Topsy-Turvy

by | 21 Aug 2016

I was in the queue at the passport office this week (more about why in bit) and I noticed that the guy standing in front of me had written on his form for a replacement: Girlfriend (now ex) cut my passport in half because she didn’t want me to go to Vegas. Inside the plastic sleeve he was holding, his passport was neatly cut in two. We didn’t speak, although I’d like to have heard the story, but it did make me smile in solidarity at people’s topsy-turvy lives.

I was in the queue, because my passport ran out in July and I’m off to the Alps next week. I’m going to Climb Mont Blanc. It’s what I would call a ‘mid magnitude’ challenge (if you didn’t read my blog last December you’ll need to click here to understand what that means) and is my next step towards something ‘major magnitude’ (you’ll have to click here to understand about that). It’s funny, five years ago I don’t suppose I’d have been seen dead in a pair of crampons but climbing mountains, like swimming seas, has become the saviour of my own topsy-turvy life.

And on the subject of topsy-turvy, my blog is also going to be a bit out of synch for the next few weeks. I usually post every other Sunday but two weeks today I’ll be in the snow without a signal so I plan to post the Sunday after with news of that. And then a week later I have been asked to review Yerma at the Young Vic. If you don’t know about it yet, the play and Billie Piper who stars in the title role is taking London theatreland by storm. The Australian playwright and director Simon Stone has relocated Lorca’s tragic story – about a woman in rural Spain who can’t conceive and ends up murdering her husband – into a contemporary London setting. So, you see, childlessness can make you do all sorts of topsy-turvy things. But I’d recommend mountains as a better alternative to murder. Or you could just go to Vegas (as long as no one cuts your passport up)…

www.thepursuitofmotherhood.com

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10 Comments

  1. Ann Marie

    Lovely, made me smile blog.
    Heard yerma is bril. Must get to see it.
    Good luck with your the climb of your life you brilliant woman you.
    ❤️

    • thepursuitofmotherhood

      Bless you and thank you. Hope all is well with you lovely lady. Jessica x

  2. Sheila

    Good luck with the climb Jessica, not that you need it! Agree, murder is definitely not a good choice but Vegas is 🙂 xx

    • thepursuitofmotherhood

      Thanks Sheila. I always need luck and appreciate yours! Mountains AND Vegas. Now that’s talking. Jessica x

  3. Emma Wood

    Have a wonderful time on your climb! Hope Yerma gets to Australia with its Australian director/playwright.

    • thepursuitofmotherhood

      Yes, hopefully it does. Do you know Simon Stone’s work? Yerma is already ‘sold out’ so I’m sure a west end transfer and more is in the plotting…Thanks for your good wishes on the climb xxx

      • Emma Wood

        I know of Simon Stone just from reading reviews and features about his work in Sydney in the last few years – but I didn’t know he was a playwright too. I’ll look forward to reading more about it!

  4. Naomi Miller

    What a great story. I’m not sure I could have resisted striking up a conversation with him, although of course you’d have to admit to reading over his shoulder, which a Brit would never do! Funnily enough, this story is very timely as my puppy chewed my daughter’s passport yesterday and we are going on holiday today. Luckily she has a national ID card too. Anyway, good luck with the climb and I too look forward to the review. I have been meaning to tell you that thanks to being on your mailing list, I was alerted about The Quiet Room and managed to catch it. It’s the first time I’ve cried at the theatre (actually, twice, because of the photo exhibition as well). I don’t mean that in a negative way – it was a truly cathartic and affirming experience.
    By the way, I have done a few runs with my puppy, but it’s hard to stick to it and I’m still struggling to get back my motivation to achieve in other areas of life. So I’m hoping to draw inspiration from your brilliance (to quote from the above commenter).
    All the best,
    Naomi x

    • thepursuitofmotherhood

      I know! I’m not quite sure how I did resist, I talk to strangers everyday but, yes, I’d have to have admitted that I’d been reading over his shoulder which I think was what stopped me. So glad you enjoyed the play, and the exhibition, crying is a good reaction! I look forward to sharing running struggles with you. I had my first ever running coaching session yesterday and it nearly killed me. It’s got me more worried about Mont Blanc so watch this space…happy holidays meanwhile! Jessica x