♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (28-31/52) ♥

Well, well, well.  Where did I disappear to?

I really didn't expect to be away for sooooo long.  I knew the house move and the 'settling in' would take some time and I knew I wouldn't  have much spare time to sit down at the computer and keep my blog up to date but the weeks have just flown by and I have fallen so behind with my ♥ 52 Weeks of Happy ♥

I have wasted some time too by dithering and deliberating - do I just jump back in to blogging or do I try to do a quick catch-up?

Well, I have now decided that I would like to so a quick summary for my own record as much as anything.  So much has happened over the summer and I've taken so many photo's that it would be a shame if I don't give them a quick mention.

So here goes... July's happy moments include...

MissG's 16th Birthday

MrG's 49th Birthday

A house move (lots more photos to follow in a separate post)

A job interview - the first in over 20 years!

I have had quite a few jobs but I've just never had to go through interviews.  My last formal interview was in 1986 (now that is showing my age) and was with the Regional Council Education Department where I went on to work in the Further Education Bursary Department and then the Special Education Department.  When MrG and I moved house I left my post and returned to work for my Dad in the family business until I left to have my 3 babies.  I was very lucky to be able to stay home to look after them and I enjoyed that time so much. My first job after that was covering maternity leave for the receptionist at the design studio where MrG worked so I didn't have to have an interview.  My next job was doing a part-time admin role for my friends husband so again no interview required - we just met in a cafe for a chat!  When MrG then went on to set up his own design business I joined him to do the admin and I'm still there doing a couple of days a week. I just felt it was time to do something new - so new house - new job?  Well we'll have to wait to see...

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (26/52) ♥

A tour, a walk, a climb and a trip.  My four happy moments this week...

1.  A tour round Newton Rigg College.  I will write a separate post as we took loads of photos of the stunning gardens.



2.  A walk along stone jetty at Morecambe.  MissG took some photos so I'll add those in a separate post too.



3.  A climb in to the attic.  The actual process of emptying the attic wasn't a happy moment but it does mean we're a step closer to moving so that makes me happy.  The whole house is littered with boxes and it looks like the home of a hoarder.  I can't wait to have everything in its place in the new house.



4.  A trip down memory lane.    While up in the attic I found a box full of old exercise books from primary school.  This one is dated 2003 - when MissG was 5.  She's now 15 (going on 25!) and will be celebrating her 16th birthday later this week.  Happy memories of my little family.

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (25/52) ♥

My happy moments of the week include - 

1.  A lovely lunch with my sister followed by a trip (only a 5 minute car trip from my sisters house) to Talkin Tarn Country Park.  The tarn is set within acres of farmland and woodland and is a great place to enjoy a leisurely stroll.  

There were lots of school children walking round the tarn, limping and looking totally exhausted.  They were halfway through a 50 mile sponsored walk - 36 laps of the 1.3 mile track around the tarn!  Ouch, I did feel for them.  One lap was enough for us.

2.  My sister then mentioned that just up the road in Brampton, there was a shop with a half price sale.   She mentioned Cath Kidston so we just had to go and check it out!  These two pretty mugs came home with me.

3.  MissG went to her school prom.  All dressed up and looking glam!  A proud moment.

4.  MrG went to Holland on a business trip - it was on the same day as the prom so I couldn't go with him this time.  He came back with the most enormous cheese bomb.  This photo doesn't quite capture the size!  He has a bit of a 'thing' for cheese so he was very pleased with himself.

He brought me back some chocolates - because he knows I have 'thing' for chocolate.  It was very nice of him but I wish I had a 'thing' for something a bit healthier as it's not helping me waistline!

4.  And finally... on the home front.  We have finally signed contracts and have a date for moving house. Yippee 

managing stress

It's a pretty intense time in our household at the moment, what with the house move pending and our two youngest taking their GCSE and A'level exams.  Oh, I can feel the stress levels steadily rising!

I am a bit of a worrier at the best of times so I'm feeling particularly anxious at the moment. Is our house sale going to go through?  Is our house purchase going to go through?  When are we going to move?  Will it all go smoothly?  Will the bedrooms be big enough?  Will we notice the traffic noise?  Will MissG settle into her new school?  Will Guy enjoy his college course?  Will they make new friends?  Will they be happy?   Will we be happy?

Last Monday, while walking to my office, I noticed a poster advertising a Managing Stress course and thought maybe I should take a closer look.  The one day course was being held at Mind, just round the corner from my office, and the poster said "learn and practice skills to reduce and manage stress in your life".  "I need to find a way to reduce and manage my stress" I thought so I booked myself a place.

I'm quite shy when it comes to meeting new people and attending social events so felt quite daunted about joining the course but it was very informal and everyone was friendly.  It really was very informative and we discussed stress, what is stress? what causes it? and ways in which we can reduce stress by being more conscious of the things that cause it, and learning to handle them better, using relaxation techniques and well as other lifestyle changes.  Some things that make us feel stressed are things that we can't control so we need to balance them out by doing things that make us feel relaxed and happy, whatever that may be - a leisurely walk, a jog, a good book, a bit of me time.  I left feeling much more positive.  I'm going to introduce much more me time, more happy moments, into my weekly schedule.  I'm going to counterbalance my stress level!

And to start as I mean to go on... I collected MissG from school and we went for an impromptu picnic. She had just finished an exam, the sun was shining and we had a free afternoon.  The fields around Kirkby Lonsdale are covered in buttercups and look beautiful and golden.

I bought some British strawberries and they tasted of summer.  They were the oddest of shapes though - a real rouges gallery of strawberries!

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (15/52) ♥

Well, what a turnaround.  I've had a much happier week this week, thanks goodness.  Last week was just a little blip!

As I'm now 15 weeks into the '52 weeks of happy' I thought I should link back to Jen at Little Birdie where the idea originated - the idea to record four things per week that have made you happy. I started 15 weeks ago at the beginning of January but you can join in anytime.

the happiest people don't have the best of everything 

- they just make the best of everything

1.  This week we had some brilliant news about our house.  I'm a bit of a pessimist (I wish I wasn't, but I am) and so although I want to tell the world about the good news I almost don't want to mention it just in case in all goes belly-up.  You know when people say 'if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is' well that's kind of how I feel.  I'll whisper it to you then maybe I won't tempt fate (I know I sound like a complete wuss).

Whisper - Our house went up for sale on 6th April and by the 10th we had an offer from a cash buyer.  The next day we received an offer of the full asking price from a lady with nothing to sell and keen to move in as soon as possible.  Oh my goodness me!

And if that wasn't enough to throw me into a flap of nervous energy then listen to this...

Whisper - We went for a second viewing to a house that I so, so want to live in.  I shed a little tear (privately) at the first viewing because it's just so 'me' and I can imagine us living there.  Anyway we had a second viewing (no tears this time because I had my practical head on) and the next day our offer was accepted.  Oh my goodness me!  Deep breaths and count to ten.

After the initial excitement on Saturday I am now feeling anxious.  It's now all in the hands of estate agents, surveyors and solicitors so we're just playing the waiting game.

A quiet moment of contemplation.  Tea and a lemon & poppy seed muffin (helps settle the nerves).

2.  It was my Papa's 79th birthday this week so my sister and I took him out for the day. 

3.  My sis came to stay overnight and we went out to the cinema to see Identity Thief - it was such a laugh.  MissG and her friend were there too (not sitting with us as they're far to cool) and she glanced over just as I was dancing to the closing track - she was so embarrassed!  Sis and I laughed so much.

4.  A colourful cupcake - a treat from my niece, Robyn.

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (12/52) ♥

It's week 12 and I'm doing quite well keeping up with my ♥ 52 Weeks of Happy ♥ posts.

This week my four 'happy' moments are a bit random.

1.  Working from home.  I've set up a desk on the kitchen table, cosy and warm and only two steps away from the kettle - a constant supply of 'builders brew' keeps me going throughout the day.

2.  My Sis and I had fun burning rubbish - there's something exciting about fire isn't there?  The kids had a good clear-out and there were so many magazines and old school books that we thought we'd have a little fire.  It took ages and we were reeking of smoke when we'd finished.  It would have been so much easier loading the car and taking them to the skip but obviously not as much fun!

3.  My first completed cushion.  It's a bit basic but I'm chuffed to bits with it.  I didn't think I'd ever be able to crochet so completing this has been quite an achievement.  It's amazing what you can pick up on You Tube.

4.  House hunting.  I know it's a bit premature as we haven't put our house on the market yet but after looking at loads on the internet I felt the urge to look at a couple of houses this week.  It was a really good start as I loved both of them (for different reasons) and it has spurred me on to get the last few DIY jobs done so that we can get our FOR SALE sign up.

plans are a hatching

Not sure if I really want to put this in writing yet as the plan is still very much in it's embryonic state (no, I'm not pregnant!) and it might not actually happen, but...

Last week, MrG and I had a spark of an idea and we are now looking into taking it to the next stage and make plans for our future.  Blimey!  It involves moving office/studio and house!

For a while now, and especially since losing Mum in January, we have been feeling quite unsettled.  I think it does make you re-evaluate things and question where you want to be and what you want to do.  You only live once as they say.  We would both like to be closer to our families now that they are getting older - my Dad is now 78 and lives an hours drive away and MrG's folks are two and a half hours away.  We have thought about moving house on-and-off over the last few years but have not wanted to move the children from their school.  But... now our eldest son is in his second year at Uni, our youngest son is in his final year and completing his A'level studies and MissG will be doing her final GCSE exams next May/June so there is an opportunity now to start hatching a plan.