Did everyone have a fantastic Bank Holiday weekend? What a spectacle! Don't we do pomp and ceremony well? I loved seeing all the fabulous outfits and regalia. I loved the sense of community and the welcoming of different faiths.¯ It was nice to see both the traditional and the contemporary celebrations. I thought the concert was brilliant and¯I particularly loved¯Take That.¯ They took me right back to my teens and I was singing from the sofa (although it would have been nice to see Robbie back).
I love a party but can't handle it like I used too. Is anyone else feeling a little burnt out by so many Bank Holidays? Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate it, but I could have used my free time more wisely rather than Party, Party, Party!! ????.¯
Instead of dwelling on the negatives, I'm going to celebrate 3 things that I did do well
The cocktail of friends and family visiting, a once in a lifetime celebration, a fabulous street party (if a little wet) and copious amounts of booze at my fingertips meant I took full advantage and regressed back to my 20's. I loved every minute of it, but I don't think I'm good when I start the day with Kir Royales before breakfast.
I now feel desperate for a detox after what feels like 2 weeks of drinking and eating, and I need to dig deep to find my well-hidden superpower that I struggle to find most of the time- WILL POWER!
Will power is there in abundance when I feel fit and healthy and the sun is shining, but introduce alcohol and it all goes Pete Tong.
Instead of dwelling on the negatives, I'm going to celebrate 3 things that I did do well
1) I haven't eaten any crisps since Christmas even though everyone who knows me knows that they are my Achilles heel. I made an agreement with my Son to try and go a whole year without, so the challenge is on! My only cheat is the odd pack of Scampi Fries as they are described as a ˜cereal snack' on the packet.
2) I had fun and celebrated a momentous occasion in style with family and friends...but possibly didn't need the pub and cocktail crawl afterwards.
3) I made a new year's resolution to get more active and do more things that I enjoy, so I started boxing and joined a community choir.
A choir where you are encouraged to boogie and not sing like an angel
I can't say I'm any good at singing, but I do love it and find it so therapeutic. I am singing in a big group of people from all walks of life and all ages. It's not a stuffy choir, it's a 'sing your heart out and just have fun choir'.¯ A choir where you are encouraged to boogie and not sing like an angel (another Robbie reference) but feel the rhythm instead.¯ We do all sorts of songs from Fleetwood Mac to Oasis, and we do a lot of harmonising together.
Turns out I'm a soprano and I've got to say it's really hard to hit some of the high notes. My voice has definitely changed since the days when I sang the solo of 'Once in Royal David's City' at school, but luckily, when everyone opens their mouths, we all sound amazing. It's a real buzz and I˜m enjoying it more than I ever imagined (although my family are not so passionate about my wailing in the shower).
Now I'm having to learn the songs off by heart I am really appreciating the lyrics. I have never listened carefully enough to them before and most of the time made my own words up. It's not necessarily a power ballad but just a simple line that resonates with me or makes me think. Last night we were singing Freedom by George Michael and each and every word is so personal to him and his experience of being true to himself. I used to just love the song for the tune, but now I love the lyrics too.
My current favourite lyric is...
"Even educated fleas do it...
...let's fall in love'. It says it all in one quirky line and means nothing if you don't know the song. ¯I now wear it handstamped on a bangle.
From Wordsworth to Whitney the options are endless and it's just about finding yours.
Here at PTD we love to handstamp a family's names or wedding dates, but we can also handstamp something that inspires you and touches your heart. We all have a favourite song or poem and it's time to celebrate these meaningful words.¯ From Wordsworth to Whitney the options are endless and it's just about finding yours.
It could be a lyric from your first dance, or from the first single you bought (mine was ˜More than words' by Extreme), a favourite song that you share with a best friend or partner or simply a song you heard, or the words that resonated with you at a special moment in time.
Everyone has a song ...just think about yours.
It could be a Take That number to celebrate a right Royal occasion.¯ Never Forget!
