Our Word of the Week is Mindful

Sunday was so gloomy and I had already decided that I was going to take it slow and easy after having a constant headache on Friday and Saturday. I put the headache down to keeping my bladder full for too long! Sometimes I am restless at night, especially after going to use the toilet. So I’ve been trying to get used to sleeping on my sides in the hope that my bladder will conform and rest easy until morning. So far, I haven’t been successful. The urge is either so strong that I have to get up and go, and then can’t fall back asleep, or I keep bearing it until when I am finally ready to get up, I have a terrible headache. Does this happen to anyone else?

On Monday I was mindful of the fact that the job offer I spoke about recently was only over the phone but I had nothing in writing to prove it. I decided to hold off a bit more to see what’s up with that. Well on Tuesday I still heard nothing so I emailed. They thought I had got it (in writing) so were chasing to see what was up. I still don’t have a start date either as they say they have to complete all their checks first. I am mindful that it’s now been 2 weeks since I got the job offer over the phone. I will keep you posted.

We are ever so grateful to this gentleman at our nearest hardware center who always helps us when we go there. He is very knowledgeable about woodwork and other such things and we sometimes ask for his help with cutting wood, and measuring, etc. Every so often we take him some baked products as he likes to have them with a cup of tea. This week we bought and made him these chocolate chip cookies from a packet mix for him. He was very appreciative when we turned up with them.

I suppose we could have made them a little browner but oh well, they were gooey, but I think a little salty. Have you ever tried this packet mix? We bought two packs so I think the other one will be used soon by the girls. These days they find a nice treat to mix chocolate chip cookies and vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

One day this week I was sat in the car and I was mindful of this feeling of contentment and satisfaction. I felt happy, or at least happier than I’ve been recently. I thanked God there and then for this peace. I do know that a lot of people are going through so much pain, anxiety, and hurt. I sometimes feel helpless and in times like those I just pray. I suppose all of us go through great moments of life’s ups and downs.

On Wednesday we headed over to Costco primarily to look at garden sheds as we need to get one set up next Spring. I was mindful though of how overwhelming it was. in there. I hadn’t been to Costco in a long time and it felt a little overwhelming. There was just so much stock of all varieties and there was no shed in sight. Still, we came away with items in our trollies. Have you been to Costco or other similar stores and not felt tempted to just buy stuff for the sake of it? It’s so hard too, to get some items in small quantities for a small family. Everything is sold in bulk so you end up overbuying and sometimes wasting stuff. But we’re too frugal for that. So we bought stuff that we could use quickly or that could last a long time.

One Christmas during lockdown, we asked a friend who was going to Costco to try to get a piece of beef for us. It was the nicest pot roast beef we had ever had so we bought some for this year’s Christmas dinner. It’s Aberdeen Angus beef and we are hoping that it will be soft and lovely. It’s now been seasoned and placed in the freezer.

We are getting in the mood for Christmas now. I think I have all the gifts I intend to give and we are doing the rest of the meat shopping today. Still nothing in writing re the job offer, except for an email asking for my bank details and National Insurance number etc. I am mindful that nobody or business has it all together. I will reach out again on Monday if I don’t hear anything today.

Thanks to Anne for this space to share our word of the week and thanks to you too, for always checking it out.