Wishing you healthy, happy, wealthy and wise.

Today was supposed to be a big party day. We were to travel to Derbyshire for a lunch to celebrate a family members 50th, but last night one of the family elders had a heart attack. He is OK but the surprise lunch and the big, happy birthday celebrations are off. Instead we will be staying home, and I will be grateful (for 10 minutes at least) for what I have.

Thank you for stopping by this year, and for taking the time to leave your comments. I am looking forward to reading, writing and more sharing in 2011.




The Quiet Ones Are The Best

When I was very young I had a book (The Women's Room, Marilyn French) that proclaimed very loudly on the front cover 'This book will change your life!' It didn't.

There are other books, that come in quietly, under the radar, making no such empty promises but changing your life in ways you can never imagine. Mistress Of Myself is such a book. When I found this book I was immediately drawn to the lovely drawing on the cover. Once I started reading Mrs Robert Henrey's book I so closely identified with her writing that I couldn't put it down. It is the story of a woman approaching middle age who was questioning everything and looking for a new raison d'etre.

Then, this unassuming tome helped me find mine. It was after reading this book that I decided I wanted to do something creative, additional to my day job. So, I started a shop on Etsy. I slowly put a few books on, and since that day last year I haven't looked back. I 've found something I love doing, and it gives me a perfect excuse to hang out in book shops. This week the book that started it all was snapped up. I do hope it has the same positive effect on it's new owner, I think of it passing through women's lives like a paper Mary Poppins, quietly making a positive change and moving on to the next owner when it's work is done.


About the author, Mrs Robert Henrey;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_Henrey

Etsy shop;



Housework In A Hurry!

Here at Lilac Tenements we are enjoying the dizzying whirl of social activities that come round every Christmas, in punishing, tight knit clusters. Never in all of the rest of the year are we exposed to such quantities of Advocat and Twiglets!

How are we supposed to balance the demands of ensuring we have the right thing to wear/make up/nail varnish/hair colouring (a must in late, late, youth), child care, jobs, Christmas shopping and card writing together with maintaining some semblance of health and fitness? Something has to give. In my house it's the dusting. I have 2 tips for busy women - dim lighting and candles. Hides a multitude of sins - dust, stress lines and bags under the eyes!