Not too shabby a day. I ran 6 kilometers, and helped making delicious Indian foo for lunch (and we even made enough that we don’t have to cook today), I sang, and taught lots of students, and there was that little bit of writing in the morning. I also watched more „Firefly“ while spinning, and went to bed on time.
I did not play the piano or ukulele, I did not iron, and my procrastination about wrapping the last three Christmas presents is not even funny anymore. I still need to send two of them off by post as well.
Most of the day I sat around and read a really excellent book, „The Art of Frugal Hedonism“ (Affiliate-Link). I found it through the „Becoming Minimalist“-blog, and wanted it so much that I blew my December book budget for it (there is always some book I do this for these days – bad habit).
It feels as if we have found our people. People who live frugal, trying to be as environmentally friendly as they can, trying to not fall prey to the whole consumer culture but who still enjoy life and everything it brings. Who sometimes buy things and splurge on something when it brings them happiness. Who’d rather have more time than a lot of money.
I mean that’s something so normal for me that I don’t usually think about it but my husband and I work only afternoons, have several weeks a year off from work, and still have enough for everything we really need plus extras like spinning wheels, guitar amps, and books.
This might mean that our kitchen is rather ugly, that our house is in need of paint, and that we don’t have a car but it also means we don’t have to commute, don’t have to deal with bosses and collegues we don’t like, and that we have more time for things like making music and writing.
Instead of delegating everything and paying people to mow our lawn and clean away our dirt we do it ourselves and have learned to take pleasure in it. My husband tried to grow most of our vegetables this year, and now we have a whole chest freezer filled with food.
Instead of shopping at the drop of a hat we wear or clothes until they wear out (or don’t fit anymore), I’m cutting everybody’s hair and still with all our drama and dissatisfaction I have the feeling we are pretty happy all considered. And we don’t need the chimera of the perfect holiday on a beach somewhere to keep us going in everyday life, everyday life itself is the goal.
Not that I’m not looking forward to the two weeks of Christmas break but that will be pretty much the same as usual minus the teaching. Which is great because most of our daily life is something to look forward to.
Like today. There will be another run, and a luxurious hot shower afterwards, and then the rest of the delicious Indian food. (The only thing that could make that better would be homemade naan but I’m too pressed for time today to make some, I think).
Then I will teach one student, hurry off to the next town over by train, buy some groceries at the really good health food store if I have enough time, go to the ENT to get my sleep testing apparatus, come back hopefully in time to teach two more students, do a little strength training with the boy, have a wonderful dinner (sandwiches – I’m thinking boiled eggs as well), do the dishes while talking to the boy or my husband or both, watch another episode of „Firefly“ while spinning my daily fiber, read a good book for a while, and go to sleep early.
Apart from the rushing around part in the afternoon this day sounds almost perfect. And I idn’t even tell you about the reading in the morning, my great breakfast, the talking to my husband while I crochet or any of that.