This week my Word of the Week is: Pleasant!! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

I’m sure I’ve heard the saying after a storm comes the calm or something like that and this week has been just that. Calm, relaxed and just pleasant after all the drama of last week. It felt like everything just slowed down a little and we could all breathe again which was needed.

We started by having the weekend together as a family and it was just what we all needed even though the girls were watching the Facebook videos coming from the local pub. It did look like a great night there but we still had a good night here even though all we did was watch TV and chat. It was nothing fancy or wild but one of those evenings where everyone’s in good moods and the house feels cosy.

Ellie’s had a brilliant week at college, I wish I could share all of the stories she tells me when she comes home. Her friends sound absolutely hilarious. I will give you one little story though as a taster. One of her friends has a parent who apparently doesn’t approve of what she wears so she takes a spare outfit in her bag and gets changed on the bus! On the bus! I had to laugh but told Ellie you can wear whatever you want but please don’t start getting changed on public transport. I can just imagine the looks from the other passengers!

Ellie got her first tattoo on Thursday and she handled it like a pro, she didn't flinch at the pain and sat there just chatting away like it was such a normal thing to do on a Thursday morning. The tattooist said he has seen older people make such a fuss about the pain and even faint. I sat there trying to look cool and not like the anxious mum I actually was but I’m proud of her for handling it so calmly. The tattoo is taking some getting used to, it's big and bold but she loves it and that is all that matters.

Hollyoaks has been fantastic this week! It was a big stunt week with a plane crashing, a few deaths, a late night episode and a crossover with the soap Brookside which hasn't been on TV for years! It made me feel a little nostalgic. I had to explain to the girls what Brookside even was and who all the characters were. They’d heard of it but didn’t realise how big of a deal it used to be back in the day.

Becky and I have found a new pub to play Bingo, well it's not new to her but is to me. We had a great time playing and it was surprisingly calm as the bingo caller read the numbers out very slowly which was just what I like. I can't be doing with whizzing through them. hehehe I won a game and got my money back so I was happy with that. It was such a fun evening and I will be going again.

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good week. I am of course linking up with Anne who blogs at Raisie Bay to join in with her Word of the Week linky.

What I have loved this week! Week 43. #FridayFavourites

I have had a nice week, it has been quite which after last week's drama is a good thing. I’m here today sharing the little things I’ve loved from the past week and of course I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea to share them.

A family weekend! 

I put my foot down and said everyone was staying home over the weekend, well mostly. Ellie nipped out Saturday afternoon and did some Christmas shopping while Becky slept after her night shift. We had good food, lots of snacks, watched TV on Saturday and went out for lunch and had a cosy afternoon in on Sunday when the rain started hammering down. It was perfect! Cosy and I love having all my family under one roof!

Pringles!

I picked up a tube of Santa’s Secret Flavour Pringles from a little shop in town, last year’s edition, but still in date until the end of next year. Which makes me wonder what do they put in them to make them last that long? To me they taste like a full on roast dinner with chicken, stuffing and gravy!

Too much on TV!

Every summer I complain that there’s nothing to watch, and then autumn arrives and suddenly there’s too much. My poor TV box can’t cope. At the minute I’m juggling Big Brother, Celebrity Traitors, The Great British Bake Off, Hunted and of course the soaps and wrestling that I always watch. Then there are the random one off shows that pop up, like the Pride of Britain Awards which I have to watch and cry my way through it every year.

A tattoo!

Not exactly my favourite but still a big moment. Ellie got a tattoo yesterday! My baby! I don’t hate tattoos at all but it just hit me that she’s properly growing up now. It’s one of those things that feels so permanent, like a milestone I didn’t quite see coming. The tattooist was lovely and Ellie said it didn’t hurt as much as she expected. I’m sure I’ll share a photo soon.

Shelf Sitters!

Last year we started collecting these Nightmare Before Christmas shelf sitters, they’re so quirky and fun but it took until this weekend to find the one we were missing: Jack Skellington, the regular version, not the Christmas one. Ellie was so happy! Now we’ve got the full set proudly sitting in the kitchen, looking like a slightly creepy but adorable little gang. 

Bingo! 

Becky and I used to play bingo at the local pub last year and absolutely loved it. We even won a few times. It stopped when not enough people were going but another nearby pub has started it up so of course we had to pay them a visit. We made a night of it: had a meal first then got our dabbers ready for eyes down. We didn't win but it was fun all the same.

The last sunflower!

This has been growing for the last few weeks, I didn't notice it for a while because it was nowhere near where the rest of my sunflowers were planted. It is the last one of the season, all the rest are long gone but this one is still thriving and it has been making me happy seeing it! 

Christmas delivery slot! 

Every year I get stressed about securing my Christmas food delivery slot, I’ve been that person setting an alarm clock for 6am before just to make sure I got one but this year was easy! I randomly checked the supermarket website and the slots were there, open and not even full. I nearly did a little happy dance. I booked my chosen date and time then made my annual announcement to the family that if anything happens to me, remember the shopping is coming two days before Christmas and to add more than the 4 bottles of Bailey's that I put in just to reach the minimum delivery amount. lol

What have you loved over the past week?

The best TV shows to binge in Autumn and why!

Autumn is my favourite time of year for TV. The nights draw in, it’s suddenly acceptable to put the heating on and staying home feels less like being boring and more like a lifestyle choice. There’s nothing better than grabbing a blanket, making a hot drink and losing yourself in a good binge. If you’re anything like me sometimes you waste half the night scrolling through Netflix, Prime, Disney+ trying to pick something, then before you know it, you’ve watched nothing except trailers and spent 40 minutes saying I'm not in the mood for that. So I thought I’d share my go to list of shows that feel perfect for autumn. Cosy, spooky, funny there’s a bit of everything here.

Gilmore Girls!

I couldn’t not start with Gilmore Girls. It’s the autumn show. The coffee, the jumpers, the leaves on the ground in Stars Hollow it just feels right for this time of year. It’s comfort TV at its finest with quirky characters, small town charm and witty banter. Even if you’ve already seen it, it’s the kind of show you can rewatch and still love. I don’t think autumn officially starts until I’ve watched at least one Gilmore Girls episode. At the moment I am on Season 4 and will watch the rest of it before Christmas.

Bridgerton!

Another good one for autumn nights. Romance, drama and more scandal than you can keep up with. Plus the costumes are amazing. It's very easy to get hooked and great to watch now before the new episodes in January!

Stranger Things!

If you’re in the mood for something with a bit of a spooky edge, Stranger Things is a winner. It’s got that proper Halloween feel with kids on bikes, eerie music, weird stuff happening in small towns. It’s creepy but also funny and full of heart. There's the nostalgia, the jump scares and enough suspense to keep you on edge of your seat. Perfect for October nights when you want something thrilling but not so terrifying you won’t sleep. I read last week that if you start watching from the first episode around now and watch one episode a day you will be ready for the new episodes on the 26th of November!

The Great British Bake Off!

Bake Off is autumn comfort TV at its best. There’s something magical about watching people stress over pastry while you’re sat on the sofa with a cup of tea and a packet of biscuits. It’s light, it’s funny and it makes you feel warm and cosy inside. You might even get the urge to bake afterwards.

Downton Abbey!

Autumn evenings were made for period dramas! When the nights are long and you just want to escape into another world, Downton is perfect. It’s all about the drama, the posh accents and those big country houses. Plus it’s one of those shows that pulls you in before you know it, suddenly it’s midnight and you’re fully invested in whether someone downstairs has messed up the silver polishing.

Call the Midwife!

Wholesome, emotional and just the right amount of drama. One minute you’re crying and the next you’re smiling. It’s perfect for those evenings when you want something heartfelt but not too heavy. Plus it’s got that cosy, nostalgic feel that just works in autumn.

Wednesday!

If you like your autumn TV with a darker twist Wednesday is a brilliant choice. It’s gothic, funny and has just the right amount of spookiness for this time of year. Perfect to watch in October but honestly it works all season long.

The Crown

If you fancy something a bit more serious, The Crown is worth a binge. It’s dramatic, beautifully filmed and has that just one more episode pull. You don’t have to be a massive royal fan to enjoy it either, the acting is so good it just draws you in. Definitely one for those longer autumn evenings when you want something to get stuck into.

Doctor Who!

Autumn always feels like the perfect time for Doctor Who. The mix of time travel, aliens and heart warming stories means it’s a show you can dip in and out of or fully binge. And because there are so many episodes, you’ll never run out.

What do you like watching on TV at this time of year?

The Wednesday Hodgepodge #32

I hope you are all having a good week? It's Wednesday which means it's time to join in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce who blogs at From This Side of the Pond! Each week there are 6 questions, we answer and then link up. Simple!

1. What do you like most about your family?

I am going to go with my wider family and not just my fella and two girls. We're not the closest family, it has been like that since my brother and I left home and we all live our own lives but at the same time at the drop of a hat we are always there for each other when needed. Everyone rallies to help whoever needs the help out and go out of their way to do it. It’s the kind of support that makes me feel like no matter what life throws at us, we’ve got each other’s backs and it doesn’t matter if we haven’t spoken in a few days, a week or a month!

2. What's something nice that's happened to you recently?

Just over the last week my girls have made me happy and appreciated. They were at the fair they thought of me and bought me fudge. They are really stepping up around the house, like if they see a bin filling up they will empty it and they now bring their washing downstairs and put it in the washer without me having to ask. It's the little things like that which I find nice. They also include me in a group chat online and send me funny memes and videos throughout the day. It makes me feel so lucky to see them growing into thoughtful, caring humans.

3. Do you like the color orange? Besides a pumpkin and an actual orange, what's something orange you love?

I don't dislike it but I wouldn't say I loved it. I sat here a good couple of minutes trying to think of orange things that I love and it was hard. I came up with carrots, sunsets, orange fizzy pop and of course Terry’s Chocolate Orange!

4. What's something you have now you couldn't have imagined having five years ago? How does that make you feel? What's possible now because of it?

This time five years ago were in the middle of the Covid pandemic. We were all wearing masks, washing our hands obsessively and living in this weird, anxious bubble. We'd just came out of a lockdown and by 5 years ago next week we were going back into another. My dad became really ill with the virus and we lost friends. Back then I couldn't have imagined still having all of my loved one's and myself still being in good health.

Before the pandemic life felt like a constant rush but the lockdowns forced us to stop! It was strange but also gave us chance to reset. I wrote a blog post five years ago, Somebody That I Used to Know and much of it is still true today. I have less patience for nonsense, I love gardening even more and I really do appreciate the time we have together as a family. Because of the pandemic I find it easier to say no, to prioritise my mental health and to savour the small things. Life feels more intentional now which I never thought I’d say five years ago.

5. Let's wrap this one up with an October this or that...

Pumpkin bread or Apple cider donut - I have never eaten either but I really want to try an apple cider donut!

Cozy sweater or Cozy hoodie - Sweater! Hoodies are not my favourite, the hood annoys me.

Apple picking or Pumpkin picking - Apple picking!

Scary movie or Hallmark movie - Hallmark movie! I don't like scary movies at all.

Hay ride or Corn maze - I haven't done either but I do like the sound of a hay ride, the corn maze sounds stressful, I don't like the idea of being stuck in a maze.

Twinkle lights or Candles - Candles! Twinkly lights seem to give me a migraine.

Autumn hike or Autumn bonfire - Autumn bonfire, I love the smell.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I’ve decided that this is my favourite time of year, temperature wise. Most days it’s sitting around 14C, which is about 57F and it’s perfect. It’s Goldilocks weather, not too hot, not too cold, just right! It’s the kind of weather where I can go outside and not feel like I'm melting in the heat or shivering in the cold. I can go out with just a cardigan with no coat on if the sun is shining and the best part is I can then come home and slip into my fleecy pj's and under a blanket without it feeling over the top. It’s far too early in the year to be putting the heating on all of the time so when it does get a little chilly it feels like a treat putting the heating on and not like a normal every day thing that we do.