Wednesday Wishes

 Today's wish is for........................ more good memories. 

I was at home with my mum this weekend and we were chatting about my gran, who passed away when I was nine. I remarked to her that I have no bad memories of my gran at all. No memories of her shouting or being cross or being mean. She was a perfect gran... she read me stories, taught me to play draughts and how to knit.

I wish for more of these type of memories.

 

Wednesday Wishes

Today my wish is going to be for...

... a happy and pleasant weekend spent with my family.

What's your wish this week?

Things I Love Thursday

Health - If you don't have it then you don't have anything. Early this week saw my mum take a bad turn and I had to rush home for a few days It's slow going but she is getting back on her feet and is starting to look a little more like herself. Those few days really showed me how tough my mum really is and how much love and respect I have for her. This week's post is dedicated to her.

Spring Fashion - This year, for me, it's going to be all about; loose maxi skirts, grey cardigans, brightly coloured wrist purses, nude pumps, tan platforms and navy wedges, skirts as dresses and pale coloured, v necked sweaters worn back to front with a messy ponytail trailing down my spine, hooped earrings and ultra long pendants, a beautiful blue straw trilby that I've been saving up for a perfect occasion to wear, mismatched but coordinating underwear and a flick of plum coloured eyeliner.

Home Baking - This week I have managed to bake; brown soda bread, fresh fruit flan, eclairs, rhubarb tart, cupcakes with mocha Baileys frosting, apple tart, pavlova, welsh cheesecakes - with both jam and apple fillings, fruit soda bread. I almost feel domestic. You can see a close up of my cupcakes here!

Honourable Mentions - cuddling with my parents dog, re-reading a favourite novel that I found in the bottom of a press (The Magic Flute), sudden rainstorms and brightly coloured umbrellas,  coming home to find the house spotless and shining (thanks to my two girlies xx), maxi skirts and white vests, hotdogs, coral varnish on my toes this week - so summery when I look down, getting to watch Heroes for the first time, Mocha Baileys frosting, 

An Irish Mammy

Today your mother will appreciate five minutes of your time - tell her how much she means to you

Confessional - A Simple Thought

My mum and I share a simple belief. 

That when a loved one dies they sometimes like to come back and visit on a sunny day, disguised as a butterfly.

If you ever spot me wearing something with a butterfly on it... it's because I want to remember someone special that day.

Dedication

 

Todays image is dedicated to Raymy. 

Just a little something to let her know that even when things seem so sad, that the ability to smile is always with you.

Appreciate It

I appreciate -

- the sacrifice my parents made to put me through college - having the opportunity to keep learning all my life - the love of books that came from a childhood of being read to - being able to see and hear and taste and smell and touch - hugs from friends - the well being that comes from petting a dog or cat - the freedom my car gives me - the variety of friends that I have in my life - the healthy body I stand in - that while I am by no means financially stable I am not living in poverty - a home cooked meal - the fact that I have family who will always stand by me 

Things I Love Thursday

Friends -  I love my extended family of friends. And I only realise how much I love them when I don't get to see them. Guys and gals... I have missed you all so much over the holidays. 

Freshness -  I was smart enough to sort out my room before I headed home for the holidays. So when I came back from two weeks at home I was greeted by fresh linen on my bed, the floor hoovered, all my clothes in the wardrobe and nothing to do but throw some clothes into the wash and I was done. I love a fresh start in January. I even moved around some furniture before I left so that everything would look new and different when I got back. 

Freedom - Being home for the holidays was all wonderful and stuff but god is it good to be back on my own little patch. I never thought I'd say this but 'Limerick, I've missed you'. I think two weeks of parents, siblings, frozen pipes = limited water = rationed showers, excessive amounts of turkey and ham and a lovable dog who decided to bite me on Christmas morning has just worn me out. I am now back to the world of getting up when I want to (within reason), mealtimes when I'm hungry, my own bathroom, wi-fi throughout the entire house and the freedom to wear what I want without any raised eyebrows.

Honourable Mentions - seeing your breath on a cold night, the smell of toast while you're waking up, being back in my freshly cleaned room in Limerick, leftover Christmas fairy lights, Tonys hot chocolate in Javas, toasted banana and honey sandwiches, warm feet in warm socks, persuading myself that going back to the gym is a good idea

Things I Love Thursday

Wish Books - I keep a wish book. It's one of those gorgeous little notebooks that you always keep buying even though you never write in them because you're afraid that you'll wreck it.Sometime I forget I have it, and I find it under a pile of novels in the corner of my room. I put it back on my locker and every now and then I write down a wish. Some wishes are crazy, some are remorseful, some are delightful but they are all mine.

Surprises - A little while ago both my parents and brother asked what I would like for my birthday and I, being the control freak that I am, did. Told my brother to put Christmas and birthday together and get me a smart phone and asked my parents for a voucher for a hair cut. And they gave me so much more... so many surprises and so much though. I love you guys so much.   

Sequins - Like little discs of sunshine on your clothes. Love, Love, Love! And when the sun hits you just right you can turn into a disco ball.

Honourable Mentions - Ferrero Rocher, studded bracelets that you can wrap around and around your wrist, making posters (even if it is for college and not for fun), buying a random gift for someone just because you know that it would be perfect for them, eating grapes straight from the fridge,

Wednesday Wishes

I wish...

...that this Christmas Day won't end up with me and my 29 year old brother squabbling like kids.

Puppy Love

Isn't my Scruffy the most beautiful dog is the universe. This is not a question - it is fact.

Comfort Food

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What's your go-to food for when you're feeling under the weather?

Is it tea and toast? Toasted ham and cheese? Beef stew? Macaroni and cheese? Chicken soup?

I always look to rice pudding. Sweet, creamy, rich but still light. I've a cold that I just can't seem to get rid of no matter what I try and have started craving rice pudding. Rice pudding reminds me of winter evenings at home with my mum, waiting for the pudding to be done, spooning great big servings into bowl and adding a dollop of strawberry jam to the centre.

Do you have memories of a particular comfort food?

Things I Love Thursday

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Family - Today I have a new love for my family and how much support they are willing to give me when times get tough. Thank you.

Wish Lists - Spending time writing completely fictional Christmas wish lists with a cozy seat and a coffee.

Impromptu Cake - Getting a brownie with a tea light on top while a bunch of friends sang Happy Birthday in the college cafe yesterday. Mortification was never so cute, sweet and loved.

Hot Showers - It's been very chilly for the last few mornings - very 'toe out from under the covers to see how cold it is' kind of weather, but jumping straight into a lovely hot shower is such a nice way to wake up.

Handmade Cards - Please check out Ruth's selection of beautiful cards on her etsy store. I picked up some when she did the Christmas Market in UL and they are almost too beautiful to send to anyone.

Christmas Cheer

Hey beautiful readers, I have a quick question for you all.

Is it too early to put up the Christmas tree?

I'm heading home this weekend and my mum is really excited as this means that we can put up the tree. And putting up the tree in our house means - Christmas songs on the stereo, opening a box of chocolates, maybe a glass of Baileys or wine - the whole kit and caboodle. I promise to post a picture of the tree once it's finished. Hand on heart, our tree is the most amazing tree I have ever seen.

Keep watching.

Things I Love Thursday

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Torrential Rain - but only when I don't have to go out in it. I can just curl up inside the window with a mug of something hot and watch it for hours and hours.

Tropical Sugar-free MiWadi - It is the best tasting cordial in the world. I go through more than a bottle of it each week and it's the only thing that I've found to entice me to drink more water.

Thursday Shopping - For the last few weeks myself and Raymy, and sometimes Sonya, have been sneaking off to the local shopping center on a Thursday night and wander around with ice-cream or coffee, looking at everything but buying very little. It's great girlie time.

Going Home - I haven't been home in weeks and weeks but I'm really looking forward to heading home this weekend and saying hi to the folks and cuddling up with the dog and catching up with some friends.

What is putting a twinkle in your eye this week?

Mum's The Word

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It's my mum's birthday on Saturday. I'm going to head home to see her on Friday and Saturday, and I've promised to paint our kitchen for her as a birthday present.

But I also got her another present - she was saying about how lots of customers are not contacting her directly because they don't have her number, so I ordered her some new business cards, matching calendars and some pens from Vistaprint.

I really hope she likes the surprise.

What A Weekend

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What a busy weekend. I decided to head home to spend some time with my parents, and ended up helping with 2 wedding cakes and the catering for a neighbours twin baby girls christening. It was oh so busy so I decided to cut my loses and spend my Bank Holiday Monday back in Limerick where I can sleep in and curl up on the couch with a book and a coffee and head to the pool a little later on.

How was your weekend? Did you get up to anything special for the August Bank Holiday?

Happy Birthday

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Happy Birthday Sonya!

I just want to take the opportunity today to tell her how much of a wonderful friend she is. She endures my sullen moods and I help her clean the kitchen. We spend a ridiculous amount of time doing the weekly shop and usually stop to look at shoes, well I do and Sonya tries to persuade me that I don't need another pair of black ballerina flats. We car pool to work and feel like we're doing just a little bit for the environment. We do our best to go to every Cirque Du Soleil show that will ever come to Ireland. We eat ice cream, and cookies, and she makes the best tasting lasagna on Tuesdays. She is the sister that I never had.

In the unforgettable words of the Golden Girls ' Thank you for being my friend'

Things I Love Thursday

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Bubbles - I love sitting on the recliner and blowing bubbles, watching them dance around the garden.

Dinner - We have just started eating together in the house. Sonya did lasagna on Tuesday, I did fajitas last night and Kate is doing beef stir fry tonight. It feels like we have a little family community going on in our house.

Lady Gala - I love pink, crisp juicy apples. Yea for apples with frivolous names!

Free Time - I'm taking the weekend off and sitting on my bum! Can't wait!

What rocks your socks this week?

Our Newest Addition

We have now had Scruffy for 5 weeks and no one has come looking for or claimed him, so we get to keep him as part of our family.

Isn't he the cutest dog in the world?

He does loads of really cute, photo worthy things, but he usually moves too fast for me to capture them... like holding his leash in his teeth when he wants a walk, going absolutely crazy every evening at about 7.30 and racing around and around the back garden, stealing slippers and trying to bury them.

My mum and dad really, really love him. I haven't seen them this besotted in ages.

Scruffy, welcome to the family.