Things I Love Today

Fresh Sheets - There are few things to rival the feel of crisp, clean, cotton sheets on your bed but I can guarantee that for anyone living outside of the tropics the feel of cozy, new, flannel sheets will top it. Winter has finally kicked in here in Ireland and there are even rumors of snow afoot so last night I broke out a brand new set of cream flannel sheets for my bed. I am already known for being a bit of a princess about my sleep place... already a combination of feather duvets, numerous pillows, random throws and several cushions... but add in a set of cozy sheets and I become a creature of hibernation.     

Salad Fruit - Still feeling bad about the excess of the holiday season has me reaching for something green and fresh most evenings but it gets boring after a while. This week I've been livening up my rabbit food with either some warm steamed chicken or a poached egg, and hiding underneath are a few slices of crunchy apple or sweet pear to keep it interesting. Try it. It tastes so good... fresh... sweet... bright. 

Slow and Steady - Tortoiseshell is a classic. Like the white shirt, black pencil skirt and Breton stripes it will endure season after season remaining chic and understated. Right now I'm absolutely craving a stack of tortoiseshell bangles on my wrist and have just got my hands on a pair of beautiful tortoiseshell heeled pumps.  

Honourable Mentions - dark chocolate Lindt truffles, pairing mustard and grey together, sparkling manicures, being constantly surprised and delighted by friends and family, tarte au citron, dark tights, short skirts and high boots, jelly beans, smooth legs, almond shower cream, 'no alarm clock' Saturday mornings, devouring an entire series of books day by day, clean carpets and washed floors, strawberry yogurt rice cakes, puppy love 

Style Goals

Sal was talking about Style Goals this morning and it got me thinking... I don't really do New Years resolutions so how about I take on three Style Goals instead. 

1- Wear my jewelry 

2- Mix up lengths

3- 'Do' my hair

I have a wonderful collection of jewelry that has been gifted to me since my teenage years. My family and friends have superb taste and know exactly what I like, but I rarely wear any of it. I always seem to be saving it for special occasions and am a little afraid of breaking or losing anything. This year I want to be able to look down at my hands on the keyboard and smile at the memory that floods my mind when I see a certain ring, or hear a jangle of bracelets at my wrist. I want to feel the weight of a pendant at my sternum and remember the person who knew that I would love it. I will wear my memories.

I am a creature of habit. Just ask anyone who spends a little time with me. I like routine and familiarity, patterns and predictability. My pants are all rolled up to ankle length, my sleeves are pushed up to my elbows. I wear v necks and vest tops. I like my shoes to have peep toes. My skirts are mid thigh or just below the knee and almost always fitted. Routine can be great, but it is also safe, and sometimes boring. This year I need to be willing to shake things up, roll a pair of pants to just below the knee, try out a midi skirt, wear a turtle neck. 

My hair... where to start. A long time bane of my childhood, full of kinks and curls, snarls and knots. A hatred of hair ties combined with a daily attack with a hairbrush resulted in a ball of permanent fuzz and an unhappy child. Cue my teenage years and a drastic hair cut which left me pixie perfect, and in and out of the shower in minutes. No more brushing, no more pain, just a scrunch of wax and out the door. The only problem with having easy hair as a teenage though is that when you grow it back as an adult you have no idea what to do with it. I never spent endless sleepovers plaiting my hair and playing with straighteners so I have evolved to a simple wardrobe of styles... hair down as mother nature intends for weekends, hair in a bun for work, hair in a ponytail for the gym. There is very little deviation from this. And it feels boring. So incredibly boring. I long for crown braids, side buns, and deep partings. I struggle with Pocahontas plaits so this one might be my biggest challenge. Wish me luck.

How about you? Have you set any style goals this year? 

Just Breath

What's Your Reaction?

When someone does something highly irritating to you how do you respond? Not the sort of change your life moments of wrongness, just the sort of getting ripped off for a haircut… shop assistant being rude and offensive… someone spilling paint on your handbag sort of moments.

Are you an instant rager? Or a quiet simmerer? Or a devious plotter?

I've always been quick to get angry but it's a funny kind of anger. Funny as in odd, not as in 'ha ha' of course. My eyebrows will instantly begin to creep together and my lips will purse - kinda like Miranda Priestly sucking a lemon. I start muttering to myself about how crap and how wrong the situation is. If it's really bad I'll pick up the phone and ring my mum....

...and vent. 

Oh holy god will I vent... 

I quietly rant and rave down the phone recapping the incident in its entirety, muttering plenty of 'I can't believe it's and 'Do they realise what they've done's. Now all questions asked while ranting are completely rhetorical and never need a response... EVER... if you try to answer them I will probably accuse you of being on their side and will stop speaking to you for an hour.

...and not in a good way.

After years of trying to be helpful my mum is now wise to this fact.  

If confrontation is necessary I will continue to fume away until I run out of steam… then and only then will I face the creator of my GRRRRrrrr r r r...

And I am usually incredibly polite to them… to the point of being almost British and apologising for having to tell them that they have done something crap. I have now reached a point in my life where I realise that this is a very inefficient way of telling people that they have provided a crap product or service or that they have been offensive in their behaviour.

Have you got a better way of dealing with these sorts of moments? Cause I really need some help here… 

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. 

Heartbreaking

Sometimes the most perfect hug can be the loneliest feeling in the world...

Scaredy Cat

What are you irrationally scared of? 

Being scared of things like war, poisonous animals that live near you or acts of nature are pretty valid things to be scared of. Those sort of things can cause major damage and ruin lives. It is never irrational to be scared of anything that has serious potential to harm you. What is irrational is those little things that you can't help but be scared of even though you know that they can't do anything to hurt you. 

I found out this week that two of the guys in the office are terrified of mice. Actually have to leave the room, shaking a little and getting upset kind of scared. And that was just when they heard that there was a dead mouse in a trap in the store room. Neither of the women in the office are afraid of mice I would like to add. 

What I am scared of though is 'things with wings'. If a butterfly or a moth comes into the room I'm in and starts fluttering about I will leave. Daddy Long Legs, small birds, pretty much anything small and fast moving will have me heading for the door. 

I was sharing a room up the country with some friends the weekend before last and one of them nearly fell off the bed laughing when a butterfly appeared into the room and I started ducking and weaving about the room to keep it away from me. Eventually he caught his breath, and the butterfly, and put it outside so that I could finally get some sleep.

Even when I'm outside I hate things with wings. Pigeons creep me out. I hate birds and I really hate that Hitchcock movie with a passion. I remember being over in London for a weekend break with a man friend and having a romantic breakfast of coffee and pastries in the park when we were besieged by a huge flock of pigeons looking for a bite. Terrified and shaking I left the park vowing to never eat outdoors in London again.

How about you? What irrational thing scares you?    

A Little Wisdom

There are very few things out there that scare people as much as having to go to the dentist. Maybe big leggy spiders, or getting eaten by a shark, or Nicki Minaj's wardrobe but for me going to the dentist is right up there with having to get an injection. 

Seriously... I would be the world's worst insulin dependent diabetic. 

So having to get a healthy tooth out, so that my adult braces can do their thing, was a nasty way to spend a Thursday afternoon. Dentist and injection all rolled into one... yuck.   

Are you one of these people who never mind going to the dentist and happily ring up to make your bi-annual appointments, or are you the type of person who only ever see's the dentist when you're in pain? 

For years I would only see the dentist when I absolutely had to but since I had some wisdom tooth issues I have been religious with my dentist appointments. DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR TEETH. I'm serious... for the sake of sucking it up and being a little uncomfortable for a day or two you get to have a great smile for years and years. 

Do it... make an appointment... 

Midweek Indulgence

Wednesdays call for a little indulgence to make the week go faster. So today I ask you to do something nice... give yourself a treat... make yourself smile.

I started my morning with a warm scone and some raspberry jam for breakfast. My evening will definitely have a home pedicure in it and my night will most certainly see me curled up in a nest of blankets, possibly with a nutella hot chocolate cradled in my hands, watching this.  

What is your midweek treat?

Weekend Question

I'm flying out to Amsterdam  
tomorrow for a quick break and a catch up with some friends who will be in the city for the weekend.

What do you recommend that I do while I'm over there? 

So far I've been told that I shouldn't pass up the opportunity to see the Sex Museum or to just walk around the Red Light District and see what all the fuss is about. That I should walk around the '9 streets' to soak up the pretty atmosphere and that I shouldn't miss the Dappermarkt.

Personally I'm just looking forward to seeing all of the beautiful Dutch people, marveling at strange looking items in the grocery stores and enjoying some great coffee with great friends. Oh and I'll be watching them all compete at the 2012 Face2Face archery tournament too.