This has taken ages to come and comment after you asked, blame moving house lack of WiFi (HOW are we in a world where something so necessary takes TEN DAYS to switch on?). I think what has struck me the past few months is that so little of the world is open and honest about when life just isn't a fairytale, it's messy and you will fuck up but it's what you make of it. The more I talk to people the more I realise the linear - house / marriage / babies etc storyline is a myth our parents
sold us. Often they didn't even have it, and there were all sorts of forks in the road you don't see until you're a grown up yourself.
A year ago my life looked perfect from the outside - new build, grey kitchen, landscaped garden. I was living like I could bake, and clean and walk the dog the exact number of steps a day and THAT would crack it. That would make my life work in the way it looked like it should - "perfect" partner of 19 years, making three course Ottolenghi feasts every weekend and Instagram highlighting myself into a life. But a year later and I've just moved into my own little house, it's imperfect - the kitchen is tiny and there is one usable surface. My garden has a visiting rat so I had to remove the bird feeder. I have three bathrooms (?) where only one toilet doesn't leak.
Early last year my high school boyfriend added me on Facebook after 25 years and my first thought was "imagine being loved like that again". And I knew that was the end of the grey kitchen.
So now we have two homes, two hours apart, two children (his) who I'm learning to navigate and a life of fun, winging it, camping trips, three dogs (one mine two his) and a whole load of mess. I've had to remember the building blocks of my own life; running, baking, long dog walks in the hills.
Thanks for being a voice of building a life that is unique, and yours. (I just had to run upstairs and stop the dog eating cat shit so yeah....messy)
I’d also like more of the same please! I’m not a parent but I love reading about it, the detail of shedding old identities and not being scared to try on new ones, and all of the other stuff in between. Things I’m keen to hear more about as you progress through: writing inspiration, how you’re doing the thing of writing and working full time and solo-parenting, any financey stuff you’re navigating.
You have a way of framing life as an adventure, and we all need more of that ❤️
Read and noted and appreciated, Laurie. Thank you! I used to kinda love reading about parenting from certain voices even when I wasn't a parent - Rebecca Woolf who did Girls Gone Child was always a huge fave of mine, and I've often hoped there's somebody out there reading me like I used to read her! Noted about writing inspo, the balance and juggle, and money, too - more to come from me!! xxx
Echoing the above, your Substack feels like the good ole days of blogging (life as it happens + reflections + relatable humour which goes a long ways to making me feel less alone 😅)!
Also this doesn’t relate to content but more to how I think about you — I really admired how upfront and direct you were about why we should pay to be subscribers. You didn’t beat around the bush, you just very directly and confidently pointed out the value that was here and asked us all to put our wallets where our mouths were and I would like to be 20% more like that 🤓
"life as it happens + reflections + relatable humour" ---> what a recipe. Might write this on a post-it by my desk!!
And re subscriptions, thank you. I spend an incredible amount of time crafting HTBAL, and I do think the right attitude is well, pay for it and read it or don't pay for it and don't. It's up to you!! I don't beg, but don't apologise either. I'm proud of that so it feels great you've mentioned it. Thank you!
Yours is absolutely my favourite Substack (and actually, online content of any kind) at the moment. I actively seek it out on the days you post. I think it’s because it’s not just about “what you’re doing” but also what you think about your doing. Your reflections alongside your diarised commitments! I often find myself feeling like you’re in my head , even though from the outside our lives are different. I always come away with something to ponder, and as I navigate a dark time (soul-wise) right now, I often come away with a sense of light and hope.
So, all that to say,…..yes, more of the same please! Life musings, real talk on parenting and finding oneself, and practical bits and bobs about books, food, clothes, etc! I love the colour of it all! (Think that’s a Bell X 1 lyric!)
I was thinking yesterday that you’re either the kind of person that accepts the life that gets built around you, or you decide to build it yourself, even though you might not get it all right. I think you’ve always been the kind of person to build it yourself.
Grateful for how you’ve been sharing the figuring it out, been open about the rollercoaster and love how intentional you are 💛
I have an extended metaphor about this our dad used to tell us on the way to Manchester airport, because literally there’s a farmhouse between the motorways because they wouldn’t sell and move… so life got built around them. I mean good for them but also like we got taught as kids… sometimes you gotta roll with the punches and design life yourself otherwise, well, you’ll live on the motorway
"I feel like you enjoy the mix of parenting, new job insights, and the shedding of old ideas about the self and stepping into new ones that fit better?"
Yes! 💯😁 I have a lovely time reading about these topics
Your Substack is the best! Here for it all. ✨🌿💛
This has taken ages to come and comment after you asked, blame moving house lack of WiFi (HOW are we in a world where something so necessary takes TEN DAYS to switch on?). I think what has struck me the past few months is that so little of the world is open and honest about when life just isn't a fairytale, it's messy and you will fuck up but it's what you make of it. The more I talk to people the more I realise the linear - house / marriage / babies etc storyline is a myth our parents
sold us. Often they didn't even have it, and there were all sorts of forks in the road you don't see until you're a grown up yourself.
A year ago my life looked perfect from the outside - new build, grey kitchen, landscaped garden. I was living like I could bake, and clean and walk the dog the exact number of steps a day and THAT would crack it. That would make my life work in the way it looked like it should - "perfect" partner of 19 years, making three course Ottolenghi feasts every weekend and Instagram highlighting myself into a life. But a year later and I've just moved into my own little house, it's imperfect - the kitchen is tiny and there is one usable surface. My garden has a visiting rat so I had to remove the bird feeder. I have three bathrooms (?) where only one toilet doesn't leak.
Early last year my high school boyfriend added me on Facebook after 25 years and my first thought was "imagine being loved like that again". And I knew that was the end of the grey kitchen.
So now we have two homes, two hours apart, two children (his) who I'm learning to navigate and a life of fun, winging it, camping trips, three dogs (one mine two his) and a whole load of mess. I've had to remember the building blocks of my own life; running, baking, long dog walks in the hills.
Thanks for being a voice of building a life that is unique, and yours. (I just had to run upstairs and stop the dog eating cat shit so yeah....messy)
I’d also like more of the same please! I’m not a parent but I love reading about it, the detail of shedding old identities and not being scared to try on new ones, and all of the other stuff in between. Things I’m keen to hear more about as you progress through: writing inspiration, how you’re doing the thing of writing and working full time and solo-parenting, any financey stuff you’re navigating.
You have a way of framing life as an adventure, and we all need more of that ❤️
Read and noted and appreciated, Laurie. Thank you! I used to kinda love reading about parenting from certain voices even when I wasn't a parent - Rebecca Woolf who did Girls Gone Child was always a huge fave of mine, and I've often hoped there's somebody out there reading me like I used to read her! Noted about writing inspo, the balance and juggle, and money, too - more to come from me!! xxx
Echoing the above, your Substack feels like the good ole days of blogging (life as it happens + reflections + relatable humour which goes a long ways to making me feel less alone 😅)!
Also this doesn’t relate to content but more to how I think about you — I really admired how upfront and direct you were about why we should pay to be subscribers. You didn’t beat around the bush, you just very directly and confidently pointed out the value that was here and asked us all to put our wallets where our mouths were and I would like to be 20% more like that 🤓
"life as it happens + reflections + relatable humour" ---> what a recipe. Might write this on a post-it by my desk!!
And re subscriptions, thank you. I spend an incredible amount of time crafting HTBAL, and I do think the right attitude is well, pay for it and read it or don't pay for it and don't. It's up to you!! I don't beg, but don't apologise either. I'm proud of that so it feels great you've mentioned it. Thank you!
Yours is absolutely my favourite Substack (and actually, online content of any kind) at the moment. I actively seek it out on the days you post. I think it’s because it’s not just about “what you’re doing” but also what you think about your doing. Your reflections alongside your diarised commitments! I often find myself feeling like you’re in my head , even though from the outside our lives are different. I always come away with something to ponder, and as I navigate a dark time (soul-wise) right now, I often come away with a sense of light and hope.
So, all that to say,…..yes, more of the same please! Life musings, real talk on parenting and finding oneself, and practical bits and bobs about books, food, clothes, etc! I love the colour of it all! (Think that’s a Bell X 1 lyric!)
Thanks Laura
Ahhhh, wicked! Okay, thank you so much - this is very helpful to know! I'm sorry if you're in a dark-soul place right now. It's hard. It is. 💙
Yes to all above 💛
I was thinking yesterday that you’re either the kind of person that accepts the life that gets built around you, or you decide to build it yourself, even though you might not get it all right. I think you’ve always been the kind of person to build it yourself.
Grateful for how you’ve been sharing the figuring it out, been open about the rollercoaster and love how intentional you are 💛
I have an extended metaphor about this our dad used to tell us on the way to Manchester airport, because literally there’s a farmhouse between the motorways because they wouldn’t sell and move… so life got built around them. I mean good for them but also like we got taught as kids… sometimes you gotta roll with the punches and design life yourself otherwise, well, you’ll live on the motorway
"I feel like you enjoy the mix of parenting, new job insights, and the shedding of old ideas about the self and stepping into new ones that fit better?"
Yes! 💯😁 I have a lovely time reading about these topics
I came here to concur the same!! Everything is spot on, my fav Substack at the moment it feels like an escape!
Thank you Beth! Guess I'll keep on keepin' on!! :)
Well alrighty then!! Thanks for the feedback Natasha! 😘