In Praise of (A Small Amount of) Clutter

These are our bookshelves, well about half of them. The other half are in the playroom, which underwent a major reorganisation last weekend. Some books moved from here to there, such as my Malory Towers and St. Clare’s collections. Eldest Orchid is dipping into more and more of my beloved childhood reads and this sparks great joy.

Every so often we get an urge to purge and take out all of the books on these shelves and go through them and 99% of the time every single book goes right back onto the shelves. This process means for about 3 days there’s a system to how the books are arranged. These are deep shelves, so there’s two layers of books on each shelf and sometimes the urge to purge means we rediscover the second layer’s delights.

I have a complete paperback collection of the Drina books I so enjoyed as a child, one or two of which are at the read-so-much-they’re-falling-apart stage of life. To my delight, I was able to get my hands on hardback replacements for 4 of them and they arrived this week. I enjoy the slight editing, with references to Hungary rather than a fictional Iron Curtain country and some of the uniform is nylon rather than silk. I pondered a while on who’s job it was to edit the originals and what decisions were made to bring them up to date. I especially enjoyed the covers.

I have no space for these books, nor do I have space for the 3 library books I collected yesterday. Books on loan to others come back post urge to purge and I forget they need space. There are books shoved hastily on top of neat rows of Chalet School treasures. There’s a cookbook that should be in the cookbook cupboard in the kitchen. There’s probably a stray Miffy somewhere. There’s definitely a less than perfect order to the whole.

While I do prefer less clutter on the whole, I took a moment to appreciate these shelves while shoving my new Drinas in this morning. These are the shelves of people who read books, who dip in and out of interests, who get a thrill from a musty second hand copy and who want to spend more time reading and enjoying the books than keeping them shelved backwards or looking like a rainbow. Sometimes clutter does spark joy, and that’s something to celebrate.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

For the first time in several weeks we got the bikes out and cycled to the library. I collected the very latest Sally Rooney book, thanks to the amazing online library system, and I’m really enjoying it.

The kids did a lot of Lego this weekend, including a Covid self portrait complete with mask. I love how much they love Lego, and that they’re using some Lego that’s nearly as old as I am.

Eldest Orchid had a birthday party to attend. Instead of sitting in a cafe scrolling I went for a walk along the seafront and enjoyed the views.

I reread an old favourite while Himself watched the rubgy. My idea of a good Friday evening.

I had two hours to myself on Friday morning and did a long overdue overhaul of the dining and sitting rooms. The sheer bliss of clearing out the crap, rearranging the things I want to keep and sitting down to a clean and tidy dinner and after dinner glass of wine. It felt like redecorating without the hassle.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

Finding the loveliest set for the Mini Orchids to help with cooking prep.

A bunch of paper flowers, thanks to Eldest Orchid.

The results of a major playroom declutter and reorganisation, and the happiness of sending things to new homes.

The results of a major wardrobe clearout for Tiny Orchid, and the happiness of sending things to cousins.

An easy, cheerful read. I have a stack of library books to get through and this one really hit the spot.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

Sticking to dry January. I’m not sure it should feel as good as it does to be able to tick one accomplishment (if that’s what I can call it) off the list on the last day of one of the gloomiest months ever, but I’ll take my joys where I can find them.

Home cooking, and using up a lot of our freezer and store cupboard stash.

Reading childhood favourites. Over and over again. I remember my heart leaping one Saturday in the library when a longed for copy of Drina Goes On Tour appeared. I was able to get my hands on a very precious first edition.

A lovely meal to look forward to. And the fact it will be delivered to us. And that we have a nice bottle of Amarone to go with it all.

Little videos made by the Little Orchids. Always fun to see them so involved in them and watching them afterwards.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

A group on Facebook that invites us to share amusing things we see in charity shops. Makes me laugh every day.

Some new to me clothes. I have admitted that some of the breastfeeding tops which have given me good service for the past 16 months are well past their best.

Painting my first canvas on a quiet Friday afternoon at home.

A three day weekend, thanks to some much needed time off.

Once again, our local library which delivered books that kept me going during an enforced period in bed last week. The wellness industry can FRO.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

More library books via the inter-library loan system. I keep saying it, but our library is amazing.

Unexpected time with family due to a mix up over the weekend.

Pecan, walnut and almond pie. The nuts were a little past their best, but the pie transformed them into deliciousness. Yum.

Recycling things we can’t pass on and passing on things we don’t need or use any more. I get such a kick out of the zero waste and freecycle groups on Facebook.

Saying goodbye to Ugg boots that are so old and well worn the soles are too flat to allow me to walk safely on slippy paths. My husband gave me a new pair for Christmas, so these ones have been  thanked and sent off for recycling.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

Photo by Element5 Digital on Pexels.com

Election season is here. I admire anyone who puts themselves forward, regardless of how I may feel about them as a possible public representative.

A most welcome lull in what can be a frenetic working week.

Donuts, and more donuts. I must resist even more.

More new books from the library, and book recommendations from unexpected places.

Crisp, clear frosty days. Just a good time to be outside.

Reading Material

One lovely thing about being off work for a few weeks and making a decision to put the phone away for stretch is that I’ve taken full advantage of our library’s ordering system to make sure new books come my way ASAP. This is one of them, and I have mixed feelings about it, feelings I’m still mulling over.

I’ve read some that I loved, some that I wasn’t particularly interested in, some I haven’t finished and some that I forced myself to finish because of my doggedmindedness. Doing a concentrated chunk of reading has been so good for my mental health and I’ve remembered how important reading has always been to me. Some of my happiest memories revolve around the joy I felt as I read a book I adored.

Today I’ll be collecting and dropping off yet more books on my way home. And this sparks enormous levels of joy.

Back in the Saddle

I have missed writing so much, but December and the first half of this month really got away from me. It’s been a good four weeks. There’s been reunions with friends old and new, books, wine and food, freecycling, recorganisation, Santa, family time, a lot of home cooking, using up everything because we can’t face the supermarket, de-Christmassing the house, date nights at home with Opera at the Met on the radio, the return of TV favourites like Call the Midwife, a solo mornings to watch Little Women and a lot more that’s blurred into a general feeling that it was a good time, all things considered.

I’m looking forward to a return to normality, given that I’m back to Proper Work tomorrow and already have a growing to-do list for this year. There’s a lot to look forward to, including more books, a holiday with friends, more date nights at home with Opera at the Met on the radio and more plans big and small. A new decade (I know, I know, there are technicalities around calling it a new decade) is something that definitely shifts the mindset a bit, even if only for a bit.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

Getting the computer working again so I can write. I’ve missed it. A lot.

Working on more photobooks. And recycling all the art because the photos will last a lot longer and won’t fall apart as easily as most of the projects.

A final few days before I’m back to the work treadmill.

Being organised enough to have planned several small treats for myself well in advance.

New books from the library. I can’t say it enough, I ADORE our library.