tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679683122533623452024-02-07T00:48:38.855-08:00The NyLon NestThe NyLon Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16389560031929106445noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167968312253362345.post-10911928142157391032013-10-25T05:17:00.001-07:002013-10-25T05:17:16.232-07:00What Ever Happened To Sisterhood?
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A small disclaimer: When it comes to motherhood, I have it easy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite my husband and I both being 'challenging' babies, by a strange
twist of fate we've somehow managed to produce a good-natured, easy-going girl.
I'm by nature a worrier, a panicker and easily stressed and by all
accounts was expected to be that type of mother but plenty have expressed
surprise at how calmly I've taken to motherhood. I'd love to take credit
for my unexpectedly serene approach but the simple fact is that Liv makes it
easy. She's never been ill, she's always eaten well without fuss and
she's a champion sleeper. Champion. It won't make me many friends
to admit this but she regularly doesn't wake up until after 9am, after having
gone to bed at some point between 7- 8pm and until recently was happily taking
two naps a day of up to 2 hours each. I don’t know how or why, I just
thank my lucky stars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of all this
luck, the quirks of my husband's working hours mean that he's often around at times
during the day to help out and is very involved with her day-to-day routines. And the times when he's out working of an evening have a silver lining,
as with Liv asleep and the place to myself, I get plenty of opportunities for
much needed 'me time', which is essential for a new mother's sanity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're also fortunate enough that I had the choice of not returning to
work and am instead able to follow my husband around the world with our
daughter, which is just the most incredible luxury - the fact that we can all
be together is worth more than anything to us. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh and living in this day and age makes things easier too. While
we're grateful for washing machines, dishwashers, microwaves, dust-busters and
other household gadgets that make life easier, it's the newer technologies that
I'm eternally grateful for. In the early days of breastfeeding, being
able to distract myself at 4am with emails and articles on my smartphone or a
good book on my e-reader helped those initial drawn-out feeds seem more
bearable. I had white-noise apps and bedtime story apps and music to
distract Liv. I had apps to record her vague schedule to see patterns in
her behaviour and apps that gave me weekly updates on roughly what she should
be up to, with forums where I could seek advice or reassurance or solutions
from mothers with babies the same age. And how would I have coped without
Google?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any slight niggle or worry was
usually solved with a quick search and realization that whatever was bothering
me was completely normal. How my grandmothers both raised six children
without all this help and under harsh financial conditions is beyond me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If it helps you not completely hate me, I should mention that I had a
tricky pregnancy, moved country when my daughter was 3 weeks old and have been
travelling back and forth ever since, my father nearly died when Liv was 10
weeks old and then spent 6 months seriously ill in hospital while we were
mostly stuck on the other side of the world, her other grandfather has also
been seriously unwell this year and due to our travelling and our parents’
health crises, we haven’t had anyone to take her off our hands occasionally for
a break. Plus, the next little one might be a complete nightmare, so don’t
write me off completely!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the point of all this, is to explain that despite being blessed with
so much luck, I have at times really struggled. There have been brief
periods when everything has seemed all too much. I found breastfeeding
tough and it took almost six months to feel comfortable with it. Like any
other baby, Liv has struggled with teething, had bouts of colic, suffered
through growth spurts and ‘wonder weeks’ and we have suffered with her.
There’s a reason why sleep deprivation is used as a torture method and
for those few weeks when sleep has been a distant memory and I’ve been battling
to get through the day feeling horrendous and with a sad and angry little girl
who’s in pain or confused and frustrated, I’ve had a peek into what some people
have to deal with all the time. Those mothers (and fathers) whose little
ones are sick, or have special needs, or whose partners are absent, either
permanently or temporarily, or are struggling with huge worries and burdens, or
who just have a tricky baby like my mother did – I was an underweight, colicky
and sickly baby, who was allergic to milk, had constant ear infections and
picked up every bug going and just basically cried and refused to eat or sleep
most of the time. In those patches when I’ve caught a glimpse of the
harsh reality for plenty of other parents, I’m so grateful to have had so much
good fortune and it serves as a reminder to go easy on other parents, as you
never know what they're battling with.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't really have a parenting method or mantra, other than to do
whatever works for me and my family to stay sane and to be prepared to try
anything. I started out before Liv was born with a few set ideas and most
of those have gone out of the window. I had preconceptions about various
parenting styles and was often judgemental but now I just do whatever it takes
to work for us and I'm open to all sorts that previously I would never have
considered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The reason for this splurge is that I noticed on Facebook the other day
that a couple of totally unrelated friends had commented on the same post.
I was intrigued and realised it was a post written by fairly well known ‘baby
guru’. It wasn't anything particularly exciting, just a story of a recent
client's baby and the success of her methods. One of my friends had
commented that she'd found the same methods helpful with her daughter and a few
other mothers had followed suit. And that's where it should have ended.
Except, there was suddenly a barrage of abusive comments from other
mothers in their hundreds, calling the 'baby guru' all sorts of atrocious things
but much more shockingly, completely condemning the mothers who were following
her methods. And the language was more than a little fruity. Really
disgusting words and insults being slung about. And accusations of abuse by the
mothers using the methods. For the record, it's a variation of sleep
training and a fairly mild one at that (I'd even bought the book myself but due
to laziness, had never got beyond the first few chapters). I was utterly
shocked. How new mothers could treat each other like that was beyond me -
they more than anyone should know how hard it can be and how difficult it is to
survive the first few months of any baby, let alone a tricky one. And
what sort of an example is that to set, with such harsh words and treatment of
others?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So really, this is just a plea to all mothers to support each other,
regardless of your opinions. Don't be quick to jump to conclusions or
judge too harshly. You never know what another mother's having to deal
with. We're all just trying to survive and do our very best for our
families. How we manage that is up to us. If you've got it all
worked out and are sailing through everything perfectly, then bully for you. But for goodness sake don't let your smugness
actually turn you into a bully. </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->The NyLon Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16389560031929106445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167968312253362345.post-15793154474368717142013-10-04T09:29:00.002-07:002013-10-04T09:29:56.399-07:00Teething with Blueberry Pancakes
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I rue the day that I idly declared that 'this teething malarkey' was
woefully inefficient and it would be better for a whole load to pop through
during one short and sharp nightmarish week, rather than dragging on for months
in dribs and drabs. Turns out the gods, or my daughter, were listening
and Liv seems to cutting six all at once, which unsurprisingly has culminated
in a nightmarish few weeks. Especially when combined with the delights of
a tricky first trimester. The poor little monkey has been suffering
terribly and I've thrown everything I can at the problem - buying every form of
medication / gel / swab / herbal remedy / teething ring going (even the hocus
pocus teething necklace I promised myself never to stoop to) and have been freezing
all sorts of strange things in an attempt to give her some relief. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apart from dealing with her sobbing little face, the hardest thing has
been finding ways to get her to eat. Her previous greediness has
completely vanished as a mouth full of pain has put her off most food, other
than milk, fruit and the odd hunk of frozen bagel. I wouldn't ordinarily
be too worried, as she has plenty of reserves to fall back on but rather
selfishly, I'm less than impressed with the way she's been waking up several
times a night, hungry and needing milk. She hasn't done this since she
was a newborn and I'm in no hurry to go back to those days, especially as we'll
be doing it all over again in a matter of months with No. 2. She's always
been a bit of a berry fiend and thanks for the amazing accessibility and
affordability of fruit from New York's fruit stalls (a fraction of the price of
fruit in London), we've been showering her with berries in an attempt to get
some food into her. While staring at yet another box of blueberries in
the fridge, it occurred to me that I might be able to sneak some extra calories
in her with blueberries pancakes - soft enough for her sore gums, with a touch
of sweetness as an incentive and her favourite blueberries to seal the deal.
Plus, a comfort brunch was definitely needed for us poor parents who had
been up all night.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I promise you that these are super easy to make, as I managed to
blearily put them together in a matter of minutes after just a few hours sleep.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Basic recipe:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;">- 200g (1 1/2 U.S. cups) self-raising flour</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(or if you've run out as I had, 200g plain/all purpose flour and 2 tsp
baking powder)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;">- 1 egg</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;">- 300ml milk (1 1/4 U.S. cups) </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(or buttermilk if you have it - I didn't so added 1 tbsp lemon/lime
juice to the milk and let it sit for 5 mins to make buttermilk)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;">- 1 knob of melted butter</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;">- 1 pack of blueberries</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"> (save a
handful for garnishing)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Optional extras:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 1 tsp baking powder for added oomph<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 3 tsp sugar <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- A pinch of salt<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- A pinch of cinnamon <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mix all the dry ingredients together. Crack an egg in the centre
and stir in, before adding the milk and melted butter. Mix together and
add the blueberries before a final stir.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat your pan to medium. Melt a knob of butter and add three small
spoonfuls/ladles of batter to the pan. Cook for 2/3 minutes until small
bubbles appear on the surface, then flip and cook the other side for another
2/3 minutes. Serve hot. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I like to serve three as an adult portion, with a sprinkling of caster
sugar, maple/golden syrup, a scattering of fresh blueberries and a dollop of
sour cream/thick yoghurt on the side. My daughter gets them plain and in
strips.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The good news is that Liv happily snaffled these and we managed to
squeeze a few more hours’ sleep out of her. Fingers crossed this tricky
patch will be over soon and we can enjoy her toothy grin instead!</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->The NyLon Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16389560031929106445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167968312253362345.post-12158168632541013362013-09-27T11:10:00.001-07:002013-09-27T11:10:43.513-07:00Beauty In A Hurry – 3 Minute Make Up for Busy Mums
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My days of trying out endless beauty treatments and stuffing cupboards
full of beauty products are long gone. As a time-pressed Mum who
flip-flops between countries, often living out of suitcases, it's no longer
practical to have anything but a fast, simple and reliable beauty regime.
I know plenty of people feel you have quite enough to do chasing after
a wee one to be worrying about such trivial things but I've always found a few
minutes spent perking up my face and making things slightly more presentable
can make the world of difference to how I feel. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've got a basic 'ready to face the world' face which takes minutes to
do. Usually I start with a quick dab of brightening moisturiser.
I've dabbled in Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, Clarins Double Serum, Elemis
Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm or whatever magazine freebie/sample I can
lay my hands on (regularly popping into swanky beauty shops and asking for
samples has served me well so far and a few small tubes makes packing all the
easier). I'm not entirely convinced that they work miracles but I always
hope that if I layer on as many light-reflecting products as possible,
something will end up dazzling and distracting from my dark circles. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I conceal away, usually using Laura Mercier Undercover Pot, which
is no-nonsense - especially on those bags and if I remember, I pop a little
Laura Mercier Brightening Powder under my eyes. I've gone through phases
of YSL's Touche Eclat if I've found a good deal at the airport and I made sure
to stock up ahead of Liv's arrival. Maybe it's just a placebo effect but
it made me feel like I was ready for battle. If it's a bad day skin-wise
I might dab on a little BB cream before the concealer but I try to let my skin
breathe as much as possible and only ever use foundation if I've going
somewhere special.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Generally with make up, I try to buy mineral based products.
There's some debate as to how effective they are but since I switched a
few years ago, my skin has never been better, despite all the hormonal ups and
downs. I invested in a whole range of Laura Mercier products at the time
and most of them are still going strong, which is impressive. I
particularly like her mineral primer and mineral powder for lightness despite
full coverage. Her Eye Basics, which is essentially an eyelid primer is
amazing for keeping eyeshadow in place and preventing that gunky crease I used
to get after a few hours. Given the prices, I bought a product or two
each month for a few months until my make up bag was well stocked and only the
Eye Basics is starting to run out, which is pretty good going. So once
you swallow the initial pain, the prices work out pretty reasonably as a little
goes a long way. Another decent alternative, which is much more affordable, is the UNE Natural Beauty range that's pretty accessible in the UK. Boots
and Superdrug often have deals, so if you're lucky with those, it's even more
of a bargain. Their eyeshadows and creamy blushers are particularly good.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, back to my face. If I'm looking peaky, a swirl of Laura
Mercier Bronzing Powder usually does then trick but I always go for a pop of
blusher on the apples of my cheeks. I alternate between an UNE Breezy
Cheeks Blush, which is a cream-to-powder formula or Benefit's Posie Tint.
Don't be freaked out but the neon pink colour - it bends beautifully into
a fresh flush. Occasionally I might follow up with a spot or two of
Benefit's High Beam but just a touch or it can be a bit overbearing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then it's the eyes. Even if I don't bother with anything else,
I curl my eyelashes for a few seconds using Jemma Kidd Eyelash Curlers (another
freebie) to make me look a little more awake. If I can be bothered with
primer and eyeshadow, great, but usually I skip all that and just put a touch
of eyeliner on the outside corner of my eyes for a little feline flick (I
find an idiot-proof felt-pen type works best), and a coat of mascara.
I recently discovered Max Factor's Eye Brightening Tonal Mascara.
I've got bluey/greeny/gray eyes so wasn't really sure whether to go for
the blue or green-eyed option but plumped for the blue one and it seems to works a
treat. It's called Black Sapphire and has touches of sparkly blue, which
sounds a bit retro but I promise is very subtle - it seems to add a tiny brightness
and it's such a light formula that I never get any clumping, despite my lack of
application skill. Then it's just a final slick of eyebrow gel in an
attempt to tame my monster brows and I'm good to go. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Writing it down makes it sounds terribly complicated and fiddly but I
really do manage in a couple of minutes, usually squinting into a tiny hand
held mirror, so I can dart back and forth rescuing whatever product Liv's just
helped herself to.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Painted nails make me feel more competent and that somehow I've vaguely got
it together. One of the bonuses of living in New York is the plethora of
cheap nail bars. They're gradually trickling over the pond but the UK is
still nowhere close, especially on price. When Liv was tiny, I managed a
few successful mani/pedi vists while she was snoozing in her pram but now
there's no chance. She's far too interested in what's going on and wants
to be constantly entertained, which is tricky with no hands or feet available.
So now I resort to occasional home efforts while she's napping. I
used to always try out new and crazy nail colours but now it's not very
practical carting them around and I don't have the time for correcting unfortunate
choices, so I just stick to some basics: in the summer I go for a bright
coral pink on my toes and sometimes hands. Otherwise it's a dark purple
on my toes (Rimmel's 385 Hot List) and usually a very neutral rose pink or
greige on my hands, as I find it more forgiving in hiding chips. Though
if I'm throwing caution to the wind, I'll plump for purple hands too. I
should point out that it's a subtle deep purple - muted and with almost brown tones.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To avoid yellow stains, I always use an undercoat, then it's two coats
of colour and a final very important coat of top coat for shine and protection.
I find Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri a lifesaver, despite the awful name, as
it pretty much sets like concrete in seconds. And you never know when naptime
will suddenly end! Pre-baby I used to paint my hands at work, as I'm too
impatient to stay still with wet nails but found I could stay still while typing,
so I would do a coat, type for half and hour, do the next coat etc. and those
manicures would last really well. Now I find my hands a bit more of an
afterthought but toes are pretty easy to fit in with a little one and the
colour lasts for weeks if not months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
fact before this morning, I’d last painted my toes in July!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were only a few scraps of polish left
but I didn’t have any nail polish remover so I was just waiting it out until it occurred to me to try lightly buffing with a nail file, which removed the last traces perfectly
– a handy fall-back!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Otherwise I'm pretty simple in the beauty department. I use my
Clarisonic Mia 2 in the shower if I remember. I'm blessed/cursed with
super thick hair that only needs washing every 3 days but takes an hour to dry
and straighten once washed, so I rely on my Parlux hairdryer for fast drying
and wide-plated GHD straighteners for taming the frizz. And my only
regular beauty indulgence is eyebrow threading every other week but really
that's a necessity as without it I look like Frida Kahlo. I know big
brows are in right now with Cara Delevingne and Lily Collins rocking the look
but they've not always been around to help me and it's been a while.
Fortunately I have several pairs of Tweezerman Slanted tweezers and
terrifying magnifying mirrors stashed all over the place, so I am never far
from an emergency monobrow solution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So that’s me. What are your
fail-safe beauty basics, shortcuts and tricks?</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->The NyLon Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16389560031929106445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167968312253362345.post-65697527946213667022013-09-25T14:43:00.000-07:002013-09-25T14:51:28.144-07:00A Grey Area<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;">We've just moved into our very own apartment in
Manhattan. The comedy of the buying process is another story but let's
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now we're in, the fun begins - decorating! </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;">This is the first time we've ever started from scratch
- we arrived with nothing but a few suitcases, so it's exciting to be searching
for everything anew. As you can imagine, my Pinterest boards have taken a
bit of a battering but discovering all the New York interiors shops has been
great fun. We're getting there on the basics and things are feeling less
like glamping but increasingly in the search for furniture and colour schemes,
I'm finding myself drawn to grey. Grey, grey and yet more grey. We
all know about <i>that</i> sodding book but what is it about this
colour that feels so fresh and elegant and now? </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;">I've been particularly impressed with grey's
versatility. It's fantastic as a neutral background for making other
colours and metallics pop. It's a great partner for light and darker
wood. And of course there's such a range of gorgeous tones to choose from
with dark inky charcoals, silvery greeny-greys and feathery blue-grays.
And then there's the ability for grey to make textures look super luxe
and expensive - wool, felt, leather, suede. Even plastics suddenly seem
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;">Grey is no longer seen as dreary and depressing, or an
unfortunate 80's throwback (got to love the retro black, red and grey colour
scheme). It's a calming constant in our homes that can provide both
lightness and warmth. And the paint names are a hoot: Farrow &
Ball's 'Elephant's Breath' and 'Mole's Breath' and Benjamin Moore's 'Dragon's
Breath'. I don't know who decided that stinky animal breath was an
attractive image but the marketing strategy seems to be working!</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I'm hoping this grey era is not just a phase,
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6m-XO8dcj7QTJ16OKNVMW0_KpKtpyWu0EhOX-vbPtLBo1ji2Y8fC77c47ww34Pje2qJ2opv9bMjZuxxFY3uAwrRHpxzJiwK0cpOsaxxr04OItnIXZRt7DcbL5odXsQZpwssVKQMcxYER/s1600/Grey+Paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6m-XO8dcj7QTJ16OKNVMW0_KpKtpyWu0EhOX-vbPtLBo1ji2Y8fC77c47ww34Pje2qJ2opv9bMjZuxxFY3uAwrRHpxzJiwK0cpOsaxxr04OItnIXZRt7DcbL5odXsQZpwssVKQMcxYER/s1600/Grey+Paint.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
The NyLon Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16389560031929106445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167968312253362345.post-45685825559073655662013-09-23T20:12:00.000-07:002013-09-25T14:45:23.355-07:00"You are the butter to my bread, and the breath to my life" - Julia Child<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A quick note about butter: please use it with abandon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Salted butter is the only way. And for heaven's sake, if you can't
get your hands on butter, don't substitute with margarine, spreads or other
horrid imitations. No one wants a fake 'buttery taste' - they just want
the butter. The only exception is that in certain cakes (like my banana
bread) a flavourless vegetable or sunflower oil is a decent alternative.
And if you love butter as much as I do - try making your own. It's
surprisingly easy and a great party trick. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Pour a tub or two of double cream into a mixer. Using the whisking
attachment, whisk the cream at a medium speed until it's thick. Continue
whisking but keep a close eye on it and suddenly the magic will happen: buttermilk
will start spurting out of the whipped cream and sloshing around the mixing
bowl. You may need to take cover with a tea-towel. And there you
have it - buttermilk and butter! Separate the two and be sure to keep the
buttermilk for using in other recipes. Then squidge the butter together
and rinse several times until the water runs clear (this stops any residue
buttermilk souring the butter). It's easiest to shape the butter into a
ball in a bowl of cold water, and then pat it dry before salting (preferably
with sea salt). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I like to press my butter into tiny wide-lipped pots, smooth the top and
garnish with yet more sea salt for an elegant accompaniment to home-made bread
for a gathering but you can get even more fancy with stamps or flavourings -
monogrammed herb butters anyone?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
unlikely event you have any left over, the salt should preserve it in the
fridge for a couple of weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Being such a greedy child, most of my memories are food-related
and I distinctly remember being in kindergarten and having grown mustard
and cress in old yoghurt pots filled with soggy wads of kitchen roll.
After waiting patiently for the cress to grow, we were finally able to
harvest our straggly cress and our teacher showed us how to make butter for our
cress sandwiches. We were seated in a circle and a jam jar of cream was
passed round and round for each of us to shake. My memory gets hazy at this
point but I seem to remember after a long time we finally had butter. I
tried replicating this recently while away from my mixer but didn't have much
luck. It might just have been my lack of patience or 20 other willing
hands!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQZnZTPb3TEX4OtpGxZUNNncUs2lsmWgsvhlIv78vyH6jWTLrt7RogeuZRntZVxbYEyQek6jo1n2ArgdSU1kdbgbRh2KdmpdiXQXQXDziFFv8sAxkVvpRPwNDcgHEuHwgQ1HVqpEgumIF/s1600/Butter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQZnZTPb3TEX4OtpGxZUNNncUs2lsmWgsvhlIv78vyH6jWTLrt7RogeuZRntZVxbYEyQek6jo1n2ArgdSU1kdbgbRh2KdmpdiXQXQXDziFFv8sAxkVvpRPwNDcgHEuHwgQ1HVqpEgumIF/s1600/Butter.jpg" height="219" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->The NyLon Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16389560031929106445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167968312253362345.post-26588668789307985452013-09-19T19:00:00.002-07:002013-09-19T19:00:18.037-07:00Jumping In At The Deep End
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">I'm a fully paid-up member of the perfectionist club. An 'all or
nothing' type of person. If I can't do something properly and to my
ridiculously high standards, I'd rather not do it at all. And it all
seemed to be working well for me until recently. Until I became a mother. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I no longer have the time or ability to be a perfectionist. My
previously sharp brain is fuzzy after back-to-back pregnancies and countless
sleepless nights and time is a luxury I can't afford. And frankly, if I
do happen to chance upon a scrap of time at the end of a day, I'd rather
use it to wallow in something totally self-indulgent like box sets, my
Pinterest addiction, or a wedge of cake; than waste it fretting over tiny
details, obsessing over mistakes, or ironing. In fact one of the truly
great discoveries of motherhood, other than the astonishing hijacking of your
heart, is that clothes don't actually need ironing. To be fair, friends
had told me this for years but I just didn't risk believing them, so diligently
wasted days of my life ensuring every item I wore was crisp and freshly
pressed. Apart from pants - even I knew not to sink that low!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But while the ways of a perfectionist had ensured a lovely home, a
successful career and being generally pulled together, I was starting to wonder
how much I was missing out on. How many opportunities were wasted because
I didn't have time to throw myself into them totally and utterly? Did
anyone else really care about my gruelling standards other than me and my
pride? I was increasingly seeing peers bravely pursuing projects and
risks that I had toyed with the idea of myself but didn't feel I had the time
to give them my full and undivided attention, so had put on the back burner.
Because I couldn't bear the thought of trying something and failing.
Being a perfectionist was really a convenient hiding place from the truth
- I was a coward. And it was holding me back.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been meaning to start a blog for years. Oh I've attempted to
make a start several times. I designed logos, I researched how to code, I
even commissioned a template. But I never got round to actually
publishing anything because I wouldn't risk sharing a creation before the
package was completely polished. And I didn't feel I had enough time to
achieve perfection. So of course, nothing ever came to fruition. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">It's taken my pouty-lipped daughter to show me that life is all the
richer for abandoning unnecessary chores and getting by on half-measures. Seeing my to-do list multiply and half-finished jobs pile up is a small
price to pay for the pleasure of watching her destroy my architectural
masterpieces with a squeak of delight. And judging from her squeals, I
gather food is all the more enjoyable when smeared all over your face, body and
anything within reach. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watching her sleep all splayed out with clenched fists high above her
head, completely oblivious to trail of destruction left in her wake, I'm
reminded not to waste precious time trying to perfect things and that if I
need to get anything done, I'm really just going to have to get on with it.
Before she wakes up....<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So now I'm facing the future as a recovering-perfectionist and I'm proud
to say I've just rattled this out during nap-time and have only proof-read
it the once. Well once properly and a final skim-read but that's real
progress! So bear with me while I attempt to be brave and jump in at the
deep end.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->The NyLon Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16389560031929106445noreply@blogger.com0