Summer Catch-up

It's been a busy summer so far but thoroughly enjoyable. We were very lucky to have a week in Far West Cornwall in June and spend a few days in Gloucestershire on the way home. We stayed at Boscrowan where we've been staying regularly for 18 years. The G7 Summit 2021 was on whilst we were there so we steered clear of St.Ives and the political circus and spent our time walking, reading and visiting art galleries. There was also lots of delicious food and some vintage and charity shop shopping. The weather was mixed with some memorable mizzle but got very warm towards the end of our stay. I even had one refreshing swim in the sea at Marazion early on our first morning. It was exhilarating but too cold for me to want to repeat the experience. 

We left Cornwall and visited Exeter and Chepstow en route to Gloucestershire and had fabulous weather.

This month, since returning from our hols, we've been to London as our youngest has just started a job there. It's his first job since graduating and he's woking for an architectural practice as he begins the long process of becoming an architect. It's an exciting time for him although a little nerve racking for us as we adjust to him living independently. We went down with more of his belongings a few weeks ago and seeing his accommodation put our minds at rest. He'll have to move again soon and is looking for a house to share with friends but price bidding wars are making it difficult to find a rental property.

I've also done a little work, just a week of supply teaching at my last school. I actually taught my old Year 3 class who I last taught in March 2020. They're soon to be Year 5, which is crazy. I'll be doing very occasional supply work there (and not working anywhere else) if I'm available. I must admit I've adjusted to life without working and one week of teaching was a reminder of how consuming the job is. By Wednesday lunchtime I was pretty tired. However, it was great to see former colleagues and I have missed working with young children. They all deserve a long restful holiday. I have lots of garden photos to share but will save that for another post. I hope you're all well x x x

Life Changes

So this is where I'm at. I've retired early from teaching. On Friday I left my full-time teaching post after six happy years at a wonderful primary school. I've had various roles there including three years as a full-time class teacher. And, like a lot of other teachers I haven't seen or taught my Year 3 class since March 20th. However, I've been in school every week since then and have seen about a third of my class during lockdown. I've had communication with the rest of my class via email and phone calls but this wasn't how I anticipated ending my teaching career. My decision to leave was made before coronavirus and I handed my notice in during February so I felt under no pressure to change my mind. Teaching nowadays is full-on and exhausting and was not working for me or my family.

It's been a very strange end to my teaching career but a decision I know I won't regret. A simpler life beckons...

My Word for 2019

It's been a few years since I've chosen a word for the year and I've missed this little ritual and the guidance it can bring. Slowly, the word that has come to mind for me in the first few days of 2019 is cherish. This is a positive, warm and gentle word and has connotations of wellbeing. I'm resisting the January merry-go-round of fitness and diet advice, sales shopping and goal setting and concentrating instead on cherishing what I have: my health, more clothes and possessions than I need and a bank of motivation to encourage me to follow my values and my own path. In 2019 I want to nurture relationships old and new, practise gratitude for all that I have, stop wanting more or wanting to be more and to be kind to myself. I want to cherish life and indulge a little.

Thank you for all your comments and for reading this little blog that is now coming back to life. Happy New Year friends xo

Hi there!

Hi there guys! It's been ages, I know, but I just couldn't resist the urge to revisit this space and wish you all a wonderful Christmas. So, how are you? Still reading blogs, still striving to lead a simpler, more balanced and minimalist life? Me too, although it's been challenging this year. Life has been very unpredictable with Mum's rapid health decline and my sporadic supply teaching but both situations have settled down as we reach the end of 2018. Mum has Alzheimer's and vascular dementia and since October has been living permanently in a care home which is less than a ten minute drive from here. This is a situation which I never would have imagined happening but she is happy and settled and has little memory of her family home and so is not distressed. I'm adjusting to losing my mum as she is now a shadow of her previous self and I often feel sad and frustrated that I can't make life more enjoyable and less confusing for her. Since September I have been teaching full-time at the school which I left in 2017 - I feel very fortunate to have a permanent full-time teaching job again and the stability, familiarity and structure it provides is just what I need. Yes, it's hard work and full-on but I've worked hard to improve my organisation, focus and perspective and it's been a good term.

Mum's illness has a silver lining as it's brought the family closer together and I feel very supported by my family. It's also woken me up to realising that life is for living and that self-care is something that I want to work on. For the first year ever I'm actually looking forward to the new year more than Christmas as I'm feeling keen and brave enough to make some changes. This year has been draining in so many ways and I feel that I need to stream more calm into my life and those around me. Which brings me to a thought that's been bubbling away in my brain: that blogging is one of the quietest but most powerful platforms out there. I'm so grateful to those who still blog and those that read blogs. I hope to blog when I can in 2019.

Wishing you all a restful Christmas and I hope to see you here in 2019. Thanks for the Christmas messages from friends made through this blog - you know who you are. Love to you all xo

Enjoying the Present Moment

Our eldest son has just returned to China after a three week break at home. It was lovely to have Sam home, enjoy his company and catch-up with his life in more detail - Skype is not quite the same as hanging out in the kitchen over vinyl and a drink. He's definitely more assured and independent and, of course, he had plenty of interesting tales to tell of his ten months living in central China.

Now that he's on his way back to China (to teach English again but this time in Shenzhen bordering Hong Kong), I'm left with the impression of how much he made of his three week visit in the UK. He caught up with old school and uni friends in different parts of the country, was keen to see grandparents as well as other family members and he also took himself off to a gig in Birmingham. Sam took it all in his stride and seemed to be equally happy with simple pleasures such as relaxing at home or going food shopping to find ingredients for a (very spicy) Chinese dish which he cooked for us. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that he was focused on the moment and was open to making the most of each day, whether that was a day at home or an opportunity to visit London to see a friend and do some exploring. Enjoying the present moment and seizing new opportunities is a great attitude to have if you're 22 or even 51! Thanks for the tip, Sam!

Can I just say thank you to everyone who's left me a comment – it's lovely to hear from you too!

Snowdrop Scavenging

I blinked and six weeks passed. 

It's good to be back: to my blog, to nature and my beloved DSLR.  You could miss moments like these - but with a desire to solicit snowdrops, sunshine and shuffle in my Christmas wellies, I found what I was looking for.  As I walked, I felt my vitamin D levels being restored, along with some balance and plans for spring and beyond. No need for excessive scavenging: it's all simply in front of me if only I open my eyes.

I hope you're well friends. There may be more posts this week as it's half-term here xo

A Simple Easter

This Easter we tried to keep things simple with the focus on nurturing our family - young and not so young. We kept the decorations minimal with just a pretty table cloth, fresh daffodils and a few knitted chicks. All our food came from good old Aldi and was cooked with great love by Tim. We hurriedly baked some cakes - they look better than they tasted but they got eaten. Who needs mass produced perfect cakes? We had our usual fill of chocolate and moaned about the amount of packaging. Something to work on...

Time off work means time to play and I had a lovely day catching up with a school friend from sixth form. For a few hours we were tourists in the city we both spent our teenage years in and swapped notes as only friends of the same age can. 

Our next meet up is scheduled and the cake is already being discussed.

We didn't venture far over the holiday weekend but a trip to our local marina to stroll past the narrowboats was a treat. We walked from the marina into the nearby picturesque village. Old properties and quirky touches caught my eye.

On Easter Saturday our eldest turned 20 which made us feel old. A week later we visited our great nephew. With his smiles and giggles he was a great host. I tagged this photo 'hands'. Can you see why?

Today we took our eldest back to uni but stopped on the way back at one of my favourite peaceful places - The Tara Centre in Etwall, Derby. My husband jokes that I only take him there when it's raining but it was still beautiful.

I've so much to be grateful for this Easter not least my friends old and new who read Just a little less. You're all very welcome here xo