September Monthly Round Up

September, September. It’s a month I love, always have. Such a falling into Autumn, fresh pencil case of a month. It’s usually a month I’d be out-and-about a lot, it’s a good month for short breaks and travel adventures…usually. This year is a bit different, for obvious reasons. So although I haven’t been far, it has been fun. How can you not smile when your doing things like…

A Ghost Shoot

Apparently, this Ghost Shoot business is a thing. As in, a thing cool young people are doing. That would explain why I’d never heard of it, until The Teenagers raided the airing cupboard for white sheets.

Of course, I wasn’t invited to join the shoot with their friends ( too old, too parent-ish I suppose) and the Little Chap wasn’t allowed to go along either (too little brotheri-sh, too annoying) but they did hold a shoot in the garden so we could join in. Funnily enough when asked if they were planning to be ghosts at Halloween, I got a solid no from the teens . I’m not sure I really ‘get it’. Never mind.

Netflix-ing

Darker cooler evenings have had me embracing cosy, lighting candles and enjoying a bit lot of Netflix. I watched I’m Thinking of Ending Things . And here’s the thing- either this movie is so clever and meaningful that it just went over my head, or it’s just plain weird. A few suspenseful moments but mostly just strange. I have this thing though, if I watch something for more than fifteen minutes, I feel obligated to watch to the end no matter how dire. Silly really, given that I’m a grown up who pays the subscription and has every right to hit the off button.

And the one I couldn’t stop watching for all the right reasons, Ratched. A psychological thriller about the character of the same name from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, it’s an eight episode extravaganza of strong female characters, dirty secrets and murderous mayhem. And the outfits… period tailoring and the colourways…divine!

Massacring Learning Estonian

With Mr THL love deployed to the Baltic region, the Little Chap and I decided to learn a few phrases of Estonian. There was a trip to Estonia and Finland on the cards, but that looks less and less likely. In the spirit of optimism, we are sticking the language sessions. Let me tell you- it is hard. Hard for my forty-year-old tongue, anyway. Little Chap just soaks it all up, sponge-like. When the alphabet looks like this, you know it’s going to be a challenge.

If / when I get to Estonia, I’ll inflict my language skills on the locals see what they make of my efforts. I doesn’t help that I can’t roll my r’s. I want to, and I’d like to think I sound a bit Eartha Kitt when doing it. I suspect I sound more like I’m having some sort of attack and need medical assistance.

Embracing Autumn

I love Autumn. Autumn decor, pumpkin spiced everything, crisp mornings and cosy evenings… it all just makes my heart happy. As the weather has cooled and Autumn has crept up on us, I’ve pulled out the snuggly sweaters and boots for some long walks and leaf peeping.

I’m also loving the fact that despite having access to technology I could only have dreamt of at his age, the Little Chap is still fascinated by all things Autumnal. I have a house full of sticks, conkers and acorns and an internet search history involving things like, ‘how to make conkers solid’.

Making Travel Plans

In pencil and not without some trepidation, but I have a couple of UK short breaks in the pipeline. I’m not sure how I feel about travelling at the moment. Part of me feels like it isn’t the best idea, but then I wonder if I’m being over cautious? What I do know is that this virus isn’t going away and life can’t be on hold indefinitely. I’ll start small and see how it goes. Hopefully future posts will be a cheery report of a trip gone well.

And if it doesn’t go well, hopefully I’ll be able to find the funny side of anything that doesn’t. You’ve got to keep smiling, haven’t you?

And that’s a wrap. I hope you had plenty of reasons to keep smiling in September and wish you all a lovely month ahead. Keep smiling, stay safe.

Helen x