Well hasn’t the world all gone a bit mad lately? To be honest I think someone needs to turn 2016 off and on again, it seems to have gone as glitchy as my Pokemon game last weekend.
With everything going on out there, I like to remind myself of all of the good things that have happened recently that made me smile. It cheers me up and helps to remember not to take what I’ve got for granted. Here are some of my recent happy favourites… what are yours?
For most of my life I’ve been under the impression that I don’t like coffee. Since I don’t enjoy tea either I’ve never really ‘got’ the whole hot drink thing. I finally kicked my fizzy drink habit this year though and was starting to get pretty bored of just drinking water so I thought I’d give coffee one more shot (no pun intended).
As it turns out, I actually kinda like it! Since then I’ve been discovering all those little secret pleasures that you get from being a coffee drinker. I can warm my hands on the mug when the office air-con is trying to freeze me. I can use phrases like: “nipping downstairs for a coffee” and “but first coffee” like the big old cliche I’ve always wanted to be. I even get to choose my own personal mug now!
…of course I’ve also now discovered Costa, which means that I never have spare change in my purse anymore!
I’m still completely obsessed with making waffles! After trying out lots of sweet versions (and devising a healthy recipe which you can find here) I decided to have a bash at some savoury ones. I found a Donna Hay recipe online for chorizo, halloumi and spinach waffles and swapped out the chorizo for bacon rashers because we already had some in our fridge.
I still can’t put my finger on what these waffles reminded me of most closely, something between an omelette, a savoury muffin and a fluffy cheese souffle. What I do know is that it was an insanely good feeling to layer rashers or bacon onto the waffle plate and hear it sizzle away. I could quite happily live on a diet of waffles!
Our boiler bust recently and we lost our hot water supply. I’d never realised just how many times a day I used the hot water until it wasn’t there anymore. After a week of having either freezing cold showers or lukewarm baths filled with kettle water, I was craving the simple pleasure of a steaming hot, full to the brim bubble bath, despite usually always opting for a shower.
The first bath after the boiler was pure bliss. I used an indecent amount of Soap and Glory Calm One Calm All because it smells absolutely delicious and chucked in a Lush bath bomb for good measure. I shall never, EVER take hot water for granted again!
Let’s all be honest now, Pokemon Go is basically a glorified pedometer! Having said that, no other pedometer has got me out walking before and yet I’m now doing a brisk 5k walk every lunch time by the waterfront instead of sitting at a computer screen. No other pedometor has got me talking to strangers on my travels either, even if our conversations are mainly: “Pokemon?” “Yep!” followed by a knowing nod or a conversation about what we’ve caught! All in all, I think it’s brilliant – just remember to look up occasionally and not do it whilst driving and you’re all good.
(P.s. I caught Mr Mime the other day. I was at once happy and entirely creeped out. What even is he?!)
I was ridiculously excited to arrive home one night to find a surprise care package waiting for me with a tell-tale purple bow on the box. Cadbury* recently launched a Special Edition Chocolate and Raspberry version of their Amaze Bites to celebrate the launch of the new Absolutely Fabulous Movie and had sent me a selection to try.
I might have ‘accidentally’ opened the tub there and then and found them a bit too moreish. In fact I only stopped scoffing them when I realised that I was going to run out of cake bites to take photos of.
There were a whole host of other lovely Ab Fab themed treats in there too, including a gorgeous little clutch and a Patsy classic: Bollinger Champagne. I spent the rest of the night shouting “Absolutely Fabulous Sweetie Dahling” at anyone in my vicinity. (In other words my husband, the cats and Snapchat. I can only apologise to anyone unfortunate enough to have seen it.)
Have you seen the film yet? I can’t wait to go and have a good giggle at Edina and Patsy’s antics!
Krispy Kreme opened a drive thru in Peterborough. That is all!
