4 Jan 2017
2017 goals
First week of Jan is never the one. Mainly cos CRY Christmas is over for another year and CRY I have to go back to work and CRY I finished my chocolate orange.
And CRY the ‘new year, new you’ and ‘get your bikini body ready for summer’ hell hole that we now have to push our way through on our way to work.
Like the commuters, raised rail fares and darkness wasn’t enough to be getting on with.
So yes, FYI, I am not about to talk about how I’m going to improve myself. I LIKE ME ALREADY THANKS.
But I do love a chance to reflect and think about what I would like to do in the next twelve months. I love analysing things and planning and making lists but if I don’t actually achieve any of the below, THAT’S OKAY. I’m not big on making myself feel like a failure because I didn’t make a scrapbook.
The Big Stuff
Make a decision about my working life
Something I’ve been trying to do since, lol, leaving university tbh. But this is a different kind of decision. I’ve moved on from I’M AN EXPERT AT DRINKING VODKA PLEASE EMPLOY ME that was the post-uni days to being more selective about what I want from a working life. After internships, temp jobs and a somewhat nightmarish six months working in a business, I’ve been at my current job for nearly two years and it’s lovely in many ways. But I’m restless. I’ve realised more than ever that the one thing I want to do is write, and it would be great to have a job that allows me to pursue that, to see if I can make it work. I made the first step last year (see here) but I’m already ready to take a bigger step. Whether that’s getting a job out of London which would give me some extra time, or potentially even taking a part time job, I don’t know. But it would be great if 2017 was the year I actually made the decision.Write
This is very dependent on the above decision but I would LOVE it if, instead of stealing little snippets of time here and there, writing became all-consuming again (within reason obvs. Girl still gotta eat). I do miss the days of accidentally staying up until 3am typing and I have two novel ideas I want to get stuck into.Travel
Our big New York adventure is lined up for the beginning of April and we have a week in Greece following on in May so I’m already feeling 2017 is lucky travel wise. But naturally that isn’t going to stop me planning more adventures for the next couple of years (big American road trip anyone?) cos that’s half the fun. Later on in the year, I’d also like to explore more of the UK and maybe a cheeky weekend in a new European city?The Boring Stuff
Finish my course
I took an accidental break from my proofreading course back in November and suddenly it’s the new year and, lol, I don’t know what happened. Back to it, back to it.More savings
Less candles. More savings account. Cos apparently candles don’t pay for holidays and houses. Rude.More exercise
It’s no secret that I don’t enjoy exercise; I blame the asthma and my middle school PE teacher from hell. But I would like to be fitter. NOT because the bullshit January ads are telling me to but because I want to be a reasonable, normal-person level of healthy and I fall down on the exercise side of things. I just about walk those 10, 000 steps a day (well the app says I do anyway) but I want to do some more swimming and more yoga cos those are the only two sports I’ve found that I don’t completely hate.Less anxiety
I started today pretty chipper, despite the fact that it’s January and despite the fact that the flat has been smelling super dodgy the last couple of days, thanks to some RIPE af cheese (too ripe for even me to handle). But then I had a phonecall that sent me into a wave of, what I like to call, my irrational anxiety. And by irrational, I don’t mean the feeling isn’t real and shouldn’t be taken seriously (big fat no to mental health stigma kay) but I know that the reaction doesn’t correlate to the situation. And I do this, on varying levels, all the time. As do thousands of other people I’m sure. I hate it and want to learn more ways of being able to move past it. Not that the poltergeist-sat-on-my-chest feeling isn’t fun of course.Less scrolling
Enough with the aimless phone scrolling. It’s dull, turns my brain to mush and wastes precious time. I know there will be bored moments at work where I end up flicking through insta for the 100th time but on the whole, I need to implement some rules in the phone-scrolling side of life. Maybe turning my phone off in the evening? Maybe having a dedicated half an hour for social media and then bam, alarm goes off, phone goes in drawer and I get on with life? PLEASE GIVE ME TIPS.The Fun Stuff
Promote my blog more
I do the bare minimum when it comes to promoting my blog and I think it’s probably time to get my act into gear a tad if I want to push my writing out there a lil bit further. This kinda contradicts the above goal because more blog promotion inevitably means more social media but, hey, I never claimed I had it all figured out.Photo albums/scrapbooks
Because I’ve been saying I’ll put together my photo albums/scrapbooks for actual years and it would be nice if I finally made the bloody time to start.Iceland video
I took so many little videos in Iceland and I so desperately want to compile them all sooner rather than later. Fingers crossed I can take advantage of a few quiet weekends in the next couple of months.Buy Olympus Pen camera
I’ve just slipped this one in at the end because I know it’s materialistic and probably shouldn’t be included in my yearly goals. BUT I’ve wanted this baby for months and months and I’m very nearly there savings wise so I might just be able to achieve my goal of having one to take to New York with me...More than enough to be getting on with me thinks. I'm off to make cheesy bean quesadillas before heading out to the cinema. Let me know your 2017 goals <3
1 Jan 2017
New Year's Eve at Brasserie Blanc
New Year’s Day and no hangover. I’ve had porridge for breakfast, soup for lunch and spent the morning sorting out under the bed and all the wonky photo frames on the wall of the spare room.
ADULTING.
(Until we get within half an hour of Sherlock later when I shall be running around more excited than a kid on Christmas morning.)
G and I went civilised for new year’s eve this year (last year?), by which I mean we are one step away from just spending new year at home in our pjs but were clinging on to the idea that we are, you know, cool.
After a whole week of being the classic Christmas slob, I thought I’d make a bit of an effort and had a snazzy bath with candles and bathbomb before lazily glamming up with Friends playing in the background, and a glass of a bubbly summin’ summin’. Twas marvellous.
We chose to have a meal at Brasserie Blanc because it looked just that little bit fancier but wouldn’t completely break the bank. And it was lovely. The staff were a bit rushed off their feet but it was new year so we’ll forgive them; and the busyness created a good atmosphere.
Special occasion and all that so we opted for a bottle of prosecco which was grand stuff, and went well with our fluffy bread (does prosecco ‘go well’ with bread? Is that a thing?).
My starter was a beetroot and goat’s curd salad affair. Now, please answer me this, DID ANYONE ELSE KNOW YOU CAN GET DIFFERENT COLOURED BEETROOT?!
Smoked gold beetroot anyone? Candy coloured beetroot?
ME NEITHER.
So that was exciting (and colourful). Also came with beetroot crisps which were spot on with the goat’s curd.
Next up, we both went for the steak. This was kind of a last hurrah for me as I’ve given up meat for January (as a trial, but potentially for longer) and it was a good steak to have as my final (meat) meal. It was medium rare, accompanied with a béarnaise sauce and garlicky tomato, and very much melted in your mouth.
I was actually so full by the end of this (okay maybe a baked camembert for lunch wasn’t the best idea... but, ya know, Christmas) but we all have a separate pudding tummy right? RIGHT?
In an attempt to keep it light, we both went for the Citroën Tarte which was incredible; so zesty and creamy, and I very nearly finished it.
Don’t judge kay but, despite being so full, we still went for the cheese board. We thought we’d finish off the whole xmas shenanigans properly before returning to normal food today (much to the relief of our stomachs). It wasn’t the best cheese board I’ve had if I’m honest; there was a camembert that was too strong for even me and then a couple of cheeses that were a tad bland. We were trying to figure out what cheese boards are meant to do after a big meal; are the cheeses plainer to cleanse your palate? Answers welcome.
With 45 minutes left of the year, we took a scenic walk to the oldest pub in the country and saw in the new year with a mailbu and coke (beer for G) before walking home to the sound of those cathedral bells ringing out for new year’s day.
31 Dec 2016
Dear 2016
Well hello there pals, how are ya? Was your Christmas full of magic sparkly goodness?
Mine was a general joy of travelling down the country (started in Sheffield, ended in Kent) to see all the lovely people, generous gifts and, of course, all the foods (including three Christmas dinners).
The only downer was my dad managing to break his foot. It was my first day off work, I’d arrived in Sheffield, was sat on the bed reading and I could already feel myself starting to unwind. I was just starting to think that my dad had been a while on his daily run when I heard the door. About ten minutes later, I heard him walking up the stairs very slowly.
“You alright?” I called out.
“Er, I think I might have just broken my foot.”
“Eh?”
He hobbled into my room and I immediately noticed the lump on his foot.
“Oh my god, is that your bone sticking the wrong way?!”
“I’m not sure. But I’m almost certain I heard something snap when I fell over.”
I cringed and curled my toes and all the other things you do when you’re in a omg say no more or I’ll vom kind of situation.
So I called a taxi to get us to the minor injuries clinic and reluctantly got dressed. My dad meanwhile, packed a rucksack with a book and snacks.
“Erm, you’re not going on holiday,” my sister pointed out.
“You’ll thank me when we’ve been sat in A&E for four hours” my dad said whilst hobbling around.
“If we’re there for four hours,” I growled, “I’ll break your other foot.”
I pride myself on my excellent bedside manner.
In fact, we were in and out the clinic in 40 minutes so, if you fancy breaking a bone kids, do so on a quiet Wednesday evening before 8pm (when the minor injuries clinic closes).
Other than that hiccup (although not entirely sure my dad would agree that snapping your metatarsal bone is a mere hiccup), Christmas was rather dandy.
G and I emerged from the Christmas bubble when we got home on the morning of the 28th and then immediately entered the Christmas-New Year limbo where you forget what day/week/month it is and lie on the sofa eating cheese and chicken&stuffing sandwiches whilst watching the selection of random films on the telly. It’s marvellous until you hit that point where your stomach starts cramping cos it can no longer handle the cheese food baby, and you realise that you haven’t done any of those household things you were going to sort whilst you had time off.
Ah well.
I’ve partially re-joined society today. By which I mean I’m dressed, I’m actually planning on leaving the house later for a civilised goodbye-and-fuck-you to 2016 and I started thinking about some things to tick off my to-do list whilst watching Bake Off re-runs.
And I’m also taking a moment to reflect on 2016 which, I think we can all agree, was weird. I’m sure I don’t need to spell out why; we’ve all stared at our televisions/laptops/phones in appalled disbelief enough times this year. Momentous political shifts aside, on a more personal level, I think my highlights would be moving to St Albans with G, taking the first step in getting more time to write, and all the new places I’ve been lucky enough to travel to including Tenerife, Budapest and Iceland.
I’m not really one for making resolutions cos, lol, I don’t need more things to add to the ‘you really should be doing this rather than watching Netflix’ list but as well as eating more veg, being better at saving money etc, I hope 2017 is full of small, happy things, plenty of adventures, the guts to make some big decisions around my working life and a hella lot of writing.
And preferably less referendums and celebrity deaths.
Here’s what I learnt in the last 365 days:
1) Sweet and salted popcorn is actually the stuff of dreams and I have been SO WRONG all this time.
2) Some friendships aren’t destined to last but that’s okay; it gives you more time to focus on the important ones anyway.
3) Going to the cinema alone is strangely therapeutic and I am big believer that this is something we should all be doing every now and again.
4) It’s important to make the little things count. Life really is horrendously short and you never know when the rug will be pulled from under your feet. Appreciate those tiny things that put a smile on your face.
5) Candles make me feel calm and happy, and generally soothe my soul. I now have a whole box of candles in my living room and I will keep adding to it. Join me in this; you won’t regret it.
6) Your twenties is a time in your life where you know people who constantly ask when you’re getting married and having kids and also know people who would think ‘when are you getting rid of it?’ was still an appropriate response to a pregnancy announcement. You know what’s nice? Drinking wine and avoiding the topic entirely.
7) Doing what makes you happy and satisfied will always be more important than getting a bigger pay cheque.
8) Sitting in a cafe really helps my writing juices flow. Particularly if they’ve nailed the optimum room temp and do good muffins.
9) You will never regret making time for people, no matter how grumpy or fed up or tired of life you feel. Making the journey may feel like a lot, but seeing your favourite people will always give you a boost you didn’t even know you needed.
10) You can’t change the big things; things like referendums and who will be president, things like terrorist attacks and wars, things like the economy and house prices. BUT. You can cast your vote, you can donate to charities helping those less fortunate and you can show kindness in all walks of life; in the hope that these small things create a world that isn’t as bad as it seems.
You were an odd’un 2016 but I’ll still make the effort to say goodbye to you. My NYE plans include a lazy bath with a Lush bathbomb and some kind of sparkly drink before glamming it up a notch and heading out for a fancy meal and too much prosecco.
Please can we all pray that my planned dress still fits after the Christmas food carnage.
See ya next year guys; thanks for reading this little blog throughout 2016 <3
21 Dec 2016
8 months living in St Albans
Yeah, okay, eight months is a random time point to do this post. I probably had every intention of writing this around the six month mark but TIME GOES SO FAST AND SUDDENLY I’VE LOST TWO MONTHS = my life.
So we’re going with eight(ish) months.
I just read back on the post I wrote about a month after we first moved in and you can really sense how jittery I was. Such a big move and lots of job searches was clearly making me bounce all over the place cos, lol, can’t handle big life changes. But you can also sense my excitement at getting ready to dive into St Albans and explore.
I’ve always loved St Albans. I grew up in Bedfordshire and St Albans was somewhere I’d occasionally wander to, always with the musing of how such a place could only be 20 minutes away on the train and yet be so much more interesting. Sure, the suburbs are pretty standard but the centre is basically exactly what I want from a place to live. Aside from the fact that there isn’t a John Lewis cos everywhere should have a John Lewis. Hashtag middle class problems.
If you really had to push me, I might also request that they add a HMV cos where do I buy dvds but otherwise this little city has absolutely become my happy place.
Because ye old pubs and independent cinema and cobbled streets and markets and SO MANY PLACES TO EAT <3
And it breaks my heart a little bit that I won’t be able to stay here forever. FFS HOUSE PRICES.
But, hey, we’re here now. Living in my dream place. At least I can say I did it right?
We’ve had a few problems with some plaster falling off the ceiling and my allergies going haywire (you guys wanna calm down or nah?) and one little radiator not being able to heat up an open plan living room/kitchen but otherwise the flat has been pretty smooth sailing. Our things have places, there’s pictures on the wall and fairy lights and candles in most rooms cos essentials right? And in the corner (cos it is literally the only place it will fit), there is currently our first ever Christmas tree (as a couple that is; we weren't deprived children) twinkling away and filling me with all sorts of happiness.
And I will never get over how good the location is. We are so central it’s ridiculous. Okay, sure, being right next to the cathedral does mean listening to bells all the time but I can be both in the park and in New Look within three minutes because it really is all on my doorstep. The Christmas market is NEXT DOOR for crying out loud. And when I say next door, I mean I can sing along to the Christmas tunes and smell the chestnuts from my bedroom. LIFE GOALS.
Oh and I love the trees. We’re surrounded by them and it’s gorgeous. We get the full force of the blossom and the summer greens and the autumn golds, and in winter we can just nose through the fairy-light covered branches at the people walking on by.
Soz, I’ll stop talking about trees now.
I gush about this place a lot and it’s not cos I want to show off or be annoying af, it’s because this little city and our little flat and our little life are all even better than I imagined. Even I was surprised by how quickly this place has become home.
I know there will come a day when we will want to buy a house and the chances of that happening here are slim to none because it’s just 20 minutes outside of London and unfortunately other people have also noticed how great it is here; meaning the house prices will make you sob into your peppermint tea. But, for now, I’m so glad this is where G and I decided to set up our first home together. It couldn’t be more of a dreamy place for your gal here.
17 Dec 2016
Little Gems: 23
Happy Saturday!
It's just over a week to go and I have dark red Christmassy nails, curly hair and am wearing my fave Slytherin-green oversized jumper. Come at me Christmas.
I’m also on a train to York and wondering why virgin trains are rockier than a flippin’ boat at sea. Why is it not smooth sailing Richard Branson huh huh?
Some joy from the past few weeks:
1. Christmas
Sweet mother of all fairy lights, do I love this time of year. The temperature could do with dropping a degree or two (don’t ya just love global warming…?) but otherwise there’s Christmas trees and Love Actually and prosecco and SO MUCH SPARKLE.
2. December plans
Bath Christmas market = tick. Mine and G’s first Christmas tree = tick. Work xmas party = tick. Pick out this year’s tree decoration = tick. See the Covent Garden decorations = tick. Go back home to put my childhood Christmas tree up (because I refuse to waiver from tradition even though I no longer live at home) = tick. Currently heading up north for a big family Christmas meal, and there’s still so many things to tick off in the final run-up to the big day. It’s hectic and every time I look at my bank account I’m like LOL but all part of the fun.
3. Pret
Not gonna lie, I've always been a bit meh about Pret. Sure they do a good almond croissant and I'll occasionally enjoy one of their Brie and basil baguettes but nothing ever really grabs my fancy and the place always feels a bit manic and uncosy. Basically it ain't Costa. BUT. I recently discovered their warm halloumi and falafel wrap and was like 'woah what is this dreaminess?!' And then, sweet jesus, they brought out their new praline and Nutella cookie and OH EM GEE, that guy is one sexy bugger. So, yeah, Pret has jumped up in my estimation and you should go try that cookie asap. Warning: impossible to eat without making a mess.
4. The Fall
I’d heard good things about this drama and G and I were lacking things to watch so I took a chance and bought the first two seasons on dvd. And HOLY MOLY did I get addicted. We polished off all three seasons in a surprisingly short space of time and now there’s a Jamie Dornan serial killer shaped hole in my life.
5. Toni and Guy
Bit weird I know but I’ve been trying to find a hairdresser in St Albans that gets my hair (cos it’s so thick, you need someone willing to take on the battle) and I had such a good experience at Toni and Guy. It’s a bit more expensive then I’d usually like to pay for a cut and blow dry but it really was worth it. Think head massages, fancy conditioner and a hairdresser who understood that there is no need to make small talk. Aw yeah.
6. The Missing
The entire nation spent eight weeks being like IS ALICE WEBSTER ALIVE OR NOT and boy did it make a good distraction to get us through November.
7. St Albans at Christmas
I can’t move for trees and sparkly lights and hundreds of people descending on the Christmas market; this place knows how to do Christmas.
8. 'Animal: the autobiography of a female body' by Sara Pascoe
WHAT A BOOK. Go read, go read!
9. Rimmel super gel nail polish
Nail polish has got on my nerves my entire life. It looks great for like a day and then bam, it’s chipped and I hate the inconsistency and messiness and want it off and then I pick it off and my nails look awful and WHAT WAS EVEN THE POINT OF THIS. But for the first time in my near-25 years, I have discovered a nail varnish that stays on for a solid amount of time and looks dreamy.
10. Festive celebrations
I cannot wait to be out of the office for a whole TWO weeks and do all the traditions and see my favourite people and have a week at home just me and G.<3
Enjoy your weekend!
12 Dec 2016
15 Activities That Will Instantly Make You Feel Festive
I keep doing a little excited hop whilst humming Fairytale of New York because I am all about this festive month. It truly warms my soul and, as soon as December hits, I have no shame in expressing my love for this time of year. But, just in case you’re not quite feeling it yet, here are some activities you can partake in to get ya in the mood.
Unless you’re a real life Scrooge (cough my sister cough), in which case probs best not to hang around me cos um, I’ve pretty much already done all of the below.
1) Paint your nails festive colours. Cos this is the time of year to rock those reds and golds, and they will instantly make you feel a more sparkly version of you.
2) Make a camembert and cranberry sandwich (toasted of course). Or any other kind of festive sandwich for that matter. Should probably include stuffing of some sort.
3) Speaking of food, do some Christmas baking. Or at least get your other half to do some baking. G filled the flat with the smells of homemade mince pies and sausage rolls on Saturday and it was divine.
4) Oh just eat and bake amazing food all the time for the next month. That's basically the point of Christmas.
5) Decorate. OBVIOUSLY. Get that tree up whilst drinking a glass of prosecco. String fairy lights over your bookshelves. Hang stockings from the fireplace. Get tinsel round the mirror. Ya get the gist.
6) Watch festive films. Cos duh. So far, I’ve ticked off The Grinch, The Holiday and Home Alone. As long as Love Actually has been watched before the big day, I’ll be happy.
7) Wrap your present all in one go with music blasting out, more than one colour of wrapping paper and plenty of ribbons. You’re basically a real life elf.
8) Burn Christmassy candles. By which I mean the Yankee Christmas Cookie candle because it smells like all the good things in life.
9) Go and see your local Christmas lights. And not just the official ones. Wander around in the dark and see the ones your neighbours have also put up. Ordinary streets will suddenly seem magical.
10) Get yourself to a Christmas market, preferably on a weekday or to a smaller one so you can wander around and drink it all in without wanting to murder the other eight million folk that have decided to show up. Listen to the carol singers and buy yourself some edible treats from one of the many stalls.
11) Be a cliché and try out the high street coffee shop festive menus as much as you want. Everyone is obsessed with the Starbucks red cups but Costa is my love. Their mint hot chocolate is so the one.
12) Play Christmas music. Try and remember if you know anything but the same nine songs you play every year. Give up and play those nine on repeat for days on end.
13) Go old school and buy a TV guide, like the Radio Times Christmas addition. Go through and circle all the gems that will be on TV this Xmas. DON’T FORGET SHERLOCK ON NEW YEARS DAY.
14) TREAT YO’SELF. Maybe don’t go too crazy but I’m all for slipping in a little treat for yourself whilst Christmas shopping. Summin’ small and cute to tease in the excitement of presents. You are never too young for this.
15) Get yourself in a glowing, cosy pub. Drink cocktails and more prosecco cos it’s Christmas god damn it.
Merry Christmas <3
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Hey there!
