Harry Potter Love

I am a massive Harry Potter fan.

I have been a massive Harry Potter fan for a lot of years now. I remember waiting for the last couple of books to be released. The day before was like Christmas eve I was so excited! My wonderful Dad would go and que up outside our local supermarket so that he could get me one of the first copies at midnight. He would leave it outside my bedroom door, fresh for my reading first thing in the morning. I would then spend the whole day devouring the book, finishing the last two the very same day that I got them.

Maybe that Christmas eve feeling is why it is now my tradition to re-read the books for what must be the millionth time, every winter. That and castles and dragons and magic just makes Harry Potter the perfect to read on a dark, cold day, curled up on the couch with the fire blasting and a hot cup of tea.

10 Reasons for My Harry Potter Love:

1. It is so British. I love this, it makes me proud.


2. True relationships. The characters fight and fall out and disagree and get jealous but they are  family, they are always there for each other. True love. 


3. They are so well written. Read them allowed, they flow so well. There are no gaps in the plot. Everything ties up, everything has a purpose and is so well planned out. You know that J.K Rowling had the ending all planned out right from the first book.


4. The descriptions in the book are great; you feel like you have been to Hogwarts yourself and as though the characters are your friends (even without the films!). You can dive into these books and get lost in the story, forgetting everything else that has been going on in your life.


5. It's a children's book that doesn't sugar coat life. Beloved characters die throughout, pets died, people are cruel. The main characters parents died at the start of the book. 


6. The writing of the books grows with the characters. The first book sounds young as the characters are young. The final book is grown up feel as the characters are grown up.


7. Powerful moral lessons. It's a great book for children to grow up reading. Harry Potter teaches equality, girl power, the right route vs the easy route, standing up for what you believe in even when your superiors are trying to push you down, there are causes worth dying for but none worth killing for, appearances can be deceiving, love concurs all... I could go on.


8. Snape. Just thinking of Snape puts a lump in my throat. What a way to sacrifice everything.


9. Neville. Forgetful, clumsy, bottom of the class Neville. Brilliant, loyal Neville. Fights so hard for what he believes in and shows just what determination can achieve.


10. Wonderful, wise quotes such as:

There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live

If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals

In our dreams we enter a world that it truely our own

Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light

People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right

I am going to feel so lost when I reach the end of the series.

Back to London

After two delicious weeks of being at home and being looked after my parents, it is time to head back to the big city.

It had been such a good, well needed, break. The beauty of Christmas time is that everyone comes home for it. I have got to see all of my family, spent time with my best friends and I have got plenty of lungs full of fresh sea air.

It is always sad saying goodbye and leaving the place that will always be home to me.

At the same time I am ready to get back into my own little flat and my own little life. I am looking forward to my super cosy double bed, choosing what I want to eat for dinner and when I want to eat it and of course catching up with friends.

I am not looking forward to reacquainting myself with my alarm clock and trying to remember what it is do for a living.

See you in a few hours London!

Afternoon Tea at Jesmond Dene House

For Christmas, one of the gifts we gave my Grandma was Afternoon Tea at the beautiful Jesmond Dene House in Newcastle.

Set in a grade II listed building, the venue has a really grand feel to it. It was especially lovely all decorated for Christmas.

Built in 1822 and designed by John Dobson (the architect for many iconic buildings and streets in the area) the house was originally home to the Mayor of Newcastle. Since then it has been a college, a civil defense establishment (many of the hidden tunnels still exist!), a seminary and a residential school. In 2005, after 18 months of refurbishment, it become the hotel and restaurant it is today.

The Menu was as follows:

Assorted Finger Sandwiches

Turkey, Cranberry & Stuffing

Coronation Egg Mayonnaise

Smoked Cheddar & Grape Chutney

Hot Smoked Salmon & Avocado

Scones

Spiced Fruit, Plain, Cheese

Clotted Cream & Home-made Jam

Selection of Pastries and Teas

Cranberry Macaroon

Mince Pie

Mint & Chocolate Truffle

Mulled Pear & Cinnamon Cheesecake Sundae

As a savory person, the cheese scones were the highlight for me. The perfect amount of cheesiness!

Even though there was five of us we only ordered food for four people. We had heard that although the portions may look small on first appearance, they soon fill you up. It is a good job we did, even with an extra person we ended up taking a doggy bag of left overs home.

I was impressed. Next time, I would love to go there for dinner.

2015 Resoultions

1. Stop Eating Crap and Move My Arse

Bit of a stereotypical one to start with, I know - sorry!

Healthy living has never been one of my strong points. My diet basically consists of brown and yellow foods... and that is it. I massively over salt everything and can barely go any hour without a sugar fix. Anything that can be classed as remotely healthy just does not do it for me, and so is avoided at all costs. But I'm not a student anymore! As I'm getting older, I just can't get away with it like I used to. My skin is dull, I have permanent dark circles under my eyes, and my hair and nails are brittle. I just look unhealthy, and if that's on the outside I dread to think what my insides look like. No matter how hard it will be (any tips anyone?!), in the new year I definitely need to make an effort to eat more consciously.

As for exercise, when I was at university I was pretty good at hitting the gym regularly. I loved the adrenaline rush you get after a good workout and didn't mind getting the joggers on. Then I started working full time. And despite having a free gym in my building, after work I just cannot find it in me to drag my ass off the sofa and hit it. This needs to change, I need to get back into a good routine. It is embarrassing getting out of breath walking up a flight of stairs.

(Plus, I am going skiing in about a month and a half and need to get some thunder into my thighs before I hit the slopes. I can get fit for then, right?!)

2.  Improve my Socializing

(Perhaps this isn't a great heading. I'm not bad at socializing, I'm pretty good at socializing. Maybe I should say more meaningful socializing? More satisfying friendships? Anyways...)

I have been living in London for about a year and a half now and I have been lucky enough to make some great friends.

Aside from my work lot, all my friends are individuals who I manage to see about once or twice a month. We meet after work or at the weekend, usually for out for dinner and a drink somewhere (which does hinder goal #1!) and it is lush. But, because of our busy lives, different work schedules and living in different parts of London, it really is harder to meet up any more regularly than that. And, as someone who finds it quite hard to fully open up, I need more time to be able to develop close relationships with people. And I need that, I've always been more of a few really good friends person than a lots of kinda friends person. So not really having that in London can make me feel quite lonely at times.

At home, I have my group of forever friends. We have been best friends since nursery, we know everything about each other, and have been through everything together. I love to go out with them and dance the night away, or just get together at someone house in our comfy clothes with a takeaway and some wine, having a good old chat, putting the world to rights.

I miss that when I'm in London.

For 2015, I am going to put more time and effort into developing my friendships here. Open up more and do different things with my friends. Meet new people and get a good old group of us together. I already can't wait!

 

3. Sort My Life Out ! (Stop being late for everything and leaving everything last minute)

In 2015 I am going to sort my life out.

Literally sort. I have bought a pretty new Filofax and I am on the hunt for a lovely calendar I can hang next to my bed (my most frequented spot).

I am not going to post everyone's birthday card after their birthdays like I did in 2014, kicking myself every time I did. I am not going to buy their birthday presents on my way to meet them. I am not going to forget the birthday of anyone I care about.

I am not going to attend all of my French classes late, because I was doing my homework on the way to the lesson.

I am not going to turn up to work all hot and bothered and sweaty because I have had to run to work to make it on time. I am not going to put everything off until the day before my deadline. My notes are going to be neat and in one place, preferable in a note pad, and not on scraps of paper and post-its scattered around my desk.

After a year and a half in London, I am finally going to register my new address with my bank, credit card and with Specsavers to save my Mam having to forward everything to me, including big boxes of contact lenses and solution. I am going to finally enter in our gas and electricity meter readings online, and pray that we don't own the company crap loads of money. I am going to sign up / register (whatever it is you do) to the electoral register thingy.

Wish me luck - I am going to need it

x

I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas Eve.

I have been spending mine wrapping presents, reading Harry Potter and watching Arthur Christmas with the family.

Mam is busy setting the table for Christmas dinner, dad is preparing the veg and in about an hour or so we will be popping to my Grans house to meet all the family for some mulled wine and present exchanging. Then, off to our church for the Midnight Christmas service.

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

X

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'Tis The Season

Now we are officially in December, nobody (not even the Grinchy-est among us), can deny that the Christmas season is finally here!

It is the season of plenty. Plenty of parties, plenty of food, plenty of wine, and plenty of shopping !

I have a somewhat love/hate relationship with Christmas shopping. I love being able to treat my family and friends, but I also find it difficult because I want to get something that they are going to really like. Something they will genuinely be happy to open, that they wouldn't buy for themselves and that I know they will make good use of.

And these day's that is difficult. Most of us are lucky enough to have everything we need and we don't really want for a lot either. Therefore, we buy each other gifts that whilst thoughtful and of course appreciated, are a little bit wasted. Does my dad really need another tie? Is my brother going to get excited opening his 5th T-shirt of the morning? Will my mam get a fuzzy feeling over that scented candle? Probably not.

I don't want to get all preachy, you know what I mean! It's great being able to treat each other and show that we care.

Basically, what I am trying to tell you about is a brilliant website I came across, that offers an alternative type of present we can give to our loved ones. Or as a way to give to those less fortunate than us at a time of year that we are all so fortunate.

Goodgifts.org

There is a massive range of gifts that you can choose to give. Whatever your budget and whatever you are interested in, there is a gift you will want to buy.

There are 'Little Good Gifts' ranging from warm blankets for chilly grannies, to pajamas and a teddy for children in a women's refuge, to a malaria net for a family in Africa.

If you are feeling very generous, there are also 'Gigantic Good Gifts' which include the options of building a library in India, saving Britain's greenbelt or funding a seaside holiday for a hard-pressed family of four.

When you buy a Good Gift, the money you spend will buy the actual gift you have chosen, so you know exactly where your money is going. With every Gift bought, you will receive a card describing the gift, or for the Christmas season, you can instead choose the cracker pack in which to insert the description of the gift.

It's such a good idea ! You need check it out. I have already purchased a few for my loved ones and it feels great. I know they will love them.

What Good Gifts are you going to give this year?