family

family, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

So today my mum and dad have moved, sold everything, packed away the things they want to keep and they are driving across Europe to start a new life

x x x

birthday girl and hubby

birthday girl and hubby, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

These are two of our best mates, Amy who is a mere 6 days younger than me but always looks way younger (and she has 4 children, how does she do that?) and her hubby, Dom. Dom and Si were mates, many moons ago in London when Si worked on the boats and Dom had a boat and now 21 years on, there we all were, doing the usual birthday thingy, down at the river, one large picnic , bring your own things, do you stuff, hang out, chat, laugh, play rounders, see people you have not seen for a year, mutual friends meeting other people they had never met before, children scavenging, climbing, hiding, creating dens, blowing up inflatable trees we were given and taking polaroids in a kiss me quick theme.

And the rain stayed away just long enough for us to have our party, pack up with smiling children and all go home until next year.

birthday present from my family

birthday present from my family, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

Two whole days since my birthday, it has taken me that long to photograph things, post and get myself back together.

Birthday-ness.

Unusually it rained on my birthday, this year. So the little ones have treated me like a princess, I have been lavished with cakes, so many, made by friends and amazing treats.

Thank you all my lovely friends and family who know exactly what I like, what I love to do and how I like to be.

A special birthday

An apt present that came for me today

An apt present that came for me today, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

It is one of those days, I don't know exactly why but it all seems so miniscule in the big scale of things. The largest part of me is optimistic and there is a tiny niggle in the back of my head.

I know what it's not about : getting older, the rain, change of Prime Minister, economic state of the country. trying to live ethically, having a parents/tutor meeting tonight, my mother in law having drained me, that there is no chocolate in the house, the pile of laundry

And the things that make me happy : Bama and Louie, spending one of the last days out with my mum before she leaves the country, setting up the table to make things, having a wicked idea, getting a beautiful present from reform, meeting reform and memake in London and seeing a great show, knit night tonight, making cakes with bama, chatting with etsy friends

All these things have been happening in the last week but there is still a tiny niggle in the back of my head.

I don't know what or why but I did not expect my life to be like this, the smallest thing and the thing that has been there for many years still haunts me and some days it just catches me in an unexpected way, like today.

*the annoying cycle of my sleep life*

water, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

So this is an old photo of alabama and not all what I was going to write about in my blog post today but something she said this morning changed my plans for the day.

Sometimes, I forget the magical, the profound and the strange things that *they* say. Louie is one for making us laugh, a witty comment but he can also be incredibly sensitive and hit something on the head or make your heart miss a beat by a little anecdote of his day and then he turns back to being 9 years old and objecting to bathing and doing his homework and going to bed.

Even though they are twins, they share many traits but are so very different on other ways, Alabama is more conscientious, worries about her homework, her friends and needs her bed more. They both have a highly developed sense of right and wrong and live in a very socially generous fashion. What I mean is, they are recycling cheerleaders, conservers of energy, loving thrift shopping. One year when they were small, *Santa* delivered books that inadvertently had an Oxfam sticker still inside. Louie squealed that Santa recycles.

I watch them, contemplating what the future will be like for them. So today the thing that made me change my mind about my Tuesday blog post? It was a sleepy eyed bushy haired small child saying *the annoying cycle of my sleep, I am so tired when I wake up, then I am okay in the day and then I am tired at night*

Very annoying indeed

arts longus, vita brevis

katinka

katinka, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

There is always someone that is wanting some love in our house, not that they don't get it on demand, it is a constant running tap of affection here.

This is Katinka, she is the baby of the family, nearly 2 years old. I am not sure how we ended up with cats, I love dogs and never had any pets as a child. Eerie was my love, for fourteen years but somehow we have 2 cats. That was the childrens' and the DH fault.

We went to see a friend's kittens and we saw Angel there (Angel is the mum of Katinka) - she was admittedly very cute but never did I imagine she would be coming home with us. Louie, unfortunately looked her in the eye and fell in love. Then before I know it, she is on the way home with us and is the designated family cat. Angel laid with Eerie and followed him around. Now Eerie is gone, Angel has become the dog of the house - standing upright at the front door when visitors come and being protective and not at all languid as I imagined a cat to be. Angel is now Louie's cat, she sleeps in his room and adores him.

So where did Katinka come from? She is the daughter of Angel and Ginger (the cat from the house behind). Katinka is Alabama Whirly's cat, a compromise on the understanding that we have reached our full pet quota, there can be no more. Katinka is just like Bama, slightly kooky, a little clumsy and always inquisitive.

So here she is, lying next to me whilst I type away, choosing the new gorgeous fabric from kirinco as a resting place, always a cat of pure style.

The amazing work of miss bunny :: The Sound of Faeries

The amazing work of miss bunny :: The Sound of Faeries, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

There are somethings you need to know about us, firstly we can hear the faeries. They are all around us. They have always been here. Louie will not leave his teeth for them while Bama habitually creates miniature gardens, leaves long letters and writes songs for them.

Today there is a magical world in the garden, our garden what was once a concrete square but now is a lush oasis, mainly on shallow soil, in a small raised bed and an abundance of pots. There is a small old shallow metal bowl with still water and in the bowl lies a sculpture, a mermaid's carved head. Made from river bed stone, from a river bed in Settle, that was once the sea. I lay down by that river/sea once

Under the mermaid's head are coins, a ritual that Louie wanted to do to mark the passing of Eerie, we made a wish of our own and each visitor that came for a few days said a word or two and was solemnly given a coin by Louie.

We believe in faeries, mermaids, ghosts and angels. We see them everywhere

One Very Loved Cat

One Very Loved Cat, originally uploaded by miss-bunny.

Look at this, I don't have to say anything about how beautiful this is.
This is created by the amazing MIss Bunny .

She makes the most beautiful artwork and rocking shoes, just check out her etsy shop, I have been loving those shoes forever and am going to get the perfect pair that will fit my large feet. If you want to read more about bunny check out her blogspot.

I love bunny, I do!

one very loved cat

one very loved cat, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

Storm, as Louie says, is part of our family - he is more than a cuddly toy. He came Christmas 1999 and he still goes everywhere with Louie. He has been washed, scrubbed and combed many times but he has a flattened grubby fur look now and the only bits that are fluffy are the bits under his armpits (do cats have armpits?).

Storm always looks like he has a smile on his face and is as well travelled as my children, who incidentally are better travelled than me in the past few years. Storm has been all over the UK, Spain, Jersey, France and San Francisco. My heart slightly bolts on these journeys as I am wondering what will happen if gets mis-laid?

Storm is always one of the main characters in many of Louie's short stories, plays and poems - an inspirational cat. Soon I may receive permission from this young author and write up a snippet or two here.


There is no other cat like Storm, with his exceptionally long skinny arms, a large bottom and always just dangling perfectly from under Louie's arm.

the rabbit before it popped down the hole

the rabbit before it popped down the hole, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

This picture is here because I love it.

Alabama Whirly made it, she wanted it here, by the rabbit hole.

It was a grand day out at Sally's, cream teas, friends, chatter, yelping in the trees from swinging and climbing children and all in aid of British Red Cross open gardens

some little things I like

some little things I like, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

This is my house, little nooks and crannies with things I like or that inspire me. This isn't clutter just creativity spilling out all over the shelves. It rubs off on my children, in their rooms I spy small objects and collections that change and merge all the time.

I like looking at cubby holes, it makes me feel more comfortable and the on-going row with my other half about minimal living, clutter free, white walls is lost on me, surrounding myself with the small incandescent/ provoking objects of beauty. The objects can be a seed packet, a tag, a small sculpture, a memory, a stone, an image and they change - different things come and go.

Right now, this shelf is home to our books, with this great card from a series entitled For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness by Julian Germain. Two little things that belong to lou and whirly from our friend Mike at his shop Castor and Pollux

These are some things I like

one of my new old favourite things

one of my new old favourite things, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

Sometimes I can't help myself. This is one of those days.
I am beside myself with the gorgeousness of this beautiful Fidelity record player, a present from my friend Marje.

I have dusted of the records, which have long ago become a source of curiosity for the children "are they the ones you play on a wind-up player mummy?". I placed the record on the turnatble, moved over the arm and flicked the auto button and watched whilst the record slipped down onto the turntable and that old familiar sound of a beginning of a record began. I can't get past the delight of that simple movement.

We are working the way through my record collection, from my first ever record I bought at the age of 12, Gary Numan - Cars, through The Cramps, The Fall, Propoganda, The Smiths (it is good to play dreary to 9 year olds - it will prepare them for adolescents). Siouxsie and The Banshees, Bauhaus, Throwing Muses, The Clash, The Pistols,This Mortal Coil, Bowie, Joy Division (more misery) - later today we will end on a cheerier note but first I will quiz the hubby why he has a dodgy record (in my eyes) and he is lucky I did not know this before our marriage - grounds for divorce?

a still life of broken things

a still life of broken things, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

This is a homage to my lovely blue friend knitwit. We have known each other for a long time now, and knitwit is always very stylish elegant and cool, never a clumsy buffoon like myself but on Wednesday night at Knit Night she was trying to slice herself a piece of holey cheese and in some hyper slow motion moment the knife broke and went flying into her hot mug of tea which spilt over knitwit in her beautiful dress, with the mug then hitting the deck and breaking it's handle, documentary evidence is available.
Something strange was happening in our house over those 24 hours as the next morning, I broke the picture and the stained glass window

knitwit hasn't been coming to Knit Night forever but it feels like she has now - she is also part of outcast (they are a group of artists who make things) and is creator of so many beautiful things such as these from her etsy shop such as cheeky pink fairisle heart and star gauntlets or this scarlet red beret.

Knitwit loves *rolling her own*, pints of real ale , drinking tea, always the colour purple but apparently sometimes blue now, singing especially with knit night girls, retro-ness and great designers.

Watch this girl, she is coming to the end of her second year of a knitwear design degree course, I am amazed by the work she is bringing round every week and hope that once she is famous she will remember our tea drinking knit nights.

To see more beautiful pieces she has created, the gorgeous home she lives in and her lovely photos, visit her flickr page

bama's room

bama's room, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

so this was made

Not by me, the banner is by Alabama Whirly herself when she was 7 years old and the rabbit is by Julie Arkell - I love them both but now I all I can see is the wonkiness of the picture on the wall...sigh

welcome to my house etsy friends

welcome to my house etsy friends, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

So just over a week ago, we were showing our homes to each other on etsy

and then posting to our flickr pages - everyones homes looked so tidy, possibly with the exception of my looki likee reform - her home is definitely like mine.

But it is time to paint the stairs, the ceiling, the passageway, Bama's room, her ceiling.

I may be gone sometime

yum yum

delicious Sunday morning, up way too early - it was never like this before children but we are awake before the rest of the world, at Portobello, everyone setting up and we go for Churros and Chocolate in Garcia's

dive in

dive in, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

delicious Sunday morning, up way too early - it was never like this before children but we are awake before the rest of the world, at Portobello, everyone setting up and we go for Churros and Chocolate in Garcia's

Louie thinking of the next big question about life, spooning thick chocolate - he needs to live in a philosophical cafe society, to discuss what is it that *people really see*

I'm not cross

I'm not cross, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

so this is my hubby

the man - he is not cross, apart from his arms looking like he is and the sign behind but I know he's not, look at his eyes, a smile that is starting to spread.

Fourteen years on (how did I manage that?) and it is the same look I always remember. He's not here much at the moment and we all miss him but when he is here we have good days/ hours/ minutes - however long he is around.

Hurry home

My grandfathers battery charger

My grandfathers battery charger, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

So my parents are moving, leaving the country, packing up from the house they have lived in for the past 36 years and for my Dad it will be the first time he will ever have left Reading too live.

We won't be lonely, I have so many relatives live locally, in fact too many to be able to see and I often see them fleetingly when I am in town and I know that we are *unusual* these days, living in such a dense area of relatives and I also know that when I left when I was 18 I said I was not going to come back..so why am I here?

I know why I came back, it was temporary and I still feel like a nomad. This is a short stop for me (well 14 years) but now my parents are going and the children are getting bigger everything is slotting in place to think about the future.

Here is my past, my grandfathers car battery charger, my dad uses it - it works perfectly and will be mine to fire up the YUYG . I have gathered a plethora of goodies from my parents, a tool chest that my grandfather made when he was 15, a bunny plane, a rebate plane, some tools from my great grandfather.. a line of carpenters.

scarey shop window 2

scarey shop window 2, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

This shop, the infamous Jacksons is an absolute must for a visit, don't expect background music, modern technology or trendy sales assistants but do expect strange odd things that you did not know you even needed to buy and then a few pounds later, there they are in a Jacksons bag, under your arm. Purchases have included specific coloured pipe cleaners, a lampshade frame, various old style hankies, gloriously large amounts of wool (for evidence look here at my cupboard) school uniform items, needles, scissors, thread and a belt buckle.. not too mention that my schooldays were spent with a visit to the uniform department, but the scarey schoolgirl in shop window is enough to terrify anyone.

And did I mention that this shop holds a staff team with a wealth of knowledge - it would be very rude to guess their ages but I believe a large number would be over the retirement age.

And did I mention that if you wish to pay by card (in that modern way) then you will have too proceed to the front of the store to have your card processed.

And did I also mention that if your purchase is more than a few coins in change, your money and receipt is put in a tube and sent through to the accounts department who return it the same way with your change and receipt. I have it from a very good source that it is *an operational Lamson pneumatic tube system with nine stations over two floors, dating from the 1960s*

And if that does not make you want to come and see Jacksons then at least you may be heartened by the news that they accept Euros... hurrah, an old staff team with an eye on the future... well, in some aspects