NOV 5 – After Obama’s win... BLOG #10
Work-wise here...
A is taking his last QLTT exam next week. Has had a few really good meetings re potential jobs.
I am still looking in the entertainment sector for now, although a small part of me is pulling to try something completely different (I believe the high-end spa business will weather this economic storm for example!)
I have one consultancy about to be signed, short-term, and will bring me back in contact with L.A.
There's a second consultancy that might be more long-term and interesting.
Otherwise, positive meetings with different music publishers, managers, mobile, TV.
My dog bite wound has finally scabbed over and I hardly notice it except it's an ugly, etched, red scar.
People here are, naturally, and seemingly without grudge, just cutting back and living simpler lives. Walking or cycling, or taking the train, instead of driving; driving much smaller cars; recycling and trying to be less wasteful; growing their own vegetables (more and more people are doing this; I haven't quite got my head around that yet!); keeping the house cooler and wearing a sweater, instead of walking around in a tank top; turning lights off; eating out less and having people round more; giving less extravagant gifts this Christmas..
People are taking more holidays in the UK, although France, Spain, Italy, Tukey, Greece are still inexpensive to get to and very cheap once you are there.
It is affecting the private school sector too. People who would have paid for private education are considering the better state schools, and those are now super super-competitive. For T, unfortunately, state school wasn't an option, because he has so much catching up to do, with the very different curriculum. Only a private school can spend that extra time to help him up to speed, but he seems to be doing well and is embracing Latin, French and all the rest (he got top marks in his class in Geography and Latin last week!!!)
He is now playing rugby, which is fun, and has just started field hockey. They do have a covered swimming pool, which they use more regularly in the Spring and Summer months. It is in need oif repair, especially a new roof (so lots of fun fund-raising events).
We just got - for delivery charge of 60 pounds - a Victorian mahogany bookcase with etched glass lower doors! It didn't sell at auction so a friend who was handling getting rid of it called us and we took it, sight unseen! We also picked up some rather nice Arts & Crafts style small tables, shelves and wardrobe, for next-to-nothing.
The house is still in a mess. I hate living like this and have to keep taking deep breaths. I am not patient, and of course we cannot afford to have everything we need done professionally, so we are having to do a lot ourselves. We paint, A designs cabinets and shelf units and gets the wood cut then we have to put it together, and I end up standing for ages holding the screwdriver! We were just able to put wooden planks in the attic so we could store our suitcases and some big boxes up there, and get them out of the garage. We still need to fence the garden, get a new garden shed, build a porch over the back door, build a whole closet for my stuff (which is still piled up!) and hang window blinds and curtains, paintings and prints.
It all takes SO long, especially when you have to budget carefully for everything. I am not used to this!
There's a kind of spirit of everyone pulling together to get through this downturn economically. It won't be fun, but I think this little island will get through it with spirits high.
At least the US is on a high after Obama's win, and full of hope. I don't envy his task, though. He is inheriting an unholy mess, economically, and in foreign policy. Let's just hope they all play nicely together in Washington to help sort out the mess, as it affects the whole world, not just the States.
