Apologies to my readers

I know, I now, blogging is a personal, free and without strings activity so I don't need to say 'sorry'.

But I feel I do.

Some of you are regular readers and I haven't supplied you with something to read.

Not that your day was any less enjoyable or that you had so much time to spare you were bored..........( chuckle chuckle).

I just feel the need to say " I am sorry I have been so lax of late and I promise to mend my ways!"

Sometimes life just takes over... timetables, and schedules mean nothing and that most elusive of commodities " Time", well, there just isn't enough and what there is of it gallops by at 100 miles an hour.

When I have this type of struggle I hear a voice in my head saying " Like sand through the hour glass, these are the days of our lives!" Recognise this sentence?

Especially for those who want a walk down memory lane;

Click here - for THE VOICE

Anyway, when I have these moments and I hear that sentence I think - oh yes, that is so true.

Life has had some absolutely jewels of moments of late. It has certainly not been all bad - at all.

My daughter, son in law and 3 children paid a visit, that was AMAZING! We have had a couple of mini trips away, I have been able to assist my mother in law after her fall recently, the preparations for Christmas are heading in the right direction.... to name a couple of things that kept me off the streets and out of mischief.

But now, now is the moment that I have decided quite definitely to reclaim my space in the day. That some of those 1440 minutes of the day are MINE to use in a way that enriches my life and gives me room to be ME without the trimmings of others - just a wee while of the day is all I need to keep a balance!

So grains of sand, I greet you, claim you and will enjoy using you!

Getting organised

It has been a week since my last BLOG. That isn't unusual, happens more often. Only this time the reason was different. I had painted the stairwell and it needed a few days to dry and harden before use. I know I could have 'arranged'  other ways to get to my BLOG and other 'necessary' ills - but I used this 'holiday' to enforce my discipline. No computer- no work. I did keep tabs on my Social Media as it is my life line to my children across the miles, Down Under - but NO WORK!

And that posed a dilemma. Almost as if the text urchins were toying with me. All sorts of ideas and quotes ran riot in my head- and NO, I didn't write them down but attempted to 'store them'  in my memory. It was quite a battle.

Just like a number of years ago I decided, off the cuff, to give up coffee for Lent. Just like that, cold turkey- no warning no preparation, no down time! Just like the stairs - it was an instant decision taken without thought as to the consequences!

With the cold turkey coffee event; it was extremely difficult and posed all sorts of problems. My body became unwell, derailed. The caffeine shortage affected me in ways I had not realised that it would. No way did I understand I was addicted. I drank coffee - and I was going to give it up for a few weeks- I knew I would miss it, That was the point- give up something you love! Big deal. And unexpectedly IT WAS.

Computers too can become an addiction. For many already a reality. I am a fortunate person. In my possession I have an iMac, iPhone, iPad and a laptop. Internet is available everywhere in the home and in the garden. I don't play games, well on the odd occasion while on holiday I might play Patience and I Love jigsaw puzzles. I may have used that App 5 times in te past two years. That's as far as my gaming on computers goes.

The stairs needed painting and 'today is the ideal day to do just that' was my idea at that moment. Through the window, the sun threw it's spring rays on the stairs, perfect for a slow but sure dry process.
As the paint odour penetrated the room I headed outside and spent my time getting 'rid' of winter in both the garden and the wee summer house. Both all set now to be enjoyed.

As of today my husband and I can enjoy the fruits of those flighty days- when time and weather allows. The paint on the stairs has hardened and I am once again able to sit in front of my screen and do what I need to do to get my admin up to date and commit the insights 'to paper' as it were.

I feel a sense of freedom and in charge as far as computer time is concerned. I focussed on what my routines were and have re-set my schedules to give me more 'off screen time'.

Spring, renewed energy, a fresh breeze, time to shake those winter ills off and look forward to Easter, to renewal. I aim to use Lent to clear my head and identify and rid myself of things - addictive.

There are 39 days to Easter...!! I am counting the days and aim to use the time wisely.

Old man TIME.......

Tick tock, tick tock.... the minutes are racing by. No, they aren't going any faster than always. It just SEEMS that way.

A day consists of 24 hours. Hours that can be filled with all the activities that one sees fit or needs to fill them with.

I have the luxury at present of not having to ' check in'  anywhere at a particular time. The day ( and night) is mine to fill as I see fit or choose.

But is that so? Am I free in choosing how long I spend:

- at the dining room table with my morning cuppa and newspaper
- chatting online with friends and family who live far away
- sharing coffee moments with spouse and/or friends
- spending time on my morning rituals
- shopping
- writing my BLOGS
- in the garden
- in the kitchen
- in prayer
- helping others

I regularly hear around me the comment- as soon as I get more time I will ......... !
Where do people think they will GET TIME from?

The time we have is NOW. We can't buy it, store it, pre book it, reserve it, park it. Like the ocean waves that crawl onto the shores every moment of the day and night- time too doesn't stand still.

Biblically speaking: Time is hard to define. For God, time has a different measure than for us mere mortals. In Genesis we learn that He created the world in 6 days and rested the 7th. We can find reference to how ' old'  we might become in Psalm 90 v 10.“The days of our years are threescore years and ten . . .”. What does endless mean? How long is that? Have you ever tried to explain to child how long ' forever'  is? Time: an elusive, valuable and abstract concept.
Do I use/fill/spend my time well? Do I do it justice?


Recently I wrote about having a clear ( as possible) diary. Not to plan too far in advance. ( in my dutch BLOG) Many moons ago I had made a choice not to plan too far in advance.To keep my commitments restricted to planning no more than 2 weeks in advance. I kept that up for a whole year. That way I felt less ' obliged'  to go to or take part in things that, at the time of decision making, seemed appealing or reasonable- but after months had lost their purpose or shine.

It gave me a sense of freedom, of richness. That I bathed in TIME! That I had space to do the things that I felt urged, compelled or invited to do.

Shortly I am to visit my children and grandchildren. I have had, for obvious reasons ( plane tickets and definite dates of departure and arrival), to 'make a plan'.  I have had to communicate with my children about the opportunities we would have to do special and 'ordinary' things in that time span. A tight planning one might say but with the flexibility that goes with having young busy families. So yes, there are schedule moments - a necessary thing - added to which we acknowledge that we need to be flexible in our approach. We have the opportunity to ' get as much out of that time together'  as we possible can, realising that everything we do- is a gift in time.

Here at home I have resisted the urge to pack my suitcase too soon. This from experience- 'normal'  life stops when that suitcase is positioned at or near the door. All one is focussed on is leaving, on what is to come - I started painting the deck around the house yesterday. Needs to be completed before I leave. I only have a few days- the sun is shining, the temperatures are perfect for the task. Carpe Diem! The suitcase packing ceremony will take place at the right moment- and it is something I look forward to doing. At the right time.


I guess, WAITING - is also a 'time' activity. Waiting maybe a way to try to stop the clock- futile as this is- I am going to try and track how often I ' spend' time waiting and how I spend it.

Waiting doesn't necessarily mean - doing nothing. It does create a sense of a void though. Funny how one concept ( Time) can now lead to another thought. WAITING- Hmmmmm, food for thought!

I will no doubt dwell on this sometime in the future...... Not now, I have a deck to paint!

It is Sunday- a gift!

A day of rest- a gift

Sunday, a day of rest. And that is what we are doing. Taking it easy - but not by being inactive. A phone call to an aunt, a phone call to pa and two visits to show we care, family we care day!

People who are no longer in their youthful years but aging. Ma Netten- 81 years old and already farewelled a husband and daughter ( Leen's first wife), tante Jaantje at 85 and a widow for the past 20 years, not in good health. Pa-, alone for the past 15 years and at 84 still trying to stay independant. Tante Lien 'only' 72, farewelled 2 husbands  and last Friday lost her nephew who was like a son to her. Our Sunday- a day to give our time and attention to those dear to us.

That doesn't mean others aren't as special. A visit to my children would have been awesome to have been able to make, but isn't on the cards just at present. A visit to other family members... will also happen but not today! For now, we made a choice and on another Sunday others will see us appear on their doorstep.

Family, blood ties or not, people who are dear to us. People who play a part in our lives- near or far. Time, one of our most precious gifts - and the love we share. It is Sunday!