I believe it’s very important to take care of oneself in form of gifts, both tangible and otherwise. Today one gift arrived in the mail, and I’ve added another for good measure 🙂
The first is a delivery from KnitPicks.com, hurrah! Once again, speedy and well-packed all the way from the US. So chuffed! Practical items: a retractable Clover tape measure and a new pair of thread scissors. Yarn: 8 balls of CotLin which I’ve wanted to try for ages. Patterns: Interweave Crochet Home Special Issue 2015 (clearance) PLUS there was free book coupon on my order day so I also have a copy of The Well-Made Home {Crochet} by Knit Picks!
My favourite apart from the yarn is my new mug – I love it! Bigger than I expected which is perfect for my morning coffee (my other addiction), and excellent for my afternoon green tea. And emblazoned with very important words of Crochet Wisdom ❤ 😁
My second gift today is time. Time just for me. Sometimes life speeds up and it’s good to take a moment to just STOP. I am now well on top of my iron deficiency but the related forced stop of my running routine really impacted my mental health. Five weeks without my run therapy left me slipping into depression again, with increased symptoms of anxiety, too. So frustrating and disapointing, as I’m now more than 8 months off my meds and had been going so great.
I am now thankfully in a position where I recognise the signs early and I can see it coming, but nevertheless I was really clawing my way back for a week or so there. However, I’m running again now and have reimplemented my yoga routine, plus I’m swimming once a week while my girls have their lessons. Within a week of running slow interval 5ks every morning with 2 rest days, I stopped waking up under a cloud of inexplicable dread. So grateful! And taking extra good care of myself.
Taking good care of myself doesn’t mean lavish spending or elaborate outings and plans. Today, it simply means a few balls of yarn for my stash, a new mug that makes me smile, and an afternoon off my chore list to sit on the veranda and listen to the birds. It means crochet, and a good book, and a big comfy, striped sofa dragged outside to its new Spring/Summer home – my peaceful perch for a few hours before I’m back on Mum mode. Bliss!
It’s the little things ❤
Happy hooking, all 🙂
Hooks and Hills 
Are you happy with the quality of Knit Picks yarn? I just ordered something from them for the first time because of their prices and the reviews said the Swish yarn was super soft. It just shipped, but I wanted to find out your thoughts on it.
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Hi Hannah, I’ve used Comfy Sport to make a baby blanket and was very happy with it (although it was a gift so I don’t know how it went in the wash – hope well!!). I have some Dishie in my stash and feels good but yet to make much of it. The CotLin is new to me this morning but feels very nice – yes I’ve been squishing it today lol. I do always purchase based on reviews and they do tend to be very good for Knit Picks so I have high hopes. Enjoy yours when it arrives 🙂
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Self-care is so important but can be ignored when you have small children. It took me many years to learn how to take time for myself. Glad your mood is on the up. Happy crocheting!
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Thanks Nicola! Yup when they’re little they can be so all-consuming, as I’m sure you recall 🙂 My littlest was at preschool today and after a big day of checking things off my list around the house yesterday, I decided it was time for some focus on ME 😀 Happy mum, happy family, after all 🙂
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I’m so happy for you that your iron deficiency problem is now solved and you can get out there and exercise. A sofa in the yard with some crochet sounds marvellous. Enjoy your knitpicks goodies!
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Thanks Tony 🙂
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That’s great that your mood has improved. I’m so pleased for you. It’s so frustrating when things slump, but I’m glad you could recognise it and that the things you put in place worked quickly. Enjoy your new mug and new wool 😊
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Thank you 🙂 ❤
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Love that mug!!!!! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Me tioo 🙂 🙂
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I love this 💜. I’ve been really off today, thank you for giving me and yourself permission to do what you need to do!
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Hey Brenna, I hope you’re feeling good this weekend and that you did something nice for yourself too 🙂 x
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I need one of those mugs!
I haven’t been able to run (or exercise at all really) since I hurt my knee last September, and it was only about a month ago I realised that was why my depression had got so bad. I’m glad you’re back to running and hopefully some day I will be too 🙂
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Gosh that is a LONG time not to be able to run when you want to, I do feel for you 😦 Also so sorry to hear you’re a fellow sufferer of depression. Wishing us both wellness and I hope you are able to run again soon x (I am prone to knee injuries but I find if I do yoga afterward for 10-20 minutes my knees stay ok, because my knee problems are related to my hips I think – I use the Yoga Studio app which has 5, 10, 15, 20 minute post run workouts)
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Hmm I wonder if I can manage yoga right now. I might give it a try. Nothing would have stopped this injury though – I was barefoot at dance class and tried to do a turn, but my foot stuck to the floor. Ow!!
I finally got a physio and she said it can get better if I’m willing to work at it, so that’s a relief 🙂
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Oh how awful for you! I just have legs that are not built for running, which is not the same as an actual injury – I really hope your work with the physio has you sorted really soon x
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