not played or knitted or even stitched for
over two weeks, yet this creative yearning doesn’t seem to want to pick up needles
or any musical instrument, so they wait patiently for me, and I’m left wondering
what it is I need to be doing to satisfy this current crafty, creative yearning?
How do I go about capturing a little bit of self-discipline? I’ve tried giving myself a good talking to, I’ve
tried walking outside into the sunshine but the wind is cool and the sun has
now gone behind a cloud and sends me running back inside. I’ve tried self-recrimination, scolding and
self-loathing and decided that all of those things only make it worse. Time to start being kind to myself. Compliments,
encouragement and a bit of self-love instead. Yes that’s sure to get me going.
OK! That's it! I’m off to DO.
Cheers till next time.
