When I was buying Christmas presents for the girls this week I was struck by how very different the kinds of things I was looking at were from last year. There is nothing in a toy department that would interest them now, for example. Gone are the pet shops and the furry animals.Their Christmas lists were all about clothes from Forever 21, bits for their BlackBerries and other ‘grown-up’ things, such as fountain pens or new curtains.
Much as I loathe those round robin ‘oh it’s been another frightfully good year in the Frith Powell/Wright household’ I do think it’s a perfect time of year to look back. I am guessing if you’re here in the first place, you must be interested. And to mark the end of 2011, I have a new look, hope you like it.
I will start with work. This year was my first full year as editor of M magazine. It has been brilliant, I love my team and the product, which I feel just gets better and better. It has also been the single most challenging year of my professional life, because of changes to my working environment. But it’s all too tedious to relate here, and quite frankly I have wasted enough time droning on about it.
The latest book is missing around 20,000 words and a satisfying ending, I was hoping to get it done before Christmas but that is not going to happen. Still, I am happy with it so far if rather nervous about the proposed title: How to turn your husband into your lover. My publisher, whom I utterly adore, believes in the old adage of ‘sex sells”. He is right of course.
As I said, the girls are growing up at an alarming rate. Olivia is quite the most elegant creature I have ever seen, and is doing really well at school. We had a letter from the head of her year congratulating her on her great report. Bea is becoming more and more beautiful but now I sound like a ‘smug married’ so won’t go on. She has a boyfriend, he is sooo cute and plays football and piano (grade 8). I fear it’s all downhill from here….Leo is still the sporting superstar, utterly obsessed and determined to join Chelsea FC and turn their fortunes around. The sooner the better frankly.
I started with work and return to work. As I write I am having my hair blow-dried in preparation for Rupert’s leaving party. He has resigned from the National and as soon as I can I will tell you what his next move is. It’s really exciting and may mean we stay here for a few years to come. Which I am actually beginning to like the idea of. As long as we have La Belle Maison to escape to when the heat sets in….
Happy Christmas and a very Happy New Year
Copyright: Helena Frith Powell 2011