joy

  

 

                                                         (words via here)





                                    In serious need of joy! 


 

June 4th

                          

                                                          Is it really the 4th of June?

Where has the last month gone? One day I'm thinking -moaning and groaning -  it's still two months before the end of the school year and all this commuting, and today I realise it's less than two weeks!!!  Yay! Sometimes I hate it that time flies, say, when I'm thinking my son is 10 (10!!!) already, and sometimes I love it, like now.

 We're home today - my son woke up with a temperature and I  took today and tomorrow off to look after him. It's a slow day; he's doing ok. I'm doing ok. An unexpected gift of extra time - though I wanted to save the days off for the winter. Never mind. Today is here now.

Chicken soup is on the menu. Light and nutritious, for sick boys and trying-to-look-after-themselves mums.  I got distracted for a while. Remember my clean(s)ing plan? Slowly getting back on track.

Hubby is abroad for work this week. It's not the time to decline job offers. One of them is a six-month project abroad, starting in July. It's going to be hard on my little guy - and his dad, too. Me too, of course.

Summer holidays start soon. There's lots of driving planned - to my village, to the sea- and some flying probably.  I love travelling by plane and I love staying at hotels. But most of all, I love visiting new places.  There'll also be lots of rest and relaxation at my dad's yard, among the flowers I've planted in spring. They're doing great he's telling me.

Have a great summer!

spring clean(s)ing

 

 

I've never been much of a 'spring cleaning' person;

I've never had the patience or energy required for this.

So I just did a bit of cleaning here and a bit of decluttering there;

the result was a decent home but never a perfectly organised one.

Procrastinating is my middle name and as long as the flat is

clean enough to be healthy and messy enough to be happy

it was fine by me!

This year something changed, though.

I'm not sure I can put it to words.

It's this need I have for simplifying;

for having less stuff,

having fewer obligations,

having more time for my family and for me.

So before going away for the Easter holidays, 

I looked around for inspiration

- blogs, pins, spring cleaning lists-

and kept some notes on my,

truly inspiring, Susan Branch wall calendar.

My biggest challenges were the bedroom walk-in closet,

the kitchen glass cabinet (it's huge) and the balconies.

I'm proud to say I managed to do them all.

There are still cupboards and drawers to be sorted out

but I have a plan

and a whole month ahead.

Of course, with schools starting again on Monday......

we'll see. I'll keep you posted.

Wow! Look at how much I've already written.

And to think that it's the cleansing part I'm mostly 

interested in.

I'm trying to look after myself a bit (or rather a lot) more.

I eat healthily and try to walk as much as I can. 

(going to the gym is not an option for now)

I love seeing my fuel -salad-  all washed and ready to get in the fridge.

I make beautiful combinations; yes, beautiful.

I take my bowl to the study and search the net for spring images.

Finally, the most important part.

I seek inner peace.

I want to get rid of any past bitterness and find the strength in me to forgive.

I need to stop reproducing mean dialogues in my head.

It's the only way I can think of 

to move my life forward.

Cherishing the simple things and enjoying the gifts I was given.

Making others happy.

It's not easy. I've been through a tough period

and quite often I didn't even like myself.

So spring clean(s)ing it is, then.

Wish me luck

and do stop by.

I'll do my best to do so, too.

Take Care!

Yiota

back where I belong

Sometimes in life you may think you need a change. You may feel you got tired of what you have and seek to find excitement in something new. You want a new adventure; to explore new paths. You set out on your journey only to realise that what you really needed was the comfort and warmth of the familiar.

You know, when you buy a new outfit for work and you're all excited about it, feeling more sophisticated and important when you wear it, about to conquer the world... But when you get back home you can't wait to put on your cotton jammies and unwind. Because this is really who you are.

Lately, I've been longing to do something new, to be someplace new... I sometimes feel there are chains holding me back and I can't break free. I can't quite explain it. The truth is, I don't really want any big changes in my life. And the funny thing is, at the end of the day, there's nothing more comforting than knowing that my family are all safe under one roof and that I can always grab a book or my crochet when everyone else is fast asleep and really feel like...well, home. And that is fulfilling. And soothing. And reassuring.

I guess I'm not much of an explorer in any other way  than in such circumstances where I know there's always a nest to go back to - physically, mentally and most of all emotionally.

I don't know if this makes any sense to you, but here I am, back in my comfort zone, with my love of the simple things, in a space I (and some of you) know well.

So coffee and cake it is. And shells and showers in the summer, bells through the school year and flowers all year round.

See you soon.

Take Care!

xxx

i used to be proud...

... for being greek;

now i have to turn to history

and past achievements

to ease the feeling of disappointment.

life

lately, it feels like life is slipping through my fingers.

all we do around here is work and study.

no time to play or have fun on weekdays!

i still get excited when the time of year for spring bulbs arrives -

i'm a sucker for spring, don't forget-

and i'm over the moon when i get a parcel in the mail,

even if it's something i ordered.

and if you ask my little one, he won't complain for lack of

weekend activities - plays etc.

but a new reality has slowly set in.

i looked at my paperwhite today,

and thought that these should be the last plants i buy for a while.

i smile when i see my extremely cute, yet totally unnecessary, shabby-chic rabbit and mouse toys on my bedside table -yes, i really need to

stay away from etsy.

books and entertainment for my little guy

will be the last fortress to fall,

even if i have to eat pasta and rice every day.

- besides, i love pasta! ;)

oh, well! it's the weekend.

i'm sure i'll find something fun for us to do.

i wish i had more time to blog.

i feel better already.

take care!

xxx

september

I love this month's picture from my calendar!

It's not very autumnal, but neither is the atmosphere here.

It's hotter and more humid than August!

There is some promise of a change in seasons in the evening breeze

but other than that, summer is still here.

 Of course, we (I)'ve eating a lot of grapes,

but I long for a change in the air as well.

I long for cooler afternoons, I long for cardigans and I almost can't wait to snuggle under my crochet blanket.

And I long for rain!!! Where are the August showers I love so much? I would even be happy with a whole-day beautiful September drizzle. As long as there's water falling from the sky.

I find myself completely disorganised these days. My mind is scattered here and there (I still don't know which school I'll be working at - at least I know where I'll be living!)

I've got hundreds of items in my (mental) to-do list and don't know where to start. Well, I do know where to start: my son's room. I need to de-clutter it and get rid of toys and baby clothes and baby books, have it painted and then do the fun part : decorate it!



I somehow feel that all the stress I had in the previous weeks, waiting for my job placement,

hasn't lifted yet. All I want to do is read and crochet and lay back.

Well, this is not the right time to lay back!

I need to pull my act together!

Classes start on Monday.

And I want my son to have a warm, welcoming room to get back to after school.

an award

A couple of weeks ago, Fiona, who shares her life in Ireland over at Raindrops and Daisies,

honoured me with this award:



If you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll know that I have mixed feelings about awards:

though I love the fun of it all and I'm genuinely excited when another blogger chooses to pass it on me, I can't bring myself to choosing other people to pass it on, no matter what the criteria are.

So what I usually do is thank the fellow blogger for the honour and leave it there.

Today, though, I feel like adding a little something.

Something that made me really happy! 

You see, Fiona is a really sweet woman; she always has something nice to say and here's what she wrote about my blog:

 

Yiota has such a beautiful blog and her photographs are wonderful, I honestly think they are some of the most lovely pictures that I have seen on blogland. She lives in Greece and her blog is fab!

Thank you, Fiona!

I'm going through a lot of stress these days, and gestures like this are much appreciated!

xxx

... and repeat...

xo

a small life

After watching the film 'You've Got Mail' yesterday, these words stayed with me:

sometimes i wonder about my life.

i lead a small life;

well, vabuable, but small.

and sometimes i wonder:

'do i do it because i like it,

or because i haven't been brave?'

Sometimes I wonder.

a weight on my chest

no pretty pictures tonight;

just a weight on my chest;

i've just finished reading this;

i really needed this;

i only wish i were there to hold her hand, too.

melon anyone?

 

...straight fom my dad's veggie garden!

And like he says:

'what an amazing thing nature is: it does something different to form the skin, and then the flesh and the seeds! And everything has a different colour: cherries are red, melons are yellow, watermelons are green and red...'

two years

Two years ago (tomorrow to be precise) I found some comfort to my grief by coming up with a name, uploading a couple of pictures and putting down some of my thoughts. This proved to be really therapeutic for my wounded soul as I only wrote about happy stuff back then.

Two years later, passing my blogging experience in review, here's what I have to say:

~ I've got to know myself better

~ I've become a more thoughtful person, being inspired by many of you

~ I've become a better mum, again by being inspired by you

~ I've developed a couple of new hobbies and explored my creativity

~I've become more observant; taking photographs has helped me notice details I'd, otherwise, have overlooked

~ I've learned to appreciate the little things and am now more grateful for what I have than ever

Thank you all so much for visiting my little space.

 (I have, in fact, changed this sentence a couple of times; it initially sounded as if I'd just won an Oscar award -" I want to thank...")

If you haven't read my previous post, then you may like to know that I'm going to send a little something (a surprise that will help me make it more personal to the winner!) to one of you as a way to 'celebrate'.

Just leave a comment here or at my previous post, saying that you're interested in some snail mail love.

~ comments are now closed - I'll draw a winner soon ~

Have a wonderful weekend!

xxx

I've been thinking...

I was watching an interview on TV just now, of an actor I like, and here's what I thought :

" I could listen to him talk for hours"

and then

"but I couldn't watch him act for more than thirty minutes"!!!

"Why is that?", I wondered.

Is it because the TV series he has participated in so far are lame - because I have to admit I've never seen him in a play - or is it because real life is always more fascinating?

The maze of my thoughts brought me to blogging.

'Blogging is not acting', you may say. Is it not? Sometimes at least?

Are  bloggers  always so very happily married, with the perfect home, jobs, families?

I know at least two people whose blogs are full of pretty stuff and happy thoughts when in fact they're going through some kind of hardship or other.

I try to be true to myself first and foremost but to be honest there have been times that I haven't blogged much because I didn't want to say :'I feel sad'. But as you already know there have also been times when I felt like sharing my troubles.

At other times my blog is a bit like psychotherapy to me: if I feel blue, I may post something pretty  or I may share my miseries; both towards the same end: to make me feel better.

Of course, being optimistic as I usually am, I try to be (and show that I am) content.

How about reading blogs? I like reading about other bloggers' reality, on their good days and bad; it helps getting to know people better. I won't deny it, though, that there's this part of me that gets all excited with pretty pictures of beautiful homes and smiling faces.

Could you please share your thoughts with me?

~~~~~~~

On a totally different note, (if you're still with me) you may like to receive a little something from me in your mail box; you see, I was looking for an excuse to send some mail love when I realised I've been blogging for (almost) two years. That's good enough for me. If you're interested in a surprise parcel, please do say so in the comments and I'll ask my little one to draw a name out of his cap next week.

Take Care!

xxx

PS. I keep forgetting to let you know that I have trouble leaving comments to some of your blogs; pop-up windows are fine and if I'm given the option name/url at the 'select profile'  element I can do it, too but sometimes at some blogs I 'm not even given this option.

sewing

I've been  living in a whirlwind lately.

The visit home was great (though emotionally intense on the day of my mum's memorial service). There was time for slowing down, time for seeing friends, time for attending an end-of-school-year event at our neighbourhood...

However, since we came back here on Monday, our time has been filled with commitments: end-of-year events at our schools, going out with the teachers from one school, then the other, and later today with my son's teachers...

At the same time, I've been waiting for job-related news for ages; and when the criteria by which it will be decided who will be transferred where were finally announced, I felt the earth move under my feet; there's a chance I'll need to be here again in september (for the next school year) and we'll only find out late august! So we decided to keep the flat until we know for sure. I explained the situation to our landlords and they said that was fine but then there was a mix up with their daughter and now we have to move!

Are you still here? I wouldn't blame you if you weren't!

I tell myself that every obstacle has a reason and things usually turn out for the best, but still I feel numb at times and dizzy at others.

So now, instead of packing our clothes and leaving on Tuesday, I  have to pack everything and move next weekend.

Seeking distraction, I was reaquainted with my sewing machine. I made two hearts for my son's teachers. Choosing fabrics, ribbons and buttons was really relaxing; little one helped me with the colours and I have to say I am thrilled at how they turned out.

Meanwhile, my son's first tooth will soon fall out and I had to act fast; you see, I promised I'd make him a cushion for the fairy to find his tooth in and leave him some seeds in exchange (an idea I came across in a blog, of course) but never actually got round to making it. I knew I was going to use his old sleeping bag(? - no idea how these things toddlers sleep in so they won't get cold are called!) and it took me about ten minutes to make it. I'm astonished at how happy this little cushion has made him! He hugs it all the time and he's even put his regular pillow aside and is now napping with this one. Amazing!

Hope I haven't bored you with all this!

Have a great weekend!

xxx

the value of being prepared

(image courtesy of my son's file)

Here's one thing you may not know about me.

I'm a very spontaneous person and when it comes to the way I react to information I'm given, this trait of mine has often got me in trouble; not because I'm wrong, but because I'm honest; I can't pretend, not when being caught off guard. 

On the other hand, I can be very diplomatic if I get a chance to think things through (we're talking about Oscar-winning performances at times)

Remember the issues at work I mentioned last week?  Someone wanted to manipulate me and I was furious at first but I was wise enough to take time to think and plan and I finally had things done my way, sounding very polite and obliging (' I really wish I could help you with that but you see I've already...' !)

What made the difference? I was told what was being planned behind my back (thank you little one's teacher!)

On a different note, I've got good news to share.

I'm going home today for five whole days! I've taken a leave for Friday because I need to go to my village and do the preparations for my mum's two-year memorial service on Saturday. But I'm lucky it seems, as Monday is a bank holiday and tomorrow schools are closed in my area because of a teacher's meeting I don't really have to attend.

How's that for a mood lifter?

I'll 'see' you next week; I need to stop by your places; I've been reading quietly lately and I think it's time I waved 'hello'!

today

finding comfort in the little things

seems like the wise thing to do...

baking

having coffee

smelling the roses

smiling at the sight of something made for you with love

reading a book you've read many times before

hope you're having a wonderful sunday

xxx

june

{ via here }

~~ you might be wondering

why i've been so quiet lately ~~

~ it's because i've nothing to say:

~ i don't read much

~ i don't go out on walks much

~ i don't crochet

~ i don't sew

~ i don't feel like talking

~ i've been thinking a lot

~ i'm very disappointed because of some issues i'm dealing with at work

~ i'm missing my husband so very much

~ i just want to go home

~~  of course, not everything is bad ~~

~  i'm very happy with the closeness my son and i share

~ my dad's here to keep us company

~ we're all -physically- healthy

~it's twenty more days before we go home

~~ hope you all have a wonderful month ~~

xxx

saturday

you start the day with the best of intentions to make it a happy one...

~ you make french toast for breakfast

~ you read a great book with your morning coffee

~ you go out in the yard and really take in the enjoyment a six-year-old feels when jumping in the puddles (+ you don't have to worry he'll get sick when his trousers are drenched)

~ you hang the laundry out to dry and love the fact that there are green plants, all in full bloom, below

~ you plan a pizza evening



yet, at the back of your mind, there are always the stressful thoughts that have been bothering you for a while

~'where will we be in september? we'll only find out late august'

~'what will happen to my country, to our jobs, to us?'

~' how can we plan our future?'

and then the realisation comes: we might as well enjoy what we have in the present

have a gorgeous weekend!

xxx

note to self

Instead of counting your days, make your days count.

~Author Unknown