Blogtember: Life lately

Hello chaps and chapesses!

I can't believe September is nearly over - this month has flown by!  Actually, this whole year is passing way too quickly.  Does that make me sound like an old lady?

Here are a few things I've been getting up to this month:

 

Retail therapy:  I went shopping on Saturday, and treated myself to a few little treats, including these cute ankle boots from H&M.  I'm going to do a proper haul post soon, my first one ever, to show off what I got.  I bet you're on the edge of your seat!

Rush:  Graeme and I went to see Rush last week.  It's a film about the famous rivalry between two Formula 1 drivers in the 1970s, and it's awesome.  The cinematography, the chemistry between the two drivers, the tension.  If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

Running:  After reading this running advice for beginners, I was inspired to get back into running properly.  So I went out and bought a few bits of new running gear (including this very attractive hat) and off I went.  I've been enjoying running again recently, for the first time in ages, and I really think it's down to the advice about regulating your breathing - it's been a revelation!

The Silver Linings Playbook:  This is what I'm currently reading on my Kindle.  I don't know what I was expecting, but this is not it - the way it's written is really sweet and different to anything I've read in a while.  I'm only about a third of the way through, but I'm really enjoying watching the story unfold.  Maybe I'll watch the film when I'm done - any excuse to drool over Bradley Cooper....

Spa day:  A couple of weekends ago, Graeme surprised me with a spa day, because he is an Awesome Boyfriend.  It was lovely, just relaxing, getting massaged, and doing a whole lot of nothing for a whole day.  Pure bliss, and major boyfriend points.

Bimbling with Toby:  We've recently discovered a couple of new routes around our village to take Toby for walks.  It's been great to explore, and get to know our local area a bit better.  

Blogtember: Comfort

Hello chaps and chapesses!

I've banged on about this before, but I do really love autumn.  There are lots of reasons (brisk walks, chunky knitwear, scarves, hot chocolate....) but I'd have to say that the main one is because autumn is the most comfortable time of year for me.

The temperature is just right for  me - not uncomfortably warm, like the summer we've just had, and it's not freezing cold and wet the whole time.  It's that just right in-betweeny-ness.

Also, I get to spend cosy evenings watching Downton Abbey with the fire on.  Toby is a big fan of autumn for the same reason....

Blogtember: Photos only

Hello chaps and chapesses!

Waaaaayyyyy back at the beginning of August, when the weather was sunny and warm (remember that?) Graeme and I went to Anglesey for the day.

It was gorgeous.  Anglesey is beautiful, and we had a lovely time exploring Beaumaris, Newborough and Ynys Llanddwyn (the lovers' island - witty woo!).  Here's a glimpse of what we got up to:

Blogtember: If I had a time machine....

Hello chaps and chapesses!

If I had a time machine, and could go back to any one of my memories and relive it, I'd go back to mine and Graeme's first date.  Well, maybe not 'relive' it, but be a fly on the wall.

I was really, really nervous before our first date.  Nauseous, shaking, the works.  We'd met online, and had been emailing and texting for about a fortnight before meeting in person.  In all his messages, Graeme seemed like a Genuinely Nice Fella, and we seemed to be getting along well, so a part of me was scared that it was too good to be true, and that meeting in person would burst the bubble.

We'd planned to meet at the Cross in Chester.  For those of you who aren't familiar with Chester, the Cross is a monument in the middle of town, at the point where the four main streets meet.  I had to walk up the length of one of these streets to get there, and was worried that it would be a bit awkward if Graeme was waiting there, saw me walking up the road and a) decided he didn't like the look of me and scarpered, or b) made eye contact and then had to wait an awkward couple of minutes while I hurried up to meet him while still trying to look classy, calm and collected.  

The solution, suggested by a good and wise friend of mine, was to walk along the Rows, rather than the main road.  The Rows are covered walkways with shops, cafes and bars, above the main shops that are at street level.  I made my way along the Rows, had a peek to make sure Graeme had turned up, and then went over to him.

The first things that struck me were his height (he is 6 foot 4), his greying hair, and his deep, manly voice.  After that initial first impression, my memory of the evening is a bit patchy.  I remember that we had a few drinks in Bar Lounge.  I remember that we chatted quite easily and comfortably.  I remember that there were no awkward silences, and we never ran out of things to talk about.  I remember there was chemistry.  I remember Graeme walking me home like a gentleman.  I remember our first kiss.  But there's also a lot that I don't remember.

If I could go back, I'd  pay more attention to the details - what we talked about, how we responded to each other, that sort of thing.  I'd also like to have that first-date-excitement again - not the nausea and anxiety, but the butterflies in my tummy.  Know what I mean?

I'm happy to say that first date was a success, and we had a second date that week, then a third and a fourth, and we're still loved up nearly two and a half years later.  I'll stop now, before the soppiness makes you feel sick.

Blogtember: Dear Toby

Hello chaps and chapesses!

Today's post is dedicated to a very special young man in my life. His name is Toby.

Dear Toby,

I remember the day we met - it was love at first sight.  You were so full of life and such a cutie, there was no question that you were coming home with us. You've been with us for nearly a year now, and there are so many things I love about you.  Here are just a few:

I love the way you look at me with puppy dog eyes.

I love that you're a shameless flirt.  You're such a tart.

I love that you're a Proper Action Dog.

I love how you stand at your gate and have a friendly chat with us, y'know, just to catch up on the day's gossip.

I love that you protect us from baddies by barking like a Big Badass Guard Dog when you hear something suspicious going on outside.

I love how much you love the great outdoors.

I love that you like snuggling up in front of the fire to watch Christmas movies, like me.

I love that your face always, always looks sad, even when you're feeling pretty chipper.

Everyone who meets you loves you - and rightly so.

Blogtember: Life changing

Hello chaps and chapesses!

Strictly speaking, I've only been doing this blogging thing for about three months, so you may think it’s a bit soon for me to start talking about how it’s changed my life.  I have noticed a difference in myself, though, even over such a short time.

The main difference is that these days, when I'm out and about, going about my daily life, I find myself thinking ‘Could I blog about this?  What would I say?’  

Blogging has made me more observant of the details of life.  This means that that I generally pay a bit more attention, because if I'm going to be telling the world about what’s going on with me, then I need to have something decent to say, don’t I?

So I guess what I mean is that, even in a short space of time, blogging has made me sit up and take notice a bit more than I used to.

Blogtember: Retail therapy

Hello chaps and chapesses!

I do like to indulge in a little retail therapy every now and then, even if it is just window shopping online.  There are some gorgeous bits and bobs out there (oi oii....).  Here are some of my favourites:

Dotcom giftshop

This site has some lovely gift ideas, and the prices are really reasonable.

This recipe box is so cute!  I'm one of those people who quite enjoys organising stuff and putting things in order, so I would love categorising all my recipes in this little box.

The idea that you can get a special fork, just for eating cake, is marvellous to me.  Like it should be a twee little detail from a fairytale, but it's actually a real life thing!  

I like stationery.  Stationery's great.  Especially when it's based on animals.  Like a ruler in the shape of a smug giraffe.  Just look at it!  How can you not love this?  

Etsy

I've only recently discovered Etsy, and I can spend hours on there just scrolling through looking at all the pretty things.  It's great for unusual, handmade or vintage gifts.  Most of the stuff is quite reasonably priced, but a lot of it is based in America, so the postage costs can be a bit pricey.  It's definitely worth a look for Christmas shopping though.

Just look at these cute earrings...

..and this gorgeous bracelet...

...and this ridiculously adorable pet name tag!  Toby has one of these.

Blogtember: Selfie

Hello chaps and chapesses!

This is a little self portrait for you to enjoy:

This is how I looked before I went out for what turned out to be an awesome run.  It was raining (hence the hat), so I felt even more epic.  I read this advice on The Cup and Saucer, and was inspired.  The advice on breathing was really helpful - I made sure I focussed on keeping my breathing regular for the whole 3 miles, and I really think that's why the run felt so good.

Rachel just ran 3 miles in 31 minutes, and now she feels.....EPIC!

Blogtember: Cheesy but true

Hello chaps and chapesses!

Picture the scene:  It's February 2005, I'm 17 and I want to be a journalist when I grow up.  I've read that it's best to avoid journalism degrees, so I've decided to study politics at university instead.  I've accepted an offer of a place at Exeter University, and my mother is pleased because she has a cousin in that part of the country who could be called upon "if anything happened".  One day, I come across the film Educating Rita.  I've never seen or heard of it before, but it stars Julie Walters, and I like her, so I give it a go.  That, right there, is the moment my life changed.

I know it sounds cheesy to say that a film changed my life, but it's true.

In case you haven't seen it, Educating Rita is a 1983 film adaptation of a play by Willy Russell, and stars Julie Walters as a young hairdresser who wants to better herself through education.  She takes an Open University course in English Literature, and in doing so, changes her life and has a profound effect on her somewhat delinquent tutor, played by Michael Caine.  The film was an epiphany for me.

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At the time, I was studying English Lit at A Level.  I enjoyed it, and was good at it, but had chosen a politics course at university because I thought it would be a better grounding for the career I wanted in journalism.  Educating Rita reminded me why I loved literature so much, and showed me how much more there was, that I hadn't yet begun to discover.  I spoke to my form tutor the next day, and contacted Exeter University to ask if I could change from Politics to English.  It couldn't be done, so they advised me to either go ahead with the Politics course, and if I still felt the same after a few weeks, then ask to change.  The only other alternative was to withdraw my application and apply again the following year.

My gut feeling was to withdraw my application, and try again the following year.  I thought that going to Exeter in the September, starting on a course I wasn't sure about, and hoping to transfer to another course that might not have space for me, just wasn't the best path for me.  So, I pulled out and took a gap year. I started a full time job that October as office junior at a firm of solicitors, and I loved it.

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When I started looking at English Literature courses to start in 2006, the University of Chester presented itself as a strong contender, so I dragged my parents up there for an open day.  I fell in love.  Chester is just gorgeous, and the University campus has a lovely olde-worlde feel to it.  The English department is housed in an old Victorian vicarage just off the main campus, and the staff there were so enthusiastic and welcoming, that I knew this was where I wanted to be.  

My mum had her reservations about it because there are no family members in the area "if anything happens", and it's a four hour drive to get there, along a less-than-friendly road (i.e. not a motorway).  Despite that, moving to Chester has been the best decision of my life - it's become my adopted home town, and the friends I made at uni there will be friends for life, and I owe it all to Educating Rita.

Blogtember: Personality test

Hello chaps and chapesses!

According to this personality test, I'm an ISFJ.  If, like me, you thought that stood for Incredibly Sophisticated and Fabulous Jetsetter, think again.  

It actually stands for:

Introvert (44%)

Sensing (12%)

Feeling (12%)

Judging (56%)

It's not quite as snappy, but it does give a reasonable description of me.  Here are a few snippets of the description of my type:

...most ISFJs find more than enough with which to occupy themselves within the framework of a normal life. - I don't think I can really disagree with that....

 

ISFJs are often unappreciated, at work, home, and play.....Admittedly, the problem is sometimes aggravated by the ISFJs themselves; for instance, they are notoriously bad at delegating ("If you want it done right, do it yourself") - I wouldn't say that I feel particularly unappreciated, but the part about delegating is pretty true.  Maybe it's part of being an only child, but I do like to do things myself rather than pass them on to someone else.

And although they're hurt by being treated like doormats, they are often unwilling to toot their own horns about their accomplishments because they feel that although they deserve more credit than they're getting, it's somehow wrong to want any sort of reward for doing work (which is supposed to be a virtue in itself).  This rings quite true.  I don't like to shout about my achievements, as I think it makes me seem arrogant or proud, which are not nice traits in a person.  Remember when I said here that my grandparents had influenced a lot of my principles?  This is an example of that.

ISFJs have a few, close friends. They are extremely loyal to these, and are ready to provide emotional and practical support at a moment's notice. (However.....they hate confrontation; if you get into a fight, don't expect them to jump in after you. You can count on them, however, run and get the nearest authority figure.) - This is definitely me.  I have a few small groups of close friends, rather than a big circle of acquaintances.  I absolutely hate confrontation too, and actively shy away from it.  That's not to say that I don't stick up for myself - you just know that if I'm arguing about something, then that something that's important to me.

Blogtember: Being afraid, being very afraid

Hello chaps and chapesses!

Today’s topic is a story about a time when I was very afraid.

To be honest, I’ve struggled to think of a time when I felt really, genuinely frightened – maybe my subconscious has blocked out any traumatic memories – so here is the closest I could think of.

Our dog Toby likes to think of himself as a bit of an Action Dog (and he’s enthusiastically egged on by Graeme), and he loves going swimming.   What tends to happen is he’ll leap into the water, we’ll throw a stone for him and he’ll swim towards the point where it splashed, to try and retrieve it.  Then we’ll throw another stone, which will splash in another place, and he’ll turn around and aim for that one.  This continues for a long time.  It also means that we can guide him in whatever direction we like, by throwing stones in one direction or the other.

One weekend this summer we took Toby to Bangor-on-Dee to go for a swim in the river Dee.  As usual, he ran straight into the water, full of gusto.  The part of the river bank where we were is a pebbly shore, so there are loads of great pebbles to steer Toby with. 

On this particular day, Graeme was in charge of pebble-throwing (he usually is, I throw like a girl).  After the first three or four throws, Toby had swum out into the main current of the river, which was moving quite fast. 

He’s a strong swimmer, and was swimming against the current, giving it 100%, but wasn’t getting anywhere.  If anything, from where I stood watching, his little head seemed to be getting smaller and smaller as he drifted away downstream.

This made me a bit panicky, as I had visions of Toby being swept away and ending up out at sea somewhere.  I could just imagine us in years to come – “remember that time Toby got swept away?”  “I wonder what happened to him”  “maybe he’s still out there, sailing the seven seas”.

Graeme wasn’t remotely concerned, but did eventually throw some stones a bit nearer to the shore so that Toby would change direction and get himself out of the current. 

Once he’d proved to me that all was well, Graeme then went on to steer Toby back into the fast current another three or four times, just for the enjoyment of winding me up.  Cheeky bugger.

Blogtember: Useful advice

Hello chaps and chapesses!

I’ve never been particularly good with money.  It’s not one of my strengths, but I work hard to stay within my budget.

My mum tried her best to help me to budget, and it often ended in arguments.

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The one thing that stood out, and that I still stick to now, is to work out how much money you have per week, and to take that out in cash at the beginning of the week, and not pay for anything on your card.  

This works a treat for me.  For one thing, I can see exactly how much money I’ve got left for the rest of the week.  Physically handing over cash makes the spending more meaningful, and makes me think a bit more before spending my pennies, and as a result, I think this means I end up spending less.  Winning.

Blogtember: Three months off

Hello chaps and chapesses!

If you could take three months off from your current life, what would you do?

This is a fun but tough question to answer, as there are so many things I’d like to do and see, but I think, if money was no object, I would travel around Canada.

When I was a student, I lived and worked in Montreal, and it was the best year of my life.  I’ve always said I’d like to go back.

I would start by exploring the gorgeous Prince Edward Island, in the east, and then make my way west. 

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Then I would move on to Montreal, and take Graeme to all my old haunts, like the bars and restaurants on St Denis; the beautiful old town, and a trek (or maybe the bus) up Mont-Royal to look at the view over the city.

I would then head on up to Québec City to show Graeme the cobbled streets and and quaint old buildings.  And of course, no visit to QC would be complete without indulging in a little poutine at Chez Ashton.  For the uninitiated, poutine is the national dish of the Québec region, and comprises of chips / fries, squeaky cheese curds, and gravy.  The more squeaky the cheese, the better the poutine.

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From there I would venture north to the Gaspé region.  I never made it this far when I was in Canada, but I’ve heard lots of good things about it, and the scenery looks fantastic.

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I would then hop over to Calgary, hopefully around the time of the annual Calgary Stampede, so I could make like a cowboy and go to the rodeo.

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From Calgary I would go to the Rockies, and spend some time communing with nature exploring Banff National Park, and dipping my toes in Lake Louise.

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My next stop would be Vancouver, where I would take a stroll around the harbour, and admire the totem poles in Stanley Park.

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If there was time, I would round off my three months by going as far north as I could manage, to try and get a glimpse of the Northern Lights.  All the pictures I’ve seen are spectacular, and it would be a once in a lifetime experience to see them in real life.

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Heck – three months might not be enough to fit all this in!