Norq From Ork

If you’re looking for sickly sweet – my life is so great – inspiration you may have to look else where. While I try to keep things positive I also try to keep things real. The reality is sometimes life really sucks. My Week has been centered around mind-numbing cold, getting up going to work, trying to stay awake before bedtime and forcing myself out of bed to swim before work.  As much as I have to scrape myself off the pillow I also know that it’s something that keeps me sane, and let’s be honest, offsets the chocolate damage. It’s a struggle though.   Yesterday I spent what felt like the whole day trying to get the fire going.  Usually a simple task but for some reason several attempts all failed.  The end result was Orkney Beef walking in the house at the end of day 6 of 12 hour shifts and the first thing I did was bark at him how I was sick of the fire and trying to get it going.  The poor guy, it wasn’t his fault but he poked around with it and finally got it going. Everything seems a struggle at the tail end of winter and all I do week after week is whinge about it.I’m sorry, things will pick up, I promise.

I’ve had little opportunity to take photos of my own but people very kindly give me  permission use theirs.  I love this one taken by @OrkneyMermaid on Instagram.  Admittedly it was taken last spring but if you look closely you’ll see daffodils along the path and it serves as a reminder that warmer weather will come if we dig deep. I always love to see spring flowers that someone has planted years before.  They keep coming back year after year, cheerleading us and spurring us along.  Thank goodness!

We had a visit from Peedie Smiler this weekend and she’s on the move.  Oh how we’d forgotten the joys of moving everything out of the way as the little clockwork bambino makes her way across the sitting room floor.  This candid photo melted my heart.  As Peedie Smiler made her way across the floor, Orkney Beef got down on his hands and knees to meet her.  At his age doing so is risky as getting back up again can be tricky right?!  I just love the expression on his face as she crawls to meet him. ❤

Talking of love, Valentine’s day is approaching this week, and thoughts turn to hearts, flowers, over-priced chocolate and love.  But to be quite honest shouldn’t love be our priority every day of the year?  Not the romantic, gushy kind that doesn’t last. The unconditional, choice kind of love that lasts and sees people through all the ups and downs of life.  I have a wide circle of friends and without sounding the gushing tripe claxon, I love and appreciate every one of them.  Several people told me about their snow drop sightings this week knowing how I love them so.  (Thank you) It’s also an absolute blessing to have friends who support each other through thick and thin.  I’ve had several of those encounters this week and consider myself fortunate to have people I can lean on and who lean on me.  I went to visit a friend yesterday in her new home. (which was stunning, I’m green with envy)  As we went to look at the outside she pointed out to me a solitary snowdrop.  I couldn’t resist taking a snap and as I pondered the wee flower I thought that if something as delicate and fragile as this can push through, shine and bring hope then so can I.  No more whinging, I fingers crossed behind my back  promise!