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12 August 2022

Busy (Gently) Doing

It's nearly a month since I last showed up here.  I naively thought that once I had been on my back to back camping trips then I would be able to return here as normal but that wasn't to be.  I am sorry I didn't come a visiting for a while, I am slowly catching up with you all and your news.

I wrote in my last post that June was full to the brim and I was happy it was all over now, looking back that was a little premature.  My life has finally slowed down to a very much less full to the brim feeling, but July was even more full than June.  The gentle part for me became about paring back my life to what was coming up next, focusing on that and not thinking about much else.  Spaces like this were quietly shelved along with most of the housework, tending the garden apart from a bit of watering when things were looking dry and anything else that I love to do when time allows for that.

The month started with a visit to a wonderful exhibition, I intend to write a post reflecting on that but I offer you one photo for now and a huge thank you to Ellie, an incredibly talented and creative blogger, who blogs at Feltabulous  who mentioned that she had visited this exhibition when it was near to her.  I thought that living in the rural North West of my country that it would not come anywhere near me so was amazed when I looked it up to find it was coming to where some dear friends live.  We visited together and all thoroughly enjoyed it, you can find out if it is coming near to you or somewhere you are visiting here.


We had a wonderful few days camping as a family.  It coincided with a heat wave with temperatures that were high for us Northerners (folks who live in the North of England are sometimes referred to as Northerners) who are used to cooler summers, it was exhausting doing anything.  I feel for all of you that live with those temperatures day in and day out all summer.  It only lasted a few days for us.  We walked many steps, swam in many rivers and a very deep lake, we rode bikes, a steam train and had a generally marvellous time.  We had the campsite to ourselves after the first night, sharing the place with the sheep and two traffic cones.  We were only a two hour drive from home in the same county as we live, we are so lucky that we do not have to go far to find a beautiful quiet spot.  I came home feeling totally nourished and relaxed.


Cameron, Alice and I barely unpacked from that trip as we had a day and a bit at home before we had to all go out again to support Cameron and his group for their D of E Expedition.  They had very different weather than the previous week, a lot more rain and cooler temperatures.  Whilst I think they would have preferred not have had quite so much rain they were glad it was cooler.  They walked 76km/47 miles over four days carrying all they needed for a camping expedition in their rucksacks, they are not allowed to buy any provisions on the way.  They were also unaccompanied by adults just the five young people learning how to take care of themselves and others.  They sauntered into the car park at the end looking totally relaxed and not at all exhausted having walked such an incredible distance carrying so much.  Alice and I stayed in the area they were walking through, we didn't meet with the group at all but were nearby in case they needed our assistance in any way.  We too were camping, the first night we spent on a sheep farm where we were serenaded by noisy sheep for most of the night.  We went on several short walks exploring new to us places.  We visited a village where friends used to live, they departed for a new life in Ireland about four years ago it was very strange to be back there without visiting them.  We had hoped to visit a wonderful antique shop and a lovely yarn shop but were very disappointed that they were both gone.  We had a lovely walk instead.

We arrived home late from our second camp and had arranged to have tea at our house with some other friends who moved away from the area and were up visiting, they were due to go home the following day. We had a lovely fish and chip tea from the takeaway in our village.  I ignored the car full of stuff until the following morning.

Unpacking and putting away got mixed up in preparing for an all day fundraiser.  In my head I was ready for this event but in actuality I was far from that.  I spent three long days finishing off the many bits I had mostly finished but not quite.  I ended up with thirteen knitted cloths, eight needle cases with embroidery on the front and fifty one beeswax wraps that were made into bundles of threes for selling, along with the felted hearts we had made for a previous event, ten aloe vera plants, thirty cup cakes baked by Alice and a box of prizes for a tombola, at about midnight the night before we were ready.  It was a lot of work, a very long day but completely worth it, after taking out expenses of about £40 we made just over £800 so a worthwhile effort, we have now raised nearly three quarters of the money and have another year to raise a little more than the final quarter so I think we are highly likely to do that!

I still could not put my feet up as the following day I had headed out early with Alice in tow to the first day of a two day first aid course, she stayed with a friend for duration of my course. It was great fun and the best one I have been on in all the years I have held a first aid certificate.  I was tired by the end of it and looking forward to finally being able to have some more restful days.  Life has now slowed completely.  There is no more having to focus entirely on the next event which I am glad of.  I used to be good at looking at the bigger picture and being able to factor in preparation time for things, it would seem I have become a little rusty during the past couple of years of life being a little different.  The coming weeks include extended family time which we are all looking forward to, I know that in the blink of an eye Cameron will be back at college and Alice back at all her groups but for now we are all enjoying each others company at home.

26 comments:

  1. It can be all too easy to get caught up in doing, especially while the sun is shining and the days are long. Enjoy this slower time. Xx

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    1. It is so true that we can get caught up in doing when the sun is shining. I am loving the slower time ;)

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  2. Thanks so much for the shout out. I am so pleased you managed to see Gaia - it is an impressive sight and I found it very thought provoking. (It also showed up my lack of geographical knowledge!) You were camping in a beautiful part of the world, judging from the waterfall, the stones and the limestone pavement photos. Congratulations on the fund raiser too - it is a lot of work but it paid off for you. Enjoy that slightly slower pace of life - you deserve it!
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. You are so welcome Ellie, I am so grateful for you mentioning the exhibition on your blog, it was amazing, I agree it was thought provoking. I am very much enjoying the slower pace.

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  3. Wow, you have been busy. Lots of fun stuff though. Well done with the fundraising, you've done so well with that and you're well on your way to your target. Yes, the exhibition is visiting my city, I've seen it on lots of blogs as it's made its way around the country, I shall have to definitely make the effort to see it.

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    1. Oooh I am so glad the exhibition is coming your way Jo, I can thoroughly recommend it.

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  4. Goodness! I'm slightly exhausted just reading about all of your adventures! They sound to have been a wonderful time though. I really love the idea of the D of E program....I feel like it must be so incredibly beneficial to the young people taking part. Life-forming stuff. Wishing you a spell of rest and ease before the excitement fires up again. xo ps. yes, we have those kinds of temperatures for weeks on end (we did so just the past few weeks) though I will say it's expected for us and we're somewhat acclimated to it. It's still horrible, though. My DNA is programmed as a 'northener' and I don't think it's ever properly adjusted itself ;)

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    1. It was an exhausting time but I know that focusing on each thing as it needed it was the right way to do things, I did not get overwhelmed at any point which would have been so easy as there was so much on.

      The D of E programme is amazing, it has been around for years, I did it as a teenager. It is wonderful to see the young people develop as they work their way through the levels. It is so simple yet so well thought out and is really accessible to all abilities, totally is life forming stuff. I have loved the years I have been involved with it as a volunteer. I am really enjoying the rest, thank you xx

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  5. Sounds like you're having a perfect family filled Summer.

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  6. I do think the last couple of years have changed us. I too find too many events at once very exhausting. Your first camping trip sounds amazing and well done on the D of E walk. A brilliant distance. Hope you have a restful Sunday. B x

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    1. That is so true B, the last couple of years have really changed us. I know it has me. I can still cope with lots going on what has changed for me is how I deal with them, they are much more manageable. I am having a lovely restful time.

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  7. Wow, you've been busy, but it sounds like a really great time too. Wishing you a wonderful time with your family!

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    1. Thank you, I have been really busy but life is much slower now which I am loving too.

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  8. Gosh, you have been REALLY busy and massive congrats on the fundraising efforts! That exhibition looks fab; will have to see if it's near me soon. The heat is totally energy sapping. I haven't left the house after 1pm for days now - the sun is so strong. Here's to next week's cooler temperatures and a peaceful rest of August for you.

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    1. The exhibition is amazing, I do hope you can get to see it somewhere close-ish. The heat is very energy sapping I hear you on that. I have been sorting out the neglected parts of the garden but by midday it is getting a tad warm out there, you can totally see why hot countries have a siesta in the middle of the day. A great idea!

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  9. A busy but happy July! I loved to read about your camping trip, I really miss going camping this year (maybe we'll manage in September). Fantastic news about the fundraising. I find people are so generous here in the UK when it comes to fundraising. I hope you are able to relax a little now that you are all unpacked and back home x

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    1. I hear you on missing camping Christina, it was our first family camp for three years, I have missed them too. People are being so generous, it is wonderful and much less of a worry for us as we near our target.

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  10. I just love how you label these posts. Busy (gently) doing. It has been a busy summer for me, and I'm feeling restless and tired. But I'm trying to remind myself (gently!) over and over that: there is no rush. I'm trying to focus more on being present. On taking each day as it comes and not planning so far into the future. It's the way our world is wired, I guess. I tried to sign a child up for a fall activity to find it is all sold out. Registration opens ages ago and I missed it. Such is life. I guess it wasn't meant to be. I just have to let my mind - and my body - slow down for a while. It's hard to do with two youngish, very energetic children at home. But it's worth the effort to have those moments of feeling relaxed.
    I'm excited for September. It always feels like a bit of a fresh start and this year that sounds especially wonderful. A harvest time where we live, in an agricultural hub. Preparation for cooler temperatures, shorter days and, hopefully, more time to rest, recover and grow in self awareness, kindness, and joy.
    Lovely post. So glad to "hear" your voice again!

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    1. Thank you Elisabeth that is so kind of you. Being present is hard and takes a lot of work, to perfect it and for it to feel natural and the right thing to do. It is not just a case of deciding to be like that is it, it is a state of mind which we have to work hard at for it to come naturally. I hope it does for you over time.

      September is a good fresh start, I am looking forward to that but am being present in the remaining weeks of August too, I am loving the family time we are managing to make time for. As my children get older I am treasuring these moments all the more.

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  11. You've had some great outings and well done to the D of E group, it's very hard work doing an expedition like that, I'm very impressed. Well done on all the fundraising, it sounds very successful. Lovely that you have some family time coming up, enjoy! CJ xx

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    1. Thank you so much. A D of E expedition is hard work, I don't think I could do it now!

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  12. you might have been busy but it sounds like such a good time! We had a break from the crazy hot and humid weather over the weekend. It was glorious!!

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  13. Mercy sakes, what a whirlwind! Wonderful to read, but I am not surprised you are ready to chill for a bit.

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  14. Your camping trip sounds like pure bliss. We went camping literally down the road and it nourished my soul. Happy to catch up with your news. I've been on an un-planned break too. Something about summer; it takes us away from computers, which is no bad thing!

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  15. Goodness, you have been busy, in a good way. £800 is amazing, well done you! Enjoy the slower time! Snowbird.xxx

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