Solitude

There's something really special about having quiet time at the cottage. Since it has been so busy lately (see my earlier post), having time just to do things without being interrupted, to not have to rush to get things done inbetween commitments, to not have a day filled with routine and schedules is really, really delightful. I can do what I want, when I want and for as long as I want. Sounds rather indulgent, doesn't it?

I actually associate the cottage with family-time. And this vacation will have some of that too (friends and family will be popping in here and there through-out my stay). But for the most part, I've got the place to myself.  And I've got plenty with me to keep me busy:

I brought a couple Victorian lit books to keep up with Item # 2 on my 2011 To Do List. I'm currently reading Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, and next will be A House To Let (1858) which is a collection of short stories edited by Charles Dickens.
And speaking of Dickens, I brought with me the 2009 BBC series Little Dorrit. It's got to be my favourite of the period dramas and is perfect to knit to, since I've already watched it in it's entirety twice. 
I've started a Feather & Fan Shawl. This should help deplete my wool stash, but with 390 stitches to cast on and knit row by row, it's going to take awhile. Thankfully the pattern repeats are simple, and I think I might have just enough yarn, even if I did cast on with the wrong colour. (sigh!). I also brought a box of David Lewis material  to appraise. I haven't made a whole lot of progress with the appraisal process of DEL's scrapbooks since my last post on the other blog but my goal is to get through the first box this week. I've got 5 of 12 volumes appraised,  and with some time to dedicate to it, I think the rest can be done.
I also brought my bike and my swimsuit. I plan to use both this week. In fact, I'm considering a swim as soon as I get back to the cottage - it's been hot and humid these last couple of days and a swim would be refreshing (as long as I've got my watershoes on!). I've been hesitating with the bike as there are hills everywhere, and I'm intimidated by the hills. We'll see....
I brought my journal. I'm about as faithful to journalling as I am to blogging, and so have some thoughts to put down to paper as well as to put up here on the internet.

Who knows how much I'll get done, but I've got lots to keep me occupied should I wish to be occupied. This week isn't so much about being busy as enjoy the quiet and opportunity to not be busy!  I'm not going to lie to you, the first afternoon on my own at the cottage was not spent in the sunshine by the lake, it was spent on the cot sleeping! (That other delight of the cottage!)

My solitude has been broken up a few times today, first by telemarketers (4 today! ugh!), and a door-to-door Jehovah's Witness. The latter was completely unexpected (as you can imagine), and his knock just about startled me out of my flipflops! I had my back to the door hulling strawberries at the kitchen counter when he knocked; and thought initially maybe he was a friend of my grandparents until I saw the tell-tale "Watchtower"+ Bible in hand. I politely declined his offer for literature to read on my vacation (seriously!?); and tried to shoo him away without being rude.


Well, that's it from me for today. I'll probably pop back here later to post more before the end of the week. As much as I love being unplugged, I also enjoy being able to plug in and catch-up on the blog.

P.S. Forgive any grammar, spelling mistakes. I'm on my netbook and find it tricky using the smaller keyboard. I'm also not doing my typical read-over to check for typos and edit my post (which is why this one is longer than most). 
P.P.S Pictures will follow later.