The only news this week has been of the protests surrounding the BLM movement. I have seen so many people expressing their opinions on blogs, instagram and other social media platforms, and I have decided I am not going to do this. Not because I don’t believe speaking up is the only way to move forward, I do, but currently I’m struggling. I agree wholeheartedly that we live in a racist society, and I agree that action is required. But I’m finding it difficult to get comfortable with the amount of violence and destruction that goes hand in hand with protesting. I’m not stupid, I realise there is not one cause in history that hasn’t required force to serve justice. Perhaps, what saddens me the most is the realisation that we haven’t evolved at all.
Day 71 - 77 (Week 11)
This week brought the news that I shall be returning to work on the 22nd June. Therefore, that makes this the penultimate instalment of Isolation of a Self-confessed Introvert.
I think my feelings of going back to the office are mixed. On the one hand resuming some sort of normality will be good, on the other I categorically do not want to go. I think this goes some way to proving that being slightly introverted can be an advantage and a disadvantage. I am comfortable with endless time on my hands to spend at home, but I have become anxious about the outside wall and what used to be normal.
Though, I can’t imagine ‘normal’ will ever fully return. Will being cautious have become so ingrained in us that we frantically wash our hands singing ‘Happy Birthday’ for the rest of our lives…maybe!
With my return imminent I decided it was time to start the decorating and DIY I had been outing off for the last 10 weeks. This is the thing with unlimited time, it passes by really really fast. I almost couldn’t believe I had been pondering painting my bedroom for 70 days and still hadn’t even looked at paint colours. Anyway, it turns out my procrastination actually paid off as the weather this week has returned to grey clouds and Cornish mizzle. Definitely not sunbathing weather, but ideal for staying indoors and painting, sanding and filling and drilling holes.
Of course though there would be one catch, the Deluxe paint mixing lab at my local Homebase was out of order. So I spent a couple of days trying to find some similar colours. Happy with what I had decided upon I drove out to pick it up. However, as I was approaching the turning for Homebase a thought struck me that i should just go in and double check the machine was still not working, and would you believe it my luck was in! The mix lab was fully functional and I was able to get my paint that I originally wanted, I took this as a win. But the real win came when I got to the till. I thought the wood paint I had had mixed was £15, I’d thoroughly read all the pricing labels but the lady at checkout was charging me £21. I of course queried this, and she went off to check. She returned and said the price sticker was a little damaged and perhaps unclear, she would only charge me £15. She said this with a little smile, and I left happy and completely certain that the sticker had definitely not been damaged.
Back home it was time to take down my shelves, start taping up the edges of the wall and ceiling and remove the wardrobe door ready for sanding. The walls took 2 coats, and once it was dry I was able to put the shelves back up and add some fairy lights around the top. Then it was time to sand down the door, fill in the holes made by the old handle ready to be replaced with a knob and get painting. After the first coat of wood paint I was worried it wasn’t going to look that great but thankfully it only took one more to get it right.
All in all, it took me 3 days from start to finish and I’m super happy with how it turned out. I’m so glad what I had envisaged actually came together well.
Now it’s time for me to start reorganising my little reading nook. I’m not repainting this area, just moving some furniture and wall hangings around and purchasing a larger bookcase. Watch this space!
In other, none decorating news. I received my first 4 book bundle from Preloved Books Box this week. This is a monthly subscription idea that I absolutely love!! Over 320 million books go to landfill each year and I think this is a fabulous way to reduce this number.
I believe there's something quite unique about a used book, their scarred surfaces and ragged pages hold a certain charm. As much as I love a new book, I often think that the marks and stains on a preloved book tell their own story. A story that shows the possibility that the reader couldn't put it down whilst they ate or took a bath. That the crumpled pages might have been caused by cramming it into a bag so that it could go everywhere with them; and a wrinkled spine the proof of how many times those pages have been turned.
Just spreading a little more bookish magic!
References:
Monthly Book Subscription - Preloved Books Box
Book Review - The Switch by Beth O’Leary
Current Read - Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce
Movie - Uncle Buck
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