Proper Weekend

A weekend without plans used to be a cause for apprehension - have I forgotten something I'm supposed to be doing? What if I don't get "enough" done? What will I do with myself?

How I thought any of those worries had any grounding is beyond me. But the reality is that I am in the process of mastering the art of "empty weekends". Yesterday was a case in point - no plans whatsoever, so a slow start, with a bit of reading, following my train of thought in terms of priorities for the day and getting to potter around a building which I normally only spend time in "getting stuff done" - not simply enjoying it for the fabulous (and growing) place that it is. Continuing to mull all my growing possibilities (cut and come again crops on my window ledges - mwahahahaha) and generally having a bit of a breather after a very busy week. Today will be much the same. Both yesterday and today I'll do some "work" (paperwork, banking, correspondence and the like) but that's fine - because it needs doing, I enjoy it and the sense of satisfaction is always a bonus. But if I fancied just going for a walk or some other entertainment, that would be fine too. Except *this* weekend is all about being here. In Morecambe. By the seaside.

Which reminds me, I don't like to be by the seaside - I love it! That classic ditty is all well and good, but walking the Prom, especially in the Direction Less Trodden, is utterly marvellous. The sea air in my lungs. The vista stretching out. The space above and across. The hints of times gone by. All brilliant. That I've managed to bring my life together into this one wonderful place remains something I am eternally grateful for. Huzzah.

Books and their role in this increasingly electronic age is another thing that has been preying on my mind recently. In a spare few hours I ended up in a discount book shop - and picked up some beautiful, full colour hard backed books for about 50p a piece. Incredible! And I have a stack of books waiting for me on my bedside table. I love reading real books - I have yet to get into ebooks (although I now have the facility to) and wonder if I ever will. But electronic or paper, the effort that goes into each publication is immense - the authors, editors, designers, publishers, everyone. And yet you can pick up new copies for 50p. Mind boggling. Supply, demand, economics - the phenomenon could be explained away but it does simply make my head spin. More excitingly on the real-books front, I have the prospect of having some full height shelves installed soon and I'm really enjoying the prospect of plotting my themed shelves. Lucky, lucky Tigger!

And now - time to continue with my laid back but progressing weekend. The world beckons!