A lady at church let me borrow her copy of http://www.halftheskymovement.org/ I knew superficially about the horrors inflicted on women around the world. I knew that educating women lead to smaller healther families, and increased economic growth by increasing the workforce. What I didn't know was just how brutally some women are treated, just because they are women. Rape being used as a weapon of war, culminating in rape with sticks or glass to kill the victim or stop her having children in the future. I didn't know that girls married young cannot bear children as easily, and without access to good maternal healthcare, labour on their own, their babies die inside them.In both instances parts of their reproductive system rot away, or tear, and then fistulas form so urine and feces leak through the vagina constantly. Making the girls outcasts for not saving their children, and because they are dirty and smelly. Fistulas like these can often be repaired if the woman is able to seek medical attention, and projects throughout the developing world are trying to set up hospitals and teach local people how to repair them without the need for a surgeon. I didn't know that paying for a girl's school uniform every year can help keep her in school for longer by relieving the financial burden on her family. She'll be better educated and the longer she stays in school the later her marriage will be, and so she will be older, and will find having children easier. Some of these things are so small and simple and will make a real difference to lives. I encourage you to read the book if you can, or look through the website to find out more about what we very lucky people in the western world could do to help. I've just sponsored a woman through Women for Women http://www.womenforwomen.org/, where I will be able to write encouraging letters to my sponsored sister. If you can spare the money to do something like this, please please do. And if not, maybe you can donate a little somehting to a girls school uniform? http://www.womenforwomen.org/And if you have no cash at all, could you spare time to publicise this? Or to write letters lobbying the governement to spend more money supporting female education and maternal healthcare? This is about all human beings being treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. This is about equality and looking after our worlds future.
Friday, January 20, 2012
From the Sartorialist - Dries Van Noten
Love the live art at the show along with the boldness of the art on the jacket.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Resolving to create things for you
Hello all and welcome to 2012. A few weeks in, how are you feeling?
I like the fresh feeling of new beginnings. In the last few days I feel like I must have knitted a hoard of tiny baby things for friends. That thrill of the cast on new and full of potential in your hands.
I seemed to go through this last year. How lovely it is to have a blog where you can chart your personal life rhythms and know you're not going mad.
I often find myself resolving to eat less and move more this time of year, and I am trying, I am really trying. 40 star jumps, 30 sit ups, 20 squats and 10 press ups on the days I can't manage more, and wii fit and the gym when I have more time.
I'm resolving to be quiet and silent again more, and to create more, and to be happy.
So, given this is how I feel about knitting,
Knitting and Safety
Sat here knitting, writing, watching bad yet good telly I am surprised at how well I multitask. It's like my brain is so full of energy and noise that the only way I can concentrate on what I need to get done is to channel all the excess into other outlets until nothing is heard but the history noise. Slowly but surely I'm typing the words, knitting good rows and learning about lives I never lead.
Knitting is so soft and natural to me. It takes up my hands and fills both of them. I've been experimenting with crocheting, and the spinning with one hand, reaching in and out of chains drips slowly out my fingers. It's both frustrating and fascinating. I'm not sure I like the dense fabric of it much. I think knitting will always be my go to craft.
Some thing in me wants to knit primeval simple warm things to look after people. Blankets for babies, rugs for floors, simple sweaters for my friends to wrap them in my love always. I want to loop tales with hopes and prayers and make smiles. If only I had the money for yarn.
and I can sew, and paint, and make websites and cook and flower arrange, and that I enjoyed my making 5 things for people last year, can I make something for you this year? I can advise on email marketing and organise events and design flyers too.
What little thing would give you a lift this year, what would you like?
Sunday, January 08, 2012
A tiny norwegian baby jumper
Made following instructions in Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Without Tears.
Epiphany galette and the ninja game
Here is my galette. It was tasty.
Tonight was family party night, and at midnight we went on to Charley's birthday do. They are playing the ninja game and having pen fights.
Friday, January 06, 2012
A first sonnet for Epiphany | Malcolm Guite
Today we're going to have an Epiphany party to end Christmas. We're going to eat Galette du roi, and have broccoli for bitter myrrh, spicy curry for fragrant frankincense and satsumas for gold. Whoever finds the bean in the galette will be the king of the party.
Epiphany
It might have been just someone else’s story,
Some chosen people get a special king.
We leave them to their own peculiar glory,
We don’t belong, it doesn’t mean a thing.
But when these three arrive they bring us with them,
Gentiles like us, their wisdom might be ours;
A steady step that finds an inner rhythm,
A pilgrim’s eye that sees beyond the stars.
They did not know his name but still they sought him,
They came from otherwhere but still they found;
In temples they found those who sold and bought him,
But in the filthy stable, hallowed ground.
Their courage gives our questing hearts a voice
To seek, to find, to worship, to rejoice.
So when I saw this shared on Phil's Tree House - http://philipstreehouse.blogspot.com/ it touched me, and I thought I'd share it on again here.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Here we are all dolled up for new year.
We had lovely time at Lula's house. Here's to a happy new year for all you and yours.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Funny & Unusual Romantic & Love Stories – Not Always Romantic » The Time-Traveller’s Wife
The Time-Traveller’s Wife
Text/Chat/Email | Johannesburg, South Africa | Marriage(I am emailing my husband. He is very into sci-fi, and we have lots of theoretical debates about time travel.)
Husband: “Hello, future wife. It’s sad but unavoidable that present me cannot tell present you that I love her. So, we’ll have to settle for this quantum ping pong that currently exists. I love you, too, in any case. And past you. And future you, after you. I look forward to minimizing our proximities, so I can be closer to my current you. More love. Past husband.”
Friday, December 23, 2011
Don't let a festive flower arranger get bored.
Or things like wearable flowers happen. Here's my church flower arrangement, table flowers for my grandparents and some silly flowers on my head.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
What makes Christmas, Christmas?
Stolen from Chronicles of a Reluctant Housedad, courtesy of Kate Takes 5
It's nearly Christmas - yay - am sat here in Santa hat. Here's what makes my Christmas Christmassy.
1. Sat home alone with the Christmas tunes on wrapping presents for those I love.
It makes me feel all tingly and happy. It's also best done by the lights of the fairylights on the tree.
I normally favour swing versions of festive songs and choral carols, but this year, I enjoyed the alternate Christmas playlist on Stereomood.
2. Midnight communion.
My dad would always come upstairs after we'd all gone to bed on Christmas Eve and read us the Christmas story from the bible. When I was a teenager, I decided I wanted to go to midnight communion, and so the story reading morphed in to Dad and I sneaking out at 11pm to walk down the road from my Gran's in Woolston to Peartree Church for midnight communion. When my sisters got older they came too, and I loved this little special thing we did just with Dad.
I love the magic of the Christmas communion, the waiting for the Christ child, old church words muddling with timeless winter celebration. The knowledge that the saviour was made a man on this world in the lowliest of low situations.
3. Carols.
My family are a family of singers. We'd sing in the car when we were little to keep ourselves entertained, and as we got bigger and my sisters more talented, we'd go all Von Trapp and Dad and Ellie would sing the harmonies whilst mum and I would sing melodies.
Dad said if you knew the tune to a hymn when you were in church it was your duty to sing out and sing loud to help other people who might not know it. I always sing loud.
We'd sing everything. Pop songs, hymns and best of all carols. Speeding to Southampton for Gran's for Christmas, counting the fairylights on the way, and singing carols over and over again.
Again as a teenager I decided we ought to go carol singing as I'd never been, and my family and another family would go to the old people's houses over the road and just stand outside singing our little hearts out. We never door knocked, but we did take requests.
Now we're older, I'm so looking forward to Christmas day today when we'll be at my Aunties, all 16 of us including cousins, granparents and Tom's dad, and my sisters will play carols and us three girls will sing around the piano.
4. Special tasty food.
I've taken on my mother's tradition of making Christmas pudding, on Stir Up Sunday. I made Tom stir it and make his wish, and it's sat in the cupboard under the stairs maturing, awaiting more and more brandy, ready for our little family dinner with Tom's dad on Boxing day.
We've also got smoked salmon and champagne for breakfast on Christmas day, a tradition started last year when we went to Devon with our friends - grown up, special and AWESOME!
5. Partying
The last hurrah for Christmas is our family party the weekend after new year. My Gran was one of 8 kids, and I'm the oldest grandchild. I've got 32 second cousins at last count, and every Christmas and August bank holiday we get together for a family bash. A party at Christmas and a picnic in the summer.
There's party games and food and dancing. Family bring their friends, and some of them have been coming so long they're practically family now. The kids love it till they're teenagers when it becomes boring, but when they get to 17 or so, they see the awesomeness of it all.
It's something I adore, and I'll do my utmost to keep it going for another 40 years.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Here's our little Christmas tree
We rescued the bedraggled little one and chopped a few branches off. Those went to decorate the mantlepiece. We've got new fairy lights too!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Readvent 11: Resting
I give myself permission to rest because I am a human being who has needs like any other person. I need rest because I never get enough sleep.
After a weekend of joyous fun with friends, I'm going to be tucking myself into bed with a book early tonight.
Readvent 10: Writing
I do have some rules when writing on here. I don't mention specifics about my job, or who my employer is, and I don't write anything I feel Tom would be unhappy with.
This came up in conversation with Mel yesterday at Jess and Andy's awesome party. She was commenting on how I'd been more candid on the blog of late. I have come to the view that most of the people who read this are friends, and so I can write anything on here that I would say to them. And I'm pretty blunt in real life to be honest.
I find writing like this very cathartic, and I'm going to keep being brave and say the things I need to say out loud.
1. I got all the merit badges as a child. I love getting a badge. Today I would like to get a badge that says "Good friend" or "Very hospitable"
2. I'm proud of Tom for sticking with trying to be a vicar. It's hard, it's slow, but I still hope that it's meant to be. I'm also proud of all my friends who work hard saving the world in little ways.
3. I wish for the safe delivery of the babies friends are expecting in 2012, my current job to become permenant, and that Tom and I stay happy and healthy.
4. I think that Autumn Socks day is the most unappreciated holiday - it's one that Tom and I invented, where we swap socks to keep the autumn blues away. I'd like to challenge you all to set up your own little holidays to share as a family.
I'm going to save the rest of these prompts for when I run out of blogging inspiration. And I can do this, because it's my blog.
Readvent 9: Influence
My greatest influences:
1. Dancing
Ever since I was a little person in a white leotard and pink socks, dancing has always spoken to my soul. The rigorous discipline still finds me pulling in my stomach muscles and standing up straight before a meeting, using my face to sell a song whilst singing, being aware of the muscles in my body and what they're doing, even when sitting.
I see in shapes and colours when thinking, a product of learning to choreograph. My work ethic and my ability to work in a team were also honed in a dance studio. I probably also learnt how to manage many egos too.
I also loved the costumes and sets in dancing, and a large chunk of my A level art was about dancers.
I've not longer got the figure or the flexiblity of a dancer. And I'm sad about that.
I still cheer mysef up by dancing around the house when I'm alone.
2. Chaplaincy
When I tumbled into the world of chaplaincy at the end of my first year, I didn't realise it would bring me life long friends, a husband, a renewed and strengthend faith, a passion for hospitality, chances to debate into the night, and an experience of living community.
I can't express how grateful I am to all the people who built that community and gave their time.
I would have never read Oscar Romero. I wouldn't know who Dietrich Bonhoeffer was. I wouldn't know what it was like to be accepted just as I am. Thank you.
3. My parents
I've written before on what I learnt from my dad
Growing up in a house full of girls, I'm always surprised how many of
From Dad I get my public speaking skills, my gift of the gab, my love
Dad's hobbies he managed to share. I read the label on every exhibit
in a museum just like him. I spent three hours in the London Transport
Museum, which would have done him proud. I share his love of choral
music, and family history. We would watch Formula 1 with him, and go
to transport festivals, and war museums.
of the craic. I was used as pro in many talk during family services,
and it's a sheer delight to watch my Dad now taking the tentative
steps towards a vocation in the church, turning these skills over to
God in a new way. I also got from Dad the idea of what a husband should be. Watching a
man who has to work hideously long hours remembering to buy the yellow
rose for my Mum every Christmas, tucking handwritten notes into packed
lunches and praising my Mum for her creativity her talent, catching
them smooching in the kitchen and cuddling up to watch a film.
and from my mum? How to sew, knit, paint, glass paint, pergamano, sculpt, bake, lacemake, garden, write, read, the list is endless. Mum thinks outside the box. She uses her creativity to solve any problem.
Need a remote controlled goat with removal legs for a school production of Joseph? No problem. A full on Joseph coat with the colours in the fabric in the order of the song so you can point to it as you sing? No problem. Alter your ballgown the day before the ball No problem. Look after your kids because you're having an emergency? No problem. Again the list is endless.
Mum's good at radical hospitality, and putting people together. She'll talk to anyone and put them at their ease. Thanks for teaching me about all these things.
4. Books
I couldn't pick just one book, but reading and books play a huge part in my life. I have visited other places, countries and worlds through books. Their knowledge just seems to sink in through my pores. I can swallow a book in a few hours if it's good, and the ability to do this has provided me with ideas that have challenged, scared, pleased, and made me.
I remember reading Emily Dickinson as a teenager and memorising her poems because they sang to my soul. Rereading Gaarder and Pratchett and Austen again and again. I would love to pass on this love of reading to any future children. The Yarn Harlot was talking about how her family was choosing their favourite childhood books to give to a much anticipated new arrival in her extended family. This is such a lovely idea, and I'm going to be stocking up on copies of Mr Magnolia Has Only One Boot, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Tinker and Tanker.
5. The Internet
I love this big and sprawling connected thing. As a teenager I taught myself HTML as I just wanted to see how it worked, and now it lets me keep in touch with friends and family around the world. I can read tutorials and instructions on just about anything. I can peer through the digital net curtains and read the blogs of others. I wouldn't be without it.
Readvent 8: Comfort
Ok, so out of my comfort zone.
1. I am not very good at meeting new people and talking. I'm happy being quiet and minding my own business. I'd like to try being more welcoming and open to people, and being brave and inviting them into my life.
I've invited one lady from my church round for dinner and it was really interesting finding out about her life. If I can do more about this, I think my life would be enriched. People of the world out there reading this, if you'd like to hang out and get to know me better, just shout.
2. Another of my comfort zones is probably being too sensible and not making the most of opportnities when they arise. I will say no, not today, we can't afford it, we're too busy, that's not practical. I'd like to say yes to more of the fun random things that turn up .
Some boring comfort zones? For a long time, I wouldn't cut my hair short, but I seem to have conquered that one. Left to my own devices, I would probably eat ony cold things from the fridge. I'm not a morning person and I sleep in whenever I can.
When working from home, I try to challenge my lazy ways by making an actual lunch, and making sure I eat some veggies. I'm trying to get up earlier at weekends to try and make more of the time.
See, I'm such a boring person.
Friday, December 09, 2011
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Readvent 7: Travelling
In my one bag I would have:
- a ponte or jersey dress in black with mid length sleeves I can dress up or down. I
- would have a couple of big brightly coloured silk scarves I could wear on my head, round my neck as a belt, use as a sling, or a bag.
- sturdy walking shoes and a pair of heels,
- a pair of jeans and a white shirt.
- A survival kit in a tin with matches, aspirin, safety pins, a needle and thread and a multi way tool. A corkscrew and a port bottle top.
- a notebook and pencil.
- two sets of undies, one nude, one black
- a waterproof coat
When we went to Loch Allen on honeymoon, we stayed in a cottage halfway up a big hill/small mountain. There was such a beautiful view from one of the windows down the mountain over the lake. And on one side there was a hill covered in wind turbines rising from the mists in the mornings like great triffids. There was a little wind turbine powering the cottage. An efficient wood burner in the living room. The house was full of old art and antique furniture.Toilets flushed with grey water
Even though it rained and rained I left feeling refreshed and happy and if I had seen the world. I saw how a lovely home could be eco friendly but still homely. I also saw modern technology working in harmony with stunning landscapes.
I love to travel. I find the travelling as fun as reaching the destination. I love all kinds of transport, (save perhaps submarines and spaceships - too claustrophobic) and enjoy marvelling at how it works, it's design language and the way it's used. I'd be happy to go as far as I could. There are some places where I'm going to burn to a crisp, but it may be worth it. Factor 50 all the way.
Readvent 6: Starting
I'm going to come back to Readvent 5: Drawing because I don't have any paper to hand on the sofa.
I have some goals that I wrote down and stored on my other computers. I can't remember what they are now. So let's write some new ones. I will try and remember and cross reference them later.
Actually, thinking about it. I don't really know what my goals are.
(A sideline, January Jones is a silly name no? Am watching X-Men First Class now)
Ok. So here it goes.
1. Continue working for my current employer. I love my job and I want to progress in it.
- Do my very best when at work
- Research innovative ways to reach my work goals
- Be a pleasant and useful employee
- Show the value of my worth.
None of these cost money. So I'm going to get on with this tomorrow.
2. Travel extensively abroad
- Plan where I want to go
- Save some money
- Book the time off
- Go!
Saving money costs money. So if plan where I want to go, I can get a better idea of how much it will cost. Making this much more realistic.
3. Write and publish a book.
- Come up with an interesting idea
- Do copious amounts of research
- Be disciplined and write a little everyday
- Edit the manuscript
- Send it off to publishers
- ...or if all else fails, self publish if only to hold one copy in my hands
Up to point 4 won't cost me a dime in anything but time. So I will just have to devote some time to this one.
4. Have a happy and fulfilling life.
- Do what I love to do
- Don't settle for second best
- Give to others
- Give thanks
Again all free apart from time costs.
5, Stay happily married.
- Give my husband lots of love and hugs and attention
- Do things together, both fun things like going out to dinner, and constructive things like working on projects together.
- Give each other space to persue our own hobbies
- Lots of rampant sex :0)
And again. All free. Apart from Tom's expensive going out for dinner and drinking all the wine habit. Which I help him drink.
Readvent 4: Caring
Success is doing something you care about.
Set a timer for 30 minutes today for NO multitasking. Focus your care and attention on one task that you need to do. Allow yourself to focus instead of comparing your task to what you’d rather be doing. Hundreds of things are more fun/rewarding/exciting than what you are doing at any given moment, but by caring for the moment, for the present, you nurture it into the best it can be.
Today I focused on writing for 30 mins, and I feel that I have really gained from giving myself some time to breathe and look at my thoughts.
I saw people today scurrying around London where I went for my meeting. I saw baristas creating perfect swirls atop lattes. I saw street cleaners bending down for that last piece of paper. I saw a TfL employee on the platform of a tube station make a tube drivers day by announcing over the tannoy that all the people on the train were in very safe hands as this train driver was the best in London.
This year I began caring about radical hospitality. This was inpired by reading A Just Church by Chris Howson and the Irrestistable Revolution by Shane Claiborne. I feel happier the more time I give away, the more I give to others.
I also began caring about giving thanks whenever and where ever I can. This was inspired by 1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp. The more I try and find to be thankful for the more and more I realise the blessings in my life.
I have been trying to take better care of myself by trying to dress well in a way that pleases me, getting a good hair cut and so on. Little vainities, but ones that make me feel put together. A good pair of shoes on my feet makes me smile everytime I look down.
It's better not to care about what people think of you. It's better to act now and apologise later. It's better to ruffle some feathers and get the job done. Not everyone is going to be positive about you, and you're not going to get on with everyone.
I don't care about money, I don't care about status, I don't care about a big house or a fancy car. I don't care about the stock market.
What really matters to me is integrity, creativity, happiness and sharing.
Readvent 3: Fascinating
How do I keep myself interesting?
I read as much as I can both online and offline. I read widely, on any subject that catches my eye. Chances are, one day, something on that topic will come up on converstation and I will be able to offer that bon mot.
I also try to take up opportunties to try unusual things. It's quite fun to say ' I made head cheese from half a pigs head' . Certainly gets the conversation started.
It helps that I don't care too desperately what others think of me. I used to mind terribly, going over and over how a situation turned out, trying to put myself in the other's shoes. Now, not so much. I am just me after all, and whilst you can change aspects of yourself, you will always be you in someway.
Interview yourself
Why do you proclaim to be a feminist but enjoy traditionally female activities?
I am a feminist because women across the world are still marginalised. All women deserve especially to recieve the same education as men, because we are equal. When there is equality of potential or prospects for both men and women I will be happy.
I do enjoy activities that the western world considers feminine activities such as work with textiles, flower arranging and so on. However, I don't see them as feminine. I see them as activities. I think they are things that can be enjoyed by anyone, and it's only western gender stereotypes that prevent this.
Should a future girl child of mine want to learn woodwork, I would support her, just as I will teach my boys to knit.
If you could travel the world, which places would you visit?
All of them if I could. we've just watched A Life in a Day, and it's really ignitied my passion to travel. I enjoy visiting a place and going to its railway stations, its supermarkets, it's little sparks of everyday life. I hope to visit somewhere new in mainland Europe next year, and eventually I'd like to visit places like Petra in Jordan
When are you happiest?
When fingering a new ball of yarn and deciding what it will be. When sipping the first sip of cold white fizzy wine. Waking up snuggled into Tom's arms. Standing on top of a cliff staring out all over the landscape. Standing on top of a big hill staring all across the landscape. Singing the melody of carols whilst my sisters sing the harmony. Sitting down to a big dinner with family. Sitting down to a big dinner with friends.
Wear something you never wear
I did this earlier this month. I wore a mult coloured chunky cropped cardigan I never wear because it's loud and an awkward shape. I wore it with a simple white top and blue jeans, piled my hair in a massive bun on top of my head, and paired it with clunky boots. It looked fab. I don't know why I didn't do this before to be honest. It was also snuggly warm.
Readvent 2: Balancing
At the moment my life is very heavily weighted towards work. Increased travel times, Christmas campaigns and a job I truly love and adore means you can often find me working late into the evening.
I fully realise that this isn't healthy or sustainable. However, I am starting to develop some great ways of managing my time at work. The last quote on the image is key. I always write a list of tasks for the day, highlight the ones that absolutely have to be done that day, and then make sure those are done. Everything else can always wait a day.
I'm also taking time to truly enjoy and be grateful for my life as it is. On the way home from a meeting this week, I took a longer more scenic route to challenge my navigating skills, and drove through the Surrey Hills. The slightly longer journey gave me more time to think, and I got to see a beautiful part of Great Britain that I had never seen before. I am so grateful that this job includes travel and I am getting to see my stunning country.
Work has also been good about challenging counsultants to say no to work if they don't have the capacity, and I have done this, rather than doing the 'oh I'm the new girl, I need to say yes to everything' thing. This has helped with making sure I'm only working on projects I really need to be.
In my personal life, Tom and I try and schedule in at least one night where we intentionally spend time together. As I type, Tom is cooking an exciting seafood platter, there's chilled cava and a film awaiting us. I'll turn the computer off and we'll just be together.
I also try and have 1 night to myself a week. At the moment I'm going to modern jive classes with Ruth and Lula. I enjoy the movement and lights and feeling free on the dance floor.
Readvent 1: Challenging
An awesome blogger I read called Princess Lasertron does this cool thing called Readvent, a serious series of blog post prompts around the subject of self reflection.
Here are my thoughts on her prompts so far.
1: Challenging
At the moment I am being challenged most by one big thing and one small thing. The big thing is my fertility.
At the moment Tom and I don't want any children, and because of my ecoptic pregnancy, I don't know what my future fertility will be like. It has supposedly been reduced by 30% due to the removal of my ectopic pregnancy, but I have a contraceptive implant fitted, and so have no idea what it would be like if the implant were removed.
What I am finding challenging, especially at in the run up to Christmas, a real family orientated time of year, is a possible future desire for children that I might not be able to have.
Friends and family have started asking about if we were thinking of having children, and a few good friends are expecting much wanted babies or have babies. I have been thinking of Christmas traditions I might like to share with children if we had any, like the reading of a chapter day through advent of Jostein Gaarders 'A Christmas Mystery. I have also attended some family events, and really enjoyed the new large and complex extended family I've gained from my marriage to Tom.
However, I don't want to think about it all too much because, I might not be able to have my own biological children, I'm not sure our families would be welcoming of adoptive children, and I'm not sure I'm unselfish enough to be a parent. I am grateful for our uncomplicated, well fed, well financed child free life at the moment. I don't think I can resolve this one yet, and I need to talk to my parents about it. It just gives me that lump in the throat-tight in the chest feeling when I try and mull it over.
The small challenge I am facing is keeping up with housework and everyday life with my new job that involves lots of travelling. Our house is often a mess as Tom and I are both hoarders, and not good at putting things away. It's not often dirty, just lots of things everywhere. It didn't bother me so much when I was younger, but I'm starting to find less cluttered spaces more relaxing and calming.
I am grateful that I am fortunate enough to have all the random stuff I might want and need. I'm going to resolve it by trying to do one little bit of tidying a day, getting the spare room sorted out for Martin coming to stay on Sat, and completely clearing out and dusting all the rooms by the 22nd when Tom's dad comes to stay.
I don't feel that I totally 'kicked butt' at any challenging thing this year, but I have mastered driving since my horrific learning to drive experience. I've had a couple of minor bumps with parked cars, but I got over my fear of motorways pretty quickly, what with having to drive alot for work. It is liberating being able to just get in the car and go.
Friday, December 02, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
NaBloPoMo 30: all the prompts
What is the last thing you do before bed?
Snuggle more under the covers and give Tom a kiss.
Describe an heirloom that has been passed down through generations of your family. What is its significance to you personally?
Coming from a family of hoarders, there's a few of these. I have a big chignon pin, possible tortoiseshell, with little cut glass stones around the curve that was from my Great Granny's house. She was the ultimate hoarder, and I think this hair pin could be Victorian.
We've also got some WW1 medals and memorabilia that was my Great Grandad's on my dad's side. He won a medal for bravery, but as he wasn't an officer, he wasn't mentioned in dispatches. There were other records, but these got bombed in WW2. These are very significant to me as they are one of the things that Dad and I especially are interested in, and one of these days we're going to go to the records in Kew, and do some research to try and find out what Grandad did to win his medals.
Do you like to buy presents ahead of time or right when you need to give them?
I like to buy presents ahead of time as I hate rushing around buying them. It also helps with spreading the cost alot. I'm pleased to report that most of the presents have been bought. I'm in charge of present buying in our house as Tom doesn't like doing it very much, and I think it's a fair swap for all the cooking he does.
Do you enjoy being alone? Would you rather be around other people?
I like both. I like a few days to myself, to listen to my music and bimble around. Thus I'm quite enjoying my working from home days as I get my fill of being alone. But I love people too, and get withdrawl symptoms when I've not done enough social things.
Write about a piece of music that changed your life forever. What do you feel when you hear it now?
I can't think of any song that especially changed my life, but this piece gave me a love of choral music, and another happy bond with my Dad. We'd play it really loud in the car so we could pick up the soft drum beats. It makes me feel alive, and brimming with possibilities. That's probably linked to all the times we were zooming off to pastures new with this as a soundtrack. Here's the Kyrie, but I urge you to listen to all of it. I also love this cover of Paramore's Hallelujah by the Vitamin String QuartetI first came across it on this video of dancing when I was looking for inspiration when I started dancing again: It's one of those pieces where I can just move to it, and see how I would dance to it. It's also very uplifting.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
NoBloPoMo 27+28 Out and about
Been gadding about again for meetings so am catching up now. So very nearly ready for our Christmas campaign.
Went to the advent carol service in the old church near my mum and dad's and brought the mother-in-law along with us. She and Tom's step-dad joined us for supper at my parent's afterwards. All seemed to go ok.
They'd shaken up the order of service slightly, for the better I think, but still with the hymns I've sung under candle light every year I can remember. When you're tiny the box pews were like a maze to prance along, trying to steal more mince pies during the refreshments after than your dad. He ate 8 in one evening there once. I only had one this year, and contented myself with catching up with all the grownups who've known me since I was knee high to a gnat.
It was also the warmest it's ever been at that service. I had to take my gloves off. Last year we trudged through snow and there was ice inside the windows. What a difference. We did have the second frost of the year today, my last rose in the garden shivering under a dusting of ice.
The lovely Amelia asked me "what is the best thing you have ever made?"
Again I can't answer in one. I loved the cake I made for Dad's birthday I made recently and the look on his face when he cut it open.
I loved the Clangers birthday cake I made for my mum with a blue buttercream craggy moonscape, and pink marzipan Clangers.
I like the oil pastel of my uncle and cousins, and the very large wax screenprint of dancers I made for my A level art course.
I like the dress I made with red silk bought all the way back from China, that doesn't fit any more but I can't bear to throw away because it's perfect, and the head piece I made to wear to my wedding, it's pearly wax petals having been in my grandmother's and mother's headpieces before mine.
I think I may love the gloves I knit for Tom the most, expressions of love made to wear out over time, even more so than socks because all of those tiny tubes for fingers and thumbs, ripped out and re knitted to fit over and over again, in the softest stripiest sock yarn.
What's your favorite kind of fruit?
I love grapes - portable, tasty and you get to eat more than one.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
NaBloPoMo 25+26
Gah, a second fail.I have now got the shortest hair cur I've ever had in my life. No photos yet as I've not uploaded them yet. I feel swishy and grown up.Work was manic yesterday, still not done, need to do some later today. Currently at the mother in law's farm, providing tech support on various computers. Went to a village craft fair in a little church and watched a floristry demonstration. Especially like the versions of standard bay trees made up with winter foliage and flowers. Definitely making one for the doorstep this christmas, and if I'm doing your wedding flowers, I think they'd make fab table centres.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
NaBloPoMo 24: Tired
Today was the first day of this job where I actually felt rushed of my feet. Interestingly though, it wasn't in a bad way. We've booked in a date for a lovely xmas do too.Cracking headache now though. Probably due to dehydration and tiredness. Stayed up too late last night. Bizarrely, some of yesterdays work included making a pomander and taking step by step photos of the process. Will reveal all shortly. Am off dancing tonight with Lula, Ruth and Olivia. Don't know if I will be able to keep my eyes open. Hair cut tomorrow, am going to go much shorter as an experiment. Hold me to that, I always chicken out.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
NaBloPoMo 23 thankful
Today I am thankful for this beautiful sky I saw on my walk home from a very productive day working at my friends house.
[[Sent using 1000 gifts app for Android ]]
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Shared from 1000 gifts app for android
A lovely husband, good food and love
[[Sent using 1000 gifts app for Android ]]
NaBloPoMp 22: When the Night Comes
This evening we've had music pouring through the house rather than television. Eva Cassidy, Simon and Garfunkel, Manic Street Preachers, REM and now the Boomtown Rats. Tom and I have been painting the hall covering up white and scuff marks with light reflective cream. The magic ladder couldn't cope with our stairs so we taped brushes to poles to get into the high high corners. It's looking good. The new natural wood of the bannistair, the new brass door handles and the soft warm cream begging to be adorned with my photos and paintings.
Coming home earlier also means eating earlier, and more evening time, so we're getting loads done in the evenings, and eating better. Last night I wrote nearly all our Christmas cards, and wrapped the presents we've bought so far with Tom. Tonight I did lots of washing up as well as painting. We had posh Brinner or Breakfast for dinner tonight, and I made a rich beans in tomato sauce with chard, lemon and dill to go with the bacon, sausages and eggs. Last night was veggie night, and we had pumpkin with a cheese and garlic crust, kale and garlic mashed potatoes and white romanesco cauliflower. I love romanesco cauliflower. It's like eating the beauty of maths, fractals coming to life in plant form.
Sorry, nothing moving or grand to write tonight. Just wanted to get something down to keep it going. Go on, ask me a hard question for tomorrow.
Monday, November 21, 2011
NaBloPoMo 21: An ideal rainy day
Describe an ideal rainy day
I've had a few ideal rainy days. Earlier this year, Tom and I kitted up in waterproof trousers and macs, and went blackberry picking in the absolutely pouring rain on Southampton Common.
It was great. The common was deserted bar a few anglers, we were soaked through, we only got a few blackberries, but boy did we have fun. There's something so subversive about going, oh well, let's get on with it. John, you would have been proud.
I really enjoy the noise of really heavy rain as it drums on surfaces. Whilst we were on holiday in Wales this year, we had some rainy evenings when we curled up in our armchairs either side of a real fire as the rain came down. The noise is very soothing.
I also like waking up on a rainy day, when you know you have no reason to go outside, and you can lie snuggled up in your duvet, just listening to the rain. It's the same when you get a light shower when camping, the beating noise on the tent.
Nothing will beat the rainy camping trip I had with friends in the New Forest. We didn't get dry for the whole weekend, but it didn't stop us, not one bit. We cooked under brollies, and drank cider in the tunnel of tents. I want to go camping again now!
Summer rain is fantastic too. When you're out for a picnic or something and it just tips it down and it's warm and smells of cut grass. I love standing in summer rain letting myself get drenched, knowing you can go inside and towel off later, but right this minute, you're supposed to be in the rain. As Tom says, skin's waterproof.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
NaBloPoMo 20: Stir up Sunday
Today is Stir Up Sunday, when you traditionally make Christmas pudding. It's the last Sunday before Advent, the season of preparation and penitence before Christmas, and it's celebrated as Christ the King, looking at the power and majesty of God. The traditional collect or special daily prayer for this day is:
"Stir up, we beseech thee,
O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people;
that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works,
may of thee be plenteously rewarded;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
The old wives tale is that old wives, hearing this collect, would be reminded that they needed to go home after church and stir up and make their Christmas puddings, giving the puddings time to mature over Advent, ready for Christmas.
So that's what I did after church today, having printed out hundreds of flyers and posters advertising the various events we're running, and done a spot of present shopping.
Here's our family recipe from my Great Auntie Peg:
ingredients
- 2oz flour
- 4oz breadcrumbs
- 4oz brown sugar
- 2oz sultanas
- 4oz raisins
- 4oz currants
- 2oz candied peel
- 1oz almonds
- rind and juice of 1/2 orange or lemon
- 1 sour apple, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 tsp. mixed spice
- 2-3 eggs
- 2 tbsp whiskey
N.B. You can used mixed fruit
Method- Put all the prepared fruit into a large bowl, all the other dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Beat up the eggs and them, the orange/lemon and whiskey to the dry mix and bind together.
- Leave overnight.
- Turn into a well greased bowl and cover with greased paper then foil, tying tightly.
- Steam for 4 hours.
- When cold store in a dry place for several weeks.
- Steam for 2 hours before serving onto a hot dish with brandy butter
Saturday, November 19, 2011
NaBloPoMo 19: A Photo Post
Here are some piccies. My version of the Corrinne cardigan I made for Ruth as one of my 5 creative things this year, pictures from the confirmation service I went to at St Denys church, and the rainbow cake I made for my dad's birthday. I am now sat here with a sugar high from all the food colouring and buttercream.
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