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New Year – Same Old Me!

Jan8
New Year - Same Old Me!

New Year – Same Old Me!

It’s  always a bit of a low point when you reach this grey, miserable, post Christmas time of year & the reality of just how many Celebrations you ate over Christmas starts to hit home.  Everywhere you turn there’s pressure on you to metamorphose on Jan 1st from your chrysalis into something bright & beautiful: ‘a new you’.  Perhaps I’d just rather accept my limitations.

Still there was a little brightness to the day when, driving through the village after dropping the boys off at school, I saw the delectable Simon on his usual morning stroll from the newsagent.  We gave each other a little wave.  I did wonder about stopping the car, winding the window down & offering him a lift but I didn’t want him to catch me without my barely nude foundation.  And besides, as we were only 50 yards from his home, I didn’t want to appear too keen.

The object of my desire

The object of my desire

'Cleaning the boy's bedroom dispelled my romantic notions'

‘Cleaning the boy’s bedroom dispelled my romantic notions’

What with the excitement of seeing Simon, especially with his bald head fully exposed to the elements, my hot flush had worked to boiling point by the time I arrived home on the drive.  A calming cup of tea & a couple of Jaffa Cakes were in order.  Then cleaning the boys’ bedrooms soon dispelled all romantic notions.  You should have seen what I found under James’ bed especially after his girlfriend came to stay over New Year (supposedly sleeping in another bedroom!)

The house seems so empty with the boys back to school; they’ve both got important exams this year; Julian has GCSEs & James has ‘A’ levels.   James has just got an offer from Cambridge. It all means extra pressure for me of course  – on top of everything else.  It’s a good job I’ve got Guy, my ever dependable & reliable husband.  What would I do without him?

The Holly & The Ivy

Dec24
Postbox in snow

Postbox in snow

I write this from the settee with a large box of chocs; I’m on my own in the house this afternoon whilst my two boys are with their mates & hubby Guy still at work before breaking up for Christmas.  I’ve just had a rather surreal experience at this morning’s aquafit as we burnt off our calories to the worst ever technopop cover version of Christmas songs then dived into a box of Celebrations brought along by our trainer, Kerry.

I have been having great deliberations about whether to send Simon a Christmas card.  We are after all acquaintances through the Upper Welford Greenhouse & Garden Society so hopefully his wife won’t suspect any ulterior motives, hopefully just thinks I’m being neighbourly.  So with heart pounding , I strode up Simon’s garden path, not even stopping to admire the Viburnum Tinus in his border, posted my festive greetings through his door & scuttled back though the gate.

Shirley edits ep2

Shirley edits ep2

This last few weeks I have been very excited by the introduction of my Celiatime49 YouTube channel thanks to Kris at The Legend of Skippy.  In the coming weeks we hope to upload all sorts of snippets, outtakes, uploads & new episodes as we film & edit the series of Celia films.  Listenupnorth has just had a big edit session with Shirley & we hope to bring you episode 2 soon.  Here’s a GUEST REVIEW by ElementaryVWatson of how 2012 has gone for listenupnorth.

Anyway, Guy’s presents are still to wrap so I suppose I’d better get round to it before he comes through the door in need of a large gin & tonic.  So I’ll wish you a fantastic Christmas – whatever that may mean to you.

Beautiful Bloggers

Dec12

mumsnetI am absolutely thrilled this week that celiatime.com has been included on the mumsnet.com bloggers’ network list.  With mumsnet I never feel that I am just a housewife; not only is mumsnet the UK’s busiest social network for parents (7m visitors per month) but it is also a great supporter of women’s issues.

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And the winners of Celia's Beautiful Blogger Awards goes to...

And the winners of Celia’s Beautiful Blogger Awards goes to…

On returning from holiday (Postcard 4: Au Revoir) I was chuffed to find that I had been awarded a ‘Beautiful Blogger Award’  thanks to Susan at Women Making Strides blog.

It is part of the condition of acceptance that in turn I give the award to 7 other blogs which I think worthy of the award and whose blogs are definitely worth a follow.  Not surprisingly, with my romantic scribblings for magazines such as Afternoon Tea Companion & Celia – The Film, writers’ & filmmakers’ blogs have strongly influenced my choice.  But I am also paying tribute to other talented individuals whose ideas  have helped me along the way to claim the title of ‘Upper Welford’s Domestic Goddess’

After much deliberation, here goes in no particular order (rustle of golden envelope): 

Life Twice Tasted – wonderful words from a wonderful writer

Design Inspiration Planet Stencil Library – sooo creative & sooo talented

Avril Joy – novelist extraordinaire

Zebbakes – truly scrumptious

Elementary Watson – writers’ champion

Love Textiles – you’ll love Donna’s work

Jan Cawood – the rich tapestry of Jan’s amazing documentaries

From Petals to Poundstretcher!

Nov9

We all need a bit of retail therapy on occasions.  Preparing for episode 3, I needed a makeover to reflect my new found confidence (to find out why you’ll have to wait & watch ep3 when it’s released!).  Therefore I needed no further excuse to head for the shops.

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I am also very pleased to announce

The winners of the Celia Romantic Story Writing Competition:

First: The Morning Read by David Graham Ward

Second: Fulfillment by Irene Styles

Third:  The Dreamer by Agnes Frain

The winning entries will shortly be available to listen online or download from listenupnorth.com

And the Runners Up:

A Holy Passion by Amabel Craig

Making Things Happen and  A Woman’s Dilemma by Margaret Nesbitt

Well Done everyone!

Lights, Camera, Action – and Cocoa!

Oct4

Actor Penny learning lines at the dress rehearsal

I am waiting eagerly for tomorrow when filming is to start on episode 2 of ‘Celia, Housewife 49ish’ .  Hopefully.  We were supposed to  film last Tuesday but rainfall of biblical proportions meant that poor Shirley with all her camera & lighting equipment had to turn back due to floods & blocked roads.

However we did manage a dress rehearsal the day before.  Preparing for a night time scene we had to blu-tack lots of thick black card up at the bedroom windows.  Sue gave lots of really helpful advice from her time at the BBC & was very tactful when dealing with writer & director listenupnorth’s indecisiveness.   And I did think that actor Penny cut rather a dash in my dressing gown & slippers.  She looked quite at home as she rehearsed her lines.  Just needed a cup of warm steamy cocoa to complete the picture and calm her conscience after a romantic brush with Simon from the village Greenhouse & Gardens Society.

No expense spared - new slippers for the star

No expense spared – Penny borrows my slippers for this demanding role

Of course living with OCD it’s been a nerve wracking experience to prepare my bedroom for the shoot. I must have wiped round a dozen times already not to mention washing & ironing the curtains.  You should have see the dust behind the drawers when Guy moved them out to make room for the camera.  I thought if my bedroom is going out global I don’t to be found wanting in the cleanliness department.  So I had Guy paint the skirting boards just in case.

Now all I have to do is put a note around the neighbours asking them not to use their lawn mowers & chainsaws tomorrow. Very difficult round here with so many active retired people, as the wives do like to send their husbands out into the garden every day.

It’s a little while since they shot episode 1 so they’ll  have quite a job to line everything up on the dressing table for continuity purposes. Roll on tomorrow when they arrive – ‘Lights, Camera,  Action – and Cocoa!’

It's cocoa time!

It’s cocoa time!