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Wales, United Kingdom
Documenting one couple's attempts to live a more self-sufficient life.

Friday 30 March 2012

Priorities

I haven't planted my potatoes yet, or sown many seeds. My to-do list starts with insulation, which I've been failing to do for so long that it's got past the season when it's urgent, and solar panels which I would have been really glad to have these past two sunny weeks. I have relatives visiting in just over a week, yet the house tarting up jobs I'd hoped to do by then remain undone. Why then, have I spent the last two weeks building a terrace that does not put food on the table, lower the fuel bills, or even make the place more pleasant for a family party?

Well, because I wanted to. About half way through, I did feel rather guilty about neglecting all the other, more important, jobs. Then I talked to friends about it and they said, Why shouldn't you do the jobs that you enjoy? I thought about this a while. It's true that growing food and heating the house are more important more basic needs, but appreciating beauty is important too. Having that terrace (provided that it doesn't fall down) is going to add quite a lot to my quality of life. Is that not worth doing?

Feeding the soul is just as important as feeding the belly. Granted, leave the belly empty for too long and the soul will be irrelevant, but leave the soul empty for too long and you might as well forget about the belly, as life will not be worth living.


Working to feed the soul

4 comments:

  1. The new terrace is lovely and so is the view but I want to see more of your 2CV!

    Seriously though, well done doing all that work. I'll bet the weather helped!!

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  2. Nothing better than achieving something for uplifting the soul and making work seem less like drudgery :) Well done.

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  3. I think a beauty viewing terrace (ACTUAl landscaping!) counts as house tarting up but point well made and taken. :)

    Also - shouldn't put potatoes in 'til Good Friday or after according to my mum so you're bang on schedule! xx

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  4. There I was thinking "What 2cv?" - see I'm already lazing on your terrace gazing off into the mountains....... :-)

    (By the way I have noticed it now, and wonder how I could have missed it!!)

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