And, for what it's worth, Chairman, my views on rats as pets are such: When thinking of A Rat (Singular) for your son as a pet I would recommend Two Rats (Plural - Male - Slower and easier to catch than the Female of the Species - so I am reliably informed. They do seem to like the company of other rats to cuddle up to, play with, scrap with, and so on... Already this morning, they've been doing synchronized skritching!
In other news, I think the Ratties are brain-washing me. Or something has shifted in me.
Perhaps it's the seasons, who knows?
I have started to clear my house. Yes, after many
What, you may ask, has happened to me? What has made such a difference? What's caused this shift in fact?
This week it's half-term in England and, rather than having to be some place doing some thing, I have been mainly
Therefore, I've had a bit more energy; I've also had more time than usual for ME and I've finally felt like tackling a number of the areas around the house that have been neglected while I recovered from a number of things: From my back injury, and the surgery aftermath that first brought me to blogging, as well as a fug of grief that descended upon me following the death of my beloved Dad four and a half years ago.
So, I am taking things in hand... I won't say that I've won the battle yet. No.
There's still much to be done.
I could open a bookshop. I have managed to donate around a dozen bags and boxes of clothes and other stuff to charity, which I am permitting myself to feel quite glowy and virtuous about. The cheery chappies rolled up in their van this morning and took it all away. Painless!
...You may know that charities are currently suffering a severe lack of interest in their business and a dearth of donated goods, reason being that we're probably in the worst depression since The Depression.
This time, the British Heart Foundation has benefited. It is a charity I care to support, given that both of my parents suffered heart disease.
I do support other charities, including the vitally important Great North Air Ambulance service that covers our rural area, but I do try to share the bounty as far as possible, between home and abroad... My husband sponsors a doctor in Africa through VSO.
What has helped me most perhaps, in deciding to make way in my home, is the therapy - Through it, I am beginning to gain some insight into my rather 'stuck' behaviour(s). Also I've acknowledged (if only to myself) that I was waiting for someone to 'rescue' me from it all.
This is unlikely ever to happen, let's be honest. I have to rely upon me.
I've also begun to recognise how much all this clutter and stuff is holding me back from being wholly comfortable with my surroundings. The ensuing feeling of shame is not a good one to hold to me.
I think I've also held on to stuff as a barrier to/defence against having guests over. ...My out-laws mainly. I'm not ashamed of that. They're not easy people... p.s. it worked!
What has also spurred me on is watching episodes of 'Hoarders' on TV, and realising how easy it is to tip over into those kinds of horrific states... And also noticing just how 'stuck' these people are - With grief, with loss, with bitterness, with sadness, with loneliness, with anger... Or just plain stuck. Recently, it's been like holding a vaseline-smeared mirror up to my face, seeing a gauzy reflection there.
I've also been reading this book by former Monsoon singer, Sheila Chandra, on my Kindle. It's full of common sense, and a 'been there, done that' mentality, rather than preachy words. It has helped although I haven't worked through the programme fully to date.
I'm just scratching the surface at the mo'.
One of my next blog-posts will be a Bucket List of stuff that remains to be done, or accomplished, or realised by me. (p.s. The Kindle has made me think about letting go of some much-loved 'physical' books too).
I've also been reading some blogs about Minimalism. Not that I'd ever subscribe to being a minimalist, I must admit. I'm not that radical: Reading of how people have given animals away as if they were unwanted possessions saddens me, I have to say...
I'd love to hear your thoughts on aspects of how to live life in a lighter way?
Lawdamussy, how I've rambled on today...
Anyhoo, back to the clutter-busting. I feel it's time. I think I owe it to myself... Don't you?!
This video shows Sheila Chandra from her Monsoon days with Ever So Lonely (1982):
