Monday 10 October 2016

HS081


Hastings Diary Day 12 May 2016 
Today has been really busy – I normally get up around 7.45 a.m. just in time to see the children off to school. My husband usually has breakfast with them as he gets up around 6.30 a.m. and leaves the house at 7.45 a.m.
However, this morning I was up at 6.30 a.m.- had a quick breakfast of marmite on toast, my staple breakfast. Though, I would prefer something with a bit of protein in like yoghurt, fruit and cereal or even on fancier days Bircher muesli. I rarely make time to have a decent breakfast though.
After working all day, I came home exhausted and more importantly felt ‘peopled out’. I am still unsure whether this is a proper phrase but it is how I describe times when although I can be relatively extrovert I just can’t do it anymore and need time on my own.
I opened a bottle of beer as soon as I got home, again unusual for me but it was a warm day and sitting in the garden with my feet up drinking straight from the bottle seemed right. We’ve been watching a TV crime series Marcella (played by Beth from Brookside who was famous for having the first lesbian kiss on mainstream telly – I always get her mixed up with Natalie Imbruglia who was on Neighbours about the same time), and when she gets home from work the first thing she does is crack out a cold one. Not sure if that has influenced my beer drinking behavior today, but it is a bit like when people on telly and in films – although less common now – smoke a fag and it has me suddenly fancying one.
This year has been a weird one for deaths of famous people – David Bowie, Victoria Wood, Terry Wogan and Prince to name just a few. Then this week a local resident – an ex Elle magazine editor killed herself by walking in to the sea in St Leonards. I didn’t know her personally but have read her work and admired her from afar. She had had depression for many years – some accounts say bipolar disorder and this last bout was just one too many. Just really sad news.
On a more positive note, Hastings seems to be getting a lot of positive press at the moment – articles about some of our cooler pubs – the newly opened pier – boutique b and b’s etc. It reminds me that when we moved here nine years ago Hastings was quite different in some ways. There were less places to get a flat white – though still some lovely cafĂ©’s. The original eat@claremont being an early favourite with its great fresh salads and homemade quiche’s. Also very child-friendly. I think the town was and is just as quirky and fun then as now though.
The art scene seems to be growing all the time here, or it may just be that my head is lifted up from the early days of looking after small children now, or that I just know more people involved in the arts. However, I am keen that the changes involve all local residents and I am not sure they always do. 
The Jerwood has been fantastic as inviting the local schools in for workshops and more – hopefully this will lead to a new generation believing art galleries are for them.
I was fifteen or sixteen when I first went to an art gallery – The Tate Modern in London on a school trip. I’ll never forget the widening of my world that, and my English teacher taking us to the Young Vic and to actual plays gave me. My art teacher, English teacher then later A level tutors are to thank for broadening my horizons beyond my little village and county life.



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