The Pain of Packing

I am the worst person at packing in the history of packing. Seriously. I hate it. Everything about it is dull and I like to do nothing more than put it off for about as long as humanly possible. This completely conflicts with my organised, OCD nature but for some reason I just can't hack it. 

When I was living back with my parents I had it fairly easy. Family holidays meant that the elf (aka Mumma Rust) would come along and suggest what to take, quantities and even an up to date weather forecast for the trip. Packing back then was a breeze. My clothes were magically washed and ironed and folded for me into the case (the latter was mostly due to my poor attempts at 'folding' neatly.) But that is a thing of the past. 

I can still remember the first time I took a trip without my family and had to pack for myself. My best friend and I took a weekend trip to Edinburgh and back. I naturally left packing until about half an hour before she was due to come over and my packing attempt was poor, so poor in fact that I only had one thing in my suitcase- sun cream. This was quickly removed by my best friend who reminded me that it was October and that I probably wouldn't be needing that. She soon packed the whole case- neatly folding and organising all of our clothes so they fitted in the one case perfectly. 

This time however I don't have an organised and sensible friend to save me. In fact, this time round I have to be the organised and sensible one, after all I do live with a man. A man who is so unconcerned with our trip to Wales for his fathers wedding that he has not organised one aspect of this trip. I have made the many lists of food we need to buy, things we have to pack and sorted out the piles of clothes to be washed, dried and ironed in time for our holiday. In fact right now as I write this he is sat in sweatpants, a t-shirt and is modelling alarming bed hair whilst playing Xbox. He has been for a fair few hours now. I may kill him.

That being said someone had to be the grown up here and I started the dreaded packing some time ago, shutting myself away in our bedroom with a cup of tea and some upbeat music to fool me into thinking this would be 'fun'. It didn't start off well, in fact I stared at an empty suitcase while sipping tea and singing along to Little Mix for quite some time...

However I soon realised that I couldn't possibly take an empty suitcase to Wales for five days and soon started rummaging through my wardrobe in an attempt to get some sort of outfit going. The wedding outfit was the first thing to be put in the suitcase but I hardly saw that as an achievement given I had been mentally planning that for a good two weeks. I then started selecting tops and jeans and mixing them together. That's the part I hate. Trying to work out what things will go together that won't mean you have to take your entire wardrobe with you. I sussed out the clothes pretty quickly but it was the shoes and outdoor wear that really halted all, if any progress. How many hundreds of layers would I need and how many different jackets would I end up taking?

Who knows. I stopped caring at that point and decided that rather than face the reality that I was indeed an adult and would probably end up organising Richard's clothes too, I'd rather get another cup of tea and watch Richard crash into a bazillion things on his Xbox than face that.

Wish me luck in Wales...

Blurred Lines: The New Battle of the Sexes

Last night Richard and I changed our tune of standard television watching, from comedy to debate in the form of BBC Two's- Blurred Lines: The New Battle of the Sexes. This was something Richard had spotted on the TV Guide and joked that we should watch only for me to nod enthusiastically and demand he record it. Last night he surprised me further by stating we should sit down together and watch it. What shocked me was the fact that this television show caused us to pause and actually reflect and debate on what we had seen which ultimately gave me a better understanding of how a young male viewed feminism and this development of 'lad' culture.

Interestingly enough mine and Richard's first reaction to this show was- What about the men? History has focussed an awful lot on women and the feminist movement and at no point am I stating that I don't believe that to be important, because naturally I have benefited from the actions of others. What I am saying however there is an awful lot of focus on women's struggle, particularly in the 21st century but what has gone relatively unnoticed is the ever increasing struggle of men and the expectations of society such as body image. 

This becomes apparent to me when I see the Coke advert on TV...

Although it appears to be a light hearted bit of fun with a bunch of giggling girls, my mind goes mad with questions such as "What if the roles were reversed and it was a woman taking her top off? Would that be okay? What would the feminists say?" In my mind I don't believe it is appropriate nor necessary for models to be topless or scantily clad regardless of their sex, from the women in Robin Thickes 'Blurred Lines' to J-Lo's 'I Luh Ya Papi' video. 

I was shocked however to hear the term "man up" which was used by one of the interviewees in response to the uproar of women who were distressed and angered by many of the sexist issues that have been highlighted on social networking site Twitter. The site itself has been a hub of activity for feminism, misogyny and sexism. It allows users the opportunity for  respond to real time events and express their views. The internet however has allowed the public to believe that it is somehow 'safe' to express their views without any consequences. This can be seen from the attacks on Professor Mary Beard on Question Time and the bomb threats that were sent to the campaigners for more famous women on notes. Ultimately these attacks resulted in criminal convictions but the matter still stands- why do people believe that views expressed online should somehow be viewed differently than in the 'real world'? 

This can also be seen from the lyrics and views expressed in Robin Thicke's 2013 hit 'Blurred Lines' which was described as being "kind of rapey" but was justified by one of the shows interviewees as "understanding the difference between lyrics and real life". The song itself was described by the artist as being for his wife and the lyrics include statements such as "I know you want it" and "just let me liberate you". Ironically enough Thicke's wife later separated from him. What I found most alarming from this song were the graphic and violent lyrics used by T.I where he states that he will "give you something big enough to tear your ass in two". Somehow however this song sold 5 million copies in just 22 weeks, is the third best selling digital single of all time and was the best selling single of 2013.

Songs such as this really emphasise the rise of 'ladism' and leaves room for further sexist and misogynistic remarks. The show delivered examples of this such as the t-shirt "I'm feeling rapey" and stand up shows from the likes of Frankie Boyle and Daniel Tosh which use connotations of rape and violent sex acts. Furthermore the year 2012 was said to be the 'Year of the Rape Joke'. The show really highlighted the underlying question surrounding ladism which is 'where do you draw the line between irony and real life?'

In my mind nothing demonstrates misogyny better than that of video games. I live in a house where the Xbox is on frequently and Richard owns games such as Grand Theft Auto that depict graphic scenes that personally make my skin crawl. Although Richard and many other gamers don't actively take part in the violent aspects of GTA that are available I still find it disturbing that these are included on the game. There are opportunities to enter strip clubs, hire prostitutes, participate in sex acts including one which involves hiring a prostitute and then deciding whether or not you wanted to mug or kill her in order to get your money back. The overall representation of women in games such as GTA is not only unrealistic but feeding the minds of men that this is not only what women should or do look like but also these are the desires of women. Games such as this act as an extension of porn and feed the abuse that occurs everyday to both men and women worldwide. 

Another view that I felt was apparent in the show was that victims were somehow responsible for rape, noticeably women for how they dress.  This was a view that has fed the need for a recent surge in the campaign 'no means no' which takes away the inevitable blame from the victim and their actions and back to the the bottom line that rape is never justified. 

The 'I need feminism' campaign is another one which has proved refreshing and really represents the need to equality and peace amongst men and women to gain an end goal. Men aren't the enemy folks!

The only positive notes I could take from this programme was that everyday occurrences weren't going unnoticed and that many are fighting back. Parody videos such as 'Defined Lines' by the Law Revenue Girls reverse the roles expressed in the original video and Lily Allen's comeback song 'Hard Out Here' highlights many of the most recent misogynistic and sexist views expressed by the media. However controversial these videos and attacks may be it is safe to say women aren't going down without a fight.

                                     

So how did this show make Richard and I feel? Well we certainly had a debate or two over the issues raised, the views expressed and our own beliefs. What we did agree on however was the lack of emphasis on men and their part in this story. If it really is a battle of the sexes then where are the men's defence and own struggles? All in all it was a very interesting piece of television and one which is food for thought.

You can watch BBC Two's- Blurred Lines: The New Battle of the Sexes here 

Sunshine and Shades...

Today England is enjoying a heat wave and we are a country that can't have one of these without gloating to everyone else about it, donning a pair of short shorts and rushing to the local supermarket to stock up on BBQ food...

I was very much one of these irritating individuals as I headed off to Asda this morning to do our weekly shop, filling my trolley with meat, instant BBQ's and salad. I also met about 80% of the town's local population there doing exactly the same thing. I then got home and put on my shorts that were hiding at the back of the wardrobe, a strappy top and my shades and headed off into the garden to make the most of the warm weather.

I must admit I am impressed with the garden at the minute. All of that hard work from the past two weekends has really paid off- the weeds have only started to slowly creep back, the flowers are in bloom and the grass is looking greener than ever. So here is a quick look at this afternoons handy work and the garden...

 

I am looking forward to our BBQ in the garden tonight along with an ice chilled whisky and coke and a bit of chilled out music.

All in all, it's a pretty perfect place to be blogging from...

It's kind of a big deal...

So it is my 21st birthday in less than three months and as I have previously mentioned everyone raves on about being twenty one and inundate me with questions about my plans and what I want to receive. 

As a child I could think of hundreds of things I wanted for my birthday. I would spend hours looking through the Argos catalogue, listing all of the wonderful toys I wanted including a sweet shop which I am still yet to receive. However, as I have got older I have found it harder and harder to think of things I both want and need other than the odd pair of tights and socks. 

The more I think about it, the more I realise that saying "I don't know" or coming with a list of odds and ends really wont do so I have tried to come up with a few 'exciting' ideas for those who would like to do something a little different or give me a gift to remember. These are great ideas for anyone else who also might know someone turning twenty one or who have someone who is tricky to buy for. Here are just a few things I have quickly researched...

I really enjoy looking for new recipes and ideas especially now that I am the one who has to come up with meals each week. I always pick up the free magazines that the supermarkets offer but I would love to have a full magazine of ideas. I don't actually buy magazines any more because I feel that I could use the money a lot better and I find they vary on quality. GoodFood magazine is definitely one I would enjoy however and I have a lot of their recipe books at home. A subscription package is definitely something I would enjoy having and it's always better when you know you aren't paying!

I also like the idea of these experience packages you can buy online. I had a quick nose at buyagift.co.uk and found a fantastic opportunity to visit the Shard which is the tallest building in London and an architectural masterpiece. Richard and I love London and this is certainly something I would enjoy (Richard is afraid of heights but I am sure he would manage for an opportunity like this). 

I also like the idea of having meaningful gifts that you can keep. Whenever I buy presents for people I always think of things they have told me and buy something personal to them which I think makes me Queen of Gifts. I have a charm bracelet which I like to fill with charms from places that are special to me or of things that hold a significance so these 21st charms would be a great addition and something to keep forever.

I also found these offers on Newspaper articles from your day of birth which I think would be fascinating and a brilliant keepsake. My parents kept articles in my memory box for some years but to have an entire newspaper would be really interesting. They also have offers on memory books that document news events on your birthday from birth to the present year which would also make a really lovely gift for a 21st birthday.

Finally I found this amazing gift on etsy.com for personalised dishes with your own handwritten recipes on there. I would certainly love to get my great grandmothers recipes printed onto these dishes in memory of her amazing cooking. Practical and a lovely gift.

 Now to try and think of something for Richard's 21st birthday... Gulp!

Oh for the love of... Stationary?

I love stationary. Always have, always will. I relish the opportunity to pop into a stationary store and drool over the hundreds of pens and beautiful notepads on offer. 

Since leaving school and no longer being an apprentice, I have very little need for numerous notepads and pens and the house now is just full of odds and ends that Richard and I have collected over the years. 

However every now and again I go on a hunt for essential pieces and when I first moved in these were top of the list...

One | Two | Three 

I adore the brand 'Knock Knock' and there brilliantly witty stationary. I spotted this 'Crap Pad' on Amazon and just had to have it. It helped me get organised when we first moved in together and was great for planning meals, writing shopping lists and sorting out the chores. Sadly I have just finished this pad but I will definitely get another one. Richard loved it so much he asked me to get him one for work to improve his organisation skills and it has proved quite a talking point in the office. This is a must have.

After the success of the Crap Pad I wanted to get something else that would divide up the household chores better and prevent my OCD's getting any worse. This pad proved to be an idiot proof (and Richard proof) way to divide up the chores. It is magnetic which means that I can whack it on the fridge and know that Richard will see what needs to be done and it has definitely improved the equality of chores. The handy shopping list feature at the bottom of the pad means that anyone can add on things they need and mark off what has been done or bought.

Finally these sticky notes are just brilliant. I am definitely a note leaver and these are perfect to dot around the place and grab the attention of anyone in the house. The number of times I have just had to dash out and ask for something to be done are more than I care to admit but thanks to these it means communication is not lost. I have just run out of these also and I must admit, I miss them already!

Now onto the exciting part- finding replacements for these fantastic products! I must admit I am obsessed with Paperchase and every time I visit Milton Keynes I just have to pop in, even if I don't need anything, I love a nose. Naturally I scoured the website and found some absolute gems along with some Amazon goodies I have on my wish list...

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six

As you can see from my previous purchases, I am a massive fan of lists and anything that makes me feel as though I have my life in order. I am in desperate need of a new shopping list pad as I am currently using my really nice filofax paper for lists which I feel is a huge waste of gorgeous Paperchase paper. This pad seems to fit the bill and it has the perk of being magnetic as well as rather funky looking. I know I would get a hell of a lot of use out of this bad boy.

These desk pads are becoming hugely popular and vary a lot in design. I would personally use this one to display the meals we would be having weekly and write if we were out for the evening, needed to buy anything for the meal, etc. It would be a great extension of the Crap Pad list of meals which I used to squeeze in at the bottom of each page and found most useful from the product itself.

I adore this cute little notebook. I must admit the thing I like best about Paperchase is their amazing Kraft products. I have bought so many pieces in this lovely shade of tan such as envelopes, folders and many scrapbooks. I would really like to have a notepad to jot down blog ideas, recipes and of course lists and this seems to fit the bill.

I love this quirky little pad that takes the wit of the Knock Knock pads but makes it more exciting in terms of design- meet Back Chat, a relatively new company making great stationary. Again this would be great as a shopping list and would certainly fit in my weekly shop lists.

I also am a fan of Happy Jackson which make brilliant, funny products for every occassion. This pad has the perks of being magnetic as well as coming with its very own pencil which prevents any more hunting for pens.

And finally this unassuming book from Knock Knock would be the perfect handbag companion and make all those pieces of scrap paper in the bottom of my bag a thing of the past. It's bright colour also prevents the usual rummaging around.

As I have already said I am a lover of sticky notes and they have proven handy around the home. Here are some of my top picks...

One | Two | Three | Four

Knock Knock have done it again and have reeled me in with these brilliant sticky notes. It is great to have ones that I can use to nag Richard with to do the odd job while I am out as well as have some that I can use to remember the many things I have to do in a day.

I also like this set from Paperchase which work with the theme we have in our house of being proud to be British. It would stop me splashing out on multiple pads and sticky notes and their cool design makes them different to the usual stationary available elsewhere.

I couldn't not have these on my list- toasty notes. They are fantastic and given all of my sticky notes get left in the kitchen, which is where the men of the house spend the majority of their time, it would just be a great touch.

Finally another piece from Back Chat. Here we have a really handy and funky looking set that has all of your stationary needs in one- notebook, sticky notes and handy sticky tabs. These tabs would be great for my recipe books when choosing meals to try out later on.

I guess many people are wondering why I only have pads and not hundreds of pens. That's simply because I have only one pen I like and here it is...

One

I have used these pens for a fair few years now and for me, nothing quite compares to them. Finer than a felt tip but just as nice to write in these pens are great for any written task- whether writing a letter or card to jotting down notes. I initially started out with black but have since found red, blue and green sets available so you can imagine how overjoyed I was to see these gorgeous colours on Amazon. These are a must buy!

And there you have it, everything I love, all on one post. 

Now to somehow choose the best and get buying!

A Taste of India

I love food. All food. I love cooking it, reading about it and most importantly, eating it. I particularly love Indian food as do my family. I think what I miss most about moving out are the curry feasts we would have at my parents, that and money.

I miss having money. When Richard and I used to meet up, nine times out of ten we would end up at our local carvery and have a feast. We loved eating out and treating ourselves. Now we live together we don't tend to think about going out to eat other than the odd takeaway or fast food treat.

So with this in mind when my sister suggested we go out for a curry I couldn't say yes quick enough. I didn't actually know any Indian restaurants local to me so we played it safe and took the trip to my old local in the picturesque town of Ampthill to a little place called Arena. It was only when I arrived (like an excited child) that I realised I hadn't set foot in this restaurant for over two years when we had a meal here for my sister's birthday. Feeling nostalgic we entered the tiny building concealed next to other far more extravagant buildings such as Fratellis and the Dew Drop Inn. Once inside you enter you are greeted by an impressively oversized ornate mirror which acts as selfie central and a stunning chandelier. Kayleigh and I tried our best to take a selfie but I overestimated my camera and ignored my sisters concerns of being 'too far away' only for this to happen...

Finally deciding to listen to my much wiser sibling we got a proper 'selfie' shot with the fancy mirror.

Vanity aside we made it down the stairs and into the beautifully decorated restaurant. We were the first ones there and little did we know we would be the only ones there for the night. We were given a table for two by a lovely young waiter and presented with menus immediately as well as provided with a jug of ice cold water which kept us going all night long. 

We perused the menu although I already had mentally decided what I would order long before the night. Arena make the most amazing Passanda dish and I have not been able to find a dish like this at any other restaurant so it was a no brainer for me.

Our orders were made and we were given complimentary poppadoms with a selection of sauces all varying in flavour, texture and appearance.

It seemed no time at all before our meals arrived and we were all set to tuck in. The smells were incredible and although the portions had changed since my last visit they were definitely more appropriate and stopped any unnecessary wastage.

I like to think we did well with our meals but judging by how much we had left I would think we rather let the team down. But what with the meat, rice and Naan it was rather a filling meal to say the least. Luckily the waiter kindly said we could take it with us and boxed it up perfectly for us. We were then given complimentary sweets while we waited for the bill, chocolates with the receipt and an offer of free drinks from the owner. All very lovely and part of the excellent service you can expect from this business. 

Sadly we were the only ones in Arena for the night which was great because it meant no annoying people at neighbouring tables, but equally it was sad because it seems such a shame that a place as beautiful as this, serving such delicious and reasonably priced food should go ignored. Understandably very few people consider a Wednesday evening a curry night and many prefer to use their takeaway service but even still it is a place I will recommend no end and visit time and time again.

In the meantime I will just have to try and recreate these dishes at home...

To find out more about Arena Curry house or to visit please see more details here.

Ground Force

We have definitely been making the most of this weekends warm weather. 

Yesterday we tackled the back garden and managed to turn what was a jungle into a well tamed patch of green to finally enjoy. Richard got the lawn mower up and running and got rid of the tall grass and hundreds of dandelions that had sprung up all over the place. He trimmed all the edges which means no more cheeky munchies for Murphy and he swept and tidied all the paths. I am thrilled with the end result and all that needs to be done is for me to get out there with some new found confidence and de-weed the beds. We would also really like a new patio set after finally returning Richard's mates set almost a year after borrowing it for the house warming party. With that we would also love a BBQ and I want a fire bowl too, just because. 

Anyway dreams aside, here is the end result (ignore the morphed dog that decided to get in on my panoramic shot)...

Today we moved on to sorting out the front garden which has definitely been neglected in the whole time that we have lived here. The front garden is almost as large as the back, something which I tend to forget when I get so used to seeing it as a wild field. Richard simply went out there to cut the grass but that soon turned into a full operation of digging a flower bed, pulling out huge roots, cutting back bushes, digging up grass and sweeping the path. I got in on the action and I must admit it was satisfying. 

The new bed has been dug and all that is left to do is cut away the brambles and continue the bed around the side of the house. I am hoping to take a trip to our local Morrisons store where they have a fantastic new garden department which sells plants for as little as £1 which will soon brighten the front of the house up and compliment my hanging baskets and pot plants which are still going strong. Here is the end result of our hard work...

Maybe we are green fingered after all...

New Beginnings

So this morning I set my alarm and went to work. Yes on a Saturday. Yes after a full weeks work and yes this was self inflicted. Working at the weekend was a new phenomenon for me and not a habit I will be taking up every week.  

The reason for this madness was mostly due to my own curiosity and word of mouth. I had been tipped off about a fantastic scheme that sets up arts and craft classes across the country for babies and children to take part in. I was immediately interested- to me there is nothing better than getting messy! I've loved paints and crayons ever since I can remember and even when I made a mess and my Mum declared I was never allowed paint again, I wasn't deterred. This is something that has carried on into adulthood and probably one of the reasons I was so keen to work with children.

I further explored this organisation and immediately wanted to be a part of it and luckily for me the woman I babysit for managed to get me in with one of the franchisees and today was my first day of being a part of the Creation Station experience. Today's task- to be an arts and craft party assistant for a five year old's birthday. 

I headed out of the house bright and alarmingly early for a Saturday morning, donning a pair of dark glasses to hide my exhausted eyes...

After meeting up with the party leader we managed to navigate ourselves around the abyss that is Milton Keynes and it's many roundabouts and found the village hall that would host our mess. I was feeling quite nervous by this point. First days are always filled with the unknown but thanks to a brilliant and thorough briefing I felt fully prepared for the days itinerary, all I needed to do was, well do it. 

We set up the hall which involved me showing my muscles and setting up the heavy tables, chairs and boxes of art resources. I then greeted the children one by one and got to grips with their names before we started the days activities which included colouring their own party bags,  decorating a chest, making clay sculptures and beading key rings. 

I worked non-stop; setting up activities, supporting children, tidying up, washing resources and lots more. That being said I had a fantastic time and it definitely confirmed that I really need to get involved in the more creative side of my career. The children (not to mention the parents) had a brilliant time and anyone who says that this sort of party is just for girls is very much mistaken. Although two of the boys were very nervous- in fact one just cried and moaned the whole time, made his Dad do all the activities and just generally seemed more interested in picking his nose than joining in, the other soon overcame his anxiety and actually made an amazing clay dinosaur. The parents too got stuck in and messy and were impressed with how calm the whole affair was, saying it was the most relaxed and engaging children's party they had been too. With such great feedback and lovely comments I am hopeful that they too will choose to have one of our parties or take part in the classes on offer.

As for me? Well I have definitely caught the Creation Station bug and am all set to help out more in the future. I have even been offered a job with the party leader when she moves on and sets up her own individual arts and crafts business. Not bad for a days work aye...

To find out more about Creation Station and to see classes on offer in your area check out their website here.