{quotable thursdays}

Apologies, this is a little late--it's Friday here in the UK, but I know somewhere in the world it's still Thursday!

Last weekend I celebrated my birthday in great company of my dear family! We went to the beautiful National Trust property, Standen--adorned with gorgeous Arts & Crafts Morris wallpaper etc.... We also went on lovely autumnal walks. my dad wrote the following poem, which is today's quote:

Now friends and family gather round

To celebrate the passing year.

The house at Chelmsford will resound

With merry birthday cheer.

With glasses filled and heaping plates

The guests now make a toast.

While birthday tales Great Charles relates,

Dear cousin and genial host.

“To Leaps, Tinza and Doctor too

“Please raise your glasses all.

“Welcome, every one of you

“To Leah’s birthday ball!”

Then Charley escorts his lovely wife

And dances around the hall

Marian tells of country life

Which keeps them all in thrall.

Melissa does a highland fling,

A jig so neat and trim,

While the Weatherups a duet sing

Until the others all join in.

We too shout across the miles

From distant shores and seas

“May your day be filled with birthday smiles

“And joy that never cease!”

I posted pics over on Instagram, , but here are a few!

{the barn at Standen}

 

& then it was party time!

{fancy masks!}

xo, L

{quotable thursdays}

{Domenico di Michelino, Dante holding the Divine Comedy, Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, 1465}

« Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita

mi ritrovai per una selva oscura,

ché la diritta via era smarrita. »

Midway upon the journey of our life

I found myself within a forest dark,

For the straightforward pathway had been lost.

So begins Dante's Divine Comedy. It is fitting for a number of reasons this week--for one, this weekend, I turn 35. In the time Dante was writing, 35 was considered midlife, and thus his journey begins at 35, in the middle of his life's journey. It reminds us that in life we often have to take arduous journeys to reach our final destination. 

The world seems like a rather dark place right now; with so many unknowns. We must journey through the storms, and here's hoping that light appears soon through this dark tunnel.

I for one, will try to leave the troubles of the world behind me this weekend, and instead, celebrate life.
I read Dante's Divine Comedy in an undergraduate course in my early 20s. Then, I had dreams of being an Art Historian and travelling to and living in Italy regularly. In someways, I fulfilled that dream. But our 30s are often about fulfilliing the dreams we had in our 20s or realising that our paths have taken a different route. I think most importantly, our 30s are realising that 'happily ever after' doesn't really exist. I often hear people telling me that I must be so lucky working in a profession that I love. It's as if somehow, if you do what you love, it's not work. This is a bubble worth popping. First of all, we don't live in a world where we actually do what we love; we live in a world where administration and bureaucracy often takes up most of our time. My job is a lot of hard work. It took a ridiculous amount of years with uncertainty, making very little money, and very little rewards to finally get to this place... and even my dream job is full of stress, moments where I feel like giving up, and too many times when I feel like I'm just not good enough. Whatever dreams we had in our 20s--being a mum, finding a perfect husband, getting that envious successful job, buying a house--our 30s are about coming face to face to reality with those dreams--kids screaming, husband's smelly socks that need washing, the stress and work of being successful, paying a mortgage...
That's just to say, that the next time you look over at someone and think 'hey that person is so lucky' because of their job, their shoes, their house, or their partner, it might be worth thinking about the arduous journey that person probably took to get there.

I am grateful for the lovely people who have accompanied me on my journey-it has not been easy, and it still isn't-but it has been worth it.

xo

L

{Afternoon Tea at Luton Hoo}

This past week my Mum celebrated a milestone birthday--70!
So we decided to celebrate in style, by having Afternoon Tea at Luton Hoo.
My mum is the fifth daughter of five girls, who in turn had five girls (of which I'm the fifth). She has sailed the seven seas, lived in numerous countries, raised 5 children, holds a Ham Radio operating license, a degree in Nursing, she can command a ship and a household with poise, gratitude, love & authority. She can paint a house, sew a wedding dress (or a few!) (as well as sails and curtains), and is a fantastic cook, gardener, sailor, true friend and companion and a wonderful mother. She is also married to the love of her life, my father, whom she met at 14, when he had just immigrated from India to Canada. She is now grandmother to 9 grandchildren!

I am so grateful to have had such a role model in my life--a woman of faith, courage, strength, intellect, and adventure. Here's to many more Mum!
On Tuesday night we celebrated with some prosecco at home and a dinner out at an Italian restaurant nearby (in a 500 year old building!):

On Wednesday we drove a scenic route through the Dunstable Downs to Luton Hoo. It was a bright but frosty day, which allowed us great views and even a walk in the formal gardens at Luton Hoo:

{at home before heading out for tea}

{Dunstable Downs}

{entering the gates of Luton Hoo!}

{exploring the gardens}

& then into Luton Hoo to gaze at the beautiful building:

& then sitting down for Afternoon Tea!

{afternoon tea lounge}

{sun setting on Luton Hoo's façade}

{sun setting on the Dunstable Downs}

A beautiful day to mark a beautiful woman!
xo
L

{quotable thursdays}

This weekend I'm celebrating my birthday so today's quote reflects the fact that we usually become rather contemplative on our birthdays-looking back on the last year and wondering where the next one will lead; looking back at the last 20 years and wondering where the next 20 will lead. I have to admit, this year has been pretty eventful as I bought my first house!

{beautiful words from Twain}

If I've learned anything in the last 30+ years is that casting the bowlines and setting sail for a crossing requires planning, faith, & strength. It also takes a whole lot of work. I am living the life that I wanted, but it wasn't as easy to get here as I thought it would be. Atolls and reefs cropped up where I wasn't expecting them, storms sprung up in places where I thought the waters should have been calm, and I got stuck in doldrums when I thought I should have been catching the trades, but that's life. The greatest gift my parents gave me was to raise me aboard a ship, as it taught me how to navigate and be independent as well as rely on others when needed as you can't sail most ships single-handedly. 

The sea provided me with a metaphor on how to approach life: explore, dream, discover!

{Expo '88, Brisbane, Australia}

{Aboard Robertson II}

{a wild bird, aboard Pacific Swift}

xo, 

L

{Family Celebrations in Bristol}

My family hails from Bristol, at least on my Dad's side, which is probably why sailing and the sea is in our blood. Last weekend I visited the West Country to celebrate my great aunt's 90th birthday & a cousin's 20th wedding anniversary. I stayed with my Dad's cousin and his family in Long Ashton--in a beautiful old house. We went for a lovely walk in the Mendip Hills, had a big party with cream teas, & general merriment was had by all.
Some pics to tell the story:

{Clarks on a walk, Mendips}

{fantastic birthday & anniversary celebrations in Clevedon (pic taken on a polaroid)}

{my great aunt & me}

xo,
L