change :: May update

My life has changed in May and I wrote about it in more detail here. As I go through the previous change updates though, I realise this (almost) means very little – my life has been changing since January. Isn’t that what life does? 

May was a long month, with big ups and (what now looks like little) downs and a lot of learning. I finished the product design I wanted. It involved installing an invisible zip for the first time ever – bit fan now! Thanks to my running buddy Nicky, I did run 8k in May - it felt amazing! And then I wanted to be sweeter… oh well… maybe I wasn’t as sweet as I had hoped for, but I baked these little things instead!

I’m thankfull to May for bringing me good news as well. The fear never really goes away anymore, but it’s something I’ll learn to manage and live with. For now, we can smile a little smile of relief around here.

of life changing

Life has changed. As of a month ago, I no longer have a long distance relationship. Michael (or LMrJ) has moved to Oxford and we are finally in the same city.

We have begun the long journey of adjusting to life together. All about him being here is better, but even adjusting to something better can take time and effort. Some things are little and some things are big, but at the moment we have to walk the walk to see where it leads us.

There are things you’re never told about life changing moments like this. You are told and you think it too, how things will be just perfect when you can be together in one place and no longer have a long distance relationship. You’ll get to do things together when you want, curl up on the sofa watching a film under a blankie, eat ice cream from a tub or go for nice walks by the river. This is all true, but there’s another bit people don’t tell you about – it can be scary and it will require adjusting, possibly a lot of it. Perfect will never come and the very-good-perfect-to-you time may take a little while.

When I realised someone would change continents (!) partially for me, and their whole life as a consequence, I panicked! I wanted him here but to think someone would be changing their life so much for it to happen  really scared me. Had it been the other way round, no problem, it was my choice and I would deal with the consequences of that, but for him to do it... oh dear, give me a panic paper bag now!

From then on, I have been on a lonely path to acceptance, read there was nothing I could do to change anything, so I had to just deal with it. When Michael arrived, one of my legs wanted to stay put and the other one wanted to flee. The lazy leg won, which was kinda helpful. The first few days were hard. Harder than I thought it would be. And then one day we seemed to turn a corner. Here’s the true bit people don’t tell you – once you turn that corner you’ll be fine, but you can’t see past that corner until you’re on the other side.

It feels less daunting now. I’m beginning to feel I can do this. What the heck, if he’s doing it with all it involved for him, so can I.

on my commute in May

My commute in May has been the most diverse yet. The most frequent was liftshare, but I also took the train and drove. As if that weren’t enough, I house sat in Oxford and in a little village outside town. So many different routes, with different travel companions and in a different scenario. May also had warm spring days and really cold winter ones, making it the perfect month for me to want to take regular photos of my commute.

Looking at the mosaic makes my day. How absolutely lovely is my commute?

::inspiring Mondays::

 I love Mondays. Especially Bank holiday Mondays of pet sitting in the sunshine.
Hope you had a lovely Monday too!

wandering around East Oxford

apple cinnamon muffins

This weekend I felt like baking apple cinnamon muffins. It just had to be that and nothing else would do. I turned to baking goddess Nigella and found a recipe from her book Kitchen (now on my wishlist on amazon!) on this blog (thank you, Laura!). She did not disappoint!

As Nigella in her cooking shows, I too was not concerned with exact measures. I felt quite free actually! A baking style which suits me? Really? Thank you, Nigella.

On to the muffins.

You'll need:

2.5 eating apples
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
125g light brown sugar, plus 4 tsp for topping
125ml honey
60ml natural yoghurt
125ml vegetable oil
2 eggs
35g roasted peeled almonds

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC and line a muffin tin with muffin wrappers; the recipe makes 12.

2. Peel the apples and cut them into small 1cm cubes.

3. Add the flour, baking powder and 1 tsp of cinnamon in a bowl.

4. Whisk together the 125g brown sugar, honey, yoghurt, vegetable oil and eggs. I used an electric hand mixer.

5. Chop the almonds and add them to the flour bowl.

6. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry. Add the chopped apple and stir to combine. Very important for muffin batters - don't overmix! The lumpier and heavier the bater, the lighter the muffin.

7. Make the topping by mixing 4 tsp of brown sugar and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

8. Spoon the batter into the muffin papers and sprinkle with the topping.

9. Bake for around 20 minutes. The muffins should have risen and be a beautiful golden colour.

10. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

11. Eat (or devour!) with pleasure :)

There’s one slight problem with this recipe – it only makes 12! These muffins were so delicious that 12 is definitely not enough.

::inspiring Mondays::

That strip of yellow in the image above. This field that I have seen most days since November on my commute to work is now covered in yellow and I love it. I love seeing how it changes with the seasons, even when I barely notice them. It should be Spring, it doesn't feel like it, but the yellow... oh the yellow!

:: house sitting

:: running. and my running buddy. the best!

:: this country's green! so beautiful!

:: baking. apple cinnamon muffins (or another name for heaven!)

:: little baby kittens. too cute for words.

:: whatsapp! 

:: fresh flowers.

I wish you a sunny Monday, whatever sunny means to you. Do share in the comments!

house sitting

I really enjoy house sitting. More often than not, I do it for friends with pets, but on this occasion I’m just house sitting plants. And myself. And Michael.
 

As the days go by, I’ve learned to know and love this cute little cottage style house we’re in. We wake up to trees and absolute silence and there’s such a feeling of peace we can’t help but smile at it.

I believe in entering a place and knowing if you could live there. That’s the base for all my house decisions. A simple yes or no which can get slightly more complicated when I try to apply logic to it. Pointless exercise, considering I know since the minute I go in if I can or cannot live there, but useful when you have to jug location and rent and heating types and a bunch of other boring but important factors in. And the more I move around and house sit and see places, the more I know I just know.

In these stressful days of house hunting, this house sitting has given me peace of mind and a growing knowledge of what I want in a house. Lovely and useful, my favourite!

::inspiring Mondays::

This is the first Monday of a different life. As with most new things, it takes some getting used to but I think we’ll get there. Slowly, perhaps, but we'll get there. I’m working on a post about this recent change in my life and I’m looking forward to sharing it here.

As seems to be the trend recently, I had a really busy Saturday and a very chilled Sunday. This has been working for me and makes me feel relaxed and ready for the week. That and the Call the Midwife DVDs in the company of ice cream, my knitting and Michael. I guess cold Springs have their perks after all.

:: Michael is in Oxford

:: texting with my brother. It warms my heart every time.

:: a dear friend is visiting. Hugs go such a long way to make us happy!

:: house sitting in a lovely setting. How I love the British green.

:: hearing nothing but the silence. What an experience.

:: preparing posts. An interesting concept I’m enjoying more and more.

How was your Monday? I hope filled with hugs and sunshine :)

::inspiring Mondays::

Any day is inspiring when one can spend it at the park enjoying the sunshine. In bare feet. Bank holiday Mondays rock!

Writing this post on a bank holiday is cheating. What's not to like about a long weekend, especially one with amazing weather? I had a busy Saturday morning, with a very yummy lunch cooked by Nicky, followed by a Star Wars Marathon, the first (old) films. Master Yoda is brilliant and I still don't see what is the fuss with Princess Leia, but what an awesome afternoon/evening it was. Sunday was all about chilling and Monday, well, the photo speaks for itself.

:: freshly washed bed linen dried in the sun. just perfect!

:: sunshine, the warm kind.

:: laying in the grass at the park. I do love East Oxford!

:: Pimm's. it does taste of summer.

:: my friends. what an awesome bunch of people!

Hope you had an amazing Monday, filled with sunshine and bare feet on the grass :)

notes on a Sunday

Freshly washed bed linen drying in the sunshine... or the story of how I love this house's back garden. I'm looking for a new place and whilst it's for a good reason, I've fallen in love with this old house, its quirky period features and this back garden. I'm also quite smitten with the area. I know I will know when I find the next right place; for now, I'll just make the most of my current house love.

Enjoying the garden while producing freckles. 

May goals

A major life change and two bank holidays are May’s gifts to me. I like gifts and I do my best to appreciate every single one I get. With a bit of luck, May would also give me a good place to enjoy said life change, but that may be pushing it.

It’s now the fifth month for which I write goals and I’m still loving it. In fact, I love it more now, because on top of the excitement for the idea I can see the positive results of monthly goals and having one little word to work with.

In January I embraced change. In February I created change. In March I somewhat learned to deal with change. In April I accepted change. In May, I want to enjoy change.

:: be sweet

:: run 8k

:: finish a new product design

....................................................................................................... 

You can read all my monthly goals posts here and my change :: one little word posts here.