Learning To Indulge

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As I began writing this entry, the clouds were silvery grey, and the wind was crisp. Two cats sat with me in the room, emanating a calm from which I always draw inspiration, while the third one decided to snuggle up to my daughter in her bed. It was pure indulgence to sit and enjoy the silence with the hot mug of coffee in my hands, knowing that there was no need to rush out.

Weekend brunches with my daughter or whoever is visiting, are always a big affair. It is a celebration of the time I indulge and enjoy being at home, sleeping in, and creating something. The clouds hovered throughout the morning and I wondered where the promised sunshine and 17C were hiding. If the sunshine wasn’t going to come through the window, it was going to have to be on the plate! Yesterday we found the first batch of strawberries of the season in this area, and this morning I decided that instead of baking bread, we would have pancakes with fresh strawberries, paired with a (fresh) raspberry-rose wine-fizzy grapefruit soda-brunch cocktail.

Well, by the time I made the strawberry cheesecake in the afternoon, the conservatory was flooded in sunlight and I had to pause and admire my home all over again. We planted blueberry shrubs yesterday and re-potted the carrots and succulents, so all the plants looked thrilled to bask in the sunlight as well. My neighbour saw us carting in more plant soil and wondered where on earth we were going to put it all, considering the small space I have. If he only knew about my urban jungle and micro farm!

I have learned a lot these past two years living in Berlin, and one of the most difficult one has been to indulge in something for myself, and just myself. It is one thing to fend for myself and survive, but a whole different lesson to indulge and allow my body and soul to surrender to the pleasures of something that is a digression from the plan. To stand in in the conservatory or anywhere else in the apartment and be surrounded by happy and healthy plants, and three cats who have been through just as much change and upheaval as I have, I am content with what we have achieved together.