Chez Spud

… how hard it is to discuss people with special needs without using the words ‘normal’ or ‘different’, but how important it is to do so…

… how hard it is to explain why teachers are striking to a child, without making them sound greedy, lazy or money-grubbing…

… how things so often come in threes. My mother had a very unusual name, I’ve never come across anyone with the same name. In the last few weeks I’ve come across a novelist with the same name, found out that the gardener of a friend has the same name and, today, I had to email someone for work with the same name…

… how the sight of one beautiful bird, a kestrel hovering over water backlit by the sun, can trigger long forgotten memories … barn owls hunting at dusk in our garden … golden eagles high, high in an eye-achingly blue sky in Kefalonia…

… how school dinners might have improved in taste, but the smell is just the same…

… how I will never capture the glorious light that casts its spell across our garden as the sun goes down. It laughs in the face of my camera. I’m not even getting ‘near’ how beautiful it is…

… how I will spend the rest of my days admiring that light, and the way light moves around this house so beautifully. That pleases me…

… that raging is not good for the soul…

… that other people’s children frequently delight me every bit as much as my own…

… that time is trickling through my fingers, ever faster. So little time left now before Digby starts school…

… that every haircut I have had since we moved to Suffolk has been dreadful, apart from one. I never thought I’d do this, but I’m going to start going back to London for haircuts…

… that I’m vainer than I thought …

… that the only way to move on from an absolutely extraordinary, can’t be beaten kind of novel is to immediately start reading something else. Anything…

… that the winds of change are gently blowing…

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Stuff in my head spilling on the page…how old will I be before I learn to get the Christmas shopping done very early so I can enjoy the run up to Christmas rather than being in a huge grump about it? Hopefully 39 see list…I need to give comments on the first draft of the redesign of Chez Spud but I’m too afraid as I’m having a ‘this is it’ kind of moment even though I really like the way it’s shaping up…I absolutely HAVE to finish the Piers Morgan diaries tonight even if I’m up until stupid o’clock…my ‘to do’ list is under control but that concerns me…I am making a bit of progress in terms of comfort level with new job and that concerns me too…next week I am seeing a friend I haven’t seen for 7 years and that thrills me…on Thursday Bertie is performing in his first nativity play and I well up every time I think about it…I am really enjoying morning snoozes with my boys in bed even though we don’t get up until 8am and are late for nursery every day, I know it can’t be like this forever…I have completely lost my photographic mojo since shelling out for a new camera, that’s a bit of a bugger isn’t it…it surprises me how often I keep ‘score’ in my head, it’s lucky I have a grudge book…I really must pay the milkman, it’s been weeks…I wonder if that damp patch on the newly plastered wall will ever dry…should we get a dog…Diggy needs new pyjamas…I don’t think Dubai will ever recover from the last few weeks, I wonder when we’ll be able to visit 6 star hotels for 5p a night…I had to redial the same number over and over for 25 minutes today to speak to the Inland Revenue to discuss Corporation Tax…that’s 25 minutes of my life that are never coming back…it’s quite thrilling to be a Director of my own company…and the Secretary…yay me…the bores and moaners on Twitter are REALLY irritating me, stop tweeting about absolutely fecking nothing, who cares…the nursery bill for December was eye wateringly high…roll on April when Diggy gets funding and September when Bertie goes to school, although cry too…I really, really, really miss my friend R who died a few weeks back…I must buy new jeans, my son keeps giving me pennies to buy new ones as mine have holes in the knees…google chrome for mac, oooooh nice…my handbag is really nice and tidy…it amazes me how well cashmere washes…I don’t understand why I was charged £12 and not £6 to accept a SWIFT payment in to my business bank account, just because the sender ‘opted to share the fees’ with me. I didn’t agree to that? How the hell does that work?…why, why, why is the office leaking? I thought we’d resolved that and now it’s leaking through the roof…

And on and on and on and on

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Hey, by the way, it’s my birthday. Oh, did I mention that already? Well, no point being coy about it. Just one year to go before the big 4 oh (or 30-10 as Julochka would say). A time to take stock, reflect, wonder where the hell time is going and a dawning realisation that ‘this is it, it’s not a rehearsal’ isn’t just an annoying phrase smug gits say.  I’ve got all kinds of things floating around my head in terms of things I’d like to do, achieve, see etc so I thought I’d make a list and blog it. Because once you blog it, it’s The Law isn’t it? Someone else has done this recently and I can’t remember who. I’m so sorry, but thanks for the inspiration.

Here goes, in no particular order and they aren’t earth shattering…just a little list of should-be-achievable-but-it’s-too-easy-to-put-it-off…

1. Learn how to use a sewing machine (February)
2. Learn how to crochet (January)
   
3. Make a blanket from crochet granny squares – work in progress as of 8.2.10
4. Go to Sutton Hoo
5. Go to Cove Hyth
6. Have a family holiday somewhere hot (March)
7. Have a night away from the boys with MrSpud
8. Take the boys to Banham Zoo (April)
9. Complete all my Christmas shopping by the end of November
10. Make my boys’ birthday cakes – one completed (7.2.10)
11. Learn how to use the Lensbaby (6.1.10)
    
12. Hire a Man and a van and visit my family Up North
13. Make a wedding photo album
14. Join a choir
15. Replace ancient framed photos in the house with more up to date ones (photos not frames)
16. Make a photo wall in the kitchen
17. Decorate office and install Craft Corner
18. Go to Lavenham
19. Learn how to use flash
20. Get 5 mentions for my client in the Financial Times (boring, sorry) – three done
21. Take the boys on the train for a day trip
22. Go to the cinema with MrSpud
23. Give Chez Spud a makeover (cheating, this is work in progress but who knows given previous track record) (19.12.09)
24. Ride a horse - (21.3.10)
25. Sit on a beach and read a book on my own – August
26. Ditch o2 for Vodafone – after much thought, stuck with 02 and upgraded my phone. V boring.
27. Make biscuits for the first time (yes, really)
28. Take a ‘star trails’ photo
29. Take a ‘smooth’ water photo
30. Drink a peach bellini (make that 4, in quick succession might as well finish up the bottle right?)
31. Watch 5 films I haven’t seen before – five done
32. Do the Secret Blog Project I’ve had in mind for a while
33. Have a pedicure (22.3.10)
34. Sleep in a tent in a location other than the garden (sigh) – done (August)
35. Go to a fireworks display
36. 50 photos in Explore on Flickr -  done (August)
37. Make felt figures (May)
38. Buy a summer dress and wear it (june)
    
39. Learn how to use our alarm clock. We’ve had it 2 years. It’s probably time.

Then turn 40 and give up.

Hmm, ponders adding ‘crop hair super short again’ as a bonus no 40? Answers on a postcard please.

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Entirely random photo in keeping with the theme of the post

Goodness, at this rate there will be nothing left to share! Everyone will have had their bit of me and Chez Spud will have to shut up shop because, finally, I ran out of things to say.

So the sassy Jules of Just Jules tagged me for ’7 random things about me & a pic too’. Go check out her blog, she takes wonderful photos and is currently playing a brilliant ‘Tell me a Story’ game which I can’t play as I’m rubbish at imaginative writing. Sighs huffily. So go and check out her blog and then come back here to see if I’ve managed to think of 7 random things, ooh it’s tough timing though as my 30 secrets in 30 days project is nearing conclusion and I’ve still not settled on the remaining few. I might have to start lying.

OK here goes, random but not that interesting things about me in case I need them as secrets:

1. I have 4 piercings only 2 of which are now fully operational.

2. I don’t eat fish. I just don’t like it and, yes, that includes smoked salmon and seafood. If it’s fishy I don’t do it.

My idea of hell

3. I am a hopelessly lapsed Roman Catholic and my confirmation name is Colette (chosen entirely because I thought it was very elegant).

4. I once emailed my boss, in error, and told her that she was annoying me so much I wanted to stab her.

5. I’ve been married twice. This time I’m playing for keeps xxx

6. As a child, I lived in a village where inbreeding was rife. All the children had white  blonde hair and deep blue eyes…one of which turned in slightly.

7. When I was 18, and thought I knew everything,  I turned down a place to study at the Royal Academy of Music in a fit of pique because it was for singing and not flute.

Oh and a picture, and a bonus random thing which is that I love marmite! My lips really really stung taking this shot, don’t try this at home kids.

My mate marmite

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Despite threats, I have held on to these 5 questions from NBF Ali to be scheduled while we’re away this weekend. She was most indignant and demanded  immediate publication – I see she is an instant gratification kind of gal. Well, she’s just had to WAIT. Mwah ha ha.

So, with thanks to the impatient one for some really fun questions, here goes:

1.What is your most precious of all childhood memories, one that will stay with you always?

This one had me thinking! Being sent a vast, and I mean gigantic, bouquet of flowers by my grandmother when I tuned 7 “because you are a grown up lady and grown up ladies like to receive flowers”. I was so blown away, no one I knew sent or received flowers by Interflora and the whole ‘you’re a grown up lady’ thing was right on a money for a 7 year old. I’m surprised I cherish this memory as my grandmother was a difficult character, to say the least. But clearly there were times when she was very special to me.
2. When you’re invited to a party do you (a) make a big loud entrance (b) slide in and look for someone you know or (c) fall over the threshold ripping your tights and swearing out loud because your pre-party, party was fabulous?

Easy, it’s (d) stay home and blog all night because I’m too ancient to go to parties. Seriously, I never ever go to parties any more – apart from children’s parties but they don’t count as they are mainly torturous. But in the old days it was (b) as I’m not really a big party kind of gal. Small and intimate is my thing. Say, just like Blog Camp ;-)

3. What’s your ideal vacation spot and who’d be your ideal companion?

Hmm, well I’ve been all over the world but the places that have stayed with me are Pathos, a tiny Greek island, and South Africa (where I honeymooned with MrSpud). I think if I had to choose it would be Pathos, for its unspoilt beauty and quietness. Of course ideally I’d be there with Michael Palin, but if he wasn’t there I guess MrSpud could come along. But NO CHILDREN. We’ve not had one night away from our children yet and it’s taking its toll. We neeeeeeeeed a little holiday!! So who wants my kids?

4. What was your very first gainful employment?

Washing dishes on a Saturday night in a pub, it was awful. I worked from 6.30pm until nearly midnight for £5.00 (about $8). Non stop dishwasher loading and unloading, and washing pots by hand. Hideous.  I think I was 14?

5. If you were asked to do something risky or illegal would you hesitate, jump right in or just run for the hills?

Ha ha, so easy…run for the hills. I’m the world’s biggest goody two shoes EVER! Damn, you’ve actually uncovered one of my secrets. Grr, because I’m running out!! I’ve never smoked a cigarette, never taken drugs, never done anything remotely ‘dodgy’ and I never, ever ‘risk it, it’ll be fine’. Well apart from conceiving second child by mistake but that’s not my fault, I was drunk. Hmm, perhaps not ‘quite’ so goody two shoes. More like goody one shoe?

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Spuddles

Oooh, it’s a game and it’s all about me. Two of my best favourite things. Here are five questions put to me by the fragrant Extranjera.

1. How has the transition from a flicking gal to a bloggin’ babe been? How are you settling in?

I’m settled right in thanks. I’ve moved on from an initial ‘oh crap, should I have gone Blogger not WordPress’ panic and am wittering for England. It’s like a cork coming out of a bottle (mmm, let’s all take a moment to savour that thought), I can’t seem to stop blogging. Once I’m through my 30 secrets in 30 days project I will attempt to restrain the wittering to once a day. Maybe – although I do a photo 365 project so who knows? It’s been an easy flickrgal/bloggergal transition; as Julochka cleverly noticed in her shy making Blog Crush post, I’d actually been blogging on my flickr photos for a while. So it’s been a very natural and easy transition and I love it, can’t think what took me so long to join in…so shove up lovely bloggergals… is there room for another on the Chatty Sally bench?

2. The costumes…?

I know! Such a surprise to me too. I’m quite ‘proper’ and English and reserved, don’t like to make a show of myself and all that. This ‘New Spud’ that prances about in costumes in front the neighbours is quite a surprise to me. And MrSpud too. I think it’s partly to do with having recently moved out of London for ‘the country’. I’m so much happier and thus more relaxed than I’ve ever been in my life. I am waiting on two ‘props’ for a further two secrets at this point. I’m worried Andy the Postman thinks I fancy him, since I pounce on him every day and inspect his wares. [snigger]

3. What do you think Mr. Spud thinks about this whole blogging deelio?

MrSpud is cool. Well, clearly he isn’t since any last vestige of cool that he was desperately clinging on to was cast aside with the revelation of his ‘hobbit dancing’. What I mean is that MrSpud is on board, and is really enjoying spending all evening sorting out my blog. He really revels in a daily 12 hour working day, including 4 hours of commuting, and then coming home and, erm, programming some more. He loves it, he’s MAD for it. He’s a little bit crazy like that. Seriously, he’s very supportive and doesn’t bat an eyelid at my antics. I knew I married him for a reason.

4. Name 3 things you can’t live without and why? (Family and such excluded)

1. wine 2. wine and 3. wine. Oh but then what about Michael Palin? Oh no, not enough choices.

Wine booze...yum

5. What is the story behind your ‘name’?

Excellent question! It’s my family nickname, I’m generally known as Spud. The origins are lost in the mists of time somewhat. My maternal grandfather used it as a nickname for my mother. But no one knows where it comes from. Alas he died long before I was born otherwise I’d ask him! I like it, it’s very unique and very ‘me’. I’ve never met another Spudballoo. I like that, it pleases me.

Baby Spud

So come on, join in…who wants 5 questions? I’d love to interrogate learn more about you!

Love from Spud x

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