In the beginning ...

... there was Eden.

The Eden Project has been the beginning of our holiday for the last two years (previously it had always been a very long, but worth-it day out). We stop on the way down and stay at their wonderfully quirky, unusual youth hostel. It is the perfect start to our holiday and never fails to send me off feeling so positive that I can change...

Because change is good - a bit scary sometimes, but good. Life is taking one of its frequent sideways shifts and I will be time rich again, which I love 😍 but frugality beckons - it's those swings and roundabouts again. However, after some time at Eden, I start to see a path through the wilderness. Less buying is never a bad thing (not sure Daisyfay is totally on board with this in practice; there in spirit but ...) and priorities need focus. Our priority is always the Miracle Girl and the summer - so less spending is back, but I am going with the fact that what do we really need?

The main exhibition at Eden this year is Earth Story - one part of it, about extinction, reduced me to tears - I just stood there thinking it's all about money. Other parts were so inspiring about how to do more. So for me this year is going to be about do more - we do try, but once on the hamster wheel it's hard to keep focused. Don't get me wrong, we all need the money ... but there are some positives to having less of it, and some more time.

So I have a plan (again), my journal is up and running, I'm writing 😀, and I'm positive (I love an Oxford comma almost as much as an ellipsis...).

An inspiring place, with so much to challenge you...

The Little Green Car sallies forth

Oh, the life and times of the Little Green Car have been tumultuous recently. After a fairly consistent year, the technically brilliant driver's window system (which involved a nifty mime impression with both hands to lift and lower it) failed miserably when it fell inside the door after going over a speed bump and the MOT loomed - I long for a life when MOTs don't loom... Anyway, it cost a bit but she survived (thanks to the very nice garage people). And then came even more tumultuous times - the Rather Bigger Gold Car has problems. Again. And so the Little Green Car has been promoted ... to main family car ... which entails transporting us on the annual boho jaunt to Cornwall, surfing, sand, festivals, tents ... Car jenga has ensued - it's amazing what you can fit in a Nissan Micra!

So here we are, in our happy place, after a stop at the perfection of Eden and it's fabulous YHA. We have left Uncle Mark to house-sit and sallied forth in minimalist fashion. The Miracle Girl does not appear to have downsized on clothes despite the requirements of the Little Green Car ... but, at the moment, I can honestly say that I really don't care ...

Jump Leads

I like jump leads. I have a set which travel in my car. They are especially long ones.They are something I need possibly more than the wider population. We all have our Achilles heel.

It's been a busy day - timing is everything. This afternoon I combined teaching the difference between a tornado and a hurricane with corralling twenty one children so they could be dressed in sports kit. They are various sizes - the kit has other ideas when there are that many of them. We then transported them to the athletics competition where I used my military precision style tactical organisation (all drafted on a piece of A4 paper) to get them all to the various events they were allocated to, whilst keeping the remainder firmly BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE. I then shouted myself hoarse in enthusiastic support. It was rather fun. But long. I am very proud.

I left at nearly 6 and drove to Aldi. I parked, and then tweeted their wondrousness to the cybersphere - because priorities are also everything. Then I closed my eyes and rested my head on the steering wheel ... because, you know, it was quiet ... and still ... and just because. I didn't turn the lights off. Oops. Dead little green car.

Paul came. He was at choir. The jump leads were on the back seat. At least he had to be nice about it today ...

Folding

Who knew - holiday folding is a thing?!! There are whole industries out there dedicated to this! I have had a week of discovery - and our house is now seriously folded. It appears that the sort of folding that gets everything three people need for a month in a caravan/ tent into a fairly small car along with all the equipment needed for said holiday, plus the boxes of food (because frugality reigns!), foldable barbecue, badminton set, body boards, wet suits etc, etc ... well, this sort of folding is a method. And there is a very nice Japanese lady out there doing very well out of it. Why did I not think of this? I would have a fabulous camper van by now ... although the Prossliz Method doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

To be fair, she makes it look much more glamorous, and I have followed her on Instagram - to keep me on the straight and narrow. Operation declutter/sell your stuff/ ramp up the frugality is back on the road and gathering speed. A summer of footloose-and-fancy-free-ness beckons ...☺. We have started said operation with some expense - we are doing Daisyfay's room - it is looking very good so far and is helping on the declutter front, and is as frugal as possible. It will be ongoing so we can buy as we go. But the Konmari lady would be proud of me.

So - folding is a tick. On the other hand I have unfollowed the lady with the cleaning products - my eco-soul can't cope. Bicarb is very underrated...

In my happy place...

...well, one of them . My other main one is where we go in Cornwall, on the Lizard. We are in the Lakes, at a pub called the Tower Bank Arms. It's from Beatrix Potter, there's a picture in Jemima Puddleduck. I have two others... but they're from long ago and far away...

And while I'm here I'm making a step forward - I miss this ... I miss writing - and this is a chance to do that, so...

So, has anything changed? No not really - still no stability ... still no security ... still basically flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants but with none of the benefits of itinerancy ... still no campervan ... hey ho!

But still looking forward ... and smiling ... tonight ...