Lavenderhouse

HAPPY Halloween

Yes, I am pleased to say it was a  HAPPY halloween.  I was typing Happy Halloween and I realised that I am at the beginning of a new part of my life and that it is HAPPY, may be a little bit scary but also really rather exciting. 

 

 

Getting my glitter back

I have been told, no it has been insisted upon, that I get my glitter back.  My lovely friends that have been keeping me going have told me that my glitter had faded.  This is not good.  They are referring to the sparkle in my personality rather than the glitter in my eyeshadow pot or sequins on my clothes. 

 

Today has been a kind of sparkly day.  I spent the day in the woods with the children as part of a castaway group.  We made shelters and cooked sausages and marshmallows.  I love the smell of bonfires, the softness of cooked marshmallows and please note the sequin, glittery scarf on my knee that I wore to the woods.  Yes, I was the only person there wearing sequins but that would have always been the case.  In fact it was VERY important that I was wearing my glitter again.  I am wearing it on the outside and it is coming back on the inside!

We are all learning how to light a fire using a tinder stick.  It was so lovely that a group of strangers just sits together, chatting, cooking and eating.    

 

Here is the camp that the four of us made together.  Great team work:- long sticks gathered, greenery for waterproofing and even some logs as furniture inside. 

 

This is Anne pouring water on the camp, whilst my children are inside, to test to see how waterproof it is!  Pat on the back for us, it was very waterproof and none of them got wet.  Thanks for a great day care of the Wilderness Woods who invited us there to review the course and the wood for the website Kids In Sussex.  The Wilderness Wood is really worth a visit.  It is a completely safe, nuturing, yet exciting environment for children and adults to play in!!

From now on ...

I cannot write exactly what is happening in my life but I want to get back to blogging as people have sent me some really lovely emails of encouragement.  I am always truthful about my life and therefore have had to stop writing unless this blog were take on a whole new life of its own.  Anyway, life has thrown at me recently some really nasty stuff to cope with. 

Today, however, I realised mid morning that for the first time in a long time I had actually woken up feeling happy, really happy.  Not just the sort of happiness that you get from looking at your children's little fingers and toes, not the sort of happiness you get from kissing the top of their head and smelling shiny clean hair or the sort of happiness you get from pottering in the woods with them and their friends.  I realised I - yes ME - felt happy on my own, in my own right.

 

So here I am blogging again - properly - documenting life because I really do want to start remembering it all from now on.  

Into the ether

Recently I have had to remind myself that certain things make me very happy, simple little things like the colour pink and turquoise, flowers etc.

 

Indulgences such as Clarins fantastic relaxing balm  infused with aromatherapy oils have literally kept me sane during the most difficult part of my life.  It is all far from sorted  but I want to put out there in to the ether that I AM A POSITIVE HAPPY JOYFUL WOMAN WHOSE LIFE IS ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER AND BETTER.  

 

Officially the official photographer!

I am an extremely visual person and have always loved photography.  When my children were born I realised the importance of keeping photograph memories of them as they change so much, even from day to day.  I have taken thousands of photographs.  Recently at Open House I promoted my photobooks and the very lovely Mack family were kind enough to commission me to photograph their wedding - such an honour and responsibility! 

I had to photograph in three different venues but thankfully the sun shined all day long so it was not a case of dodging normal autumnal weather.   The bride went to the wedding venue in this beautiful camper van!

The wedding venue was the Wetlands Trust in Arundel and the view out on to the lake was beautiful.  The bride had taken so much time to choose everything.  She had worked really hard with her wonderful family and they created a unique memorable day.  I obviously can't show any proper wedding photos here but I hope I managed to capture the day for them.  I really enjoyed myself and would like to thank them all for putting their trust in me.  They made me feel very welcome on their special day.

A quick post

Lots of fun at the weekend - will blog more another time.  Just love this photo taken on the beach during one evening at Burton Bradstock. Just love the Indian Summer evenings.

Challenges in Life

I was always convinced that my son had been born without the fear gene.  Then in France, I saw his delight at the thought of swinging off this rope but I also saw a flicker of being a little bit scared (something I have never seen before in him).

It took a bit of gentle persuading to have a go.  He had that look on his face like 'I know I really want a go and I can't actually leave here until I have had a go but this is scary!'.

So he negotiated the incredibly slippery mud on the bank with the help of my friend, Louise, who also lifted him up as he could not reach the rope.  I filmed and photographed his bravery - well you can't go too near yucky mud with a camera can you!  Anyone on the mud slipped over like Scooby Doo antics - very funny from a distance!

Whoosh!  His face was a picture when he finally surfaced from under the water.  We have just watched the video clips back again and again  - we smiled and laughed.  I could tell he was really proud of himself.  Hugging each other I remember the little flicker of fear on his face as I told him I was really proud of him and that he was so brave to overcome it.  Challenging ourselves daily I am sure is good for the soul.  It helps us draw on our bravery when times are tricky and can provide us with fab memories to laugh at.  Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee .......

Sunshine

Still a very bad blogger.  Will try to get in to the swing of it soon.  This morning was a disgusting grey drizzly morning.  I walked along the seafront with Sarah, chatting, my umbrella blowing inside out intermittently - joy!  Thank goodness for the distraction of friends from the approaching autumn.  I am definitely a summer person.  I love summer flowers and the warmth of sunshine on my bones.  I flipped through the holiday photographs and remembered how lovely and bright the walls of the house in France made everything look.

 Nothing like an interesting shadow (the seat of the chair) to prove the sunshine is good and strong.

I remember taking this photo just loving the sunlight making its unique pattern in the swimming pool water.

I love turquoise.

I love this photograph.  The splash is from one adult and four children jumping in the pool.  The joy they all whooped just prior to splashing in to the pool still puts a smile on my face.

This is the view from my sunbed that I lazed on far too much (or now I think probably not enough!) I just loved the fresh green and bright red against the fantastic blue sky. 

I am glad to say that the sun has come out whilst writing this post - a watered down version but at least it is still here.  The sea is silvery and glittery rather than turquoise.  Oh well suppose we have to welcome the changing of the seasons but this year I am definitely wishing the summer to stay.  I have enjoyed the sunshine and the heat but need just a little bit more - please?

Waking up

I have got so much blogging to catch up on .... but thought I would start with our summer holiday because quite frankly I want to be back there right now, not doing the school run, but sitting beside the pool watching the children swimming about.  This amazing house was cheaper than renting in Cornwall and was so absolutely gorgeous.  It was in a tiny village with absolutely no shops or cafes, which was fantastic as it was surrounded by a wonderful high wall and we just felt like we were cocooned from the outside world.  There was absolutely no pressure to do anything or go anywhere - fantastic. 

How could you not love this?

 

This house is the sort of house you spot in a magazine and think ahhhhh - well it has been in a magazine and no wonder as the interior is just simple, rustic and yet so pleasing and calming.  More pictures another day.

One of my most favourite things is white linen curtains blowing in a summer breeze and every morning this is what I woke to.

At home we have a great sea view from our bedroom window so when we go on holiday we are able to completely relax about not being able to see the sea from the house we stay in!  We could just spy other beautiful pale stone houses and little shuttered windows.  The house was inland and to wake to birds twittering rather than seagull song was lovely.  

Our bedroom was romantic; hand painted french antique old furniture, high beamed ceilings, chandelier, and an amazing fireplace. 

 

The children woke every morning and pottered downstairs to graze on croissants and watch a DVD whilst waiting for the sun to warm the swimming pool up leaving us alone to have some peace and quiet at the beginning of the day.  There is something wonderful about waking up when you want to rather than an alarm making you get up.  Decisions to be made about the day - go out for the day or relax?- RELAX won most days.    I can't wait for the next holiday ............ 

To the one I love

The PC is fixed and we are back from a long holiday and I can blog again.

I love you forever x :-)