A Typical Sunday

Today has been, for me, a typical Sunday in some ways and in others, not. As my other half often works on a Sunday I am usually on my own. It's a quiet day where I catch up on things that I haven't managed to get done in the past week; a little paperwork, a little housework and some tidying up perhaps, a phone call to a friend, then preparing a nice meal for his arrival home in the evening. I like these days.  I felt slightly melancholic today however. Yesterday had been a sad day as I attended the funeral of a young boy. Witnessing the grief of his parents and family was in its own way exhausting, trying to hold your own emotions together, knowing there is nothing really that can take away pain like that. Only time. And even then it will always be with them. He was thirteen. His coffin had been painted in beautiful blues and greys depicting a seascape. It looked lovely and fitting for a young life, instead of the sombre polished wooden coffins we normally see.  There is at times so much sadness in this life that for me it's important to really appreciate the beauty there also is. I like to celebrate, highlight, and really take part in the joyous things around us, I think it can help and give us something to hold onto when those overwhelming times in life do come around.

So, this morning I had my usual lovely walk with the Furbaby. The woods are slowly turning away from the vibrant greens of summer to the rich autumn colours and the leaves are falling. There was a warm blustery breeze, a teasing reminder of the summer just past, a soft air that swirled and twisted through the trees making them creak. It's one of my favourite sounds.  We walked towards Stockbridge and then headed back where Furbaby came upon one of his best friends and they had a race and a play.

 I found some mushrooms. I think they are so pretty and so expressive of this time of year when the warm dampness brings them out.

Back home, it's meal preparation time in the kitchen listening to Radio 4. Tonight we're having poached chicken in a cream and tarragon sauce with pasta and vanilla sponge covered in chocolate ganache for pudding, although it's not technically a pudding :-)  We're not fussy that way.

Furbaby is tired after two nice walks and catching up with friends and he's settled now on the sofa ready for a snooze until suppertime. What a life!