Thursday 15 December 2011

One Hundredth Post


I have been here, loitering. I have written, and quickly scrapped countless posts. I have re-visited older posts, an end-of-year evaluation, I suppose.

I was driving home from a retail park earlier, the road by-passes a village and you get the feeling you're driving through a groove carved out from the earth with a giant pointed stick, mountains all around. Neil Young came on the radio, I'm not a huge fan, but his nasal tones remind me of childhood. Staying up late on a weekend; my uncle's 'fragrant' roll-up cigarettes competing with everyone else's, pints of cider and lager dotted around, the musky perfume 'Tweed' by Yardley filling the bathroom, loud laughter. I'll have a small cup of Strongbow with a splash of Ribena please, and dream about being grown-up.
An intensely luminous rainbow shot out from the trees and over the mountain - it's beginning and end apparent but not obvious. The birds' silent flight makes it's own music by igniting rhythms and bass-lines lying dormant in your brain.
A balloon filled with helium bobs around in the back of the car, like a third passenger nodding to the music, what a noble gas.
I'm regularly reminded that the connections you make with people through sharing your life on here are not purely superficial.
My coat came from Sheffield, from a lady I've never met, I have never heard her voice, but I know her. I read her blog posts and everything about her is familiar. Someone giving me a coat and knowing it would fit and I'd love it - must be a friend? My ring came from London, a lady I've never met, my earrings from Stockport, a lady I've never met.
I laughed really rudely and loudly last night at the corner shop. A local lady with mild learning difficulties and a dearth of endearing characteristics was there furiously scratching lottery cards. Pink nightdress with a cow on the front, gaping pink fleece dressing gown and emerald green peep-toe shoes, eight cans of John Smiths on the counter awaiting payment. The new shop owner wore stonewashed jeans with a razor-sharp crease ironed into the front, and a baseball style jacket with denim body and baggy jersey sleeves, his shirt was a purple, mustard and teal abstract affair - like many of the eighties prints; a smudged chalk effect. My attire didn't disappoint either. Exercise leggings, cheap ribbed t-shirt, my son's hoodie, and running shoes. "Look at us, all dressed up and nowhere to go!" I quipped.
Tumbleweed blew past as I waited for a raucous response to my joke, a few customers shot me a filthy look.
I went out last Saturday with the gang featured in this post. Festivities, I embraced them - whatever they are. I even wore a party hat. My default 'pissed' behaviour came out of hiding. I was presented with endless glasses of water and ordered to drink them. I harassed the two very young barmen, I'm barely getting away with this now, lord help me when I'm a pensioner. I'm bound to be still at it.
I decorated the tree with the boys, ensuring that essential foul-mood which is unique to mothers of young children reared it's head. Usually when cooking, splashing boiling gravy, dropping pans and saying SHHHITTT! It was lovely.
I sat and watched the Christmas concert, kids can't sing nicely to save their lives, and I can't sit there without thinking what the REAL story was with that star, child-mother, 3 blokes and a barn. Terrible mum.

I bought a present following a recommendation on Jem's blog, I sent my charity-swap parcel off (more from the coat, swap etc. another time). I made Christmas cards, I DO try.


I wish you a very Merry Christmas.
What is your wish for next year?  Mine is for peace.


2012 is going to be a year of change, I don't know what I'll be doing this time next year, but I will definitely share it with you all. You're all wonderful, I mean it.


Thank-you,

Lucy x


CHEERS!

33 comments:

  1. Look at that beautiful face Lucy and the sparkly coat, you look fantastic! I can totally see you giving the barmen a bit of sass and being ordered to alternate booze and water, I tend to get too drunk too quick so I need a lil help pacing myself.
    I feel like I was on that car ride with you, I love the random rush of all sorts of stimuli that sometimes a drive can offer. Rainbows are my favorite reminder that life is beautiful. I used to play in the backyard with the hose and make them myself and think wow I'm just making rainbows!!!!
    I love the real connections I have made in the blogging community, unexpected and meaningful, you are part of that specialness.
    I wish you a Merry Christmas too Lucy and my wish for next year is adventure! I want to see and feel some crazy shit!
    Lots of love sweetie!!!!
    ~
    Krista

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  2. Hello Lucy:
    We do so enjoy all of your posts for, more than bringing a smile to our lips, they make us laugh out loud. How we wish that we could have witnessed the scene in the corner shop where, we do assure you, we should have enjoyed the joke to such a degree as to have been a positive embarrassment to all those other straight-laced customers.

    Congratulations on 100 posts. That in our book is some achievement!!

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  3. Krista - I'd LOVE a night out with you, but I seriously think we'd need a chaperone (and I can't imagine anyone who knows us offering!).I can just imagine you making rainbows - you're still at it every day. Adventure - there's no doubt in my mind you'll have at least one per day!

    Jane and Lance - your comments make me very happy indeed. I'm consoled by the fact I obviously don't have the right audience for my jokes!

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  4. Strongbow and Ribena - you were set on the right course at an early age then! Love the description of everyone in your shop. Happy Christmas to you too!

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  5. Congratulations on your first century - very good they've been too. Loved the corner shop descriptions - reminded me of when I lived in Pontnewydd and we had a shop (called for some unknown reasen Denga- Dengas) - loads of late might characters in there

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  6. Like Jane and Lance, I would've laughed at your joke. My wish for next year? No more job losses in the public sector. Please. Not likely though, is it? xx

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  7. fab ! fab ! fab !

    and i'll be thinking of you when i'm downing my tenth pint of ribena with a dash of strongbow

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  8. Aah cider and black, I was just reminiscing about that recently (or snakebite and black if you were a real crusty). Anyway, putting aside the inexplicable Welsh proclivity for children's cordials in their alcohol - congratulations on your 100th post! I can't think of a single one which hasn't made me nod with recognition, or left me with a lump in my throat. I hope we continue to live in interesting times and you continue to write about them xx

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  9. Such a great photo - you are so lovely Lucy. And your writing gets better and better.

    I haven't thought about my wish for next year. I have odd feelings about 2012. It scares me a bit. I suppose mainly I wish for growth in our business. And that I make the time to write. And write.

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  10. James - it starts with small cups of Strongbow, and leads to a whole bottle of cheap champagne, half a bottle of Jack Daniels and a pint of lukewarm Rose wine - AVOID, that's what I'll tell my kids.Merry Christmas indeed!

    Mark - thank-you. Denga Dengas, like it. Sounds like a pseudonym for cannabis that elderly people would use! The corner shop could provide blog material all on it's own.

    Loo - I'd second that wish, definitely. I feel a rant coming on, so Ill leave it at that! Fingers crossed for you. x

    tristan - so, even at 5 I could've drunk you under the table? Lightweigt.

    Lakota - ah, you left me with a lump in my throat after reading that. I actually cannot stomach cider at all these days. Not since a litre of Special Vat failed to stay put about 20 years ago.

    Wendz - thank-you so much. All I want to add is WRITE.

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  11. A great post - I love the image of the balloon bobbing in the back of the car. I also enjoyed the tumbleweed anecdote - I've had similar experiences in the local shop, only to met with looks that say "Uuhhh?" or "Is 'e a nutter?"

    I hope that you and your nearest and dearest have a good break (although when you have young kids, the real break is when they go back to school!) and I look forward to more blog posts in 2012.

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  12. I'd love to have you for a friend. This idiot ramble warms my heart. How wonderful that you can do and say all this and not go into pretentious drivel about the wonders of your world.

    I wish you the merriest Christmas ever.

    As for your wish for Peace, a bit overambitious, aren't you? Has there EVER been a time of Peace?
    No? Thought not.

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  13. Cider and black? In my day it was lager and lime - then we progressed onto barley wine. Now that stuff had a serious effect on one’s ability to hold a normal, sane conversation without bursting into tears at some point. Loved the shop scenario. Too many wishes for 2012 to list here though.

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  14. Cider and black! One of my mates still drinks that. We were force-fed wine as kids, my dad's home made variety, as the old un's always say, it never did me any harm...
    You look so beautiful and happy in that photo, whatever you decide to do in the New Year make sure that a regular night out with the ladies features strongly, if nothing else you'll build up a tolerance for booze.
    I have no wishes, life has a habit of blundering ahead with no brakes, I can't control what gets thrown at me and simply accept it as my fate. xxx

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  15. Steerforth - good to 'see' you, was wondering if you were Ok (especially after Little Nell's quip on my previous post). Maybe our wit is too quick, and when everyone gets home they collapse with hysterical laughter. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Hope 2012 brings you success.

    Friko - if you were my friend could you endure the drunken antics? Thanks for the lovely comment, I didn't really know what I was typing. Peace? Maybe 10 minutes just in my house - too ambitious?

    Little Nell - I hope many of your wishes come true. I hope one year I manage to learn to handle my drink, it'd save so much time apologising, and so much painful sittings of friends re-enacting my inappropriate behaviour.

    Vix - sage advice, more nights out! In fact, my new wish is to be more like you, I loved today's post.

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  16. Hi Luce, I am a nearly new admirer and just wanted to say how much I enjoy your blog. Happy Christmas, Natalie

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  17. Hi gorgeous - and you SO are gorgeous, look at your beautiful face!
    Laughing like crazy at the pungent blend of Tweed and dope, and at your jokes falling flat... You need a classier audience, Lucy. Oh that's Ok, you've got us to appreciate your melancholy poet's soul and dry wit.
    I haven't heard your voice either. But I have really. It's here, loud and clear, and witty and thoughtful and always interesting.
    Of course you try. We are all just muddling through, doing our version of the best we can do. You do great.
    I made Christmas cards with the kids (for "special people") and it's a bloody nightmare. They produced a pile of shite and I shouted. Hey, Christmas starts here...
    YOU, Mrs, are bloody brilliant.. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  18. Luce: I'm new here, but congrats on 100! Very vivid, funny writing. Have a great holiday.

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  19. Exquisite!!! Every single word coated with truth,wisdom,style and affection.Thnx a billion fr disclosing what ur readers mean 2 u.Looking forward to the pouring of ur true and beautiful experiences towards us. Wish u a merry Xmas!

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  20. Natalie - hi! Thanks for introducing yourself, and for the lovely compliment. Do you have a blog?

    Curtise - you're by far te classiest of all my classy followers. Who else dresses to the nines in faux fur for a coffee morning? My cards were a total disappointment, I'm a long way from being the kind of mother I imagine I could be if I put a bit more effort in. There's always a coat to try on, a cuppa to sip, or a blog post to read. It's all YOUR fault!
    Thank-you for your comment, it was definitely heart-warming.

    TAD - hello! Thank you, and hope you have a music-filled and thoroughly enjoyable holiday. If not, you're welcome to moan here any time.

    Raman - thanks a billion to you! Look forward to more feedback, especially if it's as animated as this. When I read comments such as yours, I wonder why I let so much time lapse between posts.

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  21. I wish for.....................................a hundred more wishes. Happy Christmas

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  22. I love your posts...you always make me smile.
    Cider and Black. There's a blast from the past. Hope your parcel is with you soon.
    xxx

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  23. Gardenhead - quantity not quality eh? You surprise me.

    Em - the feeling's mutual. I MAY post your card soon too...

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  24. I just love every word you write... I feel as though I was there with you. It was 'Charlie' instead of Tweed for me. Sarah xxx

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  25. I love this post, Lucy. So full of insight - I love that you and I see the world so completely differently and I love the way you write about it.

    You're fantastic, have a lovely time over Christmas,
    Jem xXx

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  26. I came to your blog via our mutual friend, Between Channels. I have thoroughly enjoyed what I've read so far and will be back. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

    SB...fellow citizen of the Valleys.

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  27. Sarah - aw, thank-you. Charlie would alwaysbe the 2nd option for mum. I used to steal it because I thought Tweed had a touch of urea about it's scent!

    Jem - YOU are fantastic too. Put your talents to use in 2012, don't be shy, you won't ever regret trying. x

    SB - how lovely of you to drop by, welcome! How DO you maintain so many blogs? Glad to have a fellow citizen of the valleys on board, very glad.

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  28. The main one is Grown Up Backwards...I just busk the rest or allow them to bide their time.

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  29. ahh luce, your posts are well worth waiting for, and since yours are always worthy of a re-read it's easy to stay entertained by you in the meantime. Having been delighted at meeting some bloggers in real life this year, and being nostalgic for booze and related antics, my wish for 2012 is to go out on the tiles with you. Since that is unlikely as I plan to be pregnant and in NZ, I'd settle for daily 'being of sound mind' posts?

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  30. such a nice blog!
    xx
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    share the feeling
    visit <3
    samecookiesdifferent.blogspot.com

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  31. Beautiful lucy, both post and you in your pic. I have made some true friends via blogging, people that know me more than the people i see on a daily basis. Here's to a wonderful 2012 and I am very much looking forward to reading about your year of change. Big Love and extra special christmas wishes Scarlett x

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  32. You gorgeous shit-talking biatch!
    We need to see more of your sparkling self in 2012.
    I come to wish you an Unhappy Christmas!

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  33. Just dropping by to say Merry Christmas. I've been away this month (needed a blogging break) but normal service to resume in January. Thanks for following and commenting so regularly this year.

    Hope your Christmas is all you wished for.

    Mark

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Sorry I am having to filter comments at the moment