elysium's shoutbox - Help.com

Lovely to hear back from you; glad to hear that I’m not the only one to pace while on the phone! I do that a lot :S This waiting game with solicitors is a horrible one.

I’m confident that everything will be sorted by the end of the following week; I’ll keep you posted.

Know what you mean about completing boring tasks - anything else is interesting to stave off the thoroughly boring thing. Glad you’ve completed most- good job hon :)x

Apart from Uni work, how are things?

Ah thanks :)

I am a half mod really, I just approve replies :P

Hi there :)

Sorry for not replying earlier, did come to leave you a shout but got pulled away many times.

Has been a pretty busy and stressful week - boys are off school for half term, which is great, I love doing things with them, but has coincided with receiving some pretty heavy paper work from solicitor re our house buy. A lot of things to read through with a fine toothed comb and some issues to deal with. I’m pretty confident the issues will be sorted out, I just hate the waiting game while they are. I have paced our house so much waiting for phone calls in the last few days I swear I’ve walked a marathon!

I just want this to be sorted out and move on and life to return to a normal pace. Feels like I’ve been running at a fast pace for too long and want some peaceful normality.

I am fine though and the boys are too. Just one of those things to deal with.

Hope Uni is still going well - what was the procrastination about?

Hi there,

How are you? Been a good week?

It’s late and heading to bed, but just want to say,
I really hope your project hits all the marks; but you feel confident and that’s great :)

I really do wish you all the best with it. You work hard and deserve some recognition for that hard work.

I’d like to hear about your project if you have the time :)

Put the application in today; put the two good mixed schools down and then opted for the boys school as third, which, realistically I think we are going to get. But is is a good school and I’m sure he’ll be ok.

To be honest, now, I’m just glad it’s done and let the chips fall where they will….He’ll be fine, I’m sure. He’s got my backing as will Ted in whatever they want to do; as long as the school can provide a decent education, I can fill in the gaps.

How are you? Is the course still going well and are you still happy with it?

Thanks for recent support and comments :)x

Not jumbled at all and thanks for your input….will think some more.

Thank you so much for what you’ve had to say :)x

Thanks for everything you said, v much appreciated.

The other two are good in all ways really. Spoilt for choice round here in terms of state schools. However their catchment areas are shrinking because of their popularity so there’s no guarantee he’ll get in-a couple of years ago it was different. He won’t have a problem with the boys school though. Not sure whether to put it down in case he doesn’t get a place at one of the other two, cause there’s a high probability he will get it and I really don’t know how I feel about single sex education.

I went to a mixed school and wouldn’t have had it any other way and I know his preference is for mixed. It’s just that the other mixed school we can apply for is ok but not great.

Thanks for your thoughts :)

Yes Ben happy with choices, he was an integral person in the decision making process - both boys came to visit the schools and could experience the atmosphere there. They are all good schools so it was down to picking where he felt most comfortable.

One school is a Boys school (non fee paying) and I went only because I felt I shouldn’t discount something without seeing it (I think mixed schools are best). BUT, was quite impressed. Nice kids, relaxed, teachers v warm and friendly, good results etc etc…. But I still can’t let go of that feeling that it is good for children to be educated in a mixed school, for social reasons and a healthy attitudes towards girls/women from a boys perspective that is, also it is just a true reflection of real life; girls and boys, men and women live and work together. They don’t have a sister but they do have a very healthy attitude towards girls and have good friends who are girls and I want that healthy attitude to stay that way.

You are a guy, tell me what you think of a boys only school?? Did you go to one? Would you have liked if you had? Have to say that the Boys School ranked third for him. He would prefer a mixed school, probably cause he is used to being friends with both boys and girls - one of his good friends is a girl.

Haven’t submitted form yet, still deliberating a bit on this third choice…..

If you can offer any thoughts, I’d really appreciate it.

Hi there,

Glad to hear things are going really well for you, thats great :) It’s a good sign when time seems to fly by.

Pretty busy week really, mostly on the phone sorting out house details etc. Also just about to apply for secondary schools for B so a lot of mental energy involved there and some busy evenings visiting all the schools. Think we’ve decided on our three choices, just have to fill out the application and then wait to see what happens :S!

Hi, How’s your week been so far?

Hope good:)

sorry elysium*

Hello island,
Long time since I last spoke to you, how are you?
Your friend,
Luck of the Irish (aka Ireland)

Congrats on your proposal - that is great news :)

Have a lovely weekend and speak soon.

I am so glad to hear you were feeling really confident about going back to Uni. I can imagine that having a year out can make it feel a bit tricky, but good to know that you have slipped back in there and feel good about it. I’m sure it’s been really great to catch up with friends again:)

Being disorganised - has it’s down sides but also shows a passionate mind ;) That’s something to retain, I think anyway.

Viewed the houses today - both lovely, but one of them stood out as absolutely fantastic!! Offered on it and by the end of play today had offer accepted and forging forward. My head’s reeling a bit cause it’s all happened v quickly, but this house is amazing, so maybe all this was meant to happen :)

*in a nice way*

I know what you meant in the nice :)

We’ll be ok - lease runs it’s course beg of Dec, then month’s notice kicks in.

Going to view a couple of houses tomorrow. It’ll all be ok I’m sure, just wasn’t expecting this right now :S Last couple of years haven’t been that plain sailing, thought that this place in time may have been a calm time. It has been in the main, , but just cut short and I’ll sort it out, I think, I hope..:)

Tell me about Uni - good to be back?
X

I know what you meant in the nice :)

We’ll be ok - lease runs it’s course beg of Dec, then month’s notice kicks in.

Going to view a couple of houses tomorrow. It’ll all be ok I’m sure, just wasn’t expecting this right now :S Last couple of years haven’t been that plain sailing, thought that this place in time may have been a calm time. It has been in the main, , but just cut short and I’ll sort it out, I think, I hope..:)

Tell me about Uni - good to be back?
X

This site is so verrry slooww this eve…

I hope all good with you and that is Uni going well.

Just heard that our landlord wants to move back :( so now have to seriously get my finger out on the house hunting thing. Have been keeping tabs with what”s going on, but thought I could do that with leisure -was a long term lease, but not as long as I thought it would ultimately be. Kids were a bit upset, particularly Ted who hates change and there’s been a lot of that recently. They like this house and they have friends on the doorstep.

Not come at a good time cause we’re looking at secondary schools for Ben so is a transition stage and unsettled time.

So Sorry my recent shouts haven’t been the most cheerful. I’m fine though, luckily I knuckle down and sort things out when served a curve ball!

May not be around much this eve, tired and things are slow on this site this eve.

Let me know how you are and we’ll speak soon :)x

Hope so:) Weekdays tend to be better than weekends, as strange as that may seem. Less tension I suppose.

Did you have a good weekend?

Btw, I like the quotes on your profile page. Have just read them.

I’m really glad to hear that you got your prop completed. Let me know how it goes. I’m sure it will be well accepted :)

I’m Ok; weekend was alright at times, stressful at some times, but that’s how my weekends are at the mo I’m afraid :S

I hope you Did sleep well last night and that today was a good one.

Speak to you soon :)x

Thank you Dan, sleep well x

Your shout wasn’t rambled or senseless at all - it was kind and helpful, thank you:)

I’m really sorry to hear you had a stressful day - tell me about it another time, like you said. For your own sake don’t relive it now, maybe find something relaxing to do and put the day behind you so that you can sleep well and have a better day tomorrow.

I hope you do sleep well and that tomorrow is better :)x

Hello there,

Really glad to hear that Uni is off to a great start. I’d really like to hear about your project.

Good luck with job hunting - I really hope something comes up that fits in with your studies.

Regarding the boys - they know they are being given a measured amount of independence and they know deep down that that is what they can cope with. I know them and I know what they feel comfortable with. Ben sometimes feels differently, of course - I think it’s cause he’s the oldest and wants to take a stand, which is fair enough. He’s understanding now though that I don’t want to hold him back but there are maturity and safety issues that he has to be aware of and he has to be consciously aware of his own capability, rather than feel the big guy.

(Cut to last night - before bed both of them took turns on my knee and we had to do the “This is the way the farmer rides” nursery thing!!!)

Arguments with their dad - general level of bickering, on-off Big rows from time to time. The boys aren’t privy to the big rows but I hate them seeing the bickering. Just not a really calm feeling right now, I’m afraid.

Thank you for your shout, you are a lovely friend :)

Thanks for that Dan x. Just have had a few things to deal with at the mo; kids are trying, they’re getting bigger, their independence is growing but not at the same rate as their general awareness and sensibility! (Although it probably is and I’m too scared to trust that) I’m really trying to find that balance of safety and letting them go a little….It’s hard and scary.

Also, some bickering (rowing?) with their Dad which is not terribly unusual, but I really hate that unsettled feeling - we are so very different in some fundamental ways, so it’s hard from time to time, and now is one of those times.

Let me know how Uni is going. Also, sorry to hear you had to let your job go, have you found anything else?

Had any good ideas for your final project?

Hope you’ve had a good start to this week :)x

Hi, thanks for the shout and sorry I haven’t been around much to talk to you.

I’m ok, things have been a bit busy and some things have been a bit trying :S.

I hope all well with you and that Uni got of to a good start :)
Will speak soon.

Thanks for compliment :) I am a novice though, no serious training.

Paint’s really versatile, more than you think. Can take it off, put more on, just mess about. Think you’d really like it if you let yourself accept that mistakes can be made, so try again or build on something, or create something out of a happy mistake.

Hows your week been? Are you back at Uni now? If so, hope it’s going well.

I’d Really love to see some of your pictures!

Remember, I’m just a novice at this too, no judgement, just appreciation:)

Also, remember to just FEEL what you’re doing - don’t mean that to sound twee, know it does! What I mean is don’t be afraid to try anything out, just slap some colour, paint whatever you like down on some paper and see what happens. If you don’t like it, blot off what you can and you may be surprised with what’s left and do something with that instead. Treat it as an exciting journey:)x

If you like drawing, have you tried stick and ink?

Just get a stick, dip it into ink and sketch with it. Quite nice if you put washes over the top too.

I think the biggest lesson I learnt was to not be very precious about anything when you start a pic. Treat it like an exercise, be relaxed and let it take you wherever it goes.

I’d love to see some of your drawings :)

Do pick a basic image though or else the colours may blend into a muddy mess.

I took some photos inside a small crypt/chapel so the lighting was very subtle but lines of the arches and walls were picked out. Did a basic graphite sketch first then did an oil wash over it. Cause it was on paper it dried quickly so that I could layer up on it. First couple of layers I left to dry then the last colours on top I covered with linseed.

Thats what I did, but just a composition of various colours may look great. I think I would recommend some drying time though between layers….but hey, just experiment and see what happens:)

Watercolours can be really effective, but have to say it’s not for me. I do like the unpredictability of it but you can do the same with oil and lots of linseed and/or white spirit and for me, I prefer the depth of colour you get with oil. Still feels light, but more substance than watercolour.

I’ve been doing some small oil studies, layering colour up and then putting the paper in a large baking tin and covering it with linseed oil, tipping the paper a bit to blend colours and then leaving it to dry. The surface finish is lovely and the gentle depth of colour is really nice.

Give it a go, think you might like it :)

I know! There’s a lot to think about with framing but I’m terrible for forgetting the whole end product, framing etc when I’m in the doing/painting mode …. But then I quite like spontaneous things drawn or painted on whatever was to hand and then having to think about how to display it.

Wow, this site is slow tonight….

Thanks for the photobucket link - will be useful when I download my camera images. Will take a while to send something to you though cause today I decided to take it to my framers and won’t have it back for a couple of weeks. Decided to have it bonded to a block and then mounted onto a background board -I’m interested (anxious?!) to see how it turns out S… It has a nice surface finish that would have been lost under glass which is why I decided on fixing it to a board…..I’ll let you know how it looks…

Thank you Dan, I always value your opinion and honesty. Will speak when I need to; I am trying to take care, taking more care of others right now but trying to remember to take care of myself .

No need to worry though, all will be ok. Just need to kick my brain into gear a bit.

Did a nice study in oils that I was really pleased with…don’t know how to download it to show you. I’ll give it a try over the next day or so…

Hope you had a good day :)

Bath is a lovely city - I spent some time studying there a number of years ago and have visited several times since. Glad you really enjoyed your trip. The Roman Bath House is a good place to visit - did you go?

York is nice too, went many times as a child when we lived in North Yorkshire for a number of years. Remember a particularly noisy school trip running amok in the Viking Museum!

Hope uni gets off to a good start, will be good to see your friend again after a year I imagine, you must have missed him.

I’ll be ok I’m sure, just a bit low at the mo - maybe I’m having a mid life crisis S! At what age can that start?! Just trying to figure out what I need to do to be where I want to be I think and trying to muster up the motivation and confidence to get on with it. If that makes sense…

Just shouted myself, again!

Hi there,

Glad to hear all is well with you and that you had a good time away with friends. Go anywhere nice?

Sorry for not speaking much lately, had a few busy days after getting back from hols and have hit a bit of a low patch too. Just feel a bit unsettled and tend to go to ground when that happens.
Hope you’re having a good day. Do you go back to Uni soon? Hope you’re preparations for that are going well and that you’re looking forward to getting back into it.

Take care and speak soon :)x

Thanks,

How have you been?

HI!

Back now, had a really great time :)! feeling a bit tired from travel so getting an earlier night.

Hope you have been well honey; speak soon X

Over and out.XXXx

I am really enjoying it. Its funny and exciting. I like to play scrabble alot.
I haven’t figured it all out, I doubt I ever will. You know my full name from my e-mail. If you ever want to find me you know where I am. I am leaving here. No I will not be making a big announcement. My offer of a place to stay for the weekend in London if you ever need it is definitely still there
sweetheart.
If I don’t speak to you again it truly has been lovely speaking with you. You are my oldest friend here. And I don’t wish to miss you. Love Simone.XXx

Oh my god I have been lost in facebook land

Join us..and give us your Opinion..
pick one ..
http://help.com/post/303963-love-or-m…

You’r Welcome There
Thanks Very Much

Will take care, thanks for your wishes and will speak soon :)

You take care too x

* typos/grammar* - late and feel tired!!

I’m really glad you are enjoying it and it’s good to hear that they are appreciating what you can bring to the job.

Pity they can’t put you on full time (if that’s what you would like them to do).

Do fully agree with you about enjoying the work. I’m really pleased you found a part time job you like; they’re not easy to find.

I’m feeling fine thanks :)) V much looking forward to going away for a couple of weeks. Going on Sunday night; back at the end of the month. Much needed break!
Last few months have been tiring and a little stressful; some good times in between, but some times have not been so good… looking forward to some relaxing but active days days:)

If I’m not on tomrrow, have a nice time over the next few weeks, have fun and I’ll catch up with you when I’m back. C :)x

You ok? Hope you’ve had a good day.
Hows the job going?

Good, I’m really glad to hear that:)

He’s much better than he was thanks. Chest is still a bit raspy but nothing like it was so is on the mend.

T is absolutely fine now, scar is just a fine line and he seems ok in himself, apart from never wanting to play golf again. Don’t blame him.

How are you?

Ben has never had asthma, but it didn’t completely surprise me - he has eczema (can go hand in hand with asthma) and I have thought from time to time that he gets out of breath when he shouldn’t. It was a bit scary to tell you the truth, we were away from home which is always a bit tricky and was it being underplayed by others which was hard for me so I felt that I didn’t do the right thing until we got home and took him to our Doc. Basically, I followed bad advice rather than go with my gut instinct. Felt bad for delaying proper treatment on the advice of others.