Thrift is often dismissed as the sort of Julie Andrews of virtues: familiar and comfortable, but hardly scintillating. Not so. Done right, deliberating how you spend has a hidden voluptuousness. Thrisft allows you to appraise the world anew. It's about perusing life's possibilities, then homing in on the ones that make you happiest. Raised in a family of tightwads, I've known this for a while, but more people, it seems, are discovering it during these hard economic times. If you're trying to keep up with the Joneses, it's the Joneses who ultimately choose the kitchen or car you're going to buy. Thrift allows you to go explore the wilds of your own desires. For many of us, the current rediscovery of what my British friends call "mending and making do" feels more liberating than the go-go years ever did.

Carla Power in O magazine

I was reading this blog about whether its all really secretly perfect. I'be been mulling over this idea in my head for a few weeks now.

Its too easy to live as if everything in life is a problem. To become a kind of 'magnet' for problems. I have my issues with the laws of attraction but have noticed how some people i know everything is a problem and for others they just aren't. Perhaps minor irritations but not problems.

I recently got diagnosed with a heath 'problem' which may take quite a while to fix. While I'm waiting for a referral to a specialist clinic I've taken up swimming again (I have to limit standing or walking on the foot). The gifts of this have been reconnecting back into the heart of my community, my back twinges have gone, and I look better beacuse I actually blow dry my hair at the pool !

I know this might sound hideously Pollyannerish but it is a nicer way to live. There are a few major frutrations or even worries i have with my life but not foccusing on the 'problems' makes them easier to deal with.

The Beany is Michael Nobb's paper blog aka fanzine (remember those?) Its a wonderful illustrated journal of finding the joy back in life. Michael is of the opinion like me that searching out the small tiny snippets of joy are the way to realy improve ones real day to day life.

Order a copy here

I'm off to make an orange cake taking Michael's example !

Pics from here

Just a wee reminder that there is one day left to catch the last of the Indian Hill Railway docs on iplayer.

My mother's exhibition has just opened at the Open Eye Gallery in Edinburgh. She seems to be specialisng  in 'Allotment Art'.