In the Autumn sunshine with Glen Campbell

Saturday 4.49pm

I am very tired.

Nicola broke her ankle three weeks ago now, but it feels like three months. It has been tough on her, she has not slept well because of the pain and can hardly walk let alone drive which for an independent person is incredibly frustrating. I have seen people scooting about on crutches before but little realised how difficult it really is, suddenly having to use muscles in unaccustomed ways and of course with both hands on the crutches you cannot carry anything and end up relying completely on those around you. The children have been great, but there is only so much they can do and so I have been plunged suddenly into trying to do all the things Nicola usually does whilst working full time. Family life goes on and any woman reading this will say "welcome to our world" and I would agree with you, having done the housewife and mother bit for three years when our youngest was little I already know what it is like. But I had more time then, and it does not make it any easier being suddenly plunged into it. Now there are more jobs to be done than there is time available and I rush from one thing to the next and the next and the next . . . . from the moment I awake until I go to bed . . .

But today was different.

While washing the dishes I was making some soup (Beetroot and Cumin). I was peeling the roasted beets, Whichita Lineman was playing in the background and glancing up I caught sight of the Autumn sunshine coming low through the window. As these three things came together, in that moment, I knew that although life may be tough sometimes there is nowhere else in the world that I want to be.




Contentment - it lies within the small things in life, put them together and they add up to so much more . . . .

Vision

Sunday 3.33pm

I have a few ongoing projects, especially in cooking. Naan bread is one, pizza another and mayonnaise yet another. I do not tackle them all the time, and I don't stress over them, just every now and again I'll have another go at one or another, today it was mayonnaise. I know what I am after something plain and creamy, pretty much like "Helmann's" or "Best Foods" here in New Zealand, but one that I have made and know exactly what has gone into it.
But what am I chasing?, what brings me back to try again and again. I think it is the vision in my head, that thing that I cannot describe and yet can taste, smell and see in my mind. And when what I make matches that I'll know. Vision and doing go hand in hand in achieving anything. Yes it is also good to play around every now and again just to see what can be discovered, but as I get older I am noticing more and more the power of visualisation.

Life is never dull when you know where you are heading.