Notes from my garden haven
Welcome to my journal entry for 4 September. Take a quiet moment, settle in with a warm cup of tea, and join me as I share a little glimpse into how my garden office has blossomed into the most tranquil writing retreat.
Settling into the comfy armchair
I try to write every day but rarely manage it. I find myself daydreaming (which has been a thing since school – a long time ago), with so many thoughts going through my head but then I don’t take the time to write them down, I just carry on with what I am doing. I am going to make a conscious effort to write these random thoughts down and hope that at some point they will become helpful.
I do work full time; family life is calm but busy and I do a lot of projects as a Rotarian for my local community. But writing is my happiest place, losing myself with nothing distracting me, or calling for my attention. I just wish I had more time to do it!
During Covid, my wonderful husband built me a ‘garden office’ which is basically a wooden shed but it is insulated and has electricity in there. I have used it on and off since then, even when work returned to normal, I decided to remain working from home rather than a local office. It was only me in the office anyway, so location didn’t really matter, and the view from my shed window has always been pretty good!
Anyway, since my daughter left home, we have converted her bedroom into a working office, which is where I spend most of my weekdays. When I do get time, I also write in there but lately it has been getting more difficult to separate the two. So, over the bank holiday I emptied my shed, had a good sort out – no idea how I had that much stuff in there – and gave it a lick of paint. I have put a smaller desk in for my sewing machines and a comfy chair, instead of my old office chair. I did get a foldaway chair for when I need a higher one. My old writing bureau had a wipe over and clear out and is now ready for my next writing adventure.
I also put a new bookcase in with some draws for all the art supplies, I didn’t realise how much I had, so that when the mood takes me I can do some painting – not that I am any good at it but I do enjoy it. Plus, my daughter Emma is the artist and likes to potter when she has time. A lovely warm throw and pillow, what more could a girl need?
Now it is finished I am really pleased with the result. It is a calm and relaxing place to be, listening to our pond’s waterfall and the birds chirping in our loreals, if I cannot get inspired here, I don’t think I could anywhere.
My 2-year-old granddaughter called by yesterday, I hadn’t taken her down to my new office as I wanted to have it finished. Well, her reaction was priceless. She jumped straight into the comfy chair and curled up. She then decided to leave me a picture on my whiteboard and says she likes it. Every time she went into the garden yesterday, she disappeared into my shed, so I think she is happy with it.
