100 things that make this chapess happy - part 9

Hello chaps and chapesses!

So we're coming to the end of my list of 100 things that make me happy.  You can find out a bit more about what this is here.

81. Picnics

There's something a bit la-di-dah and romantic about being out in the sunshine, sitting on a blanket, drinking tea from a flask.  Apart from the bugs.  Other than that, it's lush.

82. Bank holidays

I'm writing this on a bank holiday Monday, and I have to say I love the whole 3-day weekend thing.  Having that extra day where you don't have to set an alarm, and you can laze around doing whatever you want, is good for the soul.

83. Rich tea biscuits sandwiched with butter

I often get funny looks when I tell people about this one, but trust me, it's yummy.  It's basically two rich tea biscuits stuck together with a bit of butter.  I used to have these with my Nan as a child, and I still occasionally have them now as a thrifty treat.

84. Dunking biscuits in tea

Sticking with the biscuit theme, I'm a dunker, not a cruncher.  I've never known any biscuit that hasn't benefited from a little dip in a mug of builders tea.  Yum yum.

85. Wearing big sunglasses

They make me feel a tiny bit like a Hollywood star, and I like it.

86. Reading my horoscope

I have a horoscope app on my phone, and I read it every day, out of habit more than anything.  

87. City centre parks

I like the feeling of calm and peace you often get when you walk into a park in the middle of the city - it's like getting your recommended daily dose of greenspace.

88. Libraries

I can vividly remember my mum taking me along to join our local library when I was about six or seven, because "I was costing her a fortune in books".  They're great places, and I really think they should be protected.

89. Leggings

Comfy on thin days and fat days.

90. Pudding

No matter how big and filling the main course is, there is always room for pudding.

So there we have part 9 of the 100 things that make this particular chapess happy and jolly.  Stay tuned for the final instalment next week!

Help! I'm becoming a telly addict!

Hello chaps and chapesses!

I'm not usually that bothered about watching TV.  If I'm at home on my own, I'll often put the radio or some music on rather than watching a bit of telly.  Recently, though, I've found myself changing my ways, as there's been so much good stuff on.

We're at the end of the summer, and it's that time of year when the Good Programmes start making an appearance.  I'm thinking of Downton Abbey, Strictly Come Dancing, and of course, The Great British Bake Off.

Here's what I've been loving on the gogglebox over the last few weeks:

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The White Queen (BBC1)

A historical drama, based on Phillipa Gregory's trilogy of novels called The Cousins' War.  It tells the story of the battle for the throne of England during the War of the Roses, from the perspective of some of the most influential women of the time.  The series has been a bit slated for having some props and details that aren't quite historically accurate (manicured nails and brushed chrome handrails on the stairs, for instance), but I really enjoyed it.  As a drama it was entertaining and kept me interested throughout.  I like that it was history from the women's perspective - so often stories like these focus on the major battles and laws that were passed, and skim over the actual people who were involved.  It got me interested in the story of Richard III and the Princes in the Tower as well, so I'm planning to read some more about these.  A TV show that makes me want to go and learn more about something has to be good, right?

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The Mill (Channel 4)

Another historical one, set at Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire, which isn't too far from my little neck of the woods.  It's about the young apprentices who worked at the mill in the 1830s, around the time of the Industrial Revolution, when workers were starting to take things into their own hands and stand up for their rights.  I found this one a little bit slow to begin with, and it was very dark, serious and gritty, but what kept me interested was the fact that it was based on the real stories of the real people who actually worked at the mill.  There were only four episodes, which is a shame, but I heard a rumour that there's going to be another series, yay!  I'm also now intrigued to find out more about Quarry Bank Mill, and maybe go up there and explore - I think they have a museum there these days.  Another show that's inspired me to expand my mind - thank you tellyland!

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Southcliffe (Channel 4)

This was ace.  Set in a fictional coastal English town, it centres around a series of shootings carried out by a local man.  It looks at what might have caused this guy to do this, and the effect it has on local residents.  The subject matter was quite harrowing, as it called to mind similar events in Cumbria and Northumbria in the last few years, but it was done really sensitively.  The way it was filmed was just great - I'm not an expert on these things but the way it had been put together was brilliant, and really added to the drama and emotion.  If you haven't already, watch it - you'll see what I mean.

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Game of Thrones (Sky Atlantic)

Graeme is a huge fan of the books, and spent a lot of the first season of this pausing the DVD to explain some background info about the characters that had been missed out.  He's on a mission to get me to read the books for myself, but right now I'm happy to just enjoy this as a TV show.  As the series have progressed it's gotten more and more epic, and I'm enjoying the pseudo-historical feel of it.  There are several strands and plotlines, with a LOT of characters, but I think they've got the balance right with this.  There are enough different strands so that there's a storyline to appeal to everyone, but you still get enough time with all the characters to get to know them and want to root for them.  Does that make sense?  I'm looking forward to the next season, but I'm still not tempted to read the books (sorry Graeme!)

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Made in Chelsea (E4)

This is a guilty pleasure.  It's indulgent and a little bit trashy, but enjoyable as long as you remember the golden rule - "some scenes are created for your entertainment".  Whereas some of the other shows I've mentioned above have inspired me to go out and learn more about something, MIC allows me to switch my brain off altogether and just enjoy watching the rich and beautiful get together, break up and bitch about each other in expensive clothes and swanky bars.  I think the new series is starting fairly soon - I can't wait!

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The Great British Bake Off (BBC2)

As a baking enthusiast, I love GBBO.  As The Experts, Paul and Mary have some brill baking tips, and there's a great chemistry between them; Mel and Sue provide some chuckles and some interesting little background information about the cake/biscuit/bread/pie featured in each episode; and I always, always get to the end of the programme feeling inspired to bake something myself.  After I watched them making French fancies in one of last year's episodes, I went and made a giant one for Graeme's birthday.  It had 3 layers of sponge, a LOT of buttercream, and it took me 5 hours to make, but it was pretty awesome.

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Don't Tell The Bride (BBC3)

This is another guilty pleasure.  The premise is simple - give a groom-to-be £12,000 and 3 weeks to plan a wedding, and don't let the bride-to-be anywhere near it until the wedding day.  It all depends on the couple featured in each particular episode, but I always enjoy it.  Sometimes you get a real Bridezilla who throws massive tantrums and refuses to wear the dress that's been picked out for her; sometimes you get a really Laddy groom who spends most of the budget on an extravagant stag do in Vegas; but most of the time you get couples who are quite sweet and just want to be man and wife.  Cute!

There have also been quite a few other series on that I haven't managed to watch (only 24 hours in a day, after all...) like Broadchurch, The Returned and The Killing, but I have big plans to get the box sets of these on Lovefilm.  What with this and all the new series that'll be coming back in the autumn (Downton, Strictly, the list goes on) at least I know I won't be bored when I'm cooped up at home on cold, rainy evenings.

Do you find yourself watching loads of telly at certain times of year, more so than others?  What are your favourite TV shows?  Do you have any recommendations for me?

100 things that make this chapess happy - part 8

Hello chaps and chapesses!

Here we are at week 8 of the 100 things that make me happy - enjoy!  Confused about what's going on?  Find out here.

71. Re-visiting cartoons from my childhood

Hands up if you remember The Dreamstone.  This was one of my favourites.

72. Weekends away

I do love a little mini break, just getting away to a new place for a night or two.  Over the last couple of years we've been to London, Liverpool, Stratford upon Avon, the Lake District, the Peak District.....it's good to explore.

73. Graeme's laugh

Graeme has an infectious giggle, and I think it's just adorable.

74. Neatly painted nails

These are rare and fleeting - rare because I don't often manage to paint them neatly, and fleeting because they so often chip after a day or two.  Still, they're good while they last.

75. Taking photos

I'm not a particularly skilled photographer, but I love it when a photo turns out well. I'm making an effort to take more photos this year, and to get some of them printed - I think it's such a waste to just keep photos on your laptop.

76. Getting compliments about my baking

It's the most basic feeling of pleasure that someone like something I've made.

77. Trying new recipes

It feels like I'm conducting an experiment.

78. Nutella on toast

Major comfort food.

79. Cuddles with Graeme

Who can honestly say they don't love a cuddle?

80. Cities

There's an energy and a buzz in a city, and I like feeling like I'm part of it.

So there's part 8!  I hope you're enjoying the Happy Monday series.  Do any of these things make it on to your happy list?  Let me know in the comments.

Summer reading

One of the highlights of our recent holiday to Norway was having the time to kick back and indulge in some holiday reading.  I’ve always loved reading, and recently I’ve found myself reading less and less – that’s why one of the challenges I’ve set myself for this year is to read a book every month.  I’m pleased to report that I got off to a cracking start while on holiday.

Finding Emma – Steena Holmes

I came across the sequel to this book, Emma’s Secret, on the Kindle Store, so thought I’d read the first book first before moving on to the second one.  Finding Emma tells the story of a family trying to come to terms with the loss of their youngest daughter, who disappeared when she was three.  The book is set two years later, and tells the harrowing tale of a family struggling to cope.  In parallel, you also get the story of Jack and Dottie, and their granddaughter Emmie.

I enjoyed the story – it was intriguing and emotional, although some aspects were a little bit predictable.  Nevertheless, it kept me interested, and I wanted to keep reading.  The writing style isn’t great, but the strength of the story overcomes that. 

I did find it hard to empathise with the characters in Emma’s family, and Emma’s mum in particular was a bit flat.  I was much more drawn to the story of Jack and Dottie, but that might just be my personal taste.  There was a bit more mystery around this storyline, and there were some loose ends left when I came to the end of the book.  I’ve since discovered that Holmes has written a novella called Dear Jack, which will hopefully answer some of the questions I was left with.  I’m planning to read this next, before moving on to Emma’s Secret. 

Overall, while the style was a little bit clunky, I enjoyed the story, and am looking forward to finding out what happens next in Emma’s story with the other books.

You Had Me At Hello – Mhairi McFarlane

 

This book got me through an eight hour delay in Kristiansand airport - I’m really not sure how I would have survived without it.

The book tells the story of Rachel and Ben, who were best mates at university.  It’s set ten years after graduation, and flits back and forth between the present day and their student days.  This structure works really well, as there are tensions and loose ends in the present day that gradually get explained as you progress through the university days, and it builds up steadily until it climaxes with the ‘big reveal’.  I don’t want to spoil it, so I won’t say any more about that.

Rachel is a great character: she’s witty, bright, and flawed, and as a reader I really rooted for her.  McFarlane has a great writing style full of humour, and she kept me interested throughout – this is no mean feat as I tend to get bored quite easily.  I really enjoyed reading Rachel and Ben’s story, and I’d recommend this as a good holiday read.  

100 things that make this chapess happy - part 7

Hello chaps and chapesses!

I hope you've had a good week, and the rain isn't getting you down.  I can't believe we're already at week 7 of 100 things that make me happy - where does the time go?  It seems like only a few days since I started this, here.

61. Scratchcards

I buy one every now and then for a cheap thrill.  I've never won more than a fiver on a scratchcard, but it's a little guilty pleasure I like to indulge from time to time.

62. Soup 

There's nothing like a good hearty bowl of soup - it's good for the soul.  I usually make my own, and I'm quite looking forward to autumn and winter so that I can get back into soups - sorry, summer fans!

63. Pancakes

I firmly believe that pancakes are for life, not just for Shrove Tuesday.  I make mine quite thick, and have them with butter and sugar, like my gran used to make.  They're a great comfort food, probably because they remind me of being a kid.

64. Custard creams

The most underrated biscuit in Great Britain, in my humble opinion.

65. Good coffee

When I say 'good' coffee, I really just mean filter coffee.  I'm not much of a coffee aficionado, being more of a tea person, but I do prefer 'proper' coffee to the nasty instant stuff.

66. DVD box sets

I'm one of those people who tends to let new TV series pass me by, and then hears about how good they are, and watches the box set over the course of a weekend, usually quite a few months later, when the rest of the world has moved on.  This happened with Game of Thrones, Homeland, and The IT Crowd, to name but a few.

67. Chocolate with sea salt

Lindt do a really nice milk chocolate with sea salt in it, and there's something about the combination of sweetness and saltiness that is just beautiful.

68. Chocolate without sea salt

Let's be honest, I like all chocolate.  Sea salt is a nice treat, but not essential.  I'm a chocoholic.

69. Photo bombs

They just make me laugh.

70. Flowers
I love having flowers in the house - they brighten up the room, they smell nice, and they make me smile.

I hope you're enjoying these Happy Mondays.  Let me know in the comments if any of my 100 things also make you happy.

Free tea and biscuits

Hello chaps and chapesses!

I gave blood for the eleventh time on Friday.  That's eleven pints of blood over the last three and a half years.  I'm not bragging, but giving blood always makes me feel like a Proper Good Human Being.  I want to share the love, because it's a good feeling, and everyone should try it.

Before I gave blood for the first time, I was a bit nervous about what to expect, like most people are.  If you're thinking about taking the plunge, you can find out what exactly happens when you give blood here.

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Giving blood was something I'd thought about doing for a long time before I actually got around to doing it the first time, and now I almost see it as a kind of treat.  Here are some of the reasons why:

You get to have some you-time.  You basically spend 10 minutes or so having a lie down.  They've always got the radio on, to help you relax, and to pass the time.  Lots of people take reading material with them.  

You get looked after.  In my experience, the staff are always lovely.  They're friendly, chatty, and will take good care of you.

You get free tea and biscuits.  They have squash as well, in case you're not of the hot beverage persuasion, and there's usually a good choice of biscuit.  I normally go for a custard cream.

You get to relax for the rest of the day.  You're specifically advised not to do anything strenuous for the next 24 hours, so use it as a chance to put your feet up and get everyone else to wait on you.  

You get to be smug.  You've done something good for humanity - you deserve to feel bloomin' great about yourself.

Have you ever given blood?  Is it something you've thought about but not got around to yet?  Go for it!