It’s been way too long since I’ve written a Currents post, but this key (a most-happy surprise from Juliann) has me thinking about all the things I’ve been Saying Yes to lately … and I thought it might be good to write them down:
Daily pilates. That Back to the Mat challenge was exactly what I needed to get myself back into a solid daily routine. That routine went out the window over the summer and just when I could’ve started back, I went to Europe for two weeks. I still haven’t regained my roll-up, but I can do a plank again, and that feels like a big victory.
Unplugged mornings (still). Marc is now into his eighth month of retirement and it seems he’s finally caught up on his sleep. as in he’s no longer sleeping past 6:30am. a few mornings ago, he was pouring coffee before 6. yikes! …but I’m still able to find that dark-early quiet I crave in my study. at my desk with my journal, a devotion and a book. Marc keeps the volume on the TV very low until he hears me turn off the lamp and walk back to the kitchen.
Hot tea. a nod, I’m sure, to the much cooler weather this week, but the tea kettle is out. Current favorites include Chai, English Breakfast and something unidentified in a very pretty Wedgwood box from Marc’s business travels.
Crochet. gah, I know, right?!? BUT … our church’s prayer shawl ministry has been asked to make prayer shawls for this year’s confirmands and crochet is sturdy and quick (as you might imagine, our ministry membership is much smaller than our confirmand class). I figure I can crochet three shawls in the time I could knit one. One of our members taught a learn-to-crochet class at our meeting today and I think a few of the other knitters are saying yes to crochet now, too 🙂
Buying books. I am still very much into borrowing them (I’m on track to read 100+ books this year – neither my budget nor my bookcase can stand that kind of usage), but I’ve loosened up about the buying. Three reasons – 1. sharing 2. taking my time 3. highlighting & notes. If a book meets any two of those three, I think it makes sense to buy it. I share my Audible library with my sister and sister-in-law, so sometimes, I only need reason #1.
Me made. I know many of you have been on the me-made bandwagon for years, but until this summer, I only rode in the hand-knit car. (re)Learning to sew has been a game-changer. I’m now thinking about all my clothing purchases with the “I should make this” filter. I clear(n)ed by closet on Sunday and what’s left is pretty much going to require me to wear either a hand-knit or a hand-sewn piece every day … well, unless I don’t actually get dressed … or I dress up A LOT 😉 …which leads me to
Planning my makes. I’ve done a couple of Make Nine plans but they’ve only encompassed knits. It’s time to think about the knitting and sewing together … and not only because they both take from the same well of time. I’m still in the thinking stages here, but I hope to have a real plan in the next week (because apart from next Tuesday’s t-shirt class, I’m not going to start another project until I figure out what makes sense to make next!)
and just because I don’t want to look back at this post in another couple of months and wonder “who is this stranger?”, a few things I am still Saying Yes to:
hot coffee with steamed non-fat milk, apples, cheese, FaceTime with the little boys, daily photos and videos, knitting with friends, thinking about the holidays, birthday season and sweater weather.
What surprising things are you Saying Yes to right now?
mere-et-filles 
I have shockingly become a tea drinker as well, prob 5x a week recently. It’s something British (with almond milk).
No tea here, but I have said yes to a second cup of coffee during the day and it feels very good!
I am also saying yes to a couple of things I have been wanting to do… and that also feels amazingly!
Saying YES feels pretty good, y’know? 🙂
(And hot tea is back in my daily life, too — now that the weather is chilly.)
XO
I’m learning that saying Yes can feel as good as saying No! I am also back to hot tea at work (mostly herbal)…but definitely my coffee with steamed/frothed milk at home in the morning.
Looking for forward to seeing your”makes!”
Definitely saying yes to tea — hot and iced.
Saying yes to new yarn (even though I don’t really NEED more)
Saying yes to letting things go —– (even though I paid a fortune for some of my clothes, they don’t look good on me or they don’t fit and they WILL look good one someone else. I let them go. The money I spent on them is gone, I really don’t need to be reminded of that OR wear the clothes out of a sense of guilt. I let the clothes go and I’m letting the GUILT go.)
I have a tea stash just like my yarn stash, and it brings me just as much pleasure! It’s a good thing that it’s in a small cupboard so it doesn’t get (too far out of) out of control. That is a cool key!
I love a cup of tea in the afternoon or evening now that it’s cooler. My favorite is Yogi Ginger too if I’m going the herbal route and Earl Grey if not. Love all the things you are saying yes, too!
I am very much a tea drinker, loose tea, black and oolong with an occasional green. Some call me a ‘snob’ (in a good way). I have been more adventurous when it comes to knitting (I’m knitting a chicken) and saying yes to knew places to walk (with Mylo). We have a great time discovering new sights, people and dogs (and scents-for Mylo).
I really enjoy a cup of hot tea in the afternoon now that the weather is cooler. My current favorites are Stash Breakfast in Paris, Tazo Zen, and after every choir rehearsal, a cup of Licorice Spice for my throat!
I still want my morning coffee but also drinking more tea the rest of the day. That is quite a list of currents. Happy your key arrived
YES to hot Peach tea these mornings… and more daily walks…and WRITing and …doing less to do more (in other words: unloading the “groaning board” of my daily “to do” list…for starters!
Cheers~
Love this post, Mary! Totally outside of my comfort zone (even my family have said it’s not like me) but I’m joining a hiking group twice a week for some wonderful travels – to places that have been right under my nose. : )
I’ve brought the tea into the post-dinner rotation the last couple of weeks too. Orange ginger, Sleepytime, Tension Tamer…I’ve said yes a couple times lately to after-work / evening adventures. It’s so easy to just hole up after work! I’ve enjoyed them all so far! Love this post Mary!
Not much and I’m kinda liking it right now-maybe in the new year.