Inspiration + Colour + Placement = Balance
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Feng Shui for the New Year
Having lived in Penang, it is fascinating watching Chinese friends prepare for their new year. This year the lunar new year falls on 1 February. They clear away the 'old ghosts', the last year's bad luck, by cleaning, painting and fixing and we have even seen new kitchens being installed quickly. Out with the old and in with the new. It is a wonderful celebration of renewal with red and gold everywhere and wonderful feasts. This year it is the Year of the Tiger; think of moving forward, adventure, taking risks and a leap of faith with lots of Yang active
What Sustains You?
There have been so many strange and interesting subjects that have come up and we are only sixteen days in to the year! Conversations seem to come back to what is going to sustain and support us in the coming months? Some friends are denying our new year and say they will "start in February with the Chinese and to hell with the Christian calendar, the year of the Tiger looks good with all of its forward energy and courage". Others are looking to have a different year, desperate for family, travel and other pastimes. We find music and food sustains
Is it a Spa or a Bathroom?
I love a spa for about thirty minutes and then I have had enough! Perhaps this is why I resonate with the Feng Shui practice of bathrooms not being visible, that don't encourage you to spend time there. This is fortunate, as it is also the least favourite room in our apartment. The tiles are basic and although the room functions, it isn't glamorous like previous bathrooms we have renovated. It was already installed when we bought the place and it looked like a laundry with a shower and toilet. We still wanted to add some kind of design, and retiling
Small Spaces
Leonardo da Vinci stated that, "Small rooms or dwellings discipline the mind, large ones weaken it". And who am I to argue with such a revered person and artist? We have lived in large three bedroom, double living room houses and a small Manhattan shoe box. As we enter 2022, we are finishing decorating our small French apartment where we would love every room to be bigger. This wish has generated several discussions on when do we have enough, why do we want larger spaces, what about the tiny house movement and is it all about 'keeping up with the Jones'?
Another Door, Another Year
With 2022 around the corner and the door of 2021 still open, it is curious how doors have been both physical and metaphorical this year. We had physical doors falling off, we installed interior ones, the fridge door still needs integrating and laundry doors had to be replaced. Personally, 'doors' were closed for no reason other than age which is frustrating but others opened unexpectedly. My husband stepped out of a long-term career into a new one but not without hurdles to clear. New friends opened doors and older friendships opened up even further while, sadly, other friends closed theirs. That
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
This week the Christmas markets opened and suddenly, our spirits are lifted. During the same week, I presented with others on a Woman's Alliance meeting about finding joy at this time of the year. So many are on their own due to jobs, tricky family dynamics and for other readers and we were looking to find ways of feeling part of life. This weekend were lucky to sing with a group of friends whilst other friends looked on as part of the audience, and we had dinner with another group of friends. We realized it is beginning to feel more like
Doors
We arrived in our French town this day last year and closed doors to one life, a career for my husband, a different country, and opened doors to new friends, another language, culture and way of living. I thought of this as we were having interior glass doors installed this week to provide an improved sense of light and space. My next post will be an update on doors! As Alexander Graham Bell said,"when one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has
Happy Holidays
This week I am presenting on a panel about 'Finding Joy', how we manage holiday expectations if alone due to work, location, interesting family dynamics or for any other reason; how we reach out to each other or take action to be part of the community. What is around in your town or city that is fun and gives a sense of contentment? Different colleagues will present on London, New York, Michigan and Boise, Idaho, about the wonderful events that can lift our spirits. So, if you know anyone who is alone, don't leave them hanging, invite them for coffee, dinner,
