Thursday 6 June 2013

#One Week - Spring '13 - A Few Warm Days

When I was a child, I would save my stash of best and favourite sweets until last - a bag of sherbet, a curly wurly, half-melted maltesers - so they wouldn't run out, that I would have an endless supply hiding under my bed. Even as a fully-fledged adult, I like to take my time over a baked vanilla cheesecake or strawberry crumble soaked in custard - the very, very last mouthful waiting on the plate until I am completely ready, my taste buds on full alert for that final bite.

And this is how I feel spring has treated us this year. She has saved her best until last - these first days of June, the curly wurly, that last morsel of crumble. After all the mood swings, she has finally blessed us with sunshine. It's lifted my spirits. It's improving my complexion. I'm feeling creative - the fingers made for writing have even weeded the garden this week!


Spring has been a heady cocktail of change and movement. A new home and a new pre-school. And I couldn't be happier for Younger Dad, Little A and I. Apart from re-plumbing the entire kitchen sink and the half-functioning hob and the bathroom leek and the fridge freezer exhaling one last breath, I so love... love... love... living here. Moving house was full of hiccups but the journey well worth the extra sliver hairs. Still, I would rather not repeat the process for a long, long time.



And through all the sorting and clearing and mending and refurbishing, I have managed to make time for my second love, my writing. My words are beginning to bloom. I have made great inroads with my novel, Four Gigs, having now written around sixteen thousand words, and I have decided to attend The Festival of Writing in York this coming September. I can't quite believe the path that blogging has led me down. It's amazing. It really, truly is.


When I thought the going couldn't get any better, I found myself shortlisted as a semi-finalist in the Britmums in Brilliance Awards (BiBs), and have been asked to read this post at the blogger's key note speech at the end of the conference. What an honour! I am so excited. I am so nervous. And I feel for those 500 attendees who will suffer my personal slaughter of Happy Birthday. Marilyn Monroe I am not.

Bring your ear plugs...

I never thought I would hear myself say it, but I am glad this windy, soggy spring is behind us. 

Summer is thankfully on our doorstep. The longest day nearly upon us. 

The Pimms, the BBQ's, the holidays. Wimbledon, strawberries, green salads. 

And over the weeks of July and August I am slowing the blog down - taking a break - as I need to concentrate on the novel. 

I am looking forward to a long, lazy, slow summer. Are you? 


This is the final day of the seasonal linky One Week. I wanted to say a big, big thank you to all those lovely bloggers who joined in, and those who commented, and tweeted, in support of this project.

One Week will hopefully return this summer. Get your cameras at the ready and imaginative hats on! The date planned - 9-13 September - is sandwiched between a week away and the writing festival. I am considering either leaving it, or just running the linky over a couple of days instead of the usual five. 

For more details about One Week, take a gander here. You can join in for one, two ... or the full five days...


Badge Code ...

<a href="http://older-mum.blogspot.co.uk/p/one-week.html" title="One Week"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8436/7807711152_5f912c7903_m.jpg" width="225" height="169" alt="one week" /></a>

44 comments:

  1. These are beautiful photos. So full of promise and warmth - simply stunning. I agree, she saved the best for the last possible moment and boy it's good! My children are so happy in their shorts and t-shirts, barefoot in the garden, soaking up the lovely sunshine. It really is perfection. Long may it continue (hopefully!) x

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    1. Thank you very much. I am pleased with these shots too! It's been a lovely week this week, though a little rain today. Cross fingers for a great summer! X.

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  2. Such a fabulous post to have been asked to read. And one I so relate too. So brilliantly written and described so perfectly.

    I am soooo looking forward to summer. I enjoy it, even when it rains, although the sun shining is just blissful isn't it x

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    1. Do you think so? Thank you. It's going to be a challenge as it's effectively written in two separate voices. I am very much looking forward to summer too - my first one with a proper garden at long last. X.

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  3. We have so much change ahead of us I'm not sure how settled I'm going to get into Summer but fingers crossed for the best. It's great you are all settled and home...I can't wait to find that place!

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    1. Big fingers crossed for you - I hope whatever those changes are, that they go smoothly for you. I hope you find your home soon!

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  4. Another lovely post, gorgeous photos and words. Can't wait to hear you read your post xx

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    1. Thank you and thank you - I'm quaking in my trainers! X.

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  5. Hey Lovely
    I've nominated you for the Leibster Award, visit my blog to see the details. www.nisfornails.blogspot.co.uk
    Much Love Laura x

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    1. Thank you very much - will do! I think this is my forth or fifth nomination for this award - thank you! X.

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  6. Fabulous Fabulous post to end #Oneweek Sarah. I love your post for Britmums too, I still remember reading it first time around and you will be sensational :) I can't wait for summer and I'm with you on the whole slowing down thing. I want to laze around the garden with the girls and just enjoy living.
    When we went away for a couple of days last week, I completely shut off from everything internet related, I never even looked near my blog and it was so lovely to have nothing to think about other than having fun xxx

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    1. Thank you very much my dear. I'm quite glad it's all over now - I'm feeling rather tired to say the least(glass of vino and a curry for me tonight). I am looking forward to a quieter, less social media summer too! X

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  7. Things really are blossoming for you! I'm so glad. Brilliant news about the BIBs, sorry I won't hear you, but loved reading your powerful post. Great too that you're making headway with your novel and the words are flowing. It's going to be a good summer!
    (I used to save all my sweets and produce them when everyone else had finished theirs - drove my sisters mad!)

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    1. Thank you very much! It's great news but I am really very nervous - thank you for reading that post. I hope it's a good summer too - my first in my new garden :o). And with the sweets, I used to do exactly the same as you!

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  8. I love the Birth Day post too. It's so well crafted and I totally empathise with the anxiety you describe! Good luck at the festival in York too.

    PS I know you'll finish your novel too! Although I don't know how you do it tbh! x x

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    1. Thank you lovely! There's going to be a lot of agents at that festival, I would be a fool not to go. And cheers for having faith in me. I manage to do it I think because I have just the one sproglet, she's now at pre-school and Younger Dad is away most of the week - so I have a lot more writing time. X.

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  9. What gorgeous gorgeous pictures! You are so right about Spring, she is just teasing us! Looking forward to meeting you at BritMums!! :) x

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    1. Thank you very much - I was pleased with these too. Looking forward to meeting you too! :o). X.

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  10. This is a lovely post which gives a real sense of you finding a place and a niche. You have acheived so much these last months with your move, your novel and your Britmums shortlist. Its amazing the journey blogging takes us on it truly is. I am so looking forward to meeting you in a fortnights time. A summer blogging lull sounds good too (remember what the fallow says ;-) - the last few days with such lovely weather I've been away from the computer a lot and its been nice. One week is such a gorgeous series, thank you so much for giving all us a chance to be part of it. Helen xx

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    1. That was a lovely comment and feedback - thank you. I am very much looking forward to meeting you too. For me, there always comes a point when you need to take a break from blogging or slow down a bit and for me, that's the summer and the run up to Xmas. So glad you like #oneweek. X.

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  11. What a lovely post with such exquisite photos! Wish I'd found your linky earlier as its right up my street. I feel exactly the same about Spring and the summer that has at last settled upon us. Congrats on being asked to read this at BritMums, I'll be there, and well done with the novel progression. That's something I'd like to consider doing too, but not just yet!

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    1. Thank you very much. I am very nervous about reading a post live at Britmums, but excited at the same time. I'm trying to chip away at the novel one day at a time!

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  12. Absolutely in love with the photos! And the writing! I will not be at BritMums this year and shame I will miss your reading. Next year, next year... Have a great time at the writing festival - it sounds very exciting x

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    1. Thank you very much. Shame you will not be at Britmums but there is always next year! X.

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  13. OH YES, I am looking to a long, lazy, slow summer...
    So many exciting things going on in your life, happy for you.
    Glad the weather is helping with you skin.
    And these photos are gorgeous, especially the last one. xx

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    1. Roll on summer - hope the weather treats us better over the coming months. Glad you like the photos. X.

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  14. My oh my I love these images, gosh!! Definitely looking forward to summer, we adore eating out alfresco style :) xx

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    1. Thank you very much. Dining out side in the summer is so lovely. X.

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  15. Lovely photos and words and yes please to a hazy long summer of Pimms and strawberries. Who know I might even take up tennis (unlikely!)

    I look forward to hearing you read your post at BritMums Live - not long to go now - you'll be brilliant :) x

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    1. Thank you very much! As I write this, it's raining again(sigh). Here's hoping we get a really recent summer :o). Thank you for your vote of confidence. :o). X.

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  16. What a wonderfully positive post. Such good things happening for you. You sound so happy. I am so glad your writing is going so well. Have really enjoyed reading all your one week posts. Fabulous. So sorry I missed it. I'll definitely try to join up for summer. x

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    1. Thank you very much MP! Touch wood - it's all going well at the moment. Don't worry about missing it - you were on holiday, and a very, very busy lady at the moment. X.

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  17. What a wonderful post - everything sounds like it's going so brilliant. How amazing to have written so many words for your book and you're reading at BritMums. Awesome I look forward to that! I'll be the one with my arm in a splint :)

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    1. Thank you! Touch wood - everything is going well at the moment. The book is going well too all things considered. Looking forward to meeting you at Britmums! :o).

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  18. Hi !
    so sorry I missed linking up with this Spring one week theme - it coincided with THE holiday, which was fab but a shame as I have been taking some photos ready for this haha! Thanks for your message reminding me - now I've returned from THE holiday - I will enjoy reading other spring posts!

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    1. Hello! Don't worry, as you say you were on holiday :o). There is always next time. :o).

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  19. Ooooh! Wimbledon!! Gorgeous photo that water drop!

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    1. I know... time for lashings of strawberries and cream! I love the water drop one too!

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  20. This is so beautifully written! I'm really looking forward to reading your book when it's finished. And to meeting you, and hearing you read your post at Britmums. A fitting end to the end of Spring/start of Summer....:-)

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    1. Thank you. I am very much looking forward to meeting you at Britmums too. X.

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  21. Ahhh this is all so true - everything has sprung up beautifully as if saving the best for last! Lovely photos, the blue one is my favourite.

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    1. Thank you lovely.... I think that Bluebell is my favourite too!

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