Unusual

awareness quote

I’m happily back at home from my trek/road trip to Plettenberg Bay on my own in my little car, and feeling gratitude for my safe trip. I’m also pleased that my son Mike willingly spent several hours formatting the WIP after I had worked at even more editing while in Plett. I think it is almost ready for the next step. 

Some weeks ago, here at home in Morningside, Johannesburg, I walked to my friend’s home one Saturday afternoon to play bridge (a newly revived interest). It was unusual to make the walk – it wasn’t just around the corner – it was quite a fair way. While walking I thought of doing at least one unusual thing each week. Which helped in my making the decision to drive to Plett the following week – two weeks ago today. This fell into the category of unusual.

I left home  2 Thursdays ago around 6.00 a.m., overnighted in Graaff Reinet, left about 9.00 in the morning, had breakfast some hours later in Willowmore, omelettedrove through the mist of the Outeniqua Pass,

outeniqua

stopped in at my sister in the Wilderness for tea and got to Plett about 5.00 p.m.  Rain on Saturday. I rested though started fashioning something from egg cartons soaked in boiling water and flour. I went with my son and lady friend to Harkerville for a hike on Sunday. Below is a view point.

me mike harkerville

The week was unusual, come Monday. Always I would wake early and step onto the bedroom balcony to check the sunrise. I went to bed fairly early and woke early, made tea and from my bed in utter comfort I worked on the WIP. I would make coffee a little while later, and would continue working from my bed. 

sunriseplett

The week flew by. I saw a few people. I walked on the Robberg Beach with my sister who came through from the Wilderness about an hour away.plett

Mostly I worked on the manuscript. Made some walks into town to have my car cleaned, another time to have my hair cut – up hill and down dale, necessary exercise.

I left Plett on Friday afternoon to overnight at my sister an hour away. Such a lovely evening with her grandsons and Elizabeth my niece and her husband. liam

That’s my sister’s husband on the sofa – with TV control where it always is –

I left the Wilderness on Saturday morning, around 9.00. Earlier sunrise from the  Wilderness balcony. That’s the mist that accompanied me for the next several hours.

sunrise sisI overnighted in Springfontein, in a charming garden cottage on a farm. Golly those stars at night; I can’t remember when I last saw such a night sky. That Milky Way. Those bright glowing stars. I wish I’d attempted a photo –

I left really early on Sunday – my windscreen was thoroughly iced. Several jugs of water from the tap to de-ice in the complete dark. It was totally freezing. I arrived home at 1.00, tired but very happy to be home and sweetly looked after by my husband.

I thought some more on the road trip of aiming to do something unusual each week. I have already. I walked to the gym close-ish by me earlier this week to enquire about yoga classes. It makes more economic sense to sign up for the gym and attend yoga classes included in the ‘deal’. My husband and I are seeing Zanele tomorrow late afternoon to discuss it all. He also wants to join! Not for yoga, but you never know! So, if we join, believe me, this will be extremely unusual. And my unusual something for the week.

Thanks for reading! Hope this finds you all well & safe. May the Force be with you.

43 Comments on Unusual

  1. Looking again through email, I didn’t receive notification of your three most recent posts, Susan. Hmmm… Tell me if I should subscribe again because this is UNUSUAL–and may be happening to others, too. Unless someone sends out constant blogs (which you don’t), I love being reminded.

    Unusual. Let me think. I live with lots of routine right now. I reached out to a friend who is a grief therapist and we have a new October bereavement workshop designed and accepted at hospice. Jean and I are in the process of seeing if other Jung Centers are interested in our workshop. I’m writing about new surprising topics which I hadn’t planned, but my dreams and a few synchronicities say yes. So I said yes and I’m well into it.

    I love the photos. What a breakfast! What a beach!

    • Hi Elaine, i honestly don’t know what’s going on – I definitely responded to your comment already a while back and it hasn’t appeared – likewise on my more recent (though a while back) post …

      Belated thanks .. and yes to all who you are and do …

  2. What a nourishing and nurturing time away, Susan. I loved the photos. Your post warmed and touched my heart.

  4. I was trying to concentrate on all the unusual things that happened during the week, but I kept going back to have a look at your breakfast. It looks absolutely delicious. 🙂

    • Thanks Bun for coming by – it makes me hungry just looking at it again. That one didn’t put a foot wrong – no mis-step there –

  5. Beautiful pictures susan and liked the unusual things you did to bring in awareness and come back home with happiness…. for me there are too many things happening and dealing with the stress left me exhausted and I was forced to visit the doctor(some congestion with fever) and now slowly in the process of recovering… hope to get back to writing and posting…. its always nice to read your post, its interesting 🙂 love and hugs to you !

    • So sorry to hear you’ve not been well Genevieve. It really can throw one yet at the same time allow for reflection on that messenger of illness. I hope the recovery process is going well and that you find a way to make time precious time for your precious self. Take time out to get back to you … I’m sending you love and well wishes for complete recovery and finding that balance …

  6. What a lovely and fun experience exploring and visiting different areas. I LOVED your pictures to see your countryside. Road trips are fun, I’m glad you get to do them! HUGS!

  7. Hi,
    So happy to hear that stepping away and letting go was refreshing. I think it was actually healing that your soul needed. The chance to admire the sky and see it from another advantage point in another place. But also to enjoy your son and his lady friend and to be with your sister and her family. Sometimes the only time that we can think clearly and realise how blessed we are is when we are taken out of our element and put somewhere else, if only for a short while.
    Welcome back. I’m glad you’re home.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Patricia

    • Thank you Patricia. You put it so well – being out of our element is definitely a bonus in terms of our being able to see things more clearly and to actually that real sense of gratitude.

      Shalom to you, Susan.

  8. Thank You, Susan! I’m doing well, and better than I had expected! This late afternoon, I am going to finish some repairs in my house. Just a small and easy job. Joe.

  9. I did the unusual may 3 to may7, and again july 12 to july 14 by being in the hospital with congestive heart failure. The docs quickly tuned me up and got me running like the “battery energizer.” commercial. On the day of my hospital discharge, the 14th, I went to the grocery for supplies and made chicken soup for me & Anita . Nice to be home again. Is it not so usual that all of us, time and again, get enthusiastic about doing the right health things, and also usual that we also need to give ourselves slack with relief from effort? I am having the usual merry-go-round guilt trips on this topic

    • Joseph I’m really sorry to hear this. And hope that you’re well on the mend. Chicken soup is the best thing in the world as is rest and love, humour and light reading. A gentle walk or two some lovely classical music Anita by your side and may all be very well very soon. Sending you very best wishes Joseph.

  10. Hi Susan – I used to love the trips I made through South Africa … so your photos brought back memories of yore … while the omelette made me think about ostriches and eggs …

    I’m glad you’re reaching beyond your normal boundaries – I must do the same … still I get up and go occasionally and always have done …

    I do find things work out if they are pondered upon first – I used to do a lot of that when I was driving around … now I don’t do so much – but with the new hip must take it on some jaunts along the coast! I might bring the other one with me too??!!

    Take care and this was a lovely post … peaceful journeyed one … cheers Hilary

    • Lovely to hear from you Hilary, thank you! I know you’re a great traveller, and that your hip will not prevent you on continuing (and take them both along).

      I saw ostriches everywhere in the fields. Such strange looking creatures.

      What do you think of Theresa May’s nomination of her new cabinet … I wish her well. And all of Britain.

      Have a lovely weekend 🙂

  11. I love traveling and exploring! A friend of mine asked me if I owuld like to present in Warschau this fall. I would love to travel there and explore things on my own again as I did when I was still single but there is that ugly money issue… Still I can not complain, i live a very good life. But glad you are taking us along with you 😉

    • Thanks Susanne and for coming along for the ride 🙂 Yes, we are so fortunate in so many ways, unlike so many in our tragic world. Maybe Warsaw will unfold for you … take the opportunity if you can. Have a lovely weekend!

  12. Dear Susan;
    Doing something unusual each week is quite a challenge. Your trip sounds so well balanced and thoughtful. Given the world tragedies what else is there but to make it continue…

  13. Lovely – also quite brave going it alone! Had a little giggle – it took me quite a few minutes to figure out WIP!! Doing an unusual thing weekly feels like a plan. Thanks for the nudge x

  14. I love road trips, Susan, and if I had a car I would be driving down to North Carolina to see my daughter — it’s a day’s drive. Only, if I could, I would make it longer by stopping at Thomas Jefferson’s two Virginia homes — Monticello and Poplar Forest, the latter in the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills. My daughter lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains foothills, too, in N.C., the Piedmont area. I find it such a joy to share your South African road trip and with all those beautiful photos. What a wonderful journey you had — inner and outer. Thank you for sharing it with us.

    • Thank you Samantha for coming along with me! I can imagine you making a similar trip from where you are going south and loving the inner and outer experience. Have a lovely weekend 🙂

  15. This post was comforting to read, providing a pause in our moving process.

    I admire your walking habit and the heart-shaped breakfast food. You have all the ingredients to nurture you manuscript. I am looking forward to getting back to mine.

    • Thanks Marian, I’m glad it was cause for pause.The time WILL come when you will feel lighter, brighter, looser, freer. It’s a HUGE thing to move, downsize and all, but so worth it! Time for your own mss for one!

  16. I like that ‘unusual’ goal. I’m trying to stretch what’s normal for me also, though in my case, it meant walking to dog daily instead of yearly.

    What a fun trip. Going alone–you’re way outside my comfort zone. I am traveling to El Paso alone, but by plane, knowing my son will meet me at the airport. Not too adventurous, is it?

    • Thanks Jacqui. Good on walking the dog daily instead of yearly 🙂 Have fun in El Paso and re-meeting with your son … reminds me of that old country song.

  17. It looks like you had a wonderful, if unusual, time away. It sounds very peaceful.
    From your photos, I can see more of why S. Africa was voted most beautiful country (or whatever that was).
    Good luck with the gym! I belong to a gym and go nearly every day.

    • Thanks Merril. Yes, it was a special time being down at the sea in a beautiful part of the world. Thanks for good wishes re the gym – we’ll see. Am just hoping that the yoga classes are good …

  18. Thank you for taking us along on your trip, at least in a dream style memory. The photos made it real. Happy for the wonderful time you had. I sense a great deal of self discovery.

      • Well, my initial effort (eating a hot sauce I usually avoid) led to a blistery lip!! I am not giving up, though.

        Thank you for your good wishes. We have been in survival mode for a few months. It’s not clear if we will win.

        • Eek, re blistery lip!

          Thank you for letting me know re health issues of your family member. I know who she is – and I really hope Beth that she becomes well, soon. May something unusual happen so that the tide turns in her favour.

  20. I like your use of “overnighted.” It’s unusual and original and effective. I don’ t know that “afternooned” or “morninged” would work as well.It’s fun to invent words.

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