What I've Googled this week #4

Here's what I've been tappity-tap-tap-tapping into that search bar this week!

Just beautiful. Via Pinterest, cant find original link, sorrryyyyy!!

1. Members of Scooby Doo
Because I could remember all their names but that of the girl with the yellow jumper and glasses.
Turns out, she is Velma.
I'll let you in on a secret now...I hate Scooby Doo. Like, detest it. Have done ever since I was a child. I'm not sure why, its not because it scared or traumatised me, I just really hate it.

2. Brown Cross Body Bag
I'm on the hunt for a satchel type bag, but not a satchel and in a very dark brown to match my new boots. Can I find one? Can I 'eck.

3. Rockers
A gang of us went to a restaurant called Rockers Steak House (Mill Road, Cambridge - if you're local!) recently for my sisters belated birthday celebrations. As always I like to be prepared so perused the menu before the night. The place has a great atmosphere, turned the music up loud on request for my favourite song (The Chain - Fleetwood Mac, in case you were wondering) and the food was delicious.
(I had - calamari, followed by a 'Big Cheese' burger. Sometimes the simplest choices are the best!

Craving.

from here

Today, I have been craving and near enough crazing for chocolate.

I'm not normally a craver of sweet things. Bread? Sure. Chilli? Get in ma' belly. Pasta? Carborific.

But chocolate? Rarely.

Today though.....today I really feel like I could smush my face into a chocolate cake and eat the entire thing in one sitting.

Its going to take every ounce of will power I possess to not stop off at the shop on the way home and buy one.

The Christmas Spread Sheet

I’ll start off with an apology. This is a Christmas-themed post, so if you don’t want to think about it yet…I'm sorry. I held off posting this until September, rather than the originally planned August, so I can be given some credit for waiting I can can’t I?

Anyhoo, onwards.

With my birthday falling a month before Christmas (ish – 24th November) and being a largely unorganised soul to date, Christmas gift buying has always proved quite stressful to me. I generally end up spending any birthday money I am lucky enough to receive on gifts for others, which isn’t too bad but I really should be able to spoil myself for my birthday!

This year, I have decided to change this pattern and get my Christmas shopping done gradually over the next few months, leaving me with nothing to do in the weeks prior to Christmas other than relax, enjoy parties and eat chocolate. Like it or not, there are only 3 paydays left until Christmas so I need to get planning.

In order to achieve this, I have created a spread sheet. Taa daaaa!

I love me a spread sheet

I’ve listed my loved ones for whom I should buy gifts (this list grows each year, if everyone could stop having babies and getting married for a bit, my bank balance and I would be most appreciative!)

Over the next couple of weeks I will be filling this up with ideas for gifts – as you can see, I’ve not got very far. When September pay-day looms, I can pick a couple to buy and check them off the list.

I'd actually really like to work on putting together tailored hampers for most-people this year, not only to keep costs down but to show I've put a bit of thought in.

You can see I've started off with a pamper hamper for my mum with will include lots of lovely beauty bits for her.

Then I'm planning a joint-night-in hamper for my brother and his wife. They love watching movies and with a 2-year-old, rarely get a night to themselves. I will give them a voucher to redeem offering my babysitting services, a few DVDs, a cosy blanket, pop-corn, sweets etc so they can have a night of peace and indulgence.

I try to budget about £20 per person, but I don’t stress too much if the perfect gift for them is a bit over or under this.

So there you have it, I’ve opened the can of worms that is Christmas 2013.

Do you plan for Christmas? Any top tips? 

 

Dressing Table

I've had my dressing table for yonks now and it has served me well. It is natural pine, and I've always had it in the back of my mind that I would paint it some jazzy colours and add some funky drawer handles to it. I'm not one to shy away from a bit of up cycling, however I've reluctantly come to the decision recently that the dressing table is physically too big for my bedroom, which is probably why its a project I haven't bothered to start.

So I'm currently scouring eBay and Gumtree like a mad woman for a smaller dressing table in desperate need of some TLC. Until I find one, I will search Pinterest (where else?) for inspiration and ideas of what colours to use for my shiny-new dressing table (when I eventually find one the right size...)

I also have my heart set on a ottoman style seat rather than a stool, one I can cover in lovely fabric and use for storage of my hairdryer and straighteners when they are not styling my locks. Searches for this sort of thing so far have not been fruitful, and I now fear I may have to build one. Anyone who saw my GCSE Resistant Materials (fancy term for woodwork) project of a 'wonky' toy box will know that this is not a good idea.

Wish me luck on my search. In the meantime, here is some Pinspiration....

NB: Judging from my Pins, I clearly really like blue. Blue it is!!

A broken heart.

My wonderful, kind-hearted, beautiful Nanna passed away on Sunday 18th August.

My Dad phoned me at 8:15 on Sunday morning to deliver this horrible news. For a couple of hours, I was OK. I realise now that this was shock, as her death was so sudden and unexpected.

I've gone through varying stages of grief. Sunday afternoon I was inconsolable.

Yesterday while at my granddads I was the rallier and the organiser.

I kept all the visitors there fed and watered throughout the day, listened to those that wanted to talk about her, distracted those that weren't ready to yet. I maintained an air of calm and reasoning. I force-fed Granddad some dinner, as he hadn't eaten since Saturday and was looking grey and weak. I talked about funeral plans with him, what he wanted, what she wanted.

Today...today I feel desperately sad. Numb, My head is all over the place and I just want to run away. I feel so tired, I don't want to be at work, I don't want to think, I just want to go to sleep and make the sadness and hurt go away.

It'll pass, I know it will, but right now my heart is breaking for my Dad, who has just lost his mother. My Granddad, who has lost his wife and best-friend of 55 years. My brother, who is grieving but also getting married on Friday, so is looking forward to that. I know he feels guilty for being excited about his wedding.

And my heart is breaking for me, because I am going to miss her terribly.

Love you always Nanna.
xxxx

A book - The Night Rainbow

credit

The one and only minor criticism I have of my kindle that I have is that I do miss seeing book covers in all their freshly printed, colourful glory. The cover for The Night Rainbow (above) is a particularly pretty one I would've like to have seen on my bedside table.

Moving on...

During one long, hot summer, five-year-old Pea and her little sister Margot play alone in the meadow behind their house, on the edge of a small village in Southern France. Her mother is too sad to take care of them; she left her happiness in the hospital, along with the baby. Pea's father has died in an accident and Maman, burdened by her double grief and isolated from the village by her Englishness, has retreated to a place where Pea cannot reach her - although she tries desperately to do so.

Then Pea meets Claude, a man who seems to love the meadow as she does and who always has time to play. Pea believes that she and Margot have found a friend, and maybe even a new papa. But why do the villagers view Claude with suspicion? And what secret is he keeping in his strange, empty house?


*******************************************************************************************************

Pea is a sweet and complex character. The story is told from her POV, and while on Amazon a few reviewers have complained that the tone and language used it too complex for that of a 5-year-old, I think the author has captured the innocence, inquisitiveness and reasoning of her beautifully. Yes, a 5-year-old probably wouldn't be quite as descriptive as Pea is, but it would be a book aimed at children not adults if it were toned down further.

It did take a few chapters for me to properly get stuck into I must admit, but I'm glad I persevered. It's a haunting, well-told story of love, loss and friendship. I found the premise of the book to be quite unique.

The story is tinged with sadness from start to finish. Its a tough read in that some of the subject matter is heavy and the feeling of grief is tangible throughout.

I enjoyed it and I want you to too so obviously don't want to give too much away. I'll leave it as - a slightly haunting but compelling story with a few good twists and turns which explores a mothers love and unlikely friendship.

The Night Rainbow by Clare King - get it here

What I've Googled this week #3

from here

#1 Threesome
No, no no. Not in the naughty sense - take your brain out of the gutter ladypants! I obviously mean the TV series. Before pressing 'series link' I thought I'd read up on Threesome and what its about. From the adverts, it looks quite funny. After reading the Wiki Page (I seem to spend my life on Wikipedia)....I am undecided on whether it is funny or not, if I like the premise in fact, and haven't yet pressed record. Has anyone watched it? Is it any good?

#2 Little Miss No Name
I'm not entirely sure how I ended up here, I think it was Buzzfeed related? If you are not a fan of creepy dolls, look away now. Or just don't click this link. If you are a fan, click away you strange, strange person.

#3 Chair recovering
I've been gifted with a beautiful wing-back armchair by my mum. Its a bit tatty and doesn't match my décor currently, so I am investigating getting it recovered. Initial findings show this may turn out to be very expensive, so it'll probably end up being covered in a throw. It's going to live in our bedroom and will be my 'its-raining-outside-snuggle-up-book-reading-tea-drinking' chair.