Notes from suburbia

I'm sharing this with those of you who have been privy to my thoughts and concerns about returning to work to a job I haven't done before - long story...should you wish to, you could read about it here ,  here , and here . Well.  Don't go telling anyone.  But, I went into work again today for a couple of hours (I'm returning 'proper' in a couple of weeks time).  And.  I almost.  Very nearly. Enjoyed it.  :o Sssshhhh...don't tell anyone. It's just between us. After all, I wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity of sympathy and martyrdom would I ;)

You may have noticed that posting on this blog is a liitle thinner on the ground of late than it has been in previous times.  Life is picking up speed and feeling busier right now, mainly in a good way.  That, and the fact that the sun is shining which always reduces tthe desire to sit indoors tapping away on the lap top - and sitting outdoors tapping away on the laptop whilst being blinded by the glare is really no fun by anyones standards. I am in my final two weeks of maternity leave before I head back to work.  I still have mixed feelings about this butI  am mostly reconcilled to the idea now.  I went in to work last week for a couple of hours, and am aimung to do the same this week.  By doing so,  I've realised there are personal benefits beyond those of earning cash and being able to pay our bills over the coming months.  By going to work I get to wear clothes that are less than baby friendly.  I can wear ...

Me and The Eight Year Old recently baked cup-cakes for 'Bun Day' (yes really, a 'bun day' every week, be jealous, I am!!) at school... Me: "So then, what toppings are you going for?  Chocolate sprinkles? 100's and 1000's? Sugar stars?  Silver balls?  You could do each one different maybe?" The Eight Year Old:  "Actually, I'm going for a multi-media approach". *proceeds to put anything and everything on each cake*

Most of the time I'm more of a 'glass half full type o'gal' than 'a glass half empty' sort.  Occasionally though, something happens that just seems to pull the rug from beneath your feet and makes you realise that no matter how good some (many) aspects of your life are, there are some things that will always cause you pain and hurt. I'm not talking about the small stuff here.  Or even the medium stuff.  I'm talking about the big stuff.  The stuff that deeply affects your life, for the rest of your life, from the moment it hits you. Serious illness.  Loss. Grief. Most of us have been touched by these things in one way or another.  To a greater or lesser extent. Grief is a funny one.   It's not only the obvious things that can cause us to grieve.  Sometimes grief can take us by surprise.    Grief for the life you once had.  Grief for the life you perhaps thought you would have.  I have spoken befor...

Me: "I've just been doing some decorating with The Baby strapped to me in the Baby Bjorn carrier :) " The Husband: "By decorating you mean moving a vase of flowers and some small pictures don't you?! Crazy woman!" Me:  "Erm...yes....of course!!"   *...scrunches face up as hurriedly walks off to bathroom (baby still attached) to hide the huge vat of paint and to clean up both self and baby who appear to have more paint on them than the wall does...*

With Julia -, the mighty fine host of the wonder that is the "100 word challenge " - on her travels in New York, this weeks (5 word) prompt is rather fitting:- "LIBERTY  EMPIRE  APPLE  YELLOW  ENORMOUS" I contemplated these words with iconic images of New York in my mind...the elegant sophistication of the Manhattan brownstone houses...the bright yellow taxis...the earthiness of the Bronx...the grandeur of Brooklyn Bridge  And then I dismissed all of those images and wrote these 100 (toungue-in-cheek) words instead.... _______________________________________________________ Put simply, Liberty loved it at Empire.   It was the best club in town.   It was enormous.   And that dance floor…bright zingy yellow and deep apple green flashing squares that seemed to bounce as you stepped on to them. A couple (of gallons) of mojitos and the world of Empire was her oyster.   All eyes would be on her.  ...

The night before the interview I discover the trousers I am planning to wear the next day are:-  a) a little on the snug side, and b) almost threadbare.  Not really the interview look I am aiming for.  Over to the the back-up plan - the smart black dress.  Which of course, the following morning I have to hastily mend with the life saver that is 'wonder-web' after pulling a loose thread hanging from the hem.  Not the best start to interview day.  However, a final read of my notes and I'm out of the house. Sat on the bus, my mind begins to wander...after being off work for the past year I begin to doubt if I'm still capable of holding a work based conversation let alone survive an interview. Half an hour later, I'm sat alone in a room in front of a lap-top doing what turns out to be quite a challenging 'intray exercise'.  After sitting like a rabbit caught in the headlights for a few minutes i launch into action...

Me to The Eight Year Old as we sit looking through photos on the laptop...  "Oooh The Baby looks like his Dad there doesn't he?" The Eight Year Old:  "..eeerrmmm...." Me:  "I can finally see it now, he definitely has a look of his Daddy in this picture" The Eight Year Old:  "Yes.  Maybe.  But without the beard I'd say".

She couldn't pinpoint when it had started.   She suspected it had been going on for a long time before she had become aware of its existence.   It seemed to have crept up on her slowly.   Insidiously.   Stealing away from her, the ease of movement she had previously taken for granted.   Subtly twisting and knotting the bones at their joints.   The arthritis was invading her.   Taking away her freedom.   Freedom to enjoy her life in quite the same way she had before.   The pain, she could cope with.   The slowing effect on her body, she hated. It made her feel old. _____________________________ This weeks '100 word challenge' prompt was this photo:- It is a photo of old bones - an exhibit in the National Museum of Scotland in their ‘prehistoric’ section. Don't forget to hop on over to 'Julia's Place' to see more entries.

I haven't linked up with Midlife Singlemum's ArtIHeart for a couple of weeks.  I don't know why.  Sometimes time escapes me...and we have been busy enjoying ourselves on holiday and the like recently :) Last weeky I shared with you some photos of our holiday to Norfolk.  Here's one picture I didn't share... This picture - my offering for this weeks ArtIHeart - was displayed in the house we stayed in whilst on holiday.  It's made up of what we like to call 'beach treasure'.  It may not be the most refined work of art but I like it's quirkiness.  It makes me think about the fun the artist must have had in collecting their materials to make the collage.  We decided to follow suit and collected our own beach treasures.  Unfortunately we had to take the Starfish carcess back to the beach as he stunk the car out!! We are yet to make our picture, but rest assured that once we have, you will be invited to the viewi...

"Daisy? Lilly? Iris? Rose?"   "No. What's with the obsession with flowers?" "Meg?   Polly?" "For a pet maybe." "Coco?   Olive?   Saffron? Peach?" "We’re not going to eat her" "Florence?   Paris?   India?"   "As a holiday destinations maybe" " Mabel?   Betty?" "Too old fashioned". "Zara? Xena?" "Too modern". "Suri?" "No." "Eve? Grace?" " Too religious." "Pearl?" "Seriously?" "Julie?   Sarah?   Angela?" "Sorry, did I miss the moment when we were transported back to the 1970’s?" "Milly?" "With the surname Millington?" "You come up with a suggestion then!" "Ruby?" "Ruby" "Ruby Millington" "Ruby Millington" ...

It is five weeks and five days until the end of my maternity leave.  The luxury of spending each and every day with The Baby is about to end.  Time is running out. My mind has suddenly become very focused on making the most of these free and easy (?) days.  Soon, I won't be able to set the pace and decide on what we shall be doing each day, changing our plans as the fancy takes me. "How are you feeling about going back to work?" is the question I am being asked increasingly frequently. I have mixed feelings.  I shall, of course, miss The Baby.  It will be hard to leave him even though it will only be for two and a half days a week. I'm also a bit anxious about how he will be without me. He currently refuses to accept a bottle or cup, only happy to drink from the breast as and when he chooses.  Thankfully he has a healthy appetite for solids now so I guess he can snack in between his meal to ensure he do...