Tuesday 19 November 2013

#One Week - Autumn '13 - Noted

Leaves, that's what I've really noted this autumn. My focus shifted south, down there, towards the ground. Walking to preschool, I avoid the clutter, the mulch and decay, the foul undisclosed. The garden is littered by a tide of yellow and broken twigs, a landfill of fungi.

What a mess. What a complete anarchic mess. Autumn is conkers bonkers.

And I still haven't bought a rake...

I noted the air one exceedingly blustery day, a gap in the garden fence, a missing tooth, a large branch collapsed on the road outside. Quite dramatic, the most exciting theatre before we'd woken up. The wind, caught and howling in the chimney.


I've noted Little A's ever growing love of language. 'B' for book and boy and boat. Curly 'C' for cat. Kicking 'K' for kite. I bought a Pocket Oxford Dictionary. She was fascinated by it's size, page after condensed page of nouns and verbs and adjectives... It all began with, 'can I borrow it,' to, 'can I have it?' Then, 'you can buy yourself a new one mummy!' Now she takes the tattered dictionary to bed with her, shifts a teddy out of the way, opens and places it besides her plumped pillow. Words to send her to sleep, for dreaming... I have given up sneaking in, snatching it for back-up with my bedtime read, I am going to have to buy myself a new copy.


I've noted how incredibly industrious I've been as the days shortened and the dew on the grass thickened and frosted. I've attempted NaNoWriMo over November, trying to make head way into the final third of my novel. It's going okay, although I've had a few inert days, juggling words while I organise Christmas (my mother and brother coming to stay), preparing for a holiday, and planning Little A's fourth birthday party - it isn't until the end of January but in these parts, halls for hire tend to book very quickly. The theme is lovely, whites and creams and blues. A winter wonderland party.

...and Christmas, I've never planned it this early before, my hosting cherry is on the line. Most of the presents and decorations are procured. I've even placed the order for the meat, a large lump of strip loin beef, Younger Dad's been itching to cook one this Christmas, the seal of approval from his in-laws. I'm secretly glad we're not having turkey, it tastes of, well, not very much at all...cardboard?


And I've noted that it's my birthday next week. I'm going to be forty three. 4.3. I've really enjoyed 42, as I said last year, it tasted very good, the richness of a chocolate fondant pudding. And what am I doing to celebrate? Well I mentioned it earlier, we are going on a week of winter sun to Lanzarote. From bleak weather to black beaches. This is my first holiday abroad since my honey moon, and Little A's very first adventure on an aeroplane.

I haven't decided if the laptop is staying at home yet. If I do bring it, it will be for the novel; I've harboured romantic notions of tapping away against a backdrop of volcanic wasteland.

All social media is barred.


This is the third and final day of the seasonal linky One WeekI 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 return in winter, dates TBC. So get your cameras at the ready and imaginative hats on! For more details about One Week, take a gander here. You can join in for one, two ... or the full three days...



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48 comments:

  1. love those words 'the foul undisclosed'

    hope you have a fabulous holiday. i am beyond jealous!

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    1. Thank you my dear..... we had a splendid time, sunny and warm!

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  2. Have a wonderful holiday and hope your little one has a fabulous time on the plane! So exciting! Thanks for hosting - I really enjoy this season's one xx

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    1. Thank you, we had a great time, and Little A loved flying, far more than I do! X

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  3. I love the 'autumn is conkers bonkers' - for whatever reason this sentence made me smile ;-) And what a lovely image of Little A and the dictionary! Enjoy your holiday ;-) xx

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    1. Thank you... it made me smile too when it popped into my head. That dictionary is knackered now. The holiday was fab. X

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  4. Have a lovely holiday. We loved Lanzarote as there is quite a lot to see than you would think more than just the beach. Then again we spent a lot of time too just lazing on the beach.

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    1. Thank you.... we had a great time. I've been before so I knew where to take Little A, and there is so much to see.

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  5. you sound so very organised! Gripped by a moment of anxiety when I read about presents bought and meat ordered!
    Hope you have a brilliant birthday holiday (my birthday's also next week!)... maybe a laptop break too? xx

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    1. I had to or else I would have been in a blind panic when we returned from holiday. I had a fab birthday, and I hope yours was great too! X

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  6. Your Autumn sounds exciting and you're still a baby comparatively speaking! Have linked up but might have missed all the action! Will get around everyone asap. xx

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    1. Well it's certainly been very, very busy, and you are right, still loads of years left (hopefully) in this ageing bird. (and I think you were on time). X

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  7. Oh, Little A going to bed with a dictionary, what a wonderful image! Have a fabulous time in Lanzarote, we had a lovely holiday there, and a bit of winter sun will be just what you need to set you up for a busy Christmas!

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    1. That dictionary is so battered now, and she still insists on sleeping with it. We had such a lovely holiday, and a bit of winter sun truly works wonders!

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  8. I make notes and lists all the time, so you're not alone. My top tip is to start with the easy jobs...
    Have a wonderful birthday holiday, do take your laptop, you know you want to x.

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    1. Notes and lists are so essential :o). I am certainly making headway into all the Christmas planning. And we had a fab holiday, Younger Dad barred the laptop, which I didn't mind in the end. X

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  9. As usual I have enjoyed reading your One Week posts and the accompanying photos are beautiful. Gorgeous writing as ever. I hope you have a great holiday, a smashing birthday, and yes- get on with that book- am itching to read more!

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    1. Thank you very much my dear! We had a great holiday thank you, and I had a lovely birthday - 43 not out! And I'm plugging away on the novel!

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  10. Totally got lost in the prospect of sunshine then! How wonderful to be in the sunshine for your birthday Sarah, you'll have such fun. Autumn is just fabulous though isn't it, I've got a bit carried away with the photo taking this year. Thank you so much for hosting and for writing such beautiful posts, will be over to comment on the others today. Happy birthday xxx

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    1. It was wonderful Charly, lovely and sunny, and kind of weird at the same time as I am used to dark skies and rain on my birthday. I love your photos - don't ever stop getting carried away taking them. Thank you lovely. X

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  11. Yes! how organised are you? I am the opposite to you and seem to have slowed down as the nights are drawing in and am getting less productive daily! I'm not very good with cold/dark evenings and can totally see why animals hibernate! Hope you have a lovely birthday and enjoy your holiday - it sounds marvellous! :) x

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    1. I've had to be... I just didn't want a mad Christmas panic after we'd returned from holiday, and we are hosting to some of my family this year. I'm no good in the cold and dark either but some winter sun really helped. I had a lovely birthday thank you. X

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  12. So much to note! Well done on the work in none novel - I am looking forward to reading it. I LOVE the way little A has taken to words! Have fun on hols and thanks again for the inspiration of #oneweek.
    And I almost forgot - Happy birthday! You are catching up with me.

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    1. Tell me about it! Still plugging away at the novel. I love the way she has to although it must be said she has a biased mother :o). And thank you, I had a lovely birthday.

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  13. You know what you need for the leaves? A leaf blower! They are a terror for destroying a lawn but beautiful all the same. Your holiday sounds just perfect and well done for being so organised - the book, christmas and Little A's party - it must be your abstinence from Social Media! x

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    1. Younger Dad bought one, then proceeded to jam the thing up with mud. I think there was a lesson there - don't blow when it's wet! We had a lovely holiday, lots of sunshine. And now I am reaping some rewards for being organsied - the run up to Christmas so far isn't as stressful as it could have been. X

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  14. I love the thought of Little A clutching your/her dictionary like a prized possession. It is as though she holds the whole of the world in her hands - every word you could ever need. I am sorry not to have been able to write a new post to link. As ever I had plans and ideas, but for some reason they haven't come together and I have slowed blogging right down. Instead I have linked a slightly older post. Thank you for hosting this, and I really do hope that your winter wonderland party is a huge success :) xx

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    1. She's clutched it so much, the cover is wrinkled and torn! Don't worry about not posting something new, the link you added was absolutely fine. I hope I get Little A's party right too! I always like to slow blogging down at this time of year too! X

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  15. Your writing is so soothing, I loved reading this. Looks like Little A is following in mummy's footsteps. Have a great holiday, well jel as they say in Essex! xx

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    1. Thank you very much my dear. I hope Little A is.... the other day she told me she wanted to be a writer, and write about stuff on TV! X

      Ps. the holiday was fab.

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  16. Oh wow I love that Little A takes the dictionary to bed. There's something a little magical about that. Have a wonderful holiday and a wonderful birthday xx

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    1. I know! Isn't that beyond cute? It's totally torn though. I had a really lovely birthday and holiday thank you. X

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  17. Happy birthday older mum, how beautiful lanzarote, sounds so exotique. I love yr photos in this post, just divine. Little a is doing marvelously falling asleep with a dictionary, sounds like she ,ought take after her mum x

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    1. Thank you very much lovely! Lanzarote is very unique... Little A loves that dictionary, she pretends to read from it all the time :o). X

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  18. I would not buy a rake... I think these fallen leaves look lovely.
    Have a fabulous birthday and holiday, and again, well done with your good news on the novel front. xx

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    1. You should see the mess in my garden though :o). I had a wonderful birthday and holiday.... so nice to spend it in sunnier climes. X

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  19. How fantastic about the dictionary! Must take after you! Have a fantastic holiday! :)

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    1. I know... very cute isn't it? We had a really lovely holiday! :o).

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  20. It sounds like you've had a very productive autumn! So impressed with your discipline on the novel front - and planning for Xmas and Little A's birthday at the same time. Well done! Have a wonderful birthday and holiday. xx

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    1. Yes, it has been a very productive one in the end! Plugging away on the novel still... nearly there. So far, on track for Christmas, can't believe how much planning it takes, all the detail. And I had a lovely birthday thank you. X

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  21. How did I miss this post?! A lovely read as ever.

    Looks like Little A will be following in her mum's writing footsteps with all that Dictionary perusing!

    Belated (?) HAPPY BIRTHDAY and really hope you enjoyed your well deserved break in Lanzarote. We LOVE Lanzarote!

    xx Jazzy

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    1. Thank you very much lovely! The other day Little A announced she wanted to become a writer. Bless. I had a lovely holiday and birthday thank you. Lanzarote was great X.

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  22. LOVE that Little A takes the dictionary to bed with her, that is the cutest thing I ever did read! Happy birthday to ya... and here's to less social media - especially whilst doing yoga ;) xx

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    1. It's so sweet isn't it? Words for a her dreams! I had a lovely birthday thank you. Planning to do some more yoga today, and taking a break from social media over Christmas :o). X

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  23. I just love your posts and the photos than accompany them - just beautiful. The words and the pictures! How lovely that Little A takes a dictionary to bed. I hope she's not up too late, POD went to sleep at 11.30pm the other night - she was looking at books! Hope you had a great time away and an utterly fabulous birthday!

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    1. Thank you very much my dear. I find it very charming she takes a dictionary to bed with her, although it's so torn now :o). No, she isn't up late, she just lays it by her pillow, then falls asleep. 11.30 pm ?! That's really late but at least it was book. I had a great holiday and birthday!

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  24. Hello! I actually read this post AGES ago and tried to comment but was on my phone and after several failed attempts I skulked away in a huff!! Sorry about that ;-) Just wanted to say, again, what a beautiful, beautiful post. I do so adore your writing. Hope the novel is going well. Can't wait to hear more. And Little A with the dictionary in bed? She is definitely her mother's daughter! x

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    1. Bless you! Naughty phone... and no need to apologise, the fact that you still came back and commented is lovely. I'm honoured. Thank you very much re. my writing *blushes*. Little A said she wanted to become a writer the other day! X

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