Cup of tea anyone? #InternationalTeaDay

Did you know that it is International Tea Day today?

International Tea Day is a time to raise awareness of the importance of tea in our lives and to raise awareness of the long history and the deep cultural and economic significance of tea around the world! It is also to raise awareness about the global tea trade, promote sustainable practices within the industry and honour the millions of individuals involved in tea cultivation and production.

I love a cup of tea and there is one for every mood! Feeling a bit under the weather? Reach for a soothing cup of chamomile or ginger tea to ease those sniffles. Need a little pick me up to conquer the day? A bold black tea or energizing green tea has got your back. And there is of course the herbal teas: lavender, and peppermint. The possibilities are endless!

Tea is like a warm hug for your soul. There's something incredibly comforting about cradling a mug of steaming tea between your hands. There is of course the social aspect too., whether you're catching up with an old friend over a pot of tea, going out for a fancy afternoon tea complete with scones and cucumber sandwiches tea has a magical way of bringing people together. There's a reason why the phrase "put the kettle on" is a well known. It's like saying, come, sit, let's share a moment!

I don't drink as much coffee as I used to and drink a lot more tea and my favourite of the day is at the end of the day when everyone is home, settled and fed and I get to sit with the soaps on the TV and enjoy the cuppa with a piece of cake! We used to drink PG Tips but when I have been at my dad's I have been drinking Yorkshire Tea and we seem to like it more. So much so my dad has just bought us a huge bag of tea bags from the cash and carry. While I was reading about Yorkshire Tea I discovered the Yorkshire Bedtime Brew which I bought tried and I have been drinking before bed. Of course it's decaf but also has herbs and spices in which make me feel sleepy.

Tea has so many health benefits. From boosting your immune system, aiding digestion and reducing stress. Plus, with so many caffeine free options available you can enjoy its goodness any time of day without worrying about staying up all night!

Today is the day to educate yourself on everything to do with tea, but especially the production of it. Did you know that tea production and processing constitutes a main source of income for millions of families in developing countries.

If you’re a lover of tea, then do some research about some of your favourite tea companies. Look up brands that support fair trade and possibly switch to those brands to make a difference in the way you buy tea. 

Are you a tea drinker? What is your favourite type to drink?

Our weekly meal plan! 20th - 26th May. #MealPlanningMonday

I messed up with Gousto! I few weeks ago I ordered 3 weeks worth of meals and thought it was all good until I checked the delivery which was supposed to be coming on Saturday. It turns out that hadn't booked it for Saturday just gone but for Saturday coming. That was not what I wanted. Oops. Thankfully I had chance to change things around but it did mean a change in what we ate over the weekend and what we are eating this week but it's all good. Today we are getting 3 meals delivered from Gousto and on Saturday we're getting a big box with 5 meals delivered.

Last weeks meal plan went well, apart from not eating the meals over the weekend. We had pizza and sausage, mashed potato and baked beans. The Peri Peri Spiced Fish Cakes was out favourite meal, I even cooked them in the air fryer which I think made them taste even better and my family were right not to be convinced by the French Toast With Bacon, Spiced Nuts And Caramelised Apple. It did taste and feel more like a dessert than a main course. It did taste so good though.

This week is our fun week with our Wednesday meal out at the pub bingo. I am thinking this time I want to win the £50 voucher for food. I have won all the other big prizes apart from that. hehehe Stu has overtime to do at work again and instead of finishing half an hour each evening for a couple of weeks he is going in to work today on his day off to get his hours over and done with. He's worked out that if he starts at his normal time he can be finished by 2pm.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Gousto meal - Beetroot Wellington With Mash And Onion Gravy. My family are not convinced about this, it does sound interesting but since we have been getting Gousto boxes we have tried so many meals that we wouldn't even think about.

Tuesday - Gousto meal - Hoisin Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry.

Wednesday - Becky and I are eating out and Stu and Ellie will be trying another new meal from the Chinese takeaway.

Thursday - Gousto meal - Beef Meatball & Tomato Farfalle.

Friday - Pizza

Saturday - Gousto meal - Sticky Honey Mustard Posh Dogs With Chips so long as I have ordered correctly with Gousto. lol

Sunday - Gousto meal - Chicken & Leek Casserole.

What are you eating this week?

Week 20 of #Project365 12th - 18th May. A photo every day for a year!

 Hello there and happy Sunday! I hope you are having a great day. We don't have much planned for today, I don't even think we will be leaving the house. It's Stu's only day off work today as he has to do overtime next week but instead of spreading it over a week he is doing it all tomorrow on his day off. Today is his lazy day.

I have had such a faff writing this blog post. Our internet kept going off. I had the previous hour planned, write this blog post while watching Doctor Who off the BBC iPlayer but I couldn't do either. Then when I came to write it I couldn't add the photos and then when I could I couldn't make them bigger. I don't know if it's a blogger issue or an issue with my internet. Ugh! So if the photos look a bit wrong I do apologise.

Now for a photo every day! 

133/365 - 12th May

Stu and I went out for lunch and I claimed my free bottle of wine that I won at the bingo. I thought you can tell we're heading into summer with the pub using plastic glasses but it turns out their glass washer was broken.

134/365 - 13th May

I had a few hours in the garden moving my plants into bigger pots. They are doing really well.

135/365 - 14th May

Just me. I was back to wearing Autumn looking clothes. It rained off and on all door but was still so warm. I am so glad I just wore tights under my dress and not leggings or jeans.

136/365 - 15th May

Becky bought some new clothes and of course had to try them on to show me. She said she was way out of her comfort zone not wearing baggy t-shirts and a hoodie but she needed something smarter for a night out.

137/365 - 16th May

My dad went to the cash and carry and bought me a huge bag of tea bags. 1040 should keep us going for a while.

138/365 - 17th May

As much as I love the Gousto meals I do change things up a little. Instead of having normal chips I made sweet potato one's and thought the Peri Peri fishcakes would be too spicy so didn't want the spicy peas so made minty one's.

139/365 - 18th May

This was my Saturday morning wake up! I had planned on a lie in but someone nearby was getting concrete/cement delivered and they made such a racket.

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

This week my Word of the Week is:

My Word of the Week was going to be insects but Ellie informed me that some of the creatures I am talking about (slugs) are not insects, they are ruddy pests thought! Ugh! 

Spring is a wonderful time of year with everything coming back to life and growing including bugs, insects and lots of creatures that I would rather not have in or near my house. I wrote a blog post earlier in the week "Ways to keep wasps out of your home!" and at the moment they are the least of my problems.

On Saturday I was hanging washing out on the line and saw things moving around my feet! Ants!! I would say at least 50 of them scurrying around when I looked closely. I know about ants, we had them coming into our house years ago. I know they follow a path and found out they were going to the box that has the tins and jars in to recycle. I know they are attracted to sweet things and I am totally blaming the kids and their empty cans of pop. Thankfully they were not coming too close to the house so I have moved the recycling box and Stu did some weeding and must have hit their nest as he saw hundreds while I went running! 

Our second creature problem this week is slugs!! We have always had the odd one in the kitchen and we keep them at bay with slug pellets and salt but now the slimy slug trails have appeared in the living room. We really can't fathom how they are getting in unless they are coming through the bricks on the fireplace. Stu is going to block even the smallest of holes tomorrow. We used to have holes to the outside, under the floorboards but we we got the insulated wall put up last year and that seemed to stop a lot of random creatures coming in. The slugs in the living room is a new thing! Eek! I refuse to come downstairs during the night now, even if I am desperate for a drink or the loo. I don't want to be confronted with the slimy slugs. Eww! I am blaming the weather we have had over the last week, it has been warm but very wet. It think it has rained every day since Monday. I keep having to run around the house shutting windows making sure the rain doesn't come in and then 10 minutes after a rain shower it's blue sky and sunshine again.

Ellie is refusing to hang the washing out on the line at the moment, there are too many spiders for her liking. The other day the line was full of web and lots of tiny spiders. It's no good, she used to be my spider catcher. hehehe

At the moment I am being tortured by a fly which has came in through the open window. I have my fly swatter but I just haven't been able to get it yet! I will swat it before it drives me totally insane, if it's not buzzing around my head it keeps landing on my laptop screen! Grr!

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good one!

What I have loved this week! Week 20. #FridayFavourites

I have had another one of those weeks where I was so busy for the first half and then things were quiet for the rest of it. After a busy weekend, Monday and Tuesday I was glad to have Wednesday to catch up on some blogging and jobs around the house and yesterday too. The weather hasn't been great over the past few days so it was nice to stay home. It's still been pretty warm, I've had the windows open but it has been raining. Not proper rain, that fine, misty stuff which seems to get you soaked more than normal rain. Ugh!

Today I am linking up with Erika and Andrea and share some of my favourites from this past week.

My youngest watching Grey's Anatomy!

Over the last few weeks Ellie has been watching Grey's Anatomy which has made me so happy as it's one of my favourite shows. She always said she wouldn't watch it as there was too much to catch up on but here we are, she's halfway through the 3rd season. She watches on her computer or tablet and will turn to me and just say random words and I know exactly what she is on about. It's times like this I wish I could go back and watch it for the first time. She stopped watching last night even though she had one more time for one more episode but knows something big happens at the ferryboat accident. hehehe

Out for lunch!

On Sunday my fella and I went out for lunch, Becky was sleeping for a night shift and Ellie wanted to watch Grey's Anatomy so we went without them. The table was booked for 1.30pm and we didn't get back home until just after half past five in the evening to the girls saying what time do you call this. I felt like a teenager again, being told off by my parents.

By the time we got there they had ran out of the gammon which I usually have but they had pork and it was amazing! There was the pork, broccoli, cabbage, Yorkshire pudding, stuffing, mashed potato, roast potatoes and roast parsnips. It's a meal I have thought about all week!

My eldest planning!

Over the last 6 months or so Becky has been to theatre shows, a couple of small concerts and club nights and now she is planning on going to a proper concert. She realised during the week that she had left it too late for Taylor Swift, she's sold out but has found tickets for Pink! Then it came to which venue to go to, how to get there and where to stay! I was laughing at her as she has only just realised there is so much to plan. I do sometimes wonder about her, she asked are we in Europe? I can understand her confusion about Brexit and technically we have left Europe but her next question was do I need a passport to go to Scotland?. It is a different country, again I can see where she was coming from but it is still part of the UK. I thought these were things that she should have known.

Potting plants.

The seeds that I planted are doing really well but I think they were getting too big for the seed trays that they were in so on Monday I moved them into bigger pots! Gardening is so relaxing and I had a lovely few hours outside. I hid in the shade, it was still warm but bearable.

I have lost track of what everything is though! The little labels I had on the seed trays had fallen off, I guess we will find out what everything is when they grow more. There's cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, sweetcorn, tomatoes and strawberries.

The end of the college year!

Ellie is speeding towards of the end of her first year in college and into exam season. Her lessons are all mixed up over the next month to fit in those resitting exams and tests. On her engineering course so far she has passed every test and exam so there is no extra work for her. The only exams she has coming up is her English GCSE which she is resitting from last year which she is not looking forward to although she is feeling confident. She is happy that she doesn't have to resit her maths GCSE, she is the only one in her engineering class who doesn't so she gets to have a late start a few times. Hooray!

Fancy drinks!

I went out for a meal during the week and ended up having a few drinks and they were a lot more fancy than I usually have.

I had a Peach Blush Spritz which combines my favourite drinks: rose wine, Archers peach schnapps and lemonade. Then we got really fancy and had a Strawberry Daiquiri, a Jammy Dodger shot which was black raspberry liqueur topped with Baileys and a Strawberries and Cream shot which was strawberry liqueur topped with white chocolate liqueur, it tasted just like milkshake. Eek!

What have you loved over the last week?

No Knead Lemon Curd Doughnuts - Recipe!

I love doughnuts. Earlier in the week on my blog post about my favourite foods it was a toss up between which out of doughnuts and carrot cake would make the list. Carrot cake won but only just. 

National Doughnut Week starts on Saturday and it is a very special week where businesses including bakers, coffee shops and offices take part and sell lots of delicious doughnuts to raise funds for The Children’s Trust.

Every week when I get the food shop delivered I buy doughnuts of some sort. Jam, sugar, chocolate or even custard but I have never had lemon curd one's. They sound amazing! These no knead Lemon Curd Doughnuts don’t only look great, they’re ready in under an hour! 

Made with less than 10 ingredients in 7 steps these are filled with lemon curd for a citrusy alternative to a traditional jam filling. 

Makes 8 doughnuts

Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

375g of plain flour.

150ml of warm water.

70ml of warm milk.

1 sachet of fast action yeast.

20g of caster sugar and extra for dusting.

30ml vegetable oil and extra for shallow frying.

2 teaspoons of baking powder.

A pinch of salt.

A jar of lemon curd.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl.

Deep fat fryer or large saucepan.

Wooden spoon.

Rolling pin or wine bottle.

Round cutter or glass (8-9cm).

Teaspoon / piping bag / sandwich bag for filling.

Method

In the large mixing bowl combine the warm water, warm milk, yeast, sugar and a third of the flour. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 10 minutes. Use this time to heat your oil for frying in the pan / deep fat fryer to 185°c.

After the 10 minutes mix the 30ml oil, baking powder and salt into the yeast mixture before adding the remaining flour and bringing it together by hand to form a sticky dough.

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle some flour on top of the dough, then roll out to a thickness of 2cm. 

Cut out the doughnuts using a glass or a cutter then carefully transfer to the hot oil 2 or3 at a time, dipping away from you as you put them in. 

Let the doughnuts cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side until golden brown then use the wooden spoon to flip them over and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the doughnuts from the oil and drain them on some paper towels before rolling them in the caster sugar to generously coat the outside of the doughnuts.

When all of the doughnuts have been cooked, sugar dusted and cooled slightly, use the end of the wooden spoon to poke a hole at the top of each doughnut before filling with lemon curd using a piping bag, corner of a sandwich bag or carefully teasing in with a teaspoon. 

Frying tip: To check if the frying oil is hot enough carefully put the stick end of your wooden spoon into the oil. If there are lots of little bubbles around the wood the oil is ready for frying. If it is bubbling vigorously and there are lots of bubbles taking over the pan, this indicates that the oil is too hot, remove the pan from the heat to cool down then try again. 

This recipe from the Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched by UK Flour Millers, making baking simple. You can find more Easy Peasy Baking recipes and information on the campaign over on the FAB Flour website.

Ways to keep wasps out of your home!

We are starting to head into wasp season and it fills me with dread. I hate wasps! When I was a teenager I was stung and had a really bad reaction. Not enough to send me to hospital but enough to scare me and my family. I have grown to loath them even more after the drama we had with them last year.

It all started with one or two wasps a day making their way into our bathroom, I just assumed they were coming through the window but Stu was doing some DIY work on the kitchen roof and saw wasps heading under the tiles on the bathroom roof. My dad came and put wasp powder under the tiles and we blocked the holes where they were getting in which in hindsight was the worst thing to do at the time. We thought that was it until later in the week where they came back with a vengeance. It turns out there was a wasps nest in the loft above the bathroom and pesky little things were coming through a hole they had made in the bathroom cupboard and making their way into the bathroom because they couldn't get back out the way they came in, the hole we had blocked. One day I stopped counting when I had removed 40 wasps from the bathroom. I ended up in tears and the professionals were called in and dealt with it. A little while later while my brother was helping out with some work around the house he ended up in the loft and found the wasps nest, all the wasps were dead and he removed it. It filled 2 black bin bags. Eek! 

Every time I have been in the garden over the last few weeks and I have seen a wasp I have kept a close eye on it to see where it was heading. So far they are staying away from our house but I have been reading up on ways to keep wasps out of and away from your home. 

Seal the cracks!

Wasps can squeeze through the tiniest of gaps to gain access to your home sweet home. Conduct a thorough inspection of your property and seal any cracks, crevices or gaps around windows, doors and foundations with caulk or any type of filler that you have.

Have screens!

Installing screens on windows, doors, vents and chimneys act as a barrier preventing wasps from flying in uninvited. Make sure your screens are in good condition and free of tears or holes that could provide entry points for these unwanted guests.

Keep an eye on your bins!

Wasps are attracted to the sweet smell of rubbish so keeping bins tightly sealed is essential. Regularly cleaning your wheelie bins will not only prevent odours from attracting wasps but also eliminate potential food sources.

Mind the sweets!

Wasps have a sweet tooth so avoid leaving out sugary treats and drinks that can lure them indoors. Keep kitchen counters clean and clean up any spills to discourage these winged scavengers from making themselves at home.

Trim and tidy!

Maintain your garden by trimming overgrown bushes and trees as these can provide ideal nesting sites for wasps.

DIY deterrents!

There are lots of natural repellents to keep wasps at bay. Peppermint oil, citrus peels, vinegar solutions, and garlic sprays can all help deter wasps from lingering around your home. Simply apply these solutions to potential entry points and outdoor areas to send a clear message.

Get the professionals in!

If you're dealing with a persistent wasp problem despite your best efforts don't hesitate to seek professional pest control assistance. Trained professionals can assess the situation, safely remove any existing nests and provide targeted solutions to keep wasps from returning. 

Have you ever had issues with wasps?

Share our lives - 5 Favourite and least favourite foods.

This months Share Our Lives prompt is: 5 Favourite and least favourite foods. I love food! Eating and making it and it was so hard to narrow down my favourite foods and I thought my least favourite foods would be easy to come up with but it really wasn't.

My favourite foods:

A McChicken Sandwich obviously from McDonald's but it has to come with no lettuce. A McChicken sandwich meal is my go to order usually with large fries and a full fat coca cola!

Fried egg sandwiches in white bread with tomato ketchup on. The yolk has to be broken and not runny. Partly because I don't like the mess but mostly because I don't like the runniness. I never let anyone make me a fried egg sandwich, I like the way that I cook them!

A Prawn Cocktail - Cooked prawns in a Marie Rose sauce with salad! If I was to have a last meal this would be my starter. It has made me so happy that our local pub has started serving them as a starter on a Sunday. I get one every time we have a Sunday lunch out.

Pizza - I can't pick just one type. I was allergic to cheese from my teenage years until about 10 years ago, it gave me really bad migraines so I rarely ate pizza. If I did eat pizza I would make my own without cheese. Now that I eat some cheese, mostly mozzarella home made one's are my favourite. I have BBQ sauce, smoky sausage, onions, mushrooms, peppers, sweetcorn and mozzarella cheese. If I get one from a takeaway shop I usually got for a Tropicana with ham, mushroom and pineapple on. Yes, I am one of those people who like pineapple on a pizza.

Carrot Cake - I had to include something sweet and carrot cake is my favourite sweet treat! Of all the cakes carrot is my favourite.

My least favourite foods:

Cheddar cheese - I have found out that cheddar cheese still gives me migraines, I can eat most other cheeses. I have found the darker the cheese the worse it is for me. I am fine with white cheese.

Broccoli - I just don't like it. To be honest I don't like most green vegetables but broccoli is my most hated. I don't like the taste but it's the texture too.

Liver - I remember as a child being told I wasn't allowed to leave the table unless I ate the liver and onions which were on my plate. I don't think I did eat it but I obviously left the table at some point. I just didn't like it and the thought of it now makes me feel queasy.

Gnocchi - We tried this in a Gousto box last year and there was nothing my family liked about Gnocchi. We didn't like the texture, taste or the look of it, it looked like Witchetty grub's. Eww! 

Blueberries - They have to be really hidden in food for me to eat them, I am just not a fan of blueberries.

What are your favourite and least favourite foods?

I am linking up with:

 Adrienne from Mom Life with Adrienne.

Dara from Not In Jersey.

Jen from Show me & Sweet tea.

Joanne from Slices of Life.

Sarah from Toronto Sam.

Our weekly meal plan! 13th - 19th May. #MealPlanningMonday

Monday again, they do come around quickly! Last weeks meal plan went well. We ate everything and on the day that I had planned to which seems like a big win. The Chip Shop Fish & Chip Burger With Curry Sauce was so good and just perfect for Saturday evening, we like to have something really nice to eat, that we all like and it certainly went down well. We will be having it again.

We have almost a full week of Gousto meals this week. I am getting a box delivered on Tuesday which we will eat this week and a box delivered on Saturday too which we will start eating over the weekend and for the start of next week. We really wanted some of the meals from next weeks box but if I got it next Tuesday as usual we wouldn't have chance to eat all of the meals as we have plans. The Sticky Honey Mustard Posh Dogs are amazing, we've had them before and the Chicken & Sweetcorn Potato Topped Pie too.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Burgers in buns with corn on the cob and fries. It it is still nice we might even cook them on the barbeque. I must remember to get some nice buns.

Tuesday - Gousto meal - French Toast With Bacon, Spiced Nuts And Caramelised Apple. This feels like something really different from what we usually have but I am excited to try it.

Wednesday - Gousto meal - Pork & Black Bean Stir-Fry With Rice. Stu and Ellie had beef in black bean sauce from the Chinese takeaway last week and we're hoping this tastes similar.

Thursday - Gousto meal - Cheesy Tomato Macaroni Bake.

Friday - Gousto meal - Peri Peri Spiced Fish Cakes With Chips And Spicy Peas. My family are not convinced by this meal but I think it sounds really nice. I might skip the spice in the peas as I don't want to overdo it.

Saturday - Gousto meal - Sticky Honey Mustard Posh Dogs With Chips.

Sunday - Gousto meal - Chicken & Sweetcorn Potato-Topped Pie.

What are you eating this week?

Week 19 of #Project365 5th - 11th May. A photo every day for a year!

Happy Sunday and to anyone from the US who is celebrating Mother's Day today, I hope you have a wonderful day! We are going to make the most of the warm weather and have lunch out at the pub and hopefully sit outside in the beer garden and enjoy a few drinks, if there's space. We were there last Sunday and it wasn't as warm as it's supposed to be today and it was packed.

We have had a good week, just plodding on. It didn't seem as hectic as the last few weeks which I am glad about but I seem to have got more done over the past week at my own pace. We tackled the garden, that is tidy. The mountains of washing are sorted and all put away and I even got the kids to tidy their bedrooms. I feel more in control of life at the moment.

Did anyone else see the Northern Lights? I totally missed them and saw all the photos yesterday morning. I am hoping I saw them last night or I will feel like I have really missed out. Hmmf!

Now for a photo every day!

126/365 - 5th May

We went out for lunch and this time Ellie joined Stu and I. She didn't fancy a roast dinner so had a breakfast. She was so happy that they gave her extra hash browns instead of the mushrooms that she didn't like.

127/365 - 6th May

This is Becky's favourite kitchen gadget, the cheese grater. She actually bought it herself when she saw it on TikTok. She eats a lot of cheese so it was well worth the money but it is a nightmare to clean.

128/365 - 7th May

The garden was tidy, a full line of washing and mostly blue sky. I have got all the washing done this week and have emptied the dirty washing basket a few times, it's just a shame that my family keep needing to wear clean clothes.

129/365 - 8th May

Bingo at the pub. We did well between us. Got a few free drinks around £30 in winnings and I won a bottle of wine which I will be drinking today. 

130/365 - 9th May

Ellie was given a Taylor Swift magazine and she thinks it's the best thing ever. She even learned a few things about her which she didn't know before.

131/365 - 10th May

Becky and me. Sunglasses were needed, I am loving all of this sunshine! I hope it lasts.

132/365 - 11th May

I put some weed killer down on the concrete outside. I had planned on cleaning the patio furniture but it was just too warm for me to be outside. I will get around to it eventually, I need to, I want to get the umbrella out and sit in the shade.

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

This week my Word of the Week is:

We have had some gorgeous weather over the past week. It really feels like summer is on it's way now. I love this time of year when it's warm enough to go out without a coat or jacket but not too hot that I am sweating. I don't do well in the heat. This week has been the perfect temperature for me, well apart from on a night time, it's too warm. I think we are going to have to change to the thinner duvet.

It was only yesterday when it really heated up and walking home from my dad's I was sweating! It was so good to get in the house and jump straight in the shower. We only got the shower put in before Christmas so I have been looking forward to using it during the warmer months to cool down and freshen up. It really is brilliant. I felt very indulgent during the week, I had a soak in the bath one afternoon and put a bath bomb in then didn't fancy washing my newly dyed hair in it so I had a shower after my soak. hehehe

On Monday Stu and I were out in the garden, giving it a tidy. I was waiting until my brother got around to taking our old fridge and cooker for scrap until I started sorting the concreted bit just outside the backdoor and kitchen window, he came yesterday so washing the garden chairs and table is a job for today. I am going to get rid of the weeds too and then we can really start enjoying the garden.

I told the girls off yesterday for complaining about being too warm. It was their own fault. They were dressed head to foot in black which of course attracts the heat. I only had black trainers on and my feet were burning. All winter they complain about the cold and all summer they complain about the heat, they're never happy. lol I am really enjoying summer dresses and adding a bit of colour to my outfits. I have even started painting my toe nails again when I am wearing my sandals and matching the nail polish to the outfit that I am wearing. I always seem to dress better when it's warmer instead of just cosying up in leggings and a thick woolly jumper.

We are going out for lunch tomorrow, I think it will just be Stu and me as Becky is on night shift and Ellie has said that she wants a lazy, pj day and to watch Grey's Anatomy! She started watching last week and is on the 2nd season already. I love that she loves it, it's one of my favourite shows. Stu and I are planning on enjoying the pub's beer garden. I have a free bottle of wine that I won at the bingo during the week that I think will go down well in the sunshine. hehehe 

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good one!

What I have loved this week! Week 19. #FridayFavourites

This week has felt like a short week with us having a bank holiday on Monday. I have been muddled up with what day it has been. Monday felt like a Sunday, I did my Wednesday jobs on Tuesday so that didn't help matters and then Thursday felt like a Friday. I am hoping today feels back to normal and today feels like the start to a weekend.

Today I am linking up with Erika and Andrea and share some of my favourites from this past week.

WWE Backlash!

I am totally back into watching the wrestling again and watched the live event over the weekend. I love it when they have shows in Europe as the fans are always amazing! The fans in France sung every word to everyone's theme and it was just one of those wow moments! Next month there is a live event in Scotland so I am hoping the UK fans don't let us down. heheheh

Bingo!

We went to the pub bingo again this week and won again, not quite as much as last time but my eldest and her friend won about £30 between them and a couple of drinks and I won a free bottle of wine! I asked the pub to save it for me for the next time I am there so that will be a cheap evening out. hehehe

Gavin and Stacey!

They are making one more episode. It was announced last week. Christmas day can't come soon enough! Gavin and Stacey is one of those shows which I can watch again and again, know word for word and still laugh along to. I usually can't stand James Corden but I do love him in this. 

Tidying the garden.

My fella and I were up early on Monday and had a tidy in the garden. The grass was in desperate need of a cut and I did some weeding. Stu got some new wire for the strimmer off my dad so could go right around the edges and trim all the grass. It looked so much nicer when it was finished although it will probably all need doing again in a couple of weeks after the weather we've been having. We've still had plenty of rain but lots of sunny days too. It's 20C as I am writing this and it's supposed to be even warmer tomorrow and Sunday.

Manifest!

I started watching Manifest this past week. I am sure I remember years ago I read about it being cancelled but then they made one last season the finish the story. "Manifest" focuses on a group of people who board a flight home from the Bahamas in 2013 only to touch down in 2018, though to them it seems like no time has passed. The passengers soon find themselves receiving mysterious visions they call Callings, which often lead them to save lives or solve crimes.

New hair!

I did my hair over the weekend, going from purple to a red/pink depending on what the lighting is like. Dying my hair is a process that I have to trust. I always panic when I put the bleach on to lighten it, this time it turned a pastel blue getting rid of the purple, the red dye looked very dark but in the end I was happy with the colour. It went on evenly and I got all of my hair covered so I'll take it as a win. It's not quite the red that I wanted but I will take the pink.

Country music.

I have never disliked country music but I wouldn't say I was a fan but I found myself listening to the top 40 music countdown this week and a lot of it seemed to be country. There were a handful of songs which I have added to my Spotify playlist to listen to while I am doing housework. Austin by Dasha, A bar song by Shaboozey of course Texas Hold Em by Beyonce were my favourites. Then I fell down a rabbit hole of finding other country songs that I like the sound of. I have a whole Country music list now. 

What have you loved over the past week?

I am loving watching the WWE again.

Over the years I had dipped in and out of watching the wrestling on TV, mainly the WWE brand. Over the last few years I haven't really bothered with it but recently I have got back into it and I am hooked again. It feels like it's heading in a new direction now that the old boss has stepped back.

I first got into watching the wrestling when I used to catch bits on the TV when I was in my late teens. They called it the Attitude Era where it got a bit edgy and more aimed towards adults and that is what reeled me in. It was the time of The Undertaker, D-X, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock who now goes by Dwayne Johnson, the actor who sometimes still appears on the WWE. 

I know lots of people say what's the point in watching wrestling, it's fake. So? Yes it's scripted but so is a Marvel movie, Eastenders or even The Simpsons. It might be scripted with the writers knowing the winners of a match before anyone gets in the ring but the wrestlers are amazing performers and put on a show like no other! 

Not all the outcomes and moments in wresting are scripted. People saying things that they really shouldn't, matches not ending like they should and of course there are injuries which happen. I remember not long after I started watching the wrestling and staying up really late to watch the monthly pay-per-views a wrestler died in the ring. Owen Hart. He was being lowered down to the ring from the rafters and fell. The show carried on and there was an amazing tribute show to him the next evening when all rivalries and storylines were forgotten about.

It's not just about the physicality of the sport it's also about the storytelling. WWE is like a never ending soap opera with plot twists, betrayals and epic showdowns which usually happen once a month at a premium live event! I sometimes forget that it isn't real like when wrestlers get so passionate about things. Recently there was a big match, someone won the a title and was so real, there were tears, other wrestlers came to the ring to celebrate it was real in that moment!

There are some amazing characters, from iconic legends to up and coming rookies. I have found myself cheering for one person one week and the next hating them when they have turned on their friends or beaten someone that I really like. What I am really like now is the ladies who are wrestling. In the late 90's the female wrestlers were treated as objects, they were there as eye candy but now I dare say some of them could go toe to toe with some of the men and beat them easily. They are all shapes and sizes and some are people that young girls can look up to, I am not saying all as some of their characters are just wrong'uns. hehehe

Over the last 6 months or so since I have been watching again there has been a big shift in what is shown on TV. One of the main people in charge (Triple H) used to be a wrestler and seems to "get it" more than the previous CEO. Things seem more relaxed which seems to make better TV. The scripted bits are less scripted. Just the other week one guy was talking to another and he ended up just breaking down laughing forgetting what he was going to say. There was a live event in France over the weekend and in my years of watching the Wrestling I have seen/heard nothing like it. The crowd were amazing, singing along to everyone's entrance song. There was such an atmosphere. I feel like I have started watching again at such a special time.

Apparently in January, next year, Netflix will be showing one of the WWE's weekly shows. Monday Night Raw. My thinking is that if Netflix is paying for that it's going to end up paying for more if people watch! I know I will be!

Have you ever watched the wrestling?