Meandering Ponderings on a Tuesday

know that I write this nearly everyday I see the sunshine, but it really does feel as though the good weather is on it's way, and I can't hardly wait. In the weekend I had a spring clean of my bedroom and washed all my bedding, took my mattress outside for a really good air and washed the skirting boards and the floors. Heavenly is hardly the word for it; there is nothing like a fresh-smelling bedroom. However my nose is now hyper sensitive to the slightest hint of damp or mustiness (a constant issue in Wellington houses) and I'm going to have to seriously clean out the cupboard part of my manrobe from which I am getting suspicious whiffs. That cupboard has been psychically resisting my decluttering for some time but NO MORE. It shall be purged this weekend without fail. I love me a good declutter.

he last few weeks I've been struggling a bit with the whole money/budgeting thing. It's hard to keep enthusiastic during the in-between times (i.e. trying not to spend money when I can't actively see my savings increase), but I'm doing my absolute best to keep on keeping on. All in all, I've been infected with an end-of-winter lethargy, and despite my best intentions I have dropped off from making things or exercising at all. Every weekend I wake up enthused with the prospect of planting herbs and weeding gardens and making skirts and t-shirts, but then it becomes too much of a mission to get everything out and I bake and cook instead, eat lots of comfort food and find something to clean or declutter (instead gratification). Confession: blogging has fallen under this lack of enthusiasm as well.

Boo to lethargy! I've been really short of energy lately, despite getting ample sleep and eating really well. The answer lies in doing more exercise, but I find myself feeling too tired to go to yoga or skate, and I'd have to get changed and get enthusiastic and waa boo waa etc. Anyway, enough of the pity party. I know the answer to this is just to get on with it - act the way you want to feel. In an effort to get back on the enthusiasm wagon and go for a hoon, I rode my bike to work this morning, and it was fabulous - free wheeling down the hill. I like the idea of going for a cruise after work as well; think I'll ride along the water front. Tiredness won't be an excuse today because I'm always freaking tired at the moment, and if I keep using it as an excuse I'll never get anything done. Yoga tomorrow evening! I'm going to get my stretch on. Look at all the enthusiasm! Out of control.

nd Finally ...

♥ Looking like: I think I look a little bit French, but mostly totally fash. I'm wearing a stonewash pinny, opaque stockings, red cowboy boots, a stripey top and a red cardigan. That kind of sounds terrible, but trust me: It looks cute! Also, I'm wearing makeup which I almost never do, and that always makes a difference I think - as in, actively glamourises.

♥ Listening to: I finished Harry Potter. Harry Potter audio books (Stephen Fry's dulcet tones) have been my constant companion over the last few weeks, nay, months. It's quiet in my head without Ron, Hermione, Harry and the Dementors. Sad. I am sad without Dementors.

In other Listening news, I started re-organising my iTunes last night and have made playlists for different eras. My favourite one at the moment is the 50s and 60s playlist, which is mostly cheesy rock 'n' roll and girl groups. So many songs about wanting to be someone's wife.

♥ Fad a la Mode: Sleeping. All I want to do is sleep all the time. This has been going on for over a week now. See above.

♥ Watched this Week: Grey Gardens. Absolutely amaze. The documentary is fascinatingly constructed in itself, but the women that it documents (Big and Little Edie Beale) are incredible. I can not recommend highly enough. Besides which, it's infinitely quotable: "You're nothing if you're not married!".

♥ Reading: The Mitford Girls is on the go at home, and The Surgeon of Crowthorne is living in my work desk for lunch time cruising. In Christchurch I went berserk in a book shop and bought far too many literary biographies so it looks as though I'll be enjoying those until the end of the year.

♥ Webreading: I've found a couple of food blogs that I'm quite keen on at the moment: am obsessed with the bread making recipe in Budget Bytes (terrible name, but) and I am crazy for The Stone Soup (which I'm sure I've made totally apparent in the past). Both websites focus on super simple food, and as much as I love elaborate meals I'm a bit tired of cooking for hours and hours.

♥Anticipation: Thursday and Friday birthday celebrations for Jo and Nat respectively, lunch with Mum on Saturday. Also, seeing if there is anything really wrong with me (the tiredness) tomorrow will be good!