Thursday 30 November 2017

November 2017

It is still early days but I am remaining strong in the face of winter. Busy helps. Lots of busy. Maybe too much busy?


Kier came to stay, and took me and Alex to see Jane Weaver at the Trades Club (our local, impressively good, small venue). I’m not particularly a fan of her work but she was weirdly intoxicating live, helped by a pretty stunning visual show. I had fun.


Kier achieves the special accolade of being one of few people who have been to visit TWICE since we moved! Clearly can’t get enough of the north, that boy.


Yeah, I keep falling over. (Although since drawing this I haven’t fallen over once, which is a relief, maybe I’m not totally losing my dignity) (Did totally lose my dignity at least 4 times in the last month though)


FREELANCE FEARS! (Things have picked up since I drew this though, and long may they continue to do so, because I am not good at dealing with uncertainty)


In that (very brief) quiet window, and needing to occupy my brain, I threw myself into a few too many personal projects which I am now desperately scrabbling to wrap up in time for ridiculous self imposed deadlines. Yay!


This is not a great drawing but I just wanted to share that Danny Brown was just INCREDIBLE live, like, top 10 shows I’ve ever seen. Absolute hero.


Lovely Saturday outing with Grace and Vicky, friends from my North Wales college days who’ve both ended up in Manchester (only 45 min from Hebden Bridge!)
We’ve all been so busy this year it’s taken time to find a moment for a proper catchup, but so glad we are now.
And then Justin’s friends Nick and Ailie (and their two beautiful whippets) came over for dinner, which was very lovely.


Some days you just feel some kind of way


But then inevitable crushing comedown of course


I am running and it’s still not fun, but it’s SOMETHING and so I persist. 10ks more often now. Feeling strong.
Also, making friends! I met Sarahjoy at Quaker church and she’s GREAT.


In my early attempts at Hebden Bridge friend-making I started going to the Ladies Circle. It's kind of good but also kind of like a cult maybe? I'm not quite sure but they sometimes do fun stuff and I sometimes still go, and life drawing is great, I really need to go more often.


So much live music this month, what a joy… Lapalux, Iglooghost, Daedelus (twice), Jane Weaver, Danny Brown, Teebs… Just when I’d started thinking I was getting lazy about going to shows, I have been super motivated. Teebs was GREAT and super endearing too. Such a joy to finally see him live after so many years loving his work.


Very much enjoying the work of Hot Tod Hot Dogs and Hot Sauces, my new fav local food people, who have started running pub-up vegan hot dog kitchens at various spots… For the next few Wednesdays they’re going to be at our local (and best pub in Hebden Bridge), The Fox and Goose, hmu if you wanna join me sometime!


Sometimes it’s like this.


My Sundays when I’m not off having adventures have fallen into a particularly lovely routine. I get up and take Charlie for a run, then go to Quaker church. I potter through town after, check out the charity shops, grab some groceries, and then get a Burrito from my other local food hero… Uh, the burrito guy? I should really learn this name. Anyway, I eat my massive burrito, catch up on all the chores I’ve not had time for during the week, then wash my hair and refuse to leave the house again for the day. I’ll usually then cook a big tasty Sunday dinner for Alex and Justin, and all is well and right with the world.


In the interest of balance…


Sarah and Megan came to visit for the afternoon! (Sarah is one of my oldest school friends and it’s still VERY disconcerting to me that she has a child. We’re grown ups, aren’t we.)


Got really excited about Pocket Camp, the new animal crossing game on iPhone (still am quite excited tbh). This is a terrible drawing, because I WAS PLAYING TOO MUCH POCKET CAMP (In all honesty I was actually playing not nearly enough pocket camp because of other commitments like WORK and DOG WALKING and HOUSE TASKS, UGH)


Dog ownership, eh. (Charlie loves sticks. Not having them thrown for him, just selecting them off the floor, or having them suggested to him, and then happily carrying them along for a bit)


Yay mum time!


So here’s the thing. We have to move out of our house in the middle of next year. I am turning 30. [whispers] it might be time to think about buying a house. I am tentatively looking at houses. I have fallen in love with a house that might flood. OH DEAR.

(Also it snowed and we went to the Todmorden Lamplighter parade, which, for Brighton locals, was a bit like the Burning of the Clocks, but kind of… maybe, better, and easier to actually see the things?)


Still thinkin’ ‘bout that house. It’s amazing you guys. It’s decorated like the ultimate grandparents house and initially I liked it ironically, but actually I think I like it for real. Someone has decoupaged pansies around the bathroom door. It’s got about 5 different varieties of ever more garish pub carpet throughout. It has THREE TOILETS. It has a room that appears perfectly designed for skyping and hiding and crying which I’m calling the Skyping hiding crying room. It’s spread over four floors and has two front doors. It has THREE TOILETS FOR GOODNESS SAKE. And if I just hold off on the avocado toast for a couple of months maybe I can actually afford it (with some fairly heavy help from my parents, hello)


It’s TMI time, but I just wanted to say that if you’re a lady and you’ve never tried out a moon cup (other brands available) because you think it’s too gross, but you’re still using pads or tampons, please let me tell you that you are straight up WRONG every alternative is like 100x grosser and I have no idea how I got through my teenage years without one.


IT IS ME RIGHT NOW WRITING THIS BLOG WHEN I HAVE ABOUT 100 OTHER THINGS TO DO BEFORE I HEAD TO BRIGHTON TOMORROW

(But seriously, hello Brighton, hello December.)

No comments: