On Redundancy

The sound track to my life has changed. Instead of hearing the regular ring of the phone, the click of the telephone exchange announcing the call, I hear a howl of a lonely dog, brief snatches of chatter as people walk up and down the road and the regular hum of aircraft passing overhead.

Next-doors cat slumbers on my knee, thrilled to have a warm lap to curl up on. I perch my laptop awkwardly next to me on the sofa. In this new life I have no desk, or at least, not one where I can use a computer as the internet connection is behind the TV.

My to-do-list, once noted in my work diary instead scans through my mind. Where once my clients squatted, they have now been evicted, replaced by shouts such as 'new job'; 'de-clutter'; 'washing'.

Where once I felt tired but full of life, I now feel restless, anxious, bereft. Everything has changed. And yet, the only thing that has is that I don't have a job. Nothing else. Odd, isn't it? You think it doesn't define you, but, on some level, I think it must.

Things I Did...

...over the Easter Weekend. {I liked how Cate's post sounded, so I thought I do my own version}.

• Left the house for the first time in almost 2 weeks and got in a very small hire car with M, his brother, his brother's wife and my baby sister.
• Navigated successfully to Shropshire despite being stuck in the middle seat and travelling up the M1.
• Had a bizarre afternoon tea-style meal with M's parents, all the occupants of our car, my parents and my other sister at 11.45pm.
• Waved off my parents and two sisters in the family Volvo {they were off to our usual Easter residence of Dad's parents in the Yorkshire Dales - I wasn't going as I thought it best to not travel too much so soon after the op} which was a very odd feeling.
• Realised I had left all my underwear in our flat in London so had to wear a (new) pair belonging to M's Mum whilst we made a quick dash to M&S.
• Bought and then returned a grey cardigan from Primark when I realised it looked like the back had been through a roller but not the front.
• Printed 75 invitations with M's help along with 75 response cards and 75 maps.
• Wrote 70 invitations and envelopes with the help of M's Mum and Grandmother.
• Got up at 8am for 4 days on the trot despite it being a weekend and read two books whilst M played 4 rounds of early morning golf.
• Trawled the charity shops of Shrewsbury and purchased 6 dinner plates and some red and white striped fabric from which to make cushion covers.
• Attempted to have afternoon tea with M in Much Wenlock only for our plan to be foiled as they had no scones.
• Bought a wooden draining rack in effort to prevent M building crazy sculptures with our washing up as it dries.
• Attended a church service and smiled on hearing a special prayer said for our upcoming wedding and marriage. Surprised myself that singing hurt too much and tried to force myself to stop which was hard as I love singing.
• Drank coffee in the sunshine whilst reading the Sunday papers.
• Posted all invitations with addresses.
• Sat in a slightly emptier car all the way back to London.
• Had tea with Liz and finally viewed her Morocco and South Africa photos despite her having taken those holidays in February. Ate chocolate and helped her finish the crossword.
• Ate delicious stir fry which M and I cooked together whilst catching up with The Apprentice.
• Managed to go to bed the same day we got up for the 5th day running.
• Slept with bad dreams but woke up early and then it was back to work...

Postcard from Shropshire

Dear Little Miss Rachel

Do hope that you're enjoying the Easter weekend. My goodness, it is good to get out of the house. Much as I enjoyed my house-wife experience (aka sick leave) it's been nice to see something other than our flat and the garden. And talk to someone other than M, the postman or a passing friend.

M has been straight out on the golf course - what else could you expect - and I have been doing a spot of shopping since I managed to lose my ability to remember things when packing and realised I had left all my underwear at home.

Shropshire is green and wet. Makes a change from the grey and wet of London, although, in actual fact, the last two weeks have been surprisingly sunny. Got lots of washing done last week. Told you I was practising for impending unemployment.

Chocolate eggs galore to come, I hope.

See you next week!

Love,

Rachel

New Shoes

{Image by Toast}

My catalogue arrived yesterday. And then I went on a bus. Which went past the shop. So I got off. And came out with these.

Perfect for spring and summer and our honeymoon.

Less good for the purse. Especially since I am supposedly *off shopping*.

But everyone needs a new pair of shoes, once in a while.

Happy Easter!