Tuesday 8 January 2013

Optimism

I'm not a pessimist. Neither am I an optimist really - to me that suggests some kind of insanely positive extravert (which I most definitely am not), thinking that everything will be fantastic. But mostly I think things will work out more or less okay.  I don't have high expectations of them, so my expectations are relatively easily met. I'm like Hobbes wishing for a sandwich.  So I suppose I'm a cautious optimist. Or a realistic one.

I didn't have high expectations of January, in fact I had uncharacteristically pessimistic low expectations*, but so far it's going just fine.

The weather is mild, meaning mostly it's grey and wet - the usual dreich January in many ways. But it's so mild that I've been pottering round in the garden, very belatedly planting bulbs. I've been able to get out in the fresh air, walking, running, whatever.  Yes, it's been windy and rainy but the wind hasn't been the cold kind that cuts through you so it's been invigorating more than anything.

I bought myself some tulips and freesias and they're in vases on my kitchen window catching any random rays that appear and brightening things up.


Who could be anything but happy with sunlight shining through tulips, even if it's only for a few minutes?


I love the texture and delicate patterns on the petals.



I also bought a Filofax.  I suppose it was Natalie talking about hers on her blog sometime before Christmas that put it in my mind. I always carry a diary around with me and usually a notebook for my many lists and, having not thought about Filofaxes in years, it began to occur to me that perhaps a diary and notebook in one might be a good idea. I had a non-Filofax personal organiser years ago (it was a Citroen one actually, a freebie when dad bought a car I think), of the standard ('personal') size which was too big for my current needs. But a pocket one is only marginally bigger than the diary I had last year and possibly more practical, though less aesthetically pleasing - and was reduced in Sainsburys, so that was handy. We shall see how I get on with it. I am an inveterate writer of lists, partly because I'm more likely to remember something once I've written it down, regardless of whether I actually refer to the list or not, so this appeals to the way I do things.


Also keeping me sane is one of my Christmas presents from My Beloved - a DAB Radio which I keep permanently tuned to Classic FM, sitting on my bedside table. I can retreat up there with my knitting and happily listen to music while downstairs everyone else is killing orcs, jumping through portals, watching the CBeebies pantomime for the 500th time on iplayer and so forth. It's my little shrine to peace and quiet. Murder mysteries set in the 1920s are obviously an absolutely vital part of 'peace and quiet'...  Oooh, and look at my sock! Coming along nicely, heel turned, though it doesn't look it there, and it's the home straight now.  Woohoo!

* Based on experience - it's always a month that I find hard work.

2 comments:

Mrs. Micawber said...

I like to make lists too - but usually on scraps of paper which I can then recycle when done. Or in the margins of my book of difficult crossword puzzles which only gets opened when I'm (ahem) sitting down in a certain very small room.

I'm with you on the optimism thing. When you don't expect much, you're less likely to be disappointed, is my motto. (Also applies to expectations of myself.) :)

A DAB radio sounds very interesting (had to google it as I'd never heard of it). And your sock is truly gorgeous.

Peeriemoot said...

I've used scraps of paper up to now (the backs of receipts, old envelopes, that kind of thing) but in the run-up to Christmas I had lists scattered *everywhere* in my bag. It was chaotic. The idea of having sensible lists in one place is appealing now! Grocery shopping lists are still scraps of paper though - and are still left on the kitchen table when they should be in my pocket :-D.