I struggled for years ...

Sometimes Brooke just says it best 

 ♥

Missing Blogging Buddy

One of our number is missing!!

Does anyone know what's happened to Marlene … Everyday Life, I've only been away for a day and I feel like I've missed something?  

I do hope she's okay and not being plagued by trolls and fuckwits again.

If you read this Marlene, get in touch … we need to know you're okay.  You're an important part of the gang.

Sue xx

Back to Coffee

 

We are enjoying some wonderful weather here at the Van.  

The morning walks taking us across the river are beautiful, with the sound of the river much calmer now after the deluges of last week.  There are blue skies overhead and the sounds of birds singing their hearts out in the freshness of the day.  As we tramp through long, wet grass and along stony paths my mind is free to wander and plan the day ... as much as my days are ever planned.  The mess at home in Wales as our house is literally being dismantled and rebuilt, is temporarily forgotten about and I can pull my mind to the moment I am in.  

Keeping a watchful eye on an exploring Pug with a definite mission on her mind is easy, she knows the path and  loves the freedom of our daily walk.  She runs ahead down the stone road that leads to the farm gate, and once I can see ahead of us that the gate is closed I can relax knowing that she will wait for me if she gets there first … and she always does.  And of course she enjoys the walk even more when it leads us to her favourite place as it did yesterday.

" Are you going to the counter yet Mum, we need coffee and cake? "

Suky's wish is my command and returning to an occasional coffee after my Challenge of last week is nice.  Although I must add it is never daily ... well rarely 😉

Sue xx

A Woman's True Nature

Thank you so much for all the comments and thought provoking responses to the last post.

It seems that so many of us are on the same wavelength and very similar journeys, and lots more are on a similar path, still on their own journey and getting there in their own time and in their own way. 

 As women, or indeed just people we can be invincible once we 'find' ourselves ... and may your God protect anyone that gets in the way!!

My most immediate journey is one back to Van Life to take me away from all the chaos and frankly quite upsetting building work.  

I cannot begin to tell you how much all this stripping back of the house has upset me.  The lovely paint job that is no more, the mess inside the house as plaster fall off the walls and it's dust coats anything you put down.  Carpet sample books lying around, plumbers measuring for new radiators, bathroom fittings etc.  Electricians expected anytime to quote for new, actually working, bathroom lights … the last ones only went in last year and have failed miserably.  Basically you would need a torch to apply any makeup … not that Alan wears much.  😉

So in half an hour me and Suky are hitting the road back to the calmness of Van Life and ready to continue with my latest Challenge over on my other blog.

Sue xx

A Smaller and Simpler Life?

I was asked the other day about my new Smaller Life

 In what way does it differ from my old 'simple' life and is it better?

Oh, it's better ... so much better. 

I feel like I'm me again!!

I'm not doing anything I don't want to do



 I say no politely

 Then not quite so politely

 Then if you won't take the nice version of me, you get told in no uncertain terms what to do

Well you shouldn't have pushed

Should you!!

I have taken back my life

And it's given me time to think

Time to get on with living simply

And for me living simply means 

Recycling

Re-using

Re-purposing

Eating simply

Gardening small-ly

Sneakers and jeans

Television and books

Walking in nature

Taking time to live

Whenever it is possible

Our old duvet  was re-purposed into two cosy dog beds

One thick and multilayered and covered in the softest most teddy-bear like fleece

For Suky to snuggle into and keep warm

On cold caravan nights

And the other thinner, longer and snuggly on the back seat of my car 

For sleepy journeys to and from the Van.

Both seem to be appreciated.

I was never perfect

Sometimes I wasn't even good

But now that I've relaxed into me

I'm better

❤

It's Feels Brilliant ...

It feels brilliant to get my teeth into another Challenge over on my other blog.  I've left it far too long between this new Challenge and my last one.  Life and stuff simply got in the way, but I'm back to doing what I want to do and it feels good.

The new Challenge is called 'For the Price of a Coffee' and the idea behind it is simply to see what else food wise you could buy with the money that you would normally spend on a coffee from a coffee shop or café … which is £2.75 in my case.  So a £2.75 a day spend for either one cup of coffee or  three meals.

Find the beginning of it here on the Challenging Myself blog.

In other news I have just been over to the office and paid my Site Fees for 2020, so another year of Van Life coming up.  If you pay as soon as you receive the invoice, or at least before the middle of November you get a £105 discount … definitely worth having so I always do exactly that.  

Thinking about it that's 38 days food at £2.75 a day, more than a month of eating just for paying early!!

Coming back from the office I found a 5p piece on the floor and to quote the old saying  'find a penny pick it up and all day long you'll have good luck'  I picked it up.  I messaged Alan to tell him I'd paid the site fees and mentioned my little find ...  "That's 5 times more lucky than a penny, go and buy a lottery ticket" he said!!

I might just do that  😃

I'm still a real stationery fiend, and just look at this lovely notebook that my Mum bought me from Dobbie's garden centre when we were there on Wednesday … it's almost too beautiful to write in.

But I will,  it could be just the book for a special Challenge next year.  I do like to start a Challenge in January and see how long I can keep it going for.  I'll have to put my thinking cap on.  If I'm missing a little bit from here for the next few days, it's just because I'll be busy updating the Challenge blog twice a day, but I will be back, promise.

Sue xx

Gorgeous Day

It's a gorgeous day here at the Van, so after a leisurely start we went on our customary 'coffee and cake walk'.  Across the bridge spanning the river where I just had to keep Suky waiting for a minute while I took this lovely photo.  Then onwards along the path by the side of the fields to the Scorton road.

Suky led the way ... mention 'coffee and cake' and she immediately knows where she is going to … and in ten  minutes we were there.

I don't get time to browse the lovely shop when we arrive, once we are there Suky wants to go straight to the restaurant area.  Dogs are allowed anywhere at this lovely garden centre, but as it was such a gorgeous day I decided to sit outside in the sunshine.  

You order at the counter and then it's waitress service, so I had plenty of time to admire the Autumn plant displays and marvel at the beautiful blue sky.

When our drinks arrived I got out my phone to take a photo … the reason for todays visit.  

Any excuse eh  🤣

My new Challenge is about to kick off and this is exactly what inspired it.  To see what it's all about you can nip over to the Challenge blog and read for yourself.  You can't beat a Challenge inspired by a cup of coffee though can you … haha!!

Sue xx