Abida Mian's Blog
An outlier that's living, learning and being myself…Archive for January, 2016
La Poubelle Vintage: 1960s Floral Print Wiggle Dress
Description:
Vintage 1960s Dress / 60s Floral Print Wiggle Dress / Blue and Pink (XS)
Sweetest little ’60s wiggle dress done in a blue and pink rose print cotton blend. This charming dress features a surplice neckline with bow accent, pleats at the waist and sleeves, and a narrow “wiggle” skirt. A stiff partial lining under the skirt maintains the classic shape. Metal zipper closure in back.
Modern Size: XS
Materials: No label, but feels like a cotton-silk blend
Condition: Some very faint spots on the skirt near the hem.
Brand: None Listed
I love Etsy (etsy.com), and bought this beautiful vintage blue & rose wiggle dress last summer from La Poubelle Vintage. I was a bit worried in case it didn’t fit, as it was being shipped from the US, but it turned out fine, and I got a lot of use out of this. I love the midi length and floral print, looking forward to wearing this again this summer.
The Commander Porterhouse & Oyster Bar, 47 Hereford Road
The second time we’ve had our office Christmas party at The Commander on Hereford Road. Both times we’ve had a general knowledge quiz, with everyone putting money in, both times, the winners were great sports and put it towards our food & drinks bill at the end of the night.
In the heart of Notting Hill, this bar is somewhere I feel suits me well. I’m not into crowded noisy bars/pubs, and whilst this undoubtedly gets busy, it’s still comfortable enough to relax in. The Commander has a private room, which we rented out for the evening, it’s always beautifully decorated. There are glass doors which we can shut so as not to disturb the rest of the bar goers when we start to get rowdy over who’s cheated on the quiz 😉 The food and service was excellent.
This year our party also doubled up as a leaving do for my colleague Big Baby (James). The evening was both happy and sad, Big Baby (nickname just stuck) I’ve worked with for over five years. In that time, we’ve never argued or got on each other’s nerves. Not a mean feat given how small the office is. In nearly 11 years I’ve been there, I’ve worked with some many wonderful people. Big Baby though is my all time favourite.
When the end of our party drew near, Big Baby and I had a bit of a deep conversation. He said it always struck him that he wanted to help me with work, but I would say I’m fine. Instead he would see when I was stressed and run across the road to get me a snack, or drive to my favourite chip shop, Georges on Portobello Road, and bring it back for us to eat. He did that he said because the office couldnt cope without me, it was nice to hear his words of respect. I will miss my little brother…
Over all, the night was a success, enjoyed by all. I would highly recommend this bar.
How does one psychologically & emotionally prepare for death of parents?
The answer is that you can’t emotionally & psychologically prepare for your parents death.
When my dad was in intensive care, there were times I still held out false hope that by some miracle he would pull through, and I’d hear his voice again. If I was honest with myself, I knew in my heart that was his time, but I loved him so much, the thought of never seeing him again was too painful to bear. I choose to be ignorant to the reality of his condition.
Even when my mum called me, those words ‘the Dr’s said they can’t do anymore for your dad, it’s his time’ felt unreal. Once the gravity of the situation sunk in, my heart shattered into tiny pieces. I couldn’t stop crying, I had to hold it together whilst making the 3 hour train journey to the hospital, I can tell you that felt like the longest hours of my life.
I associated travelling home with joyful thoughts of seeing my family, how could I reconcile that I was having to say goodbye forever? In my mind, I was thinking, ‘please train, don’t stop, I’m not ready yet’ (the reality: no one is ever prepared for this, right?). My brother was waiting for me at the station, there were no words, I just needed a big hug.
The moment I entered my dad’s room, hands trembling with fear, I took whatever emotional strength I had left, held back the tears, and told him that I loved him very much. I’m not sure if he ever heard what I said, all that mattered was that I was there by his side, tightly holding his hand when the Dr switched off his life support, and he drew a few last breaths.
It’s two years now, I’ve gone through the worst of the grieving process. The idiom time’s a great healer is true. I still feel sad, but I’ve learn’t that death is just an inevitable part of life, we cannot seek to control it, however hard it is to accept, we just have to hope that we can be there with them at the end, and make the most of our time with our parents when they’re still alive…
iPhone 6s Rose Gold
Updated my two year old iPhone 5s to the iPhone 6s a few weeks ago. Obviously when they had an option for pink (rose gold) I went for that.
I haven’t really noticed much difference between the 5s and 6s yet, but I took some photos of my nephews on the 6s at Xmas, and noticed that the images moved. I googled it, and it’s referred to as ‘live photos’. It makes my pictures look like they’re animated.
To protect my iPhone, I’ve invested in a wallet style case. Being a lover of all things girly, I chose Cath Kidston Provence Rose iPhone 6 cover, fits the 6s perfectly.
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