Back in Ireland: family and friends

I've been so lucky to get to spend so much time in Ireland this year. I just spent three weeks at home, and had so many catch ups with old friends (some visiting from literally the other side of the world), and lots of special family events.

I'm determined to make more of an effort to be present at special events; I've been away for too long.

Iceland

For the Summer solstice, Leo and I took a trip to Iceland. We drove a lot, up and down the West side of Iceland, and saw some incredible things. We also got to spend their independence day there and enjoy the chaos that was Iceland winning a major football match (the men's team, the women's team of course has been doing this for a long time ;) ). Ireland won on the same day, so that was really nice.

The architecture of the houses and churches, the endlessly changing landscapes, the people, the limitless hot water and swimming pools, Iceland is without a doubt one of my favourite places.

[This is a glacier on top of a volcano. We drove up to it and just stood, staring]

On the Go

I move around a lot. A few days a week, in Durham, where I have my 'own' place (and I love it), with all my bedding, most of my clothes, my own herbs and spices in the cupboard, and a stock pile of apple cider vinegar (not joking).

It used to bother me a lot, moving around so much. The day before I'd get a 'here we go again' sinking feeling and I wouldn't be able to live in the moment and just enjoy the experience of being where I was. Not looking to the past or anticipating an imagined future has been a really hard skill to develop, but I'm sort-of getting there.

Mostly it's just learned behaviour. What we repeatedly do, we become. Every five or six days, I take a plane and arrive in my new home, either at midday or at midnight. I spend a few days there, embrace whatever's going on there, then head off again. No mess, no fuss. To be honest, it took a few years to get comfortable with moving around so much. But I got there in the end.

The things I have learned so far:

Have less things

Having way less stuff means less stuff to lug around with you, less stuff to keep organised, less stuff to clutter your line of vision and make you miserable, less stuff to maintain (servicing the 'stuff' is a big part of many peoples' lives, they just don't know it)

Learn what works for you

What will make your travel and hometime your most efficient self? Learn through trial and error, and do that. I've got the timings of my train and plane down, a backpack for laptop and shoulder bag for clothes, and two simultaneous sets of cards, keys and life-admin things carefully managed so it's all where I need it when I need it. No sweat.

Don't have a lot of different types of clothes

I know 'capsule wardrobes' are a huge thing right now, and that's cool. But the logic of having less clothes, and having clothes that go with all your other clothes, is just sound logic. I think people can become a bit of a slave to the capsule wardrobe-anticipating the changeover, documenting it etc. The idea for me is to have a setup where I can think as little as possible about the clothes I will wear but know they are all adequate. 

Learn to take comfort in the simple things

You know what's beautiful? A fresh bunch of flowers, or a houseplant that requires minimal water (heathers are indestructible), a nice smell of essential oils and a cup of tea. I painted my walls white and just walking into my bright room makes me smile. Those are the things that keep you feeling ok.

Make the most of wherever you are

When I'm in Durham, there's not a lot to do I'm interested in, but there's a great folk music community, so I go to a lot of sessions. Not only am I learning loads of new tunes, but I'm meeting great people. I went to a session in someone's house last week and it was amazing-good tunes, great snacks, and a glass of Scotch to finish! Wherever you are, embrace it. Don't think of what might be or what you're missing somewhere else.

Happy Birthday Leo

My best friend in the whole world turned 30 last Wednesday. To mark the special occasion we went on a short break to France. One night in Nice, then a local bus to a beautiful old town called Vence. Sitting in the spa, reading, doing squat jumps, eating delicious local food, and generally having the most relaxing time in our gorgeous hotel and the town. It's rare that I feel sad after leaving a place, but I do miss it now. Leo doesn't care so much about birthdays, but I tried to make it enjoyable for him, and I hope it was memorable.

Good night's sleep

Unfortunately, our house is not entirely sound-proof. I have two housemates, two lovely sentient beings with their own worlds and lives. With the lack of sound insulation between rooms, simple things like Skype conversations or having friends over can really affect my sleep. With a poor night's rest comes grogginess, feeling unhappy the next day, as well as feelings of resentment, even though it may not be entirely the other person's fault. I try minimise these things, for obvious reasons.

Furthermore, traffic, drunk people, disrespectful workmen (07:30!) and just living beside a busy main road and the through-way to the train station means there is a lot of noise to deal with. I am a very light sleeper, wake often in the night, and thus any external disruptions can really wreak havoc with my day-after.

I much prefer to sleep in cool, silent, relatively dark places, so I have started employing some tools to get me the quiet rest I love and need. I'm learning how important it is to be able to insulate yourself, give yourself the things you need to be able to just get on, and be happy in your own space. 

That's where my little friends here come in. The eye mask is one from Muji Leo actually sent me when I was still living in Ireland and he had moved to England, going on five years ago. It's still going strong, even if the elastic is fraying a bit. The earplugs were well reviewed on Amazon. With this arsenal of sensory-deprivation tools, I am on track to a good night's sleep.

Sweet dreams, Ese.

Getting up early

I cannot get up early. I always stay up late, scrolling through Instagram, Whatsapping Leo, feeding my Neko Atsume cat friends, whatever it takes. I'm trying to break the last major bad habit I have, getting up, consistently, sometime between 09.00 and 10.00. I know it's ridiculous and not sustainable because before I know it I will have a job where an early rise will be essential, and I just wont be able to survive. Plus, I love the idea of being an 'early riser'. 

So here I am, committed to the cause. I was up, breakfasted and away to my work long before 09.00 this morning and it felt fantastic. I'm mostly writing this here so that if I don't stick to the schedule I'll have a public indication of my failure, and nobody wants that. I'm making a promise; to get up early and to be an early riser. I know it's easier when it's Spring and the sun is shining and you have this to look up at as you sit at your desk. But habits are formed of many small steps. Let's make it happen.

Wish me luck!

Pictures of things

My windowsill, with the Christmas plant that will not die, and Dublin, when we went for a long walk on the beach yesterday.

In between places

I'm getting into a rhythm of sorts. Monday morning, Halo taxi at 08:00, to the airport. Back in Durham by lunchtime. Unpack, do some work. Buy milk. Take a nap. Some sort of reverse culture shock because even though they're so close, they're so different. 

Living in between two places feels weird. Leo's life in Dublin is really starting to take form, and our house is so cosy there. But I really love my place in Durham too, and my life there is uncomplicated. I know what's expected of me. Given the choice I'd obviously rather be in Dublin, for now there is no alternative. So I travel back and forth, a fortnight here, a weekend there, whenever I can for as long as I can. 

I'm a very impatient person, but I'm trying my best.

 

Some things are eternally comforting. Like coming home to your own bathroom cabinet. Post on the table waiting. Doing laundry. Stocking the fridge with foods of your own choosing. The things we do to make the absences feel a little less.

Happy birthday, William Morris

My Socialist, radical, furniture-loving hero.