Treat your body like a temple Day - well clearly this is everyday. The only thing missing from my temple is Indiana Jones.
Treat your body like a biscuit eating machine Day - I treated it like a Nando's eating machine instead. I did enough of the biscuit eating thing the other week and I'm all biscuited out for now - in fact possibly for the rest of the year!
As Nando's has recently chosen to grace Harrogate with their presence I thought it'd be rude not to grace them with mine ;-)
Tell your Dad how brilliant he is Day - as I've said before...my Dad's brilliant every day! I did take the opportunity to really tell him about his BESTNESS though :-)
Tuesday, 30 June 2015
Monday, 15 June 2015
Biscuit Flaunting!
Eating 2 different types of biscuit Day - I'm not really a biscuit eater to be honest (if it was eating 2 different types of crisps Day now that would be a different story!), and I only had one type of biscuit! The ever present Rington's ginger biscuits from Auntie Betty - I did try a different biscuit later in the week though, pistachio biscotti all the way from Florence!
Regret eating 2 different types of biscuit Day - As I only ate one type on each day I didn't feel that guilty at all :-)
If you've got it flaunt it Day - some sources say that this expression originated from the 1968 Mel Brooks movie The Producers.
But it may have originated a year earlier in a series of George Louis ads for Braniff Airlines (starring celebs such as Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol).
And then the week took a turn for the worst...
On Friday morning we had to say goodbye to my beautiful Rosie Bear, after 19 years together she fell asleep peacefully in my arms. The wonderful Maurice at Shamrock Vet Clinic came out so she could be at home at the end and we were very grateful for that and for the opportunity to say goodbye.
Regret eating 2 different types of biscuit Day - As I only ate one type on each day I didn't feel that guilty at all :-)
If you've got it flaunt it Day - some sources say that this expression originated from the 1968 Mel Brooks movie The Producers.
But it may have originated a year earlier in a series of George Louis ads for Braniff Airlines (starring celebs such as Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol).
And then the week took a turn for the worst...
On Friday morning we had to say goodbye to my beautiful Rosie Bear, after 19 years together she fell asleep peacefully in my arms. The wonderful Maurice at Shamrock Vet Clinic came out so she could be at home at the end and we were very grateful for that and for the opportunity to say goodbye.
Monday, 8 June 2015
Buzzing with wild abandon!
Tune into the buzz of the bees - Dr Stephen Buchmann of the University of Arizona says that “It sounds like a bee is giving you a raspberry,”
In fact, they’re creating resonating vibrations to loosen the pollen grains inside the tubes.
“The bees are turning themselves into living tuning forks,” said Dr. Buchmann.
Wild abandon Day -
abandon
noun
1. a complete surrender to natural impulses without restraint or moderation; freedom from
inhibition or conventionality:
to dance with reckless abandon.
wild
adjective
1. living in a state of nature; not tamed or domesticated:
a wild animal; wild geese
2. growing or produced without cultivation or the care of humans, as plants, flowers, fruit, or
honey:
wild cherries.
3. uncultivated, uninhabited, or waste:
wild country.
4. uncivilized or barbarous:
wild tribes
5.of unrestrained violence, fury, intensity, etc.; violent; furious:
wild strife; wild storms.
6. characterized by or indicating violent feelings or excitement, as actions or a person's
appearance:
wild cries; a wild look
7. frantic or distracted; crazy:
to drive someone wild
Tuesday, 2 June 2015
International Frisbee Day!
Wow! I had no idea there were so many variations of frisbee! Some of them do kind of appeal I have to admit, I like the Guts one, I'm just not sure I could persuade 5 people to line up opposite while I throw something at them as hard as I possibly can - I have a few candidates in mind though...
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Monday, 1 June 2015
June Mission!
To be the HAPPY one!
The one who everyone says "Oh them? The fun one, the one who's always smiling?"
To be the one everyone wants at their party...
To find the funny side of everything...
To look back and laugh...
...and no matter what life throws at you, never take life too seriously!
Only do FUN stuff with fun people or better still make previously un-fun stuff absolutely hilarious!
Just BE HAPPY!
Sunday, 31 May 2015
May Mission - The Result!
I decided to give myself a mental workout instead!
The nasty chest infection I had for half the month was enough sweating thank you very much, so I've honed and toned, sculpted and flexed my brain :-)
I downloaded several free apps which I'm trying to use daily, some more successfully than others - but then some are more user friendly than others (I've scored them).
Brain Trainer - 4/5 (because I really struggle with the memory ones - the rest are great though)
Happify - 5/5
Sudoku (by Kristanix) - 5/5
Motivational Quotes - 3/5 (some are good and some are just weird - plus the notification setting is a bit haphazard)
Mental Workout - 1/5 (only because the videos won't play and it's a laborious progress to get to anything)
Breathe to Relax - 3/5 (I think this could be good but have only used once so far - I need to practice the breathing technique!)
I also signed up to Happify Daily and Ted Talk emails most of which are really interesting and do help to broaden your horizons :-)
I haven't actually put any of this to any good use yet though haha! I have to admit that I really am finding the Happify app to be the best thing I've tried so far - I think it may actually be slowly but surely having an impact!
I think I'm a long way off a bionic brain though!
The nasty chest infection I had for half the month was enough sweating thank you very much, so I've honed and toned, sculpted and flexed my brain :-)
I downloaded several free apps which I'm trying to use daily, some more successfully than others - but then some are more user friendly than others (I've scored them).
Brain Trainer - 4/5 (because I really struggle with the memory ones - the rest are great though)
Happify - 5/5
Sudoku (by Kristanix) - 5/5
Motivational Quotes - 3/5 (some are good and some are just weird - plus the notification setting is a bit haphazard)
Mental Workout - 1/5 (only because the videos won't play and it's a laborious progress to get to anything)
Breathe to Relax - 3/5 (I think this could be good but have only used once so far - I need to practice the breathing technique!)
I also signed up to Happify Daily and Ted Talk emails most of which are really interesting and do help to broaden your horizons :-)
I haven't actually put any of this to any good use yet though haha! I have to admit that I really am finding the Happify app to be the best thing I've tried so far - I think it may actually be slowly but surely having an impact!
I think I'm a long way off a bionic brain though!
Tuesday, 26 May 2015
Go Commando!
Go Commando Day - Go Commando Bootcamp, imagine my disappointment at finding it wasn't, in fact, a bootcamp to train how to go commando in the Wikipedia (and urban dictionary) sense of the word!
This was an educational day, I learnt that 'going commando' is also known as 'free-balling' for men or 'free-buffing' for women. You never know when this sort of knowledge may come in handy.
And apparently there's 11 reasons why women should go commando - I can't say I'm entirely convinced by all of them but some do make an interesting point!
There are actually rules of engagement for going commando - check out the video below...
And then there was this brilliant Male Cancer Awareness Campaign last year...
And I don't even know what this is, there are no words...
Did I go commando?
I'm not telling you!
Eurovision!
And this week saw the annual celebration at The Palace! As ever the food, drink and company were fantastic but I found the Eurovision itself very disappointing - each year it seems to get more ballad heavy with an increasing amount of songs just all blending into one. I'd really like to see a return to the outrageous, colourful, uplifting and fun kookiness of previous years so will live in hope for Sweden 2016!
I had a bit of a disaster with the pavlova, having baked the base on Friday evening I then set fire to it on Saturday morning - by accident I hasten to add! I'd forgotten it was in the oven and I put the grill on for breakfast...
Ooops!
Fortunately my emergency base baking on Saturday afternoon paid off and my second attempt was one of the best bases I've ever made so I was able to complete my Austrian flag decorated pavlova just in time for the festivities!
Ken was pretty much guaranteed a win with his fortunate selection of countries from the hat...
While I managed to pick this lacklustre bunch...(although I did really like Cyprus)
Still, it could have been worse - we were a country short for the draw so Ray had to include a dud - obviously Ireland was the only choice. He also included a nice personal message for the unfortunate soul (John (Bernie's)) who drew it...
And thank you to Bernie for the surprise sparkly facewear!
This was an educational day, I learnt that 'going commando' is also known as 'free-balling' for men or 'free-buffing' for women. You never know when this sort of knowledge may come in handy.
And apparently there's 11 reasons why women should go commando - I can't say I'm entirely convinced by all of them but some do make an interesting point!
There are actually rules of engagement for going commando - check out the video below...
And then there was this brilliant Male Cancer Awareness Campaign last year...
And I don't even know what this is, there are no words...
Did I go commando?
I'm not telling you!
Eurovision!
And this week saw the annual celebration at The Palace! As ever the food, drink and company were fantastic but I found the Eurovision itself very disappointing - each year it seems to get more ballad heavy with an increasing amount of songs just all blending into one. I'd really like to see a return to the outrageous, colourful, uplifting and fun kookiness of previous years so will live in hope for Sweden 2016!
I had a bit of a disaster with the pavlova, having baked the base on Friday evening I then set fire to it on Saturday morning - by accident I hasten to add! I'd forgotten it was in the oven and I put the grill on for breakfast...
Ooops!
Fortunately my emergency base baking on Saturday afternoon paid off and my second attempt was one of the best bases I've ever made so I was able to complete my Austrian flag decorated pavlova just in time for the festivities!
Ken was pretty much guaranteed a win with his fortunate selection of countries from the hat...
While I managed to pick this lacklustre bunch...(although I did really like Cyprus)
Still, it could have been worse - we were a country short for the draw so Ray had to include a dud - obviously Ireland was the only choice. He also included a nice personal message for the unfortunate soul (John (Bernie's)) who drew it...
And thank you to Bernie for the surprise sparkly facewear!
I have to admit that I liked Australia, I thought Italy would do well, Sweden was pretty good, France was wrist-slittingly dire, the UK was fun and I particularly liked Cyprus and Austria (which just goes to show that either I or the rest of Europe have no taste)
Monday, 18 May 2015
Pleasure - I'll take mine simple!
Simple pleasures Day - in no particular order...
Fresh bedding
A good nights sleep
The smell of freshly cut grass
Feeling the sun on your face
Finding money you didn't know you had
Getting home just as the rain starts
Freebies (particular favourite today was L'Occitane)
Coffee (decaf tea) with friends
Magpie shop and giggling at cards etc
Morning kisses and compliments
Laughter
Holding hands
Beef space raiders (sorry)
Being a favourite place to snuggle for purring cats
Complicated pleasures Day - at the moment I don't have any and there are no songs about complicated pleasures! There is a poem by Billy Ramsell which you can read here, and a play (a modern sex comedy - what else?) by Robert Crighton from last year.
Fresh bedding
A good nights sleep
The smell of freshly cut grass
Feeling the sun on your face
Finding money you didn't know you had
Getting home just as the rain starts
Freebies (particular favourite today was L'Occitane)
Coffee (decaf tea) with friends
Magpie shop and giggling at cards etc
Morning kisses and compliments
Laughter
Holding hands
Beef space raiders (sorry)
Being a favourite place to snuggle for purring cats
Complicated pleasures Day - at the moment I don't have any and there are no songs about complicated pleasures! There is a poem by Billy Ramsell which you can read here, and a play (a modern sex comedy - what else?) by Robert Crighton from last year.
Monday, 11 May 2015
Late, Lost and Lying!
Outrageous excuse for being late day - I hate being late (although I'm often running 5-10 minutes late when meeting friends because I regularly underestimate how long it'll take me to walk somewhere - or I've had to stop for a choking fit, or two, on the way!).
I hate being late and lost even more. These two combined turn me into an absolute wreck. Like the time I got myself lost in York and couldn't find the train station and spent almost 2 hours (missing my train in the process) wandering round before ending up, almost in tears, on a bench on the phone to Bernie to try and get directions. A bench within spitting distance (and sight) of the train station.
No, I'm not joking.
Anyway, thanks to another particularly disgusting chest infection and cold, I didn't go anywhere at all this week. The only appointment I had was with the sofa and it really didn't care what time I dragged my sorry behind downstairs.
Here are some excuse you may wish to consider for future reference though;
Lie in sunbeams day - slight technical hitch with this one. It rained. All day.
However, Rosie and Jim (Jemima) have been making the most of this one during the sunny days we had last week, under the velux window in the spare room became the favourite spot in the whole place!
I hate being late and lost even more. These two combined turn me into an absolute wreck. Like the time I got myself lost in York and couldn't find the train station and spent almost 2 hours (missing my train in the process) wandering round before ending up, almost in tears, on a bench on the phone to Bernie to try and get directions. A bench within spitting distance (and sight) of the train station.
No, I'm not joking.
Anyway, thanks to another particularly disgusting chest infection and cold, I didn't go anywhere at all this week. The only appointment I had was with the sofa and it really didn't care what time I dragged my sorry behind downstairs.
Here are some excuse you may wish to consider for future reference though;
- I won't be in to work today on time. My brain is full.
- I super-glued my eye thinking it was contact solution.
- When I got up this morning, I took two Ex-Lax tablets in addition to my Prozac. I can't get off the toilet, but I feel really good about it.
- I won't be coming in to work today. My wife informed me that she is going to conceive today, and I really want to be there when it happens.
- I was abducted by aliens. After being transported to the mother ship, the aliens decided not to suck out my brains. They sent me back home.
- I just found out that I was switched at birth. Legally, I shouldn't come to work knowing my employee records may now contain false information.
- I saw a fire engine as I was coming to work and went home to make sure my house wasn’t on fire.
- The bartender wouldn't let me leave.
- I saw Elvis.
- I've used up all of my sick days so I'm calling in dead.
- Someone was following me, and I drove all around town trying to lose them.
- I was waiting for my deodorant to dry.
- I'm not late. I decided to change my hours to make them more convenient.
- I was trying to get my gun back from the police.
- I drove to the place I'd rather work at by mistake.
- I walked into a spider web on the way out the door and couldn't find the spider, so I had to go inside and shower again.
- I have transient amnesia and couldn't remember my job.
However, Rosie and Jim (Jemima) have been making the most of this one during the sunny days we had last week, under the velux window in the spare room became the favourite spot in the whole place!
Monday, 4 May 2015
Holsten Pils and spending pennies!
Wink suggestively at people - yeah, so I either looked like I had a twitch or something in my eye.
Speaking of facial expressions (in a roundabout way) gives me the perfect excuse to share my bizarre Jeff Goldblum crush and this old Holsten Pils commercial (I think this is where it all started!). There's something about the guilty and mischievous smile right at the end that just makes me weak at the knees - in a similar way to the grin and swagger in the scene at the end of Independence Day!
Hahaha! And in searching for the Holsten Pils clip I discovered I'm not the only one who thought this about his end-of-Independence-Day swagger...
Leave a penny for someone to find - thinking of pennies made me remember a story my mum used to tell us about being in a public toilet as a teenage girl, she was quietly minding her own business when a hand reached under the dividing wall and grabbed her ankle, this was accompanied by a deep voice saying "I bet you want to spend more than a penny now love". And thinking of public toilets (this is not normal behaviour for me I assure you) brought to mind an entry in a book about graffiti which I read many years ago - apparently found in a Harrogate public toilet...
Bunk off early - fortunately I work flexi-time so there's no such thing really, and even if there was...let's face it you'd have to be insane to write about it on social media!
Plant update - so, last week there were some signs of progress by the end of the week. By the end of this week it's gone crazy!
Speaking of facial expressions (in a roundabout way) gives me the perfect excuse to share my bizarre Jeff Goldblum crush and this old Holsten Pils commercial (I think this is where it all started!). There's something about the guilty and mischievous smile right at the end that just makes me weak at the knees - in a similar way to the grin and swagger in the scene at the end of Independence Day!
Hahaha! And in searching for the Holsten Pils clip I discovered I'm not the only one who thought this about his end-of-Independence-Day swagger...
Leave a penny for someone to find - thinking of pennies made me remember a story my mum used to tell us about being in a public toilet as a teenage girl, she was quietly minding her own business when a hand reached under the dividing wall and grabbed her ankle, this was accompanied by a deep voice saying "I bet you want to spend more than a penny now love". And thinking of public toilets (this is not normal behaviour for me I assure you) brought to mind an entry in a book about graffiti which I read many years ago - apparently found in a Harrogate public toilet...
We are the people our parents warned us aboutI did also leave a penny for someone to find, in the same spot I leave it every year :-)
Bunk off early - fortunately I work flexi-time so there's no such thing really, and even if there was...let's face it you'd have to be insane to write about it on social media!
Plant update - so, last week there were some signs of progress by the end of the week. By the end of this week it's gone crazy!
Saturday, 2 May 2015
May Mission!
To find my own strength, lift it, pump it, hone it, tone it, sculpt it, and generally flex it!
To get moving and break a sweat!
Go forth and be BIONIC!
To get moving and break a sweat!
Go forth and be BIONIC!
Friday, 1 May 2015
April Mission - the Results!
Spectacular fail!
I, in fact, did not move a mountain - I'm going to leave you with this though...
(I love this song)
Nor did I begin anything I've never done before so it was just a tad impossible to get very, very good at it. As a result there was no fruit of any labour to enjoy!
Ooops.
I, in fact, did not move a mountain - I'm going to leave you with this though...
(I love this song)
Nor did I begin anything I've never done before so it was just a tad impossible to get very, very good at it. As a result there was no fruit of any labour to enjoy!
Ooops.
Monday, 27 April 2015
Plant something evil!
Plant something and watch it grow - Well I planted something but not much has happened so far - I'll continue to watch it grow and report on any future progress :-)
I'm not very good at evil laughs, I am, however, very good at crazy, maniacal laughs. Often.
Update: checked this morning and found signs of life - very exciting!
Practice your evil laugh - surely this should be in October?
I'm not very good at evil laughs, I am, however, very good at crazy, maniacal laughs. Often.
Monday, 20 April 2015
Seek out cute memories!
Walk down Memory Lane - Memory Lane...it's like Groundhog Day sometimes in this place! We had to get the plumber out, again, to the boiler which had stopped working, again. I've never had much luck with heating wherever I've lived but in the 5 years I've been here I've had to get someone out to the boiler/heating at least twice a year!
Speaking of being here 5 years - this is now the place where I've lived the longest, apparently the average Brit moves home a total of 8 times in their entire lifetime. I've already surpassed that figure by quiet a bit in just 38 years with a total of 17 moves! And adding up the moves did involve engaging my brain in a trip down Memory Lane - most of which was pleasant!
Seek out baby animals and behold their cuteness - Believe it or not, a study has been done about why we go mushy over pictures of puppies and kittens.
Apparently it's because we prefer babies over adults, particularly cute ones - personally when it comes to humans I'd rather look at a cute adult than a baby any day!
So, studies show that when looking at images of human babies, people show a much greater fondness for the adorable ones than the not so adorable ones. Caregivers tend to feel a more intense desire to protect the attractive ones and apparently cute babies are shown greater affection by their mothers than those that are plain looking.
The fact that these impulses also applies to puppies etc is due to the fact that there's a serious glitch in our brain's hardwiring (I'd say some glitches are worse than others...), when it comes to babies and cuteness, it makes no difference if they're human or animal.
Speaking of being here 5 years - this is now the place where I've lived the longest, apparently the average Brit moves home a total of 8 times in their entire lifetime. I've already surpassed that figure by quiet a bit in just 38 years with a total of 17 moves! And adding up the moves did involve engaging my brain in a trip down Memory Lane - most of which was pleasant!
Seek out baby animals and behold their cuteness - Believe it or not, a study has been done about why we go mushy over pictures of puppies and kittens.
Apparently it's because we prefer babies over adults, particularly cute ones - personally when it comes to humans I'd rather look at a cute adult than a baby any day!
So, studies show that when looking at images of human babies, people show a much greater fondness for the adorable ones than the not so adorable ones. Caregivers tend to feel a more intense desire to protect the attractive ones and apparently cute babies are shown greater affection by their mothers than those that are plain looking.
The fact that these impulses also applies to puppies etc is due to the fact that there's a serious glitch in our brain's hardwiring (I'd say some glitches are worse than others...), when it comes to babies and cuteness, it makes no difference if they're human or animal.
Monday, 13 April 2015
Party in the Clouds!
Spontaneous party - we had a spontaneous picnic on Tuesday so that'll have to do! Given the stunning weather we've been having over Easter we threw some food together, took the picnic blankets, Maddie and the badminton rackets and pootled across to the Valley Gardens for the day. I well and truly got my backside kicked at crazy golf - earning a score in the triple figures!
Spot shapes in clouds - this was surprisingly difficult! It was a week of either no clouds (but beautiful blue skies) or slate grey, cloud covered skies with no discernible shapes. I think this one will have to wait for another day, but in the meantime here's some footage of strange and rare cloud formations!
Break out into a sweat - my mother always used to say that horses sweat, men perspire and women glow, Despite this I managed to break out into a sweat several times this week, it was easy in the unexpected heat of a sunny day at the Valley Gardens playing badminton (badly), I even managed to break a slight sweat during my daily yoga session and again walking back from Auntie Betty's in far too many heavy clothes after leaving in the rain and wind only for the weather to change so I ended up walking back in sunshine!
Spot shapes in clouds - this was surprisingly difficult! It was a week of either no clouds (but beautiful blue skies) or slate grey, cloud covered skies with no discernible shapes. I think this one will have to wait for another day, but in the meantime here's some footage of strange and rare cloud formations!
Break out into a sweat - my mother always used to say that horses sweat, men perspire and women glow, Despite this I managed to break out into a sweat several times this week, it was easy in the unexpected heat of a sunny day at the Valley Gardens playing badminton (badly), I even managed to break a slight sweat during my daily yoga session and again walking back from Auntie Betty's in far too many heavy clothes after leaving in the rain and wind only for the weather to change so I ended up walking back in sunshine!
Monday, 6 April 2015
Now available in Colour!
Wear Colours Day - I wore a bright orange top which I ironed on my colourful ironing board and accessorised with my beautiful colourful necklace and went to watch the Harrogate International Youth Festival opening concert at the Royal Hall with Mine Truly (sorry Bernie) and Maddison. I wasn't the only one wearing colours - the fantastic Irish dancers of St Aelreds in Starbeck were wearing the most stunning traditional dresses, the Juja School Ensemble of Kenya were colourfully costumed and dancers from the Katrina Hughes School of Dance and Perfoming Arts were a riot of colour (and were fabulous!)!
Easter - we had quite a hoard to share between us, along with hot cross buns (traditional, and double chocolate) and a full lamb roast dinner! Of course it wouldn't have been Easter without a viewing of my favourite film, The Slipper and the Rose before our roast lamb dinner :-)
Easter - we had quite a hoard to share between us, along with hot cross buns (traditional, and double chocolate) and a full lamb roast dinner! Of course it wouldn't have been Easter without a viewing of my favourite film, The Slipper and the Rose before our roast lamb dinner :-)
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