27 November 2012

Adjö

Darlings,

A few treats coming my way! : I'm off to Stockholm tomorrow, and in line with my goal this post have bagged myself a date next Saturday. He's Tall, Dark and Handsome: so fingers crossed he's nice too!

Before I leave you for Sweden I wanted to share this lovely post on how to Be Kind to Yourself which features some great little tips in finding a little joy each day.




XXX

22 November 2012

Smashing Number 31....

Goal number 31: get my picture in Bath Life Society pages.

First achieved Here in April this year and now..... tah dah! this is me, Mel from the Bath WI and, for some reason, Jamie Cullums' mum, at the Highgrove shop in Bath.

She was introduced to me as 'Jamies mum' I had no idea who they meant, its only now I see her surname that I twigged!

My sister blog Sarahs what Socialise reviews the Highgrove event in more detail.




Happy Socialising!

XXX

13 November 2012

On Being Single

Darlings,

Very recently this article was published by the BBC about being single, suggesting that couples are often mean to singletons, as the writer has experienced. This is not something I've noticed as all my coupled friends are absolute darlings, and I love hanging out with them. However it seems to a sparked quite an uproar and there are some very interesting 'Single Stories' now on the website in response.

I thought I would show you a few of the more impassioned ones!

I currently live in China and the first thing people usually ask me is if I am married. I am not married and already 30 years old - something that is hard to understand in Chinese society. Thus, I agree, whether it is Western or Asian culture, being single is seen as odd and that is totally wrong. But I think the truth is that most single people are not happy about being single. It may sound trivial to say "all you need is love" . It's not to feel complete, not to meet family's expectations, not to kill the loneliness. We human beings need others to be truly happy. Hanna, China

After spending most of my life being married to various people, I find being single like a breath of fresh air. No, actually it is more like being released into Paris in springtime after being chained up in the Bastille for a few hundred years or so. So we are not supposed to be alone, are we, you cosy and smug little lovebirds? Well I pity you, and I am so glad I am not like you. I don't have to be part of a double act all the time. I say what I think instead of the sickening "We like x, don't we Sweetie?'', with the mandatory affirmation. Shudder. I do what I want to do, when I want to do it, and how I want to do it. If I want company, I go out and get it. If I want to slam the door on the outside world, watch any old TV I like, eat pizza, drink beer, and just chill out - hey, what's to stop me? And when I see those poor little men rushing around pandering to their "better halves" and scampering home by curfew, then like James Brown, oooo, I feel goooood! By the way, I can already see you lovely couples reading this. And she says "We wouldn't like to be single again, would we darling?" "Of course not, dear." John, Brisbane, Australia

I am a spinster. I earn my living and will live and die as my own mistress. I am not single as single denotes available and seeking someone. I choose to be a spinster- meaning I live alone and I am not seeking a partner. I am not gay. I have had long term heterosexual relationships. I have always wanted to live as my own mistress. I neither desire man, woman nor beast. I came into this world alone and I will depart alone - so why should I be afraid of my own shadow? I have always described myself as a spinster because like those unsung heroines of old women such as myself are derided, ostracised, feared (that you are so desperate you are artfully scheming to snatch their partners from them), pitied and above all have to earn their living. Yes I do need the company of others to evolve but not the singular companionship of a partner. No I am not a misanthrope. I am simply a confirmed spinster. Rosie, London

I am 33 years of age, although still young in some people's eyes. I am happily single amongst the majority of my friends, whom if not in a settled relationship already, then the current direction of the relationship they are in is going in that manner. But those who are not in any form of relationship all seem to be chasing this ideal of being part of a couple. But I am sorry, that is not my aim in life. I am perfectly happy to be single. It is uncomplicated. I don't have to appease anyone else other than my dog. I am free to do whatever I want and when I want. I'm responsible for my everyday living, my luxuries in life, my way of living and my own happiness. I think nowadays there is too much expectation on being part of a couple. Why should I chase that? I was born as an individual and encouraged as I grew up to think for myself. So I certainly don't think I am missing out in anything. I say to all my friends, I love being single and can never see a time I will think any different. Arlene, Glasgow

I am a 50-year-old, childless spinster. I nearly married a couple of times and fell deeply in love with a third, but it wasn't to be. The gift of personal freedom is a rare and beautiful thing, we just don't know how to use it. Once you do it really changes the way people look at you- they don't feel sorry for you because you are spending Christmas on your own, because you're not, you're spending it in Bali on a spa retreat and come back in the New Year lithe and rested. Secondly, never look at a couple and assume they are having a better time than you. Don't be jealous of someone else's life - you don't know they may be having lousy time behind closed doors. You can be isolated and lonely in a relationship - at least if you wake up on your own you are free to do something about it. No one is more surprised than me that not only after a few years I began to find the single life seductive. It is possible to be single and have a really nice life. Sarah, Perth, Australia

XXX

9 November 2012

Friday Fun


Good afternoon Darlings,

Temporary:Secretary has presented a delightfully fun thing to do to distract me from work on this frosty friday: an outfit wish list from http://glamorousuk.com/

The point? you can win £200 to spend at said boutique hooray! here is my little compilation from the goodies on offer at Glamorous:





XXX

8 November 2012

Pride comes before...

You'll remember I was dead chuffed to have found a little holiday flat to let via AirBnB for my impending trip to Stockholm.

Well a word of warning dears, The owner cancelled our booking yesterday: a mere 3 weeks before we set off! He was very apologetic but at such short notice I was a tad alarmed that I wouldn't be able to find a decent replacement and we'd end up in a hostel. Luckily, Expedia to the rescue: The Adlon Hotel was holding a 40% off sale: what luck! so we got a mini suite and B+B for the same price as our AirBnB studio flat.

So this is both a reassuring story of serendipity and things working out but also a cautionary tale: I had no idea our booking could be cancelled at such a late stage.

Lets have some piccies shall we?!
Our new Hotel:



And a pretty travel poster


XXX



Visuals .2

Darlings, In my quest to me-ify my little flat I bought these gorgeous Posters for my abode. Now I really didn't need more but I could not resist these glamorous gals:

You'll recognise this one from my Paris in Springtime post:


and two lovely Mavis posters: They did such lovely adverts, irresistible in fact!!






XXX

4 November 2012

Reading List

I love to be completely impulsive about buying my books: wandering into one of Baths wonderful book shops* and allowing myself £20 to spend on any book that takes my fancy is a favoured pastime of mine.

I'd had my eye on 'The Fishing Fleet' for some time and I've now made a start and am already delighted with some gorgeous photos and great tales of the adventures of young Victorian women making the 3 month journey by boat in order to bag themselves a good English husband out in exotic India.

And The Vanishing Act: literally caught my eye just as I was leaving the shop: it was the lovely cover that drew me in but as it was shortlisted for the commonwealth book prize I figured it was worth taking home. Also the wintry feeling of the cover and summary made me think of snuggling by a fire sheltering from the snow outside ** as good a reason as any! here's the shpeal:  

                                                   

"On a small snow-covered island—so tiny that it can't be found on any map—lives twelve-year-old Minou, her philosopher Papa (a descendent of Descartes), Boxman the magician, and a clever dog called No-Name. A year earlier Minou's mother left the house wearing her best shoes and carrying a large black umbrella. She never returned.
One morning Minou finds a dead boy washed up on the beach. Her father decides to lay him in the room that once belonged to her mother. Can her mother's disappearance be explained by the boy? Will Boxman be able to help find her? Minou, unwilling to accept her mother's death, attempts to find the truth through Descartes' philosophy. Over the course of her investigation Minou will discover the truth about loss and love, a truth that The Vanishing Act conveys in a voice that is uniquely enchanting."



* Today I went for Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights


** It snowed this morning in Bath


xxx