change :: April update

A lot has changed in April. Other than the late arrival of Spring, these were mainly invisible changes, those which take place within us and show themselves in how we see things and deal with them. I did cook one recipe from a cookbook, but not three. I will prepare a post on it sometime in May. I did run the 6.5K I wanted to run, even if I didn’t run as often as I would have liked. I photographed more with my beloved Nikon, but it could have been better. Overall, it’s a positive balance.

Most of all, I have accepted change, my main aim for April. This makes me happy.

::inspiring Mondays::

There is a good chance this Monday is the last one of an era which is about to end. I am fearful of the change yet I know it’s needed. I am accepting that maybe I am also excited. Talking to my aunts about it this weekend was great; it’s so good to hear their perspective on things and know of their unconditional support and gentle nudge for me to take a leap of faith.

:: awesome aunts. Mine!

:: mojitos with the aunties. Oh yeah!

:: my aunt’s brigadeiros. Pure heaven ♥

:: a good family. Also mine!

:: excellent housemates.

:: a beautiful drive to work.

:: lazy Sundays.

:: knitting.

:: things to look forward to ♥

How was your Monday? I hope the end of April is nice to you :)
It is now 19:47 and it is still light... I ♥ UK.

it's auntie time

Brigadeiros by my aunt

My aunts were in town and it was brilliant. We chatted and we did all the usual touristy things one

does in Oxford. We had long dinners at cool places and we explored the pubs the best we could. We

had lots of fun and we giggled and reminisced over things past. Most of all, we became even closer

as family and as friends. It was truly amazing to be able to share so much with them and open up and  really enjoy their company. There is such a warm feeling about close extended feeling, and a certainty

that you can never be alone. Ever.

I showed them my Project Life album and as photo lovers they really liked it. I’m proud of it and

I’m so happy I’m doing it, but so far I hadn’t realised what a great sharing tool it can be. I told

them the stories around the photos and how they came to be the chosen ones and they’ve gained a

different insight into my life here, which we so rarely cover when I’m there.

I made bread for them. Aww… you shouldn’t have, they tell me as they take a full grocery shop for

me from their suitcases!

I prepared a little snack pack for them to take on their trip to London. Aww… you’re so sweet, you

shouldn’t have, they tell me as they slice the Folar de Valpaços for my lunch that day.

I guess I know just after who I take after ;)

I miss them already!

Basildon Park

One of the things I love the most in the UK are the grand mansions and their spectacular gardens, open to the public thanks to the National Trust. I have visited a few in my almost seven years in the UK, the most recent being Basildon Park.

Dog not included.

This reading corner really makes me want to move in... I wonder what they would think of that!

Easter lives on at Basildon Park!

I'm free tonight, yes!

Soo cute!

We had cream tea... oh those scones and cream... divine!

::inspiring Mondays::

I have a cold. I have had a cold all weekend, a mean one that beat me up with a bat when I wasn't looking and made me stay in bed all weekend. The nicest weekend yet. Oh what joy! Not. I ran with Nicky early on Saturday and... that was pretty much it. I spent the rest of the day feeling sorry for myself as I watched the sunshine through the window and read about how everyone on my facebook seemed to be having a blast of a time at BBQs. In. The. Sunshine! On Saturday night, I had had enough of myself. Nevermind the cold, I was annoying. 

Perspective, yet again. How I like you! I like how you make things so much better and much more enjoyable. For example, how you made watching films in bed, all day long, such a cool thing; forget the reason, just enjoy what it is you are doing. Or how you made me cherish the amazing light that comes through my window; what a great place to be ill in, my bedroom. 

:: Little Brother's enthusiasm and belief in our project 

:: early morning runs with Nicky 

:: internet. you are liked. 

:: freshly baked lemon cake delivered to my desk this morning. warm heart ♥

:: cycling to the station this morning. I actually miss it. 

:: watching films. all day long. and feeling justified in doing so. 

:: presents in the post. thank you cococita + wide-eyed-tree

I hope you all have a good beginning to the week, healthy and sunny. I'm looking forward to catching up on my blog reading now I'm back online.

Life without internet

For the past seven days, yours truly had no internet connection at home. This wasn't a personal choice to go back to basics and enjoy an internet-free life, instead it was a punishment inflicted on our household by our broadband provider, Talktalk (which I would definitely NOT recommend to anyone).  

Self-inflicted or not, the end result was the same so I thought I'd write a little bit on this alien thing to us blog readers and writers which is life without internet.

As a scientific experiment, mine fails from the onset as I have internet access on my phone. It's not the same as on a laptop, especially when you don't have unlimited data, but it's quite something. With this in mind, let us move on.

For the first few days, there is something almost liberating about not having internet access. Of course you are not going to blog frequently, nor reply to all those facebook messages and emails you've been getting, nor manage to comment on everyone's posts or kindly acknowledge their comments to you. For those few days, it feels like you're on holiday and it's ok. The backlog is manageable and you spend your free evenings doing other things. You edit photos and catch up on Project Life. You knit. You bake. You finish that book that you'd been reading since February. How cool is all that? Very. 

The bit that is not so fun is that you miss out on skype talks with your boyfriend and your girlfriends. You miss out on your blog readings, which you enjoy so much. You miss out on reading the news first thing in the morning while still in bed. By the seventh day, when you're fed up and have turned into a monster, more because you don't see the end to this than anything else, it comes back. It's all ok again. So what do you do to celebrate? You go out to the pub because it's sunny and one must absorb as much sunshine as possible :)

::inspiring Mondays::

Some days don't like you very much. In return, you dislike them too, just to keep things even. Today is one of those days for me. It just so happens today is Monday, but that's nor here nor there. Today could be any day, and although I have a bone to pick with today, I also must find things that make me happy within it. And that, my friends, is what inspiring Mondays are for - a cheer up the Joey moment.

Spring is here. I'm pretty sure it has arrived as I was not wearing a hat this morning and the temperature had two digits. Two! How cool is that? Very!

:: leaving the house this morning with wet hair. Freedom!

:: spring is here. Yep!

:: sunshine on my face! Not even the fear of (more) freckles puts me off

:: an awesome activity packed weekend

:: girly time

:: the prospect of not using socks for the next 5 months. More freedom!

:: kitchen adventures, even when they go wrong... but not so wrong you ruin the best ingredients! Ha!

How was your Monday? I hope sunny and happy, that would be the best!