Preparing to Succeed

I might not have actually ticked anything off "per se" but I have made the steps for another three ticks.  On Friday I'm hopping on a train to visit my fab cousin Amy (tick!) - a long overdue trip that was originally scheduled for December but got cancelled because of the snow.  I also used the genius that is Groupon to get a discount voucher for a piranha pedi.  Me, my mum, my aunty and another cousin are all going to go together.  Woop!  Also, finally, I have set myself the challenge of having a shopping spree whilst visiting Amy.  Cool beans.

First, I have Friday's photo to show you because I didn't upload it for last time.  This is a rocking chair I found in a charity shop!  I was so happy - it's exactly like the rocking chair my mum rocked me in when I was a wee baby.  I love it!

By Saturday, it had started raining.  Not a bad thing since we've had the driest March and April on record, but it rained hard all day - check it out!

Still raining on Sunday.  I tried to be a bit more artistic this time around.  I'm still learning how to use my camera properly, but this one isn't too bad, huh?  I like a bit of rain though, it's been lovely lying at night listening to it.  There's something very therapeutic about it.

Monday's photo is my friend's new kitten, Travis.  Travis is eight weeks old and rather adorable!  Don't you just think he's so cute?  He goes from being full of energy and running around like crazy to fast asleep and back again in a heartbeat.  Awwww.....

In preparation for my loooong train journey on Friday, I got myself a wee treat.  The new Pokémon!  I haven't started it yet, I'm saving it for the train.  Looking forward to it though :D

And finally, today.  A poor shot of my suitcase.  It's empty just now, because I am knackered after my first go of taekwondo (great fun btw) but it will be all packed tmorrow after work!  Braw.

A busy week!

Ok, so I know I said I would post more regularly, and it's a been a few days since last time, but I do have a good explanation!

So, on Monday I was at work.  It was a busy day with some final preparation for a meeting on Thursday.  (We'll get to that).  I was a busy bee!  And then at night time there was Glee, and I was tired.  I did take a picture for you though (how nice).  This is a pinata Will made me for our first anniversary.  He filled it with feathers and sweets and glitter - it was awesome!  I didn't want to break it though, so we cut a hole in the bottom.  I still have it to this day (obviously) and it still makes me smile.

Tuesday was a day off, but I spent most of it walking.  My practice walk was fourteen miles - I walked more than a half marathon in a day people!  This picture was with a penguin outside the Discovery.  Why are they there btw?  I've no idea.  You can tell this was earlier in the walk before I got tired, because I'm smiling.  Lol.

Wednesday I was back at work.  I submitted a PhD proposal last week (that's what Thursday's meeting was about).  For those of you who aren't familiar with how a PhD works, it's three - four years of hard hard work.  And lots of reading.  I got given this giant pile to start with.  And yes, I said "to start with".

Finally, Thursday.  I had my meeting and it went really well - we now have an academic backer! - but I'm not telling you any more than that because it's *top secret* and if I told you I wouldn't have to kill you, but I would have to shut you in a cupboard for a very long time.  In the evening Will's end of year party was happenin'.  Here's a blurry, funny-coloured shot of the two of us.  Awww, aren't we pretty?

I'm sure I've probably done some things I've forgotten to tell you about, but if I haven't, I'm working on those ticks - don't worry.  May is a "no chocolate" month (tick) and I'm also going to visit my wonderful cousin Amy next week (tick) and I can't wait!  I'll probably do some boring stuff too just so I can bore you with it.  I'm so good to you.  :p

I salute you, Jack Bauer

The first of May - I hope many of you are enjoying the long weekend and the rather gorgeous weather we're having at the moment!  It's been beautiful, huh?  

First, today's picture.  I like this building because it's a conversion of an old mill, which I think looks fab, and they kept the original style of the facade.  Although it isn't the same at the back, I love the sandstone and huge windows.  It's also what we call "pigeon hangout".  You can't see much of it in this photo, but there are arches over all the windows, and pigeons sit on them so all along the building you have pigeons in curvy lines.  It appeals to my sense of humour anyway...

We also successfully found a bulb to go in our bathroom light, so you can actually see in the shower now!  Fantastic.  (Tick!)  I also forgot to say yesterday that I've ticked off take better care of my feet.  I haven't had a pedicure yet simply because I can't really afford it, but I've been moisturising, self-pedicuring all that malarky.  My feet are looking quite pretty!

The main tick I wanted to write about though was watch the entirety of 24.  I watched the final episode of season eight today!  I have to say, one of my favourite shows of all time.  What I love about 24 is that by then end you feel like you know the characters, you've felt their pain and know how they got to where they got to.  Now that I'm finished it's like the end of an era... and I can't quite believe there's not a real-life Jack Bauer!  (Never mind that Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer is nothing short of, well... delicious.)  If you haven't seen it, you have to.  You'll laugh, you'll cry and when you're done you'll wonder what to do without 24 in your life!

29.72% Complete

I have to admit, I've not been very good at posting through April - sorry about that!  It's been a busy month what with interviews, prep, work and life!  This has been a busy week too.  I read The Da Vinci Code, fixed the satnav on my phone, I bought Will Portal 2 for finishing his HND - doing something that made him happy - and coloured in a colouring book.  All that brings me up to nearly 30% through my list at the end of four months, which isn't bad at all, really.

This is what I see when I sit in my bed.  It doesn't communicate quite so well through a camera, but I love that there's just lots of trees and how they contrast with the sandstone house.  It's a lovely view.

Monday, I had tea at with a lovely friend of mine.  Tea was delicious, and I got to meet her adorable new kitten Diego!  Isn't he gorgeous?!

I decided on Tuesday to take a picture of our tea.  Nom!  Not that I made it myself, but it was still good.

This is the same tree you've seen a few times.  It's amazing how quickly it's changed and the how much fuller the leaves have become in such a short time, it's a beautiful tree.  My washing keeps getting tangled up in it now though!

This arrived a while ago, but I've only just got around to taking a photo - this is my pack for the MoonWalk.  My hat, my t-shirt and my bra to decorate.  It's all becoming very real!  I'm really, really looking forward to it though.  If you'd like to sponsor me for the MoonWalk and have my Facebook, the link to my sponsorship page is in my info.  Alternatively, you can "donate offline", which basically means you gtell me how much you'd like to sponsor me for and pay me after the event.  Anything you can give, even £1, makes a difference and it's going to a really worthy cause!  All the money goes to charity and is distributed to cancer research, hospices and investing in equipment that can help people through their chemo/radiotherapy.

This is the colouring book I coloured in!  I got it from my lovely cousin Amy for my birthday.  It's cool because it's black paper and the crayons show up on it.  I was a bit dumb though and left it on my windowsill so some of the crayons melted a bit.  At least I'd done my colouring!

And finally, here I am with my FINAL season of 24!  I <3 it, big time.  It's taken over my life!  So I'm quite looking forward to finishing, but don't know what I'm going to do without it!

So, there you are.  Hopefully, I'll be a little bit better at posting in May and also I that I get some more things ticked off!  Fingers crossed.  :-)

The problem with keeping a blog whilst trying to do a huge to-do list, is that quite often you don't have a whole lot to write about.  This week, all I've done in my list is read The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, though I have nearly finished The Da Vinci Code too.  

However, I do feel that sometimes, because I'm tired or whatever, I gloss over some of the bigger achievements.  I don't feel there was an appropriate amount of gloating upon paying off my credit card, for example, because you have no idea how long I've been trying to pay that off!  Since 2008!  And it's not even like it had a huge limit!

Or, there's the instance of "deciding what to do with my life".  Admittedly, it wasn't a case of waking up and saying "Okay, I'm going to decide what to do with my life today."  It was more of a creeping decision.  But still - maybe I should have been a bit more proud of that.

The issue, I'm coming to realise, is when recounting past events, you can gloss over the boring bits, like only ticking off one thing in a week.  But when you're retelling it all in real time, it's a little more ... of an effort to be entertaining, perhaps.

So, seeing as I've only read a book this week, why don't you have some pictures instead?

Self explanatory really.  A good book, but not my favourite of his.

This is Tabby.  I've had him since I was three and he still guards my bed.

Sparks from the chimnea. It looked rather pretty.

Will, at the awards ceremony.  His HNC project was nominated and although he didn't win, the fact he was chosen to represent his college and was in the final three for the award, despite it being his first major project, is a huge achievement and I'm very proud of him.

Blossoms.  They're just so pretty.  I wish they were around all year.

One big ass anchor.  I wonder how big the ship was that used to carry it!

Finally, my new crush, Jack Bauer.  (Not Keifer Sutherland.  Just Jack).  This man is one hot little bundle of killer sex appeal.  :-)  It certainly makes watch the entirety of 24 a lot easier!

One hell of a week

I appreciate it's really been far too long since I blogged last.  Really, I've no excuse other than it's been a hellish week, and I'm only just starting to recharge my batteries.  Let's go through what you've missed!

Monday, and Plant got a shower.  You'll be glad to hear that as of yesterday, he's been alive for four weeks!  That means that we've earned a tick.  If you're wondering why Plant gets showers, well it's quite simple really.  As a fern, Plant likes water on his leaves, not just his roots.  So when you shower him gently it's like rain.  Then he sits in the shower to dry.

Tuesday didn't get any ticks, unfortunately.  I was making cookies for my friend's leaving lunch at work.  The dough is tasty!  (Also, I know that looks questionable, but bear with me).

Wednesday was a lot more busy.  After work, I had dinner out with friends before heading to my parents' to swap cars.  They're looking after mine while it gets fixed and meanwhile, I get to drive my mum's car.  (See next picture).  Meanwhile, I decided to take a photo of my nails - purple! - but you'll have to accept my apologies for my weird feet.  Fat with tiny toes, I know.

As I said, Thursday brought me this cool mini.  It's fun to have a shot of it!  I also finished Emma.

Friday was a busy day.  I cashed in the penny pot, earning £36.38 all in pennies!  I also closed that savings account I've never really used, which has been annoying me for ages.  I should mention as well that this week I ticked off decide what I'm going to do with my life.  It seems a little obscure I know, but this week I decided for certain that what I want to pursue in life is a life of research and helping others in their higher education.  For that reason, I've decided to apply for a PhD, and keep at it until I make my goals.

Finally, today, I'm having some time to chill out.  It's been a long time coming, but I appreciate it.  Have a nice weekend!

Weather is awesomesauce!

Oh the weather has never been better and I am loving it!  So much so that I'm doing books and stuff but don't want to sit blogging for too long.  I do have some photo's for you though :)

Friday night I was watching some 24 and paused at an inoppurtune moment for poor Tony.  Had to take a photo!

Washing on the line... Makes me happy.

And out for a picnic today!