‘The Nook’
~
“Darling…I have had another one of my thoughts, you know, those little creative ‘thinks’ that I tend to have…Now that I have you, what do you think about a…”
Thoughts on a snuggery had been making themselves known. They are such darn pests those ‘thinkings’ - whispering words that only I get to hear, that is unless I pass them onto my husband. Bereft of artistic activity they have been hanging around a lot recently, like a bunch of bored youths, often shouting out, verbally rude at times - stepping way over the line. Although I tell myself to ignore them, ‘to keep strong and carry on’ they are persistent.
I venture out to maunder most days and upon my return, when my weary limbs stumble their way home, I just know that the ‘thinks’ will be there, eager to harass me. And, as I step through the wooden gate to cross the patio, they never fail to dish out unsolicited advice:
“You need a chilling place.”
“You need to wind down more.”
“You need to just be still for a while.”
“Old lady, slow down…How old d’you think you are these days? Have you stopped to check in a mirror recently?”
Thanks guys, thank you. By the way, you need to practise some manners. Now go and bother someone else, I’ve got things to do. But they never do. I am well aware that my physical body is growing increasingly tired with age, however, my rambles make me happy so I will happily plod on - they help to keep myself and my dogs active and healthy. That said, I had been finding the thought of just kicking off my boots, there and then, as soon as I got home, most appealing. I needed a chair, a comfy chair, set up and ready in place. What I didn’t need was another ‘think’ waiting to nag away at me.
So, what is a snuggery? You may well ask. It’s a kind of nook, a den of sorts, though I hasten to add, it is not a den of iniquity. I had been dreaming of a hippie-ish kind of relaxation area, a ‘NO PHONE ZONE’ - complete with buddha, wind chimes, water feature, spiritual music and colourful lights. You see I am feeling more and more crone-like these days and maybe that’s down to the effects of the past winter, though I guess it’s more likely to be a combination of things. I confess that the grey in those days did little to inspire; creative enthusiasm was scarce and well rationed. There were the odd few occasions where I would find myself standing still, staring out from a window in the hopes that I might catch a moment of beauty. The tumbling mist that rolled down from the hills beyond, the robin redbreast, hopping merrily, freshly sated and full of curiosity, contented with the life that was his. I find mist gothically mysterious, simultaneously enchanting whilst unnerving and the sight of that little bird never fails to induce a smile. Once that smile is in position, I can make my way downstairs to enjoy a little breakfast before I start the day…even if it is just another grey day, one of many that winter insists we endure. In the warmer months it is different for I can bounce, sadly on grey days this ball needs inflating.
Excuse me a moment, I am rudely interrupted by a ‘think’…
“What now? Can’t you see I’m busy writing?”
“You need to go and live somewhere warmer.”
“Thanks for the advice but I don’t.”
So, back to ‘The Nook’ and how it all came about…
Firstly, we purchased several hazel hurdles to secure along our eastern border, some six feet in height, others four. These not only provide privacy but allow precious light to pass through. The hurdles were a bit of a stress test to be honest due to initial purchase problems stemming from an unprofessional transportation service. Having been asked to be at home in order to receive delivery, we were updated with locations and estimated timings. However, eventually our order became lost in transit and we were refunded. The second company were far better. Although their products were more expensive they were of a higher quality and delivered on time. The manual work was somewhat tasking due to having to safely secure them into a level position. Six foot hazel hurdles are heavy and at times my husband’s hands bled from the numerous scratches that he endured. Having toiled away for a couple of days, the full body workouts wiped us out but it was worth it. The hardest part, by far, was getting them level. One by one they were positioned into place and secured with a wire, twisted tightly from the speed of a drill. They are surely going nowhere soon. May I further note that we had them treated with a protective coating and although this cost a little extra, we believe it is definitely beneficial.
It was with a strong sense of achievement that I proudly placed my buddha into position. It sits in a typical fashion, next to the side of a bamboo plant whose foliage looks a little brow beaten having taken a bit of a beating from harsh winds and storms - hopefully, it will now have an opportunity to recover. The fountain has been cleaned, its motor attached. Bunting flaps around in the breeze, dancing to the song from the chimes. A chiminea stands in situ following years of abandonment, ashamedly unappreciated, remorsefully underused. Trusted and guaranteed, a string of lights add that perfect finishing touch.
In reality, with any new project there is always room for improvement. After sharing our thoughts and opinions we both noted that a cold breeze passed through gaps in the hurdle weave; it was enough for us to need a blanket for our legs. Even though the fire worked well, one cannot sit on top of it, thus back to the drawing board it was. Although it is important for us that we still see into the adjoining field (where sheep often graze and the birds play chase and tag) the winds in their whistle and whine kind of way, undoubtedly affected the comfort of the area, at times in a “Hold on to your hat Myrtle! Shall we head indoors dear?” - kind of way. What we needed were windbreaks; thus, we purchased two lengths of canvas fabric, one in red the other green, both having UV resistant and fire retardant coatings. Once again we dropped on a fantastic company, one we would highly recommend - in fact we have already placed an order for a length of blackout material to make a sun screen for in the conservatory.
I digress! The windbreaks - we set about this next task trusting that the sewing machine would work its magic. A nip to town followed in order to purchase an eyelet tool and voila; before we knew it the windbreaks were secured perfectly into place!
So there we have it. We are now looking forward to reaping the benefits of our hard work. With the weather improving we should now be able to enjoy sunny afternoons and balmy evenings. May we sit inside the silence, broken only by the buzz of a bumblebee. May we sleepily catch the flight of a butterfly from the corner of our eye. We could choose to read, to write or do a puzzle, all in our cosy little nook, extra special because it has been designed and created by the two of us. One hopes that it will become a place full of pleasant memories, all stemming from that initial ‘think’ plus we have an added bonus - our two little pooches love chilling out there too!
So here’s to the comfort of ‘The Nook’ - may it be used on a regular basis. And should the weather have other ideas, I say bring it on because we’re not going anywhere…and neither is my chair.
Mrs WH