Thursday 30 July 2015

A new plan for August

So many of the blogs that I follow and love post loads of photos.  LOADS OF PHOTOS.  I find that even if I do have my camera with me, I either leave it in my bag, or get home and can't find the lead to download the photos so I don't bother.

BUT I have read somewhere that to create a new habit you have to do something for 30 days and then it will be more natural and be a new habit.  So in August, I am going to blog with photos every.single.day (go me!).  Now I suspect that it won't happen - no, I am not being a defeatist, but I know how I am.  However, I also know that usually I don't do new things - I assume I can't do it so don't even try.  That is the part of me I want to shake up.  I want a blog with more photos and more chatty (as I am in real life) and hope that by doing an August challenge it will blow away the cobwebs and give me a new habit of taking photos.

I do tend to think I do the same things over and over and over and over so instead of boring photos I thought I'd ask for things to take photos of - keep them clean, my Mum reads this blog :-) and I live in the middle of the UK (with no transport).  So what do you want to see?

In no particular order I have so far come up with;


  • Baking
  • Crochet
  • Anni (obvs!)
  • Days out (must come up with some!)


I need more ideas - do you have any????


Tuesday 28 July 2015

Birthday Post

Are you nosey like I am?  I love seeing what people get for presents.  I often use it as a way to update my Amazon list - I can hardly ever think of things I need before any occasion but think of loads of things afterwards!!!!


I got cake.  Well I bought it, well I bought 2.  I went into shop 1 and found a strawberry cake which looked lovely so I bought it.  I then went into shop 2 and saw the lemon cake (below) and wanted that instead.  So I came home and presented H will both choices.  He chose 1 for my Birthday and 1 for the day before!!!!!!  He chose in the way I would have done and we both agreed that the strawberry one was nicer - Grrrrrr.


My Hubby outdid himself this year.  I have coverted something (almost anything) from Buttonsy and he did not disappoint.  I got a gorgeous necklace and a box of happy.  The box of happy is a set of the most gorgeous cards (better description here)  H was impressed with every aspect of shopping with Buttonsy and I hope that he will be spending many more happy moments shopping with them.............. :-)


My friend G made me the most fabulous owl family, in my favourite colours.



You can never beat books.  I lurve books (did you ever know that!!!)  To me, it isn't a real celebration without a pile of books.  Thankfully those who love me know that.  I can't wait to start these.



I also love stationery - hello who doesn't?????  My friend N knows me so well.  I was only looking at these earlier in the week, but there was a woman with a HUGE bag in the way and I was running late so I made a mental note to go back another time.  Thanks N!




 Sorry can't work out how to turn the next photo.  I saw this bag whilst on holiday in Menorca and my Mum offered to buy me it.  She then went snuck back to buy the matching purse (in the box).  How cute is the box.  Now that's how shopping should come, all pretty.  Also a 20p attached to the tag as you should never give a purse/bag without money in it - can't remember why, but my Mum has always done it.


 Then to top it all off the card below was from my friend S.  It actually made me cry.  I am so lucky to have my family and friends.


I was so lucky that I received this and more (but the pictures are pants and the camera needs charging) so they shall remain secrets which make me smile.

I also consider that I am lucky to not only to have made friendships on this T'internet thingy but also to receive a card from J - thank you so much.

Sunday 26 July 2015

Vicky's wedding and making me HAPPY

This week it's an easy one.  Really easy.  My old schoolfriend Vicky got married yesterday.  Not only did she look so happy, but her bride also looked gorgeous and happy (and I found a new outfit!!)




Mrs & Mrs C


D & I

The most fabulous centre pieces

H & I

Perfect topper for a Disney fan

Handmade card.


Tuesday 21 July 2015

Love/Hate Blogger Challenge

I am joining in with Amy at Love Made My Home for a challenge to list 10 things I love and hate.  Sorry Amy no idea how you got the little photo title thingymebob.

Love (in no order, and excluding family)

Lists!
Banana Ice cream (sorry Amy)
Books - the real kind, not the electronic
Stationery
Crochet
Being by the seaside
Baking
Milk Chocolate Orange - Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Fountain Pens - I drool as I walk past them in shops - is that not normal?
Happy Mail


Hate
Chocolate cake - urghhhhhh
People who don't know how to queue.  How hard is it?
Hay fever :-(
Early mornings
Rudeness
Tom Cruise films - who smiles that much and so chessily (yes, that is a word)
Liver or anything slimey
Touching raw meat - I wear sandwich bags on my hands
People who smoke whilst others are eating.  You stop when you are eating so why is it okay when people sat at the next table are eating??????
Hangovers - as if I have EVER suffered...... la la la la la la la la la la la la la la


If you want to take part then have fun :-)




Sunday 19 July 2015

Making me HAPPY this week

This one is sooooo easy.

Making me happy this week:

Early Birthday celebrations.  A fabulous meal in a Greek/Turkish restaurant and a few more drinks in Weatherspoons.  Bliss.




L & I

L, Mum, N & V
N & V
Us!

C,G & I

C,G,me & L

and to top it all off, I get to do it all again with S tomorrow in Leeds.

Thursday 16 July 2015

Birthday Traditions

Don't worry it's not my Birthday - yet.  H nearly had a heart attack tonight when I reminded him that I was going out tomorrow for a meal, he thought he'd forgotten my Birthday.  You wouldn't think we've been married for 18 years would you!!!!  Though I am celebrating with the ladies tomorrow and then with the H on my actual Birthday next week.

For the past X years we have spent my Birthday in Molyvos (on the Greek island of Lesvos).  I loved it.  I'd get up, eat breakfast, sunbathe (in the shade!), swim, eat banana ice cream (the best kind) and then go out for dinner and cocktails.  What more could a girl ask for - don't say presents as H forgot to take them last year (for my 40th too!!!!!! - don't worry he survived as luckily for him I had bought myself a Cath Kidston bag from him and he'd let me have it early, phew).

This year I am all adrift.  I am aware that if it wasn't for MS we'd be either have been in Molyvos a week or would be flying this Saturday :-(  Our friends fly on Saturday too (double :-( )

Anyway, I need new Birthday traditions, NEED them I tell you but I don't have any idea what to do.  I have bought myself a small box of coco pops to have for Breakfast and now I am stumped.

Please send me ideas for new traditions, don't let a lonely box of coco pops be it...........

Wednesday 15 July 2015

Menorca part 1

Don't worry there might not be a part 2 - or then again there may be a 2, 3 & 4!, all depends on how many photos I want to remember.  Do you print off photos these days?  I can't remember the last time I printed some off.  I use my blog as a place to go back and look at photos these days.

When we fly, we try and stay in an airport hotel.  We didn't used to, but the year we only just made the flight due to a massive accident on the motorway, made us think again.

We tried a new hotel this year.  I am not paying £99 for a room only deal thank you very much.  I do have t'internet and am happy to shop around.  We ended up in the Crowne Plaza and were more than happy with it.  I did make a complete fool of myself in the bar though - I wish we'd have managed a photo.  We had a bottle of Prosecco  (it was our 18th wedding anniversary) and I ended up opening it - NEVER AGAIN.  It only exploded as I opened it and went everywhere, whilst I stood there like a fool.  Thankfully the lovely barman replaced (& opened) another bottle and cleaned up the mess I'd made.

This was the first time we had asked for an accessible room.  Can you imagine how big the bathroom was - can you???????



 The one above was from the doorway.


The only downside was the toilet was so high I couldn't touch the floor!!!  Am I meant to carry a brick round to balance on????? (no I didn't take a photo of me trying to touch the floor).

When you book a holiday through a tour company you can request a accessible room but you can't guarantee one.  To do so you have to contact the hotel directly and book it with them.  I think this is one of the stupidist things I have ever heard of.  If there is a room free, why can't the tour company book it on our behalf?????  Anyway, I'll get off of my soapbox now.

So we booked a normal room.  I think this is something we will have to reconsider in future but I don't want to have to beg for an accessible room............  The transfer in a minibus for the 4 of us was fabulous.  I shall never want to share a coach every again :-)

Our room was as far from the reception as possible!! but luckily the receptionist told us that there was a lift near our room which would take us to the pool and the restaurant so for the most it was perfectly placed.  Just a long walk to leave the hotel.  The views from the huge balcony are below.  Look at the blue in that sky.



 The photo below is to show the size of the wine glasses in the restaurant.  I don't think the photo captures the size but it really was the size of his head!



We had a storm on our first afternoon, but I was so tired I managed to sleep through most of it.  It did create a moody sky though.




It soon cleared up so we could have drinks on the balcony.


We stayed in Cala n Bosch on Menorca and whilst I wouldn't rush back it was nice.  There were a lot of families visiting and it wasn't very Spanish which I found disappointing, I like to know which country I am visiting.

Who needs a selfie stick?????


Erm, well..........

 Looking out to sea.

Back to the harbour.

 I have NO idea what H was upto on this one.


 H and I never did make it to the lighthouse.  We tried one night but were eaten alive by Mozzies so decided a drink would be more fun!








That's our hotel below, the orange one.



 Day 2 also saw rain.  It was so funny, everyone was huddled under an awning waiting.  We all thought oh it'd blow over.  It rained for ages, so I gave up and went swimming and had lots of people looking at me as though I was odd.  I did regret it though as I had a sore throat and chesty cough for the rest of the holiday......



My favourite thing about the hotel was the pool area.   I love swimming on holiday, it's just so much nicer in the sunshine.












Ok, I'll admit there will be at least more post!!!









Monday 13 July 2015

Please let me have a Malteser

Our Anni is not a typical Lab and yet she is.  She is not typical as she is afraid of everything.  She is, because food rules her life!!!!!  The following photos were her attempts to get H to de-chocolate a Malteser so she could have the inner crunchy bit!!!!














He didn't share, but boy did she do her best to try and convince him to :-)