Sunday Sunday

Sunday Sunday

Hi there.

Sunday Sunday. Thanks for popping in.

Family Day today. We celebrated Mum’s 81st birthday here, with roast lamb – her favourite. Well, all our favourites actually!

Good reason to celebrate, good food, good conversation – just all round good.

They got here early, which was great too. My brother has always been an über punctual person. In fact,we all are. Must be a Gray thing.

But now they have all left, the dishes are done (thanks Dave!) – and I’m back in my little artroom, finishing up the 2019 calendar, writing this month’s Club newsletter, and just generally revving up for Monday Monday.

There’s so much on my list of things to do, but I can only do ONE THING AT A TIME. And I may as well enjoy it while I’m doing it, because this is REAL TIME.

I may have spoken about this before, but here goes again. The more often I put it into words, even write it down, the more I truly grasp what I mean.

NOW is real. Yesterday is gone, done, and tomorrow is an illusion. My writing this blog and thinking about you is NOW. That is REAL TIME. By the time you read the blog, this moment will have passed. A new NOW will exist. So if I spend my NOW fretting about all the shit and work that’s piling up on my desk, then in effect, I am downgrading my actual life, because NOW is and always will be the only reality. Therefore, what I can tell you is that at the time of writing this blog (NOW) I was very happy and pleased to have spent some hours with the family in the morning. I wasn’t pretending to be happy, I wasn’t secretly worrying about the future, or sad that Grace & Mark weren’t there at the table. I could have let my mind go down that path, but what for? Doesn’t change a damned thing, except create a shift in my peace of mind. So, I thoroughly enjoyed what was going on, and accepted it all entirely as it was.

Do you remember all the hype about being mindful?  Living in the NOW? I think I actually get it properly now. Do you? It’s quite a powerful breakthrough when it clicks.

But there we are. No bloggy artwork from me today. Much as I’d love to get lost in a little arty bubble (and I so could in this little craft pig-pit right now!!) There could be aliens living in here! I wish they’d tidy up a bit!

I really must tick a few boxes before mañana! This room looks like a bomzitit!

Haven’t even cleared away the stuff from last week’s TV shows yet! Shame on me!!!

This evening I shall read though all the instruction competition entries which so many of you sent in. There are quite a few, so let me do that. Then tomorrow, we’ll pick a winner!

Love & Hugs,

Barb

xxx

26 thoughts on “Sunday Sunday

  1. Glad you had a lovely day with your Mum and Dad and Steve and his girlfriend and of course the lovely Dave. I love roast lamb too. Can’t wait to see the new calendar, I’m sure it will be as gorgeous as always. Enjoy your evening and chill out with ya man. Xx

  2. Wish I could learn to live in the now, and not fret about the past and worry about the future life would be so much better Jan x

  3. Happy Birthday to your Mum ! I cooked lunch for mine today as it was my birthday yesterday, 59 so thinking about my last year of a decade. Not going to dwell on it though – I’ll just think about the now! Looking forward to another week – they seem to be flying by at the moment ! I’m glad you had a lovely day. Hope you got everything done you wanted to xx

  4. Hello Barbara
    Many happy returns to your Mum.
    I had a very good friend who lived by the mantra ‘if you can’t change it you just have to live with it and make the best of it’.
    I try to live by this now. I don’t always succeed but it is true, don’t waste time worrying and fretting about things beyond your control. Concentrate on the things you can change.
    Love, Roz xxx

  5. The now is what’s important not worrying about tomorrow or living in the past. Sometimes easier said than done. I am thankful I have my crafting that let’s me focus on something and not get caught up in worrying about things. Happy birthday to your Mum. Xx

  6. Happy birthday to your mum. Roast lamb is delicious, a favourite here too. Glad you had a lovely day with the family

  7. Hi Barb,
    Happy birthday to you Mum – I bet she was very happy to spend the time with her loving family. I think you are right about trying to live in the NOW. I do try to do this but have to admit, I don’t always succeed. I am quite a laid back person and since I retired I think that if something doesn’t get done then it doesn’t get done! This especially applies to housework and ironing! That’s one of the best things about retirement – generally being able to do what I want when I want instead of working set hours and to timetables. Having said that, tomorrow must be a tidying up day as I can’t find a thing in my little craft room ( that includes my desk!!) Love and hugs, Alison xxx

    1. Evening bloggy friends,
      I hope you’ve had a good weekend. I feel so sorry for anyone who has been affected by the horrible storms. I was watching the news and was really sorry to see Carmarthen under water as we spent quite a lot of time there when we were on holiday in Pembroke over the years – especially the golf club ( at least that was up a hill). I was also amazed to see the video of the waterfall in Skye being blown back up the cliff – we were there a couple of years ago ( spectacular!) . Sending love and hugs to everyone,Alison xxx

  8. I’m SO glad you had such a happy time today celebrating your dear mum’s birthday – wishing her many, many happy returns of the day.
    Passing on some wise words I learnt some years ago –
    Yesterday is history;
    Tomorrow is mystery;
    Today is a gift – that’s why it’s called the present!
    I am grateful (at an advanced age) for every present (‘now’) moment. Have a great week! Jutta

  9. Pleased you had a good day with your family.
    I agree you cannot fret on what’s past or what may be tomorrow. What is, is what is. Just live every day the best way you can, do no harm, and when you go to bed say to yourself “it was a good day today”. Having said that, since I retired and my hubby has been home we seem to be busier than ever and a bit disorganised. he found a plaque for my craft room door:
    A MESSY CRAFT ROOM IS A SIGN OF GENIUS!!!
    Nuff said, you have a messy craft room…………

  10. Happy Birthday to your mum and good to know you’ve helped her celebrate in the best way… enjoying a family meal and chatting together.
    Funny thing is, your post today…we had this discussion last Friday… Not worried about tomorrow (it doesn’t exist!) for many years and as for yesterday totally over that too! Live in the moment and do what you can to make it as pleasant and easy as possible for those you care about… that’s my motto! xx

  11. Happy birthday to your mum sounds like a wonderful family day, I learnt a long time ago that family etc are more important than worrying about jobs etc so what the boxes are still packed from last weeks shows you know we’re they are can always be done tomorrow but what’s happening today takes priority. I use to get frustrated when could do jobs etc but withSandie she use to be sick and would have to drop plans house work etc the quality time with her needs at time we’re important and other things in life can wait cause being with family is so important and those close to us enjoy your evening love hugs Joy xxx

  12. Sounds like a great Sunday. Happy birthday to your mum, so good that you live close enough to share her day. It is one of my granddaughters as well, she lives in Canada, but having a trip to Oregon this week. Enjoy your evening xx

  13. I live by ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ that gets done regardless and leaves the brain work for the bigger issues.
    Glad you had a great day xx

  14. Thanks for that thought Barbara. I’ve not got many tomorrow’s and my yesterday’s are full of regret, but I have NOW. And for that I’m grateful.

  15. Never got round to entering the competition, had intended to but never mind. Good luck to all those who did. Happy Birthday to your mum. I expect she loved being with you all today. We had a lovely lunch out with Greg and Amie, it was a last minute decision so all the nicer and we spent two great hours just chatting and eating of course. xx

  16. Happy birthday to your Mum. I wish I could live in the present. I do try but that little(?) voice often whispers, “what if?”. Still, I’m always told, “practice makes perfect” so I will keep trying. As my husband often says I am trying, very trying!!!!
    :):) x

  17. Hi Barbara, what wise words which we all wish we could follow but often fail – but that is what makes us human after all. I wish my craft room looked half as tidy as yours does – mine looks like the aliens got in, had a wrecking party and left as they could not find the blinking thing they had a second before! So pleased you had a great time with your loved ones who could be with you to celebrate.

  18. Happy Birthday Barbara’s Mum. How lovely that you could all enjoy the family celebration over lunch. My mouths watering, lamb is a favourite of mine. We should all be in the here and now, I think I try to be but if I feel down I have to admit it isnt easy and I do slip back. It’s one of the reasons I craft because if I’m concentrating I can only think of what In am doing. xxx

  19. Hi Barbara
    Firstly, Best Birthday Wishes to your mum xxxxx
    Now on to the roast lamb dinner – sounds scrumptious, that is our favourite and it was what we had for dinner too today.
    As much as we all love to see your amazing pieces of artwork, I think that you totally deserved a day to yourself and your family.
    As for the messy studio, that’s nothing in comparison to the mess I make with my crafty bits. The mess will still be there tomorrow, unless those aliens turn up and do a bit of Autumn cleaning for you, and if they do give them my address and send them in my general directions, well once they have finished your room.
    Have a lovely evening.
    Love & Hugs
    Xxxxxxx

  20. Hello Barb, your crafty corner looks positively spotless compared to mine. There is a saying by some or other famous person (can’t remember who), that says a clean desk is a sign of an unsound mind (or something to that effect). Glad you enjoyed a lovely day with family, the roast lamb sounds yummy. Take care all. Bx

  21. Another wonderful thing to celebrate with your Mum’s birthday Barbara, and you are right, there is no point fretting about things that can’t be changed, and enjoying the moment is the way to go. x

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