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 ...

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 ...

The Techno-fairies of DOOM

This post was supposed to happen a week ago - but the Techno-fairies intervened. My photos wouldn't work, Blogger went doolally on me and wouldn't let me redraft, and, to top it off, my phone has expired - not good!
The phone wouldn't have been much good anyway, as we have no signal (which is no bad thing), but, despite this, we do have wi-fi (when the Techno-fairies are in the mood!).


So, it was supposed to be about ups and downs, swings and roundabouts ... it's been a fairly torrid month (I do like that word!) - lots of ups and downs!


On an up: Cornwall, relaxation, surfing, beach - a bit of focus. I love it here. We left VERY early and were on the beach at 9am, in the sunshine. The Miracle girl is settled in nicely - sea nymph habits kicking back in ... I love seeing her outdoors, relaxed, happy ... she's been a bit stressed lately, not good really - but that's another story - so, even more content seeing her now. 🏄🌌⛺️🌊

5am - halfway there...

9am - a little bit of heaven ...

Happy ...

Downs - ah well ... campervan had to go back - yet another story ... oh, and unemployed, again ...
Still, I appear to have defeated the Techno-fairies of Doom ...

Milk

It's a bit in the news, isn't it? And rightly so. We try and buy local, and as unmessed with as possible, but, I have to admit, milk sometimes slips through the net. Thing is, it's so damned cheap - and, hey, that's the point. But where's my point of difference...?

Now, going back a bit, I got some Abel and Cole boxes - breathe deeply - it was frugal (though no one could claim local) and, obviously, organic ... I got a recommend your friend code plus fourth box free deal - would go with this if you get the chance, as it is surprisingly reasonable: it works out as four for the price of two ... and they give you free gifties! You have to remember to do the cancelling thing at the end though ... vigilance is the key!!! 

Anyway, one of the gifties was milk, organic, non-homogenised milk - it was gorgeous. And it wasn't just me, DaisyFay was bowled over, and ever since I've had, " Can we have the creamy milk.....?". And I looked ... I asked in all the farm shops for non-homogenised milk ... Nope! I remember milk on the doorstep as a child, with cream on the top. And, strangely(or not), no lactose intolerance. Apparently, homogenising spins it all around and breaks up all the fat, and makes it harder to digest ... oh, and easier to keep. I'm no scientist, but that makes sense.

We've been buying non-homogenised milk here in Cornwall, even better, made on the farm milk, their cows, their milk - the tiniest farm shop ever - Treleague Farm Dairy - if you're ever down this way ... They've not got a website/FB page (yet) - I'm sure it will come ... but, the milk - absolutely fabulous - and (this might sound odd) what convinced me was: it went off, there was a tiny bit of our litre left after 4 days, it should do that! What do they do to supermarket milk to make it last so long? Sorry, I may be veering into hippiedom, but I want my food as nature intended please.

I've, I think, found a dairy back home that will deliver me unhomogenised milk. I'm not sure how local though. Think I'd rather have less but better - and support dairy farmers - we may need them one day...

The Slippery Slip

I had to concede defeat ... on the hair, rebellion was beaten by reports! And cakes (guiltily) bit the dust too. But managed the rest, plus nine jars of blackcurrant jam...

And now am contemplating the Slippery Slip - have I mentioned The Faraway Tree before - the slow starting, but gathering speed, descent into holidayness! In two weeks time I shall be sitting next to a barbecue outside a caravan in Cornwall with a glass of wine and a book ...

But before that ... work, well, it's a school, so the normal excess of things to do. Brownies, climbing, swimming, choir - still rolling ... Performing Arts has finished: Grease last night and the Miracle Girl was fab - v. proud.

Need to get organised:

1) invitations for Christening to sort
2) send back booking forms for Village Hall
3) holiday shopping list
4) holiday packing list
5) make blackcurrant compote/ ice cream
6) pick more blackcurrants
7) make blackcurrant cordial??
8) make cakes for climbing
9) BOOK HAIR APPOINTMENT 
10) buy new collapsible BBQ from Go Outdoors
11) book surf school for Daisyfay
12) make gooseberry compote
13) order Tesco vouchers for days out in Cornwall 
14) find National Trust 2014 car sticker which I have somehow mislaid...

Life - a series of events with no gaps - good job it's fun ...

Yoghurt

Very into yoghurt at the moment - generally for breakfast - and have entered the featured competition to win a campervan several times - you never know - serendipity and all that...!

Been making more money too. Have sorted the Miracle Girl's clothes - her drawers and wardrobe are a place of beauty - the piles of sorted stuff are huge! We have tip, pass on, could we sell ...
Plus window-that-resides-in-the-garden is on ebay and has bids!

And the tax man payeth ... at last... we have paid for the caravan in Cornwall... I can't wait!

Still not truly solvent, certainly not steady, but, you know, we're getting somewhere... slowly ...

Happy holidays...

Easter holidays - much needed! Last half term was mad busy - worked nearly every day - obviously good on the earning side, not so good on the clean your house/ write your blog/ declutter your stuff/ diversify your life front.

Jobs to do :
*  reassess plan - organise!

*  check bank balance - transfer money - pay money off!!! Yay!! (There'd better be money there after all this work - haven't had chance to check yet!)

*  see if we have enough money to put a deposit on for caravan in Cornwall (always assuming it's still available!)

*  hope we have something, however minimal, towards the campervan fund.

Okay - so these are initial jobs - I have such a long list ...

Does everyone have a list, I wonder...
Do other people get through their lists?

We saw a gorgeous campervan today - vw, dark pink, flowers - Daisyfay was impressed.

I don't want much, basic will suit - bit of make do and mend, I don't mind.
Still dreaming ...