The exciting and the downright mundane: an update

Hi!  I went MIA for a while there, right?  I've been SO busy.  Last time I blogged it was warm and sunny.  It's now cold and grey, and we've put the clocks back!  Sheesh.  I so hope I still have some blog friends who might read my ramblings.  I've been popping by reading everyone else's but just never have the time to comment (or, let's be honest, the inclination to… It's always a right faff commenting via blogger on my iPad).

So much has happened and I promise to blog more regularly again so that I can keep my posts relatively short.  This, however, will be epic.

Brace yourself.

Cosy kitchen.  Still working up the strength to chop up the world's largest butternut squash. 

Ellie, my new little niece, continues to be a delight and I am pleased to report that her Auntie Nicki was the first to make her properly giggle.  Seems she likes the cha cha.  Her mum, sister and grandmother have all tried their hardest to get a similar explosion of giggles from her but have failed miserably.  This makes me feel very smug.  Particularly as I have always been terrified around babies.  Izzie (my eldest niece) was not a cuddly baby and this did not help my phobia.  Ellie makes me almost broody.  She is a smiling, quiet and content little baby and she likes nothing more than a cuddle.  She also likes my singing (I know!), which makes me love her even more.  (I am currently singing, on repeat, 'Cauliflowers fluffy and cabbages green'… thanks to niece's harvest festival.  Too cool, I know.)

I had the day off work on Friday to take Izzie swimming.  There's a fun children's pool at my local Virgin Active and I knew she'd like it there.   We only spent an hour in the pool and I felt like I'd been through the wringer.  She was constantly splashing me, chasing me, racing me and once even (accidentally, I hope) gave me a sharp knee in the jawbone as she over-exuberantly practiced her backstroke legs.  By the time my sister left at 4pm I was exhausted.  How do parents do it, each and every day? It baffles me.  Big respect.  That said, days spent with Izzie are amongst my favourite.  She's funny, loving and so very bright.  I had to stop myself sniggering when she told me at the pool that it was 'a thrill, Auntie Nicki'.

Scissor fob pattern from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery.

I've been crafting my little fingers off with every spare moment and have made myself a lush little selection of spooky sewing notions.  Stitching witches, monsters and pumpkin faces on these long dark evenings has given me much joy!  I have also been working on a few bags and home accessories for a new venture with my lovely friend Claire.  We hope to launch the shop at homebird and belle later in November, just in time to sell a few Christmas decorations.  We will also sell a few bits and bobs that fellow crafters might like.  We are starting very small as we both have full-time jobs but it's a way to justify our fabric purchases and share our favourite things so we're happy right now.  We're blogging fairly regularly too and have already uploaded the first of some delicious recipes so please do stop by!

Speaking of full-time jobs, I start a new one at the beginning of December.  Still with the same organisation but I'll be working in a different department.  It's a step up for me and I expect it to be challenging and verrrrry busy!  I'm looking forward to a change.  Thankfully, I will still be in contact with my current line manager.  He has been my favourite boss of all (albeit the most demanding and challenging; he has such high standards!).  And I'm not just saying that because he might stumble across my blog!  I've worked for him for six years and learnt such a lot, I feel well prepared to move into another role.  Exciting times.

In other [less exciting but no less important] news, I have had my ear syringed, blitzed my bathroom cupboards (unearthing 4 brand news pots of my fave L'Occitane body cream - yay!) and developed an unhealthy obsession with hazelnut lattes.  I have also bought four new winter dresses, fallen in love with my mother-in-law's new Westie pup and sliced my thumb open on a plastic tub of fresh pasta sauce (serve me right for taking the lazy option).

You're all up to date!  ;)

I'll be back soon - thanks for reading.  Have a super lovely week.

Love

Nicki

x

'To Do' Lists

I have had a *really* hard day today.  It was my first day back at work after a fortnight away.  SO many emails.  SO much to do.  SO much sun outside and a temporarily misplaced Nintendo DS that I sold last week and needed to post.  Stressful.  I have been writing 'to do' lists all day long.

As a PA, I rely heavily on my to do lists.  I know that most people use them every single day so they are nothing new but, for me, they are sanity-savers.  We have a fancy system at work where we can log them digitally, track their progress and delegate them to other people (and, of course, there are loads of apps available on my iPhone) but I prefer a good old-fashioned paper diary, a notebook and a few pretty pens. 

I use a black Moleskine weekly planner to log my deadlines, meetings, travel plans and reminders.  I then have a regular black Moleskine notebook (with square lined pages - love!) for lists and notes (and doodles when attending lengthy teleconferences - ssshhh).  I run lists in both the back and the front of the book and methodically tick everything off as I complete it.  This, of course, is my favourite part.

I have five separate lists on the go at any one time: 

• Urgent things to do (by the end of the day):  Today, for example includes: Complete my Health & Safety training online, rearrange a straight-talking session with our General Manager and carry out a Business Continuity test for our super-busy Payments team.  

• Things to discuss with my boss:  I support my manager remotely for most of the week as he travels across the UK for his role.  I catch up with him formally once a day over the phone (we text/email in-between where necessary) and then we work together at a local office once a week so that we can chat face to face (and eat chocolate tiffin).   I'm seeing him tomorrow and I have a few things I need to ask him about including some recruitment issues and a forthcoming Glasgow trip.  As issues arise during the day I scribble them down ready for our catch-ups.  He's busy so I have to make sure I am prepared and concise when we speak.

• Non-urgent but important things to do:  This includes a lot of forward-planning, such as the meetings I'm planning for the next few months, agenda items that I need to remember and HR deadlines that loom towards the end of the financial year.

• Regular Admin:  I provide admin support to other members of the broader team and so today I've listed reminders for things such as the invoices I need to pay and the two telephone headsets I need to order for our Asset Finance team in Leeds.

• Personal Admin: The obvious stuff is on my list at the moment like transferring funds from one account to another, booking an eyebrow appt, ordering a repeat prescription and returning two pairs of ill-fitting dungarees.

I put in a good day's work and, even though I haven't finished everything I need to, my head is clear on what I must prioritise.

But I feel flat tonight.  And a little bit teary.  It's the Monday and post-holiday blues combined.  Killer.

After dinner, Andrew and I walked Lizzie through the fields.  We chatty idly about our respective days.  I talked to him about everything that's on my mind. Bemoaned the enormity of my to do lists.  He asked me what would cheer me up (I think he was hoping for something naughty…. I told him I fancied a shower and a film).  

I don't feel as though I am getting the balance right with my personal life.  I spend too much time on social media sites and not enough time actually doing the things I love.  After a lot of chatting and daydreaming, it occurred to me that a fun to do list might be just what I need to get my mind focused on the things I really enjoy.  Ensure that I get the happy stuff done too. 

Love dressmaking.  This is a comfy linen dress in my fave C&R print, Catherine Rose.

Lynda and I were talking about diaries/stationery when we met on Saturday.  Lynda uses the same type of planner that I do but has one for work and one for - get this - craft stuff.  She clearly planted a seed in my mind.  I've been online and bought a large 'Peanuts' Moleskine planner.  When it arrives I will enjoy filling it in with my social engagements.  I will use it for lists of the books I want to read, the films I want to see and the things I want to make.  I will use it for blog post ideas, my writing goals and the fairs that I will be doing with Claireybelle for homebird & belle*.  

Love walks, road trips, mini breaks and holidays with my man. I'm going to fit more of those into my spare time.  

I am also going to schedule 'social media' time so that I steer well away during the time when I need to be most productive, whether that's at work or at home.  I feel much better for using my work skills to my advantage for fun stuff, and I feel better knowing that I will be formalising my personal goals.  I am certain that will make them more likely to happen.  

Thanks for reading. If you've got any top tips you could impart regarding 

self-organisation and self-motivation I would love to hear them. 

Have a fantastic week! 

Love,

Nicki

x

*more on homebird & belle later, but I'm very excited to be doing something I love with someone who has the ability to make me belly laugh on a daily basis.

Monday Already

Finally relaxing... Another Monday out of the way.  I hate Mondays, I truly hate them.  I don't know why.  It could be because I have a tough teleconference to attend early doors for work every Monday (and man, it's a killer) but I think it's just that I love my weekends so much.  Weekends are so precious to me, there are always so many things I want to do that Mondays just come around too jeffing quickly. I know lots of people feel the same.

This weekend was fab.  I escaped the weeding at home on Saturday morning to go and see my Mum, sister and niece.  I took my scarf to show them (I'm very proud of it, see) and my little niece (who's just two and a half years old) tottered over to me, fingers in her mouth, and shyly asked if I would make her a blanket (I think she was primed by my sister).  Of course I said yes so I am currently looking through my book of 200 Crochet Blocks to find a motif that I can use for the blanket.  I've learnt that I like having a few things on the go at once - just to 'mix things up a bit' - and it will be nice to make something specifically for someone.  And I know that my little niece will love it; she will soon be able to sit through Shrek all the way through (she's still a bit fidgety) and a blanket to snuggle under will soon come in very handy I think! 

The best thing from Saturday though is that I discovered that my sister has decided to learn to crochet!  I'm beyond excited - it means I will have someone IN REAL LIFE to talk to about yarn, crochet patterns, blankets and other pretty things.  Everyone I know is slightly bemused by my interest in crochet and baking (in fact my sis has been ribbing me for being an old lady for yonks now) so I'm utterly thrilled she's going to give it a whirl.  I have already mentioned several of your blogs to her so that she can get reading and inspired.  She laughs at me for blogging, too.  Wonder if she will be blogging herself this time next year?... 

On Saturday afternoon, Andrew and I went to a posh country pub for an early dinner.  There was lots of wine (for me, anyway) and I was zonked out on the sofa, probably dribbling, by 7pm.  Classy. (My own sofa I mean, not one at the pub.  That really would be shameful but alas not improbable where I am concerned, I absolutely cannot handle my booze.  In fact one day, when I know you better, I will tell you the story about when I ended up bathing at the neighbour's house late one Friday evening after a particularly messy lunch in London. My most cringe-worthy memory to date.)  

Sunday was spent reading (addicted to the Peter James 'Roy Grace' series), crocheting, eating pie, reading blogs and getting the washing out of the way.  It finished up with a long dog walk and a glass of sherry.  It really was lovely.

Before I go, I thought I'd tell you about one of my favourite candle brands:  True Grace.   I love scented candles but Miller Harris, Jo Malone and Costes candles are just too special (and expensive) for every day use.  The True Grace candles aren't cheap (£20 each) but they are, in my opinion, easily comparable to the pricier types.  The fig is my favourite.  It smells divine and is perfect for Sunday evening sherries and sofa-surfing.

Four days til the weekend, kids!  

Nicki 

x

PS Thank you so much for your supportive words about my scarf.  I was so chuffed to get so many comments, I love reading your blogs and am thrilled you pop over to my little neck of the cyberwoods.   Date for sleepover TBC.  Ha!