Where to next...

So, I've promised you a post, giving a thorough recap of the West End Fair.....that will come, but not quite yet. My brain is a little scrambled right now, so everything will come out not necessarily in a logical order, in terms of posts here! Right now, there are a couple of things on my mind.....firstly, that tomorrow I am off to visit dear friends on the Isle of Skye. 

I have visited them there several times now, since they moved 4 or 5 years ago. We are so lucky to have fabulous friends who live in such an awesome location! 

This time around, I'm going by myself, and have decided to take myself over to Harris for two nights, to stay at a wee B and B. I am seriously excited about this! Every time I'm on Skye, I am always drawn to the idea of getting the ferry across to Harris and/or Lewis....and this time, I'm doing it. All by myself, but I am quite content with my own company, and I think after the very crazy summer I've had, and what is to follow (I'm getting to that.....), I need a couple of days of quiet contemplation; taking in the scenery and the peace that only islands seem to possess, somehow. I am always very 'at one' when by the sea as well, and Harris is meant to have some of the best beaches (and most spectacular scenery). Just look at this beautiful picture I found online....

Admittedly, I'm not necessarily expecting sunshine like this......but I am thrilled at the idea of two days alone on this tiny island. Just look at those colours! What could be more inspiring? Expect lots of instagram photos coming this way soon....

The other thing that is occupying my head space is the fact that......we are shortly to move over the water to Belfast in Northern Ireland! It's a bit of a bolt from the blue - Helen was offered a job, very last minute about a month ago. We had 48 hours to decide....and, to cut a long story short, she said yes! So, after 13 years living in Manchester, I am leaving. If I'm honest, I've talked of moving away for approximately 8 of those years (no joke) so I am sure you can imagine how thrilled I am that I am finally doing it. Manchester is an awesome place, and a great, great city to live in, don't get me wrong. But it has never quite felt like my home. And I think that after 13 years, if it was ever going to be home, that would have happened some time ago.

The other thrillingly wonderful thing about this move is that I am going to be able to give up music teaching! I will be working from home, apart from when I travel both for craft fairs and to sing, and I COULD NOT be more excited about this prospect. Teaching, again, is an awesome and incredibly worthy and, at times, rewarding profession. I think I am not a bad teacher, if I do say so myself. I have got a lot out of it, over the years, and worked with some wonderful students. But it is incredibly draining, emotionally exhausting and at times, thankless. In the past year, both Songbead and The Curious Bead Shop have established themselves in a way that will allow me not to have to teach anymore, unless I want to. I hope that I will still be able to do some beading teaching, as this is something that I don't feel I am finished with. And I am upset to be leaving my wonderful private students - a bunch of lovely, talented adults, who I teach at home. An altogether different experience from peri teaching in schools! As we will potentially only live over in Ireland for a year (due to the NHS's ability to post you anywhere in the UK with each new job contract), it wouldn't be fair to take on any new private students for such a short amount of time. But for now, I am ready to stop music teaching, and focus on other aspects of my career. 

And I really do feel, already, that I am regaining both my life, and my spirit! I have a few days to do in my (very lovely) primary school.....but then, I am done, and will be joining Helen in Belfast to start this new chapter in our lives. Exciting times, without a doubt.