Moving Part One

Part one is moving everything out of where I am and into storage.  Then I’m going to live with my mother for a bit (and rediscover why I moved out and she really wanted me to), go on holiday, come back, find somewhere to live and move it all there.

So all the books, DVD’s, CD’s are in storage, pots, pans and most of the kitchen stuff, speakers, amp, most of the bedding and other bit & pieces are in too.  I’m beginning to re-think my ‘no such thing as too many books’ stance and worrying about moving the bed….

Going to have a drink and a rest now!!!

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On the move

I’m moving.

It’s time, it’s good and it’s bad.

At this point moving means leaving Fulham and moving back to Ealing.  I need to live by myself and I can just about afford to do that in Ealing but not in Fulham.  Ealing is an ok place to live (I’ve lived there before) and I will be re-united with my kitchen stuff, all my books and my lovely chair, currently all in storage, so like I said good and bad.

But as ever, it’s not quite that simple.  So in two weeks, I’m moving out of here and putting everything in storage.  For three weeks I’m going to stay with either Sarah or my mother, then I’m going on holiday.  When I’m back, I’m going to look for somewhere to live.

Meanwhile, I need to pack what’s here and find someone to help me take the bed apart….time to start then…

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Vigil

I went into the Grace Easter Vigil in a not very good mood.  I was tired, not sure about how the Vigil was going to work and generally out of sorts.

However, it was a brilliant service.  It was much more liturgical than a ‘normal’ Grace service but I found it very powerful and moving.  I didn’t take my camera but Jonny did and his pictures are here and he’s blogged about it too.

Afterwards, there were fireworks and fizz.

He is Risen indeed…..

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Easter

Four day weekend.

Most of this weekend for me is about Church.

Last night, I miss today (though I am going to hear the Messiah sung at the Albert Hall, it’s tradition!), I’m going to hear Dionne sing at her church tomorrow and in the evening is the Grace Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday morning.

This year Easter seems to have come on all at once, I don’t feel that I’ve done much during Lent and am not ready for Easter.  Thinking about that maybe, that’s my lesson, whether you’re ready or not, God gives.

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Slowly becoming croaky..

…last Friday I woke up with a sore throat, I ignored it, it was fine by the end of the day

Every morning over the weekend my throat has been slightly worse than it was the morning before but ok during the day.

On Monday, I realised I had another cold.

I’m at a loss, I eat well, I take vitamins but this is the third time in 6 months, I’m fed up and as a consequence not giving into it.  I don’t feel dreadful and I’m only a bit bunged up.  I am, however, gradually getting croaky, which should be fun for everyone else.  I always hope to sound like Mariella Frostrup but I always end up sounding like a dying toad or frog (take your pick).

At least everyone else will get some peace and quiet!

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The Bibliomancer’s Dream

So I didn’t get to see David Hare talk about the Berlin Wall (thanks, First Great Western!) and it was decided that as I we had both had a tough week, we’d go to Skylon and have dinner.  Walking through the Royal Festival Hall, I noticed the exhibit in the Clore Ballroom.  It looks like a library and you’re supposed to go in pick a book, pick a line from a book and write it on one of the scroll stations. I only had my phone with me, so couldn’t get anything like a good enough photo of it, but I have to go back and spend an afternoon wondering through it.

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What? Why? Grrr….

It’s been a pretty good week.  I went to the theatre, I went out for drinks, I got loads of work done.

But…

She’s doing it again.  Having a go at me about stuff that isn’t my fault. At various points in the various ‘conversations’ we’ve had this week, I’ve wanted to scream and shout that it was nothing to do with me, I’ve wanted to point out the holes in her logic, I’ve wanted to slap her silly.  I’ve been reminded of how like Stef’s mother she is.  Mostly, I’ve wanted her to stop.

I know why she feels like she does, I get it.

I just wish she didn’t put it all on me.

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Cake

So I decided that for Grace cafe, I would make cake, lots of cake.  I love to bake but don’t often because I really shouldn’t eat cake.

So I baked for Grace and they ate the cake.  I made, apple cake, chocolate guiness loaf cake and muffins, blueberry and raspberry crumb bars and lime cheesecake.

All from Smitten Kitchen

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Mama told me there’d be days like this…

What a week.

It’s been full of petty frustrations.  The thing about being able to do difficult things, is that people keep asking you to do them.  And no-one ever asks to to do the hard stuff when you are feeling calm and under control.

My poor mother, I think that all our conversations this week have started with my saying “Why?  What? Grrrrr…”

And you know that even though it has been a very frustrating week, there have been some things that didn’t frustrate, annoy and irate me.

Theatre, not having to cook dinner last night, the book I reading at the moment being so funny, I’ve been cracking up on the train.

I just have to remember that…

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Snow

So on Sunday night and Monday morning, there was proper snow in London.  Everything stopped working.  I did get into work.  Getting home was more interesting and on Tuesday, I gave up the fight and worked from home.

I also took a walk in Brompton Cemetery, with my camera (of course).  It all looked beautiful and suitably Christmas card-ish, there were some great snowman (and dogs).

When I walk there in the summer, I am always quite shocked by the semi-naked sunbathers (I know that other less savoury stuff goes on too, but I try not to think about that!), it seems disrespectful somehow to be lying in a graveyard in a bikini, but people making snowmen and playing in the snow, (and for that matter, taking photos) are not only not shocking but seem completely apt…

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