Happiness wouldn’t be happiness without a violin playing goat, once said a wiser woman than I. But dear, smiley Julia Roberts was wrong.
Happiness is a sunny Monday in February. Doilleys handwashed in lavender scented water, and an hour spent by myself in a steamy coffee shop, with only The Faber Book of 20th Century Women’s Poetry and a meatball sandwich for company.
Happiness is walking down the road blissfully unaware that you are leaving a trail of cheese, ham and hummous behind you due to a hole in the bottom of a rather useless carrier bag. Laughing with the stranger who finally catches up to tell you, and biting your bottom lip in mortification when you realise your Mum was watching the entire sketch…
Happiness is scrumptious little primulas on your doorstep, double episodes of Coronation Street and a cup of rosehip tea. It is finally getting that yukky stain out of the carpet and finding it’s organic easter biscuit time in Mark’s and Spencers (divine, divine, divine, go seek them out!).
Happiness is your little boy’s face when he spots you after a long day at nursery. The way he twirls your hair with his finger when he’s drinking his milk , calls Justin Timberlake, Justin Saxophone and loves your Mum and Dad (he’s my best mate isn’t he Mummy?) to bits…
Happiness is a new nightie. Black with white lace and slinky straps because you may as well feel beautiful all by yourself. It is marmite flavoured rice cakes and piles of Sunday papers still waiting to be read. Happiness is your latest MTV obsession- Maximo Parks latest single and half an hour lying on your bed being serenaded by Frank Sinatra in his finest hour. It is a weekend at a wedding in March to look forward to and the delivery of your latest Ebay treasures.
Happiness is old friends for old friends sake. Comfort in the company of somebody you understand and mustard and black pepper digestives with the strongest cheese you can find. It is your 9.30 glass of wine and the pink and white flock notebook you have taken to whispering your secrets inside. It is the creation of a "happy" drawer, spritzing your bag with perfume and watching your son laugh till he literally crys.
It is all of these things. It is knowing that you are allowed to be happy right here, right now and letting yourself be. It is forgetting what isn’t, being grateful for what is and keeping your dreams alive.
Happiness is today and I swear there isn’t a goat playing the violin in sight. More’s the pity…
Create your own Brocante Life Book, plan Christmas, set up routines and rituals or live life the BrocanteHome way with my guided workbooks and planners.
“I USED to know a home, very plain, very simply furnished, very strenuous in its endeavors, and lofty in its ideals, which for abounding cheerfulness surpassed the common abodes of men and women. Looking back I know that there was a struggle…
That horrible title comes courtesy of a chapter in a book I picked up on one of my treasure hunting missions. A hilarious little tome by one Richard Curle, entitled Women: An Analytical Study. Written in 1947, it’s tone is set on…
How do you earn a life going onbehind yellow windows, writing at nightthe latin names of plants for a gardenopening the front door to a wet dog. Those who love you, forgive you, clearlywith steaming casseroles and red wine.Its the same film…
Well I’ve huffed and I’ve puffed and I’ve blown the tree down, but I can’t even begin to tell you how utterly filthy the house feels… Goodness, is that a SCRUB I feel coming on? Other Things To Do At BrocanteHome Browse…
Some day’s we need shoring up by the teeny tiny things. The things that pass unnoticed. We need to open our eyes, prop them open with matchsticks if need be and sensually consume life in all it’s silly, scrumptious, everyday glory… Today…
I know it might seem like I am on something of a D.E. Stevenson kick now, but that is because I am! Her books are so utterly charming and just right for the kind of light, late afternoon reading I thoroughly adore….
6 Comments
Loved these pictures. They made me smile the ugly smile where all the teeth show and some of the gums, you know? Okay, so I tagged you…you're it.
The goat playing the violin will appear in its own good time. Remember that was Hugh and Julia's analogy.Yours will be something different.Richard Curtis really can press the right buttons, can't he.
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Loved these pictures. They made me smile the ugly smile where all the teeth show and some of the gums, you know?
Okay, so I tagged you…you're it.
I know why shes happy…must have been that dinner the other night?
The goat playing the violin will appear in its own good time. Remember that was Hugh and Julia's analogy.Yours will be something different.Richard Curtis really can press the right buttons, can't he.
What a delightful post Alison! I can almost reach out and touch your happiness!
What a wonderful sounding day! We should have days like this more often
xxx
Happy thoughts coming right back at you!