It's only taken a move to London to have a close encounter with a heron

This weekend, I finally got the opportunity to have a little explore! Admittedly, it wasn't a planned explore, but I'm glad it happened because it really brought me back to feeling like my proper self!

I've spent the past month and a bit absolutely loving life. It still doesn't feel quite real that I actually live in London, and I'm sort of finding myself waiting for my visit to come to an end. But it is real. I do live in London. And I've now been in my own place for a week, so I really really live here now!

The pace of life here is something you're aware of, but that you don't really notice or think about until you take a step back. My visit to Norwich a couple of weekends ago made Norfolk feel s l o w. But then I thought, perhaps London is just that fast? ... I'm now thinking it's probably a bit of both. I've been swept into a real whirlwind here. At work, at home, at play. Everything just flashes by and so much is happening all the time! I love it, because I'm someone who manages to make flashing by happen even when most people would feel as though there was not a lot going on, but it is exhausting!

This weekend, I got lost. At one point, I couldn't help but wonder whether I was doing a bit of a Rosie's Walk through some rather conspicuous areas (massively geeky teacher/children's literature reference alert!!), but I was absolutely fascinated nevertheless, and loved that I was completely out of control of where I was headed.

I'm a commute-lover. As long as I can watch the world go by with some pleasant musical accompaniment/interesting conversation to ear-wig in to, I'm content. But at the same time, it was rather refreshing to be off the beaten track and to have some new experiences this weekend.

As with most people, I am a creature of habit, so like to return to places where I can be comfortable in the knowledge that I will enjoy myself. I am also a water-baby (who can't swim), so am always drawn to the sea, lakes, and rivers to paddle, wander and stare at reflections. On Saturday I discovered the River Lea upon getting completely lost whilst im pursuit of a retail park where I was intending to purchase exciting items such as lightbulbs and timer switches. As I walked through the gate that took me along the 'River Walk' (so the sign told me), I couldn't help but feel that that wasn't actually what I wanted to be doing. However, as I continued along the path, narrowly avoiding cyclists and dog-walkers abundant, I began to feel quite glad that I had taken such a monumental detour, particulaly as I neared a tallish grey/black feathered friend with a long beak; which in my ignorance/Norfolk-girl-snobbery I assumed couldn't possibly be a heron in London, but must instead be a 'wooden thing'. It transpires that herons London are, unsurprisingly, a lot more tame than those fleeing the scene in Thornham, as he stood all tall and proud as I gingerly walked by (those beaks really are long)! Fortunately, I did eventually make it to the retail park for my boring shopping - I had to make sure the day was at least partially productive to allow for fraternising with river birds.

Wandering all the way to and from Stamford Hill along the cycle route, exploring a little more of the local area, Shoreditch on a rainy Sunday, it's been quite the weekend of adventure! I'm now on a mission to have a little explore each weekend to keep inquisitive Laura entertained. Plan is to choose a point on the tube, and go! I'm excited!

Postcards to Norfolk

31 days ago I finally made the move to London!

A lack of blogging, Tweeting and Facebooking may well be a sign that life has just got that dis-interesting, but I'm hoping it's all or more to do with how busy I've suddenly become!

I've always loved to keep busy and thought I was already pretty good at it.. but over the past month I think I might have begun to learn what busy really feels like! This weekend I finally took a step back to view my new London lifestyle from the clearer air and slower pace that Norfolk provides (as well as SO MUCH SKY). I don't think I could have come from a more contrasting place, and it was certainly entertaining to observe the comparisons!

A lover of life and someone with the ability to appreciate and admire beauty in almost everything and everyone, I stand in good stead for the time ahead of me in London!

Instead of feeling beyond guilty like I thought I would following a weekend where very little school-work has been attempted in comparison with the past few weekends spent in school (or at least with my laptop forming some kind of arm extension around the house and surrounded by laminating to be cut up), I am heading back to London with a clear head and a large dose of let's-do-this attitude and determination to get as far ahead of myself as possible (keep on dreaming over-enthusiastic Laura)! Teaching is HARD. But instead of moaning on about the trials and tribulations of my first month, I will just revel in the success of survival. Every day has been an adventure, and as soon as one days ends I can't wait for the next! The cynic in me is waiting for the novelty to wear off, but a big reason for my choice to teach was that there will never be a dull moment, and when working with children, there certainly never shall be!

Upon returning to my blog, I am suddenly aware that my move to London has rendered the address redundant. Instead of postcards (or realistically in this case, rambling letters) from Norfolk, I shall write postcards to Norfolk (and with my new found hectic schedule, postcards is exactly what they will be!). Expect awe at the magnitude of London from a young woman coming from a town where her house is the tallest building she knows, recounts of ventures into new parts of the city, and tales of my wandering into everything and everyone as I gaze in wonder at everything above and around me. It's going to be fun!

(First time written on my phone, I know I'm going to hate the layout when I reach a computer!!)

Our garden

Although this is the shortest summer I have had in 5 years, it certainly feels like a summer well-deserved after a long, long year!

Having had to abandon all hobbies in favour of endless planning and resource-creating, I have already begun to make attempts to reclaim my pre-PGCE self. Yesterday, I finished the third book I have read since I finished the course, and the fourth book I have finished in 4 years whilst escapism into fiction has been replaced with endless academia. The book was Summer Book by Tove Jansson (author of the Moomin series – although this is one of her ten adult novels) and it was very idyllic and nostalgic with beautiful, simple imagery throughout. While summers for Sophia and her grandmother seem to be marked by events of interest, mine take a rather more habitual turn (particularly the parts of summer spent at home). Each year I seem to find myself doing the exact same things that I have done every year before. Already, having spent less than a week at home, this summer is no exception! 

Days will usually go in one of two directions (or, more often than not, consist of a combination of the two)

1.      A day spent in the garden 

2.       A day spent reminding myself how to play my instruments

As I write this, I am sat on the decking in the garden enjoying the sunshine, surrounded by an extraordinary amount of butterflies and buzzing things (I admit, the buzzing things are slightly off-putting, and slightly too close to my head, but it’s a comfort to know that they’re certainly not dying off in our garden)! Today the temperature is only in the low 20s, and there is a slight breeze rustling through the trees and tickling my neighbour’s wind chimes. To my right is brilliant blue sky, to my left the clouds are looming, but I’m convinced that the temperature won’t drop too far and the rain won't come and force me to move! Not quite the conditions to participate in my favourite garden pastime, a day like today is instead an opportunity to entertain my inner-middle-aged-lady and do a spot of gardening! Of course the hard graft is Dad’s responsibility, so I’m left in the fortunate position of being able to use the garden for a bit of horticultural therapy – if horticultural therapy isn’t a thing which someone is capitalising on, it most definitely should be!

When we first arrived at number 111 our garden was more like a jungle; overgrown, and overrun with brambles and stinging nettles. There was a ‘pond’, which was literally a washing up bowl sunk into the ground, and a stray kitten which had already claimed the jungle as its own. Over the years the garden has grown into what it is now, but throughout, one thing has been constant, and is the reason why I love it so much; the garden at number 111 is really just an extension of the house. Although perhaps whilst in its jungle-like state it was less accommodating, as we stripped away the interior of the house, so too was the exterior stripped back to discover what lay beneath. 

The top of the garden nearest the house; the washing up bowl/pond
was in amongst this somewhere

The bottom of the garden; this is where we now park our cars!
(I don't even know what the metal thing near the fencing post is?)

The first part of the garden to be uncovered was the small patch of grass which still remains today. In the early days we would sit out on the grass for lunch with the kitten (to whom the jungle really belonged).

Not the most attractive photo of any of us. Oh the 90's!

Nowadays there are also three patio areas and the decking to choose from and we’ve even upgraded from a picnic blanket to patio furniture where breakfast, lunch, and tea are consumed whenever possible! Al fresco dining is quite the luxurious experience in the Brockway household, although I do feel for my poor, unsuspecting neighbours who have had to bear witness to countless risqué conversation topics over the years whilst I have entertained my girl friends! Our patios have provided the perfect place for an over-spill of guests at parties thrown by my brother and I, whilst in my younger days and the beginnings of my ‘musical career’, the decking became a stage for concerts performed to my long-suffering parents (photos of which I am massively upset not to be able to locate)! Oh wait..

Year 6; this is what Laura the clarinettist looks like!

Throughout our childhood, the garden was brought alive by mine and my brother’s imagination. Our sheds lie between a cherry tree and a medlar, and when we were smaller, lighter and more limber (I say this, I may have to test the theory!), we had our own little treetop world to play in. We could easily spend hours up there, on look-out (or rather, spying on the neighbours), and pretending to be explorers. The beauty of our garden is that it is split into two. At one end lie the patios and the decking. At the other, secreted away by a Dogwood and various other tall and wide shrubs, is the lawn and our trees. We used to camp out for the day, making fires and sneaking to the house for provisions!

In the very early stages of stripping the interior of the house, lots of floorboards were kept outside providing excellent den-building materials! Suddenly the trees were exclusively our own as we built entrances at the bottom which only we were small enough to squeeze through. As exciting as these floorboards were, my favourite piece of abandoned furniture must have been the bath, which of course became a boat amongst other things and took us on many exciting adventures around the world! Unfortunately we couldn’t convince mum and dad to let us keep it.

Upon visiting friends, it often felt as though most gardens belonged to their parents, where they were expected to keep off the grass and away from the flower beds! Our garden has never been like that; it is a place for anyone who may come to be there. As a friend even said to me today, ‘your garden feels like you could be anywhere in the world when you’re sat in it’. I don’t think it will ever lose its magical qualities, even in adulthood. 

Food & wine on the decking this summer, bliss.

Today I climbed a hill

Today I climbed a hill. It’s a hill I’ve been wanting to climb(/drive to) since I moved to the city in 2009, and as my time in Norwich comes to an end, I’ve been attempting to tick off a few spots!

Throughout the year, I’m constantly in a slight predicament. I believe that the reason us Brits talk so much about the weather is because in our country, it’s actually really interesting! I love the seasons; and although I may moan about each one a little when it’s around, there’s certain things about Spring, Summer, Autumn, and actually probably mostly Winter, that I just can’t get enough of. As I began to write in Winter, I’m pretty sure I’ve already hinted at some of my cold weather loves (did somebody say CHRISTMAS and snuggly jumpers?). But finally the season of sunshine is upon us, and I don’t think I’m ever happier than when the sun is beating down on me and I’m lying outside without a care in the world.

Having been spoilt with ridiculously long summers for the past six years, I am very aware that this is my last one of such excessive length for the foreseeable future, so every bit of it is being made the most of! The main aim for the summer, as I’m sure I suggested when writing about the Gorillas, is to embrace my inner Norwich tourist and to explore some of the lesser known (to me) parts of the city. I have, of course, also been making frequent visits to my favourite parts and absolutely intend to continue to do so until someone finally drags me away...

The tourism began with a closer look inside the The Cathedral of St John The Baptist on Earlham Road. A massively impressive building which I have walked past at least every week if not every day on occasion, I had not ever taken a proper opportunity to look inside. I can safely say that the pews are highly uncomfortable, and that lots of ceiling gazing once occurred at a concert, but wandering around was much more pleasant. As Catholic Cathedrals go, it is not too expensive and covered in gold, but instead boasts bold and relatively modern architecture in the grand scheme of things (its building completed in 1910), and is just really very big! No matter where in the world, I like to step into churches and cathedrals – just another 30 to go in Norwich!

In the same day, we also stumbled upon Cow Tower whilst on the Gorilla Trail. Although not nearly as impressive, it made for a pretty picture or two, and I’m glad to have seen it having had it allude me for four years.

The beach of a Monday evening should happen every Monday evening was the decision made after a trip last week! I’m a little bit of a North-Norfolk-coast-snob, but I may have been persuaded that it’s not all bad in this direction after a trip to Winterton (where I had never ventured before) for an evening wander and some fish and chips. I say that I am never happier than when the sun is beating down on me and I’m lying outside without a care in the world, but actually, put me on a beach and it doesn’t matter what the weather! On this occasion we were actually very lucky, as even the sea was a highly acceptable temperature for a paddle – oh I do LOVE to be beside the seaside.

A day spent on Cromer beach yesterday, and I admit the hill (part of Mousehold Heath by the prison on Britannia Road) was a little exhausting as we were battered by winds whilst waiting for the sun to appear for the perfect picture. 

But I could happily sit and gaze at the view of the Norwich ‘skyline’ for a really, really long time.

P.S I know that most seem to go to Mousehold Heath with visions of the ‘romantic’ powers of a view leading to a spot of canoodling, but I’d recommend going with romantic intentions or otherwise! (The ‘awkward-situation-making’ powers, as loud conversation and your camera shutter snapping the view result in teenagers resembling meerkats in their startled state, are also quite the highlight)!

GoGoGorillas!

Summer has finally reared its beautiful head, and upon completing my PGCE year, the time has come to make the most of Norwich before I disappear! Although I did have to return to school on Monday and Tuesday of this week, there was no need to prepare for the two days and so last weekend was well spent ‘relaxing’ in the only way I know how... by wandering for miles. A most exciting occurrence in the form of a friend returned from a year abroad in America meant that a very English weekend was in order; so we became tourists in our own county, and in what has been our own city for three and four fond years. 

The summer in Norwich is always full of surprises, and last week the gorillas descended! During one of my teaching practice placements, one of the teachers had been commissioned to paint a gorilla, so I’ve been very excited to see them, and my first weekend off seemed the perfect opportunity! GoGoGorillas! are a collection of sculptures painted by local and regional artists, community groups and schools. Each one is sponsored, and will eventually raise funds in an auction at the end of the event for Break charity and the Born Free Foundation. There are 53 large gorillas, and an additional 66 baby gorillas decorated by local schools across Norfolk; it is currently rather difficult to walk more than a few paces in the city centre without being accosted by one in a shop window, or bumping into one as you turn a corner!

As a self-confessed walkaholic, I didn’t think that 53 gorillas in a day would be too much of a challenge, but it turns out that Norwich isn’t the tiny city I think of it as, and the gorillas are pretty well spaced out! However we did manage a respectful 30ish, and many more babies! At this point I don’t feel that writing about them does them the best justice, so here are a few of my favourites to speak for themselves (absolutely, definitely worth doing the trail if I may say so - I am determined to finish it at the next opportunity)

(Claim to fame gorilla - saw him/her in the progressive stages)

More gorillas this way; possibly the most colourful of my Facebook albums!

Post gorillas there was recovery in the form of summer cocktails at The Assembly House (which I will miss HUGELY), and a very tasty macaroon selection from Macarons & More (which I can’t believe I’ve only just discovered)!

The next day we bounded off to the Sainsbury Centre and prompted by a staggering collection of artefacts from around the world, created a bucket list of countries to visit, before paying a visit nearer to home to the ponies and donkeys at the sanctuary behind the lake. A picnic on a jetty, and a good old fish and chip lunch the day before; I do believe I’m quite good at being typically English (particularly good at being stubborn in my determination to walk everywhere; our feet HURT by the end of the weekend - so much for 'relaxing'). 

Duck Egg Designs

African Elephant Fabric Print

In most of my spare moments lately, I seem to find myself longing for a home of my own, or at least dreaming of putting my own stamp on a place next year; I complete my post-graduate degree in 7 days, and have a job to go to in London for September! Thus, I’m in a constant state of extreme excitement and nervousness. I'm excited because I suddenly feel as though everything really has been worth it, and the potential for me to live my dream lies ahead of me. I'm nervous to start a new job, move to a new city, and begin a new phase of my life – I just have to make sure it all runs smoothly now! Having always been extremely interested in interior designs since the days of Changing Rooms and Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, dreams of how my own home may take shape have certainly changed over the years; but are always in the back of my mind nevertheless. Of course I won’t be buying a home of my own for next year, but this time, I’ll be renting indefinitely as opposed to for a fixed term as I have been while I’ve studying at the UEA. In Norfolk I seem to be in interior heaven, and as the summer approaches I envisage I shall be making frequent visits to the many antiques barns, independent designers around the coast, and the open studios filled to the brim with stunning art work. I’m spoilt for choice (if money were no object at least)!

Most recently I have come across Norfolk-based (although not entirely Norfolk-based as they also have ‘nests’ in Chelsea, Kent and Gloucestershire) Duck Egg Designs and can’t stop browsing the beautiful products on their website;

http://www.duckeggdesigns.com/

Child's Wicker Chair

The staple colours in their designs are light and fresh and would make the inside of any home feel like it was on the coast, or at least in the countryside. What with currently being in the process of looking for residence next year, I am extremely aware of how much I will miss the coast when I move to London (as if my love for the coast wasn’t blindingly obvious enough)! For that very reason, I can imagine my home next year is going to be scattered with nostalgic items and decorated in ‘beachy’ colours and memorabilia to make me feel at ease. Although I obviously moved out of home to come to university, the move over this summer feels a little more real as it will be on a more indefinite basis. Suddenly I feel a little more grown up, which at the moment seems to be drawing my inner child back out of me. For the past few weeks, I have been listening to all the music I listened to when I was a young teenager, and as I browse the Duck Egg Designs website, the beautiful items for children leap out at me! When I was growing up, we used to move around quite a lot as a family, so memories of moving into our current family home are very striking. My favourite thing about our move to our current family home was the trip to a huge antiques barn where I got to choose some furniture to go in my bedroom. The most memorable piece was a cream wicker chair that sat in the corner of my room. It was my first chair and I used to sit and read in it for hours! This lovely little sky blue wicker chair is even child-sized (and admittedly slightly more expensive than mine was, but certainly in much better condition, particularly by the time mine had been abused by our builders on their smoking breaks)!

Norfolk Crab Fabric Print

I first came across Duck Egg Designs on an episode of Kirstie’s Vintage Home where a couple created their own print fabric to make into a blind. All of the fabric prints are so pretty, but I particularly love the Norfolk crab print (can’t wait to go crabbing this summer!) as it’s so characteristic of my Norfolk, but my personal favourite are the African elephants as I have a penchant for anything elephant (as can be seen from my ring collection)! The Norfolk-themed items really strike a note with me; as well as the Norfolk crab print, the Blakeney, Burnham and Wells stripe fabrics reflect beautiful, seaside colours.

Something I’ve been looking for for a while now is an antique mirror and the oval mirrors by Duck Egg Designs are simply beautiful. I’m a firm believer in mirrors everywhere and anywhere (not just because I take so much pleasure in my own face, but also I’m a lover of light, and mirrors are great for bouncing what little light there may be in a room to every nook and cranny!), and I could see any of these mirrors sitting on the wall in various rooms around the house!

Painted Vintage Oval Mirror, White Oval Mirror, Vintage Oval Mirror

In all honesty, I’ll probably end up living in a cardboard box next year. But it’s always nice to dream. 

Field Day

Ben Pearce, Stealing Sheep, Jacques Greene, Dark Dark Dark, Solange, Bat For Lashes, Four Tet.

Having had such an amazing time last year, decided to grace Field Day with our presences again last weekend, and so glad we did! Ultimately, I’m still not that accustomed to festivals as although I have now attended a few quite a few times, I tend to return to the same festivals so have hardly had a broad experience. I only mention this factor, as things that I now go on to say that ‘I love about Field Day’, may indeed be things that I’d love about other festivals too if I gave them the chance!

Ecstatic over SO MUCH NACHO

Obviously the notable thing for me about Field Day is the way that the line-up suits my musical taste and attitude to a T (tee? tea? One of life’s little mysteries)! Whilst last year it was Andrew Bird who caught my attention, this year I was lured by Four Tet and Jacques Greene. Although I go in with a very definite plan of what I will be seeing, at the same time, each year I have been introduced to new likes as I find myself sitting by a random stage while I graze the various food stalls (another great thing about Field Day, the INCREDIBLE food selection)! As I write this post, I am listening to Stealing Sheep who were the accompaniment to my enormous portion of nachos with piled up toppings this year.

Not only does the festival have a great line-up and amazing food on offer, but it’s all for an extremely reasonable price too (which is probably the main selling point while I’m still a student if I’m honest)! This year there are even super early bird tickets on sale for £35 which I've leapt at!! It may sound like a potentially risky move to buy this early, but having perused ‘Field Day Past’ (and had my mind blown by the price for consistently incredible line ups of the past) on Facebook, I’d say it's a risk worth taking;

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151689481950820.1073741826.312769280819&type=3

I didn’t actually see that many artists due to a lot of unfortunate clashes, but I love how Field Day is a festival where the sun decides to shine so that lounging around and just taking it all in is made entirely possible, acceptable and highly enjoyable. This year ‘i’ from The Independent was available at the gates with the complete set-list and timings - yet another money saver, also providing somewhere dry to sit on ground that

Technicolour dreamcoat

Beautiful balloons

had unfortunately been rained on for a few days prior to the festival, as well as reading material for in between sets. My highlights were definitely Bat For Lashes and Four Tet, made even better by the fact that they followed on from one another! Both were highly aesthetically pleasing, with Natasha Khan in her shiny, rainbow cape and two-piece, and Kieran Hebden’s release of giant, colourful balloons which floated around above our heads for his entire set. I've been waiting 7 years to see Bat For Lashes as I’ve never actually made it to one of her gigs, so was very excited to see her at Field Day! She played a good mix of her old and new, her energy was boundless and she seemed so happy to be playing in her ‘back garden’ as she referred to Victoria Park; obviously her performance of Laura went down very well with me too, beautiful! I’d also never seen Four Tet live, and despite the silly males nearby who were only there to be in a good position for Animal Collective (although they did prove to be of excellent comic value), I was totally in my element! Thanks to a dastardly cold (IN MAY??) I hadn’t got the most energy on Saturday, but could not stop dancing the whole time – music and balloons is absolutely the best combination!

I don’t want this to turn into a review (if it hasn’t headed in that direction already), so won’t go through every act one by one, but had a truly beautiful day and can’t wait to be back again next year!