Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner.....

I missed the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony last night as we had a wedding reception to go to and I don't mind admitting I really would rather have stayed at home to watch it. I rarely watch sports on TV but I have to say I've been really looking forward to the Olympics and plan to watch as much of it as I can. I love the fact that we have 'the red button' and can pick and choose what events we watch.

I've heard so many people on social media sites and people I know saying how they're not bothered about the Olympics and won't be watching and I think it's a real shame. Most of us will probably never get to see it hosted in our home country again in our life time, so why not make the most of it and get involved, even if that simply means tuning in to watch it on the TV.
Half of me is sad not to be closer to London to be able to soak up the atmosphere but the other half is relieved not to get caught up in crowds and traffic and chaos!

Yesterday the children made banners and posters to put in the windows and we kept the Union Jack paper chains they made for the Jubilee so we're doing our bit to show our support for Team GB.

I don't get to go down to London to visit Family and friends as much as I'd like and when we decided to take a trip down in the summer holidays I hadn't taken the Olympics into account, so not wanting to get caught up in all the traffic etc we chose to go as soon as the children broke up.

There were a few places that I hadn't been for many years that I wanted to visit and show the children and Mr P. My sister came along for the day too so it made for a really nice family day out. We even spotted some of the Olympic mascots.

London is such a wonderfully varied place. You can visit areas not more than a mile or so apart and yet they have a totally different feel and atmosphere to the one you were in before. I worked in London for many years, tubing it in everyday and even before I was out at work, spent many weekends and school holiday jumping on and off the underground exploring the city that was on our doorstep. This visit I wanted to return to some old haunts, area's I had worked in and favourite places from my teenage years, so that's exactly what we did.

Spitalfields and Bishopsgate were the first stop. I worked in a branch on the corner of Commercial Street on and off for years. It was great to see that most of the tiny side streets remained pretty much unchanged. I always think that in this part of London with it's tiny wonky streets and old buildings you could be anywhere in the world. I think the shops in the top four pictures above wouldn't look out of place in Paris or Rome and probably aren't images people would come up with when thinking of London. Spitalfields market on the other hand had changed almost beyond recognition! I actually remember the days when it was the old fruit & veg market full of traders. It moved to Leyton in 1991 just after I started working at the bank. Slowly the old  Spitalfields started to fill with restaurants and stalls and has built itself into a really great space full of uber trendy shop, stalls, boutiques and eateries. I strongly recommend you stop by if ever you're in London.

Friday is Fashion Day at the market

Next we hopped on the tube and went over to Covent Garden. We took in the street entertainers and walked through the market admiring the shops and taking in all the sights, sounds and smells. Covent Garden was definitely one of my favourite places to go in my teens and I still love it now. You get such a diverse mix of people and there is always something to see.

Lastly we headed down to Leicester Square and on to Oxford Circus. I can honestly say I can't remember seeing London as busy as it was for a long time. It was great to see coach loads of tourists and school parties, it's how a city should be and how I remember London being. I love the hustle and bustle of a city, it recharges my batteries a bit like the countryside does for other people. We walked miles that day but no one complained as there was just so much to take in, aching feet were that last thing on our minds.

The rest of our time in London was spent catching up with friends and family. We spent a really wonderful evening at Gill's. Nancy and her family came along too. We spent the whole late afternoon and evening sitting in the garden catching up on a years worth of natter, eating wonderful food and enjoying all being together. Our collective children, 7 in total, ran wild, also catching up on a year of not seeing each other and Bruno and Maisie, our dogs, got to meet for the first time, which was a great success! None of us wanted to evening to end.

But now we're home and the Olympics have started. Despite not being in London I fully intend to enjoy the Games and I hope that everyone else gets into the spirit of things too!

So Far So Good....

I'm determined for this year to be a good one. I feel like we're due one, but I also realise that you can't just sit back and wait for good things to happen. There are certain things that I hope will happen, but they are not in my control. So while I watch and wait I'm going to make some good things happen, little things but who knows where they will lead?
I wrote a New Year blog post and I have to say the amount of lovely comments, messages and emails I received really gave me a boost. Everyone commented on what a positive post it was, I had said in it that one of my aims was to be more positive about things and once you write something in a blog and tell the world about it, you have to do it....right?
I'd like to think I've had less downs and more ups, it certainly feels that way and yes I know it's only the middle of January but that's me being positive!

This year I'm going to try and say Yes more. Yes to more things that I want to do. It's no secret that I haven't made many any friends since moving North and that's not because I'm not friendly or approachable, the opportunity just hasn't arisen. Drop off at two separate schools to start with didn't help, nor did finding a job where you work alone in a different location everyday, so how do you make friends?

I met four amazing ladies (Juju, Julia, Helen and Fran)  through the wonder that is Twitter and met up with three of them in Manchester at the Christmas markets. It was like meeting up with old friends, not new ones and the only downside is that we're pretty spread out in terms of where we live, but that won't stop us meeting up as and when we can. I class them as real friends and I'm very much looking forward to meeting up again very soon.
Helen, who lives closest to me, couldn't make the markets, but had previously asked me along to a Clandestine Cake Club. I didn't go. If I'm honest I was too shy to go along. I would have known no one and I had no one to take either so I didn't go (Sorry H x)
 I've previously let too many things pass me by, well not any more!
Helen, amazing lady that she is, was setting up a new branch of The WI and again asked me along. I ummed and arred  about going, as again I would know no one and had yet to meet Helen face to face, but other than that I could find no reason not to go. I had a word with myself. For work I stood up infront of a hall full of strangers on a daily basis and yet I was stalling going somewhere to meet like minded people in my area. So that settled it, I told Helen I'd be there and went along to the meeting.
At the meeting I of course met Helen, in person and sat myself next to a lady, who happens to live very close to me indeed! We'll meet once a month, but there will be sub groups set up with the opportunity to learn new skills or crafts and share interests too. Suddenly I don't feel so alone.

And I've also signed up to go to the next meeting of a local CCC  where the theme is Patron Saint of Cakes. I have no clue what cake I will make and take along, so suggestions welcome! But as the organiser pointed out, it's not a competition, it's just for fun. Fun......yes....I think I remember how that works!

So that will be two new things I've joined or taken part in this month already!
I'm also set on making foodie things that I've never made or maybe never tried before. Some of them are simple, like tomato soup! No, I had never made it before, not until last weekend, that is. As for cakes I want to look more at using royal icing or sugar paste to decorate small and larger cakes. I've never tried, so today I took a tiny step in that direction and made some cupcakes for MB's birthday. I usually just do swirly butter icing but today I did some with Royal icing too.

I hope she'll like them. I've got a little glittery pink '8' candle to stick in the top cake for her.

On the sewing front I aim to make my first garment. I've had the pattern and the fabric for months, just been putting off trying it. Not for much longer, well until next week. It's only comfy pants or house trousers for my girls, but as M pointed out to me the other day if I don't make them soon, she'll have outgrown the pattern!

So, I think it's so far so good on the 'new' front...I wonder what else new will come from there first steps I've taken? New friends, new crafts, new skills.....who knows, but it's all very exciting!

Christmas Tradition

I grew up with a family tradition started by my parents. At 12 noon on Christmas day, we always raised a glass to friends and family who couldn't be with us.
Even as a child I was given a tiny glass of sweet sherry to join in with the toast, a tradition I believe, was started by my parents who got engaged on Christmas day.
It was a toast to friends and loved ones that were no longer with us, or just simply couldn't be with us on that day, even if we were seeing them the next!
A simple idea that where ever we are, we all raise a glass at the same time to toast each other and for that few seconds we are united.
So I'm asking you, my friends & family to join us in a toast tomorrow. Lets carry on this lovely, simple tradition started by two wonderful people

Mum & Dad

Let me know if you're joining in, if you're not, know that I'll be toasting you! Merry Christmas & Best Wishes for 2012 xxx