4 on Friday (7)

I knew it would happen. And I was doing so well ... Then other things absolutely demanded my time and attention and I fell behind. Don't you just hate that expression, 'to fall behind'? So gloomy, and down-trodden! I could reframe my inability to keep up with Shimelle's online class as 'paying attention to more important priorities', but it doesn't make me feel any better ...  Her prompt for today was "Since starting this course, have you changed anything about the way you look at each day"? 'Well," I was tempted to whinge, "I might have but I ain't had time to reflect on it!" (Reminder to self: only do online classes which have a break and catch-up time at the weekends).

And as I started to cast my mind back across the week, the first thing that hove into view was a snippet of conversation overheard in the village stores near my workplace on the way home today: about the local farming families who are reviving a tradition of making scarecrows at this time of year. That reminded me of some pictures I had snapped several years ago, and I dug them out. As I began typing alongside them, something began to take shape and gel in that wonderful alchemy that used to be known as 'putting pen to paper'. Here's how this week's 4 on Friday turned out ...

 
Hmmm, perhaps I have changed the way I look at each day, without having fully caught up with myself about it until I began, in fact, to create something ... Let's see what next week brings! I will now abandon any attempt to 'catch 'up' and will start reading the class prompts afresh - on Monday. I need a weekend off!

Hoping you enjoy yours ... And if you have any thoughts about anything which has changed for you this week, I'd love to hear. :)

 

Comments

[Amy]

I feel as though I have lost the inspiration at the moment - 'things' in this area of the world are busy, hectic and chaotic - I know most are in the same position, I would like to be able to deal with it all a little more gracefully and patiently!
Enjoy the weekend Alexa :-)

[Paul B]

Wow this looks like a totally new approach for you in layout design and it's wonderful. Very colourful. Excellent, concise journalling, something I could do with learning how to do. I write way too much, trim it back and it ends up reading like a kid wrote it.

Hope you get your weekend off (is it possible?) Has anything changed for me this week? Well after a period of neglect, I began exercising again this week and I have cut back on sweet treats. We've eaten a lot more fruit and veg too. Best discovery is adding fresh blueberries to my porridge.

Pxx

[Sian]

It definitely wouldn't be whinging - I haven't heard a whinge from you yet! I like your nicely spotted little scarecrow moment very much indeed.

[Jacky S]

So bright and colourful,Alexa....I've never found scarecrows scary either....but I suppose we're not crows!!
The wonderful thing about Shimelle's classes is....it doesn't matter if you miss parts...you are never actually behind.....so just relax and enjoy your weekend.

[Alexa]

Thank-you, Sian! (Although I sometimes think I have a PhD in silent whingeing, until my inner jester takes over and says "Excuse Me"?)

[Alexa]

Glad you like it, and well done on the shifting re food/exercise! I am cheering you on here, Paul!

[Alexa]

I will work at having that enviable 'it doesn't matter' attitude, Jacky!

[Alexa]

Oh, Amy, I am empathising with you in having to live with all that is chaotic and hectic when having major work and huge disruption in the home. It so affects our internal state and stability as well. I nearly went under last week. The only thing I felt I could do to get some semblance of sanity and simplicity back was to tidy and clean and hoover and dust (even though it will be dusty again tomorrow!), zone things together (though they are not in their proper or final resting places), and work at keeping them there. Not sure if that helps! Sending lots of restorative energy ...

[jo sowerby]

thanx for your lovely comment today alexa. loving the scarecrow story, it's amazing how we all see things differently. so far i have seen not a single scarecrow here in the fileds, only on a friend's allotment and i dont think it really scares anything to be honest.
you have to take time to be doing other things sometimes i feel and i am on a roll as regards my blog and scrapbooking for shimelle. i made my tagbook early for cathy's class and so the writing part is an ongoing process although typing at 3.30am was not on the origianl agenda. thats what comes from having a cat who snores!!!
Jo xxxx

[Amy]

I'm doing the same thing Alexa - crazy, but I'm using the vac every day!

[Amy]

I've just read your reply to Sian - YES!!! That is me exactly!

[Karen]

I love the bright red in this layout, and the scarecrows are cute, not scary. Perhaps they are only supposed to scare birds, although I'm not sure they do all that well at that either! I have no disruption in my home to speak of and am not working full time. Nonetheless, I am constantly trying to "catch up." Fortunately for me, I long ago gave up the idea of a layout a day for Learn Something New. I printed photos and wrote journaling for three new pages this morning but life interfered this afternoon so none of them got finished. We're off to the Adirondacks for three days so it will still be awhile. And Me: The Abridged Version has started as well!

[Linda]

I love those scarecrows! My 5 yr old grandaughter is learning about Harvest and the scarecrow in her classroom is really scary - I wish i could swap it for one of yours.

What has change for me this week? Not a lot, I think I am just more accepting of never being caught up. We have a saying up here in Scotland for those who are always last/late/behind 'always at the coo's tail' and I have sort of adapted it for myself as in if the coo didn't have a tail for me to be at it wouldn't really be a coo. A very small glimpse of silver there perhaps? That's if it even made sense :-)