It was a much of a much week.
Son got his modules confirmed.
A friend sent a big box of books (and stuff – more on that later) which was just so very welcome as I’d just finished the August Snow books and was pitching around.
I got my hair cut. Yeah, yeah, I know I’ve been banging on about having to do this a lot, but short hair requires maintenance. Otherwise, I look like a ragdoll. Still tweaking. This time ended up with this (not the colour, though I think it’s quite fetching) which actually is exactly what I want. Not sure why it took so long but sometimes you have to walk the walk.
Colour next time – definitely a bit of blue because sometimes we need these things. I had navy last time, but maybe something slightly brighter this appointment.
I wore Le Labo Ylang 49 and it was wrong. It occurred to me halfway to town in the car that Arabie would have been right. It was weirdly mild out and discomforting and Arabie would have just fit. An on-the-edge fragrance for a twitchy sort of day (a not sure it’s a gourmand gourmand).
Further to discomfort, in the book box, there was a small bottle of oil from a brand called Neom. The bottle was labelled Scent to Make You Happy (neroli, mimosa, lemon). When I first smelled it, I thought ‘What does this have to do with making me happy?’ but it was oddly compelling. So, it’s migrated to my work area and I smell it several times a day (fruity florally but with some sort of odd undercurrent). It doesn’t make me happy really – I just really want to smell it when I get stressed about work or something. Like it breaks up a bad feeling. So, maybe it does make me happy in some form. On the Neom website there’s a whole line of Making You Happy stuff … I don’t think I’ll be indulging in a burner thing, but I’m really pleased the oil dropped into my life.
And then yesterday I cleared out the small bookshelf in the living room. I’ve been meaning to do this for months because it wasn’t flush against the wall and every time you walked past it bumped, making an irritating noise. As I was able to shove it back a few centimetres, now it doesn’t do that. It’s the small things.
In any case, this meant clearing almost everything off (see pics) and when one makes such an effort it only makes sense to actually go through what you have and remove stuff (see more pics). Very interesting and satisfying. Bookcase is also clean now. I removed half of my CDs and discovered I already had a couple of things I was thinking about buying (eg, Laura Nyro and Labelle ‘Gonna Take a Miracle’). The discards will go into a box in the loft – I’m not ready to get rid of them – I just don’t listen to them. All the DH Lawrence I own will go to a charity shop. It occurred to me I don’t actually like his work. Also getting rid of The French Lieutenant’s Woman. And, divesting myself of Perfume (whatever of a murderer) which I seriously didn’t like and why was it so popular? I now have all my poetry in one place and the endless re-read books together (everything Chaim Potok which I return to every six months or so).
And I lit the wood stove for the first time this year after it was refurbed during the building work. I’m not ready to put the heat on – just can’t get my head round that (hoping to draw it out till 15 October). It definitely takes the chill out of the house and the new night-time logs (supposed to slow burn for 8 hours) seem to work a treat.
So, there you have it: a ramble through randomness. Any of it speak to you?
That cut is cute as can be! I’d like to go that short, but I know I’ll wind up hating it after the first two days, I’m just not a short cut person, at least not that short. The feeling of a sorted and well-put-together bookcase is something that is pretty heady!
I love the satisfaction of cleaning out and organizing a neglected closet or bookcase! Even better if I rediscover an old favorite. 🙂 As a kid, my family lived in Ankara, Turkey for a couple years, and our apartment building’s heat came on on October 15. Didn’t matter if it was 85 degrees, or if it had been in the 40s in early October. That was the ironclad rule. And the heat went off with the same precision on April 15, no matter the weather. So when you said you were waiting until October 15, it brought back a flood of memories! LOL
Wow, Ankara. Do you remember the time there? I’ve never been to Turkey but would love to visit. I wonder if finding you don’t need something does something positive to our brain chemistries…
I was 9, 10 and 11 the years we were in Ankara, so I remember it vividly. We traveled all over Turkey as a family. It was a marvelous experience. Forgot to say, Cinnamon, that I love the pixie hairstyle you chose to get. Very cool! My daughter is a pro hairstylist & colorist, and her favorite thing is doing fantasy colors for her clients. The blue streaks are a great choice.
Although I don’t ever see myself doing this, I love seeing others with colored hair and your pixie cut is just perfect for that! Also loving the cabinet to the right of the stove!
I think the colour will be relatively subtle (relatively) but we’ll see. I find myself doing things these days without a lot of back thought. That cabinet holds my mother’s china and glassware that came down through her family. I got it when I was pregnant with my son from some tiny shop. The woman who ran it was pregnant as well, so we bonded over our bumps.
Hey Cinnamon,
Chaim Potok! I read and reread The Chosen. What a book.
I’ve never been lured by DH Lawrence but have often wondered about his book Kangaroo for obvious reasons.
I love this 21st century thing of grown ups dying their hair punk colours of the 1970s onward. Fascinating how modern and mainstream it’s become.
As kids some of Mum’s family were still on farms in rural NSW. One thing I remember from holidays there were the roaring log fires. I’ve been in homes and other places with them and they always remind me of those times.
Portia xx
The Asher Lev books are top of my list. I’ve re-read The Chosen and the others but I’m actually thinking I need to replace the Asher Levs because they are falling apart they’ve been handled so much. I think I’m a bit bored with totally subtle, which is why the blue. Had magenta and green stripes with a short on top, long in back in the 1980s. Loved that hair.
A CHRISTMAS MULLET! Sounds heavenly.
Looks like I need to look up Asher Levs.
Portia xxx
okay, P. That made me HOOT! xoxoxo
This is all so cosy! I love a peek at people’s houses. And it IS the small things … the idea of a fire! I could actually have one, the heat’s been on at night. Love your bookcase rearranging, so satisfying. I have all my books grouped (poetry, nonfiction etc.) If that’s an older IKEA stool, hang on to it, they stopped making it (at least over here, the taller one)… I bought two of them 18ish years ago for the twins to use as chairs at the dining table, since they could climb up, and they. are. fabulous. I kept one this move, and the boys took the other. They’ve held up beautifully and in my opinion are the perfect useful height (side table in a pinch!)
Ooof, meant to add — every time I’ve had short hair, which is several times, it’s always been a process of several tweaks until I got just what I wanted. And I love the idea of blue!
I’m thinking maybe just blue highlights next time (as opposed to blonde as well). I will blend with the grey and make things more interesting.
Love seeing what other people do and adore interior magazines. Indeed Ikea kitchen steps. Great great object.
I love the stove! Love the whole room!
Got a bottle of Neom shower oil from Beautyhabit way in the wayback – it was gorgeous and would stank up the bathroom something FIERCE! Can’t say it made me happy – but it sure didn’t make me sad!
xoxoxo
Yeah, the stove is ace. When they cleaned out the chimney before lining and capping, 4 hugs bags of stuff. The jackdaws used to nest at the top. They were really really cross when they realised they needed to move house.
The woodstove looks wonderful! Still way too hot for that sort of thing here in southern California, but eventually we will get to light our fireplace. I have about 8 boxes of books to unpack into an already full bookcase, so weeding is in order. Unfortunately I’m having an attack of sadness and nostalgia which is paralyzing me at the moment, maybe tomorrow…
I need to cut my hair short but am too lazy and cheap to deal with the maintenance, so it remains long and scruffy.
Tara,
Dunno if this will help (and you didn’t ask but since when has that stopped me) but when I get paralyzed like that I make a list of 3 easy-do things and 3 medium-maybe things and 3 ‘are you F’ing KIDDING me things. Oddly, working from easy on seems to lift that paralysis and I also get a few things done.
Just a thought.
xoxoxo
Maybe shove boxes in a corner and concentrate on sorting through bookcase to see if anything can go there? Also, what about taking a deep breath and cutting the hair short yourself — and then seeing what you might want to do. Sometimes a first step into the unknown can actually really help …
Thank you both for the suggestions, they are good ones. As for cutting my own hair, I don’t think I’m that brave – it will no doubt be botched and then I’ll have to pay for a haircut! LOL.