Petite joys
I just got in from a dog walk where my hair threatened to blow off my head and I had to narrowly avoid getting smacked in the head by a neighbour’s rogue sand bucket. Welcome to Storm Ali in England, September 2018. With the recent occurrences of Hurricane Florence and Typhoon Mangkhut, I can’t help but feel s t r e s s e d about the state of our globe and climate change’s impending doom. Perhaps I’m being dramatic but you know, I’m worried about our planet ok?!
Although, it does mean I’ve had plenty of time (and a jolly good excuse) to cosy up at home for the most part and just get on with things. You see, the past couple of weeks haven’t been the greatest for me. And I’ve only told two or three people (namely my boyfriend, my sister and Bee) so far. Late summer saw me completely spiral and fester in my own thoughts. I had almost no motivation to get out of bed, do any work (although obviously I eventually did!), brush my hair, apply makeup, or even respond to the messages stacking up on my phone. Instead, I’d go through the motions and sit around in my pyjamas or loungewear, stare hopelessly at my emails, open up my work for the day and leave it there until 8pm when I’d start work, and in general, I spent my time feeling like a shadow of myself. It was odd.
And while there hasn’t been a seismic shift in my universe to cause or amend that, I’m feeling a smidge better. Today, I woke up and ate breakfast, went to my Barre class, walked the dogs, whipped through all three of my email inboxes and did my damn work by 5pm. I washed, conditioned, brushed and dried my hair properly. I’ve even sent a couple of pitches for some freelance work.
Hand on heart, it’s these petite joys lists that I write that keep me laser-focused on the task in hand: living a simple, easy and fulfilled life. There’s a lot to be said for appreciating the smaller, not necessarily finer details of the everyday mundane. Here’s to another list of petite joys, the moments that’ve brought and woven poetry to my days, this week:
一. The sound of eight paws pitter-pattering their way around our house. We’re looking after my boyfriend’s family dog at the moment and two dogs is so fun!
二. Finishing not one but TWO huge projects that I began working on last October and this May, respectively. I can’t wait to share more details in due course.
三. I mean, it goes without saying but… a full end-to-end haircare regime for the first time in a few weeks. My hair feels silky smooth again (thanks Percy & Reed!) and I feel like a new woman.
四. Really finding my groove on Instagram again.
五. The pure, unbridled joy on Milo’s face when we play ‘fetch!’ on his morning walks. And the apples we pluck from the tree at the corner of the field before doing so.
六. How satisfying it is to organise photo albums. The swish and flick of a levitation Charm as clear photo slips are tampered with.
七. That feeling when you manage to snag the last carton of Oatly Barista Edition!
八. Feeling optimistic, even if just for three minutes in a day.
九. My 3pm tea breaks.
十. That pumpkin and sage quadrotti we had for lunch today, coated in delicious fresh basil pesto. I’d love to say we made it from scratch but it was totally all Sainsbury’s’ doing!
