Juggling life through a bi-polar lens. Sometimes up, sometimes down. Mostly trying to tread water in the middle. Creating a likeness to a normal life. Whatever "normal" is...

Thursday 18 December 2008

Running out of time!

Pollarded birch trees in Colchester last winter. I like this photo: it seems to sum up cold, short days :)

My mum always has an enormous A4 size diary, preferably a day to a page, though not essential. She doesn't write in it every day, but most days. She records who phoned, where she went, things like that. Not huge essays, just a sentence here and there. Then she clips in receipts from her shopping and appointment cards for the dentist, quotes from tradesmen, that sort of thing. Stuff you might write on a calendar, in it goes. Birthdays are written in, and, with time, what she bought and when she sent it.
She also sticks in clippings from papers and magazines that made her laugh. These are mostly fat animals stuck in, on or under things. If it snows, and big snowdrifts make the papers, the photo's go in. If we have a heatwave, the headlines get clipped and glued.
I think that if my mum were online, and exposed to the wider crafting and scrapbooking community, she'd be hooked. She's a natural; the original scrapbooker, no fancy papers or accessories. Just a big diary and a stick of glue. She has about 18 years of them.

By October, the spine of the diary has given up the ghost. The thing is bulging and usually held together with elastic. These last few years I've spent about £15 on a fancier one as a present for her, one with a big strong spine, ringbound, stronger. Or so I thought. It still falls apart from the weight of the contents!

SO! This year I have bought a ring-bound A4 diary for about £7. I want to take it apart, add in some pages and wallets for receipts and keepsakes, etc. and then put it all together using big book rings. I'll make a cover and tie it shut with a big ribbon.

OK. I have all the ingredients. I started on it tonight..... I have to deliver it Saturday. Yes. THIS Saturday. We're going to Ireland after that.

I also have to squeeze in an appointment with the dentist, dye my hair and get it cut (if there is a hairdresser in this entire town not fully booked up the week before Christmas!) and finish something I was making for Luvbug. Oh! And I have to pack, too.

Erm. I'm not going to do it, am I?


10 comments:

mrsnesbitt said...

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

1st Mate said...

Hey, cool snow! It wouldn't suit in Mexico, but I'm just curious how it's done. Do they offer rain, too?

1st Mate said...

Forgot to mention: when I moved to Mexico I had a big box of journals I had kept since before my marriage, 20 years ago. Couldn't bring them with me, worried about what I had in them that might...um...be too personal, as they were all very personal. Finally gave them to somebody, asked him to take them to the dump. Hope he did. Anyway, I'm thousands of miles away now, my name isn't on them. I'm over it. Now I blog.

Roz said...

Your mums diary thingy sounds fantastic Helena!! It must be so nostalgic to flick through the pages.
I used to keep a diary but can't be bothered anymore, but I suppose my blog is my diary nowadays.

Hope you have a great Christmas... even though you're not a fan!!

Love Roz x

BumbleVee said...

She could have years worth of blogging right there ... just flip open a page and have some fun with her day...

nope..you won't get it all done...never mind... call it a New Year's gift... I do that sometimes.

I wish we could wave a magic wand and postpone Christmas by about a week this year...and next year..I'm gonna be ready in November!! Yeh..right...as if that'll ever happen....

CherryPie said...

The Diary sounds wonderful.

& I know you are going to get everything done :-)

Dragonstar said...

You'll manage it, somehow things always get done. It's sooooo hectic at this time of year!

Julie said...

The diary sounds fantastic. You're not planning to sleep between now and Saturday are you? I like the idea of New Year's presents. I'm sure Luvbug would be happy to have a New Year pressy.

Kristin Eberline said...

Helena~

I'm sad to admit I didn't read your post...but I had to let you know that I have an award for you on my blog. My internet access is intermittent so I'm trying to let everyone know before I lose connectivity.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kristin

Poopsie aka Blue said...

Hi Helena!

I think its wonderful that your mother keeps a journal, like that each & every year - I only managed it once & suffered 'spin' fatigue too.
Your idea sounds brillant.

Many Thanks for the wonderful - Sectret Santa card recid from you while ill - just love it.

Love
Blue