Thursday. A beautiful sunny day and a morning’s walk along an ever so slightly flooded Harbourside with the sun shining over a beautiful sailing ship in the distance, which, of course, we had to go and have a proper look at. Watching the birds flying over the Harbour and the smaller birds eating the seeds on the wild flowers. Feeling a part of a wider world, sitting in the sunshine and feeling its paler warmth on my face. Admiring all the mushrooms and wondering idly how Amy could get involved with a foraging course that goes wrong. Not at Swansmere though. Maybe up at Druett Manor or at Oldcastle with her asked to help because I’m enjoying linking all the worlds together
Friday morning. White mist and clammy and cold and yet that is good too, because it means that my ironing is now up straight and my clothes are reorganised. The weather is so all over the place at the moment that I’ve settled for t-shirts with long and short sleeves and lightweight jumpers and cardigans. I’ve tidied up my sewing things in the living room, because today I shall finish my butterflies and lace scrappy quilt, which is another one that Amy would have enjoyed making. What do you think? I'm pleased with it but there's lots I want to do differently in the next one. There again, there always is.
Which day was better? Neither of them because I’ve enjoyed them both. I got more work done on Friday, which was good because I’m getting deeper into 1942 and realising exactly how constrained women’s lives were pre-War and during the War as well. I’ve thought about clothing coupons and making do and mending, which we now call upcycling. Utility clothing, which was government-approved fashion sold in shops. Non-government-approved clothes had a 66% tax on them. Compare that to today’s almost throwaway attitude to clothing.
It was a time when women met people they’d never usually have met. Men did too, but I’m focusing on the women because they’re unsung. A time when they proved to the world and most importantly themselves exactly how capable they were. A time when you could get a telegram turning your world upside down at any moment and fear and sudden death were constant companions. And yet what did they say? ‘Mustn’t grumble.’ Sometimes, it feels as if we’ve turned that motto upside down and so I’m reminding myself of all the things I’m grateful for.
I’m also starting to plan for Christmas. Do you do this? If so, do you enjoy it? My children long ago worked out that I enjoy the planning more than the day, but never fear. When the day comes I can start planning for the following year. Don’t think I live entirely in the future though because one thing I do know is that you can’t rely on the future. Instead, I make lists of small things I can do to make each day a little bit more fun and then I make a point of doing them.
Today (Friday) for instance, we’re going to watch a French dance troupe Compagnie Des Quidams on You Tube. You can find out about them here - https://www.quidams.com/en/ and we saw them at Bournemouth Arts by the Sea Festival in the pre-Covid days when I could do crowded places. My favourite is FierS a Cheval (no it isn’t a misprint.) I don’t pretend to understand it any more than I do most of this sort of spectacle art. My daughter is an art student and she’s taught me that I don’t need to understand everything. According to her, all I need is to enjoy it and let it talk to me. Such wisdom, so young! Mind you, she finds it just as hard to apply to life as I do.
So till we meet again on Wednesday, I hope you enjoy life as much as you can. Take care of yourself and everyone you care about and try to be happy and I’ll try to do the same.
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