Stuff I'm reading and thinking about on my break (pt 2) – and coming back

Election day is a couple of weeks away – do you know how you’re voting yet? In the past I’ve just known that I’m a [insert party name]* supporter and it’s been a no-brainer. But on the back of this coalition government, and probably because I have a fully fledged family and a child in school now, this time it’s less clear-cut. A friend and I were discussing this over dinner last weekend, and she pointed me in the direction of uk.isidewith.com. This fairly in-depth online quiz allows you to opt to answer further questions in each category, and choose on a sliding scale to the left of the questions how strongly you feel about that particular issue – all of which renders the result more accurate. You’ll be given a percentage-lead break-down of where your loyalties lie based on your beliefs, meaning you’re more likely to vote based on that rather than based on persuasive party rhetoric (doesn’t it sometimes feel like they’re all saying a version of the same thing? Or worse, nothing of substance at all?). *That’s private!

Our chronic device-dependence means that ‘digital detox’ is now a thing. Always ahead of the curve (ha) I started this about a year ago with an alarm clock and never ever taking my phone upstairs to bed. I also have a paper – yes paper – diary. And a watch, having grown sick of rooting around in a bag for the time (my phone). On this, here’s an interesting article I found on Medium about just turning it all off: It can wait. Really. 

As you may know I am a bit of a sucker for the Cup of Jo blog. I really liked the post How to teach your child not to interrupt. I’m going to try it (I can’t finish – or even start – a conversation with another adult, and my children have really loud voices (people comment on it) so anything to communicate with them in a non-verbal way gets a tick).

Oh dang, my younger child’s third birthday is coming up. If you’ve read this blog a while you’ll know from this post that children’s parties are not my forte. So I’m looking at this post about stress-free kids party tips from the very nice Seeds and Stitches blog.

On very nice blogs, Gannet & Parrot is back after a little quiet time (something in the water, clearly). It has a whole new friendly look and its writer, a Lewes girl and my friend Chloë King, is now a columnist for Viva Brighton magazine. I particularly loved her post about the Nutri-bullet because having really liked this particular fad-utensil I had to ditch it after the smoothies gave me terrible tummy aches. This one, too, about her early midlife crisis struck a chord – do we have too much choice these days? And is it leading us to making no choices at all?

Guess what? Getting older is the new cool! Want proof? I give you this, this and this. Ageing: a style that’s effortless to achieve and – bonus! – happens so much quicker when you’re a parent.

Also, being a mum is the new cool too. And being a mum and a lot of other things is even cooler. I give you this, this, this, and this. So combine the getting older and the mother-status and guess what? We’re the coolest people on the planet!

Further to the above, who says change bags have to look like this? Some mother cool coming in September from Tiba + Marl (check out the product on Instagram) with their style-lead change bags. I have no babies, so perhaps a reason to have another one? No! Because ownership of a T+M tote is not baby-dependent, they work as bag-bags for anyone!

That Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer. Wow – goosebumps! My husband teared up. The last scene will make you whoop! Not seen it? Where have you been? Watch it now (with a box of man size tissues close by).

Lastly I’ve been reading this menu – has anyone tried Erawan, the new Thai takeaway place in Lewes? Any good?

And hey, I‘ve decided to keep Little Lewes going – obviously from this post and some others that have come from me, I can’t keep away. But it’s been good for me to down tools a while and to do some thinking – I’ve had so much more headspace without the blog ticking on in the back of my brain. I guess I got a bit sick of seeing what people give away of themselves on blogs, which you see more of on Instagram, and also had an overwhelming feeling of ‘what’s the point?’. But I know what the point is: I simply enjoy it. As long as I do, I’ll write it. When I don’t, I’ll take a break. In the meantime I’ll try not to overthink it. I worry far too much about people thinking I’m some kind of wonder mum from what I write here, but I’m going to stop that now, because as social media users I think we all know that what we share is only what’s within the lens – and that there’s plenty of life’s stress and crap just outside the frame – see below 😉

There’ll be a new look to Little Lewes very soon. But meantime, more from May 1st…