Little pockets of Millyness....

When I walk round the house I often see piles of things - things that have been used and left. Maybe they will be returned to and the pile may even be added to. Often I leave them for a while and then - when it appears they are done with with - I will move them on....

There are days when I am tired and at a low ebb that I can become annoyed about these little pockets of untidiness. One day when everywhere I walked there seemed to be another pile and I felt myself becoming stressed. I took a deep breath and looked at the pile. What I saw actually made me smile. My mind was filled to bursting with images of Milly and her pass-times  :-)

I coined a new phrase. When I find myself becoming annoyed with the untidiness,  I rephrase it to Millyness and the angst lifts and a smile -  usually :-))  - takes the place of a frown.

All over the house - on tables - drawings begun, maybe to be finished, maybe not. Top trumps and notebooks...

Piles of DVDs under and around the cabinet.

Videos get in on the act too.

More piles -  on the floor this time - more notebooks and sketches and a journal to wreck. This particular pile has been here for over a week. Each day as I tidy round in the living room I see eveidence it has been used or added to, so it has been left for a while. No problem just running the vacuum around it :-)

There used to be a couple of sparkly gems on the carpet - glittering pink. Tiny little sticky gems she had used to decorate her nails with and they had fallen off one by one - some in the living room and some in the kitchen. Most were easily vacuumed up but two or three were persitent and stuck to the carpet. One day as I bent to pick them up I stopped and decided to leave them. Each time I vacuumed and came to the sparkly pink gems I smiled. The image of her sparkly nails and how pleased and happy she had been with them sprang into my mind. I just noticed today that they had gone - it has been a while - weeks - those gems have been making me smile :-)

A plastic carrier with her most treasured Bratz, Monster high, Moxie girls in. Also a bag full to bursting with their attire.

Two DVDs homeless for the moment - a fun game to come -  find the case -  and maybe - if we are lucky it will be empty. More likely the game will be longer and will involve opening many cases til the correct films all find their home..

I don't believe there is ever a day when the stairs are clear. There is always something that is being played with or waiting to be deposited  in it's rightful place. Not too bad today, only two steps with things waiting to be moved.

A table holding games played with Dad and the obligatory sketch/ notebook.

Another notebook ready and waiting.

Milly loves to eat herbs, parsley, coriander, basil, mint, and we have pots which she munches on throughout the day. There is usually a trail  of withered leaves along the counter top and a generous sprinkling on the floor, as handfuls are pulled off and eaten.

Boxes used for play at the top of the stairs.

a collection of bits - an odd fingerless glove 2 party head dresses, material tied to the banister as part of a game. Generally known as non specific *stuff*.

Where once I would find toys, I now find a make up box on the bathroom floor

and items of jewelry dotted around.

Pockets of Millyness I find as I wander through the rooms each day.