Wednesday 18 September 2013

Introducing.......

It's 10:40, and I'm sitting at work. This nightshift isn't perhaps what you might think. I'm not beavering away during the twilight hours, keeping the cogs of industry turning while the world sleeps. I work within the sheltered housing sector of our local authority, and tonight I am manning the phones and the emergency pull cord system for the elderly. It could mean a night of emergencies, or it could mean a night of silence and not very much at all. Mostly I work from my car, making equipment installations in private homes, but sometimes I volunteer to man the post I'm in now, because we can all use the extra pennies right?

Today, I've had 3 blog comments, and this has made me happy! I'm easily pleased. I can't recall the reason for my sudden inspiration to write a blog a few months ago....but after a couple of try's, it seemed a wee bit pointless, and so I didn't make too much of an effort. But, with my 3 readers, I thought I'd introduce myself as is polite, and will also keep me occupied!

I'm Jo.


This is me and man. This is about 4 years ago, so we have a few more wrinkles now. Man has a few grey hairs, whereas I will never truly know if I do, as I keep bleaching the life out if my dark locks, and will continue to do so forever. I have gone black, red, and accidentally orange once, but my heart lies with peroxide. 
We met nearly 5 years ago, when both of us were resolute in not wanting any of that couple stuff. Stubborn, independent, and maybe a bit damaged.
We actually love each other. Which, it seems, is becoming rarer and rarer between 2 people.

We have 2 simply wonderful girls. The rats. Georgia is nearly 15.....Emily Monkey Socks is 11. The girls and I were a force of just 3 for many years, and have the most incredible relationship because of that. I'm insanely proud. WE are insanely proud.


This is Georgia Porgie and her cat Marmite. Georgia hates the camera, and is not a fan of my love of the old. She says she feels like she lives in a museum/old people's home, and desperately loathes every object I bring home. She's an old soul and my right hand woman. She is so thoughtful, intelligent, but 15 and quite grumpy of late. I love her. It hurts how much I love her.


The olden days before the begging for Facebook started.


This is Monkey Socks. A carbon copy of me, and destined to be the maker if mischief. She loves the old, and has learnt to crochet with me, loves to 'take tea' with me.....in fact, she's never not hanging in my coat tails. She's spirited and driven. I love her. It hurts how much I love her.


Four years ago in a Yurt in the Lake District. This was before we lost man on the wrong side of Hard Knott Pass, I fell out with a lump of wood and got a black eye, and the police didn't know whether to call Mountain Rescue or a Women's Refuge.

We live in a three storey Victorian terrace, overlooking an old park, right in the middle of Ol' England. 



During the winter, but starting in the Autumn, this is lit from morning till night. I'm drawn to fire. I want fire when it's still warm. It beats as the heart, and draws everyone in. We spend months just nodding off in its glow, and not achieving very much at all.


Last December, we spent days and days and days stripping every scrap of wood in our living room because we love to see things as they were in the beginning. I loathe sanding. With a passion. And I'll never ever ever decorate/renovate that close to Christmas again. Ever.


I'm a festival goer. 


I like gardening since I hit my thirties. I'm 33. Man is 41.


I love eyeliner, but don't often bother. 


Man is a drummer. And a guitarist. And he can sing and songwrite. I grew up following my Dad the lengths and breadths of the Midlands, as he too was a musician. Both Dad and man played since they were children to audiences. Once it's in your bones, it never leaves. My Dad was a rock and roll legend. He died last year at 57. I think about him all of the time.....he was my best friend.
I find grey feathers, and they find me, and I like to believe they are from him. I save them.



My Dad and his brother.


My black hair. 

I'm a lucky girl. And now I have a blog.


















37 comments:

  1. How lovely to meet you and your loved ones Jo. I was directed here by Hettie Brown - I MUST thank her :o)
    Best wishes
    Rose H

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    1. Good morning Rose! I must thank Hettie too! I'm thrilled to have received so many visitors.....I hadn't given much thought to the musings, but my head is filling now with more 'writes'. Thanks for taking the time to write a note. Have a marvellous day! X

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  2. Hello Jo, how lovely to find your blog via Hettie Brown, have been enjoying your posts and pictures. Betty

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    1. Betty, *see below
      Still getting the hang of things!

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  3. Morning Betty! Now you have me intrigued about Wood Fairies! Thanks for visiting via Hettie. Do you love her critters too? And thank you for taking the time to write a note.....it is great to finish the nightshift with readers xXx

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  4. I was also introduced to your gorgeous blog via hettie (bless her heart!) I am so glad that I was... seeing your blog posts are a real treat. I adore your way of life and totally get you... (for want of a better way of putting it.. lol!) I also love "old" things... and I also collect the wee white feathers.... my Mum and Dads ashes are under a tree in a local wooded area (owners permission) a place that I love to visit daily with my much loved dog Basil and often many of his doggie friends as I seem to have become the local dog lady and look after other neighbour and friends dogs when they are working/hols/out and about.... the wood is such a beautiful place and loved very much... my piece of heaven... I feed the birds in there daily and have quite a gathering each time... but on my way to the woods often find two white feathers and would love to think its my Mum and Dad talking to me... I also pick them up and save them... seeing you do that compelled me to leave you a message... looking forward to following your blog and maybe even starting my blog again... as I have not been able to go back to it since the passing of my beloved Mum... I think I am healed enough to start again... much love.. Jane xx♥xx

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    1. Jane, I'm so glad you did feel you had to write, I've loved finding your comment. Jane I'm so sorry for the loss of your Mum and Dad. It's not an easy journey is it! I hope you find you're healing a bit more every day, and regaining your 'you' along the way. Your feathers must be enchanting to you, especially finding them in such a place with the meaning it has for you. Mine are never white, but knowing my Dad, grey is much more fitting. Be good to you. Enjoy your walks and your piece if heaven, and stop by again xXx

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  5. Hello Jo, Good for you! Blogging is so much fun & there's such a lovely community of like minded people out here. So glad Sophie mentioned she'd "found" you. You've thrown me with the google+ thingy as I had been avoiding it. Always more challenges...but all good! Catch up again soon. Much love Catherine from An Angel in the Garden (just in case it doesn't say!) x0x0x

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    1. If I sounded like I knew what I was talking about when I mentioned google+, then I've deceived you! Not a clue. When you leave a comment on a blog, isn't there also a little 'subscribe by email' icon under the comment box? Catherine I have ALOT to learn. I'm like a child when it comes to patience, I want everything now! I will look at your blog Catherine....thank you for writing xXx

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  6. ~ Hello and a huge welcome to YOU and yours...I found you through Miss Hetty and her lovely blog! Tis a wonderful world on here and I send you hugs and twinkles from my little corner to yours ******* Maria @ rosey tinted spectacles blog.

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    1. Thank you Maria! There's evidently a whole world I didn't know about! Keep those rose tinted spectacles sitting proudly on your nose x

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  7. Hi joe, found your blog through hettie brown, lovely post, i look forward to following you. best wishes jackie x

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    1. Hey Jackie! Thanks for making time to write to me.....these comments keep coming, it's been an exciting morning since Hettie opened the door to my world x best wishes to you to

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  8. Hello,
    Another visitor from Hettie, blogging is a wonderful way of meeting the likeminded. I have been reading your past posts and enjoying whileing away a bit of my morning.
    If you are anywhere near me I'm happy to help you with your sewing machine, it's a brilliant way of making and creating.
    Jo x

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    1. Bloomin' Nora Jo, that's a really kind offer! How lovely :) where are you in the world? I'm in Leicestershire x

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    2. I'm near Manchester so that's not too handy! I've taught lots of people how to use their machines, I wonder if we could manage it by phone???

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    3. That is beyond kind, I'm really touched by your offer. I actually have news on the sewing front.....I only have a friend who was a seamstress for the Royal Shakespeare Society!! She popped in on Friday with a gift from Spain, and one conversation led to another,and I had a knitting pattern lesson AND a sewing machine lesson, and have been practising sewing straight lines in a hankerchief! This is worthy of a blog post I can tell you!

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    1. Hellooooo! Nice to hear from you too! I have a smiley blog day because you and all the ladies above :))

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  10. hello ... from me xx just thought i'd sneak that one in....

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    1. Look what you did! I had visitors! I massive thank you to you x you obviously have some very loyal, lovely, genuine followers, and it has been great to be visited by some of those wonderful people x

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  11. And now you have a queue of readers...Hettie also gave me a 'leg up' when I first started but beware it is addictive.
    Blog on! Eco Ethel xx

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    1. I'm finding it incredibly addictive. I keep stopping goings on to take a photo with thoughts of writing later.....or cursing that I didn't take a photo! Thank you for saying hello, it's lovely to hear x x
      Jo

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  12. hi jo here is the link to my old blog... http://fading-grace.blogspot.co.uk/?m=0 xx there is lots on there about trials and errors of seed growing, i think xx

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    1. I spent a couple of hungover hours sifting through Fading Grace yesterday, and smiled quite a few times at similarities.....such as us both musing about wanting to be a cat! It's a lovely blog.....I expect it had brought difficulties in letting go and starting a new. Thank you for this link Sophie xXx

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  13. Another visitor from Hettie-land. Drop by and say hi if you fancy it x

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    1. Hello! Had a quick look over your way.... I'm going to have to squirrel away some time for reading more blogs....it's a whole new world! Big Kudos on the Dr Martens x

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  14. another member of the hettie brown fan club dropping by to say hello - i now live in a town between bristol and bath but i am a midlander - i was born and bred in coventry - how sad that your father died when he was so young and how comforting that you are finding grey feathers xx

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  15. Hello Jo ... how lovely to "meet you" ... I am also popping over via Hettie Brown. Your blog looks lovely & I look forward to reading your posts & sharing in your little part of the world. I have been doing my blog now for about 18 months & I love it & have met some wonderful folk all across the world - likeminded souls. Happy week to you Jo, Hugs, Julie x0x

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  16. Hello - lovely blog, love your family and that cat! Look forward to reading more. Minerva x

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    1. Hello Minerva! What a great name you have! Do YOU like it? Thanks for taking the time to visit and to write, I love a comment! Xxx The cat is Sox. We have 2, but the other one is a typical Tom and doesn't come home much. Sox has some wonderful inventive places to take a nap! X

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  17. ooh i very much like the sound of you and yours. and the feet-by-the-fire photo really made me smile. looking forward to following along and getting acquainted. happy weekend to you x

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    1. Hi Max! Oh thanks for saying! I'm glad you visited, it's lovely to know someone is sharing this with me x I hope you've had a good weekend?! Xx

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  18. Hi There,
    While visiting Hettie Brown's blog she mentioned your blog and how I should pop over and take a peak into your world. So being new myself to this blogging world I thought I would. I am glad I did! Your blog is beautifully written and it made me smile loads. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to popping over again for a cuppa and a read.
    Lisa from wallacecraftcupboard.blogspot.co.nz

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    1. I'm glad you did too Lisa! It's been so wonderful to have visitors and comments! It's made such a difference to my days! I will get straight on over and visit your blog! It's a whole new world xx

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  19. It's great to finally get to know you Jo... What a beautiful blog post... Your girls are beautiful and you have written such a sweet blog post. Keep Blogging. You are great at it :)

    Mary

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    1. Hi Mary! I've left you a few comments/replies. Have you got them? Not sure I'm doing this right. Anyway, I hope you're feeling better x take care x

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