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

This week my Word of the Week is:

You know when you just feel a bit off? Not ill, not sad, not angry just not quite right. That has been me all week. I am putting it down to hormones and Perimenopause symptoms. Oh joy! I've been feeling quite wonky all week.

It started on Monday when I woke up feeling meh, in a fog that not even my iced coffee could shake. I felt a bit wobbly and wonky, a little bit anxious for no real reason and it’s just been one of those weird, inbetween weeks where things haven't seemed to click properly. My usual routines have gone a bit sideways, I’ve been feeling disjointed like life is moving at one pace and I’m lagging just behind it a little.

Our lightbulbs have been acting wonky. The hallway, dining room and bathroom lightbulbs have all needed to be replaced this week, I can't complain as I can't remember the last time they were changed but the one in the dining room was acting really strange. It would come on, then start flickering before going off. Of course I couldn't find the new lightbulbs, I knew we had a box and had to wait for my fella to ring from work to tell me where they were. In the garage, that was the last place I would think of looking. I hate that spider infested, cob webby space. Of course I sent Ellie to go in there and get them. She's trained to be an electrician for 2 years so I used that to get her motivated and she even climbed the stepladder to change the bulbs. She's trained in that after all, yes she actually had a couple of lessons in how to climb ladders safely. 

I haven't slept well this week even though it has been a little cooler. I think it was Tuesday evening when I went to bed and it was chucking it down, it was so lovely to hear the rain against the window. You’d think it would have been easier for me to drift off but no, I’ve been tossing and turning most nights. Too hot then suddenly freezing, then wide awake at 4am wondering if I remembered to lock the back door or shut the living room window, I had. I've been waking up tired even though I know I have technically slept. It’s the kind of tired that makes the whole day feel slightly wonky. I put the kettle on to make a cup of tea and soon realised I hadn't filled it. I put water in, walked away did something and came back to make my cup of tea and wondered why it wasn't looking right when the water mixed with the tea bag. I had forgotten to switch the kettle on! Doh! That must be the brain fog that I keep hearing about.

Even with all the tiredness, brain fog and general life wobbliness, there were some really lovely bits tucked into the week. Laughing at TikToks with my girls, watching the Live Aid concerts with my family, cherry picking with my dad, sticking to our meal plan, the girls going for a day out and a double date with the special people in their life and my dad getting Ellie a desk that she can use in her bedroom.

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

What I have loved this week! Week 29. #FridayFavourites

I have felt off all week, out of whack again with what day it is and I've had little motivation. I'd like to say it was because of the heat but it has been slightly cooler here. Still hot but not as bad as it was and we've had some rain too! Hooray! I just feel meh so my favourites from this week are short and sweet. I am of course linking up with Erika and Andrea to share the things that I have loved over this past week.

Live Aid!

On Saturday it was the 40th anniversary of the Live Aid concert. Obviously when it was on live 40 years ago I didn't appreciate it as I was only about 5 and a half years old. I have seen bits since but never the full concert which we watched as a family on Saturday night. My girls thought they would only enjoy Freddie Mercury and Queen part but knew almost all of the performers and quite a lot of the songs! It was fantastic to see all the 80's fashion and have a good sing along. It's sad to think how many of the singers have died now. What a huge loss to music!

Cherries!

I went cherry picking at my dad's. His tree has done really well and I got a great haul and made cherry crumbles which I blogged about yesterday!

Gousto meals.

We have had a break from getting the Gousto recipe boxes delivered for a few weeks as we wanted to have some of our favourite meals and we've done that and I am so over trying to think of what to feed us. Gousto makes it easier for me, offers different meals each week and lots of them are still new to us. Next week I have a new one, one we've had before and love and one we haven't tried but have had similar.

Discounts!

The day after ordering the Gousto box for next week I got an email from them with 40% discount off my next box, 40% off my second box and 20% off for the next two months. I thought it was just my luck to get it after I'd ordered a box but I clicked get discount and it applied to the box for next week! Hooray!

My 2nd decent discount was from Temu, I learned a trick to get credit applied to my account. How annoying is it when you buy something and see it for a better price a day or week later? It turns out Temu do something called a Price Adjustment. I'll tell you about it in case you didn't know. When you've ordered something you can go to where you track your order click price adjustment and it will show you all the items which are cheaper than when you bought them and you get the difference back in credit. I got just under £6. Fantastic!

Pretty flowers! (slightly battered from the rain)

A make do table!

When we shortened my youngest girls bed to make more room in her bedroom there was space for some sort of table or dressing table where she can do her make up. I knew if I waited I could get one cheap and did, well my dad did. He got a desk from the local auction for a couple of pounds. I say it's a make do one as Stu and I have decided we are going to get my girl a proper dressing table for her birthday with shelves, a big mirror and lights for her birthday and it's going to be a surprise so Shhh! She doesn't read here. hehehe

What have you loved over the past week?

Cherry Picking, crumble making and a taste of summer!

Every year like clockwork my dad's cherry tree bursts into life and fills up with cherries. Sometimes the birds get there before we do but this year we timed it just right. Since the middle of May we have been keeping a close eye on the cherries, we saw them growing and they were looking good. A couple of weeks ago they started to turn red but were not quite ready.

 I hadn't planned on picking cherries when I went to my dad's, if I'd known I'd have worn something different from a black and mostly white dress and white trainers. I don’t know what was more fun, the actual picking, the taste testing (purely for quality control of course) or the time I spent with my dad as we pottered around under the branches chatting about nothing and everything.

Picking your own fruit is brilliant!! There's no plastic packaging, no queuing at the supermarket and the biggest bonus of all they're free. The cherries were plump, dark and shiny, with that perfect mix of sweetness and tartness when you bite into them.

Cherries are in season now here in the UK, well it's heading to the end of the season. It usually lasts from mid-June through July to the beginning of August. So now is the time to make the most of them. You can find them at local markets, farm shops or if you're lucky like me growing in someone’s garden!

While they’re lovely in salads, on porridge or just eaten by the handful whenever I pick fruit the first thing on my mind is a crumble!! I know everyone associates crumble with apples in the autumn but cherries give it a whole new taste. They're ridiculously easy to make too!

So here is my go to cherry crumble recipe using fresh cherries.

For the cherry filling:

600g fresh cherries, pitted (about 4 cups)

2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

75g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp lemon juice (optional, but it brightens the flavour)

For the crumble topping:

150g plain flour

100g cold unsalted butter, diced

75g light brown sugar

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F / Gas mark 4 or your Air Fryer, there was no way I was using the oven on one of the hottest days of the year!

Prep the cherries:

Give them a good wash, pit them, a fiddly job but quite relaxing. I just use a straw to poke the pip out and pop them in a bowl. I remember years ago we only had paper straws and it was such a mess, metal straws are the best for this job!

Toss the cherries in with cornflour, caster sugar, vanilla and lemon juice and give them a mix. Cherries release a lot of juice when baked. A spoonful or two of cornflour (cornstarch) mixed in helps thicken the filling so it’s more jammy than soupy and a splash of lemon juice really lifts the flavour and balances the sweetness of the cherries especially if they’re very ripe.

Tip the mixture into your baking dish or whatever you have. I used some metal trays that we had in the cupboard as I wanted something to fit in the air fryer.

Make the crumble topping:

In a separate bowl, rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs then stir in the brown sugar. Don’t worry about being too perfect, crumble is meant to look rustic!

Assemble and bake:

Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the cherries. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and you can see the cherry juice bubbling around the edges. That bubbling is your cue that the fruit is properly cooked.

Serve:

Let it cool slightly before serving. I always want to have crumble with custard but as it's a summer dish I like it with ice cream or cream poured over. Yum! Cherry crumble keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days. Reheat it in the oven or microwave or eat it cold it’s delicious either way.

Have you ever made cherry crumble before?

This or That: Summer Edition!

It feels like summer, smells like summer and sounds like it too! Tis the season of sunshine, sandals and sipping something cold in the garden while pretending not to notice the ever growing laundry pile indoors! I thought it would be fun to play a little game of This or That, this time it's the Summer Edition!

Ice cream cone or ice lolly?

It depends on how hot it is. If it is just hot I would choose and ice cream but if it is scorching outside I would go for an ice lolly. Something icy always cools me down. I am not fussy what type as long as it's cold.

Sunbathing or shade lounging?

Shade lounging definitely! I used to love sunbathing, I remember being a teenager and my friends and I would cover ourselves in baby oil and soak in the sun. Damaging our skin was the last thing on our minds back then and I feel lucky that my skin has held up quite well. Now I hate sitting in the sun, I just feel sweaty and sticky. It is no fun at all. Give me the shade anytime!

Water park or amusement park?

Amusement park as long as I don't have to ride any rollercoasters. I have been on some big and fast one's in the past but I seem to have got more fearful the older I have got.

Ice cream van or seaside chippy?

Ohh! Fish and chips by the sea is something special! I don't know if it's because I'm out in the fresh air or eating with my hands that makes the difference but fish and chips somehow taste better by the sea.

Coconut scent or mango scent?

Coconut! That just screams summer to me. I am using a coconut body lotion at the moment and I love it.

Stay in the UK or travel abroad?

Stay in the UK. I have never been out of the UK and I don't really feel like I want to. I know what's what here and I am not a fan of hot weather so I am happy staying on home soil.

Sausages or burgers on the BBQ?

This is a really tough choice, I love both. At this moment in time I think I would choose a burger as long as it's not too well done.

Slushie or smoothie?

Slushie. I rarely have slushies but I do love them on a red hot day! I want that brain freeze feeling while it cools me down.

Street food or bring your own picnic?

If we are going out for the day I would say street food. I don't want to be carrying a bag around with a picnic in but at the same time I do love a picnic. There's nothing better than a scotch egg or mini sausage roll.

Corn on the cob or coleslaw?

Coleslaw. I like corn on the cob but it is a faff to eat and messy too.

Sand between your toes or water up your nose?

Both sound like some sort of torture but I think I would go with water up my nose. Sand between my toes seems to be so hard to get rid of!

Summer playlist: 80s, 90's hits or current chart?

Definitely 90's hits. I was a teenager in the 90's and have so many memories associated with songs. Spice Girls Wannabe, Livin la vida Loca, The Macarena, Mmm Bop, Barbie Girl, I want it that way, Genie in a bottle and so on and so on. They all seem like cheesy, pure pop songs but that is what I like.

Slip 'n slide or bouncy castle?

Now I would say a bouncy castle when I was a child a slip and slide. My brother and I made one when we were kids from plastic tarpaulin and pinching the washing up liquid out of the kitchen, my mother was not amused.

Seaside rock or candyfloss?

Candyfloss! Whenever we visit a fair or a local event which has stalls selling sweet treats I always get myself some candyfloss.

Big floppy hat or sunglasses?

I would choose sunglasses! I rarely wear a hat of any sort in the summer but refuse to leave the house without sunglasses!

What would you answer for these questions?

Share our lives - Best Vacation Memory!

We're well into July already and the summer is flying over already! Please slow down a little. Anyway, it's time to link up with the Share our Lives bloggers and this months prompt is Best Vacation Memory!

As I am from England I will be using the word holiday instead of vacation. Using vacation doesn't come naturally to me even though my girls when they are talking about going on holiday say vacation.

This blog post was a hard post to write as I haven't been on many holidays in my life. Don't feel sorry for me. When I was a child growing up my parents ran their own businesses and we lived on a farm so it felt like one big holiday, there was always so much for my brother and I to do. The farm meant that we tended to have more day trips out and short weekends away than say a 2 week holiday, the animals wouldn't feed themselves.

One summer when I was about 8 years old my family and I we went to a seaside town, I am not even sure where it was but we had a couple of nights away. We all slept in one room and my brother and I caused trouble over breakfast because we picked ceral that we hadn't had before and didn't eat it then got a full breakfast and only ate the toast. Oops. Anyway it was a lovely break away. We rode on donkey's on the beach, had ice cream and fish and chips, went on the funfair, paddled in the sea and all of the usual beach things. I remember going to a show one evening and seeing The Krankies, they were a comedy duo and I thought they were hilarious! Fandabidozi! hehehe

Another summer we went away for a night and had a mystery day out. My brother and I didn't know we were going and my dad, the joker said we had to hide under coats in the back of the car because kids weren't allowed in where we were going. We were only going to a theme park (Lightwater Valley) and of course kids were allowed in. Goodness knows what the people in the kiosk thought my brother and I were doing when my dad was paying to go in. It was a big surprise and a very fun day out apart from my dad trying to get me to go on an underground rollercoaster called The Rat Ride. It was as awful as it sounded as it was themed around sewer rats. Eww!

My first real holiday as an adult was to Blackpool with a group of friends for my 18th birthday. We went for 3 nights. We had 2 wild nights out in pubs and clubs. We slept most of the days we were there so didn't even go to the beach and went out on an evening. It was all girls so we had the fun of all getting ready together, chatting up boys we would never see again, drinking questionable drinks and by the 3rd night we were worn out and had spent all of our money so stayed in the hotel watching some music awards show before we got the coach home. It was a holiday to remember!

Back in 2018 we had a little family holiday over Christmas with my dad and his partner. It was such fun but also so stressful getting the train 2 days before Christmas and then home 2 days after Christmas. It was before we moved closer to my dad so it was nice to spend some quality time with my dad. We had a fantastic few days, it was nice to have Christmas again not having to cook but the travel makes me not want to travel so close to Christmas again.

A couple of years ago we went back up to the North East for a family wedding but we had a couple of days in a city nearby, Newcastle and doing all the touristy things we never got to do when we lived there. It was so much fun, especially with the lovely hotel.

We are hoping to have a holiday later on in the year. I am not going to say much about it now, you will hear all about it when we are home.

What has been your best holiday?

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! 14th - 20th July! #MealPlanningMonday

Last weeks meal plan did not go well, I'm all for keeping it real here on my blog and out of the 7 meals I planned we ate 1. Oops! There was no real reason, it was just one of those weeks were things throughout the day didn't go to plan, nothing bad happened just unexpected things like Stu having an unexpected day off work, it being extra hot, spending longer at my dad's than I thought, the girls changing their plans at the last minute and just a little bit of being lazy. Nothing went to waste as the fresh meat got put in the freezer which will come in handy another day.

The only meal that I planned last week that we ate was the Chinese chicken curry, it was so nice. We also ate takeaway pizza, chicken fajitas, sausage rolls and chips, pasta salad and omelette so it wasn't that we ate too badly, we just didn't eat what we were supposed to.

Anyway, it's a new week and I have a new meal plan and not much else planned for the week apart from waiting in for deliveries. I've ordered the last of Ellie's birthday presents, I say that but I will probably keep buying things until her birthday next month. How is my baby 18 in about six weeks?!

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Jacket potatoes with whatever toppings we want, probably baked beans and cheese.

Tuesday - Red onion and bacon tart with new potatoes and salad. This is inspired by one of the Gousto meals we have had in the past but instead of leeks I use red onions.

Wednesday - Fish fingers, chips and peas.

Thursday - Tuna, pepper and butterbean salad. 

Friday - Pizza!.

Saturday - Vegetable stir fry, spring rolls and prawn crackers.

Sunday - Sausages, mashed potato, veg and onion gravy.

What are you eating this week?

A photo every day for a year! 6th - 12th July! Week 28 of #Project365

Yesterday my word of the week was unplanned but by looking at my photos from this week it really should have been "sweet". Honestly, I don't always eat sweet things even though this week it looks like it!

I am so glad we went to the country show last weekend on the Saturday as it was lovely weather, the Sunday was wet and grey. My dad was still there on the Sunday showing off his vintage car and had to go running into it plenty of times to avoid the downpours. Eek! Since the weekend it has been hot, hot hot! I had a panic on Thursday while I was cleaning the wheelie bin out, using the hosepipe. While I was waiting for the bin to dry a little I was watering the plants when I was hit with panic thinking there was a hosepipe ban. I turned the water off and came inside to check! There isn't in the area where I live. Phew! It's confusing as sometimes where I live we are classed as being in Yorkshire and the Humber region but apparently it all goes by who supplies your water and we are not customers of Yorkshire Water. I am being more mindful about the water we use though.

Now for a photo every day!

187/365 - 6th July

Candyfloss! I bought a bag from the show and of course I didn't get to eat it all, my family got there first but I did get the last bit!

188/365 - 7th July

I had an unexpected walk out after being on the phone and on hold to the doctors, it turns out it was quicker to walk down there and speak to the receptionist face to face. I called in the butchers and bought myself a treat, the cream scone was like a reward.

189/365 - 8th July

Just hanging out in front of the air fryer waiting for something to cook. I love my air fryer, it keeps the kitchen much cooler compared to when I use the oven. I rarely use my oven now.

190/365 - 9th July

I went out into the garden to do some weeding, it was warm but not the warmest day that we've had this week. There was actually a nice breeze coming from the fields. All the weeds were removed for now.

191/365 - 10th July

I bought some Pear Drops expecting them to be the same as I remembered from being a child. I was very disappointed. They are not the same and taste so different. Hmmf.

192/365 - 11th July

I picked a bag full of cherries off one of my dad's trees and spent an age taking the pips out and got the juice everywhere. What a mess but worth it, I made crumbles with them.

193/365 - 12th July

I always buy an iced coffee with the food shop. I do make my own at home but this feels like something a little bit special.

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

This week my Word of the Week is:

If there’s one word that sums up my week it’s unplanned!! There's been unexpected twists, last minute changes and all those moments where you say "well that wasn't on my bingo card for the week!"

We had been watching the weather forecast in the run up to last weekend as we were going to a nearby country show and some days it was forecast rain other times we looked it was going to be dry but not as warm as it had been. It turns out it was the perfect weather which I wasn't expecting. I took a jacket which sat in my backpack all day and a cardigan which I had taken off before we had even got to the end of our street! Stu actually got a little bit of sunburn on his arms. Eek! We had a great day!

We had planned to go out to see a band at our local pub after the show but the girls decided that they'd had enough moving for the day, our legs were aching from all of the walking we had done so we had an unplanned evening at home and it was lovely! We just sat in front of the TV and relaxed. We didn't have any real tea and just ate snacks and sweets that we had bought during the day.

Stu set off early for work on Monday, it is his usual day off but this week he was working it so he could have Saturday off. The bus was late which wasn't a great start and he got part of the way there and then the traffic stopped. The bus was on the Humber Bridge when traffic came to a standstill and there was a crash ahead. The Humber bridge is about a mile and a half long so if you are on the bridge when traffic stops there's nowhere to go. The bus driver wasn't letting people off to start with but then people started kicking up a fuss and made their way off the bus and walked back to the nearest town. Stu just hung tight, the crash happened at about 7am, he started work at 8am and he was still sat there at almost 10am. He rang work and said he wouldn't be in, would just work Saturday and try again for a day off next week. Yes, he wished had had got off when other people did. lol He carried on to Hull, picked a few things up that he needed and doesn't usually have time to buy and then came home. It was nice for him to have an unplanned day off even if it did start off a bit chaotic. From what I have seen online it was a five vehicle crash but thankfully there were no fatalities. I do hope everyone was OK.

The meal plan I wrote over the weekend has been pretty redundant. Some weeks it all goes to plan and weeks like this I have just been winging it! Instead of carefully prepared meals it’s been more like get what you want from the fridge! It's fine but I do feel a bit unorganised by it all. Yesterday I hadn't planned on doing any baking but there I was making cherry crumbles after picking a bag full off my dad's trees! I cheated and used the Air Fryer as I wasn't heating the kitchen up when it was so warm.

We have had quite the saga getting an appointment that Ellie needed. I'm not going to say what as it's personal to her but we didn’t expect to be waiting until the middle of September for a slot but which is so frustrating as we wanted it sorting over the summer. So rather than sitting around waiting I’ve been hunting for alternatives and thought I had found a way to get the job done by travelling to Hull and all was good until we got another phone call saying someone had checked and we're just out of their catchment area. Ugh, so now we wait although I do keep phoning back up and checking if they have any cancellations.

Usually I like routine and all the planned things but this week has been interesting and a little bit fun. The nice, unexpected weather, the unplanned day with Stu, it has been fun to feel a little bit naughty and not stick to the meal plan and even in the frustration of sorting Ellie's appointment we did have a laugh about it.

Now I just want a quiet weekend, we have no plans at all and that I am happy about! How has your week been? I hope you have had a good one! I am of course linking up with Anne who blogs at Raisie Bay for her Word of the Week linky!

What I have loved this week! Week 28. #FridayFavourites

What a week. I feel all out of whack with our usual routine but I'm fine with that. This past week has been full of the unexpected and unplanned and I am actually happy about it. I am of course linking up with Erika and Andrea to share the things that I have loved over this past week.

Easy phone calls!

If you know me, you know I hate speaking on the phone. I had a couple of calls to make over the past week and it makes such a difference when the people I am phoning want to help and make everything easy apart from one, the doctors! I was on hold for 40 minutes and had got down to caller 8 from caller 12 when I started. It turned out it was easier to go to the doctors surgery and speak to the reception face to face. lol It was a nice walk out and I was there and back in the same time that I was on hold. 

Pizza!

I shared half of this pizza with Stu over the weekend from the country show that we went to and it's something I have been thinking about all week, it was so good. Just a simple ham and mushroom one but it was perfectly cooked! They cook it in a little van and I've only ever seen it at the country show, I guess I'll have to wait until next year for another one.

My eldest being back at work!

I love having Becky off work, she took a couple of weeks holiday and we had a great time together but it is good that she is back at work. It adds a little bit of normality and routine to our days. She was in work Sunday night and had an easy shift then Monday and Tuesday off so it was a gentle start to being back at work. She's worked the last couple of nights and she said it's taking some getting used to again. Eek!

Sunflowers!

The sunflowers I have grown from seeds are getting tall, they're about four foot tall but had no flowers on until the weekend, this one appeared from nowhere! It wasn't there the day before I took this photo!

Seeing my dad happy!

He was happier than a pig in mud over the weekend showing off his vintage car at the local show. He loves talking about all things cars so was in his element educating people about his. He was there for the full 2 days of the show (my family only went on the Saturday). On the Sunday he ended up winning a prize of lunch for two in the fancy hospitality tent from a local company. He said the food was amazing and it was nice to get out of the rain. I am so glad we picked the dry day to go!

Horse art!

I bought this at the country show we went to over the weekend, it is made from feathers and is something a bit different!

The Walking Dead!

I've seen it all before but I was stuck for something to have on the TV for a bit of background noise during the week and decided to rewatch it. Of course it's going to lead me onto watching Fear the Walking Dead and all the other spin offs.

What have you loved over the past week?

How I really feel about wearing shorts!

I used to love wearing shorts, when I was a teenager and even in my 20's I had a cracking pair of legs. I put it down to all the horse riding that I used to do. Now, in my mid forties with a body that’s lived a life, birthed children and developed a fondness for late night snacks the idea of slipping into a pair of shorts, especially the kind that go above the knee makes me want to run for cover. This is not a pity party, I don't want compliments, it's just a bit of truth from me about how I feel!

It’s not even about the weather. It could be 30 degrees and I’ll still be thinking that I know I should wear shorts but I just don't. The sun might be blazing but the moment I put on shorts my brain kicks into a self conscious overdrive. I look in the mirror and suddenly it’s not just my legs I see, it’s the cellulite, the stretch marks, the veins, the scars from shaving mishaps and then the voice that lives in the back of my head pipes up with you really should have started moisturising daily when you were twenty!

I know it’s silly. It is everywhere online about body positivity. I know we’re all supposed to embrace our bodies and love our flaws but sometimes that feels like a massive ask when I’m stood looking in the mirror. The truth is I hate showing off my legs. I’m overweight and I carry most of it in my thighs so shorts especially the shorter ones make me feel exposed in all the wrong ways. They ride up when I walk, they cling in weird places when I sit down and they always make me second guess myself.

When I catch sight of women my age and older confidently strolling in shorts without a second thought I feel this strange mix of admiration and envy. I want to be like that. I want to get to the point where I can say, this is my body, these are my legs. They’ve walked me through life, they’ve climbed hills, danced in kitchens, stood for hours making dinner for my kids. They deserve the breeze!

Maybe one day I’ll get there. Maybe this summer I’ll start small with the safe, just above the knee pair I bought last year but haven’t had the courage to wear out. Maybe I’ll pair them with a long, floaty top and pretend I’m someone who totally wears shorts all the time or maybe I’ll stick to my trusty 3/4 length leggings. Either way I’m learning not to beat myself up about it. Shorts or no shorts, my worth is not measured by the skin I show.

Do you wear shorts?

The Wednesday Hodgepodge! #20

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 over at From This Side of the Pond! Each week there are 6 questions, we answer and then link up. Simple!

1. What's an adult problem nobody prepared you for?

The constant mystery of where all the teaspoons go? I buy a full set, twelve shiny little spoons and within a month I’m down to three. The rest have vanished into the abyss, probably off living in a parallel universe where single socks and hair ties also retire. It’s like they sprout legs and flee the moment responsibility hits. lol I used to blame the girls, they would eat yoghurts with the teaspoons and I thought they were putting them in the bin with the yoghurt carton but no. It's a mystery! Nobody warned me that adulthood would include contemplating whether I need to buy more teaspoons once every few months!

2. How tuned in are you to all the recent food related health news? Have you gotten rid of your scratched cookware? Did you pay attention to food additives before they made the news? What's one healthy eating/cooking/food shopping habit you need to adopt?

Honestly, I’m not very tuned in to the recent food related health news I usually don’t follow all the updates closely. I think a lot of it is scaremongering and there is just too much information out there, it's hard to keep track. I usually just stick to what I know.

I didn’t even know scratched cookware could be a problem, so I haven’t got rid of any yet, the only time I do is if bits are flaking off.

As for food additives I’ve never really paid much attention to them before they made the news. I think it’s easier to just focus on eating freshly home cooked meals and not stress too much about every little ingredient.

I already meal plan and I we are quite good at sticking to what I eat but what I want to get better at portion sizes when cooking and serving meals. I always seem to cook too much and probably put too much on our plates. I need to get better at that.

3. What's getting worse and worse as you get older? How about better and better?

My eyesight is getting worse. I struggle to see anything in the distance and have to squint a little if I am reading something off the TV. I am supposed to wear glasses for watching TV but I don't even know where they are and the last eye test I had was years and years ago.

What is getting better is my confidence in myself and knowing what matters in my life. With age I’ve got better at stopping nonsense in it's tracks, trusting my instincts and focusing on the people and things that bring me happiness. 

4. Are you more of an indoor person or an outdoor person? Elaborate.

I’d say I lean more toward being an indoor person. I love the peace and control I have inside my own space. That being said I also appreciate spending time outside. Fresh air, a bit of sunshine and doing some gardening. While indoors is my happy place most days I try to make sure I get outside enough to keep that balance.

5. If you had an expert personal assistant today, what would you have them do?

If I had an expert personal assistant today, I’d have them handle all the meal planning and grocery shopping for the next month. From picking new recipes that fit my families tastes and doing the online food shop orders making sure I have everything I everything I need. Meal planning and ordering groceries online is a chore which takes time and a lot of thought.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I hate updates when it comes to technology! My mobile phone has just done an update and it has changed how I use it. I used to swipe down to go to the settings and extra things like my torch and it was all simple, now if I swipe on the left hand side it brings me notifications and on the right hand side I get my settings which they've moved around. Hmmf. I never get to my torch or Mobile data setting on my first swipe.