17 February 2014

A little TLC

Hey m'dears :)

How've you been? 

After several weeks of feeling as blue as a blue whale*, not to mention as whaley as a blue whale due to self-medicating my misery with a strict four-puddings-a-day diet, I'm glad to report that a weekend full of wholesome and happy activities has me feeling almost back to my usual cheery self. Hurrah!

This weekend was the perfect balance of nearly all my favourite things. Just in case any of you need to update your Big Book Of Katie's Favourite Things, I've written them down in a handy list. You're welcome.

1. Gluttony.
I realise it's a deadly sin, but so is Sloth - and I haven't been struck down by lightning yet despite spending 90% of my waking hours on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, watching re-runs of Grand Designs. I'm going to keep chancing it.

This weekend's gluttony was courtesy of a cheeky meal deal from Waitrose which was launched to celebrate the holiday I refer to as "VD"; because it's like a disease**. 

£20 scored us two cheesy leek tartlets, two ribeye steaks, four fancy potato rosti, a huge cheesecake, a box of seriously good chocolates and a bottle of wine. Obviously, we didn't eat all of it on Friday night; as I'm pretty sure the Valentine's heart motif isn't meant to represent a heart attack. 

2. A clean house
My New Year's Resolutions are actually going pretty well. I've nailed the majority of the fancy alphabet (although currently wobble on I, N and Q when under pressure), and the house has maintained a reasonably clean and presentable state since 1 January. There are some areas we still need to tackle, but after single-handedly clearing out and re-organising the 6 million jars of chilli sauce and mustard in our fridge (thanks to my Condiment King boyfriend), I feel confident I can conquer Cleaning Everest.

3. De-cluttering
I find having a good old clear-out incredibly therapeutic (almost as much so as shopping for more stuff... *ahem*), so Saturday morning saw me staggering to the nearest charity shop under the weight of an unruly binbag of clothes, and a rucksack crammed with unused cookbooks and kitchenalia. I'm counting it as cheesecake-balancing cardio.

4. Rainy day games
When the weather took a turn for the worse, I opted to spend Saturday afternoon playing a few rounds of Bananagrams with my parents, using my cheap-as-chips magnetic Scrabble tiles. Needless to say, I didn't play the swearwords-only version I've previously played with friends. 

5. Cheering crafts
This DIY was one of my New Year's Resolutions, and I decided to combine my attempt with my own version of this shiny print by backing it with kitchen foil. It's now gracing our new picture ledge, and I thought it would act as a daily reminder to cheer up my face!


Please excuse the shoddy photo, but it seems to be dark whenever I'm home at the moment. Whether this is due to the actual weather, or the grey cartoon storm clouds constantly hovering over my head, is hard to say.

6. Shopping local
Sunday morning's food shopping trip included a sun-soaked wander around our local "farmers market"; aka, the carboot sale. I really enjoy being able to buy fresh fruit and veg direct from the growers; it's so much more personal than the supermarket, and often cheaper too!

7. Food with friends
On Sunday, Tom and I played host to our collective besties. Tom cooked a seriously awesome roast dinner, whilst I concentrated on the important things like chatting about houses, babies, work, and birthday party plans. Fran has hired me as her official Birthday Party Planner, in order to relieve the migraine-causing stress from her and give me the perfect excuse to buy a clipboard, label maker, and a headset a la Britney.


"Get me more balloons, STAT!!"
[image source]

8. Making plans
Fran and I also bought tickets for a couple of shows in Brighton's Sick! Festival; which is apparently "a new festival exploring the medical, mental and social challenges of life and death and how we survive them (or don’t)." I, for one, am rather intrigued....

9. A little treat
Having feasted my belly on delicious roast dinner, I spent Sunday afternoon feasting my eyes on the delights of a home decor magazine I'd bought as a treat, with an obligatory cuppa (obviously). The mag included a free ticket to the next Ideal Home Show, so I'm now deliberating whether to go again. Do any of you lovelies fancy joining me? 

What did you get up to this weekend?

Katie xxx

* The lowest point was nearly bursting into tears when I couldn't find the yoghurt I'd earmarked for my breakfast. I even j'accused Tom of stealing it, which is definitely not my proudest moment. Especially when I found it hiding on the top shelf behind the cheese. In my defence, it was a well fancy yoghurt.

** I did say almost back to cheery!

10 comments:

  1. Glad you're feeling more cheery! Bananagrams is awesome. And always requires banana and custard to go with it. X

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    1. Thank you lovely :) I didn't have any custard this weekend!! I think I need a re-do :p xxx

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  2. Sorry to hear that you've had some glummery, I'd give you half of my half term if I could. But all hail being on the up! And hurrah for bloggy updates, I comment little but read lots and I've missed you! x

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    1. Aw :) Cheers m'dears- that's made my day. Don't be giving me your half-term; you must use it to appreciate a One Direction lunchbox-free week and not having to do the Giant Hill :) Plus I have Friday off, and I'm planning to go for a massage and possibly a solo breakfast at Bills with a good book xxxx

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    2. ahrgh I just lost my entire reply!!!!!! I was saying thst I love your smile art but sad you still have the glums! if any consolation, ive been mardy moo face to cbc all through January so far!
      Id be up for the ideal home exhivition if the dates matched up. what mag would I have to buy to get the free ticket?

      x

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    3. I think they're currently free in any of the mags in the House to Home group - http://www.housetohome.co.uk/ - it should be advertised on the plastic cover :) The free tickets are for the last weekend, from 28-30 March - http://www.idealhomeshow.co.uk/ xxx

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  3. I shall look out for that magazine too as I've never ever been although I say I will every year. Free-ness makes it much more likely.
    Your SMILE artwork is not only pretty to look at but damn good advice and the Sick Fest just sounds mad. But perhaps that's what they're aiming for. Is there a band line up for this event or just seminars?
    Glad you're feeling better. Missed you! xx

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    1. Thank you lovely :) I think there are free tickets in a whole bunch of magazines at the moment - the last one I went to was pretty hilarious; the upstairs part was like being on QVC! The Sick Fest is a whole bunch of different performance art from installations to films to theatre shows. xxx

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  4. feel your pain re the multiple chilli sauces and mustards! We have a whole shelf just for them! I always try to push the nearly empty ones so I can get rid of them without being told off :p
    But, NEVER throw away cooking books!This is blasphemy of ginormous (can never spell that) proportions! Books are for hoarding not donating! ;p xxx

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    1. I've been doing that too! "Are you SURE you want mayonnaise with your chips and wouldn't prefer the last half-spoonful of English mustard mixed with some remnents of mango chutney? No?!"
      They were awful cooking books, I swear- they were so 80s that all the food and photos was the same horrible beige colour. xxx

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