Picture this: Its Friday afternoon & I’m longing for the end of the workday (as one does).  My mind wanders towards the weekend & I flip through my mental diary… nothing comes to mind.  Not trusting my memory I check all the usual places; facebook events, BB/Google calendar, notebook. Nothing. *Sigh-of-rejoicing-relief* I have a Saturday with no plans!

I LOVE weddings & beach trips & tea with friends, coffee with friends, cake with friends… even the occasional walk on the mountain ~ Saturday things.  I love to fill my days, but too often I look at a weekend & wonder to myself, “Where is the gap?! When can I stop?”.  The prospect of falling asleep that Friday wondering what Saturday would hold; what adventure, what delights, what creativity what friends, was indeed blissful.

This is about that Saturday.

My patient husband (who is not a big shopper) agreed to walk around Milnerton Market with me.  This gem of a car boot sale has provided me with an awesome typewriter & some great old sewing patterns in the past, as well as some small household furniture.

Here are some of the great stalls & awesome things you can pick up:

Did I mention my penchant for old things?

You MUST stop for a pastry at Rosa’s if you go to the market. The custard danishes are my favorite, but everything looks delicious!

There were lots of things on sale that made me want to make things. Knowing full well that I am a hoarder, I restricted myself to a few old coins, but things like this make me daydream of the things I (or someone super-crafty) could make.

With the after lunch part of my no plans Saturday, I *finally* got around to doing some baking. I used to bake all the time before I was a ‘grown up’ & all my free time magically disappeared.

I also made red pepper humus & a roast chicken dinner with the works that afternoon, clearly it was an ambitious day!

The kitchen is (mostly) a happy place for me, & I am working on my life at the moment, trying to make more space for the things that actually matter, & things give me joy.  I find its all too easy to let the chores & the admin & the obligations take over.  Which, now that I think about it, is probably why I have so few free Saturdays in the first place.  So I am trying to remind myself that I get to decide what to do with my time, & that despite feeling like I have no time – I can indeed make time.  Make time to rest, & to read. Time to just sit & think. Time to make things, & to call people, & to spontaneously visit your family.

What would you do if you had more free time?  Should you be making time for it? You don’t need to tell me, but perhaps remind yourself.

Incidentally, the Saturday I speak of is also the day I started this blog.  A dream I’d had for a long time; having a reason to write regularly & a space to air the things I mull over.

Good things happen when I make time for them. I wonder what happens next…