Calm | But I Smile Anyway...

Spidey’s Serene Sundays -Part 56

13 Mar 2016 20 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Calm, Serene, Spiderman, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sundays

Right now I am pretty relaxed, as the kids allowed us a whole nights sleep, and I wasn’t out of bed until 8.45am! Amazing! Hence the slightly later posting of Spidey’s wisdom… So here goes!

“There is something you must always remember…

You are braver than you believe

stronger than you seem

and smarter than you think.”

Winnie the Pooh

Always believe in yourself… It may not seem like you are able to cope, in many situations but you’d be amazed what hidden coping mechanisms we have hidden away. It just takes the right trigger for them to show themselves.

Happy Sunday Peeps!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 54

28 Feb 2016 27 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Calm, Quotes, Serene, Spiderman, Spidey's Serene Sunday

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius

Isn’t this totally true?

I think in all aspects of life, things were simpler, then along came religion, money, power, technology, Reality TV…. You know what I mean.

See those families in tiny rural villages, away from all the mod cons of life. How happy are they?

The poorest people are often the happiest. Just look at the wide smiles on the faces of street urchins in a Bombay Slum. Then compare their expressions with those of a child from a well to do family.

Wars, terrorism, poser struggles.

All very real problems.

But only problems because we have allowed them to become problems.

Step back today. Simplify one thing. Strip back life.

See if it makes you feel better!

Have a wonderfully simplistic Sunday Peeps!

Knitting With Nancy

21 Feb 2016 40 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Calm, Hobbies, Knitting Nancy, Zen

Ok, so much as I like to be all artsy, I don’t really get much chance, so this was a lovely bonding time with my Lil Princess.

A couple of years ago, my mum gave my kids a set of Knitting Nancy dolls. I used to have one when I was younger, but I never really got into it.

What is a Knitting Nancy?

Image from Google

One of these rather interesting looking dolls! Now this photo I found on Google Images, as it looked kinda like the one I had when I was a little girl.

Lil Princess has been asking me for ages to use it, and my mum would periodically ask whether I had been able to let the kids have a go… and in all honesty, I had forgotten we had them, and squirrelled them away in my rather large art chest!

And the other thing… just a little one… I forgot how to use it!

So last week, armed with Knitting Nancy x2, wool, and my iPad (For YouTube access!) we sat down to learn how to Knit with Nancy!

It was fun ! Lil Princess was all about the Loombands craze, and the finished effect is almost like that of a loom band so her curiosity was piqued even more!

There you have a bit of the finished knitted product, hanging from the bottom of the Nancy doll.

And some rather furry child of mine got rather excited, thinking we had made something new and special for him to play with!

Lil Princess had a great go, and she has decided that she wants to make a really long one then sew it together to make a rug for her room!

All in all it was very therapeutic and I have one on the go myself, for moments where I want calm in my mind!

They say ‘Old is Gold’ and it is true you know. Some of the older crazes are fun, and it would do all our kids good if we introduced them to these, as well as all the new technology based hobbies that there are out there too!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 53

21 Feb 2016 23 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Calm, Charity, Quote, Serene, Spiderman, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sunday

“

One man practicing kindness in the wilderness is worth all the temples this world pulls.”

Jack Kerouac

I really believe this.
Just yesterday my Pops and I were talking religion… in Sikhism there is an expectation to do ‘Seva’.
This is charitable work and volunteering or donating to good causes.
Many folk who may have no time but they have the money feel it is best to give their donations to the Gurdwara.
But most gurdwaras have all they need, and then some.
Someone Pops knows said that instead of just blindly donating to the temple, it would be more beneficial, and true Seva, to give to a real needy person, or to help somewhere physically, because that kindness will never go unnoticed.
I think today’s quote really encompasses this theory.
Happy Sunday Peeps!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 52

14 Feb 2016 25 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Calm, love, Quote, Serene, Spidey's Serene Sunday, Valentines

“Pain is not love. Love flowers ; love gives without taking; love is serene and calm.” – Erika Jong

A Valentine’s day thought for you all.
May all your days be filled with love, not just this one.
Love requires no fancy presents, cards or flowers.
A daily smile, a cup of tea, being there… that’s love. Real love.
❤