word of the week

Well this is probably more a word of the fortnight, or perhaps even longer! Since I last wrote here it feels like lots and lots has happened, and while I'm not quite sure how February is nearly over, at the same time we seem to have crammed lots in to the shortest month!

The day before my birthday we got the brilliant news that The Husband had successfully been offered a new job. It is a promotion and a move to a new organisation, so it is an incredibly big achievement, and I am amazingly proud. It was a fabulous start to a long weekend of celebrations. We went on a bear hunt on my birthday (although I was sad to read the attraction has closed permanently after Storm Doris), it was a fun way to spend some time as a family, and then we had a lovely meal with my parents and Grandad at night.

We have also been to visit the church where we got married for a lovely mass, and then our wedding venue for a coffee. It felt special to be back and have our little boy with us. Valentine's day included a family 5k run as part of the running challenges I have been doing, and a meal at home.

The last week has also marked six months since our little boy was born, and in fact it turned out to be exactly a year since we told people I was pregnant at my 30th birthday party! After 6 months it's about time I actually decided what to call him on here, so I'm going to go with his initial, T, for want of anything more original! He is now sleeping in his cot in his nursery, and it felt like a big step for him to move out of our room, though a full night's sleep is proving elusive still! We also started the first steps to weaning but it has not been as straightforward as I expected, with lots of mess, and quite a lot of coughing and vomiting. A much thinner apple puree seems to have been more successful the last few days, but still only a morsel at a time! He is full of a cold, and teething too (we have a first top tooth making its appearance), so I'm pretty sure that must be playing part, and writing this I realise that it's less than a week since he first tried any food at all, so perhaps we are not doing too badly really! I didn't really get in to the habit of doing milestone posts when I was pregnant, or since he has been born, but I may yet do a six month one (albeit a little late) as I feel it will be nice to look back in the future and read what he was like at this age, particularly as we looked at his first outfits tonight and were shocked (and a little teary) at how much he has grown already.

My lovely Grandad has had quite a few scans and hospital appointments in recent weeks, and is also recovering from the same cough that seems to have laid most of us low repeatedly since Christmas. He is doing well otherwise, and if he wasn't having any tests we wouldn't know that there was any need for him to be seen, but it is always worrying seeing a loved one going through appointments and scans, especially when it's someone like my Grandad who is always so fit and well. Luckily we have had lots of happy trips too, including a brilliant concert at the Bridgewater Hall with him, and a fabulous night seeing Sheridan Smith in Funny Girl.

This week there have also been surprise visits from my best friend, new bedding purchased and duvet dry cleaning after an early morning vomiting explosion from T, and the usual swimming and library trips. I also managed to catch up with A Year with My Camera reading this weekend, and made some actual notes in a new notebook with pretty pens, which was a fun way to spend half an hour. I realise this has mostly turned into a diary post, but I wanted to spend some time reflecting on everything that has happened recently. This week has been quite tough at times, between the teething, the vomiting, the clean-up operations and the appointments for my Grandad, so it has been a lovely way to end the week realising how much the good stuff far outweighs any of the less positive parts. Having said that, I have just also realised that in order to finish my February challenge I need to do 8 miles in the next 2 days, so perhaps the whirlwind isn't over just yet!!

word of the week

The word this week is definitely "out". The lovely socialising of last weekend continued, with a trip to the theatre on Tuesday to watch Daniel Kitson, and a night out watching Bruce Springsteen with The Husband, my parents and my brothers. 

We had also had art class on Monday, so Thursday night was a designated easy night! We still got out, taking Millie for a walk in the sunshine before a quiet night in.The bank holiday weekend has been lovely so far, with a long lunch with friends yesterday, and then a few hours sat in the sunshine this afternoon round at another friend's house.

I've also been out at two maternity appointments this week, a vaccination on Monday and bloods on Wednesday. Monday is officially thirty weeks, so after that, our weekly countdown will be down to single figures. Time seems to be flying by! 

see you in london or maybe in paris

(Snow in Venice - Elizaveta)

A slightly picture heavy post ahead, as I share a few of the snaps from our recent trip. So, it was certainly a week of the unexpected, beginning with a surprise theatre trip to London. We travelled by train and stayed at a hotel very near to St. Paul's. Once we were checked in, The Husband then told me that we were off to Paris the next day by Eurostar.

We spent our night in London watching As You Like It at the National Theatre, which had the most incredible set, and a really innovative chorus. Much like many of Shakespeare's comedies, it involved mistaken identities, people being banished, lovers chasing each other through forests, and multiple weddings. The next day I took my first ever journey on the Eurostar, and the journey through the tunnel was over almost before I realised. From there we headed to a beautiful hotel just near the Champs-Elysees. We switched rooms just after arrival because they hadn't realised when we first checked in that The Husband had booked an upgraded room. We were wondering whether to mention it, but we were glad we did, because the room we ended up with was slightly bigger, but also had a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower from the window!

The Hotel also offered a complimentary afternoon tea each day, although the only day we were there at the right time we had just returned from my birthday lunch, so didn't ever get to try it. It looked beautiful though! We visited the Louvre on our first full day, and once I had recovered from queuing for rather a long time to get in, we enjoyed having a wander around. The Mona Lisa was, as you might expect, swamped with people, as was the Venus de Milo, so it was quite difficult to get a real sense of them, especially as the Mona Lisa was behind a perspex screen, but I was glad to have seen them. It was an immense gallery to wander through, and most of the other floors were much quieter. We didn't cover even half of it, but enjoyed what we saw, and it is somewhere I have always wanted to visit.

Our next day in Paris included a beautiful lunch, and the waiting staff were incredibly helpful advising me on what they would recommend that was suitable for pregnancy. From there we had a walk through to Notre Dame, which I think was my favourite place in Paris. I didn't take any pictures at all, and wandered around awestruck by the architecture. We sat for a good while, quietly taking it all in. It felt like a very special way to spend the last day of my twenties, and it was lovely to sit and reflect on where life has brought us in the last decade.

  

From there we went for a coffee, and then enjoyed a night at the Opera Bastille, watching The Barber of Seville. Happily there were subtitles, as neither of us are opera aficionados, and it was another incredible set, with a full scale set of apartments that fully rotated so you could see in all the rooms (the picture above is not the set, just to be clear, I just liked that someone had got patriotic with their pants!). We returned from the opera to the most wonderful surprise, which was a knock at the bedroom door from my parents. The Husband, knowing full well that I have always shared my birthday with my mum, had invited them to join us, and so after a comedic scene which included me calling my mum and genuinely being baffled when I could hear the ringtone, I discovered our visitors! And as if that wasn't enough surprises, The Husband then told me that after my parents travelled home we would be carrying on from Paris, to spend a long weekend in Venice.

So my birthday was spent opening cards and presents with family, over breakfast in our room, and then from there we went for a very special lunch. After a beautiful meal, everyone was given a complimentary brandy to toast my birthday, and as I couldn't partake, I was given a cocktail glass of sorbets to enjoy instead. We spent the afternoon exploring the Rodin museum and gardens, posing with the sculptures and taking some very funny pictures. I was so glad to see The Thinker, a sculpture I have always wanted to see, and it was a lovely way to spend a few hours. We ended the day with an alcohol free cocktail for me, and some champagne as a gift from the hotel which everyone else enjoyed! As birthdays go, it was an incredibly memorable one.

The following morning we all went for breakfast and then waved my parents goodbye. Our final day in Paris was beautifully bright and clear, perfect for some sightseeing. We wandered up the Champs-Elysees, to the Arc de Triomphe, and then to the Eiffel Tower. The Husband was most excited of all to spot an actor from The Walking Dead, which was a little lost on me, but I daresay made his trip! We picked up a picnic, and our suitcases, and then headed to catch our overnight sleeper train to Venice. 

I have always liked the idea of travelling on a sleeper train, and The Husband had booked us our own little sleeper car. It was absolutely great fun, although bizarre to wake to the train pulling in and realise we were going through passport control as we crossed the Swiss and then the Italian borders. The darkness meant there was not much in the way of a view, although it was odd to look out to see snow on the ground as we travelled through the Swiss mountains! I slept well in between the different stops, though The Husband fared slightly less well, and by the time we had got the vaporetto water bus from the station to the hotel in Venice, he definitely felt like the ground was moving beneath him!

Venice had a completely different feel from Paris, and from anywhere I have been. The buildings, and streets, are full of nooks and crannies, narrow and crooked, and then suddenly you step round a corner to see the bright blue water almost at your feet. Particularly once you had crossed over the Grand Canal, it felt a lot more residential, with far fewer shops, but even with the throngs there for Valentine's weekend, it never felt so touristy that it lost its charm.

We weren't blessed with great weather during our days in Venice, but we had umbrellas and coats, and were quite happy to wander. The Husband had also booked a really beautiful hotel, and our room was lovely so it was quite nice to have an excuse to spend a few hours there when the weather was very wet. Before we left home, The Husband had downloaded some walking tours to his phone, which link to the GPS and tell you about the different sights as you walk past them. It was a great way to explore Venice at our own pace, and as it is such a small place, you could get around quite easily on foot.

We had a great few hours at the Peggy Guggenheim museum on our second day. It had a nice cafe, where we stopped for lunch, and to shelter from the rain. Once it had dried we were able to wander through the gardens, and then into the galleries. It was a really interesting and varied collection, and a fascinating place to spend some time.

After enjoying huge pizzas on our first night in Venice, our final night of the trip was spent having a lovely meal at a restaurant The Husband had booked. It was a really nice way to spend our last night. The following morning was very wet indeed, so we spent the final few hours of our trip looking around St. Mark's Basilica. Mass was going on, although we were in the upper part of the church looking at the mosaics and artefacts, it was interesting to hear the service in the background too. We actually went out onto the roof, which gave some incredible views, but The Husband ventured out over the sloping tiles alone!

From there it was homeward bound, after what had felt like an incredibly long break. It has only really sunk in since we got home everything that we did and what an amazing surprise The Husband had planned, and how much effort he, and my family and friends had put in. There was a detailed Millie-sitting rota in place including Grandad and the neighbours for the days when my parents were in Paris, and I was amazed at how many people had kept such a huge secret! Having never visited either place before, it was such a wonderful opportunity to experience them, and enjoy two very different, very beautiful cities. It may well have been our last holiday abroad as a couple for a number of years, and what an adventure it was, with more than enough memories to last a lifetime.

all caught up

(The Maccabees - Seventeen Hands)

Time flies when you're having fun. It flies even quicker when your new job involves staying away from home at least once a week, which has been the case for me since August. I can't quite believe we are already in October but I suddenly find myself digging out gloves and wearing boots and finishing work when it is dark.

There has been much going on, asides from the frequent trips south. Needless to say, as with many of the other blog projects I embarked on, I didn't keep up with the GBBO bake-along. I did manage to keep up with the series, but when I had very few hours at home, spending them buying ingredients and baking recipes that needed half a day seemed like an unimportant way to spend my time!  We managed to sneak in a mini holiday, hence the glut of photos in this post! The Husband came to meet me on one of my trips to London, we tagged some annual leave on to the end of a visit and had a tourist filled few days. We had a great time visiting The Shard and timed it so we saw saw the view at sunset, watching the lights come on across the city.

We headed out into the country to visit a beautiful stately home, and happened upon a courtyard of craft shops including this array of beautiful ribbons.

There was the incredible display at the Tower of London. We tried to volunteer to plant some poppies but all of the slots were filled when we were available. It was no less amazing to see it from a distance and I may well wander back again on another of my visits to London to see how it has changed.

As well as visiting lovely family and spending a brilliant evening catching up, we also squeezed in some art and theatre too. We had our first ever visit to the National Gallery and hadn't realised until we walked in quite how many famous paintings we would see. Completely on a whim we managed to get matinee tickets to see Martin Freeman in Richard III and thoroughly enjoyed it (although it wasn't us that complained about the fish).

There were beautiful displays of colour coded treats. We wandered indoor markets, outdoor markets, and the delights of the many food halls in Harrods.

Culminating in an impromptu, and delicious Harrods takeaway which we enjoyed in Hyde Park whilst listening in to the Proms. It was a lovely hour spent sat on a bench with our fancy picnic as the sun went down. (The pictures below are not, as you might have guessed, the sun setting in Hyde Park.)

In more recent weeks there has been my final ever exam which I have since found out that I passed - hurrah. At the age of 28 I can finally say that I have officially finished my homework! Bliss! Lots of great time with family, including a relative unexpectedly visiting from Australia to stay for a few days and my parents returning from South Africa. There have been birthdays (The Husband, my cousin and my grandad), friends over for dinner, friends over for coffee, and brunch with one of my bridesmaids (and those last three were all this weekend!). It has been very sociable and very busy. We have achieved a lot, and while there has been much to enjoy these last few weeks there have been some long days and a few too many nights spent alone in hotel rooms.

I'm hoping it will settle a little now. I am sitting on the sofa at home, The Husband  next to me, the dog snoring in between us. It is sinking in that the exam is done, much of the plans that were filling the diary are now past and some gentler days are ahead. There are still plentiful trips away but the days in between should be slightly slower paced. It is lovely to be back here in this little space and realise nothing has changed since I left. 

sunday sense check #3

Seeing

The Husband and I went to watch the cinema screening of Richard II with David Tennant. Neither of us had seen or read it before so it was good to enjoy something new. We've also enjoyed watching the new series of Great British Menu which started last week.

One thing we didn't see was the play we had tickets for yesterday. After a wonderful afternoon with the family we returned home to get ready for an evening at the theatre, only for The Husband to lift out the tickets and realise they were actually for the matinee. We were pretty disappointed, so set out to walk Millie in the sunshine (including finding our first ever geocache at the beautiful spot below) and then headed to a country pub for a drink, a snack, and exciting chats about our plans for the house this year.

Hearing

After a long day at work this week I was feeling a bit low - I can't even think now what about. What I can remember is that I found an album The Husband bought me for Christmas in the car, put it on full blast all the way home, and by the time I pulled up I was feeling much better. It was great to take a trip down musical memory lane and sing along with songs that remind me of being a teenager - this one included.

Smelling

We headed to the beach for the morning on Good Friday, it was great to smell the sea air as we clambered up and down the sand dunes.

I asked The Husband to pick something for me to bake over the Easter weekend, anticipating a light, possibly citrus-based, cake perfect for spring. Instead he presented me with the recipe for a sachertorte, and so the house today has been filled with the scent of rich, dark chocolate.

 Tasting

We took a simple picnic to the beach, coffee, sandwiches and crisps that The Husband had put together in the picnic basket we got as a wedding gift. It is always lovely to make use of it, even if we did sit on a fence and eat out of the boot of the car!

We followed up the picnic with a trip to the ice-cream van. Felt very old when we realised that the '99s we used to get as children have now doubled in price to £2 each! Emptied the sand out of our shoes as we finished our flakes after a lovely few hours enjoying the sunshine.

Feeling

A slight sugar rush between the Easter eggs and licking the bowl from the sachertorte! Also feel incredibly happy when I realise we still have another day off tomorrow, and after cleaning and baking today, it will be a day for long walks with the dog and a lovely lamb dinner.

Project 365: 103 - 109

103. A weekend walk in the woods with Millie and The Husband. I love it when we all go out for a walk together, because, aside from the fact that it's a good chance to catch up with each other, it also means I can take pictures without the puppy pulling me over!

104. I spent the morning trying to turn some leftover grapefruits into a drizzle cake, but it was one of those baking disasters. A slightly bitter, sticky loaf cake with the consistency of a brick. Then The Husband decided he fancied some biscuits and rustled up these with one bowl, no recipe, and in about fifteen minutes. I would have been pretty frustrated except for the fact that he shared them, and they were too delicious to be annoyed about!

105. Now Italian classes have finished it was wonderful to make the most of the sunny Monday evening and go walking Millie together. Something about this shot reminds me of Teletubbies!

106. Off to the cinema to watch the RSC Screening of Richard II with David Tennant. It was brilliant, although fairly heavy going for a midweek night out.

107. Beautiful red roses that I bought last week still going strong and brightening up the kitchen.

108. Snuggled up in the study watching a box set, and looking forward to the long Easter weekend. Feels like ages since we have had a few days off together.

109. Millie covered in sand as we made the most of Good Friday with a mid-morning trip to the beach and a picnic. A really lovely way to start the weekend.

Linking up with The Boy and Me Project 365

sunday sense check #2

Seeing

Lots of things this week. Seeing lovely friends for dinner. Seeing Elbow in concert. Seeing the brilliant production of Much Ado About Nothing at the Royal Exchange.

Hearing

I have had the new Elbow album on repeat in the car - and mostly this song which I adored from first listen. They had live brass musicians on stage during the gig too which was wonderful.

Smelling

As we got back from walking the dog the aroma of baking hit me after I had spent some time this morning making a cake. It was lovely to come home to such a comforting smell.

 Tasting

There has been a feast of flavours this week. Tapas with friends on Tuesday. Sushi before the concert on Wednesday. Rainbow coloured teriyaki rolls for lunch on Friday. A cheeseboard with Mum for a Friday night film.

Dinner out before the play last night. Today it was time for simpler fare with homemade celery and stilton soup for lunch followed by some biscuits The Husband rustled up as I washed the dishes.

Feeling

Relaxed. I had a wonderful massage in the week, and we have had a peaceful day today pottering around the house. There is some cleaning to be done this evening, but it has been nice to sit quietly for a few hours and enjoy being still. I thought I would be exhausted after such a busy week, but it has been busy in the best kind of way.

Project 365: 82 - 88

82. Leaf skeleton on a weekend walk with Millie. I dutifully tried to carry it home, with visions of posting similar pictures to Gillian of Tales from a Happy House, and a whimsical idea of creating my own artistic display. Within thirty seconds Millie had clocked it and made it her mission to retrieve it from my hands. Apologies leaf, you survived a full winter intact, resisting floods and frost, the ultimate in self-preservation. Alas, you were no match for the wonder-beagle.

83. We got tickets to go and see Tom Wrigglesworth on tour as a Christmas present. It was a good night out, and was a lovely way to round off the weekend, which had also included my step-dad's much anticipated retirement.

84. Tulips in the hall, the perfect sign of spring. I spent a while trying to photograph them close up, then spotted the shadow they were casting and liked this picture much more.

85. I took this for the WriteALM prompt which was kitchen sink. I planned to have something pithy to write about it, but I've been struggling to write this week, quite a few started and deleted posts!

86. Another walk with the dog through the park. This picture is not my finest, but it is the best I can do with one hand as Millie lurches from tree to tree and insists I lurch along with her.

87. Midweek meal out to the Italian restaurant just near our house. The owner greeted us in Italian, and we both immediately chorused back in Italian, lapsing automatically into our Monday night class. Cue the owner thinking The Husband was Italian and a complicated explanation that we were trying to learn, which then resulted in every course being delivered with a miniature lesson. "Si subito" means "yes straight away" if you are of the linguistic persuasion.

88. Another weekend spent late-night supermarket shopping. Completely unnecessary shopping, as we had a delivery coming this morning, but The Husband wanted to put petrol in and so we just went for a wander. Bargainous flowers were bought so I consider it a worthwhile trip.

off to button moon

I went very late night supermarket shopping last night. I realise most girls in their twenties do not spend their Saturday nights perusing the fruit and veg aisles and trying to work out which packet of dishwasher tablets is the best value, but it is my favourite time to go.

I enjoy the calm, the space, and the fact that often the staff at our local store choose to crank up the music while they unpack the crates of produce. It's like some weird warehouse party (quite similar to other people's Saturday nights after all?!) except that someone forgot to turn the lights down. I wander up and down every aisle, buying those bizarre things you never remember when its the middle of the day, you're in a rush, and turning every corner feels like entering into a scrum.

I remembered tin foil, I took my time picking the perfect greetings card, I bought the refills for the air freshener, and even found a throw in the sale that is a perfect match for the new study. Alas they had none of The Husband's favourite brand of bread, the flowers were all half-dead, and I witnessed a woman unpacking biscuits by standing in the middle of the aisle and throwing the boxes along the floor to somewhere near the correct shelf (I think it was a sensible decision to forgo some digestives) but I can cope with all of that in exchange for a pleasant meander around.

As I got back to the car I spotted the full moon, apologies for the picture but you'll just have to believe it was far more beautiful than my photography suggests. Driving home I remembered that I used to be in awe of the moon and how I could always see it in the sky, wherever I was. Whenever Mum and I used to be in the car at night, I would look out for "magic moon" the whole journey home, making sure she (the moon is definitely a she to me) was staying with us wherever we went.

When I sat to write this just now, I got another childhood memory of going watching Button Moon at the local theatre. My mum surprised me one afternoon with a trip to go and watch it, and it has always stayed with me as being such a special day. Looking at clips now, I'm guessing the production costs for the whole tour were probably about £100! It's still one of my favourite memories, and hearing the theme tune takes me straight back to being sat in the theatre gasping with excitement at the huge button moon appearing and the music starting up. Geeky fact for you - the theme was apparently written and sung by Peter Davidson (of Dr Who fame) and his wife. Anyway, that's enough nostalgia for one night, I'm off to sing the song to the dog; I might look out of the window on the way and check the moon hasn't gone anywhere.

Project 365: 61-67

Today has been the busiest of busy in a lovely, productive way. The final item on my to-do list for today was to write my 365 post, and so, although my muscles ache from the excess of housework and ironing, and although the brand new matching bedding and freshly ironed pyjamas are waiting, I am first going to sit, in our finally finished study, and write. 

Transitioning to a new blog a few weeks in to project 365 has scuppered me somewhat, but I am not going to let that stop me from carrying on with something I have enjoyed so much.

61. I shared this last week, part of the Sunday brunch The Husband and I enjoyed as part of our weekend away. I fell in love with mini milk urn.

62. I think perhaps my concentration was waning a little towards the end of our Italian lesson on Monday, as I decided to give my coffee cup a little alteration. It was worth it just to watch The Husband try and stifle his laughter when I showed it to him. Put us in a classroom and we seem to regress back to childhood a little too easily.

63. Beautiful flowers from my lovely Mum brightening up the kitchen table.

64.  This caught my eye as it was back to front compared to all of the other signs on the platform, where the writing was facing towards the station, rather than this one which faced towards the train.

65. After getting in late from the second day of the conference, The Husband suggested we have a go at making pain au chocolat from the packet we had in the fridge. 

66. I won a pair of free tickets to The Manchester Theatre Awards through a competition The Royal Exchange ran on twitter. Here's the Rock Choir singing as everyone took to their seats, we had a thoroughly wonderful afternoon. My highlight was Ray Fearon winning best supporting actor for the Manchester International Festival production of Macbeth. We saw a live cinema screening of the show, and despite it starring Kenneth Branagh (who won best actor) and Alex Kingston, it was the incredibly moving portrayal of Macduff that stole the show for me.

67. I had been to London on Tuesday and we missed out on pancakes, so Saturday morning provided the perfect opportunity to have them for breakfast instead.