is there

anything more pleasant to have in your nose than the smell of autumn...?!
seriously..
i went out for a walk round ancoats today at lunchtime....travel-mug of coffee, a very rare smoking-during-school-hours occassion, and just walked, breathed in the air, listened to the kooks, looked at the cold bright day and, well...thought about a lovely man.
i know i keep going on about autumnal bliss but i really am giddier on a bright cold dry day than on any other. i think it wakes me up somehow. i think maybe part of me hibernates during summer...and i've got my smashing new winter coat (MT £2!!) and re-heeled winter boots...
seven weeks til the markets....

the world at one..

for anyone who still reads this..the news from lunchtime today..

me: hi

john: What's going on Hayward?
What's the news?

me: the news is do you guys want to go to trof for a beer tonight?

john: I can't tonight. I've promised I'd see a friend at chess

me: well news goes stale you know

john: I know

me: i could just tell you now

john: I'm already feeling it
And I've not even heard it yet

me: now? you want news now?

john: Well I could hear it now and then you could tell me again ?
How long does the news take?

me: two minutes

john: great

me: ok

john: ok

me: so i told you about the bear of a man
from the wedding

john: yeah

me: i went to london on saturday and met him in the afternoon

john: cool

me: we mooched around on the south bank, looked at books and old maps
mooched some more
went to a pub
sat outside and had two pints of cider over about two hours
talking talking

john: yeah

me: me liking him more

john: ok
this is like a Jane Austin novel
Lorna would love it

me: then we got a tube up to oxford street and went for a roam in behind the main roads and then ate pizza outside this fun pizza place..the kind of one that actually makes you feel like you're in europe and on holiday
loved it

john: I, too, love it

me: so we sat outside of there eating pizza and smoking
and lots more talking
and drinking wine

john: don't stop
I can't bear it
and then......?

me: and i'd told emily who i was staying with that i'd be back at half nine to have a drink with her and helen who is our other friend (these are friends from glos) so then it was ten o'clock and i'd had wine and lost track of time and i didn't fancy my chances of finding my way home by myself
his train home wasn't for ages

john: ok

me: so i said why don't you figuratively speaking walk me home, ie, tube and bus me home
he seemed very pleased not to be being sent home

john: right

me: so then we went down to oxford circus tube and then

john: then what?

me: there was hand holding

john: no way!
he held your hand
ok
keep going

me: and then when we were on the escalator going down to the tube, he was on the step in front of me and so we were the same height, it was the perfect moment and he took it..
kissed me jolly well there and then on the escalator

john: wow!

me: yep

john: What did you do?

me: kissed him jolly well back

john: ok then

me: obviously it was a limited time offer thing, we were on an escalator so someone was going to fall over
and then got the tube
then got a bus
then we got to em's

john: right
then what?

me: and then he came in with me and we hung out on the balcony with the girls for an hour and drank wine and smoked
and they loved him.

john: ahh
then what?

me: so then he had to go so i walked him to the bus then i said i like you and he said i really like you too and then he walked away and then i shouted after him 'bagsie not telling nick! (my brother)' and he was like 'oh no...' and then got on the bus
it was very funny
he looked gutted at me having bagsied it first

john: I bet he was
and what a lovely end to a very great day
and story

john: told exceptionally well
I must say

me: he's coming to visit in a few weeks and i'd very much like you and lorna to meet him..i'm not sure when it is but i think you'd really like him

john: ok
I'll get my hair done specially
don't want him thinking your friends are unclean

me: no indeed
and
he's going to tell nick.

john: Congratulations!

me: tonight
on the phone, which is good, for me, because i didn't want to do it

john: are you nervous?

me: about nick?

john: yeah
they're best friends, right?
who's the biggest?

me: yes..only because i've liked his friend before, a different friend, and he was thoroughly opposed to the idea
they are a very similar size

john: who's win in a fight?

me: i think steve might be a bit bigger
oh man
i really don't know who'd win

john: o

me: that is an excellent question

john: you better find out
in case anything happens

me: they are both very bear-like

john: ok
but gentle too perhaps?

me: indeed

john: I love your life

me: hahahhahahhaha

john: see you on wednesday hopefully

me: have fun in the shire!!
love to lorna
xx

john : thanks
x
bye

ursa major

potential confirmed

autumnally

I’m so excited
Last night, I got home to my flat after London, baby and It was cold….got in bed, cold…slept like a baby………woke up, cold…put big jumper and long jeans on….stepped outside….air - cold….sky - clear….sun - trying…oh and its autumn, people!!!!
I’m bursting with the excitement of it all…..
Honestly, I looked for new winter boots today, and am bringing my pile of winter coats into town tomorrow to get them cleaned. I am thinking about advent and gluwein and fireworks and mittens.
I know, cate and helen, its sheer madness to you, but love me, love my woolly hat…

The (recent) Times Rich (in life) List..

sleep - good..isn't it...? finally...almost two weeks of good sleep now...and i'm tired, alot, because the floodgates are opened, and the months of awakeness are stamping down my door telling me i owe them sleep....the sleep baliffs....and i give in....its good...

wedding - good..i officially love being a bridesmaid..i have never been hugged so many times in one day..never looked so hot...never grinned so much..never drank so much wine...never been to the cafe rene til four am in a posh frock before (yeah we bridesmaids and ushers snuck off to our local after it was all over and rolled home when we'd had enough...)

friends - good (in a crisis, you can rely on hawkes and sal for movies and wine, at work i can trust in the support and encouragement of friends, in the shire i can know that friends love to see me arrive back..some far away friends are happier than i have seen them ever, and some closer to home are nesting, or nursing black eyes, or falling in love, and each one of them surprises me a little more ever year that passes....)

the anticipation of christmas - good.....a little early perhaps, but the nights are darker, and while that means fewer balmy evenings (although i think we had about four of them all 'summer', at last count!) it also means mittens and red starbucks cups and the markets and the delicious joys of advent....can't wait...

god - good (this is not exactly breaking news, perhaps, but reminders are ever-helpful)

family - good (i adore them. i love how collectively happy we were at the wedding and either side of it. my dad beaming, my mum giddy, fiona the belle of the ball, jimmy in tow who was quite the hit, and nick and angela as happy as children, just pure happy...)

skirts - good (its a late end o'the summer campaign to bring back skirts..)

men - good (well, just one..and he's more potentially good, rather than confirmed as good...we'll see...)

'mark watson makes the world substantially better' - good (radio four late-night comedy and my new favourite comedian!)

work - good..just good..

manchester being sunny in september like we've been holding out for - good

hanging out with denno - good..been chuffing ages..worth the wait...

john simpson books - good

the holiday - good..jack black..what a guy..

wallet getting stolen - not as bad as when phone got stolen

nicely painted nails - good

new frizz ease conditioner purchased with advantage card points - good

i think i'm done...

sorry its been so freaking long....i've missed this!!love you x

ok, ok.

lo siento

i suck at this these days, i'm sorry!
lunchtime today, i promise....
les agradezco su paciencia