Thinking ahead

No, not one of my works, (if only!) but a scene from my new desk diary featuring artwork by the Hebridean artist Mairi Hedderwick, creator of the Katie Morag stories for children, and much, much more. See here

The future's been on my mind for about a year now. We still don't know if our school and nursery are going to stay open beyond July next year. I've been working extra hours in the nursery this academic year, to cover a staff shortage, but a new manager is to be appointed. Today I had a chat with my current manager, about what will happen next. To begin with, I'll have fewer hours after half term, when the new person starts. but once another colleague goes on maternity leave, I'll have more, and they'll all be midweek. Sounds promising.

To celebrate, I bought a pocket diary (as opposed to the desk one, which is for g-f meal planning) and a calendar! Call it Stationery Fetish Friday. Blame it on my mother, if you will. She also has a book and stationery fetish, which of course was hard to indulge in the 1970s in the West highlands. When we'd exhausted the delights of the Oban branch of John Menzies or Woolworths, we'd get in the car and go on a calculator, cartridge and notelet- binge in Glagow, Perth or Inverness....

Actually, my mother probably hated those back-to-school shopping trips. but in her desk to this day she has a stash of birthday cards and notelets bought over the years, saved for the right occasion. 'Vintage' is so on-trend right now, so they'll come in handy.