I'm Home!

I came home on Friday and it finally feels as if Christmas is here. My mum came to pick me up from London because last year the trains were horrendous, this year the weather wasn't as bad as it was last year but I am so glad that I didn't have to drag the world's biggest suitcase across to Paddington station. I don't go back to London until Saturday 4th January so I have two glorious weeks to spend with my family and friends, I am SO excited.

I'm seeing my bestie tonight for the first time in about seven months and I can't wait. A night of mulled wine and chatting. Isn't that the sign of a brilliant friend? The fact that you don't see each other for ages but when you do it's like you've never been apart? My brother's passed his driving test too so I get to utilise his driving skills by getting him to pick me up, payback for the last four years of lifts! It's great though because public transport is pretty non-existent down here and I hate driving the morning after a night out.

Other than that I don't really have any concrete plans for my time in Pembrokeshire. I'm planning on seeing my Gran a few times, spending a night or two at her house puppy visiting. I'm taking my cousin (who was thirteen the other day, where does the time go??) for a girlie day of shopping and cinema as a birthday/Christmas present so I'm really looking forward to that. I hope to go to the beach a few times with our dogs, it's freezing but that's the best weather to go in my opinion. Also, you don't have any of the summer tourists! There are a few friends I'm planning to catch up with over the two weeks but that's about it. A time for family, friends, lie-ins, baking, reading and relaxing. Perfect.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I'll be putting a couple more posts up before Christmas Day but I'll take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas. I have a feeling that 2014 is going to be great!

My Week #7

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Over the weekend I went back home to Pembrokeshire. I don't usually go home just for the weekend because it works out that I only get about 36 hours there so it's normally pointless. However, this was special occasion. It was my Gran's 72nd birthday. Also, all of our immediate family came to my mum's house for a bit of a party so I would have hated missing it.

Altogether there was thirteen of us, my gran, my mum, her two sisters and their partners and kids. I say kids but the youngest one is nearly 13 and the oldest is 24. I wonder when we'll stop being 'the kids'. Probably when we have kids of our own! My brother, myself and two of my cousins are really close. We spent a lot of time together when we were growing up and we are basically all brothers and sisters. We get on so well, most of the time, and we can really have a laugh together.

We don't all get together as often as we should, I think the last time we were ALL there was about a year ago but my Gran loves it so much when we're all under the same roof. We told her she was like the Don, sitting around with her family proudly and her chest puffed out. We are her achievements in life though. She didn't really climb the career ladder, she was a housewife when her children were young so we are the thing which she's put her life into, her family. She enjoyed the whole day. All of the women in the family can talk for Britain and I don't think the boys get a word in edgewise sometimes but they're used to it by now.

It was also nice to see Oscar, my Gran's puppy, again. I hadn't seen him for four weeks, since I was last home, and he has grown quite a lot! The one thing I hadn't counted on though was her utter devotion to him. When I gave him to her I knew that she would enjoy his company and like going for walks with him but she is absolutely besotted. She took him off on their own in the living room for a while so her could 'have a nap', she held him whilst we were eating AND fed him at the table when she thought nobody was looking. I'm telling you, if that had been one of us with our dogs she'd have killed us!! My mum and her sisters have all had dogs for a long time and we've been trying to persuade her to get one for a while and I think it has been one of the best decisions she's ever made.

It astounds me how attached people become to their pets. At the end of the day they're just animals, but it doesn't stop them worming their way into your heart. When our old dog died eighteen months ago we were devastated and the house seemed so quiet even though we still had two other dogs. We still talk about him almost everyday now, we grew up with him and loved him with all our hearts. I'm just glad that she's so happy with her new baby (her words, not mine!).

I gave her a crocheted blanket. I'd been working on it for about nine months and I was really pleased with how it turned out. It was the first big(ish) blanket I've ever made so it was a learning curve, there are definitely things I would do differently next time, but all in all I was pleased with it. My Gran loved it which was the main thing, she wore it around her, and Oscar of course, for the rest of the day. Here's a sneak peek at it but I'll be doing a full post on how I made it another day :)

I hope you've all had a lovely weekend and you have a great week ahead of you :)

Very, Very Bad Blogger - My Week

I know, I'm terrible. I haven't written in so long but it seems to have been pretty hectic here. That's my excuse anyway! This post will just concentrate on catching up on some news.

I'm currently re-reading the Harry Potter series and I am thoroughly enjoying them. Reading them now, when I am a bit older, the emotions and deeper aspect of the books are really hitting me. I find it amazing how the books 'grew up' with their audience. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is extremely simple in language and plot, it is a children's book. However, as the series goes on the books start to become more complex as they move into the young adult genre. J.K.Rowling has aimed for her audience to be the same age as Harry when reading the books (but her books obviously appealed to a much wider audience) and as they've grown up, so has he. I think it's brilliant how she's adapted her writing for the subtle change of age each year brings. I've just started on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. They are excellent and when I finish the series I am going to be mourning the loss all over again.

I am also MAJORLY excited because I'm going to the Harry Potter Studio Tour next week. Oh my god. I've got butterflies already! I can't wait, and there will be a full write up, including many pictures, on here so keep your eyes peeled.

An awesome photo I found when looking up the Harry Potter tour. Love it. Source

I went home last week for a holiday, its was so nice to catch up with my family. I didn't do much, to be honest I'm pretty fed up with running up and down the county seeing everyone so this time I just spent time with my closest family.

We bought my Gran a puppy! She's been talking about getting a dog for about four years but I don't think she's had the confidence to do it herself, it's a big step. So, when I visited her and she said again about wanting one, and that she likes Border Terriers, I thought 'right'. I went home and looked for Border Terrier puppies and there were three litters in Wales, about an hour to an hour and a half away from where my mum lives. We arranged to go and meet one family a few days later and came out with this gorgeous little man. It was complete surprise to my Gran, I don't think she knew what to say at first but she was so pleased. She has called him Oscar. He really is a lovely puppy, he was so quiet when we were driving him in the car. I get very regular updates on his behavior and how well his toilet training is going! She says she hasn't laughed this much in a long time, he's so funny. They are both very much in love and I am so pleased.

Millie, Daryl (brother) and Shaz on Saundersfoot Harbour wall.

My brother and I took our dogs for a walk on the beach, well, near the beach. Dogs aren't allowed on some of the beaches in Pembrokeshire during the summer so we walked from Coppet Hall beach, along a walkway which is built on the side of the cliff going around the beach. There is a tunnel cut through the cliff so that you can get to Wiseman's Bridge beach. We walked through the car park to another tunnel which brings you you Saundersfoot. We walked around Saundersfoot harbour, had an ice-cream (of course) then walked back. It's only about three miles all together but it is such a beautiful walk. And being that close to the beach is always a winner for me. It was a hot day too so it was perfect, the dogs slept well that afternoon!

The view from Saundersfoot Harbour

The view from Saundersfoot Harbour

I've recently finished a big crochet project which has taken me ages, I haven't been keeping up with it all that regularly. It's such a satisfying feeling to finish a project, especially a large one, there'll be a post on it a little later in the week. To fill that crochet sized hole I have started my Christmas projects! I know, pretty early to be thinking about Christmas but I've got a few fiddly things I want to try which I think will take up quite a bit of time. Here's a little preview of what I'm working on -

Snowflakes

Yesterday, Manon and I went to see Soul Sister. It's the story of Tina Turner's life with Ike Turner and features many of her songs. I absolutely loved it, it was a brilliant, sing along musical. My favourite kind. There'll be a full review soon.

The Great British Bake Off has started again, hurrah! It's one of the only things I watch on TV, it's brilliant and it's inspired so many people to bake. Saying that, the standard of their tasks are getting higher and higher. Some of the things which the contestants make are absolutely brilliant. I'm so happy that it's back to brighten up my Tuesday nights, especially now the nights are getting shorter. Follow this link to see one of the best pictures I have ever seen. You're welcome.

Well, I'm going to get ready for my date now, I KNOW! Off for a few drinks with a pretty nice guy so you may hear more on the subject soon.