Tuesday 11 May 2010

First Post

Hello.

Be gentle with me.  This is my first post from my new life.

My name is Harriet. I'm a full-time mum.  I live in Scotland.

This time two weeks ago, only one of those things was true, and I didn't admit to it in internet-based-public.  But this is a new life.  Here I am.

I fear that like many (most) first posts, this one is going to be rubbish.   I'm here, in an internet cafe (still no broadband), looking at a blank screen, and with simultaneously nothing, and everything, to say.

Some thoughts:

It's blinking cold here.  I'm told it's cold everywhere.  But I'm also told by my mother-in-law that it took her five years to stop feeling cold when she moved to Scotland.  I'm a little scared by that.

The girls are loving it (mostly).  The new nursery (about which most definitely more later) is beyond our wildest expectations.  There is a trampoline (thank you to B's parents) in the garden. They have a playroom.  A is punishing us for leaving her for a week I think, but even she is adoring toddling from room to room and scattering a trail of toys behind her like a 21st Century Gretel.

My "no toys in the kitchen" rule may be doomed to failure.  But how lovely to have enough space that you can even attempt it.

The water really is nicer.  B's been whinging about London water since I've known him.  I was brought up on diluted limescale so I've been generally tuning him out (which is not to say I do that often, of course), but on this one he's right.  The water tastes lovely.  And I keep running my fingers through my hair because it feels so soft.   All that money spent on expensive shampoo searching for the elusive one that would make my hair touchy feely, like I just stepped out of a salon... and all it took was a move of 350 miles.

This feels right.  The town is lovely.   It has everything I need (internet cafe included) within a ten minute walk of my front door.  No one has yet lynched me for being English.  Indeed, and maybe it's part of being so close to the Border anyway, the variety of accents you hear in the 200 yards between our front door and the centre of town puts parts of London to shame.

Now I am here, I'm going to have to do the things I've been talking about. I'm going to have to be a consultant lawyer.  I'm going to have to set up a  millinery business.  I'm petrified.  What if I fail?

My father-in-law thinks I'm pregnant. 

There are still places in the UK where people park their pushchair (complete with child) outside the shop when they go into it.  Am amazed.  And very tempted.  Am I mad?

The girls are in nursery a day and a half a week.  It costs less a month than a week of nursery in London. This is the greatest luxury I could imagine.  I feel guilty beyond words.

We have made the right decision.  So far.  



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ps: The bloggy bits:

I have been enormously touched not to have been forgotten in the bloggy world.  Thank you for all the comments on my various moving house posts, especially given that they have been met with silence.  It means a lot and I will reply to all comments in due course.
 
I'm going to wimp out of the Gallery this week.  Feel a bit rubbish about that as I was very proud of having not missed a week.  And I think it's done wonders for my stats!  But it's Men this week, and they're sadly outnumbered in my family, and a view of my beloved from behind seems a little silly, much as I love him, and definitely not worth a trip back here tomorrow morning with all three in tow.

Finally, in answer to the emails etc about CyberMummy, was totally totally delighted to be the winner of the ticket in the Tots100 this month - and gutted that I still, nonetheless, despite everything in its favour, can't go.  Sadly, a wedding's a wedding, and we've already said yes.  So we will be in Lancaster.  But I will be thinking of you all.

21 comments:

  1. Glad it is going better than expected. We find the temperature difference is generally 5 degrees c between Glasgow and Derby, and yet every time we go home (though that's not really accurate) I never pack enough warm clothes.

    I love the Borders, I spent 4 years in Galashiels and loved every minute. I wish you every happiness in your new home.

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  2. Oh, you won a free ticket to Cyber Mummy, and you can't come. That's just life, isn't it?

    I wonder why you decided to go all non-anonymous on us.

    Glad you are making such a good start and that the natives are friendly. I remember that 'child-outside-shop' thing - and I never did it. I just couldn't. But then of course my children are so much more beautiful than anyone else's and that makes them more of a target for any passing kidnapper.

    I think you're going to love it (though it doesn't ever get really baking hot, not even in the summer, and yes, that does take a bit of getting used to).

    I seem to have caught the list effect of your post.

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  3. Have you read "After You'd Gone" by Maggie O'Farrell? It's set in North Berwick. Fabulous read, beautifully written, though a bit gloomy, so don't read it for cheering up purposes.

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  4. Non-anonymous on us was good, wasn't it?

    Non-anon on us. I'm really enjoying that.

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  5. It all sounds lovely! Good luck. S x

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  6. Hello Harriet! A shame you can't make it to cybermummy - hopefully there'll be another excuse for us all to meet up soon after.

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  7. Welcome back - glad its going so well and you're settling in ok

    Take care xxx

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  8. I am glad that you are settling in and that the house is OK. Yes it is cold up north!

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  9. So great to hear your update! so happy you seem content ... you won't won't fail don't worry.
    Are you pregnant?
    Most of all enjoy, enjoy, enjoy your new life xxx

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  10. Took me ages to get used to the weather, too. It really takes a change of mind. You have to change your whole outlook on the concept of weather - find rain "interesting" and cold at least "normal." But I remember the water...

    I leave my child outside in a pram sometimes... Maybe it's a Belgian thing too. Only for a minute, though.

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  11. Wishing you all the luck in the world with your "new" life. Swings and roundabouts initially I'm sure, but hopefully, before you know it, you will make it home x

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  12. If my son is asleep in his buggy I'd always rather chance it leaving him outside (for a couple of minutes, keeping him in my eyesight) than risk waking him up by bringing him inside with me. What does that say about us?

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  13. Great to hear that all is going well so far. Look forward to hearing about the consultant lawyer plans (I left a comment on one of your posts to say I was one of those too in my past...) Mums leave children in buggies outside the shops in our village, it's one of the things I love about this community!

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  14. Hello Harriet! How exciting, good luck in your new home. I hope it all works out for you and that you have enough jumpers x

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  15. I recommend the little thermal vests from M & S for your first winter! (and thereafter!).My sister can't get over how cold it is up here in comparison to Bristol, where she lives! She keeps a hot water bottle, bed socks and fleeces up here for when she comes! I'm in Northumberland, quite near the borders, and it is the great tourist secret!

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  16. Oh, I miss having soft hair. It's got to be worth it, if only for that! :)

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  17. Hello Harriet! So nice to "meet" you. I've been thinking of you and hoping you and the family are settling well. Isn't it funny that as you leave the working world behind to relocate and be a SAHM, I'm coming to the end of that period of my life? I'm looking forward to reading of your new adventures. Hope you have broadband soon. I hate that bit of moving!

    MD xx

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  18. I'm so glad the move went well and you're positive and happy x

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  19. Hi Harriet!

    And you sound happy. And what a lovely sound it is.

    Shannon
    Everydaystranger.net

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  20. Golly! You just can't tell can you? I thought no-one was going to be interested in what was (and is) essentially a list of witterings, and there I am with many more comments than I usually get (and not just because Iota made 3!). Wow! and thank you all!

    Fiona - can't believe you were in Galashiels. Fancy coming back instead of Berlin? We could have coffee?

    Iota - That's a very good point. I have the world's most beautiful children. Even the law-abiding would be tempted... Hmm. As for the baking hot, you should have been here today. It's been utterly sweltering and my legs need waxing.

    And the name? I don't really know. A million reasons, and none. It just felt like the right thing to do.

    Iota (again) No. But I will add it to my Amazon list... And save it for a week when I am feeling generally cheery.

    Iota (3!). Love it! Although it's a bit disturbingly like that Ariston advert from the mid-80s... All together now: Ariston, and on, and on...

    Solveig - so far, it is!

    Glowstars - I know! I'm still spitting. Can't be helped I suppose. But keep me posted on that meet up.

    Muddling Along - thank you.

    Mad Mummy - not today it wasn't! It's glorious up here!

    Notes to self - thank you! I will! And no. Not unless there's a major problem with my Mirena. Or I convince B that that fourth baby is a good idea...

    Mwa - I'm a pathetic southerner, it's going to take a big mind-set change!

    Suzanne - thank you! It's actually going surprisingly, and almost worryingly, well so far...Am bracing myself for a bump!

    Babies who brunch - I'm still not sure about the outside the shop thing, although with the new side by side pushchair I'm getting increasingly tempted, but I too do all sorts of ridiculous things to avoid waking them up.... You are not alone!

    Motherhood and Anarchy - I will be looking for hints and tips. The big question is going to be whether they actually send me any work...

    Sandy - thank you!

    Diney - you're probably my nearest bloggy neighbour! Let me know if you fancy a coffee one day! And thanks for the tip on the vests too, although it's so hot here at the moment, even thinking about thermals is making me sweat!

    Heidi - it so is!

    Mrs W - not so far anyway!

    MD - broadband now up and running. But yes, it is funny isn't it. I will be following your adventures with so much interest.

    Mummmeeee - thank you!

    Shannon - thank you. I am happy. It's all good so far. And the sun is even shining!

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I know. I'm sorry. I hate these word recognition, are you a robot, guff things too, but having just got rid of a large number of ungrammatical and poorly spelt adverts for all sorts of things I don't want, and especially don't want on my blog, I'm hoping that this will mean that only lovely people, of the actually a person variety, will comment.

So please do. Comments are great...