Friday Favourites 11th - 24th November 2017.
FF24.11.2017
A month today will be Christmas Eve how about that?
I think this fortnight can be summed up as tired. I haven't been sleeping particularly well and my life is mega busy so I was feel a bit downtrodden and knackered and like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders last week. This week though I've had a few nights where I've slept much better and it's done me the world of good and I've got loads of blogging done and am feeling pretty great about it.
The next week though is set to be even busier (more on that further down the post) so I'm taking a moment this Friday lunchtime to reflect on the past two weeks and all the nicer bits.
1. Weekend Away.
The last one of these I wrote I was tucked up in a hotel bed in Dorset and it was just the remedy I needed before getting back to busy life. The reason we went to Dorset was Joss and my Dad went to the Tank Museum there back in the summer and didn't get to see it all but had a years free re entry so he wanted to go back. My Dad has seen it a million times so he didn't come with us but instead we took Joss' Dad. Joss and I travelled down on the Friday and had a Maccies and chilled out and the next day we went out and then his Dad joined us on the Saturday night for the rugby and a meal and then they went to the Tank Museum on the Sunday. It was chilled, it was rainy, it was cold and it felt really Christmassy and I loved it.
2. Kingston Lacy.
On the Saturday before his Dad came down to Dorset, Joss and I went to Kingston Lacy, a National Trust property about 45 minutes from where we staying. I'm a member but Joss isn't so it only cost us about 12 quid for him to go in and we had dinner and a wander and despite the minging weather it was actually really autumnal when the rain stopped. The National Trust have an exhibition on about Pride and Prejudice and Kingston Lacy have taken the idea and run with it so whilst we were there, there were some art installations in the house all about the persecution and hanging of gay men. The man that owned the property years ago went into self imposed exile in Venice to avoid being hung when he was found with another man so the property has a connection with the themes and it was incredibly moving and humbling.
3. A Solo Date.
On the Sunday when Joss and his Dad went to the Tank Museum I took myself off on a solo day out. I chilled out in the hotel room until it was time to check out and I packed all our stuff up and drove myself down to Dorchester. I love Dorchester and have been a million times but never alone so it was nice to wander the familiar streets. I did some Christmas shopping when I arrived and then I went to Costa, ordered myself a drink and a toastie and settled down for a few hours blog work. I got LOADS done, I started my Christmas series, wrote 4 posts and filled in my bullet journal and it was soooo productive. Definitely something I need to start doing more of at home.
4. ASDA Christmas.
Omfg the response to this that I had on my Insta stories. I went to ASDA Living last week and turned around to respond to something my Mum said and was met with this display of my dreams. I am all about novelty Christmas ceramics and kitchen wares and I immediately mentally added this to my wishlist for this year. I shared all my snaps on Insta and it seems you loved them all too so I hope they're not sold out when I come to get them..... Shop here.
5. Rescue.
Last week my Mum had a bit of a scare which meant I had to go and get her from the opticians and she couldn't see shit all day. Because she couldn't do anything I ended up taking her to a local retail park (where we went to that ASDA) and Matalan etc for some retail therapy and I bought Christmas presents and she bought stuff for herself..... Obviously nobody wants to be called up in an emergency or a rescue but it made me appreciate my self employment that allows me to drop everything like that and my ability to drive/having my own car that I can take over when she can't.
6. Homemade Soup.
I am all about the warming meals in autumn/winter and this fortnight has been a cracker for soup. I am a notoriously fussy eater and allergic to everything so eating with me is difficult but since having my own kitchen and having the time to cook something from scratch I have become more inclined to try new stuff - the latest being soups. I have always said soups don't constitute enough for a meal for me but I've been making some proper hearty ones lately, like this chunky chicken and ham chowder we had a few nights ago. My Mum also popped in (to her own house, she's a busy woman) one day last week and said "Oh I've got leftover leek and potato soup if you want it" and we sat down together for lunch with warm soup and crusty bread and omfg divine.
7. Festive Tunes.
Yes my friends the Christmas CD has made it's way into the car once more. My Dad bought this compilation album for me when I passed my driving test on the 30th November 2015 and it lives in my car waiting for the appropriate time every year. I'm still listening to Radio 1 in the mornings but the evening drive home when it's dark and the car is all misted up from my breath I am living for this CD. I drove home yesterday with it on volume 40 - it's normally on volume 20 which is considered too loud for my parents.
8. Autumn Internationals.
My love of rugby is no secret on this blog and to say I've been excited for the autumn internationals this year is an understatement. Last weekend I took my parents, my brother and Joss to the stadium to watch Wales v Georgia live and despite the tense match it was a corker of a day. Cardiff understandably was heaving, the atmosphere was mint and we finished off the day by heading back to my house for a chippy to warm our bones. There is nothing quite like watching Wales play at home (if you're Welsh I spose).
9. Blog Collab.
My first of five, yes five, collaboration posts with Talking Tables is finally live! I received my ginormous box of goodies way back in October I think and they've been patiently waiting in the cupboard under my stairs since then. But finally I have a bunch of them out and about decorating my home and making it look all sparkly and wintery and cosy and it's really made a difference to the room. It has looked so bare since Halloween when all the decs came down and the wait to put the Christmas ones up seemed too far away so it's fairy lights and pinecones galore in my living room at the moment. Read all about it here!
10. Reppin The Brand.
Tomorrow starts the start of the busiest week I have ever known. Somehow the cider company has booked in 14 events in 8 days and we are going to be selling like nobodies business. We have Christmas huts, reindeer parades, farmers markets, craft events, school fairs....you name it if it's local to us we're at it between now and December 3rd. I don't know when we're going to sleep or eat but the good thing about being everywhere means lots of cider to sell! So if you're out and about in the Vale of Glamorgan or Bridgend this week and you see us come and say hi (and buy a bottle).
11. The Squad.
I mean this probably won't be funny to anyone else but it had me literally bawling my eyes out from laughing so I'll keep it short and sweet. Nel, Eddi, Anna and Vera you're the funniest bunch of maniacs I have ever had the good fortune to meet online and you literally had me in stitches. Love Brian.
12. Trump.
Ok go with me on this one. If you haven't been watching Trump; An American Dream on Channel 4 the past few weeks you need to get it on demand. The third episode was on last night and it's basically a look at his life and his rise from his twenties to the Presidency and if you don't know a lot about his background (like I did not) it's really really interesting. Last week when we finished the second episode we were properly gutted we had to wait a week to watch the next - it's fascinating and really gives an insight into the opinions and beliefs he holds today.
13. Thanksgiving.
I didn't take a photo of our Thanksgiving dinner last night cos I was too busy eating it so have an iced up car from this morning instead. Most of Joss' family have lived in America at some point and some still do and we've done Thanksgiving before but this one was my fav. We had a turkey roast with all the trimmings (and I tried sweet potato mash for the first time and yum) and Joss and I made the pumpkin pie and we played Articulate all round the kitchen table and it was sooooo nice to spend some quality time with them. It really felt like something special and like it was really kicking off the festive period and properly got me in the mood for what's to come. It also felt like a little portion of calm before the busy week we have ahead and it was definitely one of my favourite evenings of this autumn.
14. Manchester Bound.
What this segment has taught me is that Tania and I need new selfies because I had to use this one from October 2016 when I still had pink hair and she didn't have a baby. Next week I am finally off to Manchester (yes, in amongst all the cider selling, I am going to be a zombie) to see her and finally meet my godson! We're going to have an early Christmas, swap late birthday presents, go to the Christmas markets and IKEA and I cannot bloody wait.
May not ever find the time to be on social media or the blog ever again but it's been fun pals.
