Upside

Friday, November 9, 2007 in me me me, Uncategorized
Tags: socks

Since the theft, I’ve been thinking about all the things of value that I have. Recently I’ve been a little too smug about my life, essentially complaining about having too much (too much choice, too many friends &c &c). So, here are some wonderful things of the moment that I wholly appreciate:

1. My mother sent me the gorgeous stitch markers above. She makes glass beads (like these) and has been promising to make me stitch markers for ever – it looks like she won’t get round to it, but I think I can put up with the substitute! Apparently there are even more on the way. These ones are fair trade, made by the ladies of Iziko Lo Lwazi, a women’s education project in Cape Town. They can be bought from Injabulo.
2. I recognise that I am lucky have many things worth stealing and I try to stay aware of that privilege.
3. I have so many close family members to ask for help in any situation and am able to ask for that help gracefully, and I know they would ask the same of me.
4. I have the skills and knowledge to make myself a nutritious and tasty lunch instead of going out to buy something every day, like many people in this country. I really should ‘brown bag’ my lunch every day, because it has a much smaller impact on the planet, but with Selfridges food hall around the corner there are going to be occasional days when I slip!
5. Making my lunch this week has given me an epiphany – Cheezly melts perfectly in the microwave! I can never get it to go quite right in the oven, but I had some greek style left over from my cousin’s visit and chucked it it in my lunch, which I then heated in the kitchen at work – melty goodness!
6. Continuing the food theme, winter is the time of baked potatoes! I made one this evening, rubbed with herbs and olive oil. The skin was perfectly crunchy. Yum.
7. My gorgeous commute by bicycle around the perimeter of Hyde Park. By morning fresh air and birds, by evening chains of bobbing lights as my fellow cyclists sail silently towards home.
8. I have squeezeable, sniffable Posh Yarn Emily and have been watching the new season of NCIS (Marines! Crime! Sailors! Murder! Endearing characters!) while making a start on Vinnland and doing the ironing. Not at the same time, sadly.
9. And so many more wonderful things than I could ever count.