As I am realising my energy levels going low, I am making assessments plus action plans of how I could conserve them.
There is really a big challenge before me of realising my goal to be minimalist at this stage of my life as realistically I could pass away soon. I thought I better give myself a chance to live much better--not only health wise, but also home and garden wise. My brother Nimrod said the brain probably could think much better if the house is not cluttered.
Where do I begin? Ah, I thought I should really begin somewhere--and I began with the island pictured above. After I cook and eat, I cleared the area right away. Now, this spot in my house is like the hub of my googling, facebooking, you tubing and most importantly blogging while I sip my hot coffee in between during breakfast which is always like an enjoyable time for me, particularly, if I don't have to work early. I like to chew my food well, enjoy my coffee sip by sip. Also, because I am basically a morning person, I think my brain activity is at its highest during this time of the day.
Yeah, I thought it is just a matter of discipline. For example, I have books everywhere--in the lounge, in the bedroom, near every chair or table in the extension of my house. Why? because I tend to multi-task and this include browsing books and also jotting down notes while I am cleaning the floor, dusting stuff around the house, for example, which incidentally become boring to do continuously. So I stop sometimes, read or write in between. Sometimes, I pace the house as I browse some light reading magazines which I keep because I like looking at the pictures for example, of beautiful houses and gardens and also different places in the world. Ah, that's why I could not just donate my outdated books or back issues of magazines? I practically could hang on to these, really, because I extended my small cottage house--basically to house my books (this was the Council's approval for the extension. Although, one impetus really was (and I know this sound ridiculous!!!) so my tall Christmas tree would have enough room and also because I like to keep it up all-year-round! Anyhow, the long-year plan for house extension came to reality when my mother had a heart failure in 2009 and needed to be rehabilitated. I thought having an extension would give her a good area to keep up with her walking requirements for rehabilitation.
I have at one stage consider donating my Science magazines, however, the inner core of my cerebral hemispheres is protesting and seem not to be very comfortable with this. I am happy I have kept these magazines with me as I realise now, these have served me as a references to research future trends on subjects I may find interesting.
As I am not called to work today except for telephone interpreting, I decided to lop the two-metre jacaranda that helped itself in one of my garden beds. After working for two and a half hours, the job was done and dusted. Thanks to the techniques I learned from my late father and my lost Brett. Most of all, I thank God for the energy He supplied to my biceps which, as I was sawing the branches to lengths that would go flawlessly in my green bin, should be one day like Michelle Obama's if I have to do this kind of task regularly. Well, the next agenda if I am not called to work is to lop one of the now bushy crepe myrtle trees in the front yard. Well, the remarkable thing that happened after doing this chore was my blood sugar went down that allowed me to have for morning tea a piece of traditional German cake (yay!!!), without feeling guilty at all!
I thought having lopped the two metre jacaranda tree should be enough work for the day, so here I am just sitting on the floral armchair behind the small step leading to my small kitchen, listening to some music ( a CD which I probably bought on sale for my late mother and which is called Golden Memories Remember When), the songs featured therein which incidentally I don't like except when Nat Cole's Answer Me Oh My Love came on.
As I listened to this music, I was inspired to blog, in between which, my gaze went past the sliding glass door to my courtyard and all the potted geranium plants giving just a bit of splash of colours. Ah, they truly need repotting and feeding. It was restful to my eyes settling on my green living fence with splashes of orange blooms now.
Once more I thank God for this house and garden He gave me. Never mind if it is stilled cluttered with books, clothes, bags and shoes plus all other stuff which belong to my mother and my divorced brother. It would be absurd to build another shed or room just to contain this clutter. Never mind even if I have turned my garden into a bush with all the hedge surrounding me all around. The main thing is I can relax, breathe in more oxygen and enjoy the peace and quiet of my house.
