Do you ever wonder where the time goes?
I used to achieve quite a lot when YB was around. Packing, printing, organising, dealing with emails and equiries – but all those tasks have now all gone… what do I fill my time with?
Yesterday was baking and gardening, today was – ideling? Not productive – not good!
After my last post, I watched the stats for the blog – seeing how many followers I still had. If too few – there would probably be no point in me blogging, but I was pleasantly surprised to see so many of you!
Friday was a day forecast with Rain Rain and Rain… it was also the day I promised to take Cassie to Cambridge. She is now going to choose her Uni! I still remember all those years ago when I love the university open days – a great excuse to get out of school! Now it is Cassie’s turn. When it was me – she was still a baby. Now this little sister is growing up too!
I love these sisterly trips and outings… it reminds me of when we were much younger and the world was much more simple…
It has been such a long time since my last blog – sorry for my absence.
Many new changes are on the way for us – most of all a big big career change for me. From Investment Banker and Yarn Box to Teacher (starting in September). Oh what a year!
Being a teacher has been a childhood dream for me. I remember when Tiffany and I were in the kitchen at Kiln Court and I would make her be my pupil and I would be the teacher. Taking a register with her and all our teddy bears. One thing led to another, and then I became a banker! But now with the turbulent markets – and things just falling into a natural place – I will be teaching from September onwards.
I still have the whole summer ahead of me to share with Lewis. We will both be “starting school” in September! We both look forward to it very much. Here is a picture of us enjoying our summer time together in Hyde Park:
I also have a story to share:
There was once a man, a very successful city lawyer – who made it all the way to senior partner. At 48, he decided on a career change to be a personal coach. When he was interviewed, it was apparent he was not a “natural” lawyer – his profile did not really fit the bill, nor did his personality. When questioned about it he answered: “Well it was something my father had always wanted me to be, my father thought “laywer” sounded good, so that is why I have been a lawyer”. Then further probing into why he decided to make a change now? “My father has passed away, so I can now pursue something that I have always wanted to do”.
This was a middle-aged man, making a dramatic career change, because he finally felt he can now go on to do what he really wanted to do and not what his father wanted him to do.
For those who are still being the lawyer, banker or doctor our parents wanted us to be when we were 18, it might be time to make a brave move. The credit crunch is a great excuse. Fot those of us who are parents – lets try to encourage imagination in our children – so they can reach their dreams in life – and not to fulfil the ones that we have missed.
I drove past Salmon’s Lane today and took a glance at the road where I spent a lot of my childhood. Most of the old shops are no longer there. Good Friends – the corner double fronted shop has turned into a builders shop.
I miss daddy’s restaurant. For those of you who know the East End (of London) well, you will know that the first China Town was based in the East India Docks. There is in fact a dragon there now by Westferry DLR – for those of you wondering why – here is a piece of history for you to read about…
Though we are now no longer in Limehouse, it was a place where I spent most of my childhood. It is now very different to what I had known. Now Narrow Street is full of Riverside apartments occupied by the Bankers who work in Canary Wharf. When I was a child those same luxury apartments were disused warehouses where my neighbour and I would play “hide and seek”. The park which used to have the vicious dogs running free – were this afternoon full of “yummy mummies” in the latest pushchairs.
The thing I really miss is Good Friends – my father was there when I was in Primary School, I loved home time as we de-toured past the restaurant en-route home to say “hi” to daddy. He was a waiter there at the time, so we were only allowed in when the boss was not around. I remembered when I was allowed behind the “secret red curtain” – it seemed such a treat!
Daddy was there when I was in secondary school, by now daddy owned the place. I had all my birthday parties there. That was the meeting place where mum will pick us up. I would pick Cassie up from nursery and cross the busy Commercial Road to get to Good Friends.
Daddy was there when I was at Uni, I had my first car and parked it in the restaurant space every morning – then went out by tube to Uni. It was a great place for lunch after a tiresome morning of lectures on Economic Development and I even took a perspective boyfriend back to the restaurant.
I remember “hating” all the special calender dates – such as Christmas, NY, Valentines, Mother’s Day etc… it meant I had to help out! Working often till 1 or 2am in the morning. Those were the best days of Good Friends. Us and the staff had great fun together. The drivers, the cooks, the bar, the waitresses… and me – putting in “fake orders” so the head chef would cook my favourite dish – then the other waitresses and waiters would hide in the pantry and eat it! Yummy and delicious was the only way to describe it. We even got three Egon Ronay awards! I remember going to the awards dinner on behalf of Good Friends at the Britannia Hotel in Docklands.
Daddy was still there at Good Friends when I was landed with my first Investment Banking job. I used to work horribly long hours and by definition of being an Investment Banker – you ate all your meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) at your desk! I remember taking comfort that daddy was just a phone call away – and I will call to order all my favourite dishes and have them delivered to me at work! I still remember the summer evenings where I can get out of work early and walk to Salmon Lane to be greeted by Daddy’s trademark smile! Whenever me and my colleagues or clients came – daddy brought on the full menu and we can barely walk out of the restaurant being so full.
Daddy then suffered poor health with him being on his feet all day – 365 days in a year! He finally retired and sold the restaurant when I was well into my career as a Banker! He did not see me or my sisters being the sort that would have taken it over – how I have learnt to regret that now… (but too late)! I am no longer a banker and would have loved to run the restaurant for him. It was really sad for me when the restaurant sold. I still remember taking a taxi from Canary Wharf to Salmon Lane for the handover – me walking into the restaurant in my full suit and stilettos that very last time.
I do miss Good Friends – that was almost 5 years ago. Daddy is now very much a happy Grandpa with Lewis and spends most of his time gardening or looking after the family pets… I see him now a lot more than I ever did in my childhood. Good Friends was part of me and my growing up and I can not wait until the day I can tell Lewis what a great restaurantaur his grandpa was!
Since being back from HK – I feel very tired.
Having just read some of my old posts – it seemed like the energy I had a few months ago – has now all evaporated.
Already – we have the tickets for our next trip to HK. One that I must admit I do not really look forward to. And – yes – the swine flu does worry me.
I picked up my knitting needles this evening trying desperately to finish of mum’s chenille scarf from Christmas. I was knitting whilst Lewis was having his bedtime bottle. He put the bottle down and looked at me then said “mummy – where has all the yarn gone?” – I think he suddenly realised that the yarns that were all over the house has disappeared and wondered where I had got my purple ball from.
In the first weeks of “unemployment” I felt like I had all the time in the world to do all the things I had wanted to do. In honesty – I have become nothing but very very lazy in the past few months. Though I am still “busy”. I am always “busy”. I sit in front of my laptop and become “busy”.
My plan was to be in bed by 10.30 after the news… but that obviously was distracted by the last checking of email and the laptop being switched on! The last checking of email has now taken me close to mid-night again! Oh dear… somehow having the lap top on when I was working seemed ok at midnight (or even later in most evenings), but now that “work” does not really exist – my laptop time needs to be explained.
I think I am also going through a phase where I don’t like explaining myself… I know what I am doing and why, so please don’t ask me to explain… poor mum – she has been getting the brunt of it all. She obviously is the one who sees me the most besides Lewis… I have been very grumpy over the past few weeks… oh dear – very un-jo-like. Better make her something to make up for it. The scarf will have to wait till winter comes, so maybe a cushion or tea cozy in the meanwhile?
With over 300 hundred email to work through, job applications to be made, book drafts to be submitted the last thing I need is a broken internet connection!
Virgin Media – the superfast service has really let me down! No one can help me till Wednesday due to the long weekend! No internet till Wednesday! I am now at my mum’s where I will be for the rest of the day until I get some of backlog sorted…. Really poor service with Virgin… (I was also disappointed with Virgin Atlantic too!) so I will be switching… any good service provider tips – drop me a message to let me know!
We are back, we arrived back in the UK on Wednesday night… but it has taken me a few days to organise myself. The last of the washing was done today… things are slowing drifting back to normal.
It was not a holiday as such – more a family visit – a rather solemn occasion. Lewis’ grandfather still remains in a coma and is slowly slipping away, but Sam had to come back to London for work. This means it is a real possibility of a second trip out there in the near future.
Hong Kong this time round was different. My last trip out there was in July with Cassie. I must confess this time round I was looking at it from a “we might live here” perspective, and that frightens me. Lewis has really learnt a lot in the past two weeks. Not least he has acquired a much wider Chinese vocabulary and learnt to play (fight) with his cousin, who is 5 months younger than him. For Lewis – he would not really know much different, for Sam – his whole family is there – so he will adapt fairly quickly, for me – I have always seen HK as a place for food, fun and shopping. This time – when you take out the food, fun and shopping, what is left is actually quite a stressed up city life style. Besides, I am used to having my family up the road… can I afford to lose the family support?
Need to be off to Hong Kong, sadly Sam’s father is very poorly. Will not be blogging whilst out there… but will be back online when home.
I need to call it a day now… rather exhusted today!
Yarn Box is now with Nicola…. a lovely lovely person to work with, and someone who I am sure will take great care of Yarn Box. I feel like I have put it safely away – and even though I still have a million different things to get done before I go away on Tuesday – I feel like I have handed it away and feel at peace with it.
Today was lots of fun, moving shelves, yarn, boxes, more yarn, needles… again – my beloved family was on hand to help…. everyone did something… it was like everyone was here to say their goodbye to Yarn Box. But fear not – Yarn Box will not disappear or even change very dramatically and is wonderfully capable hands!
I am definitely going to support it going forwards! I look forward to this new chapter in Yarn Box’s life… much love, jo x
The house is quiet, all is very still. I have replied to the last email of tonight, time to log off – except it feels very “final” tonight.
The past few days have been exceptionally busy for me. The sale of Yarn Box has been brought forward to this weekend. Nicola is super and very accommodating! I can feel she has the energy and passion ready to take on Yarn Box! Sadly, unwell family calls me (and Lewis and Sam) to the other side of the world – Hong Kong. We are departing on very short notice… so the planned sale has been brought forward a whole week.
Today was a mad day of stock take, every last needle has been counted for. A crazy exercise which mum, dad, sisters, Lewis, Sam – everyone helped out in. Finally about an hour ago, everything was final. All is ready for the BIG HANDOVER tomorrow. (in 7 mins it will be midnight!).
Everyone I have spoken to has told me I am crazy to let go of Yarn Box – but I would rather do it now – doing it properly and finding the right person – then having to rush it all through if I did have to relocate.
My father was a business man (now retired and has Lewis as his occupation). I grew up seeing him run many businesses. Yarn Box is my first. I must confess I am very emotionally attached to YB! It started of as a concept, to planning, to design and implementation – it was me, my favourite colours, type font, brands and stock I wanted. It was people around me too! My sisters – Cassie – bringing in Banana Yarns, Lan with the name, me with my favourite colours, Cassie with the logo design, Gebbie with the shade cards, TT with her Ts&Cs, Ernest and his adverts, mummy with her needles, daddy at the post office, Sam with the sellotape and Lewis with the labels…
Everyone has made YB what it is today – and with any part or anyone missing it would not have been the same! THANK YOU ALL – everyone who has played a part! Letting go is hard – and everytime someone has asked me this week “Jo – are you sure” I stop and think… can I? must I? Yes – it will be for the better.
I have worked very closely with Nicola this week. She is wonderful and super efficient. I can see this being a smooth transition. Though I am away for the next two weeks – Nicola will know how to get hold of me – therefore if any questions arise – we will be able to work them out (though the lead time might be a little longer than the usual).
Though from today – I am no longer running Yarn Box – I will always be “hanging around” Nicola and I have agreed that I will be around… I have let go – but I will still always be here too! (does that make sense??) Thank you all for your support over the past 18 months. Yarn Box will be my preferred yarn shop for the rest of my life ! Good bye Yarn Box xx
