I've been getting pretty despondent about that, and getting even more despondent about the fact that there's seemingly no end in sight... but with May and nicer weather and lots of fun social things on the horizon I hope I'm coming out of the other end of my gloom, for now at least.
Actually April started off quite nicely. We found out Alex's job is secure for another year (but just one year), so I had a brief moment of feeling relaxed.
Stina took me out for lunch at new-ish fancy vegan tapas place Rootcandi. I’d been faintly grumpily boycotting them because they changed from being Iydea, where I got lunch two times a week, and because of the change I can’t afford to go there on the regular any more, and was very sad about this. But you know. Not gonna say no to tasty lunch, and it definitely WAS tasty. I begrudgingly recommend them.
The server went down in the office for nearly a whole day and everyone went home apart from me and James who spent hours faffing with cables.
It’s still not summer.
Jammie Dodgers are supposedly soon not going to be vegan any more (the manufacturer is adding milk to the recipe). I am very upset about this, and stockpiling the okay recipe ones to spread out over the coming months.
I did not know I had it in me to be this excited about UPVC windows, OH MY GOODNESS. This house has needed new windows for probably over 10 years. I have been gently nudging the letting agent to fix them for the entire 5 years I’ve lived here. In the days before these new ones were installed, Alex’s bedroom window was wedged shut with several very precisely measured blocks of wood, mostly rotten… The bathroom window was propped open with a successively crushed stack of toilet rolls, also rotten, and absolutely filth encrusted from years or nearby road and train station gunk.
And now, just perfection. Open, close, open, close, open, close, opencloseopencloseopenclose and SO CLEAN SO BLOODY CLEAN
They put up our rent by 10% at the same time though. Swings and roundabouts :|
Alex taught me how to read the i ching. I don’t really believe in that kind of thing (and neither does Alex, deep down), but they’ve found it a source of comfort over the years and the words can be very beautiful. My reading ‘seeking harmony in the countryside, one’s ambition is not yet fulfilled’. Seems fitting. (As we can always lead ourselves to believe)
Some days.
Alex has been a bit low this month too. BUT, Justin is finally home from nearly 6 months in India, which is very exciting! And I made this amazing sticky toffee pudding.
I know it’s a bit trashy but my goodness SO MANY FEELS
For most of my early life I thought it was 'raspberry parade'. Still my favourite. Still heartbroken.
I’m not big into flowers n’ stuff, but Preston Rock gardens are looking pretty great this time of year.
OH TEETH why can't I just eat what I want and do a half arsed job of brushing and everything be okay?! I am choosing to ignore this for a while longer though because I am not yet a responsible adult.
Beyonce is my hero.
Lou is also my hero. Alex and her arranged for us to go over there for dinner and then neither of them confirmed it so Lou assumed we weren't coming. Despite being in the midst of a very stressful few weeks, when we showed up she pulled this AMAZING dinner out of the bag from just whatever ingredients she had to hand and honestly it was fancy restaurant good.
It's good to have a catchup. (Also Hannah has the best glasses)
I know I'm an adult and I've been an adult for nearly 10 years but it never gets old. People are paying me to design stuff! (Okay then I have to spend it on rent and other boring stuff but still.)
Anyway, onwards into May. Talking of people paying me to design stuff, if you're looking to hire a graphic designer or artworker, and you're based in Manchester, Leeds (and surrounding areas of both), Glasgow, Sheffield or Edinburgh, HELLO THERE (let's talk)
