Category: about me

Do you ever feel that since you’ve become a grown up life can have the tendency to take over? Work in particular has been manic over the past month, leaving little time for much, let alone blogging.

I am, however, going to make a concerted effort to get back into the swing of things here.

In the meantime, here are a few shots of what I’ve been up to over the past month (aside from report writing, parents evenings, and all the other fun things teaching brings with it!)

We’re almost there in terms of collecting random and vintage glassware for wedding table decorations. The varying shades of green make me very happy.

I’ve also been experimenting with gluten free baking (my Instagram shows my attempt at a gluten free quiche too.) This loaf was the first try at producing something better than the stodgy, sweet offerings from the supermarket. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised at how well this turned out!

Here in the North West we don’t get a great deal of sunshine, meaning that when we do everyone strips off and heads outdoors. I was no exception earlier this month when the weather turned warmer. I grabbed my latest read (which I’m not enjoying as much as I did One Day) and whipped out my ghost legs to get some Vitamin D!

There has also been time to squeeze in a little bit of a social life. The mothership came to visit for a lovely weekend, full of florist visiting and general wedding planning chit-chat.

I also got a history geek visit to Sizergh Castle in with my lovely friend, Roz. Any day out with Roz is fun, but the history ones are particularly good. We met studying History at university so share a love of all things old and factual.

I’m now going to try and plough through a few more reports and generally get a better hold on managing my time! How do you manage a work-life balance effectively?

Today marks 3 years of Jonny and I officially being a couple. We’ve known each other for almost 11 years and the past 3 have definitely been the best of those!

Being friends for so long before we became a couple made the whole transitioning into a relationship ridiculously easy. We knew all about our respective relationship histories thus avoiding any awkward chats and we completely skipped the strained/on your best behaviour early dating stage. Which was brilliant.

I know I’m not the perfect girlfriend/fiancee/partner in the world, nor is Jonny the perfect boyfriend/fiance/partner. But this is why we work. We’re both fully aware of each others’ flaws; each others’ strengths and weaknesses. Jonny supports me through everything (which over the past 18 months has been no mean feat!) He is a genuine, warm and loving man (although most of his friends would say it is his love of toilet humour that is his most defining feature!)

I love him for who he is. There’s no point trying to change the person you are with. If you’re not fully comfortable with each other it’s not going to work. Our relationship reached new comfortable levels recently when I discussed my (newly improved gluten free) digestive habits with him. Over dinner. I can honestly say there’s nobody else in the world I would have felt able to be so honest with.

The photo above is from our engagement shoot (offered free from our photographer; we didn’t ask for it!) and I love it. It sparked this discussion between my brother and I on Facebook:

Ben: Jonny just looks like your carer.

Me: That’s essentially what he  is.

Ben: For life.

Fortunately for me I’m still as loved up as I was in 2012 and I cannot wait for our wedding next April. Spending the rest of my life with this man is something I’m seriously looking forward to.

Please feel free to go and vomit now.

I love that we have Bank Holiday weekends. 3 days off work can’t help but make you smile.

Unfortunately for me, Jonny was away all last weekend leading a gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition in Snowdonia so I was left to entertain myself!

I spent my weekend catching up with friends. Dinner on Friday with a lovely ex-colleague catching up and generally setting the world to rights was followed by a Saturday/Sunday sleepover with one of my university friends (and chief bridesmaid!)

It was lovely to spend 2 days relaxing, chatting and watching trashy historical films. Elizabeth, anyone? The rubbish weather on Saturday and Sunday felt like it made our laziness justified. Nobody wants to play in the rain when there’s a cosy living room and plenty of tea on offer instead!

Sometimes weekends like this where you don’t have to do a lot are the best ones. Especially when you spend that nothing time with like-minded individuals. Soppy as it sounds, I really am lucky to have the wonderful friends that I do.

How did you spend your Bank Holiday weekend?

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock you’ll know that tomorrow is polling day in the UK. It’s rolled around again to that time where we actual get a say in who is running our country.

I feel that this is such an important thing to do. As citizens living here I feel we should definitely exercise our right to vote. Not just because a century ago brave women were campaigning so we can do so now, but because it’s our country. Our future.

Talking to a friend this weekend I heard (not for the first time) that she didn’t feel any of the major parties had her best interests at heart. Being the big geek that I am, I urged her online to read their manifestos. I also suggested that rather than not vote at all tomorrow she still visit her polling station and spoil her vote. By doing so she’ll still be having her say.

We should definitely, definitely vote. Even if we go and just spoil the ballot paper. I feel that if you don’t make the effort to do that, then you shouldn’t really be allowed to rant and moan when the government aren’t doing exactly as you hoped.

I work with someone who is refusing to vote at all and this really frustrates me as I know they’ll be one of the first to complain when it doesn’t turn out as they would have liked.

So, please, please go out tomorrow and use your vote.

Fingers crossed the next government helps make our world that little bit better for everyone (and from a purely selfish stand point, for 20-30 somethings!)