A Little Bit of Attention - a lot of satisfaction

For those of you in Mid Bedfordshire, do consider https://www.thistlemethis.co.uk/
Absolutely the most in depth and soul quietening experience I have had in a long time. Like a lot of people, I have tense shoulders and lower back. I’ve also been feeling rather low – October is a tough time for me generally - but in addition I’ve given up running which has meant my low mood has followed me in to November.

Explaining this to Lizzie a few days previously, she had suggested a back neck and shoulder massage with hot stones, followed by some reflexology to balance me out a bit. Truly holistic as the title suggests, Lizzie doesn’t rush into her treatments. A full consultation took place, during which she somehow managed to refrain from eye-rolling at my neglectful habits whilst gently pushing at what might make things in general work better for me. I half wanted to shriek “you’re SO right” and leap out of the Shepherd Hut and get on with Things right there and then, such were her inspiring tones, but I resisted and succumbed to her healing hands. Right decision!

The Shepherd Hut is so lovely. It’s cosy without the heat from a million candles, it’s comfy without making it feel like you’re in someone’s living room. Celtic tunes waft around, (which I found more relaxing than plinky plonky chimes), the lotions and potions provide a delicate scent, and the towels are soft and richly coloured: and this all wraps around you in a gorgeous hug that lasts the whole day (horrid weather and a long walk home notwithstanding of course).

The massage was fantastic, incredibly detailed and using all manner of techniques – you can tell this lovely lady really knows her stuff! I was soothed and prodded and smoothed and kneaded and hot-stoned for what seemed like forever – no complaints at all! Lizzie knew what she was looking for and pinpointed exactly where I had been having issues, dealing with problem areas with exactly the right amount of pressure and kindness.

I was then in for a real treat – reflexology. Bundled up in my towels, I just relaxed whilst my feet were gently caressed and massaged. And yes, I did wake myself up with my delicate lady-snoring…..

Post therapies, there was no rush to get on and Lizzie was happy to share what she’d “found” – on the strict proviso that she can’t and doesn’t dispense medical advice. However, her suggestions have certainly made me rethink a couple of habits… And taking up new ones – I’m going to book regular treatments - de rigeur for 2019!

Lizzie is a very talented, kind and deeply caring therapist whose treatments are worth every penny – although saying that her prices are ridiculously good value. She really knows her stuff, has a range of talents and really does treat the “whole”. I can’t recommend her enough. Since my visit I’m feeling so much better and capable.

Thank you so much for getting me back on my thoroughly refreshed feet, Lizzie. I can’t wait for next time.


So endeth my review. I've known Lizzie socially for as long as I've lived in the Shire. We met doing local am dram and both keep it up in our spare time, although we have yet to do a show together. One of the Things she suggested I consider was writing. Writing Anything. She's right (ha!). I haven't done anything creative since the Summer, when a double header of Wilde and Stage Musical performances exhausted the living daylights out of me and made me promise my children I wouldn't do anything for the rest of the year.

So hello again.
 Four years later and a collective 8.5+ since I started this blog, here I am again.

Thinner
Happier
Older
Not wiser, that's for sure.

Such fun! Onward!

Three years later and a lot's changed in The Shire.....

Well..... Where to start..... Suffice to say things worked out rather differently to how they were supposed to.
1) I got Very Depressed, stuck with no friends, a tricky child, and eventually a job that I ended up hating.
2) TMM got fed up with me and left.
3) We are now divorced.
4) We both have new partners.
5) The children, now 6 and 9, love our new partners.
6) We've nearly finished the legal stuff and I get to keep the house (Mescher agreement for him that I don't imagine will be activated any time soon).
7) Whilst getting together with my partner was The Best Thing Ever (after having my children yadda yadda) it has not been without its challenges from his ex and his children.
8) I'm pretty darn happy, finally. And working on keeping it that way.

Maybe I'll get back to keeping up this blog. Maybe I won't. But hello, if you remember me.....

I'm putting them on Ebay. Buyer collects and gets a huge reward.

During half term the grandparents had our kids so we could get on with some DIY - of course as below we were both ill so only completed about 75% of what we wanted to do.  And had a huge row, so that was nice.

It turns out that the children were pretty vile towards my parents last week.  OH WELL DONE.  Every time I actually get a compliment about them, my heart skips with joy because I think, oh, I've done alright by them.  Once, my father actually said they were great at saying Please and Thank You.  Imagine! I nearly died of delight.

Mid week I was on the phone to my mother, who had written No 2 off as a "little beast", trying to explain calmly that my daughter was most probably being a cow because the only stability she's had in her life since she was plucked out of her beloved nursery and plonked in The Shire is me, her mother, all day everyday for six weeks (save the odd hour in the creche at the leisure centre) and now even that's gone.  Not an excuse, she should still be doing as she's told (No2, not my mother......) but an explanation.

Anyway, they were mighty pleased to hand them back.  However, the children are still being Little Shits.  I am invisible to them, until I actually act out my threats.  Example: went to local supermarket yesterday, having had a lovely day with No 2.  In the car, I explained that we were going to get THEM some things - for tea, for wearing, for washing with.  I explained that I wanted them to stay with me and so on.   Anyway, the long and the short of it is that No 1 went in to absolute meltdown when I started putting things back on the shelves, having lost No 2, asked him to stand still whilst I found her and then came back to find him dong something I had asked him repeatedly not to do.  Kicking, screaming like a stabbed rat, pulling on my back (neck still a bit sore, thanks mate) and then, whilst I was being calm calm serene goddess, pulled the belt detail on the back of my coat so hard, after repeatedly asking him not to because he would break it, the piece of material came away leaving two gaping holes in my raincoat.

At this point, No 2 was being an angel, having totally forgotten her misdemeanours of running off, picking up things from the shelves (I found her with An Egg?!?!),, so I gladly handed her to a lovely young woman who was offering to help, hauled the Stabbed Rat off the floor and carried him to the car, where upon he proceeded to slam the car door several times before getting in and wailed all the way home.

*sigh*

Oh, and the day before, I'd been out in the garden getting some washing ou before school (because my neighbour had had a bonfire ALL DAY the day before so I thought I'd stake my claim first this time) and horrible No 2 played with the patio doors and locked me and No 1 in the garden.  We had to borrow a ladder off absent next door neighbours, climb on to the flat roof to a spare room window, which I knew wasn't locked shut, then persuade No 2 to come upstairs and open the window, where upon No 1 jumped in and went downstairs, unlocking the doors.  Only 40 minutes late for school.  But again, absolutely no understanding that she might have done something wrong.  In fact the creche ladies at the gym were telling me that she'd been retelling the tale to them - and of course it was hilarious because she was in Angel mode.....

I have told school the truth though. No 1's been late twice, and instead of just writing "late" when I've been signing him in, I've written "scooter-related tantrum" (full on Stabbed Rat when I couldn't open his bent scooter properly so he couldn't ride it to school) and "locked out by 3 year old".  They'll thank me for my honesty.

Oh and re the row - TMM has admitted that perhaps dumping me in an area I don't know at all and telling me to get on with it was rather unfair and indeed, yes, he should have been more supportive.  Well done.  Muppet.

Oh, here I am......

Well.  That worked, huh? This blog thing? 

To be truthful, the whole leaving job, leaving London, becoming a Shire dweller, becoming a full time mother thing has just hit me for six.  I don't seem to have any time.  (And any stuff I've got to say is just moaning because of the the whole leaving job, leaving London, becoming a Shire dweller, becoming a full time mother thing.  The health visitor came round to meet No 2 and let me know help is there if I should need it, though, so I do know where to go to get some real life support, panic not.)

And now we have time - half term, kids with grandparents, TMM has taken some time off.... what happens? Yup - ILL. Head down loo night before last - me, lunchtime yesterday - him, in bed with fever all day - me, from 3pm yesterday - him, tentative wobblyness today - both.  We're supposed to be DIY-ing this place senseless. 

So I have spent the bulk of today wielding a paintbrush, trying to be steady enough to do the tricky bits on the wall painting that TMM has not been able to do through lack of patience, whilst he's been off collecting his classic car from That London.  The paintbrush wielding is fine (and rather satisfying - I have decided that the silly foot long blinds and curtains that cover the silly side window in the extension are coming OFF leaving a nice neutrally painted space for me to put Things), the wobblyness and aloneness-whilst-feeling rubbish - not so much.

ANYWAY..... things for Child No 1 are looking up in that he managed to remember to ask his Best Friend if he would like to come to tea, then managed to listen to me long enough in the playground that he understood I needed to know a) who the Best Friend was and b) who his mother/father/carer was.  So we duly approached the relevant persons and although his mother looked at me like I was an ogre when I first spoke, we actually managed to arrange a tea date!

That was last Friday and the boys were brilliant - mainly because they kept out of my way - and I am very happy to see that my son's choice in friends is rather fabulous - very polite but friendly child.  Could teach No 1 a thing or two..... AND Best Friend's brother is the same age as my No 2 so BF's mother has suggested that I could drop No 2 off for the hour of my Pilates beginner course (that takes place just as the creche at the leisure centre closes) on Monday.  Well if that isn't nice.  She works at the leisure centre (evenings), actually, so she said if No 2 got upset she'd just drop her off so she (No 2) could find me herself.  Yes!!! A JOKE!!!! Exactly the sort of thing I'd say too!!!

She wouldn't have a cuppa, though.  So, being something of a tea fiend myself, I'm not sure we will be best friends........


I have also found the local amdram society and they are auditioning a week on Monday for their next show, which will be in November - they rehearse once a week so I would be able to manage that methinks (such a longer timescale than my last collective, but this is The Shire).  Unfortunately I have no way of knowing if they are shit or not.  I recently went back to That London and saw two amdram shows, both good standards, one (my previous group) STUNNING and it's made me realise that until the kids are old enough to microwave their own turkey drummers and I can get back out there and do some proper acting again I need to keep the dramatic cravings fed.  We'll see. 

However, I've managed to do precisely no studying.  But I have at least founded my desk space and got everything in a nice order on top of it.  And if I do my bit with the DIY I will actually be able to find my books and a space in which to work and will be able to demand more me time.

So back to the painting.  I'm going to stop in time for The Apprentice.  Hmmmm..........

Thanks for your comments, by the way.  I'm still in Dongle land unfortunately, so no replies from me for a while.  Sorry.

Dear Fancy

I can't seem to comment on anyone's posts tonight, so here's what I've been trying to tell you and your gang.

Well Lordy.... I'm not quite sure what to say... Thank you! What a welcome.  I'll get into this blogging thing once I've remembered which way is up, in the meantime I do believe this techno-novice has some following to do.

Oh and Fancy, I'm not sure quite how much you've stalked, but I was in a horror movie about a honeymoon gone wrong.... quite popular in parts of Salford I'm told....

School playground

Today has been a bit rubbish in terms of moving-to-the-countryside-will-be-fabulous-ness.

I am well aware that I come across a bit - well- frosty, perhaps.  There are two main reasons for this 1) I look moody when I don't smile and 2) I am usually incredibly nervous about meeting new people and sometimes this comes over as incredibly-laid-backness.

So when I took No 1 to school today, first time through the right doors with all the other parents (we were let in through the school office yesterday, being his first day), I made a point of being smiley and saying hello to people, saing "gosh, that's lovely" at the union flag outfits and princess crowns and so on that the kids were allowed to bring to school.

But nothing.  Not a smile back from a single parental-type.  No 1 was off running round playing tag with his new friends and I was the one in the corner, gripping on to No 2 for some sort of comfort.

Anyway, at home time No 1's teacher asked if she could have a word.  Turns out No 1 had a "rather sad lunchtime".  He's been "hurting" people - playfighting but not stopping when they asked him to - so could I please have a word about "being kind"?

I am really really hoping this exuberance gets channelled effectively.  I know the kids have been under house arrest whilst we attempt to get the house liveable-inable and I can understand that therefore they want to go a bit mental when they get released into the wild, but I really could do with them (No 1 especially) calming down soon, thankyouplis. 

I don't want to be "that boy's mother".

After all, I even wore my Barbour to prove that although I am From London, I am adaptable......

This post has reminded me of my last spa time, taken just as I was winding down from work in an effort to combat my stress levels.  Waste of time, more like.......

I paid for 75 minutes of pampering (admittedly only £25, but still, new company (I think), lastminute.com deal).

I turned up at 12 noon.  I filled in a form.  I was escorted by a 12 year old to the room.  She ran down the list of things I was having done (mini hand and wrist treatments, mini facial etc) but also said "eyebrow wax - oh no...." - I was desperately in need of one and clearly she was too young to have her rudeness filter on, so I said "I know, they are a state, if there's a chance of getting an eyebrow wax done as well that would be great".  She went off to check, emphasised I'd have to pay extra for it - (yes, yes, I gathered as much, that will be fine, just get on with it!!!!) and then asked me to get undressed and under the towels and we'd get started.

The room wouldn't fit the waxing cart into it properly, but she didn't realise until she'd attempted to ram it against the bed that I was on several times - she then tried to move the bed about (again, with me still on it), then finally manoeuvred her equipment sufficiently and did what felt like the most laboured wax in the world.  Fine, whatever, it was at least being done. 

Then she started on the treatments, and to be frank, until she got to the back neck and shoulder massage it was like she was trying to beat the clock.  She kept asking me really stupid questions too, whereas I was looking forward to the chance for some silence and being able to unwind - that is the idea, no?!  Next door some woman was speaking loudly to her client about her eating and nutrition plan, highly irritating.  No plinky plonky whale music here, clearly. 

Anyway, the final massage bit was really good apart from the vocal accompaniments, and when it finished, I got dressed and headed out to pay for my eyebrow wax and so on, hoping I wasn't going to be back too late to work, bit cheeky, wasn't it.... to my immense surprise.... it was 1.10pm.

So yes, I'd actually had 75 minutes worth of treatment plus a very laboured eyebrow wax, plus ALL THAT FAFFING AROUND in just 70 minutes. 

When I mentioned this, I was just told that I hadn't booked the eyebrow wax so they had to fit it in because they had another client at 1.15pm.  I said perhaps I should have been told about this at the time and would the manager like to phone me? 

That was 4 weeks ago.  No word from the manager, and they have not charged me for the eyebrow wax.  And I'll never use them again, and will tell anyone who asks where they should not go so all's fair I reckon.