When I was 18 I couldn’t really see a life beyond 25. I don’t mean that in James Dean way, it’s just that life beyond seemed so mature that I simply couldn’t rationalise it at that point. The window of life that was to contain university and then a few years of work seemed as though it would last until the end of time. Architecture was avoided as a degree subject as the requisite extra three years seemed like a whole life lost to education. It’s strange how those perceptions of time are relative. In my head I’ve not really matured beyond 25. The year I came to Jersey. In reality, life has been flying by.
Sure, I’ve done a fair bit of travelling, taken a few holidays, started a little business, got married and had a couple of kids. I know that’s a load of life ticks but I just still don’t really feel I’ve got into the swing of things, yet somehow I’m already ‘the big’ 40. By the time my Mum was my age she was out of the woods – I was already at Uni. I have a one year old and a seven year old to contend with. And a dog to walk. I am properly in the thick of family life. I guess that’s the double edged sword of living it up in your twenties?
The happy smiling face on our cover this month is a clear departure from the norm to reflect this edition’s ‘family’ theme. As much as I’m eternally 25 in my head, we do recognise that our audience and readers, like me, have had some life fly by since we started this little project 14 years ago. This month’s shoot is a reflection of that. We had a great response to our callout for a family that would like a shoot with lovely family lifestyle photographer Gisela Olsson. Thank you to everyone who took the time to send in photos! The Bartlett family stepped up to the task and, furnished with a selection of clothes from de Gruchy and The Potting Shed, headed to the dunes for a great afternoon of smiles (pg64).
It’s funny to imagine, when you’re looking at a person who can’t eat without getting it all over their face, that you might one day end up in business with your little bundle of joy. We got so many responses to our search for families who work together that we’re thinking of making it a monthly feature. Meet our first batch this month (pg14). We also meet the husband and wife team who are keeping it in the family at the cafe that carries their name as we meet Drew and Ella Locke (pg94). Food blogger Laura Dauny of theislandplate also recommends her top five family friendly picks this month (pg76).
If you’re looking for somewhere to grow your family, Imogen went to see a great Barn in St Saviour for our property profile (pg80). If that’s as far out of your price range as it is mine, why not head over to places.je. Our sister magazine’s (family, get it?) property portal has had a complete six month rebuild. It’s now firing on all cylinders as people check out historic transaction dates; the best source of open viewings on the market and the cleanest platform for finding Jersey property from multiple agents at once. It’s now, definitively, THE place to find a place in Jersey; our baby and the best place to find a place for yours. Happy hunting.
BD
