The Middle Ages

Last night I was dithering over at the Emma Bridgewater crockery site.  I cannot help myself. I have a fatal weakness for her pots, and have had for several years.  I actually am sad enough to have an account with the site, and needed to go in and update all my details.  Then I made the fatal mistake of having a little browse.

I tried to avoid buying something. I really did.

I even posted a plea for intervention on Facebook.  Many friends were kind enough to try to help, with supportive messages.

It did not do the trick. 

The fatal thing is that there is an ‘outlet’ page on the Bridgewater site, where they sell their seconds at reduced prices.  They had the saucer for the gravy boat that I wanted.  It was a fiver.

I bought it.

Postage costs a fiver, which effectively doubles it.  I decided that it would be stupid not to buy something else to make the postage seem more reasonable.  By the time I had added in two non outlet priced pasta bowls and four French bowls, the price had gone into orbit, and I came to my senses.

Not enough to not buy the gravy saucer though.

I was ridiculously pleased with it.

I am so middle aged.

In one of the intervention messages, Antonia over at Whoopee, said that although Bridgewater didn’t do it for her (she doesn’t like the stuff with the words on.  I do.) she is currently having a thing about retro Seventies pottery.  She agrees it is probably a middle aged thing.

I think it must be.  I used to loathe pottery with words on it.  I remember having a snit the year I wanted a non standard bread bin, and being pissed off because why would anyone want to have a bread bin that said the word ‘bread’ on it? It’s not like you’d be using it to store coal in, or anything.

Now though, now, I love the Bridgewater pattern with words on it (Black Toast).  I collect it.  The fact that I collect it is in itself a middle aged thing.  I always used to pride myself on having mis matched, non-coordinated crockery, and not selling out to some big designer name charging stupid prices for what was essentially a pragmatic item.

Serves me bloody right doesn’t it?

All this led me to wonder what else about me has changed, probably due to being middle aged.

Here is my list so far:

• Not caring about what the current popular music is, and having to ask my children who these people are.
• Being more interested in reading my book than watching television, and not being that bothered if I miss an episode of a television programme even if I really like it.
• Not being arsed about going to the cinema overmuch. I like films, but prefer to watch them at home with a kettle and a pause button to hand.
• Actively getting up and going and doing something else if a film is boring me.
• The whole crockery thing.
• Thinking with excitement last night that when the children were in bed I could eat Greek yogurt with cherry compote in it.  What happened to drinking creme de menthe out of my sling backs.
• Having a love affair with my UGGS, solely because they are comfy.
• Having a love affair with my underfloor heating, and actually bragging about it.
• Looking forward to my Ocado order/Waitrose shop.
• Thinking bars and restaurants are too noisy and that what is the point of going out to spend time with people if I can’t hear what the bloody hell they are saying?
• Thinking that most shop assistants look to be about ten years old.
• Falling asleep in the middle of doing other things.

I’m sure there are lots more things.

Anyone care to suggest anything?

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