Life Lately

Things have been a little quiet around these parts recently so I thought it might be nice to have a catch up. This time of year is always a little tricky and I find I expend all my energy trying to keep myself on an even keel, which means that doing things like writing and blogging fall by the wayside. That in itself is frustrating because they're two of the things that make me feel better. Don't you just love a vicious cycle?!

So, what have I been doing recently? I have...

• Attended an advance screening of the film Room, based on the novel by Emma Donoghue (take tissues)
• Missed my work Christmas party because I messed up my neck
• Watched Star Wars and fangirled so hard I almost cried (the excitement in the photo above is very real)
• Attended the Young Writer of the Year Award winner announcement in the London Library (swanky venue)
• Wandered around London a lot (Borough Market on the second to last Saturday before Christmas was not a good idea)
• Partaken in Lots of mince pie eating and wine drinking
• Been reading up an absolute storm and loving it

My #25daysoffitness challenge had to be put on hold much to my dismay, as a result of hurting my neck. I still don't know what I did to it, but I do know that I'd like to cover my whole body in heat patches (aka the cosiest things ever). I was doing so well with this challenge after such a long time feeling very demotivated so I'm still feeling very disappointed. I guess I'll just have to tack an extra 5 or 6 days onto the end after Christmas day to keep it going.

I've also been having lots of 'do I/don't I' thoughts about Lit Nerd and I've still not made up my mind whether I do or don't continue with it. All too often in the last few months I've forgotten why I write this blog and have been sucked into that darn comparison trap. I always feel somewhat mediocre anyway (probably that middle child syndrome), but constantly comparing myself to others is having quite the shitty effect on my mood. I love this blog because I love having the space to write and to talk to others, but I'll be thinking long and hard over the next few weeks whether this space is the best space for me.

All in all I'm tired (mostly in a good way) and ready for a few days sat in front of my parent's log burner with a good book (keep your eyes peeled for my Christmas reading list).

Let's chat! How are you all?

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Things That Made Me Happy Last Week #44

1// Being busy I've had lots going on this last week and it's going to continue to be quite hectic until Christmas now, but it does feel good if a little tiring. One of the highlights was doing some extra voluntary work for the charity I work for at the Royal Albert Hall. It was a very cool throwback to my theatre days.

2// Young Writer of the Year on Thursday I trotted off to the London Library to hear the announcement for the winner of this award. Sarah Howe won for her poetry collection 'Loop of Jade', which I started reading the next day. It was a stunning venue and I'm proud of myself for being brave and going even though I was anxious to the nth degree.

3// Doctor Who marathons to make up for a busy week I had a slightly quieter weekend. Although I still managed to get out and about, Mike and I also watched a fair few episodes of old school Christopher Eccleston Doctor Who. Just what you need on grey December weekends.

4// Getting crafty whilst watching the aforementioned episodes I got busy with my Christmas card making (I'm no longer able to just watch something, my hands also have to be busy). I love how they turned out and I'm very excited by my new found interest in calligraphy/lettering. I sense a new hobby in my future.

5// Trying new things at the gym/ swimming to go along with my #25daysoffitness challenge I've been mixing my workouts up and trying a few new exercises. I've also rediscovered my love for swimming and a dip before work just makes the day so much better.

What made you happy this last week?

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Things That Made Me Happy This Week #43

1// The Shore by Sara Taylor This has been brightening my day all week. The writing is beautifully lyrical, the stories are well crafted and the characters will hang about in your mind for days. I'd like to see this one win the Young Writer of the Year Award.

2// The Book Collector by Alice Thompson I read this over two days at the beginning of this week. A stunning read and one I would encourage everyone to read.

3// Swimming yesterday morning I dragged Mike with me to try out the swimming pool that's close to my work so I can then go myself in the week. The pool itself is ok, but I absolutely loved the time we spent swimming and how good I felt afterwards. Swimming is wonderful.

4//  Finding motivation this week I managed three evenings at the gym which is more than I've done since I started my new job back in August. I end up being there at the busiest time because of my hours, but I always feel so much better when I go. I'm very proud of myself for pushing through this week particularly as the weather has been crappy.

5// Die Hard the weather was awful again yesterday (seriously, the wind freaks me out), so we decided to have a night in with the tesco £10 meal deal (classy birds that we are) and Die Hard. Starting December as I mean to go on. Plus, on a more romantic note, it was a throwback to the Die Hard marathon Mike and I had on our third date. Aww.

What made you happy this week?

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December Goals

Complete the 25 Days of Fitness challenge

Complete the 'return to running' program my physio started me on

Take one photo a day - don't forget to capture life's little moments

Read the books I want to read and take one evening a week to do just that

Be aware of what I'm eating and try to eat eighty percent of my meals at home

Don't give in to the blues - make a daily to-do list to keep busy and be sure to take note of the things I am thankful for

What are your goals for this month?

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Things That Made Me Happy This Week #42

1// Carrying Albert Home by Homer Hickam this is a must read. It's a quirky, lovable, feel-good ride through America with an alligator and a rooster. It touches on the ridiculous occasionally, but I have been loving it this week.

2// Young Writer of the Year Award at Foyles on Monday night I went to Foyles after a cheeky Chipotle to the celebration of the Young Writer of the Year shortlist. Previous winners and three of the four shortlisted authors were there answering questions and reading from their shortlisted novels. I came away with a burning desire to dive straight into The Shore by Sara Taylor.

3// Mockingjay my sister had a rare evening off this week so we decided to go and see the new Hunger Games. Although it went on a tad long (what's with that ending?), it didn't disappoint and was just as harrowing as the rest.

4// Lazy Sunday afternoons I found myself unusually home alone today so, after I'd finished my cleaning and made some soup to keep me going all week, I sat down to finish the two novels I'd been reading this week. It turns out I really needed a quiet day.

5// #25daysoffitness I decided to bring back last December's fitness challenge this year to give myself a little boost of motivation over the winter. I'm really looking forward to it starting on Tuesday and have been to the gym a few times this week to start slowly working up to it.

What made you happy this week?

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Things That Made Me Happy This Week #41

1// Having the opportunity to write You may have noticed that I've recently started writing for BookSmoke, a website devoted to literature in London (clearly my cup of tea). It's all voluntary, but I've been really enjoying having the opportunity to write about different things somewhere other than here. I'm sure a few links will pop up every now and then!

2// Chilled weekends in Essex It's been another crazy week and I feel like I've been burning the candle at both ends a bit too much, so having the weekend to rest outside of London has been lovely.

3// Late Fragments by Kate Gross I finished this before work early this week and sobbed for a good while. It's a beautiful book and one I'd highly recommend. It made me feel quite heart-sore, but also oddly uplifted.

4// Possibly finding my workout motivation again I've managed to get to the gym twice this week which is more than I've managed in the last few weeks. I've been struggling with a mixture of a busy schedule and a lack of motivation. I think I may have the motivation back so I've just got to work on the schedule.

5// Spotify playlists The Autumn Leaves playlist has kept me going this week.

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Exploration

Tomorrow morning I'm heading to Brussels with M for a long weekend spent exploring a new city. I have a rough (ok, meticulously planned) itinerary featuring the First World War, Edith Cavell, Tintin, Magritte, and a variety of bookstores. I've got a novel by Georges Simenon and a collection of contemporary short stories set in Brussels loaded on my kindle. I'm all set and, for the first time in a long while, I don't feel uncontrollably worried.

I've talked about being an anxious traveller before and I can tell you now that this time is not any different, but what is different is my attitude towards my anxiety. I'm worried about how it's going to be, whether we will get lost, how I'll cope going into restaurants or cafes, and whether I'll put the brakes on and refuse to experience things. I'm also worried that I'll forget something, that I won't have the right clothes, that I'll be too cold or too hot, that our AirBnB won't look like the pictures, that we'll miss the train or sit in the wrong seats or do something wrong. All these thoughts are buzzing round my head like flies, but oddly I feel quite calm. I feel like I could take on these worries and win.

I think there's a bit of battle brewing in my head between anxiety and determination, and my determination to beat anxiety is starting to take the lead. I'm not winning yet, not by any stretch, and a number of things over the past couple of weeks prove that. But you know, I'm not going to let that stop me from living the life I want. I'm going to try my absolute hardest not to let it stop me exploring and if it does, which I accept as a possibility, well then I'll pick myself up and move on.

Exploration is almost synonymous with life, I think. There's something about travel, about journeys, about adventures, about trying new things and seeing new places, and above all, about learning, that makes me feel alive. I don't know whether it's the same for you. I think it must be if you're a reader because reading gives you all this from the security of your chair. Regardless of your preferred method of exploration, you are still doing it. You're putting yourself out there, you're experiencing new things, you are living.

I know that as long as I feel that lust deep within myself - to go to the next place, to do the next thing, to learn what's next to learn - then I know I'll be fine. I might have a panic attack; I might feel nervous or scared or restless; I might stand outside a cafe for half an hour trying to pluck up the courage to go in and find myself just walking away in the end. Those things might happen - heck, they will definitely happen - but I can pick myself up and say to myself that it's ok because I'm trying, and because I'm trying, it means I'm living.

Actually, do you want to know something? Walking away is courageous. It may not feel it at the time, but it is. Walking away means that you have the strength to know and accept what's right for yourself in those moments. There are times when I've not walked away and instead talked myself into doing something that makes me beyond anxious, and whilst there are times it has worked out in the end, all too frequently it doesn't. Have the courage to know yourself and to say no. Know when it's appropriate to walk away and when it's better if you take a deep breath and dive in.

There's no point to all this. I've got no handy tips for nervous travellers or book recommendations for armchair exploring. I only want to say this: never give up exploring. Whether you explore from the comfort of your home or work hard to encourage yourself to just get out there, or even if you are at your most comfortable when you're backpacking across Asia: never stop.

I'll leave you with a few words from T.S. Eliot:

'We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.'

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Things That Made Me Happy This Week #40

1// Bailey's Prize On Monday I went to the Bailey's Prize twentieth anniversary event at the Piccadilly Theatre and loved it. As usual I felt quite awkward being there alone, but I got myself a glass of wine and settled in for an evening of readings and bookish discussion. FYI Stanley Tucci has the best reading voice. I wrote about the event here.

2// Meze Aside from Mexican, Lebanese food is definitely my favourite. I had to work for a few hours on Saturday at Kings College Hospital so I treated myself to a mixed meze at my favourite Lebanese place in Camberwell on the way home.

3// Doing things that scare me This week I found myself feeling very anxious about meeting some friends I'd not seen in a while. I was so close to bailing on them, but managed to bring myself round and ended up having such a wonderful evening. Sometimes it's best to just do things that scare you.

4// Scary Movie I have somehow managed to get to 25 without ever having seen a Scary Movie film. I've watched one and two this weekend and found them hilarious and only a touch creepy. Clearly I'm growing up!

5/ Book post I seem to have gone a bit mad with books this week so my TBR has grown significantly. At least winter is on its way so I'll have plenty of chilly evenings to keep me going.

What made you happy this week?

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Take a Minute

What could be more relaxing than a morning spent reading and drinking coffee?

Recently I've been reminded of the importance of rest, of taking a moment to myself, and not racing around trying to do everything. Last Saturday morning I took my own advice and took an hour first thing in the morning to drink coffee and read.

I always wake up early regardless of how much sleep I've had, so instead of jumping straight out of bed and off to the gym, I ambled downstairs in my dressing gown and slippers and popped on the kettle. With coffee in hand I then collected a variety of reading materials and my notebook and crawled back into the comfort of my very cosy bed.

I probably stayed there for a little less than an hour and it made such a difference to my day. I felt calmer, happier, more relaxed and also more energised for the day ahead.

As a quick side note, the book I was reading is really brilliant. It's a memoir about the author's experiences with Russian literature which really appeals to me as a recent convert to the joys of Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky etc. It's almost putting me in the mood to line up my next challenge and as I type The Idiot is quite prominent in my eye line. Maybe...

Saturday taught me a necessary lesson in slowing down and taking the time to breathe, to appreciate the day, and to allow myself to just take a minute before rushing headlong into my to do list.

Do you ever take a morning to yourself?

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November Goals

Spend half an hour a day writing whatever comes into my head

Read three books for non-fiction November

Attend two literary events and speak to at least one person at each

Make the most of my trip to Brussels - experience all there is to experience

Keep things interesting at the gym by adding one new exercise to my circuit every week

What are your goals for November?

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Things That Made Me Happy This Week #39

1// Relaxing mornings I woke up early yesterday, as usual, but decided to make myself a coffee and relax in bed for a bit before heading to the gym. It was such a lovely way to start my Saturday.

2// Trying new foods On Friday night my sister and I went to a new-ish restaurant in Bethnal Green where one of her friends works. The food was quite different to what I'd usually eat and I actually found I really enjoyed trying different things.

3// Domestic Noir On Wednesday evening I went to a talk at Waterstones about domestic thrillers/domestic noir. It was a really fascinating talk and has put me in the mood for expanding my horizons and reading more crime. Being handed a glass of wine at the door really helped too. If you're interested in reading about the night I wrote about it here.

4// Getting back in the gym After being unwell and then still struggling with the 9-5 life, I finally got myself back to the gym on Monday. It was hard work motivating myself to get there, but once I was there and sweating on the stepper I felt so good.

5// Surprise visits M and I weren't meant to be seeing each other this weekend as I have to do my grand-daughterly duties today in Wiltshire and it seemed a bit much for me to go to Essex or him to come to London for one day. So it came as a lovely surprise for him to ring my doorbell at 8.30am yesterday morning. We only had the day, but it was wonderful.

 What has made you happy this week? Share your link below and use #sharethehappy on twitter and instagram!

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Things That Made Me Happy This Week #38

1// Making plans I've been really enjoying brainstorming for a new project with M this week. It's felt wonderful to be creative and come up with new ideas. I can't wait to see how it pans out.

2// Walking on Cars On Friday we took a trip to the Electric Ballroom in Camden to see Walking on Cars. My sister and I only went to see them a few months ago, but as they're very quickly becoming one of my favourite bands, I couldn't resist. The atmosphere was brilliant and I was amazed by their talent.

3// Somerset This weekend I'm in Somerset visiting the family. As usual there is plenty of good food and even more good drink. Much fun has been had by all.

4// The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton I've never actually read anything by Lupton, even though Sister was always on my radar. Her latest really piqued my interest and definitely paid off. It was compelling and perfectly thrilling to boot.

5// Feeling better After a few weeks of feeling really unwell I've finally started to kick this cold/virus/whatever. My recovery has been helped along with lots of resting, reading and chilled yoga.

What has made you happy this week? Share your link below and use #sharethehappy on twitter and instagram!

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Autumn || Looking Ahead

Welcome to the final post in my autumn series! So far I've looked at autumn reading, fitness, evening routines, eating, and various things to do on crisp weekends. Now I want to look a little further afield, beyond autumn, into the final two and a bit months of this year. The amount I have achieved thus far in 2015 is astounding, but I don't want to stop yet. There is still so much more I'd like to see and do (as always), so I've decided to make a bucket list for the remainder of the year.

1// Go to the theatre

2// Go to a comedy show

3// Visit Richmond and go for a long walk

4// Go somewhere new

5// Read at least five books from my shelves

6// Try something new

7// Write something

8// Get crafty

9// Work hard on secret project with M

10// Be social

What would you put on an 'end of the year bucket list'?

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Autumn || Fitness

I've been holding off writing this post for a while as I didn't think it would be quite right to talk about fitness and exercise when my routine is so off kilter. Since starting my new job at the end of August my exercise routine has disappeared and it's only been in the last couple of weeks that I have started to fall back into some semblance of one again (after some news earlier this month which has had a huge impact on what I can and can't do).

As you're all aware running is a massive part of my life - I know I've banged on about it often enough! I've now been told that I should stop running until my hip recovers and I've finished a program of physio. This was devastating news, I tell you, even though it's been a long while since I've been able to comfortably run even 5km. Thankfully there is a lot I can still do and I've been encouraged to try different things to build up strength in the area and speed up recovery. He suggested swimming and I very quickly jumped on that so I've decided to add one swim per week into my routine. Thankfully there is a pool near my work so I can still fit it an early morning workout.

To build up strength I've been going to the gym once or twice a week, practicing yoga twice a week and I try to do fifteen to twenty minutes of either stretches or strength work every morning. Doing shorter bursts like this and focusing less on getting to the gym or doing long runs multiple times a week has been really helpful. I already feel stronger and doing a burst in the morning seems to give me more energy - who knew?!

Now it's all well and good me listing off what I do (or try to do, let's be realistic), when actually even getting enough motivation to get out there is much harder as the days become shorter. I try to get up at around 6am on a week day and it's getting tougher by the day. Without my sunrise alarm clock I'd still be lost in the land of nod come 7.30am. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this.

So on those days when you've just snoozed your alarm for the fifth time or you get home from work and donning your slippers seems a better idea than donning your trainers, try this:

Keep it short no one wants to be running for hours before or after a long day at work so don't try to, or you'll risk setting yourself up for failure. Keep it short and snappy - enough to get a sweat on, but not enough to put you off entirely.

Get prepared you know the whole 'fail to prepare/prepare to fail' thing? Well, it's actually pretty accurate. Make sure you have everything set up for your next workout, your kit bag packed, your clothes laid out on the bed and even leave your trainers waiting patiently by the front door if it works for you. Being prepared means you can get straight into the sweating, instead of risking a half an hour deliberation about whether to do exercise or just get into your pjs.

Build it into a routine you'll know from the above ramble that I'm pretty much all about the routine. Although I do worry about routines on occasion, they are the best thing to ensure a workout is actually going to happen. If you know Monday night is swim night or Wednesdays you need to get up early to do some yoga, then it will not come as a surprise and you'll slowly start to accept it as a given.

Visualise nothing beats that post-exercise endorphin high. That rock-star feeling. That 'I've got this' feeling of triumph, achievement and determination. Think about that when you're dragging yourself out of bed in the dark. It helps, I promise.

Mix it up don't stick to the same old thing day in and day out. Try something new (swimming is new for me at the moment), and be sure to have some variety in there. After all, variety is the spice of life.

And finally, just go ahead and dive in! Pull on your sweat pants, your lycra or your swimming costume and go for it. You'll never know how good it feels until you try.

Do you have any tips for exercising as the days get shorter?

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Autumn || Evenings

A few weeks ago I shared a few thoughts on creating a morning routine that invigorates and inspires. Now the nights are drawing in I've started doing a similar thing with my evenings and really thinking about how best to spend them. Evenings for me are all about winding down, relaxing and getting ready for the next day whilst reflecting on the one that is passing. Here's what I do to get the most out of my evenings:

Make a good dinner and drink tasty tea my evening can be made or ruined depending on what I eat. A healthy meal made from scratch makes me feel good inside and out, whereas a meal with nothing fresh or unprocessed often leaves me wanting more junk. Once I've eaten I'm all about the herbal teas - peppermint will always have my heart, but I'm also partial to various 'sleep' blends (love Twinings and Pukka).

Relax as an introvert I very much need my evenings to be protected quiet time after a long day talking to people on the support line at work. Occasionally I will plan things for after work, but I always make sure I schedule in at least one night a week for just me. This also means having a night only doing what truly relaxes me - reading. Something else I've been enjoying lately is colouring (joining the bandwagon a little later than most). The BBC have been doing some stonking adaptations recently and as a restless person I struggle to single-task TV. Colouring is the perfect activity to do whilst watching a gripping costume drama - it keeps my mind relaxed and engaged simultaneously. I love this new release from Johanna Basford: 'The Secret Garden: Artist's Edition'. You can pull out and frame each image when you're done being artistic which I think is such a lovely idea.

Keep going in order for my evenings to be as relaxing as possible I'll make sure I do what needs to be done as soon as I get home. This means I'll exercise, clean, cook and wash-up before I settle down for the night. I know then that the rest of the evening is all mine.

Set the mood I'm a lover of lamplight and candlelight and I'll always make sure the lighting in my room is relaxing, not dazzling. Whether candles, incense or lamplight is your jam, do what works for you.

Get comfy any make-up that remains at the end of the day gets cleaned straight off and I'm in to my comfies (usually my favourite Star Wars leggings, which you've all seen before, and some form of band top) before I make dinner. Once I've eaten and it's time to settle down I either sit at my desk and do some writing cocooned in a cosy blanket or set myself up on my bed with cushions and blankets galore.

Wind down we're constantly being told to limit screen usage for an hour before bed and as much as I try to comply, I have to admit that I'm on my phone right up until the moment I turn off my light (oh the joys of being in a distance relationship). Although I keep my phone near me I steer clear of any other screens and stick to a book before bed or, if I'm that tired, a few quiet moments thinking about the day.

How do you spend your evenings?

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Please note: I received a copy of 'The Secret Copy: Artist's Edition' from the publisher. This has in no way influenced my opinions. I'm influenced by it's beauty and how much I've enjoyed using it.

Autumn || Eating

Food is a huge part of my life - I love to eat, I love to cook, I love to try new food - and at this time of year I have a tendency to fall even more in love with cooking than usual. For the past few weeks I've had some serious cravings for warm, spicy foods like curry, chilli, and a variety of spice-infused soups. This happens every year when the cold starts to set in and is always magnified when I myself have a cold, which I have had for the last two weeks.

I think it's good to make meals from scratch, both for the physical health benefits (only putting the good stuff in) and for wellbeing. As long as there is no pressure, cooking can be such a relaxing activity. It's something to channel all your energy into, something practical, and it feels good to know you're feeding your body what it needs. I'm a huge advocate for putting a on podcast or some music and cracking on with it (dancing is required if you opt for music, obviously). Sitting down to a meal you've prepared, cooked and served is a wonderful feeling and quite the achievement. I'm certain it makes the food taste better too.

For a little while now my favourite thing to cook has been beanie chilli, which I'll serve with a generous portion of avocado and cherry tomatoes instead of rice (at 25 I am still unable to cook rice). Initially the recipe was from Deliciously Ella's cookbook, but after the first go I amended it somewhat to add some flavour.

Now, I call myself an experimental cook*. This means that I can get away with my food never tasting the same twice - I'm terrible at measuring and following recipes so generally I just guess what would taste good and bung it all in a pan, hoping for the best. I'd say 99% of the time it works out quite well and thankfully five days of the week I'm only cooking for myself, but there have been occasions when it's gone quite wrong. I think my biggest failure was putting a shed load of extra hot chilli powder into some black bean burgers. I couldn't eat them and neither could my sister.

Anyway, that explains why I've not put any measurements for this recipe - throw caution to the wind and just go with it! Or, you know, add small amounts until you're happy. Either way I hope you enjoy this recipe.

What's your favourite autumn meal?

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* this is very strange given that spontaneity is not something I'm good with, I love rules, I'm meticulous and I adore to plan. Hmm.

Things That Made Me Happy This Week #37

1// My first work trip On Monday I got into a car with four of my colleagues and went to Leeds to attend my first event. It was terrifying and exhausting (not helped by the spider in my hotel room), but I loved every minute. I've got another one at the end of the month which I'm looking forward to. I'm learning that it really pays to be courageous and talk to people even when I'm beyond nervous.

2// New trainers I treated myself to some new everyday Nikes this week. They're black with white polka dots and they feel like I'm walking on clouds. They've not left my feet ever since.

3// Buffy I've been poorly and feeling very sorry for myself all week which called for a couple of evenings spent re-watching Buffy. I still love it.

4// Lifehouse Last night my sister and I hopped on the tube to Shepherd's Bush to go and see one of our all time favourite bands. I've adored Lifehouse ever since my Dad bought my their first album on a random recommendation so it was very much one of those surreal/dream come true moments. They were absolutely amazing and we've spent all of today listening to them.

5// The Martian On Friday I braved the crowds at Westfield and swallowed down my rancour towards cinemas and their unreasonable prices, to watch The Martian. It was completely worth it. I've not read the book, but my goodness was the film good.

What has made you happy this week? Share your link below and use #sharethehappy on twitter and instagram!

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October Goals

Take one photograph every day

Continue to walk home from work once a week

Join the swimming pool near work and go once a week

Spend at least one whole evening a week working on Centenary News

Try one new recipe every week

Write at least two of the posts I've half-planned in my notebook

What are your goals for this month?

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Things That Made Me Happy This Week #36

1// Trying new exercises I've been working hard trying to get into a new fitness routine this week. I decided to give a workout app a go so I can do a quick blast in the mornings before work (now it's too dark to run). It's going well so far.

2// Noonday I absolutely adored reading Pat Barker's latest. It finishes off the trilogy that started with Life Class and it was really brilliant to see where the characters ended up. Barker writes so well and there's some very haunting images of the blitz. 

3// Salmon salad In my attempts to cook more from scratch I threw together an enormous salad on Monday using everything I could find in my fridge. It was delicious.

4// Catching up with friends On Friday I met up with a friend to go for some moules frites and beer at Belgos. A lovely evening was had, topped off with an extremely tasty waffle. 

5// Wanderings On Saturday M and I set off for a walk with no destination in mind. We snaked all over London and ended up in Sloane Square where we stumbled upon an amazing food market and an equally amazing bookshop. Sometimes walking with no direction is the best thing to do.

What has made you happy this week? Share your link below and use #sharethehappy on twitter and instagram!

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The First Day of Autumn

Autumn is by far my favourite time of the year. I've said it before and no doubt I'll say it countless times more.

There are a whole load of tropes surrounding autumn, even more symbols and, dare I say it, a whole bunch of cliches too. When you strip back to basics and think about what autumn is in terms of nature, its all about change, nesting, gathering food for the winter, and preparing for the drop in temperature. To me that all suggests an opportunity for rejuvenation.

This year I will be making the most of the new season. I plan to spend even more time outside, walking and exploring, stomping through piles of leaves and layering vests and jumpers and scarves against the chill.

Whilst I'm spending time breathing in the fresh, crisp air, I'll be thinking about change and rejuvenation. I've been talking for a while now about needing to find a routine which inspires me and leaves me feeling good and I think the change in season is the perfect opportunity. Autumn for me is all about getting cosy and settling in - I can already feel this urge to nest creep over me, but I'm determined to hold it off a little longer so I can refresh my routines and have them in place before the need to nest truly takes over.

Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing a number of posts on this autumnal theme. I'm going to tackle my fitness routine and my eating habits (keep your eyes peeled for my favourite autumn recipes), and I'll also share my favourite autumn reads. Then who knows what else I'll be inspired to write about. Probably something homely and comforting!

Autumn is the final dance before the year starts to draw to its close - I encourage you to dance merrily, dance brightly and dance with vigour.

What does autumn mean to you?

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