What I have loved this week! Week 31. #FridayFavourites

Happy Friday! I hope you've had a good week. Mine has flown by as usual. Can you believe it's August tomorrow? As always, on a Friday I am sharing all the little things that I have loved this week. Some are big, some are tiny but they're all things that have made me smile over the last week. I am of course linking up with Erika and Andrea to share.

Another job interview for my youngest!

Ellie, my youngest, had another job interview this week but she didn't get it and that's OK. I am still so proud of her, even getting an interview is a big achievement. There always seem to be so many people applying for every job, so just getting invited in means someone has looked at Ellie's application and thought she should be considered. She's not bothered in the slightest, it was a job but nothing special.

My eldest baking!

Becky had an afternoon of baking during the week. There was no stopping her. She started off by making a banana loaf, which tasted amazing and then went on to make brownies which were crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle. Perfect! She has said she wants to do more baking and I am not going to argue if it means we get yummy cakes. I remember baking with the girls when they were little and we always had great fun but now they bake themselves. I don't have any of the stress or washing up to do but I still get to enjoy the cakes.

This flower!

It's one of the prettiest flowers in my garden at the moment. According to my plant identifier, it is an annual mallow. The bees and butterflies love it.

Verifying my age!

This was something I wasn't expecting to have to do this week. Stu and I both play online games from Blizzard Entertainment. He spends his time playing World of Warcraft while I play Hearthstone. They're our little ways of switching off and relaxing. We received emails saying we needed to verify our age because of the UK Online Safety Act. It sounded straightforward but it ended up being a pain in the behind. Well, for Stu it was. He had everything they wanted to but wouldn't verify him. After watching him struggle, I thought I had no chance but I didn't need to worry at all. I put my phone number in and that was enough to prove my age. Don't ask me how, maybe because I have had the same number registered with me for over 18 years but whatever it was, it worked and I am not questioning it. We only found out afterwards that the only reason we needed to verify it was so we could chat with other players, which is something we don't even bother with.

Dyed hair!

My hair desperately needed doing. The roots were showing and there were too many grey hairs for my liking, so out came the bleach followed by the colour and now it's back to a lovely pinky-red shade again. I would like it bright red but after using pink one too many times, my hair seems to hold on to that no matter what red dye I put on and I am too scared to bleach it too often. I even tried a new dye to me during the week and it made no difference. My hair is still pinky-red.

Not catching a summer cold!

One thing I have definitely loved this week is not catching the cold that Stu has had. He's not been seriously ill but he's felt really run down, achy, tired and he has been very, very snotty. It seems to be doing the rounds at his work but thankfully, he has kept it to himself. He seems to be over the worst of it now, so hopefully the danger has passed but I have stocked up on cold and flu tablets just in case.

What have you loved this week?

My August goals & plans!

I’m carrying on with my monthly goals and plans because writing things down really gives me that little kick up the bum to actually get things done. I always feel more motivated when I have a list to look at instead of just thinking I should probably do that at some point. When it’s written down it feels more official, like I’ve made a little promise to myself.

I did pretty well with my goals in July and ticked a lot off my list.

Go to a couple of local events - Yes and we had a great time! We have more things planned for August too.

Go and see Moana at the cinema - Yes, it was good but I expected more from it than just an actual remake of the animated one.

Try some new recipes - Yes and lots of family favourites which we haven't had in ages.

Find a fake tan that works - I didn't need one. I have tanned naturally. I even have tan lines on my feet where my sandals have been.

Go to the beach - No, we didn't make it to the beach. Well, I didn't. Becky went and did all the seaside things like having fish and chips, walking on the beach and playing in the arcades. We have had a lot going on in our real lives and just couldn't find a day when we didn't all have plans.

Start planning the girls birthdays - Yep, we have made some plans and they have already changed and more plans have been made.

Change the furniture around in the living room - Not yet but that might be a job for today!

Walk more - Yes, I was out and about more in July than any other month this year.

Defrost the freezer - Yes, it's all done! Phew!

Spend more time with each of my girls - Yes and it has been lovely!

In August, I want to:

Get some important life admin done!

I have some important things to sort out this month. Nothing to worry about, everything is fine here but there are just those jobs that need doing. There are forms to fill out, solicitors to see and probably even more forms after that because it always seems like one piece of paperwork leads to another!

Drink more water!

I am trying to get better at drinking more water, especially when it's warm out. I know I always feel better when I drink enough but always forget to. At the moment I am trying different flavours of water, so I hope that helps.

Go and see the new Spider-Man movie!

We have got into the habit of seeing a film at the cinema every month and it's something I like doing. Ellie and I really want to see the new Spider-Man movie, so hopefully we can make that happen in August. I think we should rewatch the old ones too. We love Spider-Man here.

Celebrate Stu and Ellie's birthday!

It is birthday season in our house. First up is Stu's in the middle of the month and Ellie's at the end. We have some things planned and I think we're going to have a lot of fun!

Make a summer dessert I’ve never tried before!

I love summer food, especially the desserts. I want to try making something new. Maybe a Strawberry shortcake, a S’mores traybake, Lemon tart or a Mango cheesecake. Becky is getting back into baking so I am sure she will want to help.

Have a mooch around the charity shops!

It has been ages since I’ve had a proper look around the charity shops. I love having a good browse because you never know what you might find.

Have a picnic!

It doesn’t have to be a big organised picnic with a basket and matching plates but that does sound nice. I am saying that even a sandwich, crisps and a drink packed up and eaten somewhere different counts.

Make lots of things with tomatoes from the garden!

As I’m writing this, I have quite a few tomato plants that are doing really well and I’m hoping for a good crop. I love growing things, especially when you can actually use what you grow. I’m hoping to make homemade pasta sauce, bruschetta, salsa and maybe even some chutney. Now I just need the tomatoes to hurry up and ripen!

Decorate the bathroom!

This is not a goal for me but for Stu, I will be there cheering him along though. We decided the bathroom needs a fresh coat of paint and he has taken charge. Usually I am the one to do the decorating in the bathroom and even though it's a small room, it's a lot of work, I like that I don't have to do it this time.

Have an ice cream from the ice cream van!

This one has to happen! It won’t be long until the ice cream van stops coming around, so I want at least one proper ice cream during August. I want a proper cone with creamy ice cream and a flake in it.

What do you have planned for August?

The Wednesday Hodgepodge #66

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 was the last thing you celebrated?

I think the last big celebration was Father's Day when we went out for a meal to celebrate Stu. All our big celebrations are coming up all my family's birthdays over the next couple of months. With nothing big to celebrate, we have been celebrating the little things like the nice weather, leftover pizza for lunch, family time, little adventures, clothes drying out on the line quicker than I can wash them and Ellie having another job interview on Monday. I will write more about it later in the week as I am writing this before the interview happened.

2 July 29th is International Day of the Tiger. Besides the wild animal itself, when you hear the word tiger what's the first person-place-thing-whatever that comes to mind?

When I think of tigers, the first thing I think of is Tigger from Winnie-the-Pooh! When Becky was little she loved everything about Tigger and was crazy about the song The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers. She would bounce around singing it at least 5 times a day. I was pregnant and we were talking to Stu’s brother about baby names. He jokingly suggested, in front of Becky, that the new baby should be called Tigger. Well, that was it. Becky was convinced. As far as she was concerned, the baby’s name had already been decided. She told everyone that her new baby sister was going to be called Tigger. After a lot of discussion and tears, she did come around to the idea of her sister being called Ellie. lol

3. The expression 'eye of the tiger' describes someone with intense focus, determination, and the drive to succeed. What area of your life are you currently bringing that kind of energy to?

At the moment, my “eye of the tiger” is probably going into making the most of life and not sitting back waiting for things to happen. I am trying to create my own opportunities instead of waiting for them to appear in front of me. I’m trying to say yes to new experiences, living more in the moment instead of planning everything in great detail and of course, working towards my goals.

4. What was the last meal you cooked?

I am writing this on Sunday morning, so the last meal I cooked was last night and it was homemade pizza. I say homemade but I did cheat slightly and buy ready-made pizza bases and we just added our own toppings. Ellie made her own with way too much on top and I made Stu's and mine. He had tomato and sweet chilli base, onions, mushrooms, pepperoni, ham, salami and cheese. For mine, I had a BBQ base, onions, mushrooms, sweetcorn and chicken with a little bit of cheese on top!

5. Describe your July using exactly five words.

Family, football, walking, busy days!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I have done a silly thing. I wanted something easy to have on the TV in the background and decided to start watching The Walking Dead from the beginning again. I seem to do this every year around this time of year. The good thing this time is that there is even more to watch because I saw on social media that there is a new series of one of the spin-offs, Dead City, which follows Maggie and Negan. The Walking Dead is one of those shows that I loved. The characters, the storylines and all the twists and turns kept me watching even when the last couple of seasons were not that great.

The great sock mystery!

Some people say you know you’re truly running a household when you start losing socks at a suspicious rate. If that’s the case, then I must be running an empire because in 2026, the sock situation has hit a new level in this house. What gets me is that we're not talking about toddlers pulling their socks off and losing them when we're out. We’re talking grown adults, people with jobs who make mostly sensible decisions, yet they can’t keep a pair of socks together for more than a week!

Every time I do the washing I feel hopeful. I open the washing machine and think this is the time when everything will match and every single time, there it is. One sock, alone, looking at me like it has no idea where its mate went. How does this even happen?

Nobody claims responsibility, of course they don't. My youngest says she put both socks in the wash, my eldest promises she didn’t leave one in her room and Stu keeps giving me suspicious looks as if I’m the sock thief. It’s become such a normal part of life that I don’t even get annoyed any more. I just sigh and put the lonely sock in the sock basket. We have one now, as there were so many odd socks at one point, I gave up, put them all in a basket and hoped the pairs would be reunited at one point. My girls don't even care any more, they just wear odd socks which doesn't really help the situation.

I’ve spent more time thinking about where all the socks go than I probably should. So I came up with a few theories, not wild, not silly, just everyday possibilities that somehow still never fully explain it.

The bedroom black hole!

My girls seem to have one in each of their bedrooms as so many things go in their bedrooms never to be seen again. There must be something about bedrooms that just swallow socks. They tidy, hoover but then they move the bed slightly and suddenly eight socks appear and of course, not one of them matches the others.

The laundry basket problem!

Everyone in the house will swear they definitely put both socks in the basket but I’ve lived here long enough to know what actually happens: one sock goes in and the other gets abandoned on the landing, behind a radiator or under a chair. It’s always somewhere weird, like it got tired halfway to the basket and needed a lie down.

The washing machine shuffle!

Somehow, socks love clinging inside sleeves or getting stuck inside trouser legs. Half the time, I find them curled up inside a hoodie like they’ve been on a little ride and forgot to tell anyone.

I can’t be the only one who feels proud when two socks finally match up again. It feels like I’ve solved a tiny puzzle no one asked me to solve. The funny part is that even though everyone in this house is an adult now, the sock mystery hasn’t improved. In fact, I think it might be worse. Adults have bigger socks, more socks and an incredible ability to lose them mere minutes after taking them off. I try to be organised. I’ve bought matching sock sets, I’ve tried washing them in those little mesh bags and I’ve done the whole only buying black socks, so everything matches thing but no matter what, the sock chaos continues!

Sometimes I think the mystery isn’t meant to be solved. It’s just one of those small, everyday things that make a home feel like a home. Do you have a problem with odd socks?

Our weekly meal plan! 27th July - 2nd August!! #MealPlanningMonday

How are we heading into August already? I keep saying it but this year is flying over! Before we know it, we'll be buying Halloween sweets and then it'll be Christmas! Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ours was a nice quiet one and just what we needed. Our weekend was mostly spent gardening, watching TV and nothing much else. It was nice though.

Last week's meal plan did not go to plan at all and only started going to plan on Friday. lol All our plans changed at the start of the week and we never really got back on track. All was good though. We didn't eat badly and we ended up having ham salad one night because it was quick and easy, chicken fajitas because everyone fancied them and some leftover Bolognese from the freezer, which was one of those meals that saved the day.

This week we have a few nice plans that I'm looking forward to. Becky is planning on doing a little baking. It all came about because her partner couldn't get their favourite banana bread from the shop, so she said she would bake some. I bought the bananas with the food shop late last week so they will be almost overripe when she comes to use them. Stu also has a day off work this week, which doesn't happen all that often, so we're going to make the most of it and do something as a family. Everyone is free and it has been a while since that happened.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Pork and apple sausages with potato wedges and mushrooms and peas!

We're starting the week with something nice and easy. I really like pork and apple sausages as they just seem a bit more interesting than plain sausages and the apple gives them a lovely little bit of sweetness. I'll pop the potato wedges in the air fryer until they're nice and crispy, the mushrooms fried and we'll have peas on the side too.

Tuesday - Chicken dippers in wraps with salad!

This is one of those meals where everyone can make their own wrap just how they like it. I'll cook the chicken dippers in the air fryer and everyone can fill them with whatever they want. Lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes and whatever salad bits we have in the fridge.

Wednesday - Cheeseburger pasta bake!

We're having something a little different in the middle of the week. We had this cheeseburger pasta bake before, many moons ago and I fancy making it again. It has all the flavours of a cheeseburger but mixed with pasta and loads of cheese on top. I'll probably serve it with some garlic bread because this meal feels like it has to have garlic bread!

Thursday - Quiche and salad!

After Wednesday's pasta bake, we're keeping things nice and simple on Thursday! Quiche is an easy tea and it's perfect at this time of year with plenty of salad. It will be shop-bought quiche, probably cheese and onion or cheese and bacon.

Friday - An all day breakfast!

We'll be having sausages, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans and chips. I know some people would prefer to have hash browns but we've always preferred chips as they seem more filling.

Saturday - Chinese takeway!

We haven't had a Chinese takeaway in what seems like ages, so I think we're due one. I usually go for sweet and sour chicken balls with fried rice but I will be pinching bits from everyone else's meals too. That's the best thing about a takeaway in our house, everyone shares.

Sunday - A help yourself evening!

I have no plan for Sunday. Everyone can help themselves to whatever they fancy and use up bits from the fridge, freezer and cupboards.

What are you eating this week?

A photo every day for a year! 19th - 25th July Week 30 of #Project365

Happy Sunday!! I hope you've all had a lovely week and are enjoying your weekend. I have had a great week with lots of time outside, which is always a good thing when the weather has been so nice, warm but not too hot! We've had another quiet weekend so far and I don't have much planned for today apart from watching TV, catching up on some blogging and eating lots of nice food.

Now for a photo every day!

200/365 19th July

I didn't want to like the half-time show during the World Cup, it seemed like such an American thing but I loved it! My favourite part was definitely The Muppets appearing. I was not expecting that at all and it made me laugh. 

201/365 20th July

Mine and Ellie's little adventure on the sculpture trial started with brunch! We decided to have something to eat before heading off and it was a lovely way to start our day. The food was only OK though. The sausages were too undercooked for my liking and the bacon was overdone. We didn’t let that spoil our day and we definitely walked off all the calories afterwards.

202/365 21st July

I don’t think my cherry tomatoes are actually cherry tomatoes! They are carrying on growing and growing but they are not turning red yet. I keep checking them hoping to see them changing colour but not yet. I do love growing things, even when it doesn’t always go exactly to plan.

203/365 22nd July

It seems like years since I have had a butterfly cake! Ellie brought me one in and it took me straight back to being a kid. They were always a Sunday afternoon tea treat and a favourite at parties. It was a lovely little surprise and definitely brightened up my day.

204/365 23rd July

I love the sunflowers in my garden. I always thought sunflowers moved to face the sun but mine are doing their own thing and pointing in all different directions. I read that young sunflowers do follow the sun but once they mature they usually face east. There's a little fun fact for you.

205/365 24th July

The farmers around here have been really busy harvesting their crops over the past couple of weeks. We've heard them at all hours doing their thing. It always amazes me how quickly it all happens. They were busy on Thursday and I passed by the field while they were combining. I ended up getting a mouthful of dust from the machines but I still had to stop and take a photo because it is such a fun part of living in the countryside.

206/365 25th July

Stu is planning on decorating the bathroom when he has some time off work next month. He has some big plans and has been ordering stuff in preparation. Instead of painting around the shower, he's ordered some PVC shower wall panels, so it'll look a bit different when it's finished. It's his project, so I'm quite happy to let him get on with it. The last couple of times the bathroom has been decorated, I've been the one doing all the work, so I'm more than ready to let him get on with it. It might be one of the smallest rooms in the house but it always seems to take the most work!

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

This week my Word of the Week is:

I hope you have all had a great week. Mine has been fantastic with a good mix of being busy, staying on top of things at home and of course, some downtime. We've had some lovely weather here this week. The temperature has been just right for me! It has been great to open the back door and have a bit of a breeze coming through the house, even if the flies did come in. Hmmf.

I've spent quite a bit of time in the garden this week. I had an afternoon out there pulling weeds, trimming things back and giving everywhere a bit of a tidy up. There's still of course lots to do but by the time I'd finished, it looked lovely and I felt very pleased with myself. Of course, now there are already more weeds appearing. Ugh. It really is a never-ending job!

The biggest excitement has been my tomato plants. I have around ten of them and they're all doing really well, although they all seem to be growing at different speeds. Some are full of green tomatoes while others are only just catching up. Every morning I go and check on them and see how they are doing. I was convinced one of the plants would already have ripe tomatoes on by now but what I thought were going to be little cherry tomatoes are actually much bigger and they still seem to be growing. I hope it won't be long until I can pick some. I have lots of plans for tomatoes this year!

The school summer holidays officially started this week where I live. It still feels a little strange, even though Ellie has now finished college. For the last 20 years, our lives seemed to revolve around school holidays and now they don't but I can't help thinking that we should be making plans, having adventures and enjoying the extra free time. Things are different now but Ellie and I still decided to have a little adventure together. We headed into town to take part in the We're Going on a Bear Hunt sculpture trail. Since I read about it online I have been dying to go hunting for the bears. I don't think either of us realised quite how much walking we'd end up doing. By the end of the day we had walked miles. One of the best things about our little adventures was that we explored parts of our little town we had never been to before, walked down streets we don't usually use and noticed little things we'd never noticed before.

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 to join in with her Word of the Week linky!

What I have loved this week! Week 30. #FridayFavourites

Happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a great week. Mine has been a good one and I have been quite busy. I am here today sharing what I have loved this week and I am of course linking up with Erika and Andrea to share.

My girls and appointments!

My girls have had a busy week. My eldest went to view another house with her partner. They liked this one a lot more than the previous one they viewed and didn't get. It ticks more boxes and isn't too expensive. Hopefully, this will be the one for them. My youngest has been here, there and everywhere. She has had a few appointments and managed to find her way to them with only a couple of phone calls to me asking for directions when she got lost. It was a new area to her and travelling there was way out of her comfort zone but she did it!

A bear hunt!

My youngest and I went on the We’re Going on a Bear Hunt sculpture trail in Scunthorpe, the town where we live. There are ten large bears hidden around the town as well as eight little bear cubs to find. We didn't quite manage to find all of them but we found more than half, so I'm calling that a success. We walked for miles, stopped off for lunch and even got a drink from Starbucks! It was a good day!

Elle!

When I heard there was going to be a series about Elle Woods before Legally Blonde, I was a little unsure but I loved the new series on Prime! It's all about Elle’s teenage years and shows us what she was like before Harvard. I watched it all in a couple of days and loved it! Nobody can replace Reese Witherspoon’s Elle Woods because she made the character iconic but Lexi Minetree does a fantastic job of making the role her own! One of my favourite things about the series was the 90s setting. The clothes and the music.

Cooler weather!

It's still warm here, warm enough to enjoy being outside but not as warm as it has been and I am loving it. It has been mostly 20C today, which is 68F and that is the perfect temperature for me. It is easier to sleep, housework doesn't feel as much of a chore and I have been able to get out into the garden. I've had a proper tidy up out there. The weeding has been done, well as much as I am willing to do. It's hard to tell what are weeds and what are flowers which haven't fully grown yet!

Sunflowers!

One of my favourite things about this time of year is watching the sunflowers bloom.

Little House on the Prairie!

Surely we have all heard of Little House on the Prairie? Netflix has a new version, telling the story of the Ingalls family as they leave their home and begin a new life on the American frontier. The scenery was stunning and the costumes too. I like the characters, especially the kids and I watched it all in a couple of days. I really enjoyed watching it. It’s one of those shows that doesn't need all the flashy drama. Sometimes the simplest stories can be the best ones.

Reading challenge!

At the start of the year, I set myself a challenge on Goodreads to listen to 35 audiobooks. I imagined I'd listen to a couple a month but I have just realised it's week 30 of the year and I have just started my 30th book which means I am averaging one a week! Go me! I never thought I would be someone to enjoy books but here we are.

What have you loved this week?

My favourite summer drinks from best to worst!

Summer and drinks just go together, don’t they? The moment the thermostat ticks past 20C, I want a drink in my hand at all times. I have become one of those people who can’t function without ice cubes. Every trip out somehow turns into an opportunity to try a new drink and my fridge starts looking like a mini corner shop.

Summer drinks are an absolute minefield. Some are pure bliss in a glass and others taste like melted plastic and regret. So here is my very important ranking of summer drinks from best to worst.

Iced Coffee!!

This is the drink that gets me through summer without being a grumpy cow! There is something magical about iced coffee. Especially when you’ve been melting all morning and finally sit down with one that’s freezing cold. The sound of the ice clinking around the cup cools me down, just hearing it and the caffeine kick is a great boost.

Fruity Cocktails!

Cocktails make me feel like I'm on holiday, even if I'm just sitting on a plastic chair in the back garden. They’re fun, colourful and they make the summer feel a little exciting. I want something that is bright and comes with a slice of fruit stuck on the side and a silly umbrella. Give me a Sex on the Beach, a strawberry daiquiri or a pina colada. It doesn't even have to have alcohol in, it can be a mocktail.

Fizzy Coca-Cola Out of a Can!

Not a bottle or glass, it has to be out of a can! Coca-Cola from a can tastes colder somehow. I don’t know the science behind it and I don’t need to know. It just does. The sound of opening a can of Coke on a hot day is one of the best sounds, especially when it’s been in the fridge for ages. That first gulp hurts with the coldness and the fizz but it is sometimes what is needed.

Lemonade!

Lemonade is one of the simplest drinks but in the summer it is so refreshing, especially with loads of ice. I love proper cloudy lemonade most but I’m not fussy. If it’s cold and fizzy I’m happy. Lemonade is also one of the few drinks that works with absolutely everything. You can have it by itself or a mixer for another drink.

Fruit Cider!

Fruit cider feels like summer in a glass. Strawberry and lime, mixed berries, dark fruits. There’s something about fruit cider that feels less heavy than other alcoholic drinks in hot weather. It’s cold, fizzy and easy to drink. Sometimes a little too easy.

McDonald’s Milkshake!

A McDonald’s milkshake in summer is either the best decision ever made or the worst. There is no middle ground. Sometimes they’re thick and freezing cold and perfect and other times you spend ten minutes sucking through the straw with nothing coming out. The main problem with them is they can become too much very quickly in hot weather. You start off feeling refreshed and end up feeling like you’ve swallowed melted ice cream by the bucketload.

Iced Tea!

I want to love iced tea more than I actually do. It always looks so refreshing and people drink it in films while sitting on porches looking peaceful and organised but when I drink it, I spend the entire time trying to decide whether I like it or not. Some flavours are nice, especially a peach one but others somehow taste both watery and too sweet at the same time. I’ll happily drink iced tea if it’s offered to me but I’m probably not choosing it first.

Coconut Water!

I keep trying coconut water because people insist it’s refreshing, healthy and amazing and every single time I convince myself maybe this will be the time I finally understand the hype. It never is. I know loads of people love it and swear by it in summer, especially during heatwaves but I just can’t get excited about it.

Fruit Smoothies!

This might be controversial because smoothies seem healthy and cheerful but I just don’t want a thick fruity drink when it’s hot. They feel too filling and I don’t want to chew my drink. Homemade smoothies are always a gamble. One banana too many and suddenly you’ve created baby food, shop bought smoothies are better but they still leave me feeling weirdly thirsty afterwards.

Blue Raspberry Slushie!

Last place is the blue raspberry slushies. I don’t care how nostalgic you feel about these they are a crime against humanity. What even is a blue raspberry? Have you ever seen a blue raspberry? They look amazing but they are too cold! The freeze gives you brain freeze, they taste too sweet and artificial and when you finish one and your tongue looks like you’ve been eating crayons.

What are your favourite and least favourite drinks in the summer?

The Wednesday Hodgepodge #65

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. Do your goals and dreams energize or exhaust you? Elaborate.

For me, my goals and dreams energise me! I write a goals and plans post every month here on my blog and there's something about writing everything down that gives me a kick up the backside to get those things done. I write myself a to-do list most days of jobs to do around the house that I work my way through it. I don't always get everything done but I don't feel overwhelmed, I feel motivated that at least I got something done. Sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day.

2. July 23rd is national lemon day. Are you a fan of this flavor? What's a favorite dish or beverage you enjoy that calls for lemons?

I am not a big fan of lemons. I don't hate them but I don't go out of my way to choose lemon flavoured things. There are a couple of exceptions though. 

You can't beat a glass of lemonade with lots of ice on a really hot day, there is nothing better. It's so refreshing and I also wouldn't say no to a slice of lemon drizzle cake. I don't eat it very often but if someone offered me a slice with a cup of tea, I'd happily tuck in and enjoy it and think to myself why don't I eat it more. I do enjoy using lemon scented things to clean with though, everything always smells so fresh!

3. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"...is this something you're pretty good at managing? Have you had to do this recently? If so tell us about it.

I like to think I'm quite good at making the best of a situation. I'll probably have a little moan about it first but then I usually start thinking about what I can do instead of focusing on what I can't. A good example recently has been the really hot weather. I love summer but there have been points where it has been too hot to do everything that I have wanted to outside. Instead of going out for the day or getting jobs done around the garden, it has been better to stay inside where it's cooler and I've used the time to catch up on blogging, watch a film and tackle a few jobs around the house that I'd been putting off. Thankfully it has cooled down now to a more manageable temperature. 

4. Something you love that is lemon yellow in color?

My mind has gone blank and the only thing I can think of is sunflowers! They just look so cheerful and always remind me of summer. I have some growing in my garden that are as tall as me and they look like they should be blooming any day now! This one was from last year!

5. How would you describe your attention to detail?

My attention to detail is pretty good, especially when it comes to things that matter to me. If you’re expecting perfection in my blog posts, you’re looking in the wrong place. I definitely have the odd typo, spelling mistake or completely miss some punctuation. I’m more focused on sharing the story and getting my point across than I am about pleasing the grammar police. When it comes to attention to detail with my family, it is so important to keep things running smoothly with things, like noticing when we're running out of milk, using up food before it goes bad, remembering important dates, following new recipes properly so they're a hit with my family and remembering small details that my girls have told me.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I’m writing this on a Sunday afternoon and I’m still buzzing from last night’s France v England game. What a match! That was proper football, the kind that reminds me exactly why I fell in love with the game in the first place. Both teams went out there and gave absolutely everything but it was so refreshing to see it played the right way. No silly drama, no nonsense with alleged corruption and none of that nasty stuff on the pitch. No dodgy fouls or anyone trying to hurt each other, it was just two teams playing with real skill and enjoying themselves. And because they were enjoying it, I loved watching it at home. It was just brilliant from start to finish. The excitement and the respect that both sides showed each other!

One of my favourite summer days out! The agricultural show!

The Winterton Agricultural Show is something we have been going to ever since we moved to North Lincolnshire seven years ago and it has become one of those days that I always look forward to every summer. It's a traditional country show and has a brilliant mix of farming, food, shopping and entertainment, so even if you don't know the first thing about agriculture, there's still loads to enjoy. There's cattle, sheep, horses, vintage tractors and classic vehicles alongside food stalls, local businesses, craft tents, fairground rides, live entertainment and displays in the main arena. There really is something for everyone.

The day didn't exactly get off to a smooth start! My dad had two vintage cars to take to the show and has spent all his time working on the Reliant Ant (the orange one) to make that show worthy and he just assumed his Reliant Scimitar (the yellow one) was good to run as he last drove it a couple of weeks ago. Well, on Saturday morning he was supposed to pick Stu and me up as he was driving the Ant and my brother was driving the Scimitar. That didn't happen as the Reliant Scimitar had a petrol leak! The whole pipe was split and when we arrived at my dad's my brother was underneath it and not in the best mood as he was in his nice clothes with stinky overalls over them. A wheel had to come off so they could repair the petrol pipe and they had an hour to do it. Amazingly, we were on our way to the show in 45 minutes. Of course, it wasn't the end of the little hiccups. Just as we got out of my dad's gate, the Scimitar broke down. My brother and I were behind and my brother went out and gave it a push start. What a drama! We made it there with time to spare and the big bonus was Stu and I got in as my dad and brother's guests, so we saved ourselves £15 each, the entry fee!

First up was finding something to eat since we had missed breakfast. One of the things I love about the Winterton Show is the food. There are always loads of food vans selling everything from burgers and loaded fries to cakes, ice cream and fresh coffee. We got a bacon sandwich and a fancy coffee to get us going.

We never have a real plan for the show, we do a lot of wandering with little stops to look at things. We wandered past the motorbikes, had a look at the sheep, stopped to admire some beautiful owls and browsed a few random trade stalls selling everything you can imagine.

Eventually, we made our way over to the main arena to see what was happening. There were cattle being judged along with the amazing agricultural horses. I don't think you ever quite realise just how enormous some of these horses are until you're sat looking at them. It's lovely watching the owners proudly walking them around the arena after all the hard work that clearly goes into preparing them.

After that came the Driving Turnout. An equestrian event where competitors show off horses or ponies harnessed to vintage, classic, or traditional carriages. It's one of those things which is so relaxing to watch and it's nice to see traditions being kept alive.

When that was finishing off, we decided to visit the craft tent and do my favourite thing at the show, shopping! I can never resist looking around all the handmade stalls. Last year I held off buying things until the end of the day and a lot of what I wanted was sold out. This time I wasn't holding back and the bonus of my dad being there was that I could drop anything I bought off with him, so I didn't have to carry it around.

Last year I bought a horse print from a little company called Keeper Kraft. They make handmade pictures made from upcycled shotgun cartridges and feathers. I got the feather one because the shotgun cartridge ones had sold out. This time I got one! I also bought a gorgeous framed glass art from Smythical Media, a knitted plant, the most amazing fudge and a few other things!

After dropping everything off with my dad, we headed back to the main arena just in time for the Scurry racing. If you've never seen it before, imagine Formula One but with ponies. lol Tiny ponies pull lightweight carriages around an obstacle course as fast as they can. If they knock over obstacles, they get time penalties added to their score. Even after coming to the show for years, I still love watching it. Everyone around us was cheering as the ponies raced around the course and it became far more exciting than you'd expect if someone simply described it to you.

It was coming up to lunchtime and there was only one thing we wanted, the stone-baked pizza made in a little truck. We've had it the last couple of years and it is amazing! I am a bad blogger and didn't take a photo. We made it back to the main arena in time to see the floats coming in! Local schools and community groups spend weeks building and decorating the floats and the procession travels through the streets allowing the local community to cheer on the participants before the floats reach the showground and are led in by a marching band. They get judged and prizes are awarded for the most creative or best decorated ones.

We then went for another wander, stopped off at the beer tent for a pint of something cold, had a catch-up with my brother and my dad's partner and then gave into Ellie's nagging of wanting to go on the fairground rides. Stu and the girls went on the Twister, Becky chickened out of going on the Waltzers so it was just Stu and Ellie and only Ellie was brave enough to go on the Miami. It's a ride that is a long row of seats which spins in vertical circles. It's not for me, just watching it made my stomach turn!

To finish the day, we headed back to the main arena to watch the Bold Dog FMX stunt team. The riders performed huge jumps, backflips and tricks on motorbikes, which was something quite amazing to see!

By the time we left, we realised we had been there for about 7 hours and fitted so much into our day! It was so much fun and when we got home we were more than ready to sit down for the rest of the evening! It was another great year at the country show and we will be back next year!