Last Week

Do you ever find that when there is something happening to you, you notice similar events, topics, emotions everywhere you go? That was me last week. It was a tough week, parent wise and I was so glad to have conversations, often with strangers where all parties involved were saying ‘my kids are driving me crazy’.

Before I get to that, here is a sweet picture of the very child that is driving me crazy. I forgot to post it which is rather silly of me because the events leading up to this picture have not been forgotten. Lucille and I were out walking and in typical form she was saying hi to anything and anyone that moved. To Lucille’s delight a very kind woman and her daughter said hi back and what transpired was them offering Lucille this fun blue ball for no reason whatsoever other than Lucille might like it. Lucille has not put it down since. I found myself in a position to pay forward this kindness when I found a set of keys in someone’s front door. I would have knocked on the persons door regardless of the ball but I do hope the owner was so thrilled it was me knocking on the door and not the police to follow up on stolen goods, that he decided to pay it forward too.

A little while back I asked my Instagram people for recommendations on mascara, preferably cruelty free brands. Lancôme Hypnôse mascara was recommended numerous times so I decided despite it not being from a cruelty free brand it was worth a treat. I was hoping to share all the recommendations on my beauty highlights over on Instagram but I realised I didn’t save them. Bugger. I will do a separate post on them so keep an eye out for that. In the mean time Sali Hughes’ latest column in the Guardian couldn’t have come at a better time; The best cheap mascaras. I decided before I parted with some thirty euro for mascara I would try one of her picks. I didn’t think this purchase through properly. L’Oréal False Lash X Fiber Xtreme Resist Waterproof Mascara. A non-cruelty free brand, a ridiculous name and a two step process. What was I thinking? I’m going to attempt an Instagram video in the morning so you can see how it goes on and if it all turns to poo I will use it up and go back to my original decision. If you have any recommendations or ones to stay away from leave a comment below.

I mentioned a few weeks back that I was considering travelling to London to see Tim Walker: Wonderful Things at V&A museum; you can add Milan to that list. I have long admired the work of Fornasetti and to see the unmistakable face of Lina Cavalieri given new life by Carlo Dell’Acqua would be a real treat.

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Why has parenting been so tough you ask? My little lady is going through a new phase and as I was quick to learn early on, one phase is just as tough as the next. It’s all apparently ‘normal’ and all too familiar to any parent that has been through it. The push and pull of independence, the development of self and the total contradiction of I love you, I miss you and I need my space. I am in the height of it and so my writing is purely therapeutic and not for publication just yet. Actually that is how all my writing about motherhood has been. I have written copious amounts of thoughts, stories and love letters. All during each phase, milestone and lonely 4am feed. I have written, re-read, cried, laughed and wrote some more all in some sort of post mortem and yet I feel those words aren’t ready to be shared. This stage feels much the same, in part due to exhaustion and also because I’m so clueless in how I will get through it. Like all the other developmental milestones and leaps, I will get through this one and when I get to the end of it I will laugh at myself and how I thought that phase was the worst.

To manage such a phase you have to do what you can to make sure everyone is as happy as can be so I did some work where possible (with Lucille attached), discovered new places to visit and even treated myself to a few goodies which I will photograph during the week for you.

The weather changed this week (again) which means it is time for the return of one of my very favourite items of clothing. Actually, two of them. You guessed it, my orange high waisted pants and red boots are back for yet another season.