It's a bit spiritual this...

This house used to be full to bursting both with people, animals and things. In the past two years two child-adults have left home, two fish have met their end. Small boy child has hit an age where football, cars and mates in the front garden are his focus and the daughter 3 is mostly at school, putting on copious amounts of bright make-up and singeing her hair or watching Waterloo Road...

So, in a week where husband and son have upped and gone to France to watch the Le Mans 24 Hr race leaving me in the house with daughter no 3 and her straighteners. It has been quiet like never before, I have taken the opportunity to do various things:
Turn out 'stuff'
Relax
Think
Write
Draw and paint loads

Today, whilst daughter no 3 is in town at the local Carnival I have been pottering. Really, after a week of the above list several times over, pottering means I have nothing to do. Yes I have a book I could read, the Kite Runner, is shouting "read me". The weeds have been pulled out and the washing done. I have even done some filing and filled out our Tax Credit renewal. I am not used to hours of nothing at all. It is very strange.

So, whilst sitting in the garden doing a bit more nothing amongst the fabulous lilies and magenta climbing roses, I had a thought. If I were you and looked through my window what would I think?



I did look through my window as if I were not me. Now I feel totally satisfied. I am grateful and happy. Sleeping easel with half a picture painted, pens and pencils all over my desk, tidy bright pink kitchen, snoozing dogs on their ancient chaise longue. I had a warm feeling at the long pine table etched with years of 'hello mum' and smiley face graffiti. More visions of the same table surrounded by laughing children and of arguments worked through on the big wooden settee full of big red cushions.

They may not be here right this minute, but the spirit of this home is set.

Yes that is what it has been about, building this life with people we love, about looking after friendships outside the home carefully and with consideration. Right now, I have everything I need and all is reflected in these surroundings, in our cherished build-up of 'the stuff we will never turn out'. And I don't just mean physical 'things'. I mean memories, family - the wider family; people we know and those we choose to meet. Things as in the lessons we have learned and are learning. It's about learning to trust your own instincts.

It may all be right now or it may, when you look through that window seem a little skewed: Listen to what you tell yourself, see what makes you comfortable, be honest and be guided and never stop looking from the outside-in.

Be grateful, be kind. The future is yours to build and nurture.

Go on, in a quiet moment, have a look through your window.

Linkety links
My Artwork
My Design work

Oh, and before I go. . .Reporting back on my Twitter experiment: Stop thinking about it and do it I have met some interesting people, learned a lot, gained some commissions, sourced some useful materials Joined two art projects, twitterartshow - a diverse group of artists hoping to show together and MailArt2 (MailArt1 was all over the internet so I am excited). I have also laughed loads!

Link to Twitter
Twitter

California poppies in the garden