Friday Happies

Wow. Thank you for your tremendous response to my last two posts, for your thoughts, opinions and conversation. I am working my way through them, replying to each one, but it's taking some time. I so enjoyed your random facts! Thank you for those. And your stories about what you do all day - I feel privileged that you shared those with me, all those different tales of strong and interesting women, working in or out of the home.

There is just something I'd like to say (I hoped I wouldn't need to say this, that it would be clear, but just to be on the safe side, I'll say it anyway): women who work in paid employment - be it full time, part time or as a trainee or student - I salute you! You have my total, true and endless respect. I don't think that my choice is superior, in any way, it's just different. My frustration lies in peoples' lack of understanding of my choices. I would never dream of asking a woman (or man) who worked what she did all day long, if she got bored, if it was "enough" for her. I want the respect to flow both ways. Ok, now I've said that I can relax. I would hate to think anyone felt criticised, that was never my intention. 

I loved my job before I had my children, and my decision to leave work was based on the fact that my job involved weekend and evening working, and was a 90 minute commute away. There was no way we could work my job and John's around a family (try finding a nursery that is open at weekends!) and so I decided to leave work and I hope to return to the workplace in the future. But whether you work or stay at home, whether you have children or not...I just want us all to live our own lives and make our own choices, free of snide comments and lazy assumptions. Let's all get along and support each other. Up the women! 

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Anyway, onto my roundup of the little things which have made me so happy this week.

1. You lot. You are my first happy this week - blogging, and the wonderful bloggers I "know". The support, friendship and wisdom I have found in this blogging community heartens me and reminds me that most people are really nice, and we all just want to live and let live.

2. Angus turned five on Monday. Happy Birthday Angus!

I think five is a great age. Angus talks non stop and is full of questions but still has some of the chubby innocence of a pre-schooler. He still has that delicious pot belly and, more importantly, still lets me kiss it. On Tuesday, after dropping Bella somewhere, we walked home really slowly and chatted all the way. I wanted it to last forever and kept slowing down as we neared home. When we got in, I ignored the state of the house and cuddled up on the sofa with him to watch Deadly 60. My baby. I could eat him up.

3. Yesterday I had a pretty idyllic morning at Salt's Mill in Saltaire. I met up with Lucy (She is utterly lovely, funny and friendly - I feel like I know her well, even though we've only actually met in person twice. That's the funny thing about blogging.) and spent a happy couple of hours chatting over coffee. Then I wandered around the mill, looking at the shops and galleries, enjoying the calm and solitude after a frenetic few days. I'll do a proper post about it soon. 

4. A posy from the garden in a pretty new vase.

There's a jumbled mixture of weeds, shrubs and flowers in there. I've no idea what half of them are called but I like them, and I like the riot of May colour against that graphic, geometric pattern on the pot.

5. A steaming hot, perfectly brewed cup of tea. Is it sad that I included this? I've drunk a lot of luke warm cups of tea since having children and really appreciate how much better tea tastes hot. I love tea.

 

I wish you all a lovely weekend. The weather forecast is fine and dry and we have our local carnival tomorrow, so we'll go along to that. We might even have the first barbecue of the year - exciting!!