Just Humans Being...

Less traffic in the air and on the roads is making for a much more peaceful life. This area of Cornwall is already pretty quiet and now we are really noticing the difference... Trips to the outside compost toilet can be quite eerie - especially in the evening, but we do admit to loving it...Peace and quiet, clear skies and an increase in birdsong. Last year, we stayed in rural Hampshire near the border of Berkshire and we were genuinely shocked at how noisy it was each and every day. The constant hum of traffic and planes flying over. We wondered whether the lack of quiet was the cause of many people seeming stressed and impatient. This trait we usually see in city people, but it was intriguing to see in the countryside. It is amazing how quickly we become immune to what is going on around us, but do we still feel it subconsciously? The life we lead would not suit most people, but we love it. We were never cut out for life in a city or town and living on a housing estate

"Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control. It's presence is an indication of ripened experience, and of a more than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought." ~ James Allen ~ As August was coming to an end last year, we decided to make September a month of gratitude - writing down 10 things to be grateful for every day. It proved to be such a powerful thing to do that we've kept it going. Every night before going to bed, we compile our list together. At first, we were writing about all the big stuff happening in our lives and as time has gone on, we've found ourselves noticing all the little things too and just how quickly these come to mind. The list writing quickly became a habit, it's the last thing we do after cleaning our teeth and it feels so good to do every night. Our mornings also start with even more good habitual routines...medit

Here are some photos of the barn we are moving into at the weekend. We will be sharing the main barn with folks on working holidays. The view from the barn across the land. The barn is made from straw bales. The end of the main barn and the smaller attached barn used for holiday lets/retreats. The outdoor solar shower. The compost loos. One end of the main barn with our bedroom on the right. The other end of the barn -  with kitchen, dining and living space... And this wonderful large stove which is perfect for us. We are very excited to be on the moving on to a new adventure and closing the door to the little house by the sea. Love Kay and Sime xx

Making that journey along an unfamiliar road is scary, leaping into the unknown and choosing to do something new and different. Saying YES to everything can really be exhausting, though once you get into the flow - it gets quite addictive. Consequently, we have ended up working more than we imagined and have given away more money to charities, moved house and are moving again. Life takes so many exciting twists and turns and we have stopped worrying whether we are doing the right thing. Over time, saying yes has got easier and now it's second nature. On the odd occasion we look at each other and wonder what the hell we are doing, but mostly we just laugh hysterically and go for it! Here's Shonda Rhimes giving an interesting and inspirational talk about her year of saying Yes.  My Year Of Saying Yes To Everything  We have both noticed a real shift in the way we see and deal with situations. No longer fearful of the worst case scenario, we find it easy to com

The ladies next door have been giving birth in the field. Their babies are like any other babies - they sleep, they feed, they follow their mums everywhere, they run around, then fall asleep again.  These little beauties are completely unaware of their fate... But we know... And this is one thing which makes living here difficult. How can people eat other beings without feeling terrible?     It just doesn't make sense. Both the posters are from the  Cornwall Vegans  website. If you are in Cornwall or will be on Saturday 22nd April - do support this event! Perhaps you have been considering veganism - this  Vegan Starter Kit  will help you to get started and if you have any questions, need help or ideas for recipes - just ask, we are always happy to talk to folks who want to change their diet for the better. And in case you haven't seen this on iplayer - Here is  Simon Amstell's Carnage . Please, please think seriousl

It's two months since we moved into our little home and despite the fact that it's rained every day since we arrived - we love it! We sleep with the curtains open and wake every morning seeing the sea, although some days the mist has meant we don't see anything for a while, but it's fascinating having such a vast view of the open sea and the coastline into Devon. We see the changes in the weather and the colour of the sea. The blustery and gale force winds bringing rough waves and then days of mill pond calmness. We see storms coming in, the dark clouds and glimpses of blue sky. From the kitchen we look down on Portmellon, which is very pretty and at night is like a Mediterranean hillside village with twinkling lights, next to a glistening sea. We are living in this small space and it is wonderful. Life feels simpler, we have definitely slowed down and just enjoy being cosy and snug with the kitties... We all seem to sleep more too, whic

EE Cumings quote taken from here. You only have to do a quick search on the internet to see that laughter is becoming big business.  There are clubs, online courses and therapists dishing out ideas to bring laughter into your life...  How bizarre is that?  People need to be taught how to laugh and of the health benefits it brings, which incidentally are huge - but what has happened? Why don't folks know how to laugh? It is such a basic instinct and yet, we're not doing it... Well we do , but lots of you don't.  We know how our mental health influences our physical health, so no wonder laughter is now seen as an important ingredient for  healing illness.  There is so much fun to be had if you spend time with people who make you laugh, so if you're not getting enough - seek out others who share the same sense of humour, who can help you change and before you know it...  You'll be enjoying a good belly laugh every day, crying with laughter a

A beautiful blustery day... Dancing with the  Merry Maidens ... But we didn't turn to stone! The stone circle is on a quiet lane & is free to visit - just don't cause any damage or leave any physical offerings... Don't change the site, let the site change you. Our video turned out to be rubbish...  So instead here is a favourite one from The Books - Take Time.    Hope you like it! Kay & Sime xx

After publishing Saturday night's post, I heard a commotion upstairs & on investigation, found Bebe standing in her doorway with a broom in her hands - the broom is part of the barrier Sime sets up every night to discourage Bebe from going downstairs &/or venturing into our room during the night. It usually helps her to feel safe too, as she can get quite anxious about being on her own in the dark. We have a nightlight on the landing & various laminated signs - arrows to the loo, info on where she is & one asking her to go back to her room & that we'll see her in the morning!  The council social care department are going to let us try an electronic prompt device, on which we can record our voices & it will be triggered if she attempts to leave her room, so as she reaches for the door handle - our voices will kick in asking her to go back to bed... Clever! Will keep you posted on this, as we're quite intrigued! Anyway, back to Saturday nig

“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. ”  ―  14th Dalai Lama How do you wake up? We start every day with a cup of herbal tea in bed & since we stopped having guests, we have the luxury of a kettle in our bedroom. Our alarm goes off at 6:30am during the week & we can just reach down to stick the kettle on. Three minutes later, we have a pot of one of our favourite teas brewing - nettle, fennel, licorice, cinnamon, ginger or tulsi ... We usually snuggle up for a while longer, until it's ready to drink & then enjoy our tea quietly for a while - listening to the birds tweeting outside our window. By the time the pot's empty, we are usually wide awake, chatting, laughing & we've talked through everything we have to do on that day. We can't drop Bebe off at daycare until 10am, so it's nice to get going gently... By 8am it's all systems go, but we ar

Time is flying by...  We can't believe that it's nearly 6 months since we left to pick up Bebe & she is for the main part, enjoying life. We do have the odd blip when she is quite low & agitated, when nothing we say makes a difference, but for the most part - she is fine. We have to remember that she can drift in & out of lucidity, one minute she seems so rational & on the ball, then the next she can be lost, insecure & child-like. We have discovered more & more  just how much Bebe can do & are realising that just like others with dementia, she is very good at pretending that she is still capable of doing certain things. It's not easy for her to accept help with her personal hygiene & she's at times desperately trying to cling on to her independence. We encourage her to do as much as possible for herself, but it is very sad to see just how much she has forgotten & equally it can be exciting when out of the blue, Bebe

We have decided to take part in a 30 day challenge to rewild our lives. It starts tomorrow & it simply means we have to mindfully be outside in nature for 30 minutes a day. It's not always going to be easy, but now the nights are lighter - we want to make the most of it... Whether Bebe will join in, we don't know... Maybe it would be more enjoyable to do it without her. We shall see! We Are Wildness Kay & Sime xx

We seem to be getting into a routine with Bebe & have seen quite a transformation over the last week... Amazing what a hair cut & some new clothes can do! She is settling well & although there are periods when reassurance is needed, she has been able to move away from focusing on things which cause her distress. We have spent many hours talking & helping her to understand why she thinks the way she does. Some of the more mundane topics, Sime has now written about in a laminated letter - which we hand to Bebe when she starts to repeat herself & gradually the answers to these questions are seeping through!  She is loving her time at daycare, which is a great bonus & she is amazingly sleeping well - if we can persuade her to keep off the coffee at night! Bebe's had a go on her old typewriter, though found it a struggle to concentrate...  We'll get it out again at the weekend & keep encouraging her. We've also tried