How does cruising fit in with the idea of a simple life? Well, I see people choosing to live the simple life that suits them, where and when that may be. Some people are able (and want) to lead sustainable, self-sufficient lives, others may make small changes to their lives, some want to 'go green'. For us, we have slowed down and now appreciate life far more. We are mindful how we spend money, we certainly don't waste it, and we are not tempted by the materialistic consumerism that is all around us. We try to grow some of our vegetables, we cook from scratch whenever possible, and we try not to waste unnecessarily. We mend and repair, and use whatever skills we have around the home. We do what we can and what we feel comfortable doing, and we are happy with our choices and decisions.
Having said that, we also believe that when opportunities come along, they should be taken. We both enjoy travelling - it's in N's blood - and we both acknowledge that the time may come when we are not able to travel as much as we can at present. N has worked long and hard to save for his retirement, and I always knew that travelling would be part of that retirement, and that's absolutely fine with me. Because the cruise is last-minute, the price was a bargain. So we are packing. We have cruised before, and find it a wonderful way of seeing many different countries, and experiencing varying cultures and sights.
So I've now got a very long list of things that have to be done by Saturday. I'm like a woman possessed! Frantic is a word that springs to mind. I'm still trying to finish the undercoating in the hallway (just a doorframe to go, but I think the newel posts would benefit from a second coat, as they take a lot of wear and tear), and that's not a job that can be rushed. I'm trying to finish a wall-hanging for my future DIL's birthday (Sunday). I've been looking for a casual jacket for a while now, and found one today in one of the charity shops for a good price, but the sleeves need shortening and I want to brighten the jacket up with different buttons and maybe a big colourful flower, and perhaps some braid on the pockets. So that's another job to be done as I'd quite like to take it away with me. There's still the house to be cleaned (just in case we have a viewing, lol), bags to be packed and a million and one other things. Like I said, no panic at all =:-o.
Oh, and I managed to bake some shortbread biscuits this afternoon, and judging by that fact that only half are left, I guess they passed N's taste test!
The recipe for these biscuits is so simple - 6oz flour, 4oz marg/butter and 2 oz castor sugar. Just cream the marg and sugar together in a bowl, then add the flour and mix together with a spatula until it forms a stiff dough. Turn out onto a floured surface. Usually I roll the dough out and use a cutter to make the biscuits, but this time I rolled the dough into a sausage, and sliced rounds off, about 1/4 inch thick. Then I rolled each slice flat to about 5cm diameter (sorry for the mix and match of measurements!) - this way, I didn't have any offcuts to keep rolling out over and over; all the dough was used straightaway. Place on a greased baking tray and bake in oven at 180 degrees C, Gas No 3-4, until golden brown.
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