Things of beauty...

Day three...its still raining and blowing a hooley out there. Gotta love Springtime in England. On the agenda today: swimming. Well actually this translates to me shivering in the pool, not swimming very much atall while I try to stop my youngest child from drinking too much pool water.

Some things of beauty to consider...

I recall seeing this picture once and have always remembered it. Positively sandwiched between the rocks, its in France. I don't think you'd feel concerned being here in a storm - you'd have nature's ultimate protection either side of you.

A row of almond blossom in Spring...


My new blog crush...thxthxthx: A thankyou note a day. This is where Leah writes thank you notes (as all well mannered do) to random daily things. I liked this one but there are many, many to bring a wry smile of knowing...

Royal Copenhagen crockery...


Tiffanys Elsa Peretti bone cuffs, love these...

Gorgeous cuteness for babies...having seen my nephew, one always forgets just how tiny newborns are...


I love the panelled door, the muted blue tones and the distressed lamp...

Natalia Vodianova looking dreamy...


Another doorway...this one is in Morocco...


Wonderful image; Lily Cole in Vogue in a dress that is almost wearing her rather than the other way around...

Sister and brother...Boo 1 and 2

How can it be that two children who have come from the same parentage can be so very different?! My two children; one of each - a girl and a boy. In lots of ways they are the same - but their personalities are diametric opposites!

I find the whole process fascinating - how they develop and become people. I met my new nephew on Sunday and was struck how little correlation there is between that tiny little newborn and what he will become; a real thinking person. With my children, its hard to believe they were ever babies like that.

My observations:

My daughter

• Oh-so-complex...there's a alot of female angst - even at the age of 8.
• Needs a daily fix of reassurance.
• Conducts an elaborate falling asleep regime every night. This consists of shouting out 'I can't get to sleep' and needing to tell everyone in the house.
• Pretty as a painting; delicate and graceful. I think she is so beautiful it makes my heart ache.
• Indecisive.
• Worries about consequences.
• Worries generally.
• Astute, empathetic.
• Funny, wry, sharp-minded.
• Gymnastic-bouncing, willowy.
• Loving.
  

My son

• What you see is what you get.
• Blonde curls - surfer boy.
• Makes decisions, sticks with it, no deviation, no regrets.
• Says he's not tired then falls asleep within 2 minutes flat.
• Cuddly and gives cuddles, snuggly, warm.
• No agenda; hidden or otherwise.
• Comedy clown - has a knack for making people laugh and smile.
• Passionate.
• Football-kicking, rugby-ball-carrying.
• Sturdy, strong.
• Straight-forward.
  

Chalk and cheese?

And so, thank you so much for all of your comments and advice from my last post. Maybe the Universe is unaligned at the moment?

We had a pyjama day yesterday, the kids and I. First day of Easter holidays - pouring rain and wind outside. We lit the fire, lolled on the sofa and watched TV all day, had porridge and sprinkles for dinner, got an early night and now, I feel abit better :-)

The test...

For the last few days - well since late last week - I have been feeling slightly odd. Out of sorts. Can't put my finger on why, it feels like I have a test coming and I am nervous about it, and I haven't revised. But there is no such test that I can think of, coming in my life. Its all very odd.

So I am going to try and take heed of the 'be calm' sentiment (love this print by Louise Bourgeois) and think of soothing things and see if this one passes...please pass...

My heart feels abit like this...

Need raindrops on roses...

...and whiskers on kittens...


'Brother and Sister' by Jessie Wilcox Smith. My mum sent this postcard to me when I was 10 years old and was away on my first ever week-away school trip. It soothes me to look at it; I have one older brother and he has always looked after me, so to me, this is P and I...


In true British form...


Pretty vintage teacups...


And somehow get to my happy place...

Personally, I blame Zooey Deschanel...

It all started when watching '500 Days of Summer' a while back, when I decided that Zooey Deschanel had cool hair. She had a proper fringe (or 'bangs' if we consider she is American). That was months ago and yesterday I went to the hairdresser and had the very same proper fringe cut into my hair. I sported this look in my 20's...so I now have that rather freakish sensation of having 20something hair and a 30something face...hmmm

So the verdict on the Zooey do - female responses have been good. I personally am liking it. My husband however, as arguably the most important male contingent thinks its quite a 'severe look'. Double hmmmm.

Will now dwell on some Zooey pictures and try to decide if I did the right thing...afterall what does he know?!

Easter holidays start here...

My children broke up today for their Easter holidays! Yup - nearly 4 weeks of family fun from now on. Think egg painting and long walks (must walk my son like a dog to wear him out), seeing friends and family, oh and I expect some Wii and Nintendo and TV thrown in for good measure. I am not a perfect mother... ;-)

I think this lady looks utterly delectable...

This is by Edouard Manet, its called Clematis in a Crystal Vase 1881.


I watched Stealing Beauty this week - stayed up far too late one night - I had forgotten how beautiful Liv Tyler is in this film...


Planning for the Easter weekend, we always have a BIG family lunch with my brother and his wife and children...my lovely nieces. Although they are 10 and 12 they still love the annual Easter Egg Hunt...

I adore Easter themed tables...


And duck egg blue...the colours here are just dreamy...

More duck egg blue courtesy of Country Living...


The real deal...makes me want to keep hens.


So I had a go at relaxing today...this involved lying on my bed in the middle of the day! Scandalous! So as I lay there I started thinking what a nice picture it would make...so I took a few shots, playing with the focus of foreground and background. I could get into the photography thing. This is my dressing table...the wisteria is just starting to bud outside the window.


Oh and yes they arrived :-)


I love love love this platinum and pearl Agrigento nest ring from Astley Clarke...

Off to stock up on books tomorrow - both Boos won 'effort awards' at school this term (flush of pride) and so they have book vouchers to spend. 'Owl Babies' is a favourite bedtime story of ours (along with 'The Tiger Who came to Tea'). They love the bit when the Owl Mother whooshes down, returning to her worried little clan. Life is always best when Mummy's home...

Old school models...

Funny old evening last night...went to bed at 8.30pm feeling utterly exhausted and quite out of sorts. Was it a full moon or something? Anyway, today I feel the urge to just ponder on something distant and unobtainable; things of beauty of the human kind. Its nice to gaze at models - what must it be like to look like that? I know the media images send us all slowly insane with our own insecurities but just for a moment its good to appreciate the beauty of the human form...in its most extreme prettiness.

Christy Turlington by Patrick Demarchelier

I remember this shot - it was on the cover of Vogue, early 90's featuring the 'Supermodels' Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford and Tatjana Patitz. I used to have it pinned to my wall as a teenager then. I also liked Helena Christensen as the Danish contingent; whilst she does not appear in this picture she was very much of that time.

Peter Lindbergh for British Vogue

Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell by Mario Testino

Christy Turlington By Mario Sorrenti for Italian Vogue

Cindy Crawford by Alix Malka for Spanish Vogue

Linda Evangelista by Steve Meisel

Tatjana Patitz by Herb Ritts

Helena Christensen by Peter Lindbergh

Right, better get back to reality now?

Ravenswood friends...

I am lucky enough to have a group of kindred spirits for friends - the ones I met at University. We met on the first ever day; there are six of us and we lived, loved, studied, shopped, cried and laughed our way through University as a pack. Now 18 years later (wait...18 years? How did that happen?) we are still close friends.

Now the group has grown and we are all Mummies, living all over the country, doing different things. We all used to meet up a few times a year and rent cottages to stay in. Now our numbers are so swollen with off-spring (of the 6 of us there are now 11 children) that its hard to find a place large enough. So it saddens me that we don't see each other as much; somehow life conspires to make it more complicated than it should be, just to catch up with these old and best friends.

They know me inside out, through graduation and jobs and travel and marriage and babies and houses and more jobs and motherhood. So I mention them because I only just told them about my blog. One of them has called it my new 'baby'! I kept 'Lou, Boos and Shoes' quiet for months and now I have come out and I wonder, why was I so secretive? Of course because they know me inside out, they read it and see that it is entirely me - my thoughts. Which is...well...really cool.

We all have this very sweet graduation photo of us all - lined up like crows in black gowns outside Bristol Cathedral, with our mortar boards on, looking oh-so-young and full of hope for the future. Back then, digital cameras where the sort of thing featured on 'Tomorrow's World' so I don't have a copy to show you - so instead we turn to Gossip Girl.

I am sure however, back in 1995, that we weren't as well accessorised as this... ;-)

Things of beauty...

Midweek. Not doing very well on my 'to do' list in readiness for Easter holidays...spending far too much time looking at pretties like these...

Dining al fresco...when, oh when will we be able to?


Love this ballet shot - waiting for audition...

Vintage Vogue - from 1963. What a wonderful neckline she has...1963 interests me as a year, not least as it was the year that my parents were married and the year that Kennedy died.

The weeping willow in our garden. One of the reasons we bought the house (although their roots are meant to be baaaad news for underground pipes). One year we had to have it 'pollarded' which means to take off all the branches. Boo was so distraught at how it looked, she cried...then went out and wrote 'I love you' on the bark. She is a gentle soul...


Tables laid for friends...

This is for Simone whose whimsy and creative cleverness is behind The Bottom of the Ironing Basket...another incarnation of the Eiffel Tower...she is into Paris at the moment... :-)

Kate Moss...up close...

More door handles...I like the contrast of rust against the blue...

Provencale soap...the best kind...Verbena is my favourite scent.