Author: seasidesparkles

A Letter to Grandma x

Published on by seasidesparklesLeave a comment

grandma

Dear Grandma

This time of year is one when I think of you often, those lovely half terms spent with you and Gramps as a child and then the anniversary of your death nine years ago. I was sorting out some old photos with Little Miss this week, how I wish you could have met my children, and I found some stunning images of you, from carefree days with your friend Ina, cuddled up to Gramps and then as a Mum.

I loved you as a Grandma, you bought me my first Sindy doll, taught me how to bake and always looked after us so well when we stayed with you in Scotland, my memories are of lovely home cooking, trips out, daily Mass and treats. You were a warm and loving Grandma. As I got older and went to university and started my adult life, my trips to see you still continued. We had a different relationship, you were wise and encouraging and seemed to understand all the pressures of being a young woman. You were a revelation when a Uni friend and I stayed with you for a few days, so funny and contemporary, you were the coolest Grandma and understood, counselled and encouraged us to be strong, intelligent women. On reflection, I wish I had asked more about your experiences at our age. When I got to be in my midtwenties, your dementia developed, sometimes you were a bit confused or forgetful, other times lucid. However you got to know Mr S on our visits to Scotland and whilst you never visited our house, I remember showing you all the details of our new house and your delight in our home. This meant a lot to me. When I didn’t see you I used to write to you, when I came up to Scotland for your funeral it was comforting to find my last card sent a few days before your death on the side, it had been read to you so I know you had all my news and knew how much I loved you.

As time and your dementia progressed, I was no longer your granddaughter but your sister and you used to talk to me about school days and your parents. I know this upset some family, but you were happy and relaxed when you spoke and I was happy to be in a happy place with you. My Mum, your daughter was in New York, when I got the phone call that you were very ill and slipping away. Sadly, we were both too far away to get to be with you. I remember being in tears to your local florist, asking them to find the most beautiful and sweet smelling flowers and to deliver them to you as quickly as possible(they did) so that you had the simple sensory pleasures of beautiful, fresh flowers as you were dying, you loved flowers. As a devout Catholic I took great comfort in that you knew you were going somewhere special and safe.

You are not forgotten. I often wear my gold cross and necklace and the photo of me, you and Mum at a family wedding is one of my favourite photos. I love baking and your cherry scone recipe cannot be matched! My faith is also very important to me. I hope you would be proud of me, I miss you but know you are looking over me.

Lots of Love

Your granddaughter xx

Half Term Happiness

Published on by seasidesparklesLeave a comment

 
I’m a little demob happy this afternoon as I started my two week half term today!  As a Special Needs school we appreciate that 7 weeks’ Summer holidays can be really tough for our students and their parents and carers so we shortened ours and added another week to half term.  I think this works really well for all parties and would like to see other schools do similar.  For my little ones, we’ve a lot to fit in to their one holiday week and a few extra days would be more relaxing.  It’s been a long tough half term for my children and in the holidays they need time to relax, have fun and be refreshed for an even busier half term.  I’m not sure one week is sufficient for this.

However for the present, I have a week of me time, well between the hours of 9 and 3!  I am going on a work conference on Tuesday but it’s on something I’m really interested in and have waited for ages to find the right course content.  I have chosen time in lieu so perhaps I can creatively use my day off later in the year.  The rest of the week is devoted to little jobs, creative projects and coffee and lunch with friends, real adult conversations in child free environments!   I sometimes think that when I meet with friends our chats are like machine gun fire, fast, short bursts of news before we get interrupted by a child.  I’m looking forward to relaxed and measured conversation!

I have always loved half term in October, we have lots of family birthdays and as a child it was always spent with grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins in Scotland.  It’s a holiday of Hallowe’en fun, crisp, bright walks, the novelty of dark nights and wearing hats and scarves but without the pressures and busyness of Christmas.  It’s one of my favourite holidays of the year and the two week break is perfect timing.  Vive les vacances!

Little Sparkles

Published on by seasidesparklesLeave a comment

With the exception of the mock Ofsted visit, my work life balance has been working really smoothly this academic year and I do feel that I am able to do so much more in my free time. This time last year, I was very busy (and stressed) with Little Man’s EHCP process and there were lots of letters, meetings, telephone calls etc.. to occupy my time. This year, I am using my time to be more creative and focus on our home life and it’s rather lovely! This week I’ve finished my first module in the Jenny Maizel’s Sketchbook club, made some cakes, been to a craft fayre at a local castle, visited a vintage shop I’ve been meaning to go to for ages and just enjoyed pottering around.

The Craft Fayre Venue, what a September sky!
The Craft Fayre Venue, what an October sky!

READ

I’ve been busy making rather than reading this week although I am enjoying reading Mrs Pepperpot with Little Miss at bedtime. I’ve been rather struck by the cultural differences in some of the stories and it’s nice to read a book set in Norway and the little mentions of traditions and daily life. Little Miss was impressed that the children were skiing to school and a little disappointed that we can’t do this in the U.K.

HEARD

I know I rate Woman’s Hour most weeks but it really is a superb programme full of such interesting topics, people and conversation. Now, I have my iPhone it’s even more accessible and I’ve been listening to the podcast at lunchtime or walking to school in the afternoon. This week there has been such diversity the story of a SOE heroine form WW2, the breakup of the steel industry and the effect on the community, Nigella cooking and an interview with the Bake Off’s Nadiah who is just wonderful. She inspired me to quickly make some citrus and white chocolate cakes this week and they were still warm as we tasted them after school. Bonus Mummy points gained here!

Another brilliant listen was Desert Island Discs with the poet, Lemn Sissay whom I have to admit is someone I was not familiar with. His voice just sung with a melody of beautiful words and his story was heart breaking, adopted against his mother’s will and then rejected at 12 by his adopted family and placed in Care. He is a remarkable man, so thoughtful and positive and whose work enriches the lives of many.

WATCHED

Oh Jay! The highlight of the week was Jay’s Jive in Strictly Come Dancing, Pulp Fiction at its best. I’m also watching the Apprentice as I write this, it’s quite worrying to think these are our entrepreneurs and business leaders of the future.

MADE

I am enjoying the focus on homemade and wholesome food and have spent some time researching some different vegetarian main courses. The ingredients are coming tomorrow but there have been more new meals this week, the tastiest were the basics, an onion and potato mash to go with sausage and peas and a simple cheese and tomato omelette.

IMG_0062

I have also ‘made’ my Jenny Maizels’ picture. I have been working on it for a couple of weeks, as it’s a project I’ve needed to do when I’m alone, otherwise my lovely new materials might be borrowed by my little people. My art box is hidden away, sometimes I need something that is just mine.  I can’t believe I did this picture, I didn’t have the confidence or skills at school and was advised to do Physics GCSE instead of Art so to be able to produce a picture has made me proud.

WORE

IMG_0086 (1)

It’s been fresh in the mornings so the hats and scarves have been washed and used on the school run. The problem is that it’s been quite warm and nice in the afternoons so it’s a quick check to ensure that they are in the bags and not lost in week 1!

Splash!

Published on by seasidesparklesLeave a comment
slides
Oh yes, I completed every slide!

Today I am aching all over from a strenuous work out yesterday. It wasn’t a run, a gym session or a fitness DVD but a morning at the local Splash centre where we ran up steps, pushed through slides and swam against currents. It was a great morning and reminded me of similar childhood visits to the Oasis pool in Swindon, hopefully today’s outing will help the children create their own happy memories too.

The trip was another example of the type of activities we’re able to do with the children now that they are that little bit older. They were both tall enough for all the rides and wanted to do them there was no fear just a need for speed, excitement and challenge. Mr S has a bad back so he wasn’t able to do all the slides but as the children and I ran up the steps he was at the bottom of the slides ready to fish us out! The Splash centre is an impressive site with a variety of slides, steep, windy, short and long, some you float down whilst others are tackled with a rubber ring. We wore a smart arm band to tell us when we could go down the slide and it also recorded all your stats for a certificate at the end. I was a bit reluctant to pay for the certificate but am proud in the knowledge that I did every slide enthusiastically! Strangely what struck me on the visit was that whilst the children on the slides were boys and girls in equal numbers there were very few women in the pool, far more were watching on the side. I was proud that in the words of a current campaign to encourage women into sport ‘this girl can’

Yesterday was another fab family day full of encouragement, fun and celebration. I’m sure we’ll be back again for more and are thinking of similar new challenges to do together.

Little Sparkles

Published on by seasidesparklesLeave a comment

There has been a real autumnal feel to this week, the colours, chill and events of the season are evident everywhere. We spent a lovely Sunday at the local nature reserve, walking through the woods among the crispy fallen leaves and looking out for deer and  today I’ve been to the children’s harvest festival hearing all the old harvest favourites with a few new songs added to the mix too. With my new phone there are few photos for this week’s post, lots are still on my old phone. However there should be enough to give a feel of the week.

My first play on the iPhone and Layout app.
My first play on the iPhone and Layout app.

READ

As well as the blogs I follow, the only reading I have done this week is my magazine, The Simple Things. I really like this magazine with its focus on seasonality and simplicity and quality writing and illustrations, its refreshing not to wade through pages of glossy designer clothes sections, tacky free gifts etc..

LISTENED

I very proudly listened to the children singing at their harvest festival. Little Man sang a number song about acorns and squirrels and Little Miss performed a rock and roll harvest, complete with sunglasses and hand jiving! The older children spoke about poverty in this country and their statistics were shocking, 20% of the school’s population could be affected by poverty. The food collection this year was for our local food bank, a sad indication of the state of our nation and the growing disparity between rich and poor.

Little Miss has also started guitar lessons and has been diligently practising so I have heard the tune Falling leaves many time s this week.

I have also listened to a beautiful song I wasn’t Expecting that by Jamie Lawson.  Its a real tear jerker of a song, with a heart breaking story running through it.  (Post script, I’ve just seen this video for the first time, so original and if possible even sadder than the song!)

WATCHED

untitled (3)

I saw the final of the Great British Bake Off and loved that the winner was Nadiya, she was sassy, bright and extremely talented. Whilst I haven’t watched every episode this series, 8pm is a bit early to settle down and watch tv, I have been following it on Twitter and in the papers. It is such a quintessential British programme and a delight to watch. I also though Nadiya’s words following her win were brilliant.

On Saturday afternoon, whilst Mr S was painting the hallway, I cuddled up on the sofa with the children to watch the Book of Life, this film was fantastic, a great story with wonderful animations.

136695_ab     jennie

I have also watched the Jenny Maizel tutorial for her first module of #Sketchbookclub, a project on houses. It was very informative and inspiring and I have started the project, so far I have done the pencil drawing and am currently doing all the detailing with a fine liner pen. Next is the painting which I’m a little nervous about but I am loving doing something artistic, normally I’m a crafter so drawing is a new skill to develop.

MADE

Lots more home cooking this week, an autumn vegetable crumble, mushroom stroganoff, a variety of soups and a chestnut and vegetable pie. I love chestnuts but seem to use them simply in Christmas meals so it was a real treat to have them in this week’s shopping. I also made a lovely rich bread and butter pudding with left overs. My new meal planning and fortnightly shopping is having a really positive effect on our meals and cost.

WORE

The coats, hats and scarves have started to emerge this week. I’m very grateful for hats, I’m trying to keep off the hair dye until my next appointment to improve the condition of my hair but its getting very grey now. Part of me is liberated by not having the monthly hairdresser appointments to hide my roots and is tempted to reveal the real me the other part is feeling quite old and frumpy with the colour, its 12 days until my next appointment when hopefully we’ll be trying a more natural dye, the dilemma is to go light or back to my natural brown.

And lastly

I have had an odd week this week as my bank card was cloned and tried to be used fraudulently. My bank HSBC have been excellent, they noticed odd activity, contacted me and sorted it efficiently. They had declined all the fraudulent payments from my account so the only inconvenience was not having a bank card for two days. Since the incident, I have been busy updating security on my computer, but the bank don’t know how the card was cloned. I had a couple of odd experiences at the end of last week in a shop and at a cashpoint, so perhaps it happened here. However it is all sorted but was a cautionary tale of how easily fraud could have happened. One of the first apps on my iPhone was my bank app to keep a careful check on my account.

My new phone, the apple of my eye!!

Published on by seasidesparklesLeave a comment

addicted-to-iphone

Today, I have finally become the owner of an iPhone. Whilst this probably makes me sound like a real luddite, I should say I am very digital savvy and coordinate ICT at work so have the skills and knowledge.  However I do feel like I’m one of the last people on earth to have an iPhone, even my parents have them and my old phone gets me some disbelieving looks.

I think the reasons for not having an iPhone have been twofold, firstly financial, I did not feel I could justify the monthly price plan as for me the mobile phone had the simple functions of making and receiving calls and texting. And secondly, a reaction to the hype and power of the iPhone, I didn’t want to be overly attached to my phone, it is a device. Over the lifetime of my past contract, I have noticed how much more I have used the phone, it’s been my key means of using email and Twitter and perhaps most important as a camera. I love to take photos and a phone is so accessible, albeit with a few technical compromises. One of my main motivations for choosing the iPhone was the camera and the apps which are more accessible to work with the photos. I have taken a more expensive contract for the benefits of the iPhone and after just an afternoon of playing and personalising my phone I am blown away by its features and ease of use. I am accepting that a phone is simply not for calls and texts but my life hub. It was special today to make my first Face Time call to my dad so Little Man could sing him Happy Birthday and show him his blue tongue from the sweetie he was eating. I could highlight so many little details I am loving about the phone I really think it could simplify my life, of course I just need to stop getting distracted by its other features, it is a phone which will be in my bag rather than in my hands. However tonight, I am very excited and pleased with my new purchase!

A Few of My Favourite Things … No 2 My Pink Silk Dress

Published on by seasidesparklesLeave a comment

dress

I love this dress, after my wedding dress it is my favourite dress ever. The special events are woven into its fabric and even buying the dress has a story attached! I bought the dress a few days before Christmas in December 2000, I needed, fancied a new dress for the Christmas party at Mr S’ golf club and dashed to the shops on the afternoon of the party. It was a lovely time in my life and definitely a very special season of Christmas sparkle, it was our first Christmas in our new house, my Nan was spending what would be her last Christmas with our family and Mr S and I got engaged.

When I walked into Monsoon I saw the dress and loved it. It was the only one I tried on and it fitted perfectly, when I went to pay for it, it had been marked down to half price! On leaving the shop, I was so excited and happy and I bumped into my favourite ever football player. Now the night before I had been at the derby match, which we had won so I was still ecstatic about the result and despite generally being quite calm and collected I turned into a star struck fan, all I could say to him was how well he had played the night before and that he was my favourite player. After all these years, Scott Murray remains my favourite City player, at least I got to tell him!!

I wore the dress to the golf party and felt amazing in it, it just skimmed where it needed to and despite its simple looks it is flattering and looks beautiful on. A couple of months later, I needed a dress for our engagement party, I knew my pink dress was the perfect choice and again felt wonderful wearing it. This dress has always been my go to dress, I have so many photos of it in amazing places, at a restaurant overlooking Sydney Opera House, on my 30th birthday at the London Eye and the Ritz hotel, swaying in the breeze on a Caribbean island. It can be dressed up or down with a pretty cardigan or denim jacket, flip flops or strappy sandals. If I was to choose one dress to symbolise the happy, sparkly me it would be this dress, my beautiful fuscia pink silk dress sprinkled with a few sparkly sequins.

Little Sparkles

Published on by seasidesparklesLeave a comment

It’s been a nice and easy week, routines flowing smoothly and everyone where they should be at the right time. Magic! I’ve had a little potter in the big town and it’s been unseasonably sunny and warm all week, simple things make me happy.  Sunday saw a family trip out to a local museum which was excellent and with a fantastic gift shop, I really enjoyed the day.

READ 

I was quite relieved to read the Virgin London Marathon commiserations email this week. I only ever want to do one marathon and London is the dream. However as it will be my only marathon I want it to be the best experience ever. My running at the moment is purely recreational, three times a week with no real plans in place and if I had got a place I would have needed to devote everything to it. I’m not sure that in the next 6 months I would be able to do that, I would have if I had got a place but perhaps it’s time to get into the best possible shape and break the 2 hour half marathon before the ultimate challenge.

I also read and re read the Letterbox contact letters I wrote to the children’s birth family. Its an annual job but it doesn’t get any easier  trying to find the right tone and words.

LISTENED

tooth

Little Miss lost her first tooth this week and listening to her excitedly reading aloud her letter from the tooth fairy was priceless. The letter went to school and was read out to Grandma on the phone too. Little Miss’ reaction to the tooth fairy visit was just perfect.

I also listened to Stevie Wonder’s Songs on the Key of Life. It’s the perfect Summer album so on my journey to big town with the sun streaming through the window I played it at full blast, what a stunning album.

WP_20151001_009 (5)
The view on the ferry, listening to Songs in the Key of Life. Stunning.

WATCHED

Strictly Come Dancing is my absolute favourite television programme and nothing makes me happier on television; the costumes, make up, dancing and atmosphere are perfect viewing. I was so excited for its return and it didn’t disappoint. My early favourites are Jay, Anita, Katie, Peter and Ainsley. I also caught up on the iPlayer with SCD It Takes Two, the perfect fanzine. I was particularly interested in the costume segment as I thought they were stunning.

MADE

Amazingly, I made risotto for the first time ever this week. I enjoy cooking and make a lot of rice dishes but have never made risotto. I’ve no idea why I’ve never tried it before, I think I was worried it was a little complicated but it was simple to make and delicious.

I also made a retirement card for my Dad. He retired on Wednesday after more than 50 years working, which is simply amazing. He has always had such a strong work ethic that it’ll be strange to see him pottering around at home. We phoned him on his last morning at work, the children said they would be looking forward to him being there to play with them when they come to visit, I’m looking forward to that too.

WORE

WP_20151001_011 (5)

Whilst its not so much wearing I did try on lots of clothes on my shopping trip, the beauty of a child free trip gave me the time to experiment and put together different pieces. I’m trying to develop my look, it needs to be casual and fit in with my life style. I wear jeans for work but at other times am not really a trousers girl, my legs are a bit short so I tend to stick with skirts, tunics and dresses with leggings or thick tights. I ended up with a new White Stuff skirt and v neck black jumper to be paired with the obligatory leggings. I also bought a cute pair of Converse pumps, I love my winter boots but it’s nice to have something a little lighter too. I find it difficult to find a comfortable and flattering flat leather shoe so I’m hoping the pumps will be a winner.WP_20151002_001 (5)

I’ve also worn new make-up, buying a new foundation and lip stick from Benefit on the ‘big town’ shopping trip. I had booked a treatment at the Benefit salon and am well impressed by my eye brows.

The Tooth Fairy

Published on by seasidesparklesLeave a comment

tooth

One of the saddest things about adopting our two beautiful children has been missing out on their early life, we never knew them as babies just little toddlers. Little man’s homework this weekend had me searching for his life book to find out his birth weight and height, facts I’m sure Mums can recite off without thinking but not me. We also never got to experience any of those special firsts written about in baby books, birthdays, Christmas, words, steps, teeth etc.. until tonight!

This evening after a lot of wiggling and wobbling, Little Miss’ first baby tooth fell out and she is now dreaming of the tooth fairy. The Ben and Holly Tooth Fairy episode was a favourite when we were younger so we’re all very excited about a visit tonight. And nobody more than me, I have had my little Tooth Fairy bag ready for months to hide under her pillow with a beautiful personalised message printed on one side and a very special letter too. These are the moments I want to make magical and precious, it is my delight to add the sparkles to my children’s lives. I wasn’t able to do it in their baby years so I want to make everything so joyful and sparkling that they feel so special and loved throughout their childhoods with me and Mr S.

Little Sparkles

Published on by seasidesparklesLeave a comment

WP_20150925_004

It feels that this week has been sponsored by Bach Rescue Remedy but it definitely wasn’t designed to be! I was reminded of the quote this week that life is what happens when you’re busy making plans. I had organised my diary for the week and although I had added a few extras such as play dates to our routine as I had no big plans for my non work days it seemed a workable and sanity saving plan. That was until, we received notice at work of a mock Ofsted inspection by our School’s Improvement Partner and my free time fizzled away into a list of admin to do. This is what I hate about my job, the inspections and pressure on providing data to prove our strengths. I work with special needs students, success to us is not GCSE grades, its helping a child to communicate, supporting them to develop basic personal care, giving them the skills to stay safe and function in the adult world. What I love about my job is the work we do and the positive difference we can make. How can I put into figures the amazing work we do? It is sadly a necessity in this results driven culture and I spent my time not on the content of the lessons but on figures, graphs, predictions etc.. This is wrong, demoralising and irrelevant. Judge us by the passion and spark you see in the classroom, look at our curriculum, our extracurricular opportunities not figures and graphs. Of course, despite the extra work, I was not observed on the morning I was teaching during the 2 day inspection, too much time is spent analysing data and not in the classroom. We will receive feedback next week and I will reserve judgement until then…

Away from the additional stress from work, this week has been full of some lovely little sparkles all bathed in some periods of warm sunshine which helps to make us all a little happier.

READ

WP_20150919_009WP_20150919_012

I really enjoyed the Saturday Times LFW edition of their magazine last Saturday. I got to sit in the sunshine watching the children play in the garden and read it in relative peace. There were two articles which were brilliant, interviews with the designer, Diana Von Furstenberg and the Vogue photographer, Grace Coddington both strong, determined and talented professionals. Both made comments I could really relate to, the first from DVF that she always knew the type of woman she wanted to be and the way she explains it is not the job she wanted to do, but the characteristics, attitude, lifestyle she wanted to have. Coddington argued about the danger of being attached to one’s phone and missing life, so true.

LISTENED

I do love Woman’s Hour but thought it was a standout programme on Thursday. A piece on fashion with Jane Shepherdson appealed it was not about high end fashion but on sustainable fashion. I loved the can you wear it 30 times rule? There was also an interview with JoJo Moyes on the sequel to Me Before You, which was a brilliant book and I’m looking forward to reading After You. There was also an informative piece on Nell Gwynne and then a brilliant cooking piece with Lorraine Pascal. Her enthusiasm was infectious and she made me smile trying to answer questions whilst nibbling on the mixture. Today’s episode was one where you would just love to join the women for lunch!

WATCHED

WP_20150920_011
Hidden under the splash is the crocodile boat. It was a very wet experience.

WP_20150920_004 (2) WP_20150920_001

I watched the children have lots of fun in the late season sunshine. We returned to the Aquarium on Sunday, as when we went earlier in the summer we were given free return tickets for September. It was another great day out. The animals were quite animated, probably enjoying the sunshine too and we had lots of fun on the rides too. There is a great water flume there and we went on it lots of times, we shrieked a lot and got soaked but as we dried quickly in the sun, it was all in good humour.

There’s been lots of play in the garden too, the children are great at creating new games. Little Man’s play date was on a bright and warm afternoon so they played happily in the garden which creates less mess than indoors!

MADE

Our food shopping and menus have been frustrating me for a while. We have tended to do one big monthly shop complemented by weekly fresh pickups as needed. Mr S is often in charge of the food shop and I dislike the weighting of convenience foods to fresh ingredients. So, I have made a plan for fortnightly shops and have planned menus so we know what we are having and shop accordingly. This has been working well, Mr S has conceded that he is preferring our meals and the fresh food, I enjoy cooking and I think in the long term it will be more cost effective. This week’s menu has included a pie, stir fry, curry, omelette and casserole and herby dumplings all made from scratch. I have also been looking at the children’s tea choices, they have a hot meal at school but as the cold evenings draw in, I am looking at more soups, toasted snacks etc.. the challenge is to fit the food in around their busy schedules.

I also made my first Christmas order this week and wrote my first Christmas lists detailing presents bought and ideas.   I like being this organised it helps me enjoy Christmas and all the preparation.

WORE

Shorts and sunglasses, thanks to the sunshine. It’s a lovely feeling being able to wear my shorts so late in the year. Part of the culture of living at the seaside is that our clothing reflects our coastal lives and sunshine is beach time and appropriate clothes, eg shorts! I’m not sure if I wore shorts in an urban town that it would be so acceptable. I love my shorts and flip flops so am happy to extend summer as long as possible.

Next week the diary is looking organised and manageable and I’m hoping for a trip to ‘big’ town for some much needed shopping. I am also hoping to start the Sketchbook course created by Jennie Maizels , I’ve downloaded my first module on houses and am very inspired.