A year on; sweetpeas, fondness and growing up...

I am all about tradition, as demonstrated here...a post from this time last year. This weekend our old friends from University came to stay and brought with them lots of loveliness in the form of gifts, their scrumptious boys (who have grown so much!) and all the store of memories and fondness of the last 18 years. For me there is something wonderfully life-affirming to see old friends and a part of me relaxes in the knowledge that they know me; there is no pretense, no manoeuvring.

...freshly picked sweetpeas...

...freshly made cakes...

Their visit coincided with high winds but we braved the beach anyway, at times huddling in the beach hut barbecuing sausages for the kids, as we are hardy Brits! Not exactly optimum May bank holiday weather...

Cricket orchestrated by the Daddies...my friend J whose book has steadily cimbed up the Amazon charts over the past year and who now spends his time teaching and talking at conferences all over the country! I remember him when...well, when he was always arranging some fab student-related event like a beer festival or a summer treasure hunt around our Uni town. Resourceful? Err, yes...

...cricket on a deserted beach, when a hoolie was blowing...

Monday muse...

I wish I had looked like this on the school run this morning. But no, I was in running tights ready to get back into the running regime. When I don't run for a week it makes me feel...hmm...as if something is not right; which is strange given I spent 32 years of my life never having run. Lesson learned? It's never too late to take something up!

...fur mittens from Copenhagen Cycle Chic...

A strange but rather nice weekend. Strange due to thought-provoking activities, like going to the swankiest dinner party I have ever attended in one of the most beautiful houses I have ever been in. You know something is different on the glamour quotient when the staff greet you at the door and not the hosts; they were inside being elegant and wonderful. Had a rather special evening...needless to say.

...a glamourous view...

I have come to the conclusion that no one in my house is even remotely as tidy as me and this can cause friction at weekends. It also contributes to the requirement to spend most of Monday re-grouping my house. I have this to say: 'Meh'. As reported in the Sunday Times, this word (if you can call it that) covers almost all of life's observations; so 'Meh' to that.

I am developing a strong desire to go to Cape Cod. I think Cape Cod and me, we might work really well. We have started lusting over the incredible beach houses you can rent there. I have never been but get the distinct impression I would love it. I want to go to Marth'a Vineyard. Any thoughts?

...a place to sit...

The Christmas shopathon has started in earnest; me and my laptop have been in overload, click buy, click buy. My postman and I are going to be good friends by the time December 24th arrives...'tis the season....

Oh and a P.S. pop over and vote for Lou, Boos and Shoes here; it's in the top right corner of their page. I'm bashful, but it would be nice to get through the first round :-)

Monday muse...

I have had a wonderful weekend spent at garden parties and barbeques with old friends and new. June at its best; although if I am being absolutely honest, it could have been a tad warmer!

In my little world today:

...waiting for the pink roses to start entwining around the trellis on my new white picket fence. I could be some time!

...clearing the mess that was accumulated after a concerted effort to spend the whole and entire weekend NOT tidying up.

...getting ready for the summer wedding we are going to on Saturday.

...baking after-school treats.

...catching up, catching up, catching up!
...trying to keep the weekend's 'happy feeling' as a Monday muse.

I am guest posting on The Bottom of the Ironing Basket today. When I first started blogging, Simone was one of my earliest followers, always there with insightful comments and words of support. Simone is a treasure... as is her gorgeous blog, so I was delighted/quite chuffed/slightly scared to step in and help when she found herself without computer access this week! Go and see...did I do OK?! ;-)

Sunday night insomnia, Mr and Mrs and piscean indecision...

This was what met me early this morning; the view from my kitchen window as I made my cup of earl grey...the most lovely frosty sunrise.


This is the view from upstairs in my house - that's ground water laying in the field - which contributed to the insomnia I had last night while I lay wondering - if my house flooded what would I save? I got as far as (in no particular order) the Mac, my Eric Ward paintings, wedding photos, jewellery, shoes and of course husband, kids and cat...

The other contributing factor to my Sunday night insomnia was the fact that my husband and I bickered most of the weekend like an old married couple, despite our recent enforced absence (absence makes the heart grow stronger surely?). I took this picture of ducks in the rain a week ago, I love the waddle, the 'Mr and Mrs' quality of it...she goes slightly ahead, he follows after with his fancy green head feathers gleaming. Its as if if she is saying 'come on, hurry up, stick to my pace, places to go, people to see...'


Did I mention that my husband and I renewed our wedding vows in Las Vegas a couple of years back? I always wanted to go to a Vegas wedding so we had our own. It was very entertaining, along with our little congregation we danced in the aisle as the Elvis impersonator sang 'Viva Las Vegas'. And this is me (my beloved took the picture) walking back to our stretch limo afterwards. I have this thing for photos of people (or ducks) walking away...


Just while we are on Vegas...I know I have posted alot about that place lately but let's just have a Monday appreciation for Brad and George in Ocean's Eleven. YUM. Raybans never looked so good...

Anyway, I digress...back to the insomnia. It wasn't even useful insomnia, wrestling with important issues, oh no. It was the mind-full-of nothing-important indecisive kind of insomnia. Shall I get up and have some milk? Shall I stay in bed and keep trying to sleep? Will I be over-tired in the morning? Is this because I was already hungover on Sunday from too many margaritas at a dinner party on Saturday? Are the kid's bags packed for school? Mental note: must make dentist appointments. And, and, and...

So after the lovely sunrise and a cup of tea, I logged onto Blogger for my daily fix and saw the inspiring post over at The Refocused Life which reminded me i) its 1st March today, ii) its my birthday month iii) lots of nice things ahead. Oh and iv) I am piscean; two fish swimming in different directions - I am in a constant state of indecision! No wonder I couldn't sleep...