In between the rain there have been some glorious autumn moments here. This morning on the dog walk there were golden leaves catching the sun as they fluttered down from a cloudless blue sky. Bertie and his gigantic labradoodle friend were cantering along in slow motion as if they were in a movie. Well, actually his friend looks as if he's in slow motion, while Bertie was running at top speed with his tongue hanging out and the whites of his eyes showing (there's a bit of fear over the sheer size of his chum). Anyway, it was all glorious.
Saturday on the other hand was practially wall to wall rain. We did an extra big early morning walk before the rain started, which made us feel incredibly smug, then I hunkered down and did some writing and that was all rather lovely as well.
Happily Sunday was sunny for the Remembrance Day parade. The church and castle photos were taken then. The littlest boy looked very smart as he walked along wearing his poppy and I tried not to cry as I always do.
The biggest boy is deep in the midst of exams and I am panicking on his behalf. Everything has all gone very Real all of a sudden and before I know it they'll all have to decide what they want to do with the rest of their lives. You can definitely see the whites of my eyes. I have finally worked out what I want to do with my life (be a fiction writer) but it is taking a while to get there to be honest. If only I'd known when I was 16. Sigh. From memory, I think I wanted to be a stuntwoman or a shepherdess. Either of which would actually have been great. I feel those particular ships may have sailed now though.
I have a new saying for you which I'm certain you'll love. The biggest boy discovered it. It is Finnish, and for when someone is not quite thinking straight - you say their Moomins are not all in the valley. I am spending this week trying to work it casually into conversations.
How are things at your end? Relaxing in the sun, or showing the whites of your eyes? Dreams being chased or do you still look at sheep and sigh wistfully? Moomins all safely in the valley? Do let me know.
Have you thought of a pen name yet? CJ Moomin? I ended up doing what I wanted to do as a child mainly because it was what I knew - teaching. I often think is I had been made aware of more options, things may have been different. Also some opportunities afforded by newish technologies weren’t available back then. I did end up with my dream job in the last ten years of my career when I became an IT. Consultant - I could play with computers and be paid and I didn’t have a mountain of reports to write at the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteI think my Moomins have escaped over the hills and far away! Beautiful autumnal photos. Remembrance Day parades always make me cry too - thank you for the Rupert Brookes poem by the way, it's one of my favourites. I get the smug feeling when you manage to beat the weather. It got the better of me this morning though - I spent it doing boring housework, thinking that I would get into the sunny garden after lunch. Now, of course, it's pouring down! Good luck with the exams to your son. xx
ReplyDeleteLovely post and pictures. I've never really known what I wanted to do, and I think that my Moomins are rarely all in the valley!
ReplyDeleteThings are mostly okay at this end providing I have a good book, tea and biscuits for rainy day afternoons. xx
Moomins have got their umbrellas up in this valley but I’m not taking any notice as the house clean is under way. Had to happen sometime. I feel for your eldest; too many decisions at the wrong age and exams on top of everything. I feel a shepherdess moment here. Standing Kate Bush style in the middle of the field with my hair blowing in a stiff breeze, sheep nowhere to be seen. Writing novels sounds definitely the way to go...how exciting. Love the autumn shots and your remembrance post. Hope the week goes calmly. B x
ReplyDeleteI love that Moomin quote. My Moomins were definitely not all in the valley this morning when I glibly told someone there wouldn't be a bus tomorrow as it would be Saturday. But today is Tuesday and there is a bus on Wednesdays she replied. Honestly I do wonder about me sometimes but not having all my Mooms in the valley sounds so much more comforting than going ga,ga!! I still don't really know what I want to be and I have been retired for15 years!!
ReplyDeleteI do love the Moomin reference. A kangaroo short of the top paddock is a common saying here. The rain sounds lovely, our skies have been filled with smoke for weeks and the fires are in the extreme category. We're wishing for relief which doesn't seem to be in the forecast and the thought of what summer will bring is a little terrifying. I hope biggest boy's exams go well and you are able to find a paper bag to breathe into if things get dire! xx Susan
ReplyDeleteAny kind of fear is likely to send those Moomins a-scattering (great saying) perhaps your eldest could travel the world collecting great aphorisms for us all. Not an easy time for him.
ReplyDeleteI was a sheherdess for a brief spell and I can tell you it is not a romantic Bo-peep kind of existence, it is all very smelly dealing with foot rot and maggots and dagging ... I won't go on!
Novelist sounds much more civilized, but I bet the hours are the same.
I never comment, but please, keep on writing. I enjoy your posts so much and wish you well for the future when you'll have a little more time...it will come, quicker than you imagine. Looking forward to that first novel! Sue.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading your first novel- so exciting!
ReplyDeleteI love catching up with your dialogue, never fails to make me smile :)
ReplyDeleteWhen i was younger I wanted to be a librarian (back in the day when books had little cards in which were stored in beautiful wooden filing cabinets), I then decided I wanted to illustrate childrens books. I never would have dreamed such a thing as the internet would come along and change the entire course of my life. Isn't it all rather wonderful? Hoping your Moomins behave this week xx
I think my Moomins left long ago! I will look forward to your first novel x
ReplyDeleteIt is never too late to become a fiction writer... just listened to an interview with Elizabeth Strout and she didn't publish her first book until she was in her forties. I still don't know what I want to do with my life. When I was sixteen is definitely not a biologist.... Moomins in the valley, I am loving this. I wonder if I could weave it into a conversation casually (so, where are your Moomins today?). Wishing your biggest boy the best of luck for the upcoming exam time and you a peaceful weekend with plenty of writing time xx
ReplyDeleteI love that you are a fiction writer, right this second you are and all those wonderful stories are just waiting to be unleashed from your very clever brain. As for the rest of my life, well I can't imagine not working with kids, I just might like to ease up a bit when I can. But for now it is head down and working like a crazy woman. Wishing you a wonderful week.
ReplyDeleteWhites of the eyes definitely showing here! Big life stuff is always going on behind the scenes. Bella's already decided which GCSE she wants to take early.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore that second photo of the white house in the reeds. X
Christmas light already - on dear. When I was a 20 something young teacher, I was wearing some 'trendy' knee high elasticated boots. One of my pupils said that she liked my boots and added that her grandma had some just like them. The boots somewhat lost their appeal
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