Simple Pleasures

It has been a long time since my last update! I have been busy busy busy, working on assignments and such things, and the time is flying past! Christmas will come and go in no time, I am sure, and we will be standing there, in the year 2010, with a whole new year ahead of us, and yet another year behind us. It always suprises me how soon Christmas comes around again; each year I am aware when it suddenly pops up as if from nowhere, reminding me that slowly I am getting older and wiser, and one day soon I might feel like a grown up.

Something that always worries me about "getting old" is that I might stop admiring the world the way I like to do now, and that my eyes will change, and the world might appear a little duller, a little less exciting, and not as fresh as it does today. This sentiment stems from real people I know, many many many of them, who just don't notice how wonderful the most simple things can be. My Mum looks at me in bemusement when I show her a photo I took of the inside of a vegetable. I hope joy brought on by vegetables' innards never fades!

And so, some simple things that I love...

- Running


Yesterday I went for an early run, while the moon was still up. Most of the world was still, cold, frosty. In the hour that I was out, I witnessed the world waking up, heading to work or school, walking the dog, buying the newspaper. And then of course, returning, showering, indulging in a warm bowl of porridge and a huge mug of tea.

- This city where I live


I fall in love with York at least once a week. The more I know it, the more I love it. It's not so far from where I've been forever, but I'm happy here and not restless. The quiet of the ancient buildings and the hurried city centre. Then all the secret corners unknown to tourists, the little escapes and all the room for adventure!

- Mugs of different colours and shapes



And tea pots, too! I love a good mug! Enough said! (And the stuff you put in them, too, of course!)

- Untouched space


The countryside, when untouched both physically and by sound, produces something in me that I can't get any other way. That moment on a long walk when you can see and hear nothing of mankind is to me the most precious thing on earth. Mmm I love a country walk - preferably with a great picnic and muddy boots!

And when I get home...

- Soup

Every Sunday I make a soup. I am a creature of habit. And I love my habit of chopping and stirring and adding exciting herbs or spices. I love the comfort and warmth that a bowl of soup brings, and the vibrant colours and smells and tastes. After a family walk, we always have soup for tea. Yum yum yum!

The best thing about "simple pleasures" is that, generally, they are shared by everyone. At heart we're all the same, and we all love the same little parts of life, which too often go unmentioned. And I am striving to never stop noticing the colours of the trees in the park, because once that goes it's probably a slippery slope down to life in black and white. Great for old romantic films, but not for every day.