Facebook reminded me this morning that – on this day last year – I wrote an almost upbeat post after what felt like months (years) of wallowing.
I’ve been thinking lately about the small things that make me happy – getting my house cleaned last week (ie. having a clean house), having my lawn freshly-mown, relief I work-from-home and don’t need to travel to work in this constant rain. Not to mention the relief (that) I have a job.
Today I decided I’m ‘halfway happy’ and have been pondering whether they outweigh the negative stuff. For me at the moment it’s guilt over my lack of exercise, unhealthy dietary habits, general malaise when I should just be doing ‘more’.
I’m not great at living in the moment obviously and I’ve talked about that here ad nauseam.
Instead I try to find things I think will bring me joy. Sadly I’m usually all about instant gratification. Chocolate, chips, wine and so forth. But at the moment I’m also fantasising about breeze blocks.
Yes, you read that right. I have a bit of a fetish for those 1970s breeze (white Besser) blocks and contemplating how I could inexpensively add some features around the outside of my house to cheer me up. Not too many as I realise it’s a ‘trend’ and I don’t want to go over-the-top; but I think they’ll give my (fairly sterile external) a bit of a coastal feel. So I’m thinking of a little feature wall or similar here or there. Maybe.
And then there’s the notion of updating my bathroom – the family one I use with the bathtub, rather than the ensuite to my bedroom. A new bath and basin and cabinet. Tiles that don’t look like they were chosen when Dynasty (the original)** was popular on TV. Perhaps.
Of course there are more practical things to be done… like replacing a dodgy side patio and tidying up my gardens which REALLY should come first.
However, then I wonder, while the market here is ridiculously good if I should put my place on the market and move closer to town in the hope I’d be more sociable and less apathetic in general. But – I’ve gone over the pros and cons of that a number of times and am really not sure I want to lose my privacy and peace and quiet even if it means I get out and about more.
No doubt these things will continue to marinate around my little mind until I either act on them, or am distracted by some other pretty thing, or dark cloud.
But until then… I really need to revisit Pinterest for breeze block and bathroom ideas. Which reminds me… is Pinterest still a thing I wonder?
* I talked about being ‘halfway happy’ following reference to it in Stranger Things a season or two ago.
** My house was only built in 2009 so loooong after the original Dynasty.
July 5, 2022
Good to know you are feeling this and writing about it! “Full on happy” is so momentary…half way happy is seeing some joy & liking your life while understanding your (mine too!) default can be seeing all the things that are wrong…loved reading …do the Reno you want to be more comfy but seek an agents advice re over capitalising.
July 5, 2022
Yes, I think I could do a couple of breeze block feature thingys quite easily and cheaply. I’m not sure if I could incorporate it into the patio area redesign. I keep putting that off as I realise it’s something a new owner might have strong feelings over. The current design makes no sense and I don’t know what the owners were thinking when they built. (It’s hard to describe!)
And the bathroom update would solely be for my pleasure…
PS. Fixed up the you/him.
July 5, 2022
Being halfway happy is better than the alternative! Love the old style Besser bricks, if you can manage to add a few walls in then go for it!!
July 6, 2022
We had the ugly grey ones used for a barbeque back in the 70s but I like the beach-y feel of the white decorative ones.
July 6, 2022
It’s good to hear you’re looking for those happy things! I have honestly absolutely ZERO idea about what breeze blocks are. Something to protect from wind? What I do know is that Pinterest is alive and kicking.. I’m planning to use it as my main social media platform (whether or it should be categorised as that) for my future business.. not only because Facebook has blocked me from their business platform for no reason.
July 6, 2022
Ugh re Facebook Susanne. I actually used to have (still have perhaps) almost 5000 followers on Pinterest because I used to post motivational and funny memes on there. (I think my Pinterest account is @Schmiet as my diet blog was the bigger of the two back then.) I started to add book reviews at one stage but got lazy… It’s great for imagery and inspiration though.
And yes, breeze blocks offer ‘some’ privacy but because they’ve got holes they allow air / breeze. We used to call them Besser Blocks or Bricks when I was young but I know the white version came back into vogue as some retro thing a couple of years ago. I realise they’re a trend or fad so I wouldn’t go overboard with them but like the idea of a couple of features outside. I’m not sure if they’re load-bearing or structural so would need to be careful what I used them for.
July 8, 2022
Go for it I say. They remind me of childhood holidays on the Gold Coast for some reason! I think being half way happy does negate the negative stuff. Good that you’re recognising the simple stuff that bring you joy too. Hope you have a great July!
July 8, 2022
Thanks Min. Yes… there’s something coastal about the breeze blocks I think.
July 12, 2022
Hi Deb – I’m a bit late to the party but made it! I laughed at the breeze block desire – my Nana had the 1950’s version at her house and I used to spend hours throwing/bouncing a tennis ball at them to see if I could get it stuck in the holes (small childhood pleasures!) Our house was built in 2006 and I keep seeing bathroom renos on TV that start me wondering about updates – my husband rolls his eyes and refuses to go to display homes because he knows that if the ball starts rolling it may never stop! Good luck with your marinating – and halway happy is pretty good in these weird times. x
July 12, 2022
I was actually looking through some old saved Instagram images on my account and found some breeze block pics I’d saved from 2018 so they’ve been ‘back’ in vogue for a while I guess. I’m conscious of course that they’ll go out of style most likely so wouldn’t want to overdo them.
And yes, the bathroom reno is probably a bit of a stretch. I don’t ‘need’ it. I doubt it’d mean I’d over-capitalise but probably need to think about it a little more before I do anything. (And be sure I’m going to stay here to benefit from it!)