Sunday Mornings #10

My apologies sweet lovelies for not posting in what seems like forever (12 days?). It feels like a whole other life time since I sat down to write and I don't like it...not one little bit. There have been lots of happenings over the last two weeks that I want to tell you about, but this post is all about those little moments, so let me fill you in...

:: Living so close to the beach that I could throw a stone and hit it. I LOVE living right next to the water, I find it a little therapeutic maybe? All our problems seem much more insignificant when you're standing in front of those gigantic rolling waves.  

:: Sleeping better. I'm not sure why, but so far I sleep so much better in this house than the last one. My sleep in Middlesbrough was always broken. The five sleeps that I've had in Ayr have been uninterrupted and super L-O-N-G. The first night I slept for 12 whole hours and each night after I've been snoozing for ten. Long may it continue!

:: My new electric blanket!! What can I say? My little hot water bottle just wasn't cutting it anymore! It's much much colder on the west coast of Scotland, so O went out one day and came back with a glorious electric blanket. There were some swear words from O when he was trying to attach it to the bed, but when you slip inside the snug duvet, its all worth it (in my opinion!).

:: Our slow cooker. Oh how I'm addicted to this! We sling on our dinner in the morning and by the evening it's bubbling away ready to plate up. We've used it three nights on the trot now and every meal has been delish! It has really become a winter staple and it saves so much of that precious time that we don't have much of these days.

:: Seeing old friends. Before we left Glasgow we frequented the local ice hockey games every single week. This weekend we were able to go back for the first time in over two years! It was so grand saying hello to old buddies and watching the sport that we've so missed! Braehead Clan won by the way, just saying!

:: Deciding on which colour to paint our bedroom. The BRIGHT yellow walls that we currently have are not kind on the eyes when you first wake up in the morning...or anytime really. So we've decided to paint them a slightly more neutral colour. At the moment, a very light grey is top of the list for me, but I think the Mr has other ideas...more on this in another post!

:: Having a DISHWASHER! I've never in my life been lucky enough to have a dishwasher. When we got the keys for our little bungalow on Tuesday, we opened a random cupboard in the kitchen to find it was actually hiding a little dishwasher! I haven't washed a dish since!! The Mr also seems to be enamoured with it, as I also haven't had to load it or empty it either :)

:: Healthier eating. During the run up to the move we were living in takeaway central and our bodies were hating us for it. I was actually craving fruit and vegetables. Every day since we've moved in we've been sure to have our five a day and to drink more water. My body is much much happier for it.

:: Little surprises from O. On Friday we took a break from packing and headed into Glasgow for some sushi. We went in to a few shops and I gave him some subtle hints about Christmas presents I might like (an Urban Decay Naked palette and a Mac lipstick). The little sneaky fiancé some how managed to buy them without me noticing and proudly presented them to me once we got back in the car! So so naughty, but I am in LOVE with them (and him!). 

:: Candles. So many candles. I think I've bought six candles in the last week alone. Is this excessive? No? I didn't think so! We have two fire places in this little bungalow and I'm quickly filling them up with said candles and oh some cute little cacti!!

I have so much more to tell you lovely people about, but I shall fill you in soon. I promise now that we have internet and we have located my MacBook that my little blog won't be so neglected. Normal posting should resume this week. I've missed my little patch of internet and reading about all my favourites. Please tell me how your weeks have been, have you been enjoying this colder weather? Do you have any slow cooker recipes I should be making? Are any of you ice hockey fans out there? Anyone else doing some decorating or DIY and have any tips? Tell me all about everything in the comments below or on Twitter @weezyduffy :)

Farewell North East!

Now I know I'm a little quick of the mark here and we still have a week left, but as we step up our packing game the internet and my MacBook are heading for storage. So I figured I would be organised for a change. Despite the fact that we've only been here for eight short months, it is with a heavy heart that we leave the North East. There are lots of places, people and things that we're going to miss, so of course I decided to make a list...

:: Roseberry Topping has become a little beacon for me. Whenever we've been away, as soon as I see that big Yorkshire Matterhorn, I know that we are nearly home. It's distinctive shape can be seen from miles around and the climb all the way to the top is breathtaking. 

:: The flares that light up the MIddlesbrough night sky. I know this a weird one. But having an engineer for a Mr lets you in on some unusual little secrets (ask me about the pipeline post game). When you're driving around Middlesbrough at night you'll see a few flames lighting up the sky. I know some people hate them, but I absolutely love them! Feels like I'm in a crazy sci-fi movie or something. 

:: The iconic Transporter Bridge which stands over the River Tees. I didn't get the chance to visit this beloved bridge as it's having a spruce up at the moment, but I will definitely be back once it has re-opened.

:: The surrounding National Parks. I'll never get over the beauty of the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales. They may not be the most popular National Parks, but they will forever hold some special memories for me and O.

:: Robin Hood's Bay. This little place was such a surprise for me. You drive over this big hill and there it is waiting for you. Beautiful beaches, quaint shops and amazing seafood. You can read about my trip here. 

:: The North East blogging community. Moving to a new town can pretty daunting. Starting a blog in said new place can be even scarier. But the NE bloggers took me under their wing and now I'm sad to leave them. I don't need to name the specific people who have made me feel part of something huge, you know who you are! I hope that we can keep in touch, pals?

:: Newcastle. Oh how I love this city! So diverse and super friendly. I've had picnics, cocktails, cupcakes, amazing dinners, stayed in gorgeous hotels and even sunbathed by the Quayside. This won't be the last time I visit this city.

:: Whitby. Oh Whitby. From the sitting on the pier eating fish and chips, to climbing up to the Abbey, Whitby will always have a special place in my heart. The Mr and I came here on our first ever weekend away, so I know that we'll be back.

:: Micro-barning in Barnard Castle. Whoever decided to convert a barn into a little cosy nook and attach it to a pub with amazing food is a genius in my book. Check out our visit here.

:: Eating amazing antipasti in the Mockingbird Deli after having a stroll in the lovely town of Yarm. 

:: Having cosy dinners in the Manor House in Ingleby Barwick. So much tartan, many many moose heads and the best chicken kiev I've had in a while!

:: Strolling around the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in summertime eating ice lollies and drinking freezing fruit juice. Such a spectacular estate. 

:: The historical cities of Durham & York. I've spoken lots about these guys before (mainly in a guest post on the lovely Chloe's blog), but you can't beat a stroll around the museum gardens and some afternoon tea in Bills. Oh and the bridges in Durham. I do love a good bridge.  

I could go on for hours and hours about the wonderful experiences I've had up here, but you've probably read all about them before! I've left a little part of my heart here and this is not goodbye, just a temporary farewell. ♡

Printable Art

My name is Louise and I'm addicted to printable art. Oh and Etsy is my enabler. With our move coming quicker than Christmas, I've been thinking of different ways to decorate our new little bungalow. As we're still renting, there's only so much we can do on the DIY front, so I can't knock down any walls or do any crazy painting. After some afternoon Etsy browsing, I came across printable art. It's so cheap and easy, plus a good way to use up all the washi tape I've accumulated! All you have to do is pay, download and print. Simples. Some of the prints start from as little as £3 (there are also some freebies on Printerest) and if you don't want to print them yourself you can take them to places like Vistaprint who will do it for you. I've already started printing some and I can't stop browsing the Etsy stores for more and more....maybe I need help!?

{Sources: 1/2/3/4}

Sunday Mornings #9

Aside from my moving/packing meltdown earlier this week, things have been mighty fine over in these parts. For what I assumed was going to be a pretty mundane week, it's actually been filled with lots of little exciting happenings. Here's a few for your reading pleasure...

:: Booking next year's summer holiday. That's right, we might've booked some flights to Toronto for June/July next year! This is may favourite time of year to go, as July 1st is Canada Day and July 2nd is my birthday!

:: Baking ViviannaDoesMakeup's chocolate cookies. Oh my. They are just the right side of chewy and gooey. MMM!

:: One last trip to the MetroCentre before we move. I may've bought three tartan scarves. A little too much? One is from Zara and is the perfect burnt orange and the other two are reversible Primark ones. Winter, I am ready for you!

:: Plum lipstick. It's everywhere right now, eh? I decided I needed one in my life this week and it hasn't been off my lips since. Even when I haven't left the house. 

:: Gilmore Girls re-runs. 1pm  on week days is the best time. A cuppa and the dramas of Rory and Lorelai Gilmore cure any midweek blues.

:: Having my little blog mentioned by two of my blogging favourites! The lovely Kerri and Sophie both mentioned W&P in their posts this week and it made my heart so happy! Click on their names to check out what they wrote. 

:: Getting a bargainous iPhone 6! I managed to upgrade a year early and it only cost me £20! I'm loving being an iPhoner again!

:: Percy Pigs + Colin Caterpillars for a car journey to Manchester. Ain't no better road trip snackage, is there?

:: Seeing O being a very happy chappy after getting a PS4 this week. Haven't been able to drag him off it since he got it!

:: Spending the whole of Saturday cosying up on the couch amongst many tartan blankets. Reading, playing games etc. We just needed a day in for a change. 

:: Listening to the Mr whistling happily away as he made lunch for us in the kitchen. Happy face!

:: Realising that we only have one week left in this lovely big house and trying to make the most of it.

How have your weeks been? Have you been feeling a little spendy like me this week? Do any of you have the iPhone 6? Are you enjoying this autumnal plum lip phenomenon? Hook me up with your Sunday musings, you know I love them!! :)

 

Moving Meltdown!

The above tape dispenser may look innocent enough, but let me tell you...its been solely responsible for me having a nervous (rage-filled) breakdown this week. O came home one evening to find me ranting and raving about how I was going to throw it out the window (my words were much less polite, believe me). 

As you may have heard, we are moving in 12 days. How many boxes have I got to pack? A million. How many have I actually packed? About six. So, you may know where this post is leading, don't you? A list of everything hateful about packing/moving! Let's go! 

1. Moving all your crap from one house to another makes your realise how much crap you actually have. This then leads to you deciding that before you can actually pack, you must have a big clear out.

2. Said clear out takes about a week and you only have two bin bags to show for it. 

3. Ordering boxes to pack your crap in is hard work. O ordered 25 boxes, when I went to the garage to fetch them, we realised that they were only suitable to move the Borrowers. Yep, the boxes were teeny tiny. Lucky if we could fit three books in a box. Needless to say, more boxes have been ordered...we're paying Staples' wages right now.

4. Tape dispensers are EVIL. I've spent more time repositioning/de-sticking/throttling the tape than I have sticking things with it. 

5. Emptying your bookshelves makes you realise how dusty your house truly is. Must try to be a better housewife.

6. Boxes full of books are pretty heavy. Don't drop them on your toes. Too late.

7. When you're renting, you discover lots of marks on the walls/carpets that your pretty sure weren't there before. Rug Doctor and those invisible eraser things will be your savior. 

8. Having moved four times in the last three years, you'd think we have this moving/packing thing down. We don't. We never learn our lesson and start early. 

9. It's pretty expensive to pay people to move your crap. It's also pretty difficult to list all the crap that you have in order to get a quote from said expensive moving people. 

10. Re-directing your mail also isn't cheap.

11. Calling your bank, energy provider, council etc to tell them you're moving never gets any less annoying. The hold music also never gets any better. 

12. Opening the garage (which has never housed your car) gives you that sinking feeling when you realise you forgot you have a MASSIVE BBQ and a lawnmower amongst other garden related tools. 

13. Realising that you can't pack half of your crap until at least a few days before you're actually moving is also mildly frustrating.

14. Your other half finally seeing how many pairs of shoes/handbags etc that you actually have. Whoops.

Wow. Making this list was pretty cathartic and I'm already feeling a little less stabby than I was half an hour ago. Sorry that you had to witness my moving meltdown. I'm pretty sure that I've missed lots of packing dramas but I'm sure you'll all let me off the hook. They say that moving is one of the most stressful things out there and heck they're SO right.

Now, tell me. Tell me all your moving horrors. They'll make me feel better, I'm sure of it. Won't they?

Sunday Mornings #8

Good morning my little lovelies! Happy Sunday to you all! How has this week been for ya'll? For me, it's been a pretty speedy one with lots going on. Can't actually believe how quickly time is passing. Also, today is the first day that the weather has been remotely autumnal...rain rain rain! You know how much I like watching the rain! You may have noticed that the font in today's photo is slightly different. Basically, I didn't want to scrawl over my sweet Lucy's face! When I took this photo she had hurt her paw and was feeling very sorry for herself (all healed now). My week has actually been a corker, let me tell you why...

:: Helping out a friend. One of my dearest friends has her own business and this week I was able to travel up to Scotland to help her out. This also meant that I got to see my old work besties too, so actually, she did me the favour! I had forgotten how much fun we all had at work and how nothing seems like too much of a chore. That's the kind of work place that I love.

::  Working away meant that I was away from O for three nights, which I wasn't a fan of...lame, I know! There's just something about getting into an empty bed that I find really lonely. So I was definitely happy to back home on Thursday evening.

:: Presents from O! Whilst I was away, the Mr sent me flowers (in a huge teacup, no less!) and a HUGE Millie's cookie! I really should go away more often!

:: Catching up with my Scottish buddies. Every time I go home, I try to squeeze in as many friends as possible. Always lots of lunches and pub visits :)

:: Cross Country first class! I LOVE the first class carriage on the train, especially if it's a particularly long journey. They literally throw free food and drink at you! Oh and free wifi....can't beat it! Did I mention that my ticket was also cheaper than a standard one?! Oh yes...

:: Chips. Plain and simple. Hot salty chips. I can't get enough of them this week. I'm not sure if its because the weather is changing and it's making me crave warm comfort food...all I know is that I've eaten far too many of them this week. Sorry. Not sorry!

:: Mix matched dinners. Last night we couldn't decide what we wanted for tea, so we had a seriously mixed bag. Steak fajitas, chicken wings and garlic potato wedges. Oh and all this served with guacamole, salsa, tzatziki and hummus! Mmmm...

:: Ummm is anyone else addicted to Bakery Town? All I've done all weekend is bake imaginary cakes on my iPad! Loser, I know!

:: Sitting with my tartan blanket reading Gone Girl. Has anyone read it? Probably lots of you have. I've just started it and spent the whole afternoon yesterday on the couch under my new tartan blanket. Perfection!

That's pretty much been my week in a nutshell! How has your week been? Had any crazy dinners? Gotten any surprise presents, just because? Let me know what things have brightened up your day :)

#Camptober

I don't know about you, but this season makes me want to get outside. The leaves turning and crunching, that nip in the air, steaming hot drinks...it all makes me want to through our camping gear into the boot of the car and drive until we find somewhere magical to pitch our tent. Let's do it, shall we? 

Oh and if you're looking for some campspiration (see what I did there?!), check out Phoebe Smith's book Extreme Sleeps or search the hashtag #camptober on Instagram. 

{All original sources can be found on my Pinterest boards here}

Working Abroad // Part 2

Now, where did we leave off last time? Oh yeah you left me in a hostel in Toronto! (You can read part one here.) Now I think I mentioned in the first part that a few of my fellow travellers and I had decided to get a place together in Toronto? Well, our first few days were spent doing this along with opening a bank account and applying for our social security numbers so that we could work.

After much searching we managed to find a huge house up in the Yonge & Eglinton area (for you Torontonians out there). Five of us moved in (three boys and two girls) to this huge house, which we had for the next five months after which it was being demolished! Don't get me wrong it was a lovely big house, the only downside was that it had no furniture! So off we all went downtown to buy sofa beds, mattresses and all the necessities we needed. Walmart was our saviour, let me tell you!

Next on my list was to find a job. So in between exploring the new city, I was handing in CV's all over the city. Luckily for me, the first interview I had, I got the job! So I was now officially employed in Toronto! I was working for Indigo Books & Music as a "customer experience representative" oh yeah! In the interview for this job I met Jo. Little did I know that Jo would become one of my bestest ever friends (along with Kate, who we'll talk about in a minute). Jo also got the job and it turned out she was also doing the Bunac program and was from London. A few days later we all went out for a beer together in our new local. Jo brought along Kate (another Bunacer) from the Isle of Wight and we soon all formed a serious girl-romance :) 

So after only one week of living in Toronto, I had managed to bag myself a house to live in, a job and some lovely new buddies. You can imagine that I was pretty impressed with myself!! ;) 

To be continued...