Archive for September, 2007

Beech Nuts

Friday, September 14th, 2007

I was walking to work the other morning and overheard a mother talking to her young daughter.  They were looking on the ground for conkers and the mother was remarking that someone had taken the large ones already.  It took me back to when I used to walk to school with my mum and sister.  We’d walk through the leaves and pick up conkers, helicopters and beech nuts and stash them away  in our pockets. 

I mentioned this to my husband earlier and he’d never heard of beech nuts.  I tired to describe them and then looked on Google for a picture and surprisingly couldn’t find anything. 

So this weekend we’re off to the country to walk through the leaves, smell the autumn and search for the allusive beech nut.

Posted in Lord Levy, Me | 2 Comments »

The Secret Life of Cats

Friday, September 14th, 2007

I had to pop back home again this morning.  My memory is like a sieve at the moment.  While I was there I thought I’d sneak in on the cats and see what they get up to while we’re at work.  I don’t know what I expected – the pair of them sitting at the kitchen table plotting the next variety of cat food to simultaneously veto?  Tori in the process of extracting the Sky card from that machine under the TV (he really does this) or seeking out new things to chew?  But no, all was quiet.  They were both asleep and seemed pretty indifferent towards my impromptu visit.  Blossom extracted herself from her basket and threw herself on the floor to be stroked.  Tori wandered in in to say hello.  I didn’t want to come back to work.

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Moleskine

Wednesday, September 5th, 2007

Moleskine

Around this time of year I usually start to think about buying a diary in time for the New Year.  In the past I’ve found this quite difficult because, well, I’m a little bit fussy.  I don’t like novelty diaries.  Furry covers, girly stickers and pictures of last year’s X-Factor winner are not for me.  I like a classic style diary in black or brown with a book mark and good quality paper.  Oh, and I don’t need to know about every fashion event taking place in London (nope, couldn’t really give a flying one).  Nor do I want to pay £250 for the privilege.

Up until last year this has proved harder than you’d think.  That is until I discovered the Moleskine.  I can’t tell you how much I love their diaries and notebooks.  Every diary is handmade and has a unique quality control number.  They have soft covers and acid free paper, are handstitched, have an expanding pocket to store bits and bobs and a ribbon bookmark.  And from just £10.95 you really can’t grumble.

Though I’d never heard of Moleskines until last year, apparently they’re legendary and the choice of Van Gogh, Picasso and Ernest Hemingway.  So I’m in good company.

Posted in Paper, Stationery | No Comments »

Lovely Levenshulme

Tuesday, September 4th, 2007

Lovely Levenshulme Postcard 

This postcard was doing the rounds a little while ago.  It came to me courtesy of DJ Spiderman.

I was gutted when Bobby Dazzler closed.  No more kitsch ornaments – the funniest one I saw was an Olympic Torch, complete with moving fabric flame :-)   There’s a brand new pound shop in its place, complete with shiny windows and new shelves but it’s not the same, somehow.  Oh well.

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Back to School

Monday, September 3rd, 2007

Back to School.  I used to hate those words when I was actually at school – both as a pupil and later as a teacher.  It signified the end of the summer holidays and the beginning of classes, homework and as a teacher, huge piles of marking. 

When I was at sixth form college and university I loved this time of year.  After a summer full of crap jobs it was a relief to be getting back to friends, daytime television and afternoon tutorials talking about books.  And of course you could go to WHSmiths and buy lots of brand spanking new stationery to start the term with. 

Even now I look forward to September.  I’m not a summer person.  I hate the heat and humidity, preferring brisk dark mornings and the house all lit with lamps as the nights draw in.  And of course Christmas is just around the corner and the markets will be returning to Albert Square and St Ann’s Square.  And this December we’re off to Frankfurt for the weekend to see the German Christmas Markets. 

 I don’t even mind it when the students return to Manchester.  So what if they clog up the buses?  They give the city a buzz – it always seems a bit forlorn when they go home for the summer vacation.

So roll on autumn.

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