October has been a very full-on month. Full of good things and everyday ordinary moments. Full of work and not enough sleep. Full of train journeys and long-ish drives and overcoming fears & challenges and lots of ‘firsts’. Full of life-stuff and big changes and important decisions. Full of music and magic and making memories and moments that matter.
Here are all the highlights and little things I’ve been loving lately throughout October…
There has been a lot of rain this October, and also a lot of stunning sunrises – this one was my favourite of the month
READ
The Body Keeps The Score: by Bessel van der Kolk. I finally finished this in the second half of the month. It took me SO long to get through – six weeks in total. Not because it’s particularly hard work (it’s actually surprisingly easy to read, despite the tiny font size), it was more that there is so much incredibly insightful information in there that I really wanted to retain. It’s a book I needed to concentrate on and wanted to fully take in – almost every page now has passages underlined and/or corners turned down. I found it absolutely fascinating and genuinely think that anyone involved with therapy, mental health, wellness etc… needs to read it. Likewise, if you’ve experienced trauma of any kind in your life (and remember, “trauma is not what happens to you, it’s what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you” ~ Gabor Mate), please read it – everything will start to make more sense. It’s a game changer.
This article: I also loved this article – The Midlife Unravelling – from Brene Brown, which I stumbled across in an email newsletter I subscribe to. I love the way she writes and so much of what she says here resonated with me. She’s so wise.
WATCHED
Strictly: This has slowly become Lola and I’s thing. I’ve missed a few of the shows this season, but I did manage to watch both Movie Week and Halloween Week with her. I’ve not got as into it this year as I usually do so I don’t know the celebrities very well yet, but I am very much enjoying Chris and Diane.
Heartstopper: Ella was very excited for Season 3 of Heartstopper to be released. We finished watching Season 2 first, as there were a couple of episodes I hadn’t got to, and we’ve also watched the first half of Season 3. I’m pretty sure I’m not the target demographic for the show, but it is both entertaining and enlightening even though it covers some heavy topics.
This video slideshow: Facebook memories kindly reminded me of this video from 7 years ago… The girls and I had a photoshoot with Steve Gerrard and afterwards he put together a little montage/slideshow of some of the images from our shoot. I most definitely didn’t cry when I watched it. Nope. Not me. (Kidding. I sobbed). I showed it to the girls and they remembered everything about it: the inside jokes they had with each other at the time; the song that Mimi had stuck in her head for the whole shoot (best not to ask, you don’t want it stuck in yours!); what school years they were all in… This is EXACTLY why photographs are so important and why everyone needs to get in the frame with their kids – it’s not just the final images that get delivered, it’s the entire experience of making memories together.
HEARD
Chance Peña: I had a little night out in London mid-month to see Chance Peña play at the Shepherds Bush Empire. His music was introduced to me by a client, probably about a year ago now – I loved it from the very first time I heard ‘i am not who i was’, and have been listening to him ever since. It’s a smallish venue (only about 2,000 people) that I’ve not been to before so it felt quite intimate, and he sounded exactly how he does when I listen to him on Spotify – always a positive sign of a good artist – whilst still being able to improvise and play around with his songs.
It was an excellent set list and it included all my favourites: Hey Lovely; i am not who i was; Montana; It Is What It Is; Highs & Lows; and Sleep Deprivation. He also played a new song – ‘Bones’ – and I liked that too. I really enjoy seeing smaller artists before they get more popular. When we saw Dermot Kennedy play in Birmingham Resorts World Arena back in April 2023, Noah Kahan was the support act. We loved him immediately then and now he’s exploded into the music scene and everyone is obsessed. A tiny bit of me feels kind of smug that we got to see him when he was still unknown. It’s the same with Chance Peña – I think he’s going to be big.
MADE
Core memories: Seeing the Northern Lights has been a bucket list wish of mine for a very long time, as I’m sure it has been for many people. I was absolutely gutted when I missed their display back in May this year, so when my friend messaged me to say there was a good chance of seeing them on one particular night this month, I was sceptical. I kept an eye out just in case though, not really expecting to see anything. At about 9pm I spotted a faint pink glow, barely noticeable to the naked eye. I grabbed my camera and my phone because they’re far more visible through a lens and, well… WOW!
I excitedly called the girls and we watched them together for over an hour – hanging out of my bedroom windows to get the best view from as high up as we could, taking photos and videos. Eventually we headed outside to stand in the middle of our empty street, the girls in their pjs, post-10pm, staring up at the sky and marvelling at the scattering of stars & the colours shifting and changing and dancing.
It was spectacular. Lola said to me afterwards that she’ll remember it forever and tears filled my eyes – that is exactly what I wanted. These things happen so rarely and I’m so glad we got to experience it together. I do very much still want to see the aurora in all it’s glory in Iceland at some point, but as a teaser/taster, this was pretty special.
From my camera – a little fuzzy as I had no idea what settings to use so I winged it. I’m happy though. 10th October 2024.
WORE
Fancy Dress: Ella went to her first ever college house party this month, which happened to be Halloween fancy dress themed. She went as Velma from Scooby Doo and sourced everything from Vinted. She looked amazing.
Ella dressed up as Velma from Scooby Doo
AND FINALLY…
Uni visits: We completed the last couple of university open day visits for Ella, almost exactly a year to the day after we first started looking around them all. This month we went to see Nottingham and had a re-visit to Birmingham too. Mimi came along for the latter one as it’s now her turn to start looking around a few places she might want to consider applying to, if she decides she wants to do a degree after college. Ella has nervously submitted her final application to UCAS and now we’re (im)patiently waiting to hear back from her five choices, although it might be a little while until they respond. Keep your fingers crossed that she gets offers from them all!
Photoshoot: I had the absolute joy and privilege of being invited by my friend Kelly to take photographs of her family at the start of the month. We’d mapped out the loose intention of heading to Cannock Chase, which is always beautiful in October, to capture some images playing amongst the autumn leaves in golden sunlight. However, the weather had other ideas and it rained the whole day. Plan B was activated, the ‘adventure’ session transformed into an ‘in home’ session and we headed to the grandparents house to make memories instead. Kelly, her husband and their children spend almost every Sunday there and I could feel the love & how comfortable they are in that space as soon as I stepped through the front door. It had very recently been a milestone birthday for Kelly so I wanted to make sure the images I captured really celebrated her and everything that matters to her. I hope I achieved that for her. This is one of my favourites – right in the messy middle of parenting and love and family life:
Gorgeous Kelly and her beautiful family. I feel so lucky that I get to do this for a job!
Half Term: We made it to half term intact, but tired. It’s been a long 7 and a half weeks. There’s been no rest for the wicked during the break though – it has been an extremely full-on week. I met up with my dear soul-friend Peter in Birmingham; we wandered around with our cameras and sat on a bench in the sunshine & chatted for a few hours and it was exactly what I needed. The next day Ella and I had a little day trip to Matlock – we’ve never been before and it’s such a pretty town. The main purpose of our trip was to visit The Lost Cauldron and Punnydukes, both of which were very cool shops, especially if you are a fan of Harry Potter and/or all things magical & fantasy related.
Peter and I 🙂
Exploring the magical displays at The Lost Cauldron in Matlock
We’ve picked and carved pumpkins from the always impressive Canalside Farm, which gets better and better every year; my Mum came to visit for the day; Sophie has been staying with us; one of my best friends came for dinner and to sleep overnight as she was working in the area; Lola went for a couple of nights adventure with one of her close friends who moved away up north during the summer holidays; Mimi had a Halloween sleepover with one of her best friends; plus there have been dentist appointments, optician appointments, general life admin stuff and work to fit in around all of that as well! Lots of people, lots of fun and nowhere near enough space to actually breathe or rest but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.
Choosing their pumpkins at Canalside Farm pumpkin patch
The result! (l-r Lola’s, Mimi’s and Ella’s)
_____________________
I know I say it every month, but it is quite alarming just how fast the weeks seem to be slipping by. Part of me wonders whether I’m cramming the days full of as much as possible in an unconscious effort to try and slow everything down a bit, although I’m not sure that tactic is actually working. November is already looking pretty busy too.
I hope that you found plenty of little things to love throughout October and that November promises to be full of sparkly fireworks, warm socks and cosy nights.
With love,
Chloe x
