With dire warnings of climate catastrophes hanging over us and the upcoming UK elections, with the results ushering in who knows what calamitous state of affairs, my brain is desperately seeking a ray of light to get me through this darkest of months. So, I came over all Julie Andrews and decided to compile a list of some of my favourite things to cheer myself up. The good news is that it really wasn’t hard. Here is the list, in no order whatsoever.
1. Coffee with a friend. What could be nicer than chatting with a friend over a proper cup of coffee? Maybe chatting with a friend over a proper cup of coffee and a flapjack.
2. Choral music sung in a church. I know, I’ve gone on about this before, but I have recently been to an Evensong service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor and it really was sublime. Even for an unreconstructed atheist such as myself.
3. Plants in the house. They look amazing. Who was it who said that books do furnish a room? Well, the same could be said of plants. They complete the picture perfectly and they clean the air. My only problem with plants is remembering to water them, although apparently more plants die of overwatering than neglect, so mine are probably quite lucky. In fact, the spider plant is madly having babies. I’m not sure if this is a sign of health or a cry for help.
4. Wes Anderson films. I am such a fan of Wes Anderson that I resolved in January to watch all his films during the course of the year, in the order they were made. We did achieve this, in the company of our Wes-Anderson-loving friends, although not quite in order. Unanimously we decided that The Grand Budapest Hotel was his masterpiece, so we saved the best until last. Rushmore was an enjoyably bizarre surprise.
5. Visiting a new country. Uzbekistan was remarkable.
6. Being at home on a Friday night, relaxing in front of the fire with a sloe gin and tonic in my hand and Gogglebox on the TV. Sigh.
I think we might make it through after all.
You forgot marauding friends and communing with Reality. 🙂
That goes without saying.
Thank you for that smile!
I would have to add having my partner in crime and my fur babies. I simply must have a mog or three.