Today was a gorgeous, sunny day – yet utterly baltic.  I can tell you that because I went for a cycle in the afternoon and despite some strenuous hills that had my blood pumping and my lungs nearly in shock, I arrived home with numb toes and an icy bottom.

To  get both the fresh air/sunshine and exercise and to have the endless leisurely hours in which to head out for a wander, sure felt good.

But to do so on top of a luxurious morning with my husband, where we went out for coffee and raspberry custard bakewell while reading magazines from the Sunday Times (told you I’d make up for yesterday’s lack of cake/coffee) made me feel like a real lady of leisure.

Free time – empty of jobs, plans, duties – is really a true gift not to be taken for granted if you have buckets of it, nor to be assumed as an unnecessary, or worse, unattainable bonus if you’re caught up in the hectic demands of a busy life.

Sunny Inniscarra

After so many non-stop busy days in the lead up to Christmas, my appreciation of leisurely free time has shot up 100% and I certainly seem to have excellently fine-tuned the work-play-rest mix this past week.  Given the society we live in and the particular jobs I do however, this may well be more of a temporary (albeit hugely restorative) phase.

I can’t say for sure how long this phase will last, but given the contentment, satisfaction and immense peace of mind it offers, I’m soaking up every moment of it.

Ciao darlings!

Lizzie xxx