I was recently lucky enough to win a complementary ticket to the Country Living Fair in London which was running the other weekend. The lovely Mary Kilvert sent me the ticket - pop over to her blog and look at the lovely sheep she created !
I was so excited at the prospect of going plus a little nervous at the same time. When I used to work full time I didn't think twice about getting on the train to London for conferences but since having children it isn't something I do. I worked out that Saturday was the best day to go due to train prices, school runs and work (it would cost £40+ if I didn't go during off peak times in the week :-o). I went on Google map and walked down the road from the underground station I would stop at so I knew exactly where I was going to go. I was going to take little Sweetpea and it would have been her first train ride.
Wednesday the tickets arrived and I did think of going on Thursday but school runs put a stop to that idea. As Saturday approached , my gorgeous little Sweetpea decided to go back to waking 3+ times a night for a couple of nights :-( Saturday morning arrived and I was exhausted, having my usual dizzy spells bought on by sleep deprivation (I even become dizzy just sitting still when I have had a few really bad nights) and generally felt terrible with no energy to go to London :-( I was gutted!
To stop me feeling annoyed by the circumstances that had arisen I decided to drive up the road to Blackthorpe Barn (near Bury St Edmunds), I am so glad I did - what a joy that place is ! It was full of local artists showing and selling their creations. Eldest Sweetpea came along with me and we had a lovely time looking at all the gorgeous creations. I had a lovely chat to lots of wonderful creative people and Eldest Sweetpea was given a bookmark from a lovely watercolour artist, Katie Millard, and a felt bead from a lady call Cathy who creates gorgeous things out of felt - it was so sweet of them to give him a piece of their artwork. I even bumped into a lady who had a stall with the most gorgeous silver work (click link to see scrummy buttons wrapped in silver) who lives in our village. I had heard her name mentioned in magazines before but had never put a name to the face so I was surprised and happy to see a familiar face there.
I came home with two lino-print cards created by the artist Penny Bhadresa, she had some lovely prints on show and Eldest Sweetpea really wanted one for his room (one day we will save up for the real thing for him :-)). I also got two other lovely postcards created by Abigail Mill, she created the most exquisite creations out of fabric, silk, lace - the original images look 3D and her use of colours is gorgeous. 3 little ceramic spotty egg cups also launched themselves into my bag, one for each Sweetpea - they are so sweet.
I must still admit to feeling a little annoyed at having missed the Country Living Fair and a little trapped with the life of being a Mum 24/7 but that trip made me feel a whole lot better! Having been ill for a few days has again made me feel that way, I went to work on Sunday just to have a break from the 'madhouse' when really I should have been in bed getting better (but then the Sweetpeas would have joined me in bed and probably had a pillow fight over my head!).
Don't get me wrong, I do love them all dearly but sometimes a little space is nice, oohh how I would love my own little flat somewhere, where I could escape for a few days rest every now and again......... dream on Zoe :-) Mind you then I would probably miss them all too much :-)
Moan over :-) x
Sending a big hug your way - I'm sure that practically everybody who reads this can relate! This too shall pass, right? But sometimes not soon enough! xo
ReplyDeleteshame you missed it, but you must have been so tired, i can completely understand how you feel being awake through the night so tiring...glad you had fun at the barn- gorgeous goodies you bought- love the piccys ;0)x hope you feel feel kess worn to a frazzle this week xx
ReplyDeleteOh you poor dear, I get dizzy spells too, stress and nerves bring it on....it's horrid!
ReplyDeleteMaybe it wasn't meant to be eh? Everything happens for a good reason.
Nice that you went to place that you enjoy...it's good to get out and enjoy what you are able to.
Melx
I think we can all relate to the way you feel, we all feel that way at times. What a shame you missed the Country Living Fair, but it sounds as though you had a lovely time at Blackthorpe Barn.
ReplyDeleteWe are hopefully off to Blackthorpe Barn sometime soon. It's a shame that you did not get to the Country Living Fair, but it would of been very scary if you had come over poorly whilst there xx
ReplyDeleteIt is such a shame you missed it! but speaking as someone who has worked and shopped the fair, it is manic! it's beautiful but if you not feeling your best, a bad idea!
ReplyDeleteyou sound like you had a lovely time anyway and think of the pennies you have saved too!
Have a happy week. x
Hi Zoe
ReplyDeleteI hear you on every level - while we love our little beans with all our hearts there are always going to be times when they eat into OUR plans; more often than not we find ourselves at the mercy of their actions and giving up what we've got planned in order to put them first. I know we do this mostly quite without thinking and generally don't mind about it, it's all part of being a Mum isn't it, but of course it's naturally frustrating to miss out on something you've been looking forward to and Im sorry you missed the show...however...Blackthorpe Barn...oh my, a treasure trove of goodies if ever there was! I have the great fortitude of having a sister in nearby Thurston and have been lucky enough to go to their Christmas Fair on a few occasions. I too love Penny Bhadresa's work and met her when we treated ourselves to one of her prints (we'd saved long and hard to go specially to get one). Glad you enjoyed yourself! Sending love, Julia x x x
That is such a shame you missed out, but it sounds like you had a lovely (alternative) day all the same.
ReplyDeleteSleep deprivation is the pits and I hope you get some decent rest soon.
Nina x
Oh poor you, I feel for you completely, especially on the being woken all night by children and the dizzy bit....do you get vertigo? I do when I'm very tired and worn down and then have to walk the school runs which leaves me feeling even worse off. I hope you are back on track and have had some sleep since writing this post. I went to the CL fair a couple of years back, it was great but very, very crowded and quite exhausting and I think you made the right decision. Wishing you well in every sense. Beth/The Linen Cat
ReplyDeleteOooh how I understand! My two aren't quite as old as yours yet, but I think the last time I had "free" time to myself was when my oldest was 8 months old! Her father looked after her for 4 hours while I went out with a friend. All excursions since have included children! And with another on the way it could be another 5 years before I get some "Me" time.
ReplyDeleteIt is great that you managed to do something anyway and that you enjoyed it. There is always next year for the other show.
xXx Helen
Hope you are feeling better soon. I love my children to pieces too, but a flat of my own to escape to sometimes sounds fantastic!!
ReplyDeletedon't you just love them, i've spent the past few nights sleeping with my three year old in a little tikes toddler car bed!!! i'm 5'6 and i think the bed is about 4' oh my poor achy body!!!
ReplyDeletereading all the comments Zoe you wouldn't be very lonely in that flat of yours as we would all be coming to visit, perhaps we should set up a little virtual flat where we could all meet and chat and craft and then go to our lovely families all revitalised and ready for action!!!
Such a shame about London but great that you made the best of it and got to Blackthorpe. It's sucb a great place leading up to Christmas. Hope you're fully recovered soon. I think we all need a break away sometimes.
ReplyDeleteoh yes the lady from the village who does the jewellery, yes i saw a pic of the silver/button jewellery lovely shame i dont know who she is. Glad you could relax for abit while there x
ReplyDeleteHi! I'm in Colchester, and recently went into London to meet someone at LIverpool St. I used to commute to London to work and thought nothing of it, but this time I was so nervous, and found it so exhausting! How on earth did I do that every day?!
ReplyDeleteLove the lino print. Bought some lino and cutters when I was in London, havenb't taken the plunge yet...
Love your blog, v pleased to find it. Very nice, relaxing and inspiring. LIke sinking into a big bubbly bath.
Hope you get more sleep and feel better this week. It's so exhausting being woken at night, really wears you down. Glad you had a nice little outing anyway to make up for London.
ReplyDeleteBtw, I will email you about the linen.
Take care, Zoe and have a good week.
Helen x
I know just what you mean, but if it is any consolation the Country Living Fair was absolutely packed on the Saturday (when I went) it was lovely to go but totally exhausting. My 16 year old and I left at 3pm and intended to go to Covent Garden but she was as tired as I, plus they closed the tube station, so we gave up and caught a bus back to Euston.
ReplyDeleteI love Abigail Mills work, her pictures are absolutely gorgeous. I have never been to Blackthorpe Barn but keep hoping to!
Hope you will soon feel lots better.
It can be so difficult when you don't get enough sleep Zoe...it makes you feel like a different person doesn't it?...You only get tired because you a such a good mum... always doing your best!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you had a lovely day at Blackthorpe Barn and love all your pretty finds,
Susan x
I lived in Winchester for a while and London,
ReplyDeleteI am now back in Australia in a small country town...I remember tripping around on the trains & buses, getting lost, & never being bothered by it! NOW, I would be a mess!!!!
I now have children & think of how my POOR mother must have been with her 20 year old daughter tripping around on her own!!!in a forgien country!
I think as lovely as the fair was (I visited for the first time, photos on my blog a few ones back) it was so busy that you'd have felt even more faint, I got pretty dizzy after a while myself. Sounds like you had a really lovely day anyway and more relaxing :) Catherine x
ReplyDeleteits so difficult to take some me time, when you have little ones... i hope you are getting some much needed rest.
ReplyDeleteHello
ReplyDeleteI totally get it, being a full full full time mummy to 2 kids and a lot of animals, to have a little bolthole to escape magically would be bliss oh well I will dream on , love your blog!
take care
Denise
Hope you get some rest soon - it must be tough (it's hard enough with 1 wee one!). It's a shame you didn't make it to the Country Living Fair, but at least you had lovely day out instead. :) x
ReplyDeleteThats a pity about the fair, but its better than trailing all the way there because you think thats what you SHOULD do, days like that are worse.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got to see some things on your other trip though.x
I always miss out on fairs, probably because I'm so disorganised and sometimes it's just too much effort (oops). When you get that pied a terre, let me know. A little lie-in once in a while ....
ReplyDeleteHi Zoe
ReplyDeleteThank you for your message, my granny always said every woman needs to have her running away money,
Take care
Denise