What a lovely start to the day.

I woke at 5am and as per, could not get back to sleep.

Instead of “trying”, I decided to get up.

I came down to the sunroom…. Newly renamed the snug 😆 and put some more wood on the fire.

I lit all of the candles and I sat down with Donna Ashworth, Words to Live By and did my daily journal prompt.

I lit one of the meditation candles that Craig gave me for Christmas.

This was what I wrote this morning. It felt quite poetic for me. 😆😘

I also have a new cookbook and I spent some time reading that.

Claire sent me a link a while ago to the “Do what you love for life winter writing sanctuary 2024” which is run by the author Beth Kempton.

I’ve been getting emails over New Year and this is just me taking the time to start on it.

Remember my Donna Ashworth inspired word for the year is LIGHT.

This is what Beth says early on in her introductory video.

This year I’m going to be actively looking for the light…. Candle light, fairy light, fire light, moonlight, sunlight, light in people’s hearts, light in their words… find light and offer your light to others. 

Then she said

Focus on the joy. 

Oh ok, Wow. Synchronicity. I love that.

You just have to look for it and it is everywhere.

I watched the light change as the sun started to lighten the sky.

I feel so calm and peaceful in this moment that I chose to write about it first thing, while the calm is still here.

Then I see this!

In true Rambling Sloth fashion I also have to that the moment is lost somewhat, when I have to allow the herd of charging wildebeest out of their respective bedrooms. My peace is shattered while they career outside, then its feeding time and the zoo and finally an hour of so afterwards, calm has returned and I am crocheting.

I made them all pose… just to prove they were ALL in on the act.

Sadly Khaleesi decided to eat my original crochet blanket.

My ego wanted me to be livid, it wanted to rage at the injustice of it all. How long that had taken me to make?! Rage, huff, rage, bloody dogs…. After all the clearing out this week, I couldn’t even find the rage to appease my ego.

It’s just another thing in the house that can either be repaired or taken apart and put back together without that particular row.

I love watching how I respond to something that my former self would have had a hissy fit about.

My ego tried so hard to get me to fight… but she fizzled out when I didn’t allow her a voice.

So next stop is the living room and taking down the Christmas tree. I couldn’t drag Khaleesi away from Craig, so I made the 3 degrees pose in front of the tree one last time.

The tree was looking very tired. I think Calaidh had been drinking the water under it while she hid from the rest of us!

I started to hoover the room and Dyson Animal was not playing ball…. This is the anti hair wrap model!!!

I see a whole lotta wrapped hair there Dyson.

To be fair I don’t think any hoover is great for 4 dogs.

I hoovered most of the house and tidied as I went. I made the puppers pose where the tree used to be!

I’ve made these dogs work hard today… don’t worry they got treats 😆

I’ve sold 6 things on Vinted so far so that was my next job. All 6 packaged up and taken to our local EVRi drop off.

We got the charity shop bags in the back of my car and some clothes into the Clothing Donation bin at the school, I rescued a sweatshirt last minute! 😆

My school blazer is in that bin. I need to stop thinking about it, I can’t get it back.

I found Calaidh posing in the dog’s room next to her puppy photo on the wall. Too cute!

And I’m cooking dinner tonight. Honestly even listening to myself today thinking I’m like the Duracell bunny 😆

I love how driven I’ve been to do chores and to relax this holiday. We’ve hardly been out since New Years’ Day and I needed this.

Rigatoni with sundried tomatoes, spicy cheese chunks, onion and olives!

I’m back in my new snug comfy spot finishing this.

I’ve had a really lovely day today. I am feeling joy in my reality, exactly what I wanted.

This is the last night of holidays with a possible lie in tomorrow.

What are my chances?!

Oh and remember to check for Saturn tonight. It’ll move behind the moon from one side to the other 17.21-18.30. For real tonight 😆 though it’s a bit cloudy.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️