Thursday 24 September 2009

Must learn to see crumbs...



The New Year always used to come in summer, as I am a southern hemisphere person. After what is now years of being a bi-hemispherical being, I'm confused enough to think that the year is beginning now, at the end of summer.*

It is, in a way. The academic year is starting now, so people are planning their year, committing to classes and routines. That's what we are doing, and that's what this post is about. It's a public declaration of the resolutions we've made/are making, and as so often happens, I'm using this blog as a slate in which to write this resolution testimony.

We came back from Italy/Morocco with all the best of intentions and highest of energies to spring (autumn)-clean our Valladolid living. For a lot of aspects, this simply means living like "real" "crumb-seeing" people. Let me explain.



Eating better. Though we are always good cooks (and eaters) this is about cooking twice a day, eating breakfast (which I never did) and eating a balanced variety of cereals and vegetables... etc.
Organic and local where possible. I'm getting into this. I've always bought organic where it's been readily available, like Melbourne. Now, there is less available I am have to seek it out with my keen sense of smell and bring the annoying question-asking Melbourne dweller to Spain.
Although I didn't even have to ask questions yesterday, at our tiny fruit and vegetable shop. The kind where everything is blemished and a bit dirty, and well, you just assume is at least local if not 100% organic. Salva, who was with me, mentioned that the last oranges we bought weren't anything to write home about, and the girl assured us that "these ones are better, being from Argentina..." Great. Argentine oranges.

From now on, it will be the farmer's market.



Exercising. This is difficult because I HATE exercising, aside from walking. I've been for a 15 minute run twice since being back in Valladolid. But hey, that's better than twice in a year, which was my previous Valladolid average.

Keeping a better house. I love having a beautiful little nest to come home to. I'm good with flowers, paintings/photos** in the right places, keeping the bed made and the floor swept. But I really need to learn to keep up with the laundry, and the washing up, and the putting away of said clothes and plates. Why can't I do this? I observe some people in their homes who can be talking to you, and will absent-mindedly pick up a dish cloth and wipe the bench as they do so. I don't even SEE the crumbs. Do they?

Must learn to see crumbs.

Getting around to cleaning out wardrobe. Oh Mum, I know how you'd love to be here for that. (There is nothing that woman loves more than downsizing.)

This stuff is hard for me, but with all of this in order, I should be able to run an etsy shop, organise an exhibition, and start participating in workshops. Make some new friends and get where I want to be.***




*These kind of things really spin me out... Last night I taught an English class until 9pm, and when I came outside it was already dark, but the weather was warm so it felt like it should be July, in which case the sun should go down at around 10.30pm, and anyway, I'm a bit sensitive to such things and began to feel extremely disorientated...

** These are photos I took of a palm tree in Morocco with the new camera.

*** This is still an art blog, and I have been painting... my flickr is updated with the cover I did for Salva's Demo cd, some new mix-media on paper pieces and the beginning of the Morocco wall series

6 comments:

  1. Don't learn to see crumbs. Years later you'll find yourself all antsy over crumbs and have to learn to squint your eyes over them. Trust me.

    PS. Promise. No John Howard. We have standards, chez Myrtleandeunice

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  2. I took a photo the other day of my kitchen and posted it on my blog and then after enlarging it I noticed all these crumbs on the counter.. it's really bugging me now!

    :)

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  3. Btw.. your profile photo is gorgeous! It makes me happy. :)

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  4. And I know this feeling :) I was born in late summer, so my personal years have always started around that time. I also have similar "new year's" resolutions!

    Greetings,
    poet

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  5. hi hayley!
    hope you have a smooth start! in answer to question. we post on wednesdays. there are no rules- people interpret the themes any way they like- the themes are posted on wednesdays too. this week´s is "white". shall i add your link? i´d love to see more from your corner! besos! p.s. your art work is wonderful!

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