Monday 31 August 2015

Catching up


Is anyone still there? I do hope so, despite my extremely poor blogging form of late.
 
I've been spending a lot of time here...
 
 
and increased my hours to full-time for a week to cover my manager's leave. That was a challenge.


I've been wearing colours inspired by some street art which I pass every day on my walk to work.


Inevitably, there has been an ever-growing list of Jobs To Do waiting for me on my days off.

Uniform-buying, optician's appointments, some modicum of housework, that sort of thing. And trying to get out and about with the kids on the sunny days, while feeling pretty guilty that they have had a rubbish summer...
 
 
although Nina looks happy enough here.
 
 

Claudia got her first proper haircut at my hairdresser's...


and not to be outdone, Owen tried on a pink wig, which looked alarmingly good on him.


(Anyone else thinking Grayson Perry? He only needs a frock.)


I've found some bits and bobs in the shop, of course; a 1960s St Michael top and 1967 pattern...
 
 
and a 1964 edition of The Tempest, which I rescued from the book recycling box for the sake of the gorgeous cover illustration.  It's by Leo and Diane Dillon
 
 
1960s silk maxi skirt - gift from much-missed Krista
Fringed top, large ring and bangles - charity shopped
Necklace - gift from Gisela
Sandals - retail (sale)
 
 

1970s dress - vintage shop
Cropped cardigan and bangles - charity shopped
Sandals - retail (sale)
 
So that's me - a bit frazzled, enjoying work but finding it tricky to balance it with everything else in life that needs my attention, and hoping that the kids returning to school might help to establish a better routine. 
 
 
And finally, I must mention our local girl Jessica Ennis-Hill, who won a gold medal in the heptathlon at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing last week. 
 
 There was I, slumped on the sofa with a cup of tea, bemoaning my aching back and tired feet; and there was Jess, retaining a world title in a multi-discipline event just over a year after giving birth. If she can defend her Olympic title next year, she'll be only the third athlete in track and field to do so after becoming a mum.

Go Jess!


(Painting by Pete McKee.)

Now - what's been going on with you? I'm about to find out!

xxxx

45 comments:

Mother of Reinvention said...

I am still here! You look smashing in blue. I am in love with that maxi skirt, such lovely colours. Sheffield looks a vibrant place. That street art is cracking and I bet it brightens the city up no end. I am sure that you kids are very happy that you are doing something you enjoy. I love that book cover. It is a bit Aubrey Beardsley and a bit Harry Clarke. Hope that you are still enjoying work and what is left of the hols. Xx

Vix said...

I'm here! Love the Krista skirt and fringed top and that midi is fabulous.
You must be bloody knackered, I know I am and I don't have three kids either.
Sheffield is looking marvellous, i wish someone would spray paint a peacock on our new Primark, the place is an eyesore.
The kids look like they're having a blast. Loving the photo of you and Claudia in the hairdresser's and you're right, Owen rocks that wig.
Great finds, the top is a stunner and the illustrations in The Tempest are amazing.
Team GB did brilliantly.
Enjoy the rest of your Bank Hol, I'm supposed to be going to the pub but I'm not sure i can be arsed!
Love you! xxx

thorne garnet said...

The Tempest? Funny. I got re-hired at my old job and that's the play I'm working on. Pretty cover.

Lisa said...

Great street art, love the peacock feathers, and the blue outfits are a perfect match, right down to your toenails.
Love the fact your daughter has snuck into the background of the one with your son, with such a good grin on the go!
Housework, what is that? Seriously behind on all that kind of thing.
It's hard to do the juggling thing over this holiday which is why blogging is good to help us remember we do get to do some fun stuff.
Lisa x

Ivana Split said...

Blue suits you so well. I love that you were inspired by steerart to create your outfits...you look fantastic.

Lovely family photos!

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Mim said...

Still here, and glad to see you back! That blue looks splendid on you.

It does sound like you're terribly busy; here's hoping that things calm down for you at some point.

I'm rehearsing like mad and making my costume for my debut burlesque show, and dealing with a cat who appears to have dementia and has taken to piddling everywhere except in her box. (Augh!)

Kezzie said...

I am here!!!! You are wearing my favourite colour! Sorry you've been madly busy but I am sure your children had a good time, it looks like it! You remind me of Maria Von trapp's posh dress in that 70's frock, lovely! Missing yoU! xx

Ivy Black said...

Yup, I'm here flower! Lovely to catch up and you're all looking fab, especially Owen in that pink wig! Nifty bit of photobombing going on there too.
I love the street art in Sheffield and how lovely to pass those every day. I've been walking past a flattened hedgehog and what I think is a bag of dog poo slung up in to a tree. I say, Winch, this will never do.
Not a lot going on here really; mostly getting ready for the start of term and all the attending aggro.
Loves ya.
xxxxxxx

Patti said...

I will follow you always! It sounds like your life is booked solid. Isn't Claudia adorable at the beauty shop? (Owen too). Love your recent color combos, and your shorter? hairdo. Stay sane and fabulous, xox.

at my dressingtable said...

Curtise I am still here ,and loving your blog post ! , love your outfits and pictures and your children look adorable ! take care and best wishes xxx

Fiona said...

Here Miss! Great to see your chazza, the window display looks lovely from what I can see and the bunting adds a certain cheeriness. The kids look happy enough, even if you have been working full-time hours for a week, great pic of Owen & Nina btw. What cool peacock street art and beats the most recent spray paint job I've seen, 'Chloe is a slag' into a cocked hat. Me? Apart from working, I've been buying a new car and selling the old one. xxxxx

Miss Magpie said...

I'm still here too and have been even worse at blogging over the summer and without your very valid reasons either!

Gorgeous haircut, but that wig, bloody magnificent.

Angels have Red Hair said...

Hello ... I'm here too ... though my blogging form has been pretty poor all year.
That colour is absolutely stunning on you ... and Claudia looks cute as a button (and incredibly like you) with her new do.
xx

Kylie said...

Hi Curtise, I'm here! Please tell Claudia that I love her new 'do' x

Unknown said...

I don't think I'd do too well with a job right now. I just got finished painting my kitchen and I'm dead on my feet!
Glad you are having fun with the kids, our school starts next week. You look amazing in those peacock colors by the way:)

Trees said...

I'm been missing you, sounds like you've been very busy managing the shop. I'm loving that peacock street art and it looks like you've been having a lot of fun with the kids in the sunshine. I envy your weather right now xo

Goody said...

I'm here too!

First grown-up haircut-what a fun milestone.

I dunno, kids will moan they had a terrible summer if you took them to Disneyland and fed them ice cream for breakfast every morning, so I wouldn't feel too guilty.

I understand you're exhausted...but you look great!

SAM said...

Your kids look happy enough, but I know what you mean about starting a job during what could have been prime mom/kid time. Well good responsibility opportunity. The blue is good-art inspiration.

Anonymous said...

We're here. I could have written a similar post about juggling the balance these days......fact is I've struggled all year with it. It's hard when the kids holidays aren't as they or you had hoped, we've had that happen this year with us being knocked out with sickness. But I also think there great pleasure in the quite making of your own fun fun when you're a kid sometimes. Love your coloured outfits inspired by the awesome street art.

Melanie said...

You'll have to try harder than that if you want to get rid of us. Heh. I love the photo of you and Nina and Owen on the ground and of Claudia at the hair salon. Put that guilt to rest - it looks like your family had a great summer. I love how Nina photobombed Owen's wig shot.
You look smashing even if you feel wiped out, so at least there's that. I love you in those blues. I don't know which sport deserves medals more: being a good mum or being a good athlete. Frankly, I'd rather be on the couch, and if you'd scoot over I'd join you and bring some treats.

Shawna McComber said...

Oh my goodness, so much to love here! I doubt any of us are going away. Your fringed top is amazing. The colours-the graffiti and your outfits are so gorgeous (I feel my supply of adjectives is lacking)the bracelets, the sandals. I think I was bug-eyed. Claudia's hair looks tres chic but what can be said about Owen? Wow! Better than Grayson Perry, I think. I am rather envious. xoxo

Sheila said...

Ooh, that fringe-y top is so fabulous on you! Makes you want to shimmy, shimmy!

Ulla-Marie said...

We're still here! And you look great in a splash of flapper style.

The Vintage Knitter said...

Brilliant photos of your kids :-)
Look at those blue skies! Where have they gone over the past weeks?
The street art is fabulous, the local traders did something similar in our main shopping street last year and it hasn't been vandalised yet! Hopefully it'll stay that way too.
The Simplicity pattern is great, especially the hairstyle on the left!
xx

bahnwärterin said...

every second day i came to your blog to look if something new appeared! but now - wahooo!!!

love the peacock blue outfits! the silky/fringed one screams "cocktails!!" to me! :-)
don´t feel guilty for your kids! as far as i see you are one of the best mums i know! your lovely kids are the best proof!
and i register that something really had changed - when i was in that age(s) i only saw my parents for dinner in the evening - after school we went out and about on our own. most parents worked full time which was then 9h a day. so it was normal that kids were on their own or together with friends around town and fields. of cause in every weather condition - i say frozen toes! but it was another world - 30-40 years ago.....
wish you power and energy for the job and your private tasks!!!! xxxxxxx

mondoagogo said...

I'm here, thanks to the modern wonder of RSS feeds that tell me when my favourite blogs have updated :)

I like that St Michael's top, it reminds me of my great aunt's sofa! (funny, cos Natalia recently wore a blouse that reminded me of my great aunt's curtains :) ) but every time you post about things you've rescued from the bin/recycling at the shop, it makes me want to cry, because I think of all the lovely vintage things that must be getting binned in other charity shops. I'm pretty sure that's why the ones in my area never seem to have anything pre-Y2K.

BadPenny said...

Gorgeous colours. The book illustration is fabulous. I'm sure working full time was quite a challenge in a busy charity shop. Your children look happy & I'm sure have had a good summer in spite of the rain; we've sold lots of games this summer & not once heard holiday makers to the village complain about the weather !

Forest City Fashionista said...

I'm here too (waving at you from the couch!). Yes, full-time work really cuts into "me time" and leaves little energy for stuff that needs to be done at home. Throw some kids into the mix and you have a recipe for hair-pulling and exhaustion. I think you should cut yourself some slack - the kids have looked happy in your posts from this summer. They have had days out with the family, and they can find things to entertain themselves.

Owen does look frighteningly good in that wig, and I love the Nina photo-bomb! You look lovely in blue (groovy fringed top!) and very coordinated with the cool street art.

Olga Rani said...

Love the skirt-fringed top look so much! Your kids as always look adorable, especially Owen in a pink wig! And they definitely look happy on all the photos!

Mrs Bertimus said...

Course we're all still here, your blog is a ray of sunshine!
Phew! You've been busy....I need a cuppa to recover!
And, as always fabulous outfit me dear x

Suzanne said...

Those dang olympians make everyone else look like lazy sloths.

That fringed top is super fab.

Take some time to enjoy and breathe. I think we are all our own worst enemies feeling like we are falling behind.

bisous
Suzanne

freckleface said...

Here I am! But more importantly, here you are. Thought we'd lost you. Was thinking we might have to do an emergency trip to Sheff and break you out of the chazza. Give her back. We need our Curtise. That type of scenario. So yes, phew, glad that's been avoided. Work. I've had enough already and I've still got about 20 years to go! But don't let's talk about that. Let's talk about you looking beautiful in all shades of blue, and Owen looking pretty in pink! :) and Claudia looking beautiful with her new haircut and Nina looking like a happy little pixie. Xxxxx

Beth Waltz said...

Still here, my dear, and working over-time at a full-time job in a thrilling race between my advancing years and the increasing cost of everything. You are a rhapsody in blue, and the kids are obviously in fine form. Never mind the cat hair on the carpet -- in 20 years time, the kids will remember mum was gorgeous and the sun was shining in the park.

Connie said...

Look how pretty Claudia looks!!! And it looks like Mum has a fresh haircut, too. In fact, I would have to call you the Bob family -Owen included! Those blues are so pretty on you. You are absolutely flapperish in your fringed top. I'll bet your kids had a very nice summer. I always felt guilty because I was a working mom and I thought my children took it in the shorts as far as fun summer vacations. I was always rushing off to work, leaving them at some day camp with fast food for dinner. But they remember their summers as fun and free. So you just never know.

Unknown said...

Loving the street Art gorgeous colours there is some amazing talent on our streets if we look for it. I am also loving the 60s brown top to. I think your kids look very happy and I agree that wig suits your lad :-) Hoping over the coming weeks life starts to settle down for you and your able to get back on top of your routine, dee xx

Sue said...

Your kids always look happy, smiles abound! Must be due to having a great mother I think. We cannot control the weather, but we can control what we did in it. You certainly looked like you were having a fine old time with your kids, love the pic of you all lying on the ground. So glad your job is working out, just remember you don't have to do everything, and things like HOUSEWORK can wait until tomorrow. There is always a tomorrow after today!!!

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Anonymous said...

Love your fringed top and skirt.
It's really hard to keep up blogging when there's so much else going on, but I really hope you do.

Ivana Split said...

just stopping by to thank you for your comment, I hope you get the chance to visit Croatia some day. There are many lovely touristic places in this world and my country is sure one of them...and as long as I'm here, I will ask you about that baby blue nail polish you are wearing in combination with that blue vintage silk maxi skirt...do you remember what brand it is? I'm looking for a shade of nail polish just like that one.

Emma Kate at Paint and Style said...

It's hard isn't it? It's lovely having my daughter home but not the guilt that comes with having to get any kind of work done! She's gone back today only missing the sew on badge for her cardy. I call that a resounding success. Hope you got it all done. Claudias hair looks beautiful.
The peacock art is amazing! Lovely outfit inspiration. xxxx

The Style Crone said...

I totally understand about life and the challenges of balance. I will follow no matter what's happening! I wouldn't want to miss your humor, your process and your fabulous style. Love the blue on you!

diaryofapennypincher said...

Owen does look good in that pink wig, and you look fab in peacock blues! I'm pretty sure I had some hand me down tops in the 70s that looked like your St Michael one, a pink patterned one and a blue patterned one. I loved them!

Unknown said...

Looking great as always ! Time ... thats a thing im always missing .
Xxx

Aya said...

I'm still here! I always dig hearing about your days and smiling at your kids' resemblance to you.

And of course you need all the time you can get to take care of yourself, so we'll be here however long you take off. That's the nice thing about these blog reader thingies!

I've been looking for a cropped cardigan or jacket like the one you're wearing! All the summer dresses I acquired for my new climate are high-waisted and I am looking for things like that to cover my shoulders at work. :D

Natalia Lialina said...

Your family stories and pictures are another my favorite read on your blog. Kids look completely happy - no feeling guilty, you're a great mama! Claudia is so pretty. I too take Anya to Erica from time to time, and she ends up with the same happy glow on her face. Girls! You look fab in your radiant blue attire inspired by art!