Favourite Things Friday

Welcome to Favourite Things Friday for this week. I wanted to say thanks to everyone who visits the FTF posts, and comments , or links up and takes the time to write their own FTF post. Last week was huge and I really appreciate that people still took the time to get around and comment on as many posts as they could.  You're all just fabulous - and that's why I love you!

If you're new to our Friday linky party- here's how it works. Write a post about a Favourite Thing. Link that post on your blog to the linky widget at the bottom of this post and leave a comment.  Simple!

Since this was my first week back at work , I am entirely thankful it's Friday and my day off. Couple 100F/38C + temperatures this week with going back  to work and what you end up with is  a real shock to the system!

And  since I've gone back to work and my time is not entirely my own,  I wanted to give thanks for something I truly love this week. My "ME" time.

Until just a few years ago, my  life used to rush on at a million miles a minute. I was always busy. I can hear those of you that visit regularly laughing because some of my posts have so much packed into them that it seems my life is still like that. I've slowed down a lot! Since I don't talk about work on my blog- you guys get a snap shot of what I do with my down time. With the exception of major renovations - the things you see are the things I actually do to relax.

Relaxing is different for everyone. Some people run marathons to relax. That's not my idea of relaxing at all. I like things that leave me alone with my own thoughts. Things that are largely solitary and controlled by me.  I figure hobbies and my down time  should actually make me happy and feel  a sense of peace and accomplishment.

So this week  I'd like to give thanks for the things I do when I'm not running round like a hairy goat. The things I enjoy when I'm not fixing every one else's problems.  The things that make me feel human and happy every week. The things I do to relax even if I can't bake like Bakerella or Nigella and even when my quilting is not as perfect as I would like.

Blogging - I spend a LOT of time on here .  

Reading. I read for fun every single day.

Tinkering with furniture. Stripping it, covering it , painting it.

Swearing at it , whinging about it, re-painting it when I stuff up.  

Cooking  (this is obviously a pilfered picture since I have never cooked anything so delicious looking in my life. I do remain hopeful )

Genealogy. The art of hunting down 400 year old dead people. Very relaxing. After all - they aren't going anywhere.  

Sewing. Gotta love a project you can start and finish in a day.  

 Quilting. All previous projects that I don't think you will have seen before.

And occasionally , to relax I have a glass or two of this ..

or one or two of these

If I don't do any of these things in a single week I'm liable to get very cranky. So today I want to sing the praises of my hobbies because I'm very thankful I have them to keep me sane.   

So what do you do to make sure you feel relaxed? What are your special things?

P.S. Yes I know FTF is very late this week ..that's what happens when you go back to work and then try to pack too many things into your first day off!