Happiness 101 June 15, 2008

In completely random, as they popped into my head, order here we are:

1. My husband
2. My wonderful Mum and Dad
3. My friends who are far away but close to my heart
4. Toast with butter and marmite
5. My iphone
6. My Mac
7. Blogs
8. The lovely , inspirational, interesting people I have met on blogs
9. Sunshine
10. Thunder storms
11. Kisses
12. The Sound of Music
13. TiVo
14. Great TV
15. His Dark Material Trilogy
16. The Twilight series
17. Nancy Mitford books and quotes
18. Hideous Kinky
19. Okay maybe just books before this turns in 100 favourite books
20. But can I just say YA books (especially E Lockhart), who knew they were so good?
21. Wandering round bookstores
22. Coldplay tickets
23. Snail mail
24. Email
25. Amazon packages
26. Sephora (come to the UK!)
27. Anthropoligie - I could buy everything in that shop
28. The Adam and Joe show
29. Champagne - the taste and the sound when it opens
30. Midnight feasts (see no 4)
31. Cups of tea
32. Iced Tea - nice invention USA
33. Living in America
34. 34 My accent
35. Gerberas
36. Walking in the woods
37. Sleeping late
38. High tread count sheets
39. Bone crushing hugs
40. Finding the perfect present for someone
41. Candles
42. The smell of vanilla
43. Baking bread
44. Manicures
45. Pedicures
46. Taking photos
47. Notebooks and stationary
48. Long words
49. Inspirational quotes
50. Funny quotes
51. Larry the lamb - he’s as old as me
52. White bone china plates and mugs
53. Drinking outside
54. The smell of BBQ’s
55. Cookies
56. Running
57. Snow
58. Peanuts ( the comic strip not the food)
59. Holidays
60. Airports - love that sense of possibility and freedom
61. Laughing so hard it hurts
62. Etsy
63. Scuba diving
64. Swimming
65. Old churches
66. Plays
67. Watching penguins walk
68. The Daily Show
69. This American life
70. The Gabfast on Slate Magazine, I want to sound like Emily Bazelon, I want to be as clever as her too.
71. The sea
72. Walking in the sand
73. The smell of summer
74. Full moons
75. Finding the answer on google
76. Not having to wear socks
77. New shoes
78. Hats
79. Green ink
80. Hot chocolate
81. Possibility
82. Freedom
83. Trying new things
84. Learning
85. My engagement and wedding rings and all that they mean
86. Old photos
87. Photo sharing
88. Twitter
89. Long baths
90. Magazines
91. Buffy The Vampire Slayer
92. Fancy dresses
93. T-shirts with logos
94. Holding hands
95. Random chats with strangers
96. Starbucks
97. Cinnamon dolce lattes
98. Fred Basset
99. BLT sandwiches
100. Lists
101. Comments - hint hint!

If you make your own happy list, let me know. It’s fun and happy making and I could probably have done another 100, which is good to know. So thank you Jordyn whose idea this was and who has a pretty cool happy list of her own.

A Bittersweet Day June 15, 2008

Father’s Day no longer destroys me, five years later it is bittersweet. I can remember my Dad without crying but it’s still painful not to have sent a card, not to have picked up the latest biography and a bag of fudge from Thornton’s for him and not to be able to pick up the phone and call.

I’m glad I got to have him for 25 years, although I could have done with another 25. I’m gratefully for so many things. For his unwavering love and support even when I was screwing my life up. For never saying I told you so, even though he could have so many times. For always pushing me on. For teaching me how to be kind, how to say sorry, how to carry on. For taking me book shopping, writing me stories about imaginary animals, and making me love words. For always saying can’t isn’t in the dictionary. For never missing sports day or Christmas plays. For being my biggest fan. For crying when I got my degree results. For cutting up papaya for me because I love it but hate the mess. For not killing me when I crashed his car, twice, in two weeks. For giving me the best start. For staying up to count the spots with me when I couldn’t sleep. For always checking the wardrobe for dalcks. For all the memories and all the love, thanks Dad.

Okay I lied, I can’t remember him without crying but I can smile through the tears.

Happy Father’s Day to Dad’s everywhere, hope you know how important you are to your children.

A meme June 13, 2008

Stole this from J for a nice easy Friday post.

You can only type ONE Word! Not as easy as you might think.

Where is your cell phone? table
Your significant other? T
Your hair? highlighted
Your mother? Turkey
Your favorite thing? marmite
Your dream last night? strange
Your favorite drink? tea
Your dream/goal? children
The room you’re in? dining
Your fear? cancer
Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
Where were you last night? restaurant
What you’re not? loud
Muffins? Please!
One of your wish list items? iphone
Where you grew up? UK
The last thing you did? blogged
What are you wearing? PJ’s
Your TV? large
Your pets? None
Your computer? Mac
Your life? nice
Your mood? happy
Missing someone? Al
Your car? sporty
Something you’re not wearing? shoes
Favourite Store? M&S
Your summer? busy
Like someone? Yes
Your favourite colour? Blue
When is the last time you laughed? today
Last time you cried? Thursday
Who will/would re-post this? someone
Bath or shower? shower
Holiday? Christmas
Writing utensil? Bic
Vacation activity? read
Bedding preference? king
Pet peeves? arrogance
Cookies? jaffa
Eggs? scrambled
Favourite thing to do on a rainy day? cinema
Your biggest strength? resilient
Favourite thing about school? leaving
Most awesome gift received? holiday
Neighbours? unknown
What do you collect? quarters
Oldest kept item from childhood? Larry
Greatest indulgence? travel
Your house? rented
Fruits or vegetables? fruit
Loud or quiet? quiet

Let me know if you do it?

BTW - I know it’s very dull to share your dreams but doing this just made me remember that last night I was on a red London bus with Winston Churchill and it’s the second time I;ve had that dream!  What do you think it means?

The One about the Wedding June 11, 2008

Wedding season is here and by popular demand* I’m sharing some highlights of my our big day.

• Meeting the BA flight and greeting so many friends and family and realizing it was really happening.

• Manicures and Pedicures and girly cocktails in the Four Seasons the day before.

• Waking up to blue skies and sunshine after a week of rain.

• Being picked up and driven to the hairdressers in a Green Jaguar.

• Sitting in enormous rollers at the hairdresser having my makeup done.

• Seeing the garden all set up and thinking it looked exactly as planned.

• My Mum tying my dad’s wedding ring and a picture of him on to my bouquet.

• Hearing the first strains of the Trumpet Voluntary by Clarke grabbing Mum’s arm and shouting “That’s us”

• T’s face when he saw me for the first time.

• Being finger printed. Yes in Mexico they finger print you while you are wearing a white dress!

• T checking the judge had actually said “you may kiss the bride”.

• The speeches - all brilliant.

• The big group photo, when the photographer nearly plunged to his death form his precarious perch on the wall.

• Scandalising the very proper Head waiter by standing up and shouting “vegetarians put your hands up” when he asked me to discreetly tell him who was having special meals.

• Cutting the cake while flash bulbs popped and thinking this is what it must be like to be famous.

• Having a moment with my BFF and maid of honour when I gave her her thank you present.  She left her 18 month old at home for three days just to be with me and I am so grateful.

• The first dance (Oasis) and the last dance (MIka).

• Waving goodbye from the balcony.

• Checking in to the W as Mr and Mrs for the first time.

• Ordering champagne and chips from room service.

* okay it wasn’t popular demand it was just J from Musings form the left field and while I’m talking about her CONGRATULATIONS in your engagement J.

WW - My first baseball game June 11, 2008

Watching not playing!

A bit blurry but I loved the sky and I loved the atmosphere, such a good evening out.

Singing in the park June 10, 2008

Last night we made it to a concert, finally! We saw Death Cab for Cutie. I was so excited as I am slightly obsessed with their album, Plans. Not as obsessed as with The Fray or The Weepies but close.

It was an outdoor venue and crazy hot. You know people always say the heat hit me? This heat kind of wrapped itself round us and squeezed till our skin was slick with sweat and breathing was difficult. There was very little jumping about; mainly standing still and drinking water.

Although I had a lot of fun I have issues with the set. First they didn’t play my all time favourite song Summer skin, very sad! Second they played too much new stuff. I don’t know about you but one of the things I love about live concerts is that moment when you hear the first strains of a favourite song and the crowd sort of moves and screams as one. Love it. I also love jumping up and down and singing along so I go home exhausted, with ringing ears and an aching throat. We only got two such moments last night when they played Soul Meets Body and Marching Bands of Manhatten.

They did play I will follow you into the dark, which is so lovely. It’s the song where you get to wrap your arms round the one you love and sway.

Some favourite lyrics

If the silence takes you
Then I hope it takes me too
So brown eyes I hold you near
Cause you’re the only song I want to hear
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere

Soul meets Body

In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
And I held my tongue as she told me
“Son fear is the heart of love”
So I never went back

I will follow you into the dark

The youthful boy below
who turned your way and saw
Something he was not looking for
Both a beginning and an end

Brother on a hotel bed

Simply Fabulous June 9, 2008

I had completely forgotten about being a prize winner over at Pensive. So it was a lovely and unexpected surprise to find a large box waiting for me.

Six very yummy Pop Treats from 3 Sisters. Not only are they delicious, popcorn surrounded by favoured white chocolate, they are beautifully packaged. They come in a lovely brown box tied with a blue ribbon and a gift card, I love great packaging. They would make a great present - hint, hint T, it’s my birthday soon!

Thanks Robin and thanks 3 Sisters, I’m sure I’ll be ordering more soon. Here are some tempting pictures for you all.

I know there are only five I ate the peach one straight away!

Did I press Publish or Save? June 8, 2008

That was the question I woke up asking last Wednesday after writing this post the night before. I felt a bit queasy when I realised I’d pressed publish and I didn’t read your comments. I only just had the nerve to look at them now.

Writing that post was a strange experience for me. It was terrifying and also strangely freeing. I could have written what I was feeling down in a diary. It would have been easier but less helpful. One of the main reasons we all blog is for the feedback, the connection, to feel understood and less alone.  You all made me feel less alone, so thank you for that.

There are so many blogs I love reading but the ones I love best, the ones that stay with me, are the honest ones. The ones where people share not just their experiences but their emotional responses, their feelings.

So I guess that is my first tiny step in Project Self, to be more honest. I mean if you can’t say what you really think or feel on your anonymous blog where can you?

Home is where. . . June 8, 2008

It’s weird that as the taxi drew up at our front door I felt like I was home, considering I was living the old Mother Country and returning to the New World!

Home is where you make it though and for me it is where T is. And where my bed is, I seriously love my bed.  I love having all my stuff round me and I LOVE  being back with wireless, broadband internet.  It’s wonderful to see a web page upload in an instant rather than so slowly you want to punch a hole in the screen, yes I do have patience issues!

I also love TiVo, I’ve been gone for nearly two weeks but all my shows are there waiting to be caught up on.

Anyway it is nice to be back, thanks for all your lovely comments.  They were great to get and it was nice to still be connected to you all, I really missed reading all your posts

More later, I am feeling the need to post today.

Twined Friday 40 June 6, 2008

Robin’s Friday 40 this week made me think of marriage and  life.  I really wanted to write something about how all the experiences you have make you who you are so you need to acknowledge the good and bad but I just couldn’t find the words.  So I went with marriage.  If you want to join in go here.

 

Marriage

 

Two souls coming together,

Sharing experiences,

Growing with each other.

Separate still but twined so tightly,

they are as one.