Balance...

I have been to see the homeopath today. I posted on this once before...it's not something I have really been into until this past year, when I thought I would try it out. The concept of homeopathy is all about achieving balance. It's about describing your symptoms and how you feel about them and then from that, homeopathic remedies are prescribed. It has a lovely apothecary feel to it...

It's a little bit alternative.

I am open to new things, and find the actual process so interesting. I see this lady who is very quiet and mild-mannered and she listens intently to every word I say and then consults her giant leather-bound homeopathy books. I come away with these tiny white pills that I am instructed to take at intervals. Even when I think there is nothing really the matter with me, she can draw out what I am feeling in a quite startling way. Today we talked alot about how I felt about my daughter and how her worries became my worries. We talked alot about teeth - don't get me started. We talked about modern life and stress and balance.

I was explaining how busy I have been and the pressure I put on myself to manage every element of my life to the highest degree. Work, house, wife-ing, Mummy-ing; staying on top of it all, all the time. She said '...what would happen if you didn't do all of that?' I stuttered '...well that would be bad.' She said '...what would happen?' I hesitated, not sure what exactly would happen. What would happen? Ummm, I would not excel at work. OK. The house would be untidy. OK. My husband might not have his dinner cooked. OK. The kids might be 5 minutes late for school. OK.

Would any of the above prompt the end of the world? No.

So - it's thought-provoking, for sure. Why all the pressure? Why not just chill?

I know I have said this before, but exactly what is it that is driving me on? I suspect deep down that it is all me and not the dozen other external factors that I think it is. Maybe I should just sit still for a while and just...be.

images from are so happy

'Blog-shaped hole'...

So bear with me while I explain this analogy. There is a fairly well-known book by a British writer called Allison Pearson called 'I Don't Know How She Does It'. Aside from the fact that the book is a bit of an ode to my life - working mother, school-run guilt, two children; a girl and boy, there is a description in it that always stuck with me. In the book the heroine has a virtual 'fling' with a work colleague and she describes him as a hole in her life that she didn't know needed filling, until she filled it with him.

This, rather bizarrely is how I think of blogging.

Before now, I never knew there was a blog-shaped hole in my life. But blogging has been like putting a mirror up to everything...it has made me think. Alot. And in a good way...

I have told very few people about my new habit. I still consider myself a new blogger. I still think it's surreal that a bunch of people 'follow' me. I still delight in the new and very lovely friends I have made. I still feel quite pleased with myself when I publish a good (in my opinion) post. I still LOVE getting comments (a little too much I suspect!).

I still marvel at how much cleverness and beauty there is lurking in the blog world and consider how close I came to completely missing out on it. I still love that when I think of something to say, there is someone to say it to. I still think it's cool that friends drop by and say 'hi'. I still am struck by how nice it is to write again...haven't done that, for fun, since school.

I love that I can appreciate the seasons from the other side of the world as my blogging friends describe them (when it's Spring here, it's Autumn in Australia). I love that there are now some blogs I have discovered which I can liken to reading a really good book or getting my favourite magazine delivered in the post.

I  think most of all that it's just lovely that anyone is interested in me and my baggage! Long may it last...

Shoe love...

A subject close to my heart and already talked about in this post here...what more can I say about shoes? Umm, I wear them every day. I am fiercely loyal to them. I covet certain types. They feature in my blog name. Shoes and I? We are like peas and carrots.

So when Thatgirl39 at Forty not out sent me a 'Hello Lover' shoe tag, I got rather excited. Then I had some angst...picking favourites is a tricky business; someone is always bound to feel left out. Anyway here are my faves, some belong to me and some do not (maybe one day...)

When I started following The Sartorialist last summer, almost every shot he took showed gladiator heels. I went on a mission...I wanted some...they sadly don't have much opportunity to feature in my lifestyle (too much for Mummy, too much for work)...but I love them...

And of course Carrie's version...more of her later...

These are my lovely friend E's; she wore them on her wedding day. The deserved to be photographed in the pre-wedding build-up. Love, love, love...

 This was the first picture I ever put on my blog...I have a thing for red shoes...

Always searching for the perfect pair of red ballet shoes - Olivia P favours these, as do I.

This is Giovanna Battaglia - who I have posted on before. I have a proper style crush on her. These shoes I love - I think they are Prada. Infact this whole outfit rocks my world in a 'I could actually wear that in my real life' kind of way. Of course I also frequent pretty Italian streets just like this one.

When I first saw these Valentino shoes I got a little bit breathless...hand made, one-of-a-kind...frothy delight.

So picture the scene, I am in Las Vegas, in the Fashion Mall, perusing cowboy boots, all caught up in the Vegas vibe. I have never in my life owned a pair but if I did they should look something like this: Elvis style. I then came to my senses and decided...maybe not... ;-)

The cowboy thing persists but I should go with something more understated like these gorgeous handmade Penelope Chilvers ones which I covet every winter and so far have not purchased...

They had to feature...Carrie's wedding day beauties. I also saw these in Vegas, in the Bellagio lobby...I cradled them lovingly and then put them back...sigh.

And while on the theme, this episode of SATC I always really liked. Especially how she puts what are basically party shoes (in most womens' book), with loose trousers and a white blouse. God bless Patricia Field.

Finally, as if we could take much more, this image captures how I feel about shoes. Nestled in their own plush velvet seat...a thing to be admired. Anyone over the age of 12 who wears Crocs, when there is such shoe beauty in the world, you should be ashamed of yourself!

OK so I listed more than seven shoes..but what's one or two more between friends?! Now as I have been catching up on awards lately, I will pass this on to just two other blogs who I suspect might share the shoe love:

Brynn @ Life is a Runway
Sophie @ The Littlest Things

House party...

I do love a good party. We really must get out more. In slightly more youthful (pre-children?) days there were so many parties that I never appreciated the true joy of a perfect one! Now there are a proliferation of 40th birthday parties, the same ilk as those I recall my parents going to. Tinged with a 'how did we get so old?' sensation of grown-up reality; we are incredulous at how mature we all are. There is also something marvellous about 40th birthdays. For many of our friends we are exactly where we want to be. Children slightly older, life regaining its freedom, sleep and more buoyant finance. Many hard decisions made and reconciled. The angst of how we appear to the world seems to have passed. We are replete. Traumas, for that night at least, were all gone away.

For me, there were last minute wardrobe doubts and a u-turn change of dress at the final moment. Despite that, it was so the right outfit in the end, (the LBD triumphs again) and I love it when that happens! There were a wonderful group of friends, old and newer, food and wine, nostalgic 80's music, a few drunken occurrences that were side-splittingly funny at the time. Tears of laughter. Dancing. A midnight swim for some; very warm pool, very cool night. More wine. A belated small-hours home-coming, sneaking in to a house all asleep. And today, that familiar hungover weightiness peppered with smiles and memories of a great, great night. I just had so much fun.

Grumpy and happy...

I am lucky enough to have had a little flurry of blog awards of late. One is from the delightful Metropolitan Mum who has challenged me to a Grumpy Meme. This entails listing what makes me feel grrrrr. I found this remarkably easy - is that a sign?! Thank you MM :-)

1. I am absolutely not good with mess (quelles surprise!). Tidy house, tidy mind. Deliberate mess really bothers me...

2. Tiredness; when there is not enough sleep on the agenda things go awry for me in the happy department. I am sure I am not alone. I invest a lot of time and energy making sure I get enough sleep as the grumpy consequences if I don't...well, it's not pretty.

3. Bad hair days, of which, at the moment there are many...back to hairdressers next week.

4. Online shops being 'sold out'. Grrrr...furrowed brow.

5. When my cat leaves a decapitated mouse on the doormat every morning, day after day. 

6. Rudeness, especially directed to those who wait tables, work in shops etc. There is just no need to be rude to people who work in retail or service industries. Makes me mad when I witness it.

7. When I take things for granted. My own complacency.

I am to nominate five of my fellow bloggers  (by the way I don't think these ladies are grumpy per se, but who might just rise to this challenge!) to forward this to:

Sniff @ In Sniff's Choos
Tania @ Backwards in High Heels
Thatgirl39 @ Forty Not Out
Chania @ RAZMATAZ
Mary @ Mary Loves 

From one extreme to another...the lovely Jeanne (aka my long lost big sister) from Collage of Life gave me a Happiness 101 Award! This entails listing ten things that make me brim with happiness! Jeanne's post was pretty happy-making (and made me want to watch 'Something's Gotta Give' really badly.)

1. Remembering places I have visited with my husband. Great meals in great places...risotto perfection in Venice, overlooking the Golden Gate in San Francisco, oysters in Grand Central NYC, lobster bibs in Boston, foie gras in Paris contemplating the Louvre, tapas in Barcelona, espresso in the Piazza Navona in Rome...

2. The incredible wisteria that literally hugs two sides of my house.

3. New shoes; first outing.

4. His blue eyes.

5. Cup of earl grey tea, my morning view.

6. Family cuddles. Think Sunday mornings, or Saturday afternoons in front of a good film.

7. Walking in the dunes...infact most things that are beach-related.

8. Going to bed when it's still twilight outside...or going to bed when it's raining outside.

9. My new-found blogging love - seriously, what did I do with myself before this?

10. Kindred spirits; my great, old friends who know me best and truly 'get' me. I am not that easy to 'get'!

So the rules are that this award is passed to five other bloggers. I have chosen those who have brought me a little slice of happiness...

Natasha @ She left on a Monday
Rhiannon @ Hey Gorgeous
Natasha Fleur @ Turning a Leaf
Leanne @ Mrs A in the Cove
Emily @ London Zest

Pass it on... xxx

Things of beauty...

Hello Friday! Such a roller coaster week...and now a very busy weekend of parties ahead. I shall be looking forward to the obligatory and much-anticipated 'Friday night curry' for my little family tonight. Our local curry house could set their clocks by our Friday night business and have been known to call us if don't call them! Finally I think (just possible but quietly confident) that the teeth issues I have been going on about have come to an end. Fingers crossed. Life marches on...

I've had some lovely blogging comments this week and some new followers! Thank you... x

I love these Lapis earrings from Plumo...and how she looks like she is off for a fun evening...hurrah for parties!

My Liberty chairs have arrived and may I just say they look very cool in my kitchen!

We have birds nesting in this box outside in an apple tree in my garden. This time of year the garden just looks so pretty...

'Still Life with Apples on a Pink Tablecloth' By Matisse painted in 1924

Well done the owners of this formal house to go with a pink door...

Vanessa Arbuthnott fabric...this is called 'Wild Rose'...

Olivia P. What a great shot...and that dress! I am searching for a Maxi dress that is something like this...and hoping for balmy evenings in which to wear it.

Cascade ring by Georg Jensen...

I always like a quirky vase...

 The sweetest of backwards glances...and the prettiest of hair...

This is for Simone and Leanne, my blogging friends, who share my penchant for rumba pants! These are mine...blush... ;-)

To do list...

I have so many things to get done...may I just use this forum as a little prompt for my brain?!

I'm attending a 40th birthday party at the weekend (all of sudden everyone is 40!), in a marquee....this spells a chillsome night (it was 2 degrees last night!). Need to get a gift...was thinking of a clock, what do you think? A girl who is 40 and has everything?

Yesterday for all of about an hour my house was spick and span and I loved it! Now I just have to keep it that way...

It's birthday season in our house...this weekend is also Boo 2's party...I know, I am a month late as his birthday was in April. I confess (sigh).

I need to take some time to speak to my lovely N about her rather super sewing cafe idea...

Going to a June wedding...need a dress...really struggling to find something. My problem is I get drawn to things like this Vivienne Westwood Anglomania dress:

I like the shape because I want to look like Kate Bosworth...see this...

Or this...P.S I don't resemble her at all by the way but the dresses are more 'me'.

Where is my white picket fence?! I need to get the scoop from the gardener man...when is it coming?

I need to catch up with this darling friend E (taken at her wedding where I bridesmaided) whom I have neglected lately :-(

Right, I have to go and get the kids up now, or we will be late for school/work! Must get some work done too!

Byyeeeeeeee