Taking a break

A break from blogging that is… not from life or work, though I am on holiday so it is a mini break from work and I’m sure everyone would like a break from life now and again as I do. The only problem with being away from work but not actually on holiday means I’m doing all those household chores especially since my husband is still at work this week so I get to cook dinner as well. Still, I did manage to make cookie dough and once I can find the right Halloween cookie cutters then I will bake them tomorrow. I doubt if I will write much over the next few days – I’m going out to the depths of the Essex countryside tomorrow evening so for starters there won’t be any wifi to use and I need to rethink why I’m writing this blog. Lately I just can’t get in to it as I used to so a break could be good for me and the blog.

Weekend workshop

This weekend I have been on the first part of a ‘Colour onto cloth’ course at the City Lit, which is based in London. Actually it is really near where I work so I’ve felt like I haven’t left the office all weekend – one of the downsides of this course.  As part of my usual lack of self-confidence and nervousness I was really anxious about going on Saturday morning – I wish I could stop thinking like this as it is something I wanted to enjoy. Anyway, I did enjoy the two days – felt knackered at the end of each day but in a good way. The first day was mainly learning about the fabric dyes, how they work and how to use them. It was a bit of an experimental day with lots of playing around – which in turn means I don’t have any pieces of work that I like.

Today, was more focused on screen printing on to natural fabrics using reactive dyes. Using the screen printing techniques for more delicate work. It was fun using the screens and brought back memories from college. The only problem I have it that I didn’t have any real ideas on what I wanted to do and the odd idea that I did have didn’t seem to work on the fabrics. Also, I spent most of the time looking at everyone elses work and wishing I had thought of that or could paint like that. It’s all about self-confidence again – I know I can do this and I know I can design something good. This week I’m going to create some designs for next weekend so I can have a series of textiles printed that I actually like.

Priscilla

Over the past few years I have been to the theatre to watch a variety of musicals. I have seen these with my girl friends or with my mum and her friends. And what a difference there is with going out with these two groups. I love my friends but everything is much more sedate with them. No meeting beforehand for a few drinks and hardly any drinks at the interval except me of course (and my best friend sometimes). Now my mum’s friends are a lot different – drinks all round! On Thursday afternoon I went to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Cambridge Theatre with them.

Firstly, I meet them in the pub where they had had lunch with a bottle of wine. I had time for cheesecake and half pint shandy – I was thirsty and daytime drinking is tough for me. As soon as we got into the theatre one of my mum’s friends ordered drinks for the interval. Another bottle of wine, a G&T and a bottle of beer for me. They are a real good laugh and the show was fantastic, the best musical I have ever seen. Great costumes, excellent singing and Jason Donovan as the one of the lead rolls, made for a fabulous afternoon away from work. I would recommend anyone in the UK to go and see it, I’m hoping to go again with my friends and hopefully get them to have a few ‘Priscilla’ cocktails at the interval.

Happy Friday!

Another two liner today: another night out, this time with my best friend and tomorrow I’m back travelling in to town so that’s my excuse for not writing much again. I’ve got next week off so I’m considering taking the week off blogging as well but I’ll see how I go – maybe I will get bored and have the urge to write. Happy Friday all!

No blog Thursday

I’m afraid that Thursday might became a no blog day as my history class is taking up my time and brain power. Still I’ve noticed that when I don’t write anything I get tons of readers so maybe it won’t matter. At least tomorrow is Happy Friday!

A week off

Rather oddly I keep forgetting that I’ve got next week off work. Maybe it’s because I’m not actually going away on holiday. Or maybe it’s because I don’t actually have that urgency in me that I need a holiday. Still, it is exciting to think that I’ve got the week off work – no travelling in to London during the rush hour or getting up early. I think I’m planning a few days at the seaside in a caravan with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law (and the kids) – that should be fun and cold. It can get chilly in those metal cans so I might need to take my thermals with me. Apart from that I have my history course on Thursday evening and for the next two weekends I have a fabric printing workshop.

So, I have a few plans but I’m not making promises to myself that I will get them done. History homework, some more playing around with the sewing machine, making time for cooking, reading, piano practice, sleeping, running, eating and drinking. Well, I think I will be eating and drinking as it is a holiday but more of the naughty stuff. I’ve also got tomorrow afternoon off as well to see Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the theatre – will I ever get any work done before the end of the week. Oh well, fun times ahead hopefully!

Tuesday’s thoughts

After yesterday’s post of feeling sorry for myself I decided I would write something more fun today but heck, can I think of anything funny. No. I can’t even think of anything boring to write about and it’s only Tuesday. It just shows you how a bad nights sleep can make your brain go to mush. Well, a lot of things can make your brain go to mush – quite a few friends talk about baby brain and at the weekend I learnt from a friend who works with brain damaged people that alcohol is one of the main causes. Actually it is the severe dehydration from being an alcoholic that causes the brain damage.

Remember to mix your drinks with water – that’s my public health warning for this year. But as I’m not an alcoholic (hah – isn’t denial the first sign of an addiction? – that is a silly idea), I won’t have to worry about that. Just look at my year or so at making cocktails. Well, my repertoire isn’t great as I seem to stick to the same two or three drinks but who knows I might get up to four by the end of the year. Cheers everyone!

Thoughts of the day

My dispirited thoughts of the day actually, well that’s a lie as I was only dispirited for the morning but when feeling blue, a morning can feel like a lifetime. Okay, I know it is a Monday and most Monday mornings are not always nice but today just seemed awful. I think it was a mixture of things that caused it: PMT, lack of sleep, a headache and the ‘do I have to go to work’ feeling. When I’m like this I feel so weak that I thought it would be best to get to work a little bit later and have my breakfast at home – which worked but I still felt ‘off’ when I got to work. After lunch, some chatting in the virtual work world and a few phone calls, I felt tons better about everything.

When I leave work I feel enthusiastic about what I need to get done the next day but I know that tomorrow I will feel the same and struggle through the morning again. Maybe tomorrow will be different. Maybe an early night will help (but only if I can get to sleep early). There are too many maybes to write about or even think about. I’m sure it’s not always about work but I trying to think back to last year when I was so motivated about work and enjoyed going in to the office everyday. I know environments change and people change but it would be nice to go back to early last year when I felt so much better about everything.  Wow, that was cheery… must think of more fun things to write about.

Loving Autumn

Autumn in the UK, well in the South East of England is wonderful. It is normally dry, chilly in the mornings and evenings with the sun shining during the day. Today was one of those days and it was gloriously warm in the sunshine. Another great thing about the changing of the seasons is the change in food – soups and stews namely. Roasting vegetables as well. Of course roast meats for the meat eaters.  Desserts like blackberry crumbles and rice puddings. Winter cooking is much more up my street but of course that is only at the weekends and when I’m allowed in the kitchen.

Another good item that I like about autumn is walking over the local country parks where there are less people over there and the leaves are falling to the ground. So it is all about food and winter walking for me. I’m trying not to think about Christmas or all the amount of studying I need to do in the next few months – I’m still waiting for the motivation for homework to kick in!

Photo Saturday

Pink gerbera, winter viola, flower bag for carrying history books, new slippers with bows, flower print quilt, homemade red lentil, garlic and butternut squash stew leftovers for lunch.  All good things for a Saturday!