Tea or Adventure? The Universe Has Spoken.

"Would you like an adventure now, or shall we have our tea first?"

from Peter Pan by J.M Barrie, illustration L.M Atwell

As you know, I do like a cup of tea, especially if there is cake involved. Has that what has stopped me from having adventures, I wonder? Too much tea and cake? Too much comfort? Anyway, I think Wendy was referring to a nursery tea, you know, what a certain class of children used to have in olden days before they were grown up enough to have dinner with the adults. Children had breakfast, lunch and tea; adults had breakfast, luncheon and dinner. Oh, semantics, eh? Especially when mixed with middle class domestic etiquette. Anyway, Wendy was thinking of a repast before her adventure, I am thinking of a cuppa. And cake. Although nursery tea is rather appealing...eggy bread, toad in the hole, suet pudding, jam roly-poly, a selection of sandwiches, scones, toast with stuff on, mug of cocoa...

I'm waffling, aren't I? When all I should be saying is this - I HAVE RESIGNED MY JOB!

Driving home a couple of weeks ago - I can tell you the date and time: Wednesday 13th February, approximately 5.32 p.m - the words 'What on EARTH are you doing?' came straight into my head. I knew what was meant, too. I mean, it wasn't a question about my driving at the time, like I was considering overtaking a massive lorry on a tight bend in my little blue car. It was a message from the Universe. Previous experience of these messages have taught me they are impossible to ignore. Oh yes, they are. Anyway, on 30th April I finish at my job and set off on a new adventure. May the First be with me! (That doesn't work, does it? Perhaps I should wait three days then I can shout 'May the Fourth be with me' instead? Oh, shut up, Denise.)

I can't begin to tell you how happy I feel! At the grand age of 53 I am having a gap year! What am I going to do, I hear you ask, unless thoughts of eggy bread has sent you scurrying to the kitchen for a spot of comfort munching. Well, I have made a list entitled 'Things to Do With a Mid-Life Gap Year.' Therefore it could be any, some or all of the following:

• write. Lots. Heaps of writing. Kind of goes without saying, but write.
• learn to play the guitar. I can play, 'Amazing Grace' and 'If I had a Hammer,' but it's not a great repertoire, to be honest. It'd be a short pub gig, unless people were especially fond of those two songs and asked for repeated encores. Which isn't likely.
• dust off my sewing machine and make stuff. I am currently being re-inspired back to my Creative Space by 'The Great British Sewing Bee' series on BBC2. Joe Lycett, the new presenter, is an absolute hoot, and I am loving the gentle and hypnotic nature of the programme. I could be a good seamstress if I applied myself. I have always fancied having a go at corsetry.
• Train to be a civil celebrant. Whilst I am in the happy position of not actually needing to work, I can't NOT work because I always have. What I can do, though, is find work that brings me fulfilment and job satisfaction. Civil celebrancy is something I have considered on and off for a long while now. Periodically, I have been drawn back to it. I think it could be THE THING.
• Garden. Last year not much gardening was done, partly because of the 'Heatwave of '18', partly because I lacked the time and motivation. We have a big garden. There are plans for the garden. The garden needs serious wrangling this year.
• Attend a sock knitting workshop. In Shrewsbury there is a divine little wool shop and they run regular classes, one of which is sock making. And they always take place during the week when I am at work. It is a well known FACT that one is not allowed to take time off work in order to attend a sock knitting workshop. It won't be an issue after 30th April.
• Decorate our bedroom. I am thinking blues, pinks and creams, soft linens, a bit of a furniture shift around. A bit of class and serenity. 
• Learn to weave. Again, another thing I've often thought of trying but again, another thing that has workshops during weekdays.
• Expand my cooking skills. Learn to cook and bake with different and new ingredients. Experiment. I hate cooking when it's a case of whacking something together quickly at the end of a work day when you've come in at 6 p.m and all you really want to do is slump on the sofa and eat junk food. This is BAD and something I have always tried to avoid, cooking from scratch 90% of the time. But sometimes it is a tedious faff and the same quick and easy recipes go round and round on the most boring culinary roundabout ever.

That's the list so far, anyway. There will be more additions, I have no doubt, now that my thoughts are slowing and settling, and I am breathing in rhythm with myself again.

When it is time to make a change, the Universe has ways of making life so uncomfortable that you have no choice but to listen to those words that come rocketing into your mind so quickly you know they weren't a product of your own rambling thoughts, but inspiration from an external force. Then all you can do, really, is take that leap of faith and trust, knowing that there is some happier situation waiting for you to embrace.

Is there anything more magical than a beginning? Is there?