Happy Birthday to my daughter!

She'll probably be mortified, but it is her big day and I wish her a happy day.

'believe in yourself and magic will happen..'

love always

Mum

9 million bicycles

PHOTOSTORY FRIDAY - A Sage Evening

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

A few months ago my husband surprised me by agreeing to accompany me

 to my first Classical concert at The Sage, Gateshead

An evening of music including Elgar's Enigma variations 

and my very favourite classical piece 

Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No1. 

Performed by St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, reputedly the best!?

The tickets have sat on the mantelpiece since they arrived. 

I rearranged my working week and then on Monday 

my husband contracted a nasty virus and he couldn't take me.

Surprisingly however my 16 yr old daughter offered to go with me, 

she seemed very genuine in her offer. 

I prevaricated a while considering the weather, 

the roadworks,  the drive (again as we were there Friday see post).

With excitement gathering for both of us, we got ready, 

filled the car with petrol, 

at which inopportune time I realised I had left my debit card in Tk maxx 's machine,

undaunted I paid cash and we were on our way.

We made great time and daughter was  whizz  at navigating. We arrived and parked.

We were both agog at the beauty of the building before us...

this is a online pic as it was by now dark and I only

 had my phone/camera, 

so sorry if this is cheating but I do have other pics.

Inside the 'foyer' I attempted to take pics,

 most were a bit fuzzy, 

but I hope you can see something of the fab design.

The hall was lovely and had a personal feel, it didn't feel huge. 

The design I'm sure lent to this impression.

The ceiling looked to me rather like piano keys, very apt I thought!

And this is teh first photo  I took, which I think sums up my excitement. 

My daughter told me I was actually shaking as we walked  across to The Sage.

The concert was awesome and a tad overwhelming hearing the music for real!

My throat and chest went tight and my heart pounded, I thought for a moment I might cry.

 Moannie told me it would feel like that.

 I had no idea! We were both blown away.

 Another memory created!

And daughter of mine,  thanks for coming with me,

 I'm thrilled you loved it too,  you continue to amaze, surprise and impress me,

and even if you were the youngest there by nearly 40 years...

...you ROCK!!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

What is the value of a book ...

... or a dresser, a table, handbag or a home ?

After reading the authorblog nominated blogger for post of the day by http://cowgirlat.blogspot.com/ , I was left pondering. I remembered the books that l gave away to a charity when we moved in November, before down sizing from a rambling, good sized but never the less decrepit, farmhouse on a working farm. We moved for ALL the right reasons, the sensible, the practical and in part the motivational ones too!

However, for me there always seems to be a sense of loss when we move, I feel I leave a part of me behind. Of course we have the memories, the photos, but the living in the home where those memories took place is I find rather comforting. To know that some other family is living happily there is no consolation actually. Perhaps I, like many don't like change, but it is perpetual, it happens and that will never change.

My daughter is particularly sentimental about the old farmhouse. She would regularly take herself off into the next field, recently harvested or not, regardless of the season, usually at twilight, ipod in hand, dancing in the meadows, in a world of her own ... safe and secure. I wouldn't have to worry about her safety, though miles from anywhere ... my son would ride the local lanes on his bike, or they would both wander off with the dogs, oblivious to city life and its dangers all but a few miles away.

The barn owls are missed, they nested the 3rd year we were there in the out house, then in an old neglected barn. They stayed unusually for barn owls l'm told, all year, every year and were still there when we left. I worry about their safety. If the barn has been renovated, has their nest been preserved?

Barney our beloved Russell/Terrier died there in July '06, but somehow l know he is here in our new home, because he is in our hearts. It would be wretched to consider otherwise and in fact that the other day when l threw the ball for Pippa, I could have sworn l saw him out of the corner of my eye, l had to look twice and tell myself no...

We downsized to a renovated urban c1970s bungalow, a 10 minute walk to the Museum, the kids school and city centre, a BIG change for us all who until then had commuted back and forth from farmhouse to city, 2-4 times a day, a 30 mile round trip each time!

We now live in a clean, well maintained house, a well looked after and well stocked garden, two greenhouses and we have settled well into our new life and new routines.

However, with nowhere to display, store or hide my vast collection of books (which had been devastated by the move of '96, whereby l gave away or sold 700 of them!) nor my antique & vintage handbag collection, usually displayed in deco glass cabinets and nor my vast selection vintage clothing stocks, which l sell online on my specialist website, another passion! I trimmed no strike that, I halved all but the handbag collection, telling myself it was for the greater good (my family's sanity and comfort).

I couldn't get my head around the collection of and charges at the city auction house, to transport and sell on the larger pieces of brown furniture. Including an adored 1920's dressing table, a '70s welsh dresser and other items that looked great in the old farmhouse, but sadly a bit tatty and incongruous in the modern-ish bungalow. So l gave them away through our local Internet recycling site, which gave me a sense of satifaction, but the niggles are creeping back in again.

With the books l will remember a title that l want to read again or research and I think bugger! that one's a goner!

I know that things aren't important, I know it's considered shallow to get attached to material things but if they are beautiful, what's wrong with wanting to and yes in my case hoard them and keep them close?

Like a much loved dog, they don't answer back or disappoint you, they can't hurt you, or betray or let you down. Maybe it's playing safe ... but there is comfort in these loved and familiar inanimate belongings.

So I'm with http://cowgirlat.blogspot.com/ and I shall try and moderate my regret and I'll stick with what I like but hoard any replacements in moderation!

LIKE A CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF...

...well that's what l was feeling like this morning ... all kind of angsty, itchy and all a fluster, like a cat on a hot tin roof, until my daughter called me that is! Why was I so uptight, because l think l knew more than she what it could all mean....



(LOL... well l can dream I actually resembled my profile pic more!)

We were up early, like thousand of families across the land, I helped her blow dry her new hair style, my old hairdressing years coming into good use. I left for work, she for school already looking more than a year older than she did when she broke up from the fifth year, sorry l mean year 10!

At barely 10.30 she texted, l called her and she exclaimed the results, 10 gcse's, with A*'s, A's, B's, C's and D's to make it a royal flush! Better than she feared, more than she hoped, considering the window of despair in the spring, I'm very pleased for her.



Well done my girl!! Now breathe... and enjoy the new year, the new opportunities and be measured. The world is yours ....



There is something very pure about feeling so much happiness and pleasure for her achievement and for the hopes for her future.

There is no such thing as a day off!

So this is my weekend off (from my p/t day job) and so what do I do? Do I do some drawing? Do I get the watercolours out? Start reading a new book (I have plenty ready and waiting patiently for me, in that category of 'I will read that soon.' ) ah! I hear a collective sigh and I just know you are smiling wisely. No I have been sewing, I've cooked a roast dinner, run six loads of washing through the machine and hung them out, made a lemon merinque pie, mowed two lawns, nipped to the tip and the supermarket and finished the top I mentioned yesterday, and that was just today!

After I spent the day with my daughter, (yes again, quality time) we designed, and l do use the term loosely, and we sewed on sequins, trimmings and bits and bobs onto a black vest top. As I mentioned yesterday we had been into River Island and she had pointed out said vest, 'I really, really like that mum!', hence the promise that l could do that and so I had committed to make her one similar! Humpphh!!

Its now 11pm Sunday night, and she is happy with her 'original' vest, so that's all that matters.

So I saved £29.99! In retrospect should I have paid up and shut up? Well if she wears it, it will have been worthwhile, on one level, if not, well we spent the weekend together laughing and not bickering and we made a memory together, ah!

I am a grumpy old woman!

Well l guess it official! I am a grumpy 'old' woman. Yesterday morning my daughter and I went into town to run some errands, drop of a few CV's for various work for her and to try to find something for me to wear for my 50th meal out with some friends.

Everywhere I went I was met with stoney faces, sirly replies and general unhelpfulness and disinterest. Knowing my daughter would 'tell me like it is', l asked if I was being arsey or having attitude, she said not.

So I can only assume:

a) they don't like southern accents, I have lived in the North for nearly 13 years but, I know this can feel like its a crime sometimes here. I do sound southern. In post offices, my voice seems to travel the length of the queue and even the postmaster can hear me before he sees me. I try and tone it down, but it is ME!

or b) They ALL have PMT or were born with a disposition not suited to retail.

Why must I be the accomodating one? I know to fit in....blend in not stand out. Mmmm...I shall mull this over and analyse it to death later.

We went to have a zip replaced and no tariff of charges was displayed on the wall of the shop and the price which seemed to plucked out of thin air was £12 and would take 3 days, blow that! So l shall get out the old faithfull sewing machine and do it myself.

Whatever happened to the phrase 'the customer is King!'? cos it sure feels like there has been a beheading or an abidication.

But one nice thing, my daughter saw a black vest top she liked, it was festooned with diamante,lace and trimmings and had a glitzy price tag of £29.99, which l am certain must be an error. So we tracked back to haberdashers and bought some assorted lace trimmings, sequins and stuff and will spend this afternoon at the kitchen table, making one for her to wear that will be unique. Oh and replacing the dress zip. Some quality time together. Lovely!

Now I know how I shall be spending one of my two days off, sewing!

Have great weekend yourselves and may it be dry and sunny.

x

Like I don't have enough to do!

Why do we do it? Why do we say yes when we mean no!? Why do we take on new projects or assume another role? Does it mean l'm too needy and so l want to be liked and please people sooo much that I will stuff my day to overflowing, until l reach that point where l say ENOUGH!!

Why do l do this often enough, that every six months or so I have sit down with a pen and paper and list my roles, jobs, projects and then I shave the list so I can breathe?

One of my 'roles' is as a part time Museum & Gallery assisitant on a 25 hour week, which is worked over a complicated eight week shift pattern, which changes over three seasons and that only the Ancient Bablylonians or Egyptians would understand!



I juggle this job around the family, which includes two teenage kids, one 13 year old boy and a 16 year old girl (I thank you for your sympathetic groans!) and a 12 year black lab called Pippa. My husband works away most weekdays and comes home for weekends, although as I type, we are in the middle of a three week 'work away' period, which is new to us all; more on that another time, depending how it all turns out!

So as l'm sure you can imagine the daily photofit, with me managing everyone and myself in some sort of tuneless syncopation which we call, our day!

So when l am asked and invariably this is a twice weekly event, to alter, extend or swap a shift to suit someone and anyone other than me, why do I say, 'yes that's fine!' ....even though I am given the, 'you don't have to do it!'... get out of jail free card!

I tell myself that it's cos l want an easy life, no hassle! But the bottom line is it gives me hassle! It doesnt make my life any easier!

Like I don't have enough to do!



So you heard it here first, the first point on my 'plan' is to say no! No changes, no new projects or at least until l finish the ones l've started (oh my!)and for gods sake Sara, as my daughter is always telling me, 'CHILL WOMAN!'