Threes and nines

Its the beginning of the half term holidays, I felt almost dizzy with excitement yesterday! Today I'm a little sleepy from playing out and drinking cocktails with Jenny, Emma and Kat until I was all danced out and truly tired to the bones of my feet, I woke up early, am sleepy in a warm, tea in bed fashion and feel very content to have 9 days of freedom.

I found out last week that I have a fixed term contract at work for a year. I now have a class of 3. 3 bright and lovely boys. The difference is amazing! I have discovered strategies are a lot more effective with 3, and when its lovely which it has been a lot this week its a great job, feel very jammy.

Today is 3 calender months since Jack and I first decided to start seeing each other. Time is so conceptual, in some ways it feels a lot longer. Its been strange for me with this blog, being in the early stages of falling for someone makes me feel like I best keep my cards close to my chest.

I live my life in the present as much as possible as I've discovered it makes me the happiest. The great thing is that more than ever before I am less concerned about the destination of this relationship. The journey so far has been a lot of open hearted fun. Lots of big honest chats, with a good amount of challenge and respect and support of each other. Its a funny thing to suggest but I feel more myself in this relationship. More joyful and open, I talk to strangers more often, this is a quality I really appreciate in Jack and I feel like I have a lot to give. I guess I'm in a good place work wise too and my new house is soulful. There is a beautiful sense of communal living in that we all want to contribute and have a real delight when we see each other. We had it in 130 too its just that there was a fair measure of chaos too fuelling the fire!

Right now I'm going to get more tea and have a bath. Then I'm heading off to Hexham to see my beautiful niece for her birthday, she was 5 on Thursday. It looks like a crisp, fresh autumn day. I saw the new moon peeking out of the bathroom window this morning. There is every reason to think it will be a beautiful day.

Wedding carriages in October

Life has been a whirl wind of work and play and not much time to contemplate. I can only really relate what feels like the immediate, which was the wedding of my beautiful friend Sophie last Saturday. Charlotte and I were bridesmaids, so we rocked up about 9 am, ready (bar lipstick) and filled with nerves and excitement, to a very serene Sophie, completely un -fazed!

Char spent about an hour tonguing Sophie's hair, until she had a halo of perfect ringlets. On the announcement that it was time to leave, we still needed to button Sophie into her blue silk dress, over 30 twiddly Victorian buttons, but the effect was stunning.

The day was drizzly, a typical Autumn day in Northumberland but it did't matter, the service was simple and beautiful and the best part of the day was the convoy of Gypsy caravans that went up to Sophie and Saul's house. I got to sit in a wagon looking out on lush green, snuggling a very gorgeous Madog, Barny's new extremely beautiful son.

We had a delicious meal in David's garden in one of Oran's tent and slowly got merry. I got to catch up with Justine after a long summer of her being on the road. The atmosphere was palpably relaxed and easy going. Very in tune with the character of both Saul and Soph.

There was a lull about 5 o clock, kids got tired as did us. So I had coffee and a snuggle with Izzy.

There was a in flux of new blood for the evening including the lovely Jack. The night was filled with chats, much food and dancing by a roaring fire in the woods. I DJ'd which was trickier than I imagined in some ways. All fun though, as soon as I turned my back to get a drink Charlotte changed the track, to one she proffered!

There was a unexpected good turn of fortune, in that Stu was there with his new lady, who I know and like very much and we all had a lovely time together. So happy and relived to be able to be friends with Stu and for it all to be comfortable again. Another highlight was the unbuttoning of Sophie's dress! I got back to the woods from a bus mission a realised Sophie had left! Knowing that Saul would find it impossible to unbutton Sophie, I rushed over and had a lovely cosy post wedding chat with the tired but very happy newly weds.

Simon, Justine and I were the last standing or sitting by the fire at 5 am. It was so mild and beautiful by the point. Then I tried to sleep in a room full of snoring folk! I was pretty broken the next day, but the happiness from the day before and taking it all very slowly carried me.

Work this week has been a mixed bag as always, but today sees a seed of new hope. I have doubled my cohort to 2 and the first boy I had has responded amazingly! There have been times when he has certainly tried to be the boss, but new boy has stood up for himself in a friendly way and has the height advantage.

It was so lovely watching them interact and play and have banter. I know there will be tough times but I sincerely hope this turns things around a little after 4 challenging weeks! We all need friends and I have empathised with my initial pupil as it must be a strange thing to think the consequences of your behaviour have led you to a place where there are no other children your age to interact with. Also positively a contract has been seriously discussed. I have noticed my commitment to get on paper work has increased since that message was relayed.

I feel like I'm finding my rhythm in the house. Went to Yoga eventually on Monday and slept so soundly it was unreal, so that's a good sign that exercise and me time is the way to go.

Now off to John's for a few hours, it must be time to move as even though I'm under my covers there's an October chill in the air.

Autumn skies

The Autumn skies have been filled with billowing pink clouds and sunshine that threatens to change into showers at any given moment! All is busy in a wonderful way. House filled with friends a lot but also times like tonight when there is a lull.

I haven't managed to motivate myself to run, but I got into a wonderful book I first read when I was 20 called 'By the river Pierdra I sat down and wept' by Paulo Coelho. It is a story about the surrender of love. Written beautifully, so each night I have a good couple of chapters of that and have decided that if I wake up with my head full at 4 or 5 I will turn the light on and read. So far, although I don't want to tempt fate I've only woken briefly, this morning it was to a text message to say that my dear friend Ellie's labour had began. Her son was born at 12.23 today, wonderful news.

Work by its nature with my pupil being so complex in his needs, has been challenging. There was a fire alarm today, and kick off began around 10 because he refused to leave the class and had to be carried out kicking and screaming.

I am being fair and firm to trying my best to establish the boundaries he is so in need of and has never had. Its a hard road. The support of the staff and the small steps he is making have to be reward enough at the moment. Soon we will have two new referrals and although I think that will be difficult initially I really think it will help enormously with the balance of my sole pupil wanting to be in control. Also it will give him peers and hopefully even friends a real human need.

Tonight our house is going for a late dinner to 99. Sydney grove is filled with beautiful people and this house is particularly dear to my heart, with Paddy and Laurence living there, both of which I have lived with before and 3 wonderful girls.

Tomorrow I also hope to firm up the arrangements for Sophie's hen! Excited for her wedding day and being a bridesmaid with my beautiful sister. Matching dresses ahoy!

Sweet enjoyment.

This morning is the first in a little while that I've taken to tea and time to muse in bed. Last night Jack and I had a lovely evening, a good bit of quality time, Tapas, Sangria, and a quick turn around and single drink at Bar Kolo. I was very happy and content to be in bed by 12 as I am shattered from a heavy week with my boy at work. At around 3 am I got woke up by an insistent almost eerie ringing of the doorbell. I almost didn't answer it in case it was a mad man! It wasn't of course a friend of friends had lost our house crowd or been abandoned and was very apologetic as I let him in. I climbed back into bed and spent the next at least 3 hours trying to sleep. There has definitely been a pattern of this the past 5 weeks or so since I began falling. Its excitement and excess energy and doubt and worry and wonder and restlessness all rolled into one. I am pretty good at enjoying it. You have to really don't you. I like the moments best when I have snuggled in to a comfortable position and can feel the nearness of sleep but my mind is so intent on the symphony of feelings swirling around my head, sometimes a phrase, a look, a feeling. Its like my senses have been wildly driven to excess and I need several hours in the dark of night to come down from them.

I think I will take up running or something which will shatter me physically and push enough endorphins to my brain to help it switch off!

School has been stressful, I nearly wrote earlier in the week but felt almost like it might be inappropriate, perhaps because the level of disruption and the real anger my student it experiencing is challenging me to question my approach at every turn. Its a steep learning curve.Luckily I am very supported at work and although its gradual I can see small steps of progress most days.

My new house is great. So warm and friendly. A sanctuary of loveliness, we had a beautiful evening in with Mike and Jemma on Wednesday, team effort of making delicious pie. It was lovely to catch up with them again after the impromptu plumb jam making party at the weekend, lots of kitchen dancing and kissing each other in giddy excitement! Wednesday was all about a roaring fire, I demanded we all had boots kicked off and we happily ate the first apple and raspberry crumble of the season.

It feels like Autumn today, and all the leaves are turning orange on the Rowan tree the dawn chorus is getting later. So more tea for me,a call or two a beauty engagement with the lovely Jenny , then of to Hexham to catch up with my sister and a special visit to see the wonderful new arrival of baby Oscar!! Ah can't wait! There is nothing quite like the sweetness and new joyful energy of a new born.

The guest house

Today I will put away my most Summery dresses. I have a beautiful wicker chest with an ornate fastening clasp that my Mum got from an auction, which is perfect for the job. The beginning of Autumn is such a pretty time to be in my heart. I love the moody, overcast skies at sunset and the gentle falling of leaves.

My driving lesson went well yesterday, I'm getting the hang of the controls. Another lesson today so hopefully ideas will be starting to wire up in my mind. I do end up feeling quite seriously tired though. I obviously haven't concentrated that much for a while!

I did a good clean of the house also yesterday, whilst making Jack a mix tape for his van. It felt very 90's and was a good excuse to revisit and listen to a lot of old music. My house hold have been mostly at the land in Durham. Where Jack is building a roof for a third floor straw bale house. Its been cold on nights without there sunny presence.

Last night I went to Clara and John's down the road for a Chinese take away. Emma came over and it was just like old times, including the little sisterly misunderstandings of language that peppered our communication. We feasted then all got into Clara's bed in her new beautiful red room for a catch up.

A funny thing happened yesterday as I was musing over music. This lady watched me as she walked around my house, I smiled and she summoned me to the door. Then she stood and pleaded with me for money in another language. Even though I didn't know what she was saying it was easy to get the gist. I made the spur of the moment decision to apologise and be kind but to say no. She may of been in trouble, but there was something in the way she summoned me to her door that made me feel a little protective.

It did make me think about a particular Rumi poem at Earthing the spirit about welcoming people in.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival

A joy a depression, a meanness

Some momentary awareness

Comes as an unexpected visitor

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they're a crowd of sorrows

Who violently sweep your house of it's furniture.

Still, treat each guest honourably,

He may be clearing you out

for some new delight

The dark thought, the shame,

The malice, meet them all at the

door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes

Because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

I have always had a problem with not giving to people begging as if I may be denying God. I slowly stopped this thought as it wasn't inspired by love, but more out of sadness. Its interesting to read this poem again as I realise its a lot to do with the self. Welcoming all aspects of the self, to clear out and make way for 'some new delight.'

I do think that people and relationships are often mirrors. That means I'm more selective wrongly or rightly of who I welcome in. I wont be unkind to someone, but giving money doesn't feel like giving in a whole way. I'd rather offer my time, it means more.

Answered prayers

The month of August seems to have flown by in a flurry of house moving, romance and time spent connecting with family and friends.

This morning I am having an hour to take stock before my driving lesson. It took me a while to wake up this morning, after speaking to one of my best friends El about her pregnancy and birth before sleeping, I dreamt of giving birth in water to twins! In my dream is was all very heightened,beautiful and idealistic. I had to remind myself that that the reality is a lot tougher! I've got 2 baby blessings of close friends this week, and two that I'm helping to organise so I'll put that at the core!

I've just returned from visiting my Nana in hospital. So my subconscious is contemplating the mysterious journey of birth and death. It was lovely for my Mum and I to have some quality time to catch up on the journeys and very right and mind easing to have the opportunity to visit. I felt like we helped to lift and lighten spirits. After my Nana Ivy's quick decline, there was a real sense of panic before seeing my Nana, but I was comforted to find her completely herself and wanting to know the in's and out's of how everything came about with Jack. I love the questions asked by loved ones to investigate the worthiness of a potential partner. My Nana's hope that this will be the right person, and that God has answered her prayer for me to have met the right person. It makes me realise where I have come from. Relationships have always been up there as one of my favourite subjects to muse, wonder and master.

My sister, Paul and the kids were up too, on route to centre parks. We had a lovely, drunken night with my Dad. Joseph and Izzy were so excited. I tried setting them off on runs to burn off some of there excess excitement but to no avail!

We played the drinking game with my Dad and Max when we got home. My Dad reminds me of Charlotte and I in his over eagerness. Ha! We had no chance but to be blunt and loud!

This week is the last of the summer holidays! Time to get the house spick and span and get plenty of singing in at the allotment before work starts up!

Sneaky sunshine and snoozes

I'm fighting off having a cold with lemons and afternoon snoozes, sunshine, laughter, garlic and spices. Have had a lovely couple of days, mostly connecting to friends. Jenny came over Wednesday evening, we drank white wine, ate amazing food cooked by Beattie and even played my all time favourite game 'in the manner of the word!' Yesterday I took some time out for reading and tea in bed. Reading a book on 'Dark Mountain' interesting concepts of life and death and uncivilisation. Then lay in a sunny spot in the allotment for a couple of hours.

I also had my first driving lesson yesterday. My word I felt a bit like an Octopus! Its amazing that all that multi tasking becomes automatic, like riding a bike, not that I can ride one very successfully. Think I shall tackle that one with the help of new and very lovely house mate Emma. Would be good to get myself more road aware if nothing else. Going to help out with Alley cats bike treasure hunt tomorrow for a bit of inspiration.

Also met the incredibly beautiful two week old Wren son of Jo and Freddy. Ah. He is perfect and makes the sweetest snuffly noises. My womb was doing some good yearning flips! Fell asleep in a pretty dreamy future state. The present is great though. An exciting time teeming with possibilities but without expectations.

So tonight brings together some more wonderful women for a shared dinner and a couple of glasses of fine wine. I'm going to give the Pub a miss and get myself an early night to save myself from getting this cold. 2 weeks of burning the candle at both ends. My body clock is still set at 7am over 3 weeks after breaking up from school! So I best obey it. I do love mornings and late at night for open alert head space.

Beach and lunch with more friends tomorrow and the return of beautiful Clara May!