On Monday the carpenters popped back in to secure all the shelves into place.
On Friday I got up as usual, and after dropping the girls, went for my run. It was a beautiful sunrise.
I warmed up and had breakfast and then had a few jobs to sort out. I had a shower, then spent a bit of time trying to correct the painting of Woo. It is better, but still a little more to do. Then I walked out to Downend to pick up a few Valentine's gifts, and also had a look around the charity shops.
I went across to the café to wait for Mark and Ben to join me for lunch.
I had picked up a cardigan for Ben, that suited him very well.
On Saturday the main priority for the day was to make sure that Woo got her Duke of Edinburgh submission sorted. But that didn't take all day, so Mark and I started to sort out the shelves.
I joined Ben's Friday ukulele group. I could only stay for half an hour, but it was good to have a little play and sing. Then I went back over to get ready for a 2pm appointment. This was the feedback session for the autism assessment I have done.
The verdict is that I am on the autistic spectrum. I was surprised at how emphatic she was. This meeting in particular was quite unpleasant. Hearing how they had both picked apart my social skills, was not nice. I did raise an objection in that my understanding of the 2 prior appointments had been that they were clinical assessments, not social occasions, so why would I follow up on prompts they had left to enquire about their family?! When she sat saying about how the other doctor had asked a polite question about my journey (not expecting anything other than "OK" apparently), I was criticised because I had gone into detail about how I had planned out the journey to leave me with plenty of time to sit in the café opposite and not be rushed. I thought the level of planning might be relevant to the autism assessment, and I had also thought it was a safe space to say things...apparently not. I didn't think that the things that they had said about my social skills reflected how I was in a social situation. So it did make me doubt the assessment. But it also left me feeling deflated and deficient in the way it was presented, like I should be trying harder to be a better person. I am glad I have been through the process, but primarily to help other people not feel so rubbish if they are going through the same.
I think some of it will be useful for work, but beyond that, I am really not sure what to make of it all yet. But I did ask for it!
So I felt pretty fragile the rest of the evening, and it was nice to settle down in our front room with TeamChallis and watch a film.
We brought all the boxes in that have stored our books and objects for the last nearly 6 months I guess.
I took a break to help Woo with DofE, but also she wanted to sort through her dresses, and does love a trying on session. I should have taken more pictures, she can't help but look cool at the moment!
And started to sort everything into piles...
We went across to the hatch for lunch. On the way back, Woo was talking about the Wes Anderson aesthetic and they posed for some pictures in the Wes Anderson style.
On this side (below) we have all the fiction: short stories and science fiction, then a shelf of poetry, then novels.
On this side below, are all the non-fiction. Starting at the top, left to right we have: history and biography, then a shelf of philosophy and "thinking" books (maths, brain development, feminism that sort of thing). Then objects, then photo albums, then 2nd from bottom: art books, gardening, travel, and sustainability. The bottom shelf will have boxes with more photos and odd bits.
I love it.
Mark sat down to enjoy the space with some rugby and I settled down with my book. (Now reading Circe by Madeline Miller).
On Sunday I got up for yoga at 9:15. Ben arrived just as it started, we hadn't had much chance to speak. His phone started ringing and it turned out that his cat was dying. He rushed back home and his cat had to be put down later that day. I did feel awful for him.
We want another chair on this side of the room. I had got a shortlist of which the chair below was my favourite (Ossie chair in Biba Berry). We got a bit of cardboard the same footprint and had a play around with whether it would go. At first we were looking at it with the cabinet into the corner (as per the photo above). That wouldn't leave much room to get in through the door and it was all looking a bit tight. But then I had a brainwave, that the cabinet could move towards the door, and the chair would sit up next to the shelves (at an angle). This would make a lovely little reading nook. It also gives the best view out of the window. It fell into place, and we got on with ordering it. It is going to be a while until I get my chairs, but it now does feel like a finished room. 
On Sunday I got up for yoga at 9:15. Ben arrived just as it started, we hadn't had much chance to speak. His phone started ringing and it turned out that his cat was dying. He rushed back home and his cat had to be put down later that day. I did feel awful for him.
It was a miserable day too. The kind of day that makes you glad to be inside. I did nip out briefly to right an overturned lamp. I spotted my crocus starting to emerge.
My primroses are looking good too.
I had picked up some more cyclamen on Friday. I hadn't deadheaded my previous ones well enough, but have now learnt that trick so these should fare better.
Bunnykins had been squirrelled away in the workroom making a bird for school.
I made a bit of room for myself to have a go at removing the glue from a lovely Denby plant pot that I had found at the charity shop. At some point the base had cracked off, but the glue was applied so poorly. I had got some superglue remover and I am hoping that I can re-glue it using the Kintsugi method.
Woo had been feeling really lethargic, she got out of bed for lunch, but went back again. I think if her body is telling her to sleep, then if it is possible....she should do it. She has such early mornings in the week.
Bunnykins suggested we play Catan. It was a fun game and I was really glad she had suggested it.
In the late afternoon, I had a phone call with Stella. It was so good to catch up, especially snuggled up in my beautiful parlour with the rain streaming down the window.
No comments:
Post a Comment