Wax and wane

Hi,

Let’s start with the good stuff and see where we go eh? 🙂

Focus on the good, not the perfect

That probably would’ve made a better title for the whole post, but hey ho, here we are! 😉

I was out with the doggos the other day, and while they were enjoying their umpteenth sniffing stop of Guess the Wildlife*, I paused to enjoy the warmth of the sun, birdsong in the trees, and the beauty of nature. The bluebells and crocuses are out (and fabulous! 😁); there’s a few late snowdrops, and I think I spotted some cowslips or primroses on my travels too. All very much a feast for the eyes given the blaze of colour away from winter’s greys and browns.

[ * “I’m getting…. rabbit with a hint of stoat… no, it’s hedgehog.” 🐕 ]

While enjoying the environment and the time of not having to rush (or so I tell myself), I was thinking that I’d reached a pleasant plateau of contentment. As per the heading, things are not perfect, but they are good enough. Indeed, the latter seemed to coincide – possibly even click nicely, like pieces in a complex jigsaw – with an article about not striving and focusing on material gains, but finding what works for you.

In the UK, we’d say – with a knowing look to camera – “living the dream then?” because most Brit humour is that fab blend of irony, sarcasm, and understatement. Yet, here I am, enjoying things with the home working + work/life balance, that most (touch wood) things in the house are fixed, family is doing okay, and the T stuff is close enough to ‘working okay’. I will absolutely take that lot as a good moments to pop in the Memory Jar.

Shizz sandwich

With most stories having a start, a dip in the middle, and a rise to meet the end, so to is today’s….. disturbance in the Force. A bit early for May 4th, but it’ll do 🙂

Despite the regular bashing of the keys on weekly posts, I am struggling a little with content. Not the coming up with stuff, it’s reasonably easy to empty the thoughts of one’s head and pick over what they may mean.

I don’t expect each post to be some amazing magazine style point of interest. Yes, I didn’t use the term literary ‘cos this is blogging, not a book 🙂 But, I also don’t want to be churning out whatever the human equivalent of AI slop is. I guess there’s an element of connection too, is that the blog seems to have gone quiet, like a tatty old Engerlund flag hanging laconically off a streetlamp.

Like Chams or maybe as per a lot in life, things wax & wane (hey, there’s the title! See what I did there? 🙃). There are posts I’m pleased with, posts that others find interesting, there’s the quiet times, and – not to sound like an old ChumbaWumba song – things get back up again 😉 We seem – the blog and I, at least – in the near still of becalmed seas creatively and otherwise. I wouldn’t mind except I’ve not been unkind to an albatross.

[ Two nerd points if you get the musical and literary reference 😉]

Ending cheerily

So, Chams? Despite a sharp wind – no, atmospheric, not personal 🙃 – I was (as ever) a little in two minds over what to take with me. It felt like leggings kinda weather and as I’m a week or so away from dewookification, there’s enough knee fluff to be bothersome. Was it sandals or boot weather though? That was the question. So, I overpacked… then unpacked…. and repacked because I don’t (yet) have a TARDIS bag that lets me take the wardrobe with me. Besides, would I ever be able to get dressed if I did? 🫠 I’m guessing not, you can have too much choice!

The traffic wasn’t great as part of one of Nottingham’s exit roads remains closed one way. The effect of this is a massive tailback starting at the QMC and running for a mile or three. Yikes! So, emergency detour and off around the old route I used to take back when I rode a pushbike to work. Memory lane, huh. Oh, no pun intended.

This was also the first city run of the new (to me) car that I bought earlier in the month. It’s another electric one and as it’s ex-Motability, very low mileage and in very good nick. Compared to the previous wheels, Dadmobile 2.0 has over a two hundred mile range (less on motorways, natch), which really helps with the range anxiety most ‘leccy car drivers have. Or maybe that’s just me and the Anxiety Goblin co-pilot? 😁

With the detour bypassing the heavy traffic, it didn’t take too long to get to Chams. With the spring sunshine still a shining, I decided I’d go with the old Roman tunic and leggings (see snap). No need for the even old New Look wrap dress I bought some time in the mid 2000s.

Given previous…. I hesitate to say grumbles or disappointments, but could be better vibes on my make-up game, I’d done a bit of research on why I’m getting creasing and that bugbear of the eye liner.

Now, the good news is that I’d tried a beauty blender to apply my foundation and that did help on seeing less product on my skin. I think previously I’d been getting it wrong by sweeping product around on an unsuitable brush. Indeed, Ann was kind enough to mention how well she’d got on with a kabuki brush. Something I may try if the blender doesn’t work long term.

My skin felt better – less… layered? I guess. No, my under eye shadows where not perfect, but – here we repeat the mantra – they were better than before.

Skipping forward a bit, I was pleased at how my makeup had stayed by the end of the night. Less but still some creasing around the eyes, although I think that might have been down to forgetting to avoid powder near those ‘crinkle zones’.

Likewise, I’d not used the new kohl pencil, but again – it was better, not perfect, but better. But, slight snags aside, I think it was better and I’m happy with that!

As to the evening itself, no Val due to work commitments, bless her, but Pat was back in after a poor run of luck with her health. With more folk in the room, we didn’t have one big conversation, but folk broke off to form little pods of chat which altered as the evening went on. All rather fab, IMO!

Next week – and thanks for reminding me, Deb! – Wigeroo are visiting. I guess we will have to see what Nicola brings along. Do I want a new ‘do? Well, I guess we shall see if anything catches my eye.

Take care,
L x