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Richie has been gone for a few days now on his cycle. It's been going well for him, although he's gone quiet today. I think it's a longer ride, though? He was a nervous wreck on Saturday (which mostly resulted in him biting my head off repeatedly and often, a habit I also have when I'm stressed) but on Sunday we both got up early and got a taxi to St Pancras. I expected to hang around for ages but the rest of his team also turned up on time, so I left him to it and swung back home again for breakfast in the sun. (This means 'I opened the kitchen window' but, you know.)
However, I also had A Plan for Sunday. I took two buses out to the nearby IKEA (I miss my car sometimes), arriving there about ten minutes after opening because I absolutely could not bear the thought of loads of crowds. I had a strict list of Stuff I Definitely Needed that I had been percolating in my mind for about two months. So I went aiming for throws to cover our increasingly grubby white sofa; some kind of storage solution for the kitchen cupboards; a shower curtain; and most importantly, a new bookcase. Our book situation is ridiculous and that was before Richie and I fell into comic books which is terrible for our wallets and our storage situation. Lest anyone has forgotten, we are two people with packrat tendencies in a small one bedroom flat in one of the most expensive cities in the world. Our chances of moving anywhere bigger is unlikely, to say the least.
I was quite good at sticking to the list, to my amazement. I only had a couple of occasions where I wandered into the show homes and was very good at not keening in lust for all of the lovely things I could jazz up my home with. In fact I only went off list for candles, and that's kind of mandatory at IKEA, right?? The bookcase I had spotted online did not fit with the space we have in our living room, though. (I am very glad I thought ahead and took measurements with me.) I did, however, find a smaller options at less than half the price. In fact I ended up only using a third of the budget I had put aside, which was a delightful surprise and very handy as it meant I could get a taxi home rather than having to wrangle an entire bookcase on two buses...
I then had a fantastically enjoyable evening where, basically, I Sorted My Fucking Life Out. The flat has, over the last few months, descended from 'manageable chaos' to 'why do we have so much fucking stuff and why is it not organised' and it was playing on my mind more than I realised, actually. One old bookcase is now awaiting large collection pick up from the council and is perching in the hallway. All the DVDs have been shifted on to the remaining short bookcase, which has more shelves so now we have more space there rather than just desperately doublestacking. I built the bookcase - and it was really easy! why did no one think I could do this? why did I not think I could do this? - put it in the corner and went through all of the books we own. By some miracle I have still managed to fill up the bigger bookcase, and that's with a lot of books heading to the charity shop. And then, because I was on a roll, I cleared out the Chaos Corner Of Doom. I sorted out my paperwork. I took the box of pictures up the attic, as it was time to admit they weren't getting hung during our time living in this flat. I put the new throws on the sofa - brown and bed, a splash of colour and homeliness. I took down the old shower curtain and hung the new one, which has the most beautiful and bright pattern. I went through our food cupboard and organised it with the new freestanding shelves I'd bought, and threw some stuff out that had gone off but the chaos in the cupboards meant I hadn't found it. I cleaned the flat. I eyed up a spot under the window shelf and decided that was next on my list. I did my ironing.
I feel a thousand times better, you guys. I can't even describe. Even now, a few days later, I'm writing this looking at an organised room that feels light and airy. I feel better in my headspace. Probably helping this, mind you, is that I have also really leaned in to my introverted self this week. I had work on Monday, came home, and haven't had a meaningful interaction with anyone but a shop assistant at Lush yesterday. I went for a long and extremely enjoyable run yesterday morning in the increasingly blistering heat and spent the afternoon ambling around Westfield, mostly spending all of the money I saved at IKEA. I picked up some more stuff for the flat because I could, mostly, a water belt to wear whilst running because did I mention the heat, shoes, Lush stuff. I debated catching a film or stopping for a tea but instead I found myself buying a bikini for my holiday. It's from M&S because I figured a shop for the older lady would have a decent range of more scaffolding-type bikinis, and I got lucky. I still have the receipt but I'm going to try and be brave and not take it back and instead take it on holiday and actually wear the damned thing. I am not repulsive and I need to remember that sometimes.
And I came home with my bits for the house and sorted out the aforementioned shelf below the window, made a massive pot of chili, and accidentally stayed up until 2am watching Game of Thrones, drinking perhaps a touch too much wine. What can I say, I am apparently a Lannister like that. Today has been a lazy day, only briefing popping out for some food and to do the first drop at Oxfam. Now I'm eating huge juicy strawberries, watching the raid and thunderstorms pass through and having time to do things like post a massive LJ update. Back to work tomorrow and Richie is back on Saturday. Which is good, as all that said I am just starting to hit the point where I'm missing company, and sleeping without Richie is quite sad.
But at the same time, I needed this. I feel like I'm recharging, and nearly at full battery. Work will drain me a little, but hell, them's the breaks. For now, I'm feeling good.
However, I also had A Plan for Sunday. I took two buses out to the nearby IKEA (I miss my car sometimes), arriving there about ten minutes after opening because I absolutely could not bear the thought of loads of crowds. I had a strict list of Stuff I Definitely Needed that I had been percolating in my mind for about two months. So I went aiming for throws to cover our increasingly grubby white sofa; some kind of storage solution for the kitchen cupboards; a shower curtain; and most importantly, a new bookcase. Our book situation is ridiculous and that was before Richie and I fell into comic books which is terrible for our wallets and our storage situation. Lest anyone has forgotten, we are two people with packrat tendencies in a small one bedroom flat in one of the most expensive cities in the world. Our chances of moving anywhere bigger is unlikely, to say the least.
I was quite good at sticking to the list, to my amazement. I only had a couple of occasions where I wandered into the show homes and was very good at not keening in lust for all of the lovely things I could jazz up my home with. In fact I only went off list for candles, and that's kind of mandatory at IKEA, right?? The bookcase I had spotted online did not fit with the space we have in our living room, though. (I am very glad I thought ahead and took measurements with me.) I did, however, find a smaller options at less than half the price. In fact I ended up only using a third of the budget I had put aside, which was a delightful surprise and very handy as it meant I could get a taxi home rather than having to wrangle an entire bookcase on two buses...
I then had a fantastically enjoyable evening where, basically, I Sorted My Fucking Life Out. The flat has, over the last few months, descended from 'manageable chaos' to 'why do we have so much fucking stuff and why is it not organised' and it was playing on my mind more than I realised, actually. One old bookcase is now awaiting large collection pick up from the council and is perching in the hallway. All the DVDs have been shifted on to the remaining short bookcase, which has more shelves so now we have more space there rather than just desperately doublestacking. I built the bookcase - and it was really easy! why did no one think I could do this? why did I not think I could do this? - put it in the corner and went through all of the books we own. By some miracle I have still managed to fill up the bigger bookcase, and that's with a lot of books heading to the charity shop. And then, because I was on a roll, I cleared out the Chaos Corner Of Doom. I sorted out my paperwork. I took the box of pictures up the attic, as it was time to admit they weren't getting hung during our time living in this flat. I put the new throws on the sofa - brown and bed, a splash of colour and homeliness. I took down the old shower curtain and hung the new one, which has the most beautiful and bright pattern. I went through our food cupboard and organised it with the new freestanding shelves I'd bought, and threw some stuff out that had gone off but the chaos in the cupboards meant I hadn't found it. I cleaned the flat. I eyed up a spot under the window shelf and decided that was next on my list. I did my ironing.
I feel a thousand times better, you guys. I can't even describe. Even now, a few days later, I'm writing this looking at an organised room that feels light and airy. I feel better in my headspace. Probably helping this, mind you, is that I have also really leaned in to my introverted self this week. I had work on Monday, came home, and haven't had a meaningful interaction with anyone but a shop assistant at Lush yesterday. I went for a long and extremely enjoyable run yesterday morning in the increasingly blistering heat and spent the afternoon ambling around Westfield, mostly spending all of the money I saved at IKEA. I picked up some more stuff for the flat because I could, mostly, a water belt to wear whilst running because did I mention the heat, shoes, Lush stuff. I debated catching a film or stopping for a tea but instead I found myself buying a bikini for my holiday. It's from M&S because I figured a shop for the older lady would have a decent range of more scaffolding-type bikinis, and I got lucky. I still have the receipt but I'm going to try and be brave and not take it back and instead take it on holiday and actually wear the damned thing. I am not repulsive and I need to remember that sometimes.
And I came home with my bits for the house and sorted out the aforementioned shelf below the window, made a massive pot of chili, and accidentally stayed up until 2am watching Game of Thrones, drinking perhaps a touch too much wine. What can I say, I am apparently a Lannister like that. Today has been a lazy day, only briefing popping out for some food and to do the first drop at Oxfam. Now I'm eating huge juicy strawberries, watching the raid and thunderstorms pass through and having time to do things like post a massive LJ update. Back to work tomorrow and Richie is back on Saturday. Which is good, as all that said I am just starting to hit the point where I'm missing company, and sleeping without Richie is quite sad.
But at the same time, I needed this. I feel like I'm recharging, and nearly at full battery. Work will drain me a little, but hell, them's the breaks. For now, I'm feeling good.
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