On Thursday, myself and CP went to seek out the Hull Kraken. It was something we’d put on our list when we had our planning date & as she’s now on holiday for a fortnight, we decided to seize the day and do it.
For anyone who’s not familiar with Hull and has no idea what the Kraken is, the sea monster was unleashed during some refurbishment work on the Hull Maritime Museum, leaving a trail of tentacles around the city.
A comic containing the Kraken’s back-story has also been produced, along with a map to help you follow the trail. Living statues, theatre performances and live music were also en-route through the city.
If you’d like to know more about the Hull Kraken event then you can find more information here. But we had a fabulous day as the tentacle trail took us to parts of the city that we wouldn’t normally visit.
We had lunch at The Falafia in Trinity Market and, oh my goodness, the falafel wraps were amazing! Tasty, freshly made and crammed with healthy goodness. We’ll definitely be going back.
With our bellies stuffed, we stopped off and drooled at the handmade chocolates at Cocoa Chocolatier and Bakehouse. We resisted the sweet treats, but bought a box of chocolates for my parents which were snaffled up very quickly and got rave reviews.
The tentacle trail also took us to the doorstep of J.E.Books in Hepworth’s Arcade owned by the lovely Julie. It’s a treasure trove of a bookstore with new and old books, as well as literary gifts. As a book lover, I’ll be returning again soon.
Filling the Well
Days like this where we meander, explore and have fun are so important. In today’s busy world, it becomes easy to slip into the illusion that we always need to be switched on and doing. For many of us, productivity has become the main goal. But it’s important to take time to fill the well.
In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron reminds us of the importance of filling our well by doing things that inspire us, bring us joy and transport us away from our normal routines for a while. It’s these acts that help revitalise and refresh us, and give us plenty of experiences to draw upon when we want to be creative.
By having fun, it’s easier for us to bring the fun into our everyday life. So whether you consider yourself an artist or not (and I believe everybody is), days where you fill your well are essential.
For me, I’m loving the process of writing right now. It feels luxurious to have the time and headspace to write a book. But I also know that I need to be disciplined and pace myself because otherwise I’d be writing, thinking and obsessing about my book all of the time.
Instead, I’m choosing to fill my well. I’ve planned my writing time around the time me and CP will spend together this fortnight and it feels good. I’m looking forward to all of the little adventures we have planned. I’m also learning that by doing less, I’m achieving more. And my head feels clearer too.
Well filling on a budget
Filling your well doesn’t have to cost the earth. In fact, spending less money often means that we engage our creativity more. Here are some activities that you may want to try:
- Pretend you’re a tourist and explore your local area. What new discoveries will you make?
- Go on a gargoyle hunt. Visit your local churches – look upwards. How many gargoyles can you spot?
- Become a collector. This will vary based on where you live, but you could collect seaglass, pebbles, feathers, wildflowers. The list is endless.
- Capture your day in photographs. Make a virtual collage using software such as PicCollage.
- Compile a soundtrack of your life or choose your theme tune. What would it be?
- Make a list of all the things you can do in your local area for free. Commit to doing one a week.
Of course, there’s a range of lovely activities that you can do quite easily such as having a movie night, cooking a 3 course meal, taking a luxurious bubble bath and curling up with a good book and a cuppa. Feel free to do these, but also do the unusual things to.
Embrace the fun and quirky things and as you expand your horizons you’ll find your inner world begin to open up too.
Who knows, maybe the Kraken tentacles will make their way into my current book.
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