Me and Mine – a portrait for November 2016

It certainly was a bracing day when we climbed up on the Cow and Calf rocks last weekend. It’s Ilkley’s most famous landmark but oddly it was the first time we’d climbed up there together since moving here in July.

It was Sunday afternoon, we’d had a very steady, chilled out day but I decided it was time we went out and got some air in our lungs before it got dark. I was feeling pretty delicate to say the least, after overdoing it on the prosecco (and the dancefloor) the night before. I’d been out with friends at a charity night organised by one of my new widow friends Sarah, and let’s just say the drinks were flowing freely and I was regretting it the morning after!

I say one of my new widow friends as since moving I have got to know another mama – also called Jules – who is living without her husband too. To meet other mums who are bringing up kids in similar circumstances to me has been really nice – if I can say that – and hopefully we will be able to support each other as time goes on.

Anyway, you know those days when you feel quite happy hanging out in the house and then realise cabin fever is setting in? It was one of those, so we pulled on our coats and hats and headed up to Ilkley Moor.

I grew up here so the Cow and Calf is a really homely place for me, but for Sam and Flo it’s more of a source of intrigue and wonder. As we drove up the hill to the moor, Flo asked ‘is the moor the beach?’, which made me laugh as we’re not seaside dwellers anymore. My two are so used to weekend walks being by a beach that big hills and rock climbing are a real novelty.

As we climbed up to the rocks – called the Cow and Calf because one is large and the other is small, which sounds odd when you write it down I know – Sam called down ‘this is just my kind of thing!’ So a mental note has been made to plan more time walking on the moors over the coming months.

There are so many lovely places to visit in Yorkshire, although I’m back in my hometown it kind of feels like I’m discovering a lot of places for the first time as I see them through my children’s eyes. I really love being back and although I’m still very much in a settling in period, I know relocating was the right thing to do. The kids still ask when we are going back to the old house, and Flo especially doesn’t seem to be able to get her head round the fact that someone else is living there now and we can’t just go back when we like.

Sam said the other day that he grows up, he’s going to make lots of money so he can go back to Hoylake and buy his old house back! This is after telling me that us moving – and I quote – ‘wasn’t the best idea you’ve ever had, mum.’

November seems to have hurtled by and I am grateful for that. Being so busy has meant it’s stopped me thinking too much about Christmas and dreading it in the way I did last year. I think I’m kind of hoping that by not thinking about it too much it will come and go in a breeze, and I won’t feel quite as sad as I did last time.

For most of this month, our house has been in disarray as we are finally having our garage space converted into a playroom. It wasn’t insulated before and there was no natural light apart from that from the back door, so I’m looking forward to having a nice warm, light room for Sam and Flo to play in.

Having a few weeks without that extra space has really made me realise how much we need it! I can’t wait now for it to be finished so I can move the furniture and toys back in, get my lounge back and think about getting a Christmas tree.

I can’t really believe that next time I write a Me and Mine post it will be New Year’s Eve – hopefully I’ll be telling you about the successful Christmas dinner I cooked and some happy, positive tales of our festive season. We have some cool things booked in, like visits to see friends, a Father Christmas trip, and a flying visit to see family this weekend.

I hope your December gets off to a good start.

x Julia

This post is linked up with the Me and Mine project – hosted by Dear Beautiful, Bump to Baby, Capture By Lucy, Let’s Talk Mommy, Mummy Daddy Me and Tigerlilly Quinn – where you take a photograph a month of your family all together.

Facebook

Twitter

Google+

Pinterest

email

Tumblr

StumbleUpon

Written by

Rainbeaubelle