Live Life Vicariously

The story so far...

A blog post full of this year's pre-Christmas pics today:

       

 
  

 
 
 
 
  

Epistolary

Epistolary  1 In the style or form of a letter or letters 2 of, carried by, or suited to letters. Oxford English Dictionary

Not to be confused with an episiotomy which is something very different and rather painful.

What a beautiful word and one I hadn't heard before until Shimelle made mention of the definition in her Journal Your Christmas class, day 3.

Epistolary perfectly defines these two ribbon tied bundles of letters.  A series of letters defining the lead-up to my paternal grandparents' wedding in 1933.

Back in the autumn I was staying overnight with my aunt and she asked me if I'd like to have Granny and Grandpa Holder's love letters.  My rather enthusiastic reply sent her off to find them there and then.  They are exquisite.  The letters are quite difficult to read as they are over 70 years old in an unfamiliar script, not helped by the fact that some of them are in pencil.  However, as soon as you get a feel for the writing style it gets easier and no sooner have you read one than you want to read the next and the next, hence a rather late night at Sylvia's as I read them in bed.  Even though my grandparents didn't marry until their late twenties the letters are wonderfully innocent and it doesn't feel intrusive to read them.  My grandpa really had a way with words.  How about this "My darling, the memory of yesterday still lingers with me. What a glorious time we had - not that we did very much but rather what we were to one another."  And it finishes with "Cheerio darling. My love and thoughts with you. Yours to the end Jack".  swoon

Having read these letters I can now imagine my grandparents young and in love. My grandpa, poor as a church mouse, because he was one; a trainee minister with the Congregational church on a stipend of £200 a year.  And my granny who seems to spend most of her time taking tea with Maud and Dolly, aside from writing letters to my grandpa saying how much she is looking forward to seeing him tomorrow!

When I mentioned this beautiful word to friends and that my Journal Your Christmas task for that day was to write a letter to someone they all wanted it to be them!  Too late, I had already written letters to Cam and Libby.  We may constantly communicate by text or email but it seems what we really want is that handwritten letter to slip through the letter-box.  So epistolary it is from now on.  Watch your doormats.

Right decision made

My big news is that I was approached by an agency about a great sounding job.  Ok, well mainly it was the salary that sounded great but the job was good too.  But, massive but, it was full-time with a five thirty finish, the best part of an hour's drive away in rush-hour.  I have always worked, even when the kids were little, I love working and having a life outside my home, but I love working part-time and being there for Cameron and Libby.  I started thinking of all the things I wouldn't be around for and them coming home to an dark house during the winter and that having been there for absolutely everything for the first fifteen years I should be there for them over these crucial teenage years.  Also, there is no way I could have started my degree with a full-time job.  So, having not got to sleep til well after 1am, going over and over it in my mind I have decided that a full-time job is not for me right now, unless it is very well paid, flexible and well and truly local.  It's good to know that there are decent jobs out there and just because this one was a non-starter doesn't mean the next one will be.

Amidst all my blogging yesterday I completely forgot the most important detail of the week; I knew something was missing.  I am back in touch with one of my best friends, Jo, from junior school, thanks to Facebook.  Someone I hoped would pop up on Friends Reunited over the years but never did as far as I know.  We haven't seen each other since we were 13 and she now lives up in Tynemouth.  It has been lovely catching up with each other, something we will continue to do over the coming weeks and months I'm sure.

Leaving you with a couple of pics of Libby - first one dates back to early 1999, when she was two and the second was taken this week, December 2009 at the age of 13 - same fairy skirt!!  As far as I know Cam no longer possesses the ruffled shirt and brocade waistcoat.

   

What a great week, and it's only Thursday

Best week I've had for months. I keep being about to blog about it and then something else happens.

 

Monday was one of the very few days I've had, since I left my job, when I've been housewifely. Lots of washing and ironing and tidying around and sorting and preparing and list-making. Love days like that (so long as they're not every day!).

 

Loved Tuesday. Woke up to find my essay results in my inbox. Top grades in six out of eight outcomes but it is meant to be a learning curve so it would be a bit odd if I had nothing to improve on. Just coming to the end of the course material and then I have my final submission to write which is due mid-January. So, I left the house in a very upbeat mood to catch the 9.14am to London. Had a fabulous day, mooched around South Molton Street and New Bond Street mingling with posh people and then met Julia in my new favourite shop in the world; Anthropologie. A huge America-does-European shabby chic store filled with goodies. Textiles, homewares, stationery, endless gorgeous candles, jewellery, clothes - you name it; all beautifully staged and styled over three floors. I made the decision to write down all the lovely things I fancied rather than buying them there and then because part of the attraction was that everything looked so visually appealing piled up in groups of twenty or more and might lose more than a little impact displayed on their own.

Then it was off to cousin James’s new restaurant, Barrica (www.barrica.co.uk), in Goodge Street. He doesn't own it but he's the main man in the kitchen. I never see enough of my youngest cousin so we had a chat before he dashed back to his kitchen and we ate our way through his recommendations. I popped down to say goodbye and the poor boy was rushed off his feet. He had cooked the entire lunchtime service on his own and the restaurant was full. The boy done extremely well and I’ll be back.

 

Julia had to get back to Maldon so I headed off to my second favourite shop in the world: John Lewis. My Christmas List is already too long but I do covet an English Eccentrics candle. I think I'll buy one and put it away as a gift for my sister, ready for when I eventually visit her in Tokyo.

 

Ooh, nearly forgot. Journalling Your Christmas. And OMG I managed to embed the widget for it - see top right. I have been meaning to take this online class for years and decided it was now or never. The idea is that rather than scrapping the same tired old photos with the same dreary "what fun the children had opening their stockings" mode of journalling, you expand on the whole theme starting on 1st December. Today's thought is all about how you do the whole Christmas card thing (with a ton of ideas to get the thought process flowing). Plus a nice little extra suggestion to sit down and handwrite a letter to someone.

 

 I was going to blog all this yesterday but decided to wait until I visited the hairdresser earlier today and could show you this…

 

I am really pleased with it.  It’s actually styled to go round my face but I always end up pushing my hair behind my ears. Loving the colour. The blonde highlights were getting a bit stale and dried out looking. The colour is rich and lush and not too much of a shock to the system. I can’t remember the last time my hair was this colour; decades ago I reckon. 

Cam took this pic; he noticed immediately he walked in the door from school. Still waiting for the husband to comment…

Tomorrow I may have some more news to share. No, I’m not pregnant nor am I ill nor am I planning on leaving the country. However, it may prove to be another sizeable climb out of the rut I am heading out of bit-by-bit. I should know more by this time tomorrow…

PS I added the pics of Libby to my 'recent photographs' on the left-hand sidebar.

All done for another year

Yes, the school play has been auditioned for, cast, rehearsed and performed and there is currently an exhausted woodland creature catching up on 'I'm a Celebrity' lying on the sofa after six sell-out shows.

When Libby said she wanted to try out for the school play one week after starting secondary school I encouraged her.  Little did I know the level of commitment demanded by Mr Morris, head of drama.  Two years and three productions later she is a seasoned pro.  She loves the whole thing, including moaning about the boring bits when she is needed for about 11.5 minutes of a five-hour after-school rehearsal.  Apart from the acting what she really likes is mixing with the older students and last night she and Daisy were ecstatic to score invites to the after-after-party "at Tom's house, he has a party barn you know".  She knew she hadn't a hope in hell of being allowed to actually go but that wasn't the point.  I drove three very giggly girls home from the after-party held in the drama studio, high on adrenalin and a plastic cup or two of cheap fizz.  I will make her put her costume on later and take some pics.

Changing subjects, I'm off up to town this week to meet Julia for a spot of Christmas shopping.  My adorable cousin, James, is head chef of a brand new tapas bar, Barrica in Goodge Street, so we will be lunching there.  He used to be at Sam and Sam Clark's restuarant, Moro, in Exmouth Market which serves wonderful food (in fact I feel the need to eat there again even without James doing the cooking) so looking forward to patatas bravas a la James Knight.

Had a great time on Friday night; more scrapping - what is coming over me?  Like the weekend in Winchelsea, this has been planned for a while.  We decided to hold our annual Christmas Crop on a Friday evening rather than Saturday daytime this year.  There were some rather bemused husbands and children who couldn't quite understand why their wives/mummies were freshly showered and made-up and then proceeded to put their jammies on to go round to Emma's for a sleepover.  The seven of us had a great evening of pizza, wine, hot chocolate and, of course, scrapping.  Amazingly we stayed up til 2am before hitting our respective bedrooms at Hotel Watters.

Just before I sign off, I've added Debbie's lovely blog, Country Heart and Home, to my list of blog pals.  She's Newcastle's answer to Martha Stewart although she's well 'ard and wears flip-flops even in winter.  She put me on to Nigella's Rocky Road and even though I added too much golden syrup (a serving spoon is not the same as a table spoon) it is fabulous.

Still no essay results but I'll edit this post when I get them.  The suspense is killing me.  Edited to add - I passed!  Onwards and upwards to the final assignment which gets submitted to the OU not my tutor.

Signing off.  Will add pics (done - see side bar - recent photographs) and results (see above) later.

I came, I saw, I blogged...

That never happens.  I usually spend a good two days thinking, "hmmm I really should blog, what shall I blog about, have I got any decent pics?" and then I don't.  But, like, two minutes ago I decided to have a quick lurk around my friends' blogs and though "hey, I too shall blog".

Well, top news is that I am now two assignments down, one to go on my OU Openings course.  Man, it's a rollercoaster ride.  I have spent the last two weeks wishing I had never signed up for the wretched course, three days making no sense of my essay whatsoever and then most of Friday going "f*** me, I'm a genuis" as the thing actually took shape.  I spent far too long on my pro-argument rather than my con, for three reasons - 1, that's meant to be the outcome, 2, there was more reference material to support the pro-argument and 3, I believed in the pro-argument.  My conclusion was rather too short but there is such a blinding sentence in there (one of two which I can't quite believe came out of this brain of mine) that I hope my tutor will ignore everything else.

So, I am back on the shall I shan't I do a Foundation course in January.  Once I have that under my belt I could start a degree.  The Foundation course is 60 points of a 300 point degree course.  It's a lot of studying though, about 14 hours a week I think and it costs over six hundred quid.  There is an open afternoon this Thursday as the OU regional centre in East Grinstead so I shall pop in for a chat.  Much as I am totally into Social Sciences, my tutor mentioned that you can do a mixed degree which sounded interesting; bit of this subject, bit of that, which I would like to find out more about.

Had a truly fazoooly fabulous weekend last week with my scrapping friends down in Winchelsea.  Didn't bother taking a camera because I knew I'd forget to take any pictures plus it's not exactly the dressiest of weekends.  God, we laughed (we cried a bit too); at times we were completely paralysed, and we started drinking far too early and, in the case of Tanya and me, far too quickly, so much for scrapping.  ' Coconut tinder bundle ', ' it was New Years Eve ' and ' "what must you think of me?" "slut" ' were three of my favourite conversations, all of which came out of the mouth of Sarah G as usual.  That girl does tell a good story but I'm glad I don't live with her, I'd be exhausted.  Very much hope we go once again next year.

Met up with my oldest friend, Lysa, at a new tapas bar in Warlingham.  Great evening; we always appreciate the longstanding friendship we share; 38 years and counting.  Very little time spent reminiscing and lots of time spent talking about our lives and where we're going.  I really like that we're both on Facebook and know about the little stuff that happens day to day; keeps us connected.

I really should have a piccie.  Let me have a dig around... here we are, this was taken a year ago at Lysa's first booking signing of '999, My Life As A Paramedic' at Waterstones.  She's with her mum, my Aunty Gill, who isn't my aunty at all, and I don't even call my real aunties, Aunty.  Poor Lysa, as you can see, she didn't do very well when God was handing out the pretty genes but she scrapes by somehow.  Her next book is out now; a book for children called Katie the Paramedic.  It's about a girl who runs away from the circus to be a Paramedic.  It's autobiographical as well (cross my heart and hope to die).  That's all from me, off to eat Table Cream and read the Saturday papers...

 

Half-term

Half-term was a nice mix of time spent at home and being out and about. Cameron probably spent more time at home than Libby and I as he does rather love his Xbox Live.  It's a constant battle but as long as he does well at school and plays an acceptable amount of golf then I guess we have to concede that he loves his gaming.

Wednesday was Cameron's 15th birthday.  Lower key than usual; he said he couldn't get as excited as usual, I think he's growing up.  We gave him a camera for his birthday.  It was rather more than we had intended to spend but it should do him for the forseeable future. I have a Panasonic TZ1, which I have always been really pleased with, so we bought him the TZ7 which has consistently excellent reviews on Amazon, apart from the battery life, so we bought him a spare (another £32).

  
 
We had a good day pottering around.  Cam and Martin went to the driving range to hit a few balls and in the evening we went to Smith and Western.

Libby and I went to see Up on Thursday.  Cam had already been and didn't want to see it again.  Unbeknownst to each other we both cried all the way through!  It is a wonderful film and sends a great message about living your life but I think it is more an adult film than a kids' one; certainly not little kids - although it is great to watch in 3D I think under 10s would be bored.  I think every adult should watch this film.

On Friday Lib and I met Julia and Jessica at Lakeside for a day of girly shopping with lunch at Wagamamas.

Then yesterday was Halloween.

 Both kids disappeared for sleepovers on Friday night so I ended up carving on my own!  This could be the last year we do the whole Halloween thing so I decided to go out in style and use one of the templates that come with the pumpkin cutting tools.  I am really pleased with it and got loads of compliments from the parents accompanying their children. It looks better in real life but even using the tripod I just couldn't get the exposure right.  The polka dot pumpkin was a two minute job using a potato peeler but it looked really effective in the lane advertising that we were open for trick or treating.

Alongside all this activity I have been making great inroads into my To Do list including copying and pasting all my blog posts into word.  I made a start a couple of years ago then the computer shop had to take the laptop back to factory settings and I forgot to save anything and couldn't be bothered to re-do it.  I've enjoyed re-reading all the old entries and, as ever, have great intentions of blogging little and often...

Hello...

So, quite a change in my life over the last week.  I left my job after 8 1/2 years.  I have been so lucky to work for the same company yet have three quite different jobs within it.  I had all the benefits of working locally, with the freedom to go to sports days, pop home at lunchtime etc when needed.  Plus, of course, working with people who became some of my best friends.  But all good things must come to an end and I simply got bored and once the rot set in I knew I had to go.  Most people would say you should really find a new job before you leave the old one but I have always worked since Cameron was a baby, albeit part-time, and I want to find the right thing for me.  It may take weeks it may take months but it will be right. The longest I have ever been with the same company in the past was three years so, by my standards, if not Martin's who has just clocked up 30 years with RBS/Nat West, I have done well.  I left on excellent terms and simply look forward to moving on to pastures new.  Of course I forgot to take my camera to work on the last day but here is my fantastic leaving present; all my favourite things including a Links charm (well, I will have a Links charm it hadn't actually arrived when I left!).

Alongside handing my notice in I have been getting to grips with my Openings course with the Open University.  I procrastinated for far too long over my first assignment and half an hour before submitting it I was all set to ditch the whole thing.  Then, when I got the results just two days later, and found I had sailed through, I was immediately online, at 11.30pm at night, looking at the Foundation course in Social Sciences!  I am really enjoying the course but I am still very undecided about whether I will continue afte this taster course.  At a cost of £630 for the six month Foundation course I really need to be committed.

I am starting to get ready for Halloween.  We love the preparation for every special date in this house (well three of us do!) so I spent yesterday morning improving upon the Potion Jars I made last year.  I love them!

 
While I was at my work leaving do I foolishly agreed to do a Body Pump class.  I can't remember the last time I stepped foot inside a gym - I actually think it was probably pre-marriage so we're talking over twenty years ago here!  To my shock I really enjoyed it; thanks to the Wii Fit I am not as out of condition as I was this time last year although at one point I truly thought my legs were going to give way under me.  Unfortunately I had to pay £12 for the priviledge as Chartham Park only do guest passes for one day not one lesson.  I am having a freebie on Monday but that will be it as I don't have the money, or the inclination truth be told, to join at the moment.  I had been warned that I would be stiff the following day but I was fine, it was the next day and the day after that that I struggled big time.  Watching me hobble downstairs must have been quite amusing and every now and again my arms would threaten to give way.  In fact I went to buy a new microwave and had to ask the shop assistant to carry it as neither my arms nor my legs would support the weight!

I now a couple of pictures from my garden.  The first is of a toadstool I photographed on Tuesday and then the same again on Friday.  We have a fairy ring in our garden which is the first one I have ever seen.  Very pretty but not possible to do any justice to it in a photograph.

I have made good inroads into my To Do list over the last week but yet to be tackled includes copying all my blog posts over the last three years or so, into a folder so I have a record.  Other delightful jobs including painting the utility room and larder. But first I have the Saturday supplements to read...

PS - I did take one of the coats back!!

Note to self

Tomorrow you WILL blog.  Just to remind you, topics to be covered:

• Open University Course
• Leaving work
• To Do list
• Autumn/Halloween
• Body Pump

Until then...

There is a nip in the morning air and...

... I get the feeling this weekend is summer's last hurrah.  It is beautiful out there.  I'm about to take Rosie for her last spin of the summer before she gets her SORN on the first October.  I'm doing all that spring cleaning stuff I like to do at this time of year.  Took all the duvets and patchwork quilts to the launderette yesterday for a service wash whilst I went to Tunbridge Wells for a quick bit of returning.  I had some Long Tall Sally gift vouchers to use so I bought myself a coat.  Apart from my tres practical, not very beautiful, Lands End padded jacket, I haven't had a coat for, well, forever actually  When I say I bought a coat, I actually bought two coats!  I just couldn't decide which one to buy and seeing as I had very nearly enough vouchers for both, I bought both.  On the strict understanding that I can take one back!

My Open University course is going well.  I'm really enjoying the subject matter which is helpful!  Just leaves the assignments themselves to worry about.  The first one is due to be submitted in three weeks.  I've had a quick look at what's involves and it looks ok'ish!

I'm signing off now but I shall leave you with a random pic of Libby taken about a year ago.