Friday Favourites 13th - 26th May 2017.

FF26.05.2017

I mean I don't want to come across all middle aged or nuttin but HELLO CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER. Like I spent an hour outside yesterday and I nearly boiled and I had to go drink a pint of juice. I mean the forecast says we're in for a stormy weekend whilst I'm working outdoors at a food and drink festival but ya know, for now it's bloody boiling and it's been glorious. 

I've had a pretty full on fortnight and when asked if I could commit to some plans in June I uhhh realised I didn't have any time. At all. I think I only have 3 free days in June maybe when I'm not doing anything? So good luck reading anything on my blog, lord knows if I'll have time to write content. But onto the favs (so much better since I remembered to write things down....)

1. Eurovision. 

Bloody hell Eurovision seems like a long time ago doesn't it? Eurovision is always one of my favourite times of year, when I was younger me and my brother used to always watch it together with the singalong version. The last few years we've been apart, we were in university, we used to text eachother about it and last year I live tweeted it too which was a lot of fun. This year after the first song I mentioned I was watching it on my own so he invited me over to watch it with his family so I missed 2 and a half songs and pegged it up the road to his in laws house. Actually I didn't enjoy Eurovision AS much this year, I like it when it's proper mental and also I hated the winner but spending time with my brothers family and watching it with my niece was cute, especially when she was dancing along to the gorilla or when she proclaimed 'You're my Auntie Gwennan!"

2. Macaroni Cheese & Sausage HotPot. 

Right so as with most of my culinary works of genius, I don't have a picture of either of these because uhm, I ate them. Before I stopped to take a photo. I know - what kind of blogger am I? Macaroni cheese is one of my ultimate favourite meals so I made it last week when it was a bit cooler than it is now (anyone else just want to eat BBQs and nothing else?). I also made a sausage and bean hotpot which was INSANELY good. Basically you half boil potatoes, fry some slices of sausages, fry some onions and then whack a can of beans and the sausages back in with the onions to warm it all up. Then you slice the potatoes into thin slices and put the frying pan contents into a big casserole dish, put the slices of potato over and then cook it till it's browned on top. It was DIVINE. Definitely going to add some cheese to the tops of the potatoes next time. 

3. Harry Styles. 

Well who'd have thought hip cool old me would have Harry Styles on my favourites list?* Harry Styles released his debut solo album and I downloaded it to listen to when I went to Wrexham and it's a right banger. Obvs everyone's heard Sign Of The Times now but the other songs are belters too.You can totally tell that One D wasn't maybe his vibe and like he needed to do more. You can just visualise him prancing around the stage like Jagger and there's some real Oasis vibes and honestly, if One Direction wasn't your vibe I'd still recommend giving his album a listen, it's really different and husky and I am a fan. Have a listen here. 

*I think you can tell from the use of that phrase, I am neither hip nor cool. 

4. My Breakdown. 

Right so my breakdown in the rain on the motorway (read about that saga here) was undoubtedly the worst and most terrifying thing about the past fortnight but in a bizarre way it was also a good thing? I've had a lot of people be like dear god I would have been so scared or been like I would've gone home not carried on 6 hours to Wrexham but I just kinda dealt with it? I feel like the experience was actually a good thing because I feel like if I can deal with something so minging whilst driving, I can deal with anything. I was on autopilot, I dealt with it alone, I got myself safe and sorted out the breakdown and I feel proud of myself for not having a massive meltdown. The name of this blog would suggest otherwise. 

5. Wrexham.

Thanks Jonny for capturing this photo of me releasing my inner creep in the hotel. OBVIOUSLY Wrexham was fabulous and was the highlight of my fortnight, I bloody love being back there. I won't harp on about it on the whole too much because I wrote about what we did over here but it was lovely to be back somewhere I feel so at home with people I used to see every day. I love Wrexham. 

6. Primark haul. 

So those of you who witnessed my lil Instagram stories fashion show will already know I went to Primark, bought a lot and sussed a wedding guest outfit but I had to mention these babies. I wanted some loungewear for the house and Primark didn't disappoint. Honestly if you can find these in your local store it'll be the best 16ish quid you'll ever spend because they are SO soft, they're like fleecy inside but also super thin so good for Summer. Buy it. 

7. Stevie's Chippy. 

I've had 2 chippies in the last week and both of them were so massive I couldn't finish them and is there anything worse than the regret you get thinking of chips you couldn't eat? When I was in Wrexham we brought a greasy chippy takeaway with gravy sauce back to the hotel and we bought it from the best chip shop ever imo. It's in Wrexham on Bradley Road and it was 3 doors up from my student house and it's incredible. It brings me so many happy memories of student days and legit wish I still lived there to eat this errday. 

8. Tulips. 

I won't be smug and bang on because this doesn't happen all the time and actually, having flowers isn't the be all and end all for me but I came home to fresh tulips brightening up my house. He also did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen and made me tea - he's a good egg. 

9. Fantastic Beasts. 

Whilst I was away Joss bought Fantastic Beasts so on Saturday night we settled down to watch it for the first time - v much enjoyed. Won't spoil it but seeing Jonny Depp made me all ERMAGAWD, very excited for the next one. We also had a super nutritious meal of homemade wedges and hotdogs and Easter egg for pudding and it was the kinda chilled out Saturday night I needed after a long few days in Wrexham. 

10. Bujo Break. 

Yesterday in the midst of the heatwave we've been having I could resist the temptation no more and after a day of hard graft I took some time out in the garden to bujo. I have finally bought a new journal ready for the rest of the year cos yes guess who filled a journal in 6 months? I've been slowly filling it up ready for the end of June and it made it all the nicer to be outside in my Mum's amazing garden in the belting sunshine. Sadly this was when I had to go in cos I was too hot after an hour but hey, I had fun. 

11. Morrisons Juice. 

Morrisons High Juice 50% Apple & Mango, pretty strong with ice cold water needs to be your Summer drink of choice. We polished a whole bottle off in Wrexham and it's proper refreshing on a day like today. Buy buy. 

12. Pope & President. 

So our Donald has been travelling the world the last week generally saying stupid shit and having Melania slap him away and it's all been overshadowed by Manchester but but but THIS photo of him and his family and the Pope has made me life. LOOK AT THE POPE. He couldn't give a fuck, he obvs hated them and he legit trolled them in real life. But the memes, oh the memes that came from it and this was my favourite - you can see 22 of the funniest here. 

13. Thirteen. 

I was going to include this a bit further up because I watched it at the beginning of the week but it seemed appropriate to end on thirteen for the thirteenth point right? Thirteen is a 5 part series on the BBC that aired back in Feb/March and I downloaded it twice before this and never got round to watching it. They have the whole series on iPlayer and if you haven't seen it you NEED to, I'm so glad I finally watched it. It's basically about a girl that escapes out of a house she's been held captive in for thirteen years and it's sooooo good. Now if someone can recommend where I can watch The Replacement in full that'd be great cos I missed that one too. Watch Thirteen on iPlayer here!

Obviously it's hard to talk about the last week without talking about Manchester but I really wanted to give it some stand alone position. Everyone is talking about the unsung heroes, the love that is pouring out from Manchester and the strength the city has and it's important to keep that going when it's still so raw and uncertain what's going to happen next. 

Manchester City, United.