Well, it’s November. With two blinks of the eye this year will be over and there seems to be no chance of slowing it down. The good news, is that I’m really settling into this autumn. There has been a lot of lazy days involving socks, tea and books as well as some days out and an overseas guest.
What I Got Up To
Jean-Michel Jarre in Concert
I’ve been a fan of Jean-Michel Jarre since the late 70s when Equinoxe was first released. I remember listening to it while my parents drove from Preston back to Merseyside and at one point, there is a giant crash of thunder and my little infant brother woke up with one heck of a fright. Thankfully, it didn’t scar him and on 7 October, my mum, brother and I went to see Jarre in concert at the O2. It was superb, easily one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to.
Tosca at the ENO
Stephen and I got to go to the ENO again to see Tosca and it was marvellous. We went as part of a special Opera Undressed evening and also got to see the view of the theatre from the Royal box. It was a great night out and I have a post scheduled to go out about it this week. The Photo above is of the ceiling at the ENO.
The Arrival of the Bestie
Like most people, I have a handful of people I call my absolute besties and this month I was delighted to welcome one of those friends to the UK as a brand new expat. V works for a big company and secured a transfer to their Reading office and I can’t wait to begin our adventures together. The photo above was taken at Gatwick airport.
The Big Wedding
I absolutely love weddings and I love nothing more than seeing people I love get married. October saw the last of the big weddings this year and it was a lot of fun indeed. And of course the bride looked gorgeous! Congratulations K+S!
A Day Out in Rye
I have a confession to make. Sometimes I read blog posts or scroll through Instagram and get quite envious. I know that envy is one of the deadly sins but what can I say, I fall victim to it. Thankfully, it doesn’t bring the worst out in me and sometimes it makes for wonderful day trips. I can’t wait to tell you all about Rye. The photo above is of Mermaid Street and the photo at the top of the post is of St Mary’s Church in Rye.
Returning to Abbey Wood
While V was staying with me, before she moved to her swanky new house in Wokingham, near Reading, I decided to take her to Lesnes Abbey and nearby Abbey Wood. We had a lovely day, even if my lovely old Labrador did decide to try adopt another couple. It seems she’ll settle for any strapping young man!
Where I Am
I was successful in slowing things down a bit and have definitely felt better for it. I’m so glad I did too because things went ballistic at work. I’m sure there is a more grammatically correct word for it but I’m not sure how else to describe a year end where I not only take on a brand new company but one that is winding down too. Apparently my proven track record for achieving the near impossible during the year end process has gotten the best of me.
A Resolution
I mentioned the fear of missing out in my previous monthly recap and I’ve been thinking about that a lot this month. I miss London, a lot. Working close to home is amazing but I definitely think I’ll be working back in London once I’ve completed the Interminable Qualification. I miss after work drinks and quick trips to galleries. I miss lunch time concerts and long walks through London before work. Mostly I miss my friends, the lovely, lovely people I got to know and hang out with over the years. Knowing that I have at least a year before moving back to London, I realise that I need to be more proactive and ensure that I still get to see everyone from time to time. With that in mind, I’m slowly making plans to see people both in London and in Kent. If you’d like to get together and join in any of my adventures, please do get in touch! I’d love to plan something.
I also have to admit that once again, I fell a little behind on commenting and visiting blogs. I blame it entirely on work and month end. Now that I am working on two companies, with two different month ends, I get to lose an entire 14 days to month end a month. Joy. I’ll be making it up this week, I promise and thank you as always for your patience!
What have you been up to? Are you enjoying autumn or are you lucky enough to be experiencing spring?
