I woke up with a pounding headache, which I’ve had off and on for almost 3 weeks now, which, coupled with the clocks going forward an hour, made me almost tempted to miss swimming, but I know how important swimming is for my physical and emotional health, so I mustered as much energy as I could find and off I went. After a lovely forty minute swim I went to check on my friend’s house (I’m house sitting) and while there I watched a fascinating interview with Emma Thompson on the Andrew Marr Show (a political program here in the UK). Her points about how unhelpful a lack of bipartisanship is, really rang true to me – the more I study & learn, the more I disdain Unilateralism! In fact I became so engrossed I forgot that the clock wasn’t correct and I missed Church. Ooops!
After re-arranging curtains and blinds (so people couldn’t look in and see an empty house!) I picked up my mum and we head out to the seaside for a lovely walk. It was very slow because of her back, but lovely. I’ve been searching for Middlemarch for weeks (it is the book my bookclub is reading for April) and there was a bookstall at the beach. My budget was 28 pence (which was all I had on me). I thought it was hopeless as the bookstall was very much “fluffy books”, but just as I was turning to leave I jokingly said “Dear Lord, help me find this book” and it was literally in front of me, in a box labelled 75 pence, but on sale for 25 p. WOW!
And now the roast chicken, roast potatoes, roasted carrots and roast parsnips are cooking! Soon I will cook the yorkshire puddings (a traditionally English accompanyment), brussel sprouts and peas, before dashing to the vet for more injections and monitoring! Two weeks after the attack kitty’s skin is black and blue with bruising! Poor girl!
The evening will be spend relaxing with a knitting project, a lit fire, Countryfile and lots of lists and plans for the move (I’m soooo excited!), checking on all your blogs, finishing off Luke in my Bible and sending a few emails! Yes, simple and joyous!
I hope your Sunday is simple, relaxed and reclaimed?
Your Mums back sounds a little better – so pleased as there is nothing worse than back pain as it affects the whole body and is soooo painful.
I discovered a wonderful farm close by – that does berry picking and the like later in the summer, and sells a lot of organic/local produce in the farm shop. And, (highlight!) tea for two (me and my Mum) and two giant slices of home-made carrot cake. NOM!!
I read Middlemarch not too long ago and I’m still not quite sure what to make of it, but I liked it. I hope you enjoy it, and your headache gets better!
I love Emma Thompson, so had to look up the interview; thanks!
Your day sounds very pleasant, I’m hoping to head out for a walk today; just waiting for SO to make it to the shower!!
it all sounds lovely! FT, what time do you generally go to sleep and wake up? just curious…even when i sleep just till 8 or 9 on the weekends, i still feel like the days slip past so quickly. thanks for this!
Am very sorry to hear of your headache but the swimming and the fresh air walk probably helped a lot. Am glad your mom is now able to walk as well. My mom suffers from back trouble too and I empathize with you both. Happy week ahead
Beautiful!! You are so lucky to live somewhere as nice as that!! Hope your headache goes away soon!!
Sounds like a lovely simple Sunday! I think everybody should own (and read and LOVE) a copy of Middlemarch. Have you never read it before, or just not owned it? One of my all-time favourites (although I possibly prefer Adam Bede and Felix Holt the Radical). Just to be picky… I wouldn’t call Yorkshire pudding a traditional accompaniment to roast *chicken*, just to beef… but no pub in the country seems to agree with me!
I’m really sorry your headache has stuck around for such a long time. What ‘kind’ is it? I had a sinus type headache/face ache for quite a few days recently which was very hard to shake off and it’s miserable I know. Hope yours fades out quietly very soon.
Loving your pictures today FT. Fab beach shot.
Hope Kitty is making a full recovery
Magnificent photos! Thanks for sharing them with us.
I went to church in the morning (will email you all the details as it was my first time for many many years!) and then after a simple lunch we went for a drive around our area to some places we’ve not been before (only having moved here in December) and it was gorgeous, some beautiful places that we hadn’t seen.
A lovely peaceful day!
What a lovely day. Your posts are so serene. Hope your headache gets better! What are you knitting?
Love,love ,love the photo’s :0)
I hope you are feeling better.
Take care.
Sounds like an incredibly productive day too! Wow–sure sounds like you’ve had a LOT going on. So glad to hear the car is fixed and the job should be moving ahead. I hope the kitty continues to heal up—it’s always difficult to see an animal in pain, especially one that you love. So wonderful that you can so easily access the sea—always soothes the soul. I miss it! Sending you waves of support across the Atlantic!
Simply my favorite post yet. Every part of your day spoke peace, tranquility, and amazing gratitude. I loved it! (And I loved the prayer for a book and its immediate answer. Miracles happen every day. Like, really.)
Do hope that sweet kitty gets better soon, though. Bless her heart.
Our Sunday was a reclaim/relax day, as well. Thrown off by the time change, we found ourselves sitting in an outdoor cafe for long past when we needed to be home for lunch … but we were surrounded by good friends … and had a beautiful view of the sea. What could be better?
Hope this week improves for you with your headaches.
Glad you had a good weekend, i hope the headache clears off for good very soon, I am pretty tough but a headache floors me if I can’t get rid of it so I feel for you! Hope you enjited your delicious dinner and Countryfile (i haven’t seen it yet as I have recorded it but i am informed it was Derbyshire, my home county!)Love the beautiful photos as always!
Stunning photography!
I loved, loved Middlemarch. I just finished Dr. Zhivago yesterday and my next book is going to be the Mill on the Floss. I hope I like it half as much as I did Middlemarch. Enjoy!
You pack so much into your Sundays, I wish I was even half as productive. Love those photographs.
Absolutely beautiful!! That is awesome about the book!!
You know that very same thing has happened to me when I was trying to track down a book! I was reading John Eldredge’s “Waking the Dead” that I’d borrowed from the library and had to return it. I stopped in a thrift store and prayed a similar little prayer and lo and behold I found it and a bunch of other great books for next to nothing! The Lord even cares about the books on our shelves