🏝️ An Island in a Sea of Procrastination
When I began Bellbird Song, I was ready to dive in and thought I’d have plenty of stories told by now — but I’ve been taking the scenic route. I know results come from being organised and putting in the work — and that’s what makes the ‘doing’ all the more rewarding. The stories haven’t flowed yet because I haven’t gone out to find them. I haven’t earned them.
Why haven’t I gone gangbusters with the blog? Some very human reasons: family commitments, work, and a hefty dose of indecision — including the classic “Where do I start?”. This is normal — I’ve seen it with clients, especially small businesses juggling priorities. Getting started is often the hardest part, which is why strategy, support, and the experience of others can help.
Having plenty of people share their stories with me is on my to-do list – along with being all-round brilliant and successful (and, of course, winning that coveted Lotto rollover). It’s just taking a bit longer to get going than I thought.
🌿 Finding the perfect point of view
You know those instances when you want to put something away and it turns into six loads of washing, decluttering four rooms and nine trips to the charity shop? My ideas and flow have been caught up in one of these particular whirlwinds.
It all began because I wanted a desk with a view of the garden to write. Because, of course, if I can see the birds nesting and the grass growing, marvellous things will happen. “Build it and they will come”, so to speak.
I’ve been replanning my kitchen layout to accommodate this desk (and the inevitable influx of creative thoughts thereafter). It has involved all four family members pivoting furniture and echoing “To me, to you”, and triggered change on such a scale that it has terrified the dogs.
Heavy furniture went downstairs, items were listed on Marketplace, I won some online auctions, and every drawer in the house was tidied – including reformatting four old laptops (Windows 7 is still not my friend).
Now, I have my desk – complete with a birdhouse hanging outside the kitchen window for any potential feathery friends who wish to join me on this journey. And I am writing – so this detour has clearly been a success!
⏳ Procrastination with purpose
During this period of preparation, I’ve been exploring stories of a different kind. It’s led to a ‘meet-cute’ with an elderly lady, a path of self-discovery and some much-needed focus.
But before I take you to the destination, there’s a windy path we must follow. You see, my train of thought has been more of a leisurely sightseeing trip than a rush-hour express – I’ve been stopping at every station to see who gets on.
🚂 A tag-along passenger
Just because you work in marketing doesn’t mean you’re immune to it. You understand your behaviour – what you’re doing and why, but you still can’t always help yourself. Our local supermarket chain rewards purchases with stickers – for glasses, kitchen knives, pans, and now Smeg cookware. I figured if I’m buying the food anyway, I might as well partake. Although I have been known to top up the shop to the next sticker amount – I’m not proud of it. What can I say? I’m a victim too.
Somewhere amongst the reorganisation of the kitchen for my new desk, I decided we also needed a new kitchen island for storage. Of course we do, it’s a given and entirely logical. Particularly as we now have additional cookware to accommodate. But I’ve become a collector of vintage items (an amateur turning semi-pro at this stage), and this otherwise simple realisation triggered an impromptu meander on my already curvy journey.
🚃 The dining car
I began collecting vintage pieces when we bought our own home, 7 years ago. I have collected mix-and-match crockery from the Staffordshire potteries, including Queen Anne, Royal Doulton, Wedgewood designs, and New Zealand favourites – Crown Lynn. Not complete sets, waifs and strays.
My collection is the bone china equivalent of Toy Story. Individual pieces that were once part of a set sat in pride of place on the family dinner table – witness to countless conversations and gatherings, but over time fell into disuse. Once grand, they were forgotten, and I have made it my mission to help them find purpose again.
It began with a teacup set (the flowery kind with a matching saucer and plate). It reminded me of one my grandma once had, and the deep red rose was the colour of the roses in her garden. This was followed by many other sets, and a bonbon plate whose design was named ‘Phyllis’ – which happened to be my grandma’s name. My grandma was a legendary person in my family, whose own story likely triggered my deep belief that everyone has a story worth telling.
I quietly rescued these forgotten pieces, storing them in a downstairs cupboard in our old rental until moving day. On that day, I brought them out, one box at a time, replacing each box that was loaded into the removals van. They went unnoticed until we got where we were going – sneaky, huh?! Imagine my husband’s delight when I unpacked the twelve boxes he didn’t know we had amassed – yep, he’s a very lucky man.
🚉 Platform whispers
Like a hoarder justifying their next purchase, my collection progressed into vintage-style furniture - since it’s much sturdier than its MDF and laminate predecessors. So, when the kitchen reorganisation started and we needed to replace the kitchen island, I hunted around for an old piece that I could rescue.
As if it was meant to be, I found a set of drawers that had sat swollen with damp at the local landfill tip shop, looking very sorry for itself. And so began a different kind of storytelling, while I was getting around to the original kind.
Over the course of a week, I sat on the cold, hard concrete garage floor, lovingly upcycling this once grand piece of furniture. I had self-doubt in my abilities, but I knew I wanted to try – without me, it would be lost and in time eventually disappear – as if it had never existed at all. I worked my way around her (yes, with familiarity, it became she), getting to know her knots and the sides never meant to be seen. And as I did, I realised my fascination with vintage things was an extension of my fascination with people and their stories.
This once beautiful lady had been lovingly crafted, and, as with all old handmade things, someone somewhere (I wondered who) had carefully shaped her with time and skill. Age meant that she wasn’t quite symmetrical anymore and bowed in places, making things stick and jam – I could relate (especially towards the end of that cold week). There were imperfections in the wood and mould in the drawers, which spoke of age and neglect.
I began researching the details, such as the locks and metal handles – likely bone or ivory, and oxidised brass. I wondered what secrets had been locked away in there over the years. I helped the beautiful batwing handles sparkle once again, with some renewed love and attention. I got to know her, gave her a new lease of life (albeit in a new, more colourful form), and I ensured her story continued. In doing so, I felt enriched.
In those hours, I learned more about myself, and I realised that storytelling means more to me than words on a page. Creativity and expression are embedded deep, and the importance of preserving subtle legacies is at my core.
🛤️ Looping back
And just like that, one kitchen island later, I’ve come full circle and found a place to begin. This journey hasn’t been a straight track, but a looping line that brings me back to what truly matters: connection and purpose. Along the way, I’ve met people whose stories I’m eager to tell. And this time, I feel I have earned them.
🧭 This blog is equal parts story-collecting and personal compass.
Bellbird Song is my way of pressing pause on the noise — a quiet space to notice what’s real, meaningful, and worth holding onto.
If you’re someone who knows the power of a good story and can spare a moment to slow down, please stick around. You can subscribe below so the latest stories find their way to you.
Here you’ll meet real people, read honest reflections, and share in the kind of everyday moments that ground and connect us.
If you’ve got a story to share — or know someone who does — contact me.
👋 Welcome to Bellbird Song. I’m glad you found your way here.
