Coming up for air

Sometimes you have to wonder what life is all about! Things move on at breakneck pace and you seem to be so busy you actually don't accomplish much. Sometimes you have a time in life when things happen around you, but impact massively on what you are doing and you seem to lose any control that you might have had.

Well-that's what has been happening here since January. So not much done in the way of writing-but this will be remedied soon! I have acquired a new job too! One I wanted since I was 17-to work as a Historic Properties Steward at Furness Abbey. I have been on a circuitous route to get here-but here I am! Its great-first task of the day is to check the abbey and walk around-what a way to start the day! How lucky am I? I get to see my "precious" -the crosier to you and chat about the abbey and its history to anyone who will listen! I am only part time-but it is perfect! I love it-though not before I worried myself sick over the practical stuff... once again it became clear I learn by doing! Practice makes perfect of course! 

In my spare time-I do the work for Furness Abbey Fellowship and we are busy organising the Medieval Fair-which is 5th September this year! I am also freelancing as an author/historian and working in local schools so I almost have the best fit for a job I could hope for! Granted I am not earning megabucks-but the job satisfaction outweighs that! Plus there is enough time to spend with grandchildren and family-which can have no price put upon it!

Its curious how life takes you down strange paths-a daily voyage of discovery! It isn't always what you wanted or thought it would be, but it is never boring. Sometimes its best just to embrace it and build from what you are dealt! Not easy-but always a challenge! Back to 9-5 or a school day? Don't think so! Variety is the spice of life and long may it continue!

Empty nest syndrome

Family is everything to me, as anyone who knows me will realise. However, I am also not what you would call an earth mother either-I regularly burn meals, send out for take out, don't listen hard enough, don't iron, shout a lot, get easily distracted...etc! Nevertheless, I do hope I am a loving mum and gran and generally a caring person-the jury is out I guess? So, it is very odd that I have experienced a chasm of emotion and uncertainty today-my youngest is away on holiday. It suddenly struck me that this was a dry run for September when she will be gone...to University if all goes to plan. Well, we plugged the gap momentarily as we were babysitting our almost 3 year old grandson...but then his parents came and there we were...the two of us...for what seemed like the first time for 30 years...childless!


The times I have bewailed the lack of spare time. How often have I thought-we should spend time together...? What could I do with a free Sunday? Well...nothing! Absolutely zilch achieved! Not a job done, no outstanding issues solved, no DIY, no gardening...no walk in the country, no trip to the pub! Instead lassitude and fecklessness and silence! Just shows, what you can't have you will always desire, what you do have you always take for granted and what you want is always the opposite to what you have! What perverse beings we humans are...or is that just me?

Family-what its all about!

However, I WILL BE BUSY AGAIN TOMORROW-interviewing students for the new courses and our new company. A bit of social walking planned for Tuesday-weather permitting and on Wednesday North Lonsdale Show. I am looking forward to this-not least because there will be the chance to sell books-including Guy the Grumpy Gargoyle-of which I now have advanced copies; but also its the chance to meet people and chat. I love it-and I have to admit I meet people who are SO interesting that their caricature may well appear in my future books. People watching-I love it!