Valentines

Now I know that for a lot of people Valentines Day is a lusty, passionate, sex soaked occasion filled with champagne, rose petals and chocolate covered strawberries. I have never been able to see it in that light. To me Valentines Day is all about sweetness and cuteness and love. 

It's a day for watching young kids being adorable, old people being amazing, and letting all of the people in your life know that they are loved. A day filled with candy hearts, fuzzy red and pink things and lots and lots of giggles 

My most memorable gifts have always been hand made, my favourite date was an indoor picnic, and to me the best way to spend the day is curled up on a snuggly couch with my very best friends drinking sparkling rose, eating heart shaped sugar cookies and watching some of the finest rom com's that money can buy. 

How about you? What is your favourite way to spend Valentines? Are you a die hard romantic? Are you a set in stone skeptic? Are you actually going to go see Die Hard in the cinema tonight (if so you have/are the coolest girlfriend ever)?

This Is Not A Request

Okay world... it's time to get something straight here. Christmas tree lights only come in one flavour. I may decide to amend this law if I ever decide to have children who will appreciate epilepsy inducing, multi-coloured strings of nastiness on a tree bedecked in mismatched ornaments and tinsel

... shudder... 

but for now only lights that are small, white and non-twinkling will be permitted. 

Christmas is a time when I finally get my way... fires are lit, candles are twinkling, hot chocolate is required, shopping is compulsory, present wrapping can be OCD, a thousand throws and blankets appear and are draped over the armchairs and sofa. Men don't even complain about it all... much. I can indulge in my loves.

Christmas is pretty, and sophisticated, and matching. I do not want my holidays to be anything other than Christmas card perfect... and Christmas cards rarely depict a family huddled about a glorious eight footer swathed with strands of lights that look like they were pulled out of a Quality Street box. Each strand flashing to it's own little, unrelated, beat.

Get it right people... the world will look much better for it. 

Wednesday Wishes

This weeks wish is...

... for a holiday.

Don't you just want to get away from it all? The crap weather, the monotony of the everyday, the same old routine, the lack of adventure?

Today I would love to head away to a balmy country, and hide away in a luxury tent or yurt or teepee on a lakeside. I would spend my time swimming, laying in the sunshine, reading the pile of books that seem to be growing on my bedside locker.

How about you? What beautiful holiday can you conjure up today?

Things I Love Today

For a little change 'Things I Love Thursday' will now evolve to 'Things I Love Today'. The main reason for this is so that it's not confined to just the end of the week... where there are already a few regular series of posts happening. Enjoy!

Sofa Naps - Nothing feels as good as waking up from a great nap on the couch. You can keep your bed, your recliner, even keep your hammocks. I'll take a sofa any day, add in a soft blanket and my scruffy puppy curled up on my legs and I am in heaven.

Hot Herbal Goodness - My most recent 'be good to me' purchase has been a gorgeous starter set from Tea4You at the Farmers Marker in the University. I know... how lucky are we to have a weekly farmers market on campus? I picked up three amazing teas - rooibos manhattan, feijoa/chestnut and butterfly touch - even the names are fabulous, and they smell divine. I also got a new tea infuser and can't wait for a quiet night at home to curl up and give them the time they deserve. I'll keep you posted about how they taste!

Dreaming - I am currently wondering if the notion of 'faking it til you make it' can apply to going on holidays? If I buy myself a new suitcase, and all the nice things to go in it will I get to go on a trip? I am currently dreaming of balmy evenings with friends, afternoons by the pool with a great book, fresh fruit breakfasts, city strolls at midnight... sigh 

Honourable Mentions - Feeling like a productive member of society - god bless a regular job, THIS piece of genius cardboard furniture, wearing an armful of bracelets with my huge watch in the middle, striped infinity scarves - like this, this and this, listening to Adele super loud on my car stereo and singing my heart out along with her, THIS 3D painting is ridiculously amazing, fresh pineapple, big hugs from tall friends, doodling with coloured pens, applying for outrageous jobs that I'll never get just because I can  

Things I Love Thursday

Halloween - I am a Halloween fiend, or at least I used to be. In college we never, ever decorated the house for Christmas - ever! But we always decorated for Halloween - always! Our mid week party was a 'no costume, no entry' affair where mid-night costume changes were not unheard of. This year sees us with no house to decorate and all of the Glensiders scattered to the four winds. Halloween will never be the same.

Glitter nails - My toe's look like a Wizard of Oz extra. I love, love, love it - a little bit of sparkle in my otherwise boring day. It's amazing how a little bit of sparkle - in your makeup, your outfit or accessories can just lift your mood. I even ordered a lemon cupcake at Sweetie Pies last weekend that had glitter all over it. What's your favourite way to add a little sparkle to your day?

Chinese takeout - This Friday night will be spent in the company of great friends and wonderful food. We don't do takeaway at home, we never have. No Indian, Chinese, pizza, nothing - just wholesome home cooked meals. So I'm going to sneak over to S&C's for a little dim sum and noodles to celebrate both S and I getting through our vivas. My favourite takeout will always be Chinese or Thai. I just wish that we could get it in those gorgeous takeout cartons. What's your favourite? 

Honourable Mentions - long, dark nights in front of an open fire, Grey's Anatomy back on TV, mini marshmallows, lemon meringue pie milkshakes, poached eggs for breakfast, hash browns, hunting for a new perfume - I'm looking for something warm smelling but not too sweet, getting my winter stuff out of storage,warm blankets, sparkling lemonade

Egg-cellent

This sums up Easter for me this year.

Enjoy your weekend readers.

Can You Question The French?

... or is it? 

I've been to Paris, and it was beautiful. It was romantic. It was an architectural dream. It was also very, very cliched.

How about... ... Edinburgh is always a good idea, or Copenhagen, or Istanbul, or Monaco.

Why is it always Paris?

All Loved Up And Nowhere To Go

This may be what Valentines Day is all about to you but to 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

Celebrate

 

As the clocks count down to the end of one year and the beginning of the next I am spending my New Years Eve in the company of some amazing friends, in their wonderful home, drinking far too much wine and trying to figure out if this year has lived up to my expectations.

So please raise you glass and share a toast with me...

To all those goals you have met in the last year, to all those goals you have put off for a little while longer and to all those new goals you're going to aim for in the next twelve months.

  To the wonderful people in your life who got you through the last fifty two weeks - family, friends, even those horrible people in your life who keep reminding you to guard your head and heart a little better in the future. They have all played a part in making you the person you are tonight.

To ambition and the need to strive for something in your life.

To you. My amazing readers. I know many of you personally, but I do love each and every one of you. Especially your comments and conversations.

and of course, because it's me. 

To too many new shoes, beautiful dresses, gorgeous skirts, cozy scarves, soft handbags. MY home will soon be your home. 

Dreaming Of A White Christmas

Made Up Vacation

Right now a vacation would be amazing. Just a few days to unwind in Paris with some friends and lots of free time (and a wallet full of cash).

If you had just a few days off where would you go?

Careful Now

If you are out for a night with your friends this holiday season please pay heed to the
2010 Designated Drivers Campaign.

There is even an app for that.

An Easter Feast

For the eyes that is.

Since I'm sure that we are all very full of chocolate and can do little else but sit back and browse through the net or the TV listings here is some visual candy for you all...

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Things I Love Thursday

I'm up at Fredricks house and Aine is giving out that we are all being horribly antisocial with our laptops so we have decided to put up Aine's 'Things She Loves On Thursdays' and by Thursday we mean today.

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Finishing work early - She gets more time to do stuff with cool people

Having a lovely warm house - Cause Aine hates being cold

Going on holidays - Luxembourg this week for archery, Andorra in two weeks time for snowboarding

Not having exams or study to do - Aine has lots of friends in college but loves not having to do all the crap studying and exams that are facing DCU students over the next few weeks

Crunching in the fresh snow - Just cause

I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry

Please forgive my ignoring of Blogland for the last week. I am back at home and our internet connection here isn't really the best and I've only gotten a day and two half days off in the whole of Christmas week.

But my Christmas was really lovely, very quiet, but lovely.

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I got some wonderful gifts including a fantastic purse from my mum. It's not really a traditional purse - it's sort of like a cross between a purse and a jewelery roll. I carry a phenomenal amount of stuff in my purse and I find it really difficult to find anything big enough to carry it all around with me. This purse has about half a dozen pockets in it and two ring rolls built in to it - I am forever taking off my jewelery at work and dropping it into the bottom of my purse - never to be found again. Hopefully this will help me!

My haul also included
over the knee striped socks
a set of silver feather earrings
a silver leaf necklace
a box of Butlers chocolates
a selection box
lots of knee high black bamboo socks - I am obsessed with them
my brother gave me cash for Christmas as he knows that I'd rather money than a gift right now

I hope you all had a great holiday.

Things here should start getting back into a routine soon. I'm heading back to Limerick tomorrow to hit the sales, meet up with a few friends, go to a New Years Eve party, sort myself out to get back to work, tidy my room, and get back to reliable internet.

Take care sweeties.

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.