a 'free' morning

Well, I'll use 'free' in its more lose sense!    After the pre-school drop off, a a nice long walk with Harvey the hound and getting the kitchen back into shape after a dinner for 10 we hosted yesterday evening (think kitchen explosion!), I have 2 and a half hours to myself!  Yay!

Time to catch up with a few of my favourite blogs, actually getting to finish a hot cup of tea (instead of warming it again and again!) and sitting on the sofa during the daytime (such a rare happening).  I have a pile of magazines gathering dust that I'm going to flick through and ...  well there is no 'and'!  That's it folks I'm       R E L A X I N G.

I feel a calmness which I am going to enjoy every last minute of.

Happy Wednesday to you.

sunshine

A little sunshine came our way at the end of last week.  Yes, the real thing with temperatures reaching 64 ̊F, blue skies and no jacket!  This week it's a different story - snow on Monday morning, and rain every day since.  Bring back the sunshine I say!

But some 'virtual' sunshine arrived too, in the form of a little 'Sunshine Award' from Kelly at 'Last Day of May'.  Kelly has a fabulous eye for colour, design, fabrics and wallpapers, and an adorable little girl E - check them out - you won't be disappointed.

Kelly passed on a few questions, and as it's been a while since I did a little Q'n'A session, here we go....

Favourite colour?  Green.   I am drawn towards every shade of green - except the bright fluorescent kind.  And I have green eyes - maybe the two things are related?

Favourite animal?  Not sure I have one, although if we are talking about pets I would go for a dog over a cat.

Favourite non-alcoholic drink?  I had fresh hibiscus lemonade in Hawaii and loved it. But my usual non-alcoholic fave would be tea or water.

Facebook or Twitter?  Facebook (reluctantly joined up about 9 months ago and haven't regretted it, especially now having moved halfway around the world from my family and closest friends.  I'm not a Tweeter!

Favourite number?  Don't have one.

Favourite day of the week? Friday - the start of the weekend - and Friday nights out are always the best!

Passions?  Huzz, kiddos, home, beaches, vacations - preferrably all combined in Hawaii or Florida Gulf Coast.

Getting or giving presents?  Both!  Although I'm not keen on getting surprises and like to be 'in' on the gift beforehand!

Favourite pattern? I do love a stripe!

Favourite flower?  Hibiscus (of course!), hydrangeas (my garden in NL has the most gorgeous bushes with pink, purple and blue flowers) and hyacinths (which the Huzz and I had at our wedding).

 Photos by me!

Wishing you a fabulous weekend whatever you may be up to.

meme over at Mimi

The lovely Keeley over at Mimi Grace (a London girls' passion for make-up, beauty, hair and fashion) asked me a few questions recently about my personal take on make up, style and beauty.  If you have a few minutes free, and fancy knowing some more about little old me, then pop over for a read.

Mimi Grace is also worth stopping by anyhow - she gives great tips on fashion style, make up, special offers and the her own guide to what's hot and what's not.   Enjoy.

getting to know you

Getting to know all about you.....  can you feel a song coming on?  (An original song from 'The King & I' from 1951 should you be curious!).

Anyhow, getting back to the title....   Lou at the gorgeous blog Lou Boos & Shoes tagged me with this little number.

What is your favourite time of day?
It used to be mornings.  Remember those lazy Sundays when a late wake-up would be followed by tea or coffee in bed, Sunday papers? (Lucky you if you're still getting them).  That all stopped almost 8 years ago now.  If I wake up before the kiddos (once in a blue moon), I try to sneak downstairs to sit by myself in the quiet, drink my tea and read for a while.  I like knowing Huzz and the kiddos are still tucked in bed above me.  But so often a creak of the floorboards wakes up someone and all hopes of a little alone time vanish with the sound of 'Mama'.

So now I don't really have a fav time of day.  Little parts of any day become favourite at that particular time.  Waking up to sunshine and a blue sky.  Smiling Ruby when I pop my head around her door in the morning.  Huzz coming home from work or business trip.  Sitting hugging my boy Luca when we have a quiet moment together (rare these days).  And the quiet of an evening when the kiddos are tucked up and I can just sit down for more than 5 mins at one time!

Where and when did you meet the love of your life?
The first time in Worthing, on the UK Sussex coast.  A wonderful and very memorable weekend with my best friend and a friend of my future Huzz.  The second time was in Bromley, Kent (when I realised he was the guy for me).

What three words would your friends outside the blogging world use to describe you?
I asked two fairly new friends (so that's 6 words, but I wanted some comparison!).  Here's what I got back.....

Thoughtful

Stylish 

Organised

and the other said

Warm

Smart

Dedicated

I'm flattered ladies.


What country would you like to visit and why?
Australia.  Beaches, surf, outdoor life, food.  Hoping we'll be visiting in the next year or so.

What is your favourite dish to cook?
Risotto is big in our house.  Our favourite is Seafood Risotto.  Its a bit of teamwork actually.  I prep everything and 9 times out of 10, Huzz cooks.  Delicious.


Salt or sugar?
I love salty nuts and chips, and a good sprinkling of rock salt on my Huzz's homemade foccaccia.  And I love chocolate - any kind, it doesn't have to be the 85% cocoa stuff (cheap is good too - apart from Hersheys - sorry my lovely US followers).   And a mix of both together is just perfection for me!

What are your must have make-up or beauty items?
I love my Aveda Tourmaline Charged Eye Cream - smooth and silky texture, non-greasey and helps to reduce darkness.  So needed these days.

 

I also love Benefit High Beam - a complexion enhancer.  I use it just under my eyebrows to give a little brightness and lift.  Again, all the lift I can get is welcomed.

What are your favourite flowers?

Hibiscus - is that obvious!  I fell in love with these flowers on vacations in Hawaii and also have a lower back tattoo of a vine with 3 Hibiscus flowers.

What do you think are your worst vices, honestly?
Biscuits (cookies).  One is NEVER enough.

At what time of your life were you the happiest and why?
Too difficult to give one time of my life.   Wtihout a doubt I've been the happiest since I met Huzz - so that means for the past 11 years.  And the 4 happiest days in those 11 years are the day Huzz proposed, my wedding day and the days both my kiddos were born.  But of course there have been other wonderfully happy days too - many of them spent at the beach I have to say.

And now I shall tag Keeley over at Mimi Grace blog (great daily tips of make-up, beauty, hair and style) with these 'Getting to Know You' questions.

Thanks for reading.  Wishing you a great weekend.

Questions, questions, questions

Lavender on a nearby street.

Usually that's what I hear from the kiddos.  Can I do this?  Can I have that?  Why not?  When, where, what etc etc etc?  Love 'em!

Anyhow, this time the questions for me came from the very talented writer, deer baby.

What's your earliest childhood memory?

I've really had to think about this.  Are they my memories of childhood, or are they stories told to me about my childhood?  I remember standing in the garden with my sister having our photograph taken with fresh cherries (doubles) hanging from our ears like earrings.  I still do that now when I come across a double.


What's your greatest weakness? - interpret how you want.
Biscuits / cookies.  If I have any in the house, I can hear them calling 'eat me, eat me'.  Especially if they are Digestives.


What's on your bedside table right now?
My bedside table right now is a shambles (I cannot possibly post a photograph!).  I've been looking at it all week and promising myself to give it a good sort out.  First I have a pale green and cream lamp from Ikea.  A small glass dish from a trip to Turkey many years ago filled with a ring, 2 plasters, my Huzz's business card (?), and a feather (from the pillow).  A lilac Penhaligons make-up bag filled with my nail polish bottles.  Two books - 'Thee Cups of Tea' by Greg Mortensen and 'Dreams from my Father' by Barack Obama.  A tub of Body Shop almond oil hand rescue cream.  This months British Vogue.  A photograph of Luca and I on a carousel in San Francisco, and photograph of smiling Ruby.  Sounds a little crowded doesn't it?  Now I'm spurred on to clean it up this week.


Do you have a life plan?  
Well  its more of a life hope really.  To live by the coast in a house with a balcony overlooking the sea.  Ideally in a much warmer climate or in the US (Florida or Oregon).


Sweet or savoury?
Absolutely savoury.  But I do love a combination of the two together.  Nuts and chocolate.  Crisps and chocolate.   Munch munch.  


And now I have to pass this onto 5 more bloggers with my own questions.


Arches at the Larches
Life in a pink fibro
Last day of May
Chic Mama
Collage of Life


Here are 5 questions for you, should you have the time and wish to join in.
1. What's your favourite season?
2. Best holiday/vacation you've ever had?
3. Would you consider any form of cosmetic surgery?
4. Do you have a favourite recipe you'd like to share?
5. If you won a million (euros, pounds, dollars etc) what would you do?


Enjoy the week ahead.

I hear, I see, I feel

This little meme arrived via VBinC.

I hear

Some voices out in the street and a dog barking (does the dog bark in dutch I wonder?)
My washing machine on yet another cycle - Ruby sat in a puddle today!
My neighbour beginning to play her piano.

I see

My desk (oh how I wish I could keep things off it - I'd like it clear, just like in a magazine).
A b/w canvas print of my son Luca lying in a hammock smiling up on the wall in front of me.
An orange tulip in the garden, through the French doors next to my desk - a bit sad on its own.

I feel

Thirsty - I must drink more water.
A little tired after an 60 lap swim this morning.
Like eating a mini-Milky Way (a family bag is sitting in the kitchen calling out).

To the following bloggers:

Spain Daily
Angie Muresan
MODsquad

If you fancy it, what are you feeling, seeing and hearing today.

7 little things about me

A couple of weeks ago, two lovely bloggers, Chic Mama and A Few Things From My Life, asked me to reveal 7 little things about myself.  I've been having a think, and here they are.  If you're interested, read on.

Drum roll please.....

• A really don't like having my photograph taken.  Rather disappointing for Huzz who, given half the chance, would spend his days behind the camera clicking away.  I am never (well, rarely) happy with the outcome - Is that really me I think every time!

• I love fresh flowers at home.  Friday is market day just a few streets away from us, and the flower choice is amazing.  I always come home with my arms (or buggy) full - this week we have tulips and hyacinths.

• I love crispy white cotton sheets, dried outside in the sun or a cool breeze, all crunchy and fresh.  For me, one of the best things about staying at a hotel is having my bed freshly made up every day.  I NEVER leave the sign on the door saying "Don't make up room"!

• I make a mean chocolate chip, chocolate filled cookie.  Don't even think about the calories!  There's a box of them sitting in the kitchen calling me right now!

• I was born at St Bartholmew's Hospital (Barts) London, and I'm originally from Islington N1.

• I hate to be late for anything.  I'd rather be 30 mins early than even 1 minute late.  This makes my Huzz a bit crazy as he is always running behind time and he's more often than not late!  Still love him though!

• I have a tattoo of 3 hibiscus flowers growing on a vine on my back.

There you go.  7 little things you didn't know before.