wagwaan?

Fun

I distinctly remember posting something about wanting more FUN in my life. Was it last year? Anyway, today I shed a little tear when I read Ali E's blog post because she put into words exactly how I have been feeling.  

This isn't the first time either. 20 years ago, after my divorce, I remember friends saying to me "the old Jen is back" and commenting on how different I'd been when I was married.  I had a great time after that, having fun and going out and generally enjoying life. Until I crashed and burned about 18 months later... One of the reasons for that was also coping with the death of my father whose anniversary is today actually, as he died on 8th April 1993, just a few months after my marriage broke down. I guess a divorce and a bereavement all at the same time were a lot to cope with.

Of course, we all know what happened after that: 15 years ago Claire and I moved over to the UK and very shortly after that I met W, at work.  We had an unconventional relationship in some people's eyes, but it suited us, and we used to have such fun. We laughed, oh how we laughed.  But then I had my brain haemorrhage and I wasn't much fun any more. In fact, I had real problems understanding jokes, and verbal & non-verbal cues. I thought I was fine but I know looking back that I was a very different person for a while. That's obviously not the only reason our relationship broke down, but it didn't help in my opinion.

So yes, I totally understand Ali when she says she has said to people "you didn't know me when I was fun" or "remember when I used to be fun?".  I know I'll get there eventually. I already have moments of pure fun now and then, but I have been quite serious for a while. Serious life events will do that to a person, right? And just when I think I've got a handle on this, I'll get a bit of a knock back and will lose my sense of humour for a while. So, bear with me - the REAL me is in there somewhere. The one that likes to laugh and be carefree and thinks that nothing in this life is really worth getting too het up about. 

Ok, that's enough serious stuff!  The biggest thing that is making me smile right now is the SUNSHINE we have been getting occasionally. When the sun shines all your problems seem less worrying and we have had such a long winter this year. It can only get better.  Peace :)

ETA: I promised you a picture of my cute Pez dispenser from Claire.  I love Hello Kitty - how can you not smile when  you look at her? 

January's over

I managed to do a whole month of photo-a-day thanks to the prompts by fmsphotoaday. Of course, I didn't manage to save them all, because that would have been really organised of me, but I did get most of them and put them together in a mosaic. I think this month I'll make sure I plan ahead and save them all the same size so the February mosaic is more regular. Or am I just being a bit OCD? The problem is that some of the instagram frames are white, some are black, some are bigger than others.... Oh well. It's fun anyway.

Today I was up in London so I grabbed some snaps on the way back to Euston.

I like the blur on that one... 

So anyway, talking of photoaday, here's what is coming up in February:

Friday night is here, which means another nice relaxing weekend ahead. Hope all is calm and peaceful where you are. 

Busy!

I had the privilege yesterday of taking more newborn photos, and I should be taking more next week - there seems to be quite a baby boom locally! This means I have updated my website, www.jenrigg.com, and I have had lots more compliments. This baby was an absolute treasure and I fell a little bit in love. I probably say that every time, but I don't care. I just LOVE this job :)

Somehow, it's December tomorrow. I am not sure where the year has gone, really I'm not. It's quite scary isn't it how time flies the older you get? I have bought a few presents so far, and I was mighty peeved to get home tonight to find a card saying I'd missed the postman.  What with a few recent ups and downs in our lives, I haven't been concentrating on Christmas at all but now that time is really upon us I have had to get in the mood. Tomorrow we shall be putting the tree up, hopefully, because Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent and Claire is getting impatient (I say hopefully because I'm a surrogate patient for the med student final exams so I'll be out all day and might not be in the mood when I get home).  And to think I used to only put the tree up on Christmas Eve!

Earlier in the week my dear friend Stephie helped me go and collect a second-hand sofa from a colleague. It is a very good make but covered in a rather dreary loose cover, so we've lost that to reveal the cream coloured base, and we've chucked a red throw over it. It makes the house look more of a home...

Oh, and while we were out we stopped at Dunelm Mill, which is a haven for all things homely, and at good prices too. I treated myself to a new duvet cover, inspired by Pip Studio but for a fraction of the price. A real bargain.

 I thought I'd leave you with a profound thought - just in case you thought I was getting a bit too carried away with Christmas (haha!). I found this on Facebook and it really spoke to me. It's so true, from that famous philosopher Bob Marley...  You know how people always say "ooh you're so brave" when something momentous and difficult happens in your life?  I've always thought "I'm not brave, it's just the only thing to do". Seems I'm not alone :)

 

Colour inspiration

Thanks to my lovely friend Kirsty I have discovered an amazing blog called Design Seeds. I pinned some colour schemes I liked and here they are....

Hmmm <3 

Proud to be a Brit

Well, despite everything negative that's going on in this ol' country of ours, it's nice to know there are good people out there. My friend Kirsty blogged it first, but I feel the same as her so here is a link to her thoughts. Spread the love!

Turquoise!

Just another blog hop - reading this blog has made me crave turquoise in my house! Some of the places are truly OTT, but a little bit of that glorious turquoise and white? I love it :)

Here are a few of the pictures you can find over there:

(that's my favourite house right there)

Ok, I think you get the picture!!

Crazy about postcards

When I get a minute, I do enjoy a good browse on the ol' world wide web, and I thought I'd bring you a few of my finds: Today it's postcards.

source

 

source (found via stacyjulian.com)

Then there are some pretty Marimekko ones, to be found here. 

Or you could buy some super kawaii postcards from folksy, if you prefer

 

Cute, huh?
source

Or how about beach huts and camper vans? Very topical....

source

Well, I've enjoyed that little virtual shopping spree. Have you?

Yikes it was hot last night, wasn't it? Well it was here. I tossed and turned rather a lot... We woke up to brilliant sunshine but it's starting to cloud over.  I'm just waiting for a delivery of some scrapbooking stash and then I'm popping over to the Community Centre to "help" with the painting. Well, I've been told that I can be the tea-lady and gopher rather than tire myself out wielding a roller, thank goodness.

On a completely different note, I've just seen on Facebook that Tara Whitney's blog has been named one of the Top 20 Baby Photo Blogs by babble.com. Who's surprised? Not me! I love all Tara's pictures, so well done Team Whitney!!  Also, thanks to babble, I've got 19 other photo blogs to have a look at now :)

Right, better get my bum in gear so that I'm ready to go as soon as my delivery gets here. Cheers m'dears!

 

 

Interesting...

I am well aware that about 6 months ago I said I wasn't going to blog about the "brain thang" any more and that I was moving on. Sadly, the "brain thang" has a mind of its own (ha ha, no pun intended) and is still making its effects felt. 

The Brain and Spine Foundation people contacted me the other day to say they read my blog and could they quote me in an article about fatigue. Of course I said yes - and today it's gone live. So if you feel like reading up on what fatigue is like for me and other survivors, you can read it here.  They also link to "The Spoon Theory" which I had heard about but never seen in full. Here it is in English, et pour mes lecteurs français voici la version française. 

It's interesting that this has come up now, because I've been so exhausted these past couple of weeks. The more I try and do, the less I can do it seems. I have also gone off plan with my eating at the same time and I'm sure it doesn't help. Although I'm still 2 stone lighter than I was, I need to get to that place in my head where I realise that "you are what you eat" and if you eat processed anything, or refined sugar, then you are not going to be healthy. End of!  

Wish me luck!

Time for a change

Much as I love my red polka dots, I thought it was time for a change in time for summer.   Next project: a new banner!  Bear with me.....