I am Lily - stitcher and part time bookseller. Mother to my gorgeous girl, Abigail and wife to Julian. I make time each day to let my imagination potter and add quirky prettiness and handmade comfort to our home and lives. You can email me at lily(at)blockaday(dot)com
a little bit of red white and blue
I’ve floundered a bit over the last two weeks. I miss my mum, my family and my friends. I miss the way my Brisbane days filled up effortlessly with lovely events, outings and duties.
Julian has blended into his new Melbourne home effortlessly - after all, he’s been almost living here for the last two years. Abby is a wonderful trooper - I’m greeted with a big cheerful and relaxed smile each afternoon when I collect her from school. She’s loving her new subjects, is making friends, has been to the movies with friends, been over to play, and has a birthday party invitation. Me … well it’s not ghastly. And, of course, in the grand scheme of things I just need to get a serious grip. But there have been days, with Abby at school and Julian at work, where I have simply plonked down onto that sofa at 8.30am and watched television for hours on end.
Did you know, in one day, you can watch one episode of Cadfael, three episodes of The Buildings that Shaped Britain, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and Vicky, Christine, Barcelona. Whilst knitting of course. Nevertheless, not the kind of day that leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy. Monday to Friday, as soon as I have had that mid morning cup of tea, I find myself watching the clock - lunch, more tea, then voila! Three o’clock finally crawls around and I can collect Abby from school and life begins again.
Ahem … it is obvious to me now, that all “play” (or should I say, opportunity for “play”) and no structure makes Lily a fretful girl. We all decided the best thing to do was get me out of the house regularly. An effective and sustainable way to do this (there is a limit to how many shops you can visit, especially when there’s no money for frivolous spending) - get a job. And much to my amazement, delight and very very good fortune - I have!
When dear Carol Ann was visiting, I visited the stores in our local shopping street that I liked and asked about work. A bookstore was indeed looking for someone three days a week, and after a few weeks of waiting and wondering and an interview, I have been offered the job, had my orientation session today, and start next week! In a bookstore! Where the owner loves cook books and craft books! Where I get to help select titles when the reps visit! In a bookstore! Unbelievably cool!
And, within minutes of that wonderfully affirming phone call, my spirits received a good boost of cheeriness and optimism. I even managed to visit the wee sewing house in our back garden and look through some boxes. Truly, there is so much in there just waiting for a bit of attention. Thus we have … the little red, white and blue quilts. I whipped them up one night, eighteen months ago. They were just awaiting for some quilting love. Which I, at last, had to spare.
So there. A halt to the growing despondency that was eating away at me. A job to look forward to. A few boxes unpacked. And two dear little quilts shining sweetly in my living room. Phew!
Now, I have this nice blue braid that I bought at a wonderful store called “Darn Cheap Fabric” that I think will look real nice around the bottom of my new red lampshades. My mum gave us these blue and white lamp bases 12 years ago and I have never found a shade to put with them that I liked! Mum may well be gasping in horror (as she has with every other lampshade that I have perched atop their blue and white loveliness) but I’m quite tickled with the new shades’ warm red velvetiness. When the leaves begin to fall and we sink into our first Melbourne winter, they will fill the room with cheerful warmth. And match their wee quilts so nicely :-)
15 February, 2010 at 12:25 pm
A job in a bookstore! How perfect is that? Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
Love your little quilts - so cheery.
15 February, 2010 at 12:44 pm
I think curling up on the couch watching tv and knitting is exactly what you needed to do, I mean, didn’t you just move house, right across Australia, you’ve got to breathe in before you can breathe out.
Congrats on the new job, when you settle in, I’d love you to come for a visit to ballarat.
15 February, 2010 at 12:54 pm
Moving is very, very hard. I remember it well. In our early years of marriage, we moved thirteen times. Your little job sounds just the thing! You’ll begin to meet people, which is what you need. Finding the right church will help, too. And, of course, the quilt shop where you can take — or teach — a class. Don’t be hard on yourself for how you’ve been feeling, friend. It is NORMAL.
15 February, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Congrats on the job. A bookstore - perfect, but what else would you expect a librarian to think.
15 February, 2010 at 1:51 pm
what great news! A part time job will give you just the right amount of outside the house time to feel sane.
I also second what Kerrie says - if you’d have rushed right across Aus and into a job right away you’d have been feeling frazzled.
Good luck!!! I’m sure you will be just fine x
15 February, 2010 at 3:58 pm
A bookstore sounds perfect - Does it have a lovely scent? I love little bookstores that envelope you lovingly with the scent of, well, a bookstore(!) when you walk in. And part-time is perfect. I can imagine that it will be just right for you. I’m so happy for you!
15 February, 2010 at 4:33 pm
“I think curling up on the couch watching tv and knitting is exactly what you needed to do, I mean, didn’t you just move house, right across Australia, you’ve got to breathe in before you can breathe out.”
what beautiful (and true) words kerrie!!!
congrats on your new job lily!!!
15 February, 2010 at 6:40 pm
How exciting, a job in a bookshop, just perfect for you and something I’d always love to do! I’ll be in Melbourne for a week in April, maybe we can meet for coffee!
15 February, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Congratulations! A job in a book shop sounds perfect! I hope you enjoy it. And don’t be to hard on yourself for these laid back days - a big move can be quite an upheaval for the soul as well as having to deal with all those practical issues. Give yourself time to settle in. The fact that you have started sewing again means that the process has started. And for what it is worth, I think those red shades on the blue and white lamps are great. The blue braid is just the thing to pull the colour scheme together :-)
15 February, 2010 at 7:57 pm
A job in a bookstore is one of dreams for future years. Oh to be surrounded by so much goodness.
Lily, I am thinking that you did not get my email for the swap? I have been having major problems with my server (we use our own, which I would never recommend). I am going to resend. If you don’t see it by tonight, could you let me know?
Thanks!
16 February, 2010 at 3:25 pm
I do know the feeling! I’m so glad that you found a job. I’m sure that it will really help.
17 February, 2010 at 6:08 am
Here is a smile for you.
What good fortune!