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Author - Melinda

Melinda with teal cup coffee, IMG_6781

Dating: A Middle-Aged Widow’s Open Letter To The Man Who Thinks He Wants To Date Her

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WHAT MEL DID

There is always a day each year – not always the same one – I officially name spring. It used to be when Bronnie brought me the first daffodils of the season or the sudden appearance of cotton candy blossoms on our trees. But even now, living in the city without Bronnie or my country garden, I can recognise a day that smells sunflower fresh, a day full of possibilities, a day I name spring.⁠
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WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES - This is my first ever (ever) birthday post. It's hard to believe pre-COVID even Denzel Washington wearing only baby oil could not have prised me out from behind my camera lens. So, whilst I'm here in some form, let me say a MASSIVE THANK YOU for your kind words and messages this week. It has meant a lot. And much love and happy birthday to my lovely twin sister today too. Mx ⁠

THIS TIME LAST VALENTINE'S - I was already missing my children as I walked past a wedding store this morning which was showcasing one of their favourite books from childhood - “Guess How Much I Love You.” The kids would be beside themselves when their father then flung out his arms and shouted “This Much!” That became a bit of a thing in our family. Still is.⁠
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And this exact day last year, I was with two of the children. Tess had flown in from New York and, together with Morgan, it was we girls together in London. It would have been impossible to imagine then that flying in from anywhere, or hugging and laughing in close proximity would have been damn near illegal a year on.⁠
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Continuing the trudge to get some essentials this morning, I passed another store which also encapsulated what I want for all of my children; so I will end with the profound words from Primark’s window:⁠
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“Stay Safe. Live.”⁠
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In the meantime, know I love you all “THIS MUCH!”⁠
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Mx⁠

LET IT SNOW - It’s snowing and which reminds me why we banned TV on school mornings when my “kids” were children. Morgan and Hart would move at the pace of jam racing marmalade uphill when it came time to turn the TV off and get ready for school. Bronnie and I, as well as corralling children into showers, breakfast and school uniform, also had to get ready for work and the demands of the day. And God-Damn-It, those children seemed to move even slower when it was a big meeting day at the office.⁠
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Then one school morning it snowed.⁠
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I caught the furtive looks between the children, but thought nothing of it and, to be fair, they were getting ready as asked, but at a more studied rather than a slow pace. It was hard to define. Come to find out the children were waiting for the text to come in cancelling the school day because of the white stuff falling from the sky, which had now settled on the ground to about 3 inches.⁠
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The text came in.⁠
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Morgan and Hart were out of school uniform, into house clothes and tobogganing down our driveway with other kids from the neighbourhood faster than a Government U-turn.⁠
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“So you kids do know how to move in the mornings,” I shouted through the kitchen door, as a snowball hit me thump in the middle of my forehead.⁠
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Happy snowy Sunday, friends. Mx⁠
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KINDNESS PLEASE STAND - There were many great moments in yesterday’s US Presidential inauguration. I for one high-fived the TV when Joe made it down those stairs to start his four-year journey. (Those of us in the “certain age” bracket salute you, Sir.) And what his speech may have lacked in orgasm-inducing rhetoric, it made up for in kindness. A glimmer of hope for a different approach to the many (many) subjects which currently polarise and divide us. My daffodils, which have stayed stubbornly closed for the last few days, came out in full bloom and agreement this morning. 🇺🇸

Autumn⁠
Leaves⁠
Shoes⁠
Had to be done⁠
Don't hate me.⁠
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When someone who didn't even know you were having a challenging week, gives you an unexpected gift, which says "Hey, I see you."⁠
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Thank you, Lucy. Mx

Happiest of birthdays to my youngest, 22 today. Again, if I wasn't related to this guy, he is someone I would always want to hang out with. 🎂 🎉 🥂 💖 🥳⁠
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I've chosen this photo, as it has a special place in my heart. This was one of my first showings of the Cushion Maven. This young man came to "help" dress the cubicle and basically ended up saying "Step aside woman, I've got this." And he did got this.

The long and winding road this morning took me on a dirt path, which could be mistaken for a picturesque scene on vacation. Gratifying then that this scenic beauty is available to us in the "Fine City" of Norwich, Norfolk, England. Happy Saturday, friends. M

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THE CUSHION MAVEN

Whilst making this collection, we had the gamut of weather from record-breaking temperatures for April to snow flurries by the end of the same week. Fabrics like these remind us Spring and Summer must eventually prevail - yes, even in the UK! Mx 🌞 🌷⁠

On more challenging days, I go to gratitude to drown out all the things I believe to be wrong. One of the things I truly am grateful for is my health and fitness. Running a small business is not for wimps, whether or not you also work full-time. I find gratitude can do some of the heavy lifting on those days when I want to whimper with how much still has to be done before I get to close my eyes for the day. This photo of me literally putting my back into it, reminded me to be grateful for my current health. Happy Monday. Mx

TO BOLDLY GO - Entering the Easter break with these bold floral cushions, on the website now, and one of my favourite quotes by the German playwright and thinker Johann Wolfgang von Goethe:⁠
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"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it;⁠
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."⁠

VIVE LA DIFFÉRENCE - I don't often get time to waft around in a Downton Abbey-esque blouse leafing through interior design magazines. Being said, it is useful to see what current trends are doing and saying.... and then going the other way.⁠
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When younger, I did everything to try and fit in and now take the most joy in my differentness (no I'm not sure that is a word). But as we advance through uncertain youth, we emerge to find that Different is where the magic often hides and gives rise to our best creations. Mx

DARE TO BE BOLD - I was asked again recently how to successfully combine patterns without the clash being "too much." Finding a common theme often works. For instance, these two patterns seen separately might give one pause at the thought of putting them together. However, a lot of the colours are echoed in each fabric and, therefore, ties the look together.⁠
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Being said, don't rule out happy accidents, experimentation and the most important design rule of all - being, if you like it, it works!⁠
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In the meantime, let's dare to believe Spring is really here and go boldly into Monday. Talk again soon. Mx 🌻 ⁠

YOU CAN'T RING MY BELL - As Creatives and small business owners, we have had to make peace with spending the same if not more time promoting our work and products on social media.⁠
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I often see Ol' School Creatives lamenting how they are supposed to get the work done and mess around on social. I'm Ol' School generation myself, but I'm also a techie, so the struggle hasn't been that real for me.⁠
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However, one thing I have ABSOLUTELY HAD TO GET RID OF is constant notifications. I started by limiting the number of apps I allowed to call on my attention because I didn't want to miss anything important, but soon tired of even that and switched the lot off. And guess what I found out? It's never important.⁠
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A tip then from this Ol' School Gal is that you will find buckets full of time by not giving into those little blips and beeps and updating yourself on social when you are good and ready. Don't mention it, it's my pleasure. Mx ⁠

When I lived in the country, with a large quintessentially English country garden, there was no time for houseplants. Those that did survive, did so with the help of the Lord with no divine intervention from me. Years on and my city apartment is not only flooded with fabric but also flora and plants. I still get to play with fabric and flora, although life is now a little different - and why my IG grid looks like Kew Gardens. I guess my fervent wish then, always, is that we get to flourish wherever we are planted. Mx ⁠
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WHICH CAME FIRST? With my love of flowers and fabric, I sometimes struggle to remember what came first when inspiration strikes for a new collection. Did I look at lovely flowers in a vase and decide to source fabric to match? Or did I source beautiful floral fabric and then felt impassioned to run out and get some flowers to match the mood? At this "certain age," it's anyone's guess sometimes! 😊⁠
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Melinda

Melinda is a passionate entrepreneur and creative. She will marry Denzel Washington after the sudden disappearance of any of his wives.

Copyright © 2021 | Melinda Fargo

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Of late

Dating: A Middle-Aged Widow’s Open Letter To The Man Who Thinks He Wants To Date Her
In Plain Sight
When You’re No Longer The Hippest Person In The Room
If We Are What We Routinely Do, Some Of Us Are In Trouble
First Things First: Why Don’t You Love Me?
Why Am I Telling You This Story, Again?
The One Where Valentine’s Day Was A Matter of Life and Death
We Make Plans And The Universe Says “Bog Off”
When I Grow Up
On diabetes and finding love in a homeless place
Who To Call At 4.00 am?
It All Started When I Didn’t Take My Camera On Holiday