Joy

So, in my last post when I said that September was a month for "organising, cleansing and sparklifying my life", it appears that I also meant September was a month for taking some time out to reassess, reevaluate and reconsider. Ooh, I love me some alliteration.

I digress.

I've taken almost four weeks away from blogging, my tweeting has been minimal (for me, at least) and, instead, I've just been... living. I've been away to Nottingham for the weekend, I've been out for dinners and  drinks and out on nights out and I've spent time just being me. And being happy. I've rediscovered the joy in life, the joy in the smallest of good things, the joy in feeling good about yourself.

The joy in ...

...dressing like Beetlejuice for work. Oh yes.
...ridiculous new jeans.
...a rainy Manchester evening.
...driving over The Snake Pass at sunset. Breathtaking.
...a big fat burger with chips and coleslaw.
...not hating what I look like anymore.


Hello. My name is Helen. I'm back.

Outfit Post: Sun Is Shining...

...the weather is sweet.

Oh yes it is. Still. I've been thoroughly making the most of my eleven days off (shall I shut up about that now?) and, inbetween bouts of decorating, have been basking in my yard. Very very glamorous. This was what I wore to meet a friend for lunch today and I also wore the dress when I went out on Saturday with my friend, D. It's too short and far far too booby so I'm fairly sure that most of Manchester got a flash at some point. Apologies to all concerned. This dress creates mischief and it must be restrained.

I've bought quite a few things over the last couple of weeks, having bought nothing for a couple of months, and everything is RED. Apparently red is my colour this year. I have red skinny jeans, a red pleated skirt, this dress and some red shoes. Redsville, Tennessee.

The shoes are, of course, the Swedish Hasbeens x H&M clog/sandal things and I'm smitten with them. My Dad says they look like orthopaedic shoes. I say WHATEVS, POPS.

So, what have we all got planned for the Bank Holiday weekend? I'll be watching the Royal Wedding (I'm excited, I don't care what anyone says... I love a good do!), getting my hair did, singing karaoke, having a couple of drinks and who knows what else. Do I have to go back to work? Really?

Dress & Ring - Topshop

Sunglasses - H&M

Sandals - Swedish Hasbeens x H&M

Belt - Primark

Necklace - Paraphernalia

The Week In Pictures #4

Apologies for the picture (and word!) heavy post this week. These were meant to be short little snapshots of my week. Must learn to shut up more!

1) Rain rain go away. Because it wouldn't be a TWIP post without a picture of some weather. I am British after all
2) Waiting for my train to London
3) First Class, baby! Gin and slimling tonic in a proper glass and a tasty ham and red pesto focaccia. I love free food
4) Vrooooom! It took 1 hour and 40 minutes from Warrington to London. That is some serious speed.
5) The Tube! Next time will someone please remind me how warm it is down there. Jeans, boots, t-shirt, jumper, leather jacket and scarf. I nearly died
6) Me! All dressed up with somewhere to go. I have the face of a child
7) Illicit late night takeaway. Neither me or Sammy have any recollection of this. Worrying
8) Homeward bound! Pre bag-gate.
9) I need these pyjamas. They match my Twitter name!
10) I had two eggs. Both had double yolks. What are the chances! You cannot beat eggs fresh from the farm
11) I won Woman of the Year at my Slimming World group on Tuesday. My prize? This amazingly tacky pen with star stand. It says 'Because you're amazing' on it. Love. It's got pride of place on my desk at work and I'm making everyone address me as Woman of the Year. Oh the hilarity

Splashing around

This weekend....

Sun! Sun! SUN!! // Splashing in my paddling pool... best £2.95 I've ever spent // Red toenails // Barbecues x2 - chicken, marinated pork steaks, homemade burgers, peppers, cucumber, feta cheese <3 // Sunbathing // Sunburn // Sunstroke // Garden appreciating // Photograph taking // Homemade lime iced tea // Ice cold water // Barbecued pineapple with lime juice squeezed over it (try it... NOW!) // Doing absolutely nothing that I needed to do and revelling in it // A tiny pang of longing for the Summer of 2008 // Lots and lots and lots of sleep...

I don't want to be in work right now.


How was your weekend, my loves?

Plane plane go away

Does anyone else kind of miss the ash of doom?


I know it caused problems for thousands of people and, of course, I have huge amounts of sympathy for those who were (and those who still are) stranded by the volcanic ash cloud. Those whose holidays were ruined or cancelled or extended when they really couldn't afford for them to be.

But I miss the clear blue skies. Deep, unbroken blue.

The peace and quiet in my garden on a Saturday afternoon.

The sheer bizarreness of a volcano causing so many problems in this technologically advanced world.

When the planes began flying again (Thursday, was it?) it was a strange sight. When I saw my first I felt like one of The Others on the Lost island. It seemed odd that there was something in the sky, other than birds or clouds.

It's strange how soon you can adapt to change, how soon you can adapt to something being missing. Or, in other cases, never adapt at all. I've been feeling a little melancholy this week and I've been unable to put my finger on the reason why. Then, driving home last night, a song triggered something in my mind and I realised... sometimes, just sometimes, I can't help but wish that he was by my side.

When will I adapt to that absence?

Invincible summer?

This weekend has, quite frankly, been bloody marvellous.

Summer was here, if only for one day (today is disappointingly cloudy) and the gin and tonics flowed plentifully. Add a barbecue with my friend E, Britain's Got Talent (Kevin Cruise, Tobias Mead and Tina & Chandi being personal highlights) more gin and tonics and dancing the night away and that's pretty much the perfect day (and night) right there.

More sun please. Soon!

Recipe for joy

Ingredients:

1 girl, without a hangover
1 pair of Hunter wellies (green)
1 lumberjack shirt, old red vest and pair of leggings
1 pair of oversized sunglasses
A park, preferably large, with plenty of daffodils and dogs being walked
Sunshine
Blue sky


Directions:

Preheat temperature to a crisp yet sunny 10 °C
Combine all ingredients
Spend an hour walking around aforementioned park
Smile. A lot.

Schönes Wochenende!

What does the weekend have in store for you my darlings?


I for one am looking forward to two days of pure unadulterated fun. Tonight I shall be mostly dying my hair to refresh my raven-ness, drinking water, eating wasabi peas, watching The Wire and possible indulging in a (small) glass of white wine. I know how to partay.

In truth though I'm merely saving myself for tomorrow. 12 girls. 1 city. Untold carnage. Yes, it's the Girly Manchester Blogging Tweet-Up. Or GMBTU as I like to call it. It just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? Although, coincidentally and completely uninterestingly that's the name of a Trade Union that I do cases for. I think they may have more important things to deal with than wine, pretty boys and high high heels though. Poor them.

Yes, today I am mostly speaking gibberish.

Why? Because I'm giddy. And why am I giddy? The sun is shining! Now all I can think about is Summer. Beer gardens, ice lollies, ice cold cider, barbecues, festivals, light nights, the smell of freshly cut grass lingering in the air. I cannot wait.


But first, the weekend cometh! Tell me your plans oh gorgeous ones!

Hog days are over

So we're ten days in...


How is 2010 treating you so far? How many resolutions have you broken? Or kept? So far 2010 has bewildered me, mainly due to the snow. I've been having a lot of trouble working out what day it is due to having lots of snow days and working from home days in the past week. I've never seen so much snow in my whole life and I've loved every minute but, to be honest, I'm ready for it to melt now. I had lots of evening plans for the last few days and I've had to cancel every single one due to the treacherous nature of the roads. It turns out that snow is not good for your social life. Who knew.

More than that though, I think I've been using the snow as an excuse to not exercise and to not eat as healthily as I should have been. 'Ooh it's snowing, pass me the hot chocolate' or 'Ooh, it's snowed, I can't possibly go to the gym now, I'll have to sit in front of the fire with a box of chocolates instead' or even 'Ooh the snow's still here, pass me that bucket of butter and I'll bathe in it for a while'. It didn't help that Slimming World was cancelled last Tuesday as I took it as a sign that I SHOULD EAT LIKE THERE WAS NO TOMORROW. Fool.

So today was the last supper. I went to Bluu in Manchester with my friend N and gorged myself on three courses of pure joy. All food is half price for the whole of January so it would have been rude not to, right? Salt and pepper calamari, chicken, bacon and leek pie with mash and peas and half an assiette of desserts are sitting nicely in my belly and I'm now ready to forsake decadent food for the foreseeable future. And get myself to the gym as often as humanly possibly.


Sob.

Snow is falling, all around me...

Another day, another snowfall...

Snow business

2.10pm

Snow has been falling for most of the day.

The world is muffled by a blanket of white. The only noise is from the children down the street laughing as they throw snowballs and build snowmen.

Branches are bending, heavy with the weight of snow.

The sky blackens, another shower begins.


I love this.

Fall-ing

Tick tock, tick tock...


The nights are drawing in, it's getting colder, it hasn't stopped raining in what feels like forever. Gone are my flip flops (not that it was ever really warm enough to wear them, I'm just the queen of inappropriate footwear) and back are the stompy winter boots that I wear from September through to March. Dreams of ice lollies and cold sauvignon blanc are replaced by ones of a warming shiraz and Lancashire hotpot served with pickled onions and red cabbage.

Although I love summer with its seemingly endless days, its festivals and its sunshine (well the two minutes we get a year anyway), I'm always thankful when September rolls around. I love autumn. To me it feels like a season made for change. With the changing of the leaves comes a feeling that anything is possible.

I'm in a reflective mood today. It's been a tough week at work and the next lot of chemotherapy is looming large. But it's Friday night and I've got a large glass of red wine in my hand, a hot bath about to be run and a new episode of Rebus to watch.

Ahh, hello autumn.

Rain keeps falling on my head

Apologies for the presence of my breasts in this photo

So, Summer then.


Not to be incredibly British or anything but the weather really has been pretty shocking hasn't it? Sitting where I do in my little office enables me to spend an inordinate amount of time staring glumly out of the window at the weather du jour (productive to the max). Sometimes I provide a running commentary on the same to my workmates. Lucky them. I bet you wish you worked with me don't you? One day two weeks ago there was rain, hail, sun, cloud, thunder and lightning all within the space of an hour. I'm sure you don't need me to describe just how informative and necessary my commentary was. I'm like the Michael Fish of the legal costs world. And I'm not talking about my penchant for tweed, leather arm patches and grossly over sized glasses.

To combat the gloom (although it's actually rather sunny today) I've compiled a list of the five best things about Summer. In no particular order. Except for the first one. Hot naked people is obviously number one.

1) People wear less clothes. Now, this isn't always a good thing. Many people (Vanessa Feltz, I'm looking at you) should be forced to wear the maximum amount of clothes possible at all times. This also extends to men who think it's ok to walk around the town centre topless. It's not ok. I don't want to see your faded bulldog tattoo, your pigeon chest or your t-shirt tan lines. But in many situations, less clothes = more perving opportunities. And who doesn't love a bit of perving.

2) Beer gardens. Wine. Cider. Sun. Benches. Grass. Afternoon drinking. WIN.

3) Costa Coffee's citrus fruits Frescato. Do they do these all year round? I don't know. But even if they do, I'd only want them in Summer. So cold they'll freeze your face off. In a good way.

4) Happiness. People are happier in Summer. This is a cold, hard FACT. Kind of. Sun = endorphins = happy. No matter what the problem is it never looks quite as bad when the sun is shining and the evenings are longer.

5) Ice cream vans. I may be in the minority here but I love hearing the sound of an ice cream van wending its way towards my abode. The tinkling sounds of 99s, screwballs, fruit pastille lollies and calippos. How can that not make the world a better place? Always beware an ice cream van that makes the rounds in Winter. They're quite clearly selling crack.

Weekender

My weekend looked like this:

Sunshine (well, a bit anyway) // 'Scene It' for 6 hours with three of my bffs and lots of booze // Sex and the City - series 6 - "I'm having a Jewish wedding and I look like Hitler" // a horrendous hangover // too little sleep // Villa Maria sauvignon blanc // Louis Theroux // buffalo wings and blue cheese dip // Little Boots on repeat // Wii Fit // fresh pineapple // singing along loudly to 'In For the Kill' by La Roux, particularly the 'OoooOOOooooOOOoooo' bit in the middle // Family Guy // the gym // lying in the garden reading Bete de Jour's book // plinth planning // dozing on the sofa with my dogs, under my Glastonbury blanket // nettle tea // making plans and resolutions & lots of lovely 'me' time...

In other words, it wasn't too shabby at all.

Your turn!!

I'm still waiting for it to stop feeling like someone's something's missing though. That'll happen soon, right?

Kerching

Snagria. Get your snag on.

Today rocks.

Why?

• Percy Piglets in my desk drawer. I may just eat the whole bag. I prefer them to Percy Pigs. They're smaller, less obnoxiously chewy and I can fit more of them in my mouth at once. And we all know that I live for how much I can fit in my mouth at once. Badumtish.


• Tapas for tea! Tis the Mother's 65th birthday today and in honour of her becoming even older and even greyer, we're going to gorge ourselves on Spanish treats. I may gorge myself on a Spanish waiter too, but that depends entirely on how much Sangria I get through. I just typed Snagria. Which sounds less like a wine and fruit concotion and more like something you'd actually catch from a Spanish waiter.


• Sun! The sun has returned from its gloomy hiatus and sprinkled its rays of joy on Warrington. Sun makes everything better. FACT.


• Exciting plans for the weekend are taking shape. And by exciting I clearly mean booze-laden. And by booze-laden I clearly mean drinking until I feel it's appropriate to fall in a gutter. And by fall in a gutter I mean... You get the picture.


• And last but not least.... I've been given a pay rise!! A four grand pay rise to be precise. And yes, I know it's vulgar to talk about money and no, I don't care. Because this is the best work-related thing to ever happen to me and I'm damn well going to shout about it. I work hard for what I get and it's so nice to be rewarded. When a lot of things in my life have turned to crap, it's nice to get some good news and to have something to smile about.

And smiling I am. For the first time in about a month.

I wouldn't count on it to last though.

Happy Up Here

There is, quite literally, nothing in the world better than this picture.

Ah, Saturday!


I adore Saturdays. So far today I've been to the gym and beasted myself to the point where I looked like a red sweating hippo (yum), eaten smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for brunch and had a tremendous bath. I also ate bread fresh from the village bakery. Sometimes I feel like I'm in The Famous Five. "Oh no, we've run out of ginger beer", ejaculated Dick.

This week has been both the longest and slowest week of my life. Bad points include the fact that work is incredibly busy, I've been sleeping terribly and I haven't lost a single pound despite 4 visits to the gym, salads for lunch and general healthy eating. Marvellous points include the fact I smashed my target at work this week and am now on course for a lovely bonus in next month's pay packet, the fact NYC is so close I can almost taste it (how would it taste? Burgers? Pizza? Cynicism?) and the fact that Spring has finally sprung.

I love Spring with every inch of my contemptuous, sarcastic, bitter old heart. It's just so full of hope and promise. Little lambs bounding in the fields. Daffodils (my favourite flower, fact fans) peeping out of unexpected corners. Lighter mornings and evenings. People are just happier in Spring, it's a fact. The sun this week has been magnificent and I've been leaving work with a spring (no pun intended) in my step and a smile on my face. I've even been enjoying the sight of chavs with their tops off, basking in the sun outside the Wetherspoons near my work.


Sun even makes Warrington bearable, that's how powerful it is.

Brr!

I have but one word for you......

Snow!!!

We never get snow here. And I mean never. The two places least likely to get snow in the whole world? Death Valley and my house. Of course snow's never as much fun when you actually have to go to work in it. The roads were treacherous this morning and, to be honest, right now I'd kill to be sitting at home with a hot chocolate, my duvet and a spot o' rubbish daytime television

In other news, I cracked and weighed myself this morning. So much for the only weighing myself once a week thing. but I'm glad I did. The numbers went down. Hurrah, hurrah and thrice hurrah! Obviously the tongue-numbingly hot curry that we had on Friday night kick-started my metabolism and it's now running at a rate faster than 'slug'.

Happy Monday everyone!