Time to celebrate....

As it's the last day of the year, I thought now would be a good time to take a look back over 2011; or at least the last quarter if it. I'm not usually one to reminisce and I am certainly not the kind of person who makes resolutions but this year is different. A few things have happened over the last few months that I am really excited about so it seems fitting to do a little summary if you will.

The year didn't exactly start off with a bang. It was much like any other. Going to work, worrying about money and the usual rubbish. I was lonely in truth. Yes, I had friends and family but I wasn't overly happy and I think I was just going through the motions of day-to-day life. In September, I made the decision to do more with this blog; to keep a journal of my life and for the most part I managed that. Yes over the past month I have neglected it slightly but there are good reasons for that!

I started my teaching assistant course in October  and started volunteering at the local school every Thursday. It is honestly the best thing I have ever done and although I will be slightly panicked going back to it in the New Year (I have so much to do!) I know I will enjoy it all the more.

In November I started seeing a guy at work. Emelyn asked me out very randomly one day over email. It has been 6 weeks and I couldn't be happier. I got to meet his little girl over Christmas and she is the sweetest thing, next to my nieces of course! I was so worried she wouldn't take to me but it seems she has and I love it. I am actually really happy and we have even talked about moving in together maybe in the summertime.

The year may not have started out particularly exciting but it certainly is ending on a positive. For the first time in a long time the New Year is full of so many possibilities and even though I will turn 30 in 2012 (!) I am so excited to see what it will bring. :) xx 

Merry Christmas....

It's Boxing day night and I am officially tired and full of food! It has been a lovely Christmas. I got to spend most of yesterday with the family, eating Christmas dinner and playing with my nieces. Christmas is so much fun when there are children around. We played silly games on the wii and laughed at Dad trying to fly his new remote controlled helicopter! In the evening I went to see my boyfriend and got more pressies (yes it is official, more on that later!). It was lovely.

I can officially report that my cakes and biscuits went down very well. The biscuits were lovely, especially the cheese ones...not bad considering I have never made biscuits before!

Sorry, no pictures of the biscuits but here are a few of the cakes.

Mobile phone mania....

The text message turned 19 today if you can believe it! In 1992, 22 year old Neil Papworth, an engineer at Vodafone UK sent a Happy Christmas message to an Orbitel phone.

It would be at least another 8 years before texting became commonplace.  Now it seems a mystery as to how we ever coped without any form of mobile technology! 

Growing up, I remember that technology moved so fast. In my lifetime, computers have become faster and smaller, games consoles more advanced to the point where we don't need controllers, TVs are in 3D and my smart phone can do more than my 5 year old laptop! I have 5 different ways of getting onto the internet in my house, all without wires.  It seems crazy that we ever lived without it....almost like my childhood took place in the dark ages! We only had one land-line in the house and if I went shopping with friends at the age of 15 I had to find a payphone. I was so deprived!

On the plus side, I didn't have the extra pressure from mobile technologies and the internet that teenagers must have now. They can't hide anywhere from it.

I had to take my cell phone to be repaired today. The thing would not charge! My whole life is on that phone: emails, phone numbers, photos. It is my link to the world.  I can't imagine not being able to Tweet whenever I want or check my emails while I walk to work. I know these are trivial, unimportant things but they have become quite a big part of my life. It's something that has crept up on me too. As phones become more complex and sophisticated, the more I become hooked. I want to use these gadgets to their full potential! xx

Weekend writers block...

Only 700 words left on my second course essay. This is without doubt the hardest essay I have ever written and that is saying something! Normally I can whip up a half-decent piece of writing in a few days but this course is really challenging. Not that it's a bad thing of course. It just means I am going to have to really plan ahead with the next one. Really think about what's needed before I even start the background reading. It might help to keep up with the reading too and not get behind!

I did manage to dump a lot of stuff yesterday, gradually clearing some of the clutter in my flat! Next weekend the Christmas decorations go up and I have just one pile of paper to send to be recycled and the floor will be as clear as it can be. My kitchen is done, the annoying bar stools that I never use have been dumped and the millions of carrier bags are being recycled so I can finally sweep the floor without having to move crap around! I have even bought some Christmas decorations to go up in the kitchen. Next up, the bathroom and my shoes! :-) xx 

The "Quarter-Life Crisis" and dating excitement.....

I have been sat at my parents house thinking of something to write about. Trawling through various websites for inspiration, I came across an article posted by Candace Sesi on Hello Giggles called the  The Quarter-Life Crisis and I can relate to it so much!

You can read the full article here but I have taken out some bits that are so relevent to my life and how I have been feeling over the past few months:

“The Quarter-Life Crisis”

Author Unknown

It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are a lot of things about yourself that you didn’t know and may or may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.

You look at your job. It is not even close to what you thought you would be doing or maybe you are looking for one and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and are scared.

You worry about loans and money and the future and making a life for yourself and while wining the race would be great, right now you’d just like to be a contender!

What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out

This article is so spot-on it's scary! It's so nice to know that I am definitely not the only one out there feeling this way.

Lately I have found myself thinking about my life and how it is turning out. I know I have so much more I want to do and time seems to be getting away from me a little bit. I feel like I have missed opportunities along the way and I also feel a little bit like I should be much more satisfied with my life than I am. I am almost 30 and it has taken practically all of my 20s for me to figure out what I want in life! By now I thought I would be married with children and be happy and settled. I am happy but not nearly as much as I should be.

When I split with my boyfriend of five years two years ago I became more independent, took control of my life, started living alone for the first time....and then got comfortable again. It took another year and a half to get moving on my next project, my teaching course, which I have finally started and am enjoying. Thinking back, I needed that time to adjust and settle myself so in a way I am glad that I took a bit of a step back.

I do think sometimes I am going to be 'left on the shelf' as it were! It's hard being single, not having someone there to share things with and to come home to after a hard day at work. I am starting to miss these things more and more and as I get older sometimes it feels like I am never going to find that special someone. I have been on dates but just haven't felt that connection with anybody. With one guy, I found myself hoping that I would feel something. We got on so well and had lots in common but I couldn't feel attracted to him....it's so frustrating. Am I destined to only fall for men whom I have no future with!!

Having said that, and I don't want to say too much in case I jinx it, I did go on a fantastic date the other night with a fabulous man I met at work! We have known each other for about a year now and recently we've been emailing a lot. Suddenly, he asked me out! I was quite shocked but pleased as he is such a nice guy but I was scared too. I thought it would be another case of, "nice guy...but I just don't like him that way"....how wrong was I??! It was fabulous! That is all I will say for now! :-)

'via Blog this'

Wining and Dining....

I am quite excited for this week....I have a date on Tuesday! I am going to watch the new Twilight film and then I am being taken for a meal at a posh Indian restaurant in town. It's been a while since I was treated to dinner and a movie and it's been even longer since I have met a person who really seems interested in me. 

Here's where I am going. I have never been before.

Anoukaa Menu

Isn't it weird how us girls always seem to want what we can't have. We don't want to know the ones who are interested but we can't get enough of the ones who aren't! It's almost like we live in a dream world where we will eventually win the heart of the man who ignores us and who seems too out of our league. We always hold on to a bit of hope that one day he will realise that what is right in front of him is what he has wanted all along. Or something like that anyway. Of course in reality, we either win his heart and realise the fantasy was better or we get bored and move on to someone who likes us back. In my case, I am bored! It's time I was chased for a change!

I will report back on my date on Wednesday! xx

Organisation is the key....

Finally I have some time to sit and write! These last few weeks have been hectic to say the least but will pretty much be the pattern of my life for the next few months. At least I am now starting to settle down and start using my time a little better. Organisation is key to success! Where have I heard that before?

Anyway, I thought I would go back to basics today, a little journal entry to catch up on what has been going on in my life the past few months. Since starting at the school a few weeks ago I have been so much happier at work. I am getting closer to my goal and doing what I want to do so it's a lot easier to deal with the stuff I have to do...if that makes sense.

The children are great, a proper mixture of characters. I am still finding my feet there so I am not quite sure exactly what my role is but I am really enjoying getting stuck in and doing a bit of everything. My favourite thing so far is working with little groups of children on an activity. I really want to work with individual children, maybe listen to them read or something. It would also help with my relationship with the children. Right now, my course is looking at how relationships between children and adults in schools are so important. It helps a child if they know that the adults in their life respect their learning and their abilities. Also, it helps teach them how to communicate with each other and form their own way of learning.

There is so much to learn and think about it's no wonder it's taken me so long to organise myself. I have taken to writing a log of my time in the school alongside my course notes so I can put all my thoughts down when the school day is over. My head would explode otherwise and I would forget everything! Now my daily work life is fairly well organised, I can look at getting my flat organised and finishing my Christmas pressies. Yes, I do have the time! Only today, I sorted out all the plastic bags I have in my kitchen and cleared a load of space after cleaning my sink and putting away the dishes! I still had time to do some reading before writing this entry. And I will still be in bed by 10.30! Brilliant! I think I might be getting the hang of this! xx

Can it really be...

I cannot believe it has been over a week since my last entry. I have been so busy with work, school and studying. Right now it seems I have no down time at all!

I will be back tomorrow with a decent entry I promise! xx

Remember, remember....

...the 5th of November. Gunpowder, Treason and Plot!

I love Bonfire Night, the fireworks and the fires. It's so much fun; almost an extension of Halloween celebrations with a slightly different twist to it.

As a English girl born and raised I have to admit that the story behind today is odd, if not gruesome if you really think about it. On the one hand, it is an old thanksgiving celebration. Guy Fawkes and a group of Catholic followers attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I, on the 5th November 1605. The idea was to replace King James with a Catholic monarch. Following the failed attempt, the day was marked as a day of Thanksgiving for the Kings survival and bonfires were allowed to be lit in celebration, hence Bonfire night. As you can imagine, Catholics suffered heavily for this and anti-Catholic laws were made even tighter. This was an England that was torn by religion. For years, Catholics and Protestants fought for control over the country.

The conspirators

On another hand, we celebrate the death of the ring-leader of the group of wanna-be assassins, Guy Fawkes. Convicted of high treason, he and 3 of his fellow conspirators were sentenced to death by being hung, drawn and quartered outside the very buildings they planned to blow up. They were hung until nearly dead then disembolwed while still alive, castrated, beheaded and chopped into pieces, their body parts displayed on spikes around London as a warning to other would-be trouble makers! Guy managed to escape the 'drawing' part of the execution as he jumped from the Gallows and broke his neck....some would say he was lucky! 

To this day, children and families build 'Guys', effigies of Guy Fawkes, to burn on the bonfire to mark the occasion. Over the next few weeks, fireworks will be heard and fires will be built and watched in commemoration of this day. I am going to the display in Whiteparish where my parents live next Saturday to eat hot dogs, jacket spuds and toffee apples and watch some amazing fireworks.  Thankfully the negative connotations of this day are gone now and it's a chance to get together with friends and family, wrap up warm and have some good old-fashioned fun.

So tired....

This was me this morning!

I have been slowly getting back in to work, the gym and everything else and I am shattered this week already! I have had no time to unwind at all least of all post anything interesting! I am back in school tomorrow so I have a shorter day, more time to play and study of course. Hopefully after an early night I will be able to post something more exciting tomorrow!

On the eve of Halloween....

Happy Halloween!!

I have no Halloween plans this year and avoided the bars in town like the plague this weekend due to the fact that I am still getting over my virus. I still wanted to be festive so yesterday I carved my first ever Halloween pumpkin. I also helped my sister make some Jack-O-Lantern biscuits today for the school.

I have always been fascinated by Halloween, the holiday associated with all things spooky and scary. It is such a fun time for children and adults alike and I love dressing up and making autumn goodies to eat. I found a few bits of trivia to mark the occasion.

 All Hallows Eve or Samhain is an old Celtic festival that once marked the end of summer and the end of the harvests. It would also mark the passing of the year and the start of a new one, a time when the earth began to 'die'.


It was, and still is, believed that the veil between this world and the next is thinnest at this time of year and so spirits could wander between worlds. It was a time to honour and remember those who had passed. All Saints Day, on the 1st November, remains a Christian day of remembrance.

The general association of this holiday with death is not all macabre and gloomy. It is a time of new beginnings and change. Pagans use this as a time to take stock of their lives and move on to new things, make changes and learn new things.

I am not a Pagan but I do find myself drawn to the old religions. I think this is more to do with the fact that much of my country's history, myth, and legend comes from the old Celtic religions. Also there is such a connection with nature and the seasons and I love that the old festivals are still celebrated in some form at different times of the year.

Whatever you are doing this Halloween, have fun and be safe. xo

To Wear a Poppy with Pride....

The Royal British Legion poppy appeal launched yesterday. I found this article by Hannah Wallis on the Huffington Post website today. Hannah talks about being moved by a school trip to the battlefields in Northern France and the emotions stirred up by the sight of endless headstones in the cemeteries.

As a child, my family and I often went on holidays to France. I remember once we visited the village of Oradour-sur-Glane in the Limousin region. The original village was destroyed in World War II and has been kept as a memorial. Men, women and children were massacred in the village by German soldiers on the 10th June 1944. The women and children were locked in the church while the men were shot and burned alive in barns around the village. The soldiers then blew up the church, shooting anyone who tried to escape. 190 men, 247 women and 207 children died.

I remember being so moved by the stories I read as I walked through the ruins of the village, past burned out cars and the rubble of former homes and businesses, left just as it was after the massacre took place. It is such a haunting place and a reminder of the horror of war. I remember almost being able to feel the people around me and feeling such sadness.

These pictures are from Wikipedia, taken by Dennis Nilsson.

I remember my Granddad telling me brief stories of his time during the war, about watching his friends and comrades being killed and injured. He is no longer with us and with him died the last living survivor of the war in my family. One day, World War II, like the First World War, will pass out of living memory but it is so important that we continue to remember those who fought and died for our country. My children will never know either of my Grandfathers or hear their stories but I will make sure they know who they were and what they fought for.

Wear your poppy with pride! xo

It's nearly Friday....

It's nearly the end of a long week. It's Friday tomorrow! Ready for a weekend of cooking, cleaning, studying, exercising and maybe a craft fair. Oh and pumpkin carving! I got this one from Able and Cole today. I'm going to carve it on Saturday.

I found some pumpkin carving tips on the Good Food website.

Getting back to the gym...

It's been a few days since I posted, mostly because I have been trying to get back into work and the daily grind. It is now officially dark when I go to work and will soon be dark when I get home. Bummer! But on the plus side, I am no longer infected! I do still have a hacking cough that doesn't seem to want to go away but, all in all, I am well again! Get in!

Getting back to the gym has helped give me more energy. I managed a half hour of weights today working my chest and triceps. Pretty good. Back and Biceps tomorrow maybe with a 30 minute swimming session, legs on Thursday, shoulders and a swim on Saturday. Week done.

I am having a slight dilemma with my gym programme. I found a fab one on BodyBuilding.com and got to week 5 before I got sick but the final few weeks are a 6-day split, something I just can't do with my schedule. So I have decided to adapt it slightly, stick to a muscle-building 5-day split starting next week and change to a cutting routine after around 8 weeks. I can do that for a few months and see how I get on.

I really need to focus on lifting heavier to build muscle right now. I really like lifting but tend to get complacent and I end up not feeling the effects. Also it can be off putting when the gym is busy and the blokes are gathered around the mirrors and free weights. I have been putting off taking protein powder as I have heard it does horrible things to your bowls movements and it's not cheap. I may have to give in soon though as there is no way I take in enough protein in my diet alone.

I don't want the body-builders physique but I have to admit the bikini models look pretty good.

More

Less (just slightly wrong!)

The second one is not something I aspire to! Weird if you ask me! I just don't see this as being feminine. To be honest the bikini models don't look much better in competition. They train hard for weeks before hand to pump up the muscles and then smother themselves with what I can only describe as wood varnish! No thanks, I'd be happy with the first picture minus the fake tan.

A few programme idea for later once I have done my current plan for 2 months:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jen-rankin-fitness-360.html - specifically the cutting programme for when I have built up some muscle.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/kathleen-tesori-fitness-360.html - really like the cutting programme for this one.

Most programmes seems to suggest the muscle-building/cutting workouts, changing every few months. Yes, the above workouts are spokes model competitive body-building workouts but I might as well give them a go, work hard and see what I can do. My issue is with the food and supplements. I eat fairly healthy so have a good basis but I am not strict enough with myself to eat 6 meals a day and pre-pack all my meal. I need a plan to change one thing at a time....goal one, eat a good breakfast every day. I will re-visit this next Tuesday and see how I get on this week. Tuesday on my blog is now officially Gym Day! Wish me luck! xo

This weekend, part two....

In between trying to get started on my first essay, I have finally managed to visit the family allotment. Mum and Dad have been supplying me with veggies over the last few weeks and months and I am ashamed to say I have played no part in helping to grow them. This has a lot to do with the fact that I have no car and can't get there but still I feel bad and want to help out more.

Here are a few pictures of the allotment so far. It did get hit by the first frosts this week and the beans are coming to the end of their season so looka little wilted.

Chard and Leeks

Dad at the beans

Pak Choi, Broccoli, Cauliflower

I have been inspired to grow some things in my little garden at home and I want to start off by planting some garlic and some tulip bulbs. Hopefully I can get that going in the next few weeks.

In other news, my essay has finally gotten off the ground. I was hoping to get most of it done today but will have to carry it over to tomorrow. No big deal, as long as it's finished by Monday and ready to post on Tuesday! It's half-term week so no school on Thursday. I will probably end up going into work instead for a few hours and then plod home to do some Christmas cooking. That's my week planned pretty much before the weekend is even over! Back to the present I think...xo

This weekend....

This weekend.... by jesslaura featuring zipper jeans

My Mitts....

My first attempt at knitting with double-pointed needles. It's a little stretched where I had a few issues with keeping the needles together but not too bad.  Hopefully the second one will be done by next week.

Please excuse the pizza boxes!

My climate change dilemma....

Global Warming Blamed For Shrinking Species In New Study:

'via Blog this'

The Huffington Post is another new discovery of mine that has been a needed source of intellectual stimulation while I have been off sick. The above article caught my eye today as I was flicking through my email alerts.

Climate change is a subject that I have struggled with over the last few years. While I accept that the climate of our planets is changing (we have felt the effects here to a certain extent)  I have conflicting thoughts about the extent of our involvement as a species. For me, I just don't think we have enough evidence to deny the possibility that what is happening could be a natural occurrence. This would of course, be linked to the apparent shrinking of the species discussed in the article.

Of course, that isn't to say that we aren't responsible for this planet. As the dominant species we have a duty to make sure we care for ourselves and the world around us. The green alternatives are there we just need to make sure that they are being used. And we can't always blame the big companies. Let's face  it, if we the consumer didn't buy, the companies would not make. Car companies make the gas guzzling cars because the petrol heads out there don't want a small-engined hybrid that can't do 100+ miles down the motorway!

One present down and a little crafty rant....

One positive thing has come out of being off work. I have been able to plan and make a few Christmas presents. The first completed item is my cable hot water bottle for my niece.

This is from a pattern in Lets Knit Magazine and was made using Sirdar Supersoft Aran yarn. My favourite bargain Aran yarn. It is so soft and yet the 100g balls are only £3.15 in my local sewing shop and I used less than one ball. I bought 3 so I am trying to think of something else to knit with it...possibly a cover for my netbook if I can find a good pattern.

As much as possible I try to use the yarn specified in the pattern and did so in this project. Sometimes though it just isn't and this is where I start a little rant if you don't mind. There are some beautiful yarns available made from exotic fibres that are obviously much better quality than the man-made alternatives but why do they have to be so damned expensive?! I simply refuse to spend more on yarn to make a project than I would spend in a shop to buy the finished article. It's just ridiculous! I found a lovely tank top pattern the other week that would cost £60 just for the wool! OK, rant over.

Coming soon (hopefully) a chunky bag. x

My carbon footprint and food waste....

Recently I have been making a concerted effort to recycle more. Not only is it becoming the thing to do but I was shocked at the amount of waste we throw away as a nation and as a planet. I measured my carbon footprint the other day and apparently I live like I am powering 2 planets instead of one and what I eat and where it comes from and how much I throw away plays a big part in that.

According to the Love Food, Hate Waste site, we throw away 8.3 million tonnes of food each year in the UK; food that could be eaten. This is more even than food packaging. If we stop wasting food we could cut CO2 emissions to the equivalent of taking 1 in 4 cars off the road! This is staggering. Doing our bit for the planet could be as simple as planning meals in advance, only buying what we need and recycling or composting the rest.

If it is that simple, why aren't more of us doing it? We live in a society that has grown accustomed to getting everything we want. In all aspects of our lives and even in a troubled economy we are lucky enough to be able to buy fresh food and fast food. I can't count the number of times I have bought food from the store and then headed to the take away for dinner because I can't be bothered to cook. Fresh fruit and veggies then rot in the fridge and I end up throwing it in the bin. The only justification is that I can do this. I am not restricted because I can afford to do it (most of the time anyway!) It just isn't good enough when there are famines in East Africa and children starving and farmers being driven off their lands by large corporations.

I have changed a lot of my food buying habits in the past few weeks. I now buy fruit and veg boxes weekly that contain just enough for that week. This means I not only eat more healthy but I do not waste anything from it. All the packaging is re-usable and the air miles minimal. I am also making use of the recycling services offered by my local council. They, like many other councils in Britain, are changing to fortnightly bin collections in the new year and so I have got my free bins and am recycling my plastic bottles, cardboard, glass, tins and paper. It's actually quite rewarding.

This may only sound like a little but I do believe that we can all make a difference by doing our bit to limit the food we waste. The long term advantages could be so great and let's face it there really is no excuse for allowing this waste of food to continue.

Charitable thinking and my #LittleVoice....

I have spent this week mostly on my sofa having a cold and have had to think of posts that are a little more interesting than cold remedies....apologies if I am being a little boring! Possibly I should just wait until I am back in the world of the living before I post another entry. I know my aim of this site was to make a daily entry regardless but I am starting to hope people do read my posts, if only casually, because I am finding I have some important things to say.

I have always felt very strongly about children's rights, animal rights and the environment. From my escapades on Twitter, I have found some inspiring charities that are doing so much for all these things. I have put some of these on my Favourite Charities page and a few links in my side bar but I wanted to explain a little about why I have done this and why I feel it is important to raise awareness.

The actress Sophia Bush inspired me with her #LittleVoices campaign on Twitter. She has used social media to raise awareness of issues close to her heart. By using our little voice we can generate positive and proactive messages. Of course she has many more followers than little old me but that doesn't mean I can't be just a proactive in raising awareness for the causes I believe in; retweeting tweets from my favourite charities or blogging about the latest campaign. Even if I reach one person I would take that as a victory.

I have always made an effort to donate to charities. Children in Need and Comic Relief are some of my favourite days. Incidentally, Children in Need 2011 is on  Friday 18th November and I'm thinking of organising a bake sale at work. Anyway, why should any of us wait for these special days or events to do something worthwhile? Especially when the information is right at our fingertips on the internet?? Go on any charity website and you will find their current campaigns and how you can get involved by donating money, signing petitions, fundraising, the possibilities are almost endless.

My top charities (of course there are many more great charities out there but these are my favourites):

UNICEF

Plan

OXFAM

GREENPEACE

RSPCA


NSPCC

I have signed up for campaigns newsletters and information for all of the above. If you are reading this, please consider doing the same. Oxfam and UNICEF are currently working on the emergency situation in East Africa. Plan UK have today launched their 2011 Because I am A Girl Report which looks at the lives of girls around the world and gender inequality issues. They also work with children in disaster areas. The NSPCC are continuing their amazing work preventing cruelty to children in the UK and the RSPCA are doing the same for animals. For more on what they do, please check out their websites.

Today I love....

....cupcakes!! To be honest, everyday I love cupcakes but I read this article on Hello Giggles and was inspired.

Sweeten Up Your Space With These 10 Cupcake Creations

I think it may be cake making time this weekend.

I Love Cupcakes by jesslaura featuring knit socks

Cold and flu remedies....

The Best Cold Remedies

Some natural cold and flu remedies I shall be making use of. I will be stocking up on Echinacea for future use. Apparently garlic, onions and leeks help the immune system too so leek and potato soup will be my dinner tomorrow. Also, liquorice is good for coughs too...bonus! :)

Organic Nutrition

Anything to get a decent nights sleep!

Of illness and a bit of knitting....

I have had a horrible cold and I am not feeling good at all. I am at the sneezy, running nose stage which hopefully means it's on it's way out but it means I have to endure the blocked nose stage which seems to happen at night and affects my sleep. To top it off, my smoke alarm keeps beeping (I think the battery is running out) and I can't reach it to sort it out and England lost in the Rugby Quarter Final.

Anyway, despite my ills, I have managed to make a start on my Christmas gifts. I have started making my hot water bottle cover (pattern from Lets Knit Magazine) and you can see my progress on Ravelry.

Here is the cover so far. This is the first proper attempt at cabling and it's going pretty well. I'm not sure if you can tell but there seems to be an error in the chart I am following . It's not my error because I am following the pattern exactly but I am almost wishing I had changed it myself. Of course there is always the risk if I do that of messing up further along which is why I stuck to the pattern so I am hoping no one will notice! And, if I do knit this again (and I definitely bought enough wool to do another) I will change it.

I found some really nice patterns by Kind Cole in Snip today (the wool is a bargain too) so I might have to go back there in the next few weeks. I hear another project calling already! :)

Support UNICEF....

Support UNICEF - Connect and share - Support UNICEF

UNICEF is an international charity focusing of the rights of children and child rights. They help children in emergencies, help build schools and support families and communities. Every child has the right to a childhood and I wanted to post a little something about UNICEF to raise a little awareness. The link above is to the UK support website.

Right now, they are trying to spread the word about the East Africa Crisis at UNICEF East Africa Crisis. In southern Somalia, 4 million children need urgent assistance.

Children are dying and we need to spread the word

© UNICEF/NYHQ2011-1191/Kate Hol

© UNICEF/NYHQ2011-1115/Holt

UNICEF are delivering supplies and medical equipment as we speak

©UNICEF/Somalia/2011/Mony

The season is changing....

Yes, autumn is definitely here. It's getting colder now and soon it will be time to dig out the winter woolies and the blankets. In a way I am sad to see the sun go; for the nights to get longer and the mornings darker. But I do love this time of year; cosy nights and crisp cold days.

I am not loving the cold and flu season much however. I had to come home early from work today because I have a cold coming. My throat is so sore I can't swallow and my head is getting to that stage where it feels like it's full of cotton wool. I have a horrible feeling that I am going to wake up tomorrow feeling like crap and I have my first day of school tomorrow....typical right?! The timing is perfect!

I found this post on Fun. Fit. Chic. Some advice on treating colds: Cold and Flu fighting season.

I usually know when a cold is coming. I tend to feel tired and lethargic for a few weeks beforehand, then the sore throat starts. The advice seems to be at this stage to stock up on vitamin C and echinacea, drink plenty to avoid dehydration and gets lots of rest. Some chicken soup wouldn't go amiss either. Lets face it, I'm not going to be short of veggies now! :-)

The forgotten victim....

As the world watches Amanda Knox's family celebrate her return home, let us not forget poor Meredith Kercher and her family.

Meredith Kercher: Forgotten victim

I'm not saying I believe Amanda is guilty but there is still a family mourning the loss of a daughter and sister, brutally murdered for no reason and the worse part is they may never know what happened.

So much to learn....

I discovered the other day that it's Black History Month here in the UK. My Mum found a story the Southern Daily Echo, about a man from Haiti who lost his life on-board the Titanic. Most people know that the Titanic set sail from Southampton harbour which is not too far down the road from where I live. Most people also know that many people lost their lives when the liner sank nearly 100 years ago after striking an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean (there is a certain movie that will fill in some of the details for you if you don't know).

Most people do not know about Joseph Phillipe Leroche. Joseph was born into a wealthy Haitian family, the son of a white French army officer and a Haitian woman who was the descendant of the first ruler of Haiti, Jean-Jacque Dessalines. His Uncle was the president of Haiti in 1911.

Joseph lived and was educated in France and married a white French woman, Juliette Lafargue. They had two children. Despite his upbringing and education, Joseph had difficulty getting work because of the colour of his skin. The family couldn't afford to pay for the medical treatment needed by their youngest child, Mary-Louise, and Juliette was also pregnant with their third child. The family decided to move back to Haiti where Joseph would be able to find well paid work.

The family weren't meant to travel on the Titanic. Joseph's Mother had originally them bought first-class tickets on-board the La France but because the children would not be able to dine with their parents, Joseph opted to travel second-class on the Titanic instead. Despite enjoying the opulence of the liner and dining with the first-class passengers, the Laroche family would suffer racial insults from fellow passengers and crew members who disagreed with their inter-racial marriage.

When the Titanic struck the iceberg, Joseph led his family to a lifeboat and gave his coat to his wife. His last words to his family were, "I'll get another boat. God be with you. I'll see you in New York." He went down with the ship and his body was never found.

I found this story, like so many other stories from the doomed liner, so tragic and poignant. We have seen the decadence of the ship and how the upper class lived while on-board and that film gave us an idea of how bad the third class passengers had it when the ship sank. We also know that despite it's obvious flaws, the Titanic was a mechanical marvel of it's time. It symbolised the great achievements of man. But the story of Joseph and his family and their struggle to be accepted in the place they certainly belonged really shows how much society was not as advanced as the rich white folks of the time may have thought.

We still aren't. We still have a long way to go before our attitudes catch up with our technology. People still suffer abuse and ridicule because of the way they look, even in societies as diverse and multi-cultural as the UK. There are parents raising their children to be bullies rather than teaching them to accept the differences of others. We have television shows and magazines that basically portray the image that to be anyone in this world you can't be a real person but a carbon copy of what the media has deemed 'perfect'. We still have so much to learn.

Abel and Cole and Recipe: Chard and leek soup

I love Abel and Cole veggie boxes. I have always thought of myself as a healthy eater but I do have a tendency to buy the same old things and when I buy new things I end up with waste. Abel and Cole send me a small box of fruit and veg each week, costing no more than what I would usually pay in the supermarket. It's enough to last me a week and contains a variety of seasonal fruit and veg so I will never be bored. Plus it's organically farmed which makes it even better!

I have been wondering how to use up the Chard from my veggie box this week. I found this fab recipe by Anthony Worrall-Thompson which will make use of the leeks that I will get in next weeks box too.

BBC - Food - Recipes : Chard and leek soup:
'via Blog this'

A secret hiding place....

The sun brings the crowds to town. I popped to the shops for a few things and it was so busy I couldn't think. I almost collided with a few people and some were walking so slowly they were almost standing still! So, I escaped to the Arts Centre with my books....

It's a converted church that plays host to fabulous local musicians and art exhibitions. It's a great place to go to chill out on a sunny day.

I knew the Cathedral grounds would be just as busy and this place is only a few hundred yards from my flat but I never venture to it. It's so nice and quiet and makes you forget that you are in a city as it's away from the hustle and bustle. 

The above building is a council office, newly built around a year or so ago. The Arts Centre is to the right of this building and to the left is a beautiful park know as the Green Croft (below). 

It's not very big but it's full large shady chestnut trees and lots of places to hide. Every now and then you find an ancient stone epitaph whose owner's name is lost to time. It's quite a magical place really.

I searched for a few shiny conkers too! 

My weekend plans 1st Oct 2011

My weekend plans 1st Oct 2011 by jesslaura featuring dark skinny jeans

It's study time for me today after the thrill of the Rugby match against Scotland that I watched in my PJs this morning. Well done boys!

The try that clinched England's progression to the Quarter Finals!! xx

Today I Love....

Item of the Day

from Hello Giggles!

I had to share this item....it's awesome!

October is nearly here....

Time to start practising my baking for Christmas. I'm thinking Chocolate Roulade or a Swiss Role. The latter might be a better idea as all I would have to buy would be the raspberry jam. I might also try a Genoise sponge cake maybe with raspberries and cream....depending on how easily it would be to get hold of some raspberries.

BBC News - October's weather predicted to break temperature record:

'via Blog this'

Apparently it's going to be hotter here than in Ibiza this weekend and I am planning on getting some last minute sun tomorrow. I'm thinking park, book and maybe my netbook too for some outdoor study. Tomorrow I officially start my course study topics, the first being "Teaching Assistants Today". I have had a quick read on ahead and I will be learning about how teaching assistants fit into the teaching industry and some history of the role and its predicted future. Exciting stuff (no that is not meant to sound sarcastic!)

The only thing bad about this weather is that I cannot get in the mood to knit anything remotely wintery or Christmassy at all! I should really be getting started on some scarves for the family but buying wool is the farthest thing from my mind in this heat.

Hot hot hot....

It is hot outside, so hot it's hard to sleep and yet it is nearly October! 

There was a beautiful hazy sunshine around lunchtime today that reminded me of a spring morning...I guess it's because the sun is lower in the sky at this time of year but morning seemed to last until mid-afternoon. I wish I had taken a photo but there wasn't really time as, once again, I was in a bit of a hurry! Anyway, here are a few photos taken this afternoon on my way back from the gym. See it really is autumn!

There are parts of Salisbury that are so peaceful. It's so nice walking around after a long day at work. Especially when the weather is this good. Bring on the weekend and lazing in the sunshine.

Something new...

I have made another discovery in my adventures on the internet. Pinterest is a way of  'pinning' things you love and keeping them in one place. It's great. So far I have pinned some Xmas gift ideas together and some knitting pattern pictures I have found. You can keep track of the costs of things too

Here's a link to my page. Jessica Waters (daisymoo82) on Pinterest:

I am all sorts of tired now and staring at a computer screen isn't helping at all. Suffice to say I am knackered today and I am writing this in the comfort of my bed. The window is open as it is unseasonably warm. Not that I'm complaining. It was lovely walking home from the supermarket tonight yet strangely bizarre. 7.30 and dark and the leaves have started to fall but it is almost like a summers night outside. The weather man has predicted temperatures of 25 degrees by Friday and Saturday so I may well take my reading outside this weekend.

I always think of autumn nights as being scary. Full moons, howling winds and scary woods. A bit like this....

Goodnight xx