Everyone loves the summer time don't they? The sunshine, the bright mornings that make the getting out of bed easier, the flowers, the smell of freshly cut grass, the long days, the ice cream that you can enjoy outside... Ah, it makes me want to just sit outside and watch the world go by.
Unfortunately though, I don't have a garden or balcony which allows me to just sit and watch the world go by and I've simply not had the time to just sit around, although I wish I did.
Fortunately for me, as you all know, I love to go for walks, so although I can't just open the door and sit in the sun, I have been taking full advantage of the sun to go on some lovely warm walks (usually not leisurely walks but walks from one place to another). But on these walks I almost always try to find a spot where I can have a short 5 minute watch of the world going by.
What things do you like to do outside in the summer?
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Monday, 25 July 2011
I'm back... for good
Hey Guys!
Firstly, I would like to apologise for my absence over the last few months. Life has been a little crazy and time has seemed to fade away almost instantly - I swear days are getting shorter. Unfortunately, this lack of time has meant there's not even been a spare second for "Things I Love".
Secondly, I promise never to be away for this long again (without warning anyway). I've missed sharing all the things that make me smile from day to day. Writing about the things that makes me smile just makes me smile again and again and again, making it a viciously happy circle. In my absence, however, there have been lots of things that have made me smile and simply enjoy life and I look forward to sharing these with you so that they can make me smile again and again and again.
And thirdly, It's good to be back!
Before I go for now, I will leave you with one of my favourite pictures of lately...
Firstly, I would like to apologise for my absence over the last few months. Life has been a little crazy and time has seemed to fade away almost instantly - I swear days are getting shorter. Unfortunately, this lack of time has meant there's not even been a spare second for "Things I Love".
Secondly, I promise never to be away for this long again (without warning anyway). I've missed sharing all the things that make me smile from day to day. Writing about the things that makes me smile just makes me smile again and again and again, making it a viciously happy circle. In my absence, however, there have been lots of things that have made me smile and simply enjoy life and I look forward to sharing these with you so that they can make me smile again and again and again.
And thirdly, It's good to be back!
Before I go for now, I will leave you with one of my favourite pictures of lately...
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
I love... baths
Ah, baths!
Being at the lower end of the 20 something scale, you may be surprised to know that there's not much else I'd rather do on a Friday night than lie in a roasty, toasty, lightly bubbled bubble bath; especially in the winter months.
After a long week at work, who wants to go out, roaming the streets for an available taxi, jumping from bar to bar, and eventually, bar to nightclub, in the plummeting temperatures, when you can quite relaxingly lie in a nice hot bath for hours, turning slowly into an oversized wrinkled prune? Not me! I would choose a bath every time! I know this may make me sound old, but I don't care. I like my baths and I would have one every night if I could.
Although, my thoughts change as we come into the warmer months (which is now!). I hate (and I mean HATE) sitting indoors when the sun is shining. Still not sure I would swap my baths for a nightclub, however, but a nice little drink in a bar with outside decking... now my arm may have been twisted!
More on this topic later. For now enjoy your baths!
Being at the lower end of the 20 something scale, you may be surprised to know that there's not much else I'd rather do on a Friday night than lie in a roasty, toasty, lightly bubbled bubble bath; especially in the winter months.
After a long week at work, who wants to go out, roaming the streets for an available taxi, jumping from bar to bar, and eventually, bar to nightclub, in the plummeting temperatures, when you can quite relaxingly lie in a nice hot bath for hours, turning slowly into an oversized wrinkled prune? Not me! I would choose a bath every time! I know this may make me sound old, but I don't care. I like my baths and I would have one every night if I could.
Although, my thoughts change as we come into the warmer months (which is now!). I hate (and I mean HATE) sitting indoors when the sun is shining. Still not sure I would swap my baths for a nightclub, however, but a nice little drink in a bar with outside decking... now my arm may have been twisted!
More on this topic later. For now enjoy your baths!
Friday, 15 April 2011
I love...hot chocolate
Yesterday turned out to be a rather grey day here in Scotland making everything seem a little dull. It was quite a dramatic difference from the record breaking weather we had over the weekend. However, every cloud has a silver lining and yesterday my silver lining came in the form of a lovely cup of hot chocolate.
As you will see from the picture, my hot chocolate was no ordinary, plain or basic hot chocolate made with instant chocolate power. No. It was one made from real chocolate drops, melted with hot milk and topped with cream and marshmallows. It warmed me up nicely!
So, just remember; the bigger the giant grey cloud, the bigger and brighter the silver lining!
As you will see from the picture, my hot chocolate was no ordinary, plain or basic hot chocolate made with instant chocolate power. No. It was one made from real chocolate drops, melted with hot milk and topped with cream and marshmallows. It warmed me up nicely!
So, just remember; the bigger the giant grey cloud, the bigger and brighter the silver lining!
Thursday, 7 April 2011
I love... the wind
Sorry that I have been rather absent for the last few week, with only a few posts here and there, but a lot of things have been going on recently. Nothing major, just things such as being busy at work, helping out stressed family members, and just things not going to plan. But yesterday that all changed.
Yesterday started a very dull day with heavy rain showers, and although the rain can make me smile it wasn't the rain that made me smile yesterday, but the wind.
At lunch time, the rain had stopped and the sun's rays were trying their best to squeeze through the clouds. The wind had also picked up and as I stepped outside I could feel it blowing through my hair. My hair was blowing in every direction possible, and as it did I almost instantly felt a little weight lift of my shoulders. I don't know why or how but all of a sudden I felt as though I had solved all my problems, or at least, I felt I could now sort them out.
By the afternoon I felt like a new person. I decided that stressed family members weren't something I could sort instantly, but that just being there for them would help them along the way to recovery. I decided not to let the busy world of work get me down, I would just need to work around it. I have plenty of time outside of work to do the things that make me happy and in this time I can sort out my plans for the future.
People say that life is too short, but I say that as longs as you live each day and smile while you're doing it, the journey to where you want to be can take as long as you want becasuse even if you don't make it, at least you've had fun along the way.
Yesterday started a very dull day with heavy rain showers, and although the rain can make me smile it wasn't the rain that made me smile yesterday, but the wind.
At lunch time, the rain had stopped and the sun's rays were trying their best to squeeze through the clouds. The wind had also picked up and as I stepped outside I could feel it blowing through my hair. My hair was blowing in every direction possible, and as it did I almost instantly felt a little weight lift of my shoulders. I don't know why or how but all of a sudden I felt as though I had solved all my problems, or at least, I felt I could now sort them out.
By the afternoon I felt like a new person. I decided that stressed family members weren't something I could sort instantly, but that just being there for them would help them along the way to recovery. I decided not to let the busy world of work get me down, I would just need to work around it. I have plenty of time outside of work to do the things that make me happy and in this time I can sort out my plans for the future.
People say that life is too short, but I say that as longs as you live each day and smile while you're doing it, the journey to where you want to be can take as long as you want becasuse even if you don't make it, at least you've had fun along the way.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
I love... Glee
Yes, that's right, I am a Gleek! Well sort of. I enjoy the show and occasionally relive the songs on You Tube! Well maybe more than "occasionally", maybe closers to after every show! I actually almost saw the cast while on holiday in NYC last year. I saw fellow Gleeks waiting (not so patiently) at the back door of a theatre where the Glee cast had been performing a live show, waiting on the cast coming out. I didn't see them, however, as my friends (not being Glee fans) where not willing to wait with me, and I didn't really fancy waiting around in a back alley in New York by myself. Oh well... maybe some other time.
What I love about the show, that no other show does quite as well, is that every episode is always fun, but at the same time has an underlying message that makes us all think. I suppose it teaches us (or reminds us) about the moral lessons we learnt at school, such as; that friends and family are important, that lying is wrong, that cheating doesn't get us anywhere, and that we are all unique in our own individual way and we should be proud of that.
I love almost every song they sing, but one of my favourite songs/performances of the 2 seasons so far (remembering that I live in the UK so I am a bit behind those of you in America) was when Kurt sang the Beatles song "I wanna hold your hand". This song had me in tears.
What do you think of the show? I would love to hear what your favourite songs are so that I could relive the moments... again!
What I love about the show, that no other show does quite as well, is that every episode is always fun, but at the same time has an underlying message that makes us all think. I suppose it teaches us (or reminds us) about the moral lessons we learnt at school, such as; that friends and family are important, that lying is wrong, that cheating doesn't get us anywhere, and that we are all unique in our own individual way and we should be proud of that.
I love almost every song they sing, but one of my favourite songs/performances of the 2 seasons so far (remembering that I live in the UK so I am a bit behind those of you in America) was when Kurt sang the Beatles song "I wanna hold your hand". This song had me in tears.
Another of my favourite performances was from season 1, when the whole football team sang Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)". This song had me in tears as well, but unlike the last video, I was in tears due to laughing to much. This performance was genius!
What do you think of the show? I would love to hear what your favourite songs are so that I could relive the moments... again!
Monday, 21 March 2011
I love... gymnastics
Last week my gymnastics club held their annual gymnastics competition. For some gymnasts entering it was their first competition, for others in was not, but no matter how many competitions a gymnast has taken part in the same feelings come rushing back the second they step into the competition hall.
Being an ex-gymnast myself I knew exactly how all the gymnasts were feeling. Some words to describe their emotions would go along the lines of; nervous, scared, worried, but also; happy, excited and determined. Being entered into a competition is definitely something for a gymnast to be proud of as well (although this is probably the last emotion they are thinking about) because it shows your couch thinks you have the ability to compete in a gymnastics competition, not simply learn gymnastics skills.
Now being a coach, similar emotions still run through my head. I get nervous for the gymnasts. I know they are all capable (or else they would not have been entered into the competition), but can they pull off their best routines in front of a eagerly watching audience? The thought of "of course they can" helps to ease my nervousness slightly, though. And what eases the feeling even more is that they prove me right every single time.
From personal experience, yes having the pressure of a eagle-eyed audience watching you makes you nervous, but somehow it also makes your more determined to get it right, and more often than not you perform better than you ever have before. I think it's because deep down everyone likes to show off, even if it's just a little bit.
So moving away from the emotion of nervousness, I will move on the the feeling of being excited and proud. I am extremely proud of every single gymnasts. Yes they misbehave at training, don't listen to what I say, but all in all they do work hard and a competition is an excellent opportunity to show off what they have been learning and hopefully be rewarded for it. Well done to all the gymnasts!
Do any of you enjoy gymnastics? Or any sport for that matter. I used to be very active and sporty when I was younger but I just don't seem to have the time to fit it into my schedule these day, which is a shame.
Being an ex-gymnast myself I knew exactly how all the gymnasts were feeling. Some words to describe their emotions would go along the lines of; nervous, scared, worried, but also; happy, excited and determined. Being entered into a competition is definitely something for a gymnast to be proud of as well (although this is probably the last emotion they are thinking about) because it shows your couch thinks you have the ability to compete in a gymnastics competition, not simply learn gymnastics skills.
Now being a coach, similar emotions still run through my head. I get nervous for the gymnasts. I know they are all capable (or else they would not have been entered into the competition), but can they pull off their best routines in front of a eagerly watching audience? The thought of "of course they can" helps to ease my nervousness slightly, though. And what eases the feeling even more is that they prove me right every single time.
From personal experience, yes having the pressure of a eagle-eyed audience watching you makes you nervous, but somehow it also makes your more determined to get it right, and more often than not you perform better than you ever have before. I think it's because deep down everyone likes to show off, even if it's just a little bit.
So moving away from the emotion of nervousness, I will move on the the feeling of being excited and proud. I am extremely proud of every single gymnasts. Yes they misbehave at training, don't listen to what I say, but all in all they do work hard and a competition is an excellent opportunity to show off what they have been learning and hopefully be rewarded for it. Well done to all the gymnasts!
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| Beth Tweddle |
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