a great tidy up
2012
From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for the lovely words you shared yesterday. After posting last night’s lament, I fretted to Abby – oh dear, maybe I’ll regret having such a whinge tomorrow. But your words of friendship, encouragement, commiseration, and such practical and heart felt suggestions (Nicole, I’ve started my notebook) really, really warmed me. Whilst I love to keep Bootville a place of loveliness, it is a record of our lives and as such, not to weep when that’s all I feel like doing, means that Bootville loses an essential part of what it is. Anyways, thank you so much. You’re right – I felt much lighter this morning.
Today – we tackled the garage. A long, dark, filthy, cobwebby cave of a place. Something we have been planning to do for weeks. This was our first weekend home sans guests, so today it was. Do you know, it was really therapeutic. It was an all hands on deck effort – we are all tired, dirty and sore tonight – and by late afternoon whilst the garage looked marvellous – with loads of space for Julian to set up a dark, cobwebby workshop – the back garden was COVERED with the silly, funny, sweet things we’ve collected over the last 20 years.
Yep, 20 years. And as we dug our way through boxes and giggled, exclaimed or moaned over what we found, it struck me that no matter what position we find ourselves in at the moment, we have had a brilliant 20 years. Not every day was rosy – there’s been some truly heartbreaking ones – but when I stood there on the back steps, surveying the familiar chaos, I felt so very grateful for all that I have lived and shared with my wee family. It’s been good, it’s been full of much love and pleasure, and so shall it continue to be …
:: special bits – each one full of stories – many that make Abby wail “Oh mum!”
:: Nana Lyons’ rug – older than me
:: Julian – “why do all the little sneakers have no toes?” Lily – “because mum would cut them out when Abby’s toes were getting squished!” Sandal-Sneakers, all the rage in hot Brisbane gardens!
:: so much art – Little Boot and her dad – with golden faces.
:: ginger beer spiders – to match those in the garage.
:: afternoon tea break for fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies – except the regular old eating chocolate chunks melted when I added them to the warm buttery dough – and then they turned into a chocolate cookie pizza base – hm!
:: she was once taller than Abby
:: someone sneaked into the kitchen whilst we were outside …
:: such a beautifully elegant and slow moment in the day
:: omg! there’s room to SIT in the garage
:: albeit, under a long row of thrifted bike frames – it’s a boy thing.
:: Abby’s Year 4 project – a soft drink bottle rocket – with silky parachute – stuffed with foam to protect the egg that each child had to place inside – and now it’s in the tree – good one Jules!
:: packing away the must-keep bits – in this old suitcase I see my Nanny Dougall, dressing my bakelite doll Helen, car trips with Nan that went moo, Abby’s second birthday – sitting up in bed with us, wearing a blue eyore nightie, unwrapping a Madeline doll … must keep.
:: years and years of shorts – Abby loved wearing knee length shorts when she was little – I made them in all kinds of colours and fabric – whatever took her fancy – and there’s the red knitted cap I wore when I was 8 – and layers and layers of linen tableclothes, hoarded by Nanny Dougall, inked for embroidery, their edges piereced ready for crochet.
:: monkey costume, the pink quilt my Mum stitched for a dolls’ bunk bed she gave me for Christmas when I was little – it had crisp white cotton sheets, edged with the pink fabric, wee matching pillows and the little quilted coverlets – she even built the bunk. It was magic – and Hollie Hobby – I WAS a child of the ’70s, of course there’s Hollie Hobby.
:: and some for the thrift shop of course – you can’t keep everything – and I do indeed find, that passing years crystallise for me, what’s really important to keep and what I can let go – I just need to let it marinate for a few years first :-)
Nope, money is certainly tight at the moment, but we only have to look around our home – and spend a fun, exhausting, incredibly satisfying day together – to remember how much loveliness we do share.
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I’m so glad today was better. Sometimes it really helps when you feel powerless to take some action on something….anything. Your garage is like my basement–I have been working a year on cleaning out things at my house–and the basement is the last frontier–I have the upstairs fairly cleared out (for me! I am a clutter-y person, so that term is relative!) but the basement is daunting to tackle.
Congratulations, and doing this cleanup had the side benefit of unearthing some lovely memories–I loved the pictures you shared.
Hello Lilly,
We’re home again after a nice week on our own in our caravan. A bit of fishing and a bit of stitching, taking turns at a card game of patience before we went to bed. We don’t have a TV in our van. Definitely wouldn’t be a holiday with a TV on board. I caught a 41cm whiting while the big fellow was pumping for nippers. Lots of laughs and together time which was lovely. We popped back home a few times during the week to make sure Dad was OK, even though I rang him each morning and evening. As my washing machine whirls away with our holiday laundry, I’m thinking of you and your last post and I’m sending up little prayers for you. I have missed your happy posts this past week and couldn’t wait to click this screen into action to see what you are up to. I’ve been where you are now and at about the age you are now and it’s tough. And yes we bickered too. But as I’ve got a bit older things have improved on the finances front and although we are not at all wealthy we enjoy our life and I find it exciting to stretch our dollars where I can. Our holidays are in our caravan and whilst some would prefer 5 star, we enjoy meeting folk like us who prefer the simple holidays. I will be starting to tackle my clutter shortly and no doubt many memories we spring forth as I open each drawer. Hang in there Lily, things will get better. You are such a blessing and blessings always return home in ways that are most unexpected.
So many blessings to you my friend, Gail
I just got home from a week away doing of all things: sewing! and I wanted to send you some kind words to help through these tough times. Thanks Lily for keeping it real…blogland can’t be all bliss. Once upon a time to too made the decision to not return to school to study midwifery because I needed a real job and although it’s a regret I do not regret the decision. The I chose path is my life now and life is good. Your family is so special that I do not think this pause in schooling will be a regret. Look to time well spent now and think of tomorrow! xoxoxox
Hi Lily, so pleased that you found a bit of therapeutic work to help you through, and so clever finding an activity that you could all do together – walking hand in hand through memories of the past. Money (or lack thereof) sucks, it stresses me out totally – I am working on cutting back on our grocery budget (one step at a time).Perhaps you could think about working somewhere like Aldi, you get varied work, good hours, staff discounts on groceries etc. It’s something I’ve looked at seriously before and will have to again very very soon…with love, Alison
Cleaning and clearing seems to make everything feel better doesn’t it? Your cookie pizza made me giggle. That’s how all of the food I attempt to make turns out. :)