Friday 27 October 2017

It only takes 10 minutes...

OK 26th October 13:00 on board the big train!

Hello Blog,

I'm off to surprise my gorgeous hubby. Isn't that great? I'm super excited. So, how you doing? How's it been going?

I'm reading my monthly magazine. I love it, obviously! I wouldn't purchase it otherwise. I've been noticing now how companies, well being, etc. are promoting "it only takes 10 minutes of your day", "just 10 minutes a day", "set aside 10 minutes", etc. Whilst it good and I do believe in it, but I'm finding everything I do I'm setting aside 10 minutes chunks to do it in! Or there abouts.

My time away from work is built up of the following "10 minutes":
Meditation
Reading
Writing
Breathing
Coffee drinking
Learning a new language

I'm finding I'm having to squeeze in my exercising, cooking, eating & crafting! Even hair cuts! My free time from work is a constant noise of the alarm stating my session has finished. My diary is chokka block with sections of today's achievements, as I like to call them!

I'm counting my calories, as it's the only system that helps me to lose weight 🏋️! I have to schedule time for that to tap the food into the required App on my phone!

Am I taking on too much? Probably. But being a depression sufferer and working shifts I have come to discover that I do like routine. I'm finding these sessions help to clear my head of rubbish and I'm very productive in what I'm doing.

But, sometimes I just have to say bollocks to routine and do stuff spontaneously. Like, going to surprise my hubby! 😉 😁 Some things are too important to miss.

I shall continue with my "10 minute" sessions. But careful not to take on more. There are, after all! So many slots in one day.

I'll leave you for now and continue with reading 📖 my magazine. I have 3 changes for this journey.

I'm sooooooooooooooooooo excited. Ciao for now.

Love 😍 Hugs 🤗 and Sunshine ☀ xx

Thursday 19 October 2017

First Typewriter

12th October 8am on board choo choo

Dear Blog,

Good morning. How are you? I've seen a gorgeous red morning sunrise 🌅 on way to Saltburn. Just delightful!

It's now Thursday 19th October writing at home on the kitchen table. It's 06:30 am. Gosh, it's been a while since I wrote to you. Busy with work and gorgeous hubby's birthday day. Today, I'm on 8 of 9 shifts...lucky me 😀!

I wanted to tell you about my first typewriter. Well, it was that good I cannot even remember if it was a present or I brought it myself! 😉 😁 I think I brought it. I was a teenager and I know I was really happy about it. It was electronic and it had a screen, so I could see first what I wrote. It looked so professional. It only did the basics but that was enough for me.

I could use it for my homework too!

Anyways, today's letter is short but I wanted to tell you. Nowadays I use notebook 📔 and pen 🖋.

I'd better be off and get to work. Write 📝 soon.

Love 😍 Hugs 🤗 and Sunshine ☀

Tuesday 10 October 2017

Holiday: Lake District: extract

On board the choo choo 🚂 at work 8am 9th Oct

Dear Blog,

How's it going? All's well today. Very tired this morning. Blooming cat had me up at 3 wanting to go outside and then I couldn't get back to sleep...arrrrrrrgh! So, I think coffee is needed today to get me through my shift.

Gorgeous hubby and I had a great holiday in Wanda the other month out to The Lake District.


Wanda: our VW Campervan

Here's an extract from my diary:

Tuesday 26th September

We awoke early and gorgeous hubby made bed tea. A porridge breakfast was called for today due to today's activities. We made our packed lunches and headed for Ravenglass on our bikes, praying that the tide was out.

We headed for the ‘72’ cycle route from along the ‘B’ roads from the farm campsite to get to the water's edge. Phew, the tide was out we were able to cross land and get to the bridge to get into Ravenglass via the estuary.

We brought our tickets for the railway (Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway) and waited for the 10:25 departure. A narrow-gauge railway, called the La’al Ratty, taking us up to the Cumbrian fells to Dalegarth station. Absolutely stunning views! Clouds in the sky with the faint sun peeking through, although a bit chilly. Along the way strategically placed artwork of animals had been put up to view. This was called “The Curious Incident of the Stag and the Trainline”. Ten huge vibrant paintings of eccentric and multi-coloured animal heads by Sarah Taylor. They were heads of: deer 🦌, rabbit 🐰, hare, cow 🐮, sheep 🐑, red squirrel, badger, stag, and two others.

The ride we took was with a steam train travelling the forty minutes winding up the hills with stunning views. Excellent and recommended journey! Along the way Michael spotted a big bird in a tree, which he thought was an Osprey.

We enjoyed a coffee and I brought a chocolate brownie to share.

Then walked on an adventure, initially using the walking tour map to various waterfalls through the marked paths in the forest. Absolutely beautiful! It was very warm so we were able to remove our outer clothing: both down to our t-shirts! In Cumbria too! Amazing! We walked along singular tracks, over wooden bridges, through forests; peaceful and outstanding beauty! We veered along the footpath through gates and over stiles zig-zagging our way up the hill to the rocks on top. Perching ourselves on the top feeling on top of the world we enjoyed our sandwiches with a 360 degree view of The Lake District. At which point the sun shine through the only bit of bus sky making the seating warm and viewing even more enjoyable! Delightful! The surrounding fells were covered in clouds.

Arriving back picking up the advised routes snaking our way to more waterfalls to arrive back at Dalegarth Station.

We drank the rest of our coffee with a piece of fruitcake (homemade butternut squash fruitcake), waiting for the steam train to arrive. The station filled up gradually with people and various dogs; so many breeds!

Toot, toot! We hear the train arrive. The passengers disembarked, then we hopped on, onto the front seat, and waited for the engine to transfer from the rear to the front, where it was manually coupled.

Permission was granted to proceed and back to Ravenglass we headed.

We sat on different sides to get different views on the back down.

Arriving back, we watched the engine go into the turnstile from platform one to three.

We had a quick stop at The Ratty Arms for a beverage or two. A delightful real ale pub alongside the actual Ravenglass Station, and watched a couple of Northern trains come and go.

We cycled along the still out tidal route to Wanda and enjoyed last night’s chicken korma with carrots. Michael had sausage with his and beer. I drank lemonade.

Tonight’s entertainment was watching a DVD: The promised Land. And, then bed.

I need coffee, this is going to be a long day. I cannot wait for it to end. I have two days off from tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to that.  

I'll go now and do some work! Speak soon.
Love, Hugs and Sunshine x

Monday 2 October 2017

Letter Writing

Thursday 28th September – Dad’s Sitting Room, Cumbria               21:30

Dear Blog,

How are you doing today? I hope you are well? I have decided to write my blog as a letter. I like letters. I have been writing them all of my life.

I have had three Grandparents and two Godparents, of whom I write to regularly (or I did, unfortunately my grandparents are no longer with us). I love receiving letters from the people to write to too! To me, there’s nothing really greater than having a hand written letter come through my letter box. It makes me smileJ! Post isn’t just for birthdays, Easter, or Christmas!
People would often comment that I write in a way that they felt I was actually talking to them face-to-face!
My Granny (Leicester) would enter us (me, brother, sister) into the Leicestershire Chrysanthemum Society for their competitions: handicraft, decorated egg, biscuits, “garden on a plate”, and such like items. I have the prize cards, which Gran sent via the post still in my possession from 1985 and 1986!

It’s really good fun to re-read letters and such items sent through the post, years later; it brings back so many memories. I love it!
Years later, in my twenties, I travelled a lot on my own and mum suggested that I write diaries of my adventures. This was great as I was actively doing something whilst I sat in a cafĂ©. I would write these up upon my return and sent them to various people via the post. It was great and my writers really looked forward to receiving my diaries. This has carried on throughout my thirties too! In fact, I’ve just written one up now ready to post to people. My gorgeous hubby and I went to the Lake District for a week, ending in visiting friends and family, as I’m originally from Penrith.

And now, I have more people to write to. It’s great! So, in my comfort attempt to make it better my gorgeous hubby and I brought a house with a craft room for me. I have boxes with all my items in and there is one labelled “Letter Writing Sets”. Buying letter sets is very important for me. I prefer to buy in shops rather than on-line. I’ve been doing this since I used to visit my Granny in Leicester. Near to her house in Evington there was a stationery shop and I’d love to visit there. Unfortunately it’s closed nowL, but that doesn’t stop me from going into every shop to look for writing paper. It must have lines. I used to buy those pads with blank paper which had a separate lined paper to put underneath the blank page. I still wrote wonky. So, buying lined paper is a necessary for me now.

I sat down to write my letters a couple of months ago. I wrote four. I posted them on way to work, pleased with myself. It wasn’t until noon, whilst at work, I realized that I hadn’t put any stamps on them…arrrrgh! I felt so stupid. I then had to contact these people and tell them. Thankfully they understood! Phew! That was a relief!

Now, I have an abundance of people to write to. My gorgeous hubby works away. I love writing to him, telling him my news. Letters are personal. I write to my best friend, Sharon, www.wordsandwoes.com. Eventhough we are in contact daily electronically (she lives south and I live north) we can say more to each other. She told me about #BringBackPaper from www.readingresidence.com and I now have pen pals to communicate with. It’s just too exciting! I cannot wait to get started! I write to my parents-in-law too! I write to my uncle in California. They all write back via email, but I prefer to write via post. My mum lives in Italy and we communicate via letter too, although that does take yonks’ to get through!

Sending post can be expensive, but it’s worth every penny! I just have to be careful with what I send. I’m watching my pennies presently!

Until next time,
Love Hugs and Sunshine xx