At the centre of your being you have the answer, you know who you are and you know what you want ~ Lao Tzu

Tuesday, September 14

My name is Claire...


... and i'm a Mad Men addict!!

for a couple of years now, i've watched bemused at awards ceremonies as all these unknown actors collected gongs for this unknown TV show...

recently the BBC began showing episodes from the first series on a sunday night - i'm guessing i wasn't alone in my bemusement! - and wow!!!

this is TV drama at it's absolute best! cracking script, cracking actors, incredible sets - i now want to live in NY in 1960 (but only if i can have christina hendricks' body!!)

the misogny, the chain-smoking, the drink-driving, it's a strange world, yet the one i know my parents inhabited - they were 18 and 16 in 1960, mum working in a shoe shop in lincoln, my dad in training for the RAF - but within 4 years they were married, living in singapore, and proud parents to yours truly...

like the characters in the show, they were stylish, looking old beyond their years, often playing at being grown-ups, but for all their outer sophistication, they were incredibly naive...

my mum went to see her doctor in the summer of 1963 because she'd been feeling 'off colour', and was totally incredulous at the news she was at pregnant, 'But i've only been married for 8 weeks!'

Thursday, September 9

Feeling so proud...


today i took myself into town on my electric scooter. i went to my pedicure appointment at 9am and then for a coffee at Panini's (a favourite spot), which just so happens to be opposite the Westgate Art Shop...

Nick and i did a dry run on saturday to check the scooter battery could cope with the distance - no problem! and he's working from home today, so i could ring for back up if i needed it...

i'm now thoroughly exhausted, but happy! i hope this is just the first of such solo excursions. finally, i'm getting some independence back :)


Monday, September 6

What a lovely surprise!!


we rarely win anything, but we did today!!

Montezuma's are celebrating their 10th anniversary and we won a Hayfever gift box!!

i think sometime i filled in an email form to enter their prize draw...

the kids are in chocolate heaven and it's a wonderful surprise treat for the last day of their summer holiday!! i'm a dark chocolate 70%+ girl myself, but any chocolate tastes extra yummy if it's a gift :)

so thank you Montezuma's for making not only some of the best chocolate in the country, but for making a cold, blustery monday suddenly brighter and altogether sweeter!!