Surfing

I have recently got back from spending the past three weeks camping with my dad and cousin in Newquay. We had such a wonderful and relaxing holiday, I really didn't want to come home! Last year I tried surfing for the first time and I loved it so I decided to book another lesson this year. Once again I found myself enjoying every minute and managed to pick it up easily again. Obviously I fell off a few times but managed to catch a few waves to the shore which was really fun! If you have never been surfing before I would definitely recommend trying it, it's extremely fun and not as scary as it looks!

The Big Pink

Last week I dip dyed my hair using The Big Pink dye from Bleach London. I had heard a lot of good reviews about the products and decided to give it a go myself back in April and was pleased with the results. As I was going on holiday, I decided to use the rest of the bottle and was delighted that it worked better the second time around. My hair is light brown and so I was surprised that the colour was so bright when I washed the dye off. I have also bought the Bruised Violet and I Saw Red colours so I'm excited to try them out soon!

Busy weekend

This past weekend was a rather busy one! I booked some time off from work to enjoy a long weekend and to spend as much time as possible with Jamie before he headed off to America for a couple of weeks. As it was our two year anniversary weekend we decided to have a romantic evening on Friday and visited a lovely independent tapas restaurant in Leeds called Dos Amigos. The food was delicious and there was loads of choice for us vegetarians which got a huge thumbs up from me. We also tried the sangria which was equally delicious. Afterwards we headed home and watched the film 'Her'. We had wanted to see it when it was out in the cinemas back in February but never had the time but it was worth the wait! 
After a lazy Saturday morning we went strawberry picking. I had been patiently waiting for a couple of months for the strawberries to be ready to pick so when I saw the sign near the farm I was so excited! Picking them was so much fun and as they were fresh they were so tasty! When we had finished picking them we headed home and made lunch before travelling back to mine in Wigan. At night we went out with all of my work friends for a few drinks for my brother and another colleagues leaving party. It was a really good night and was great getting to see everyone outside of work.

On Sunday we got up early as I was taking part in my local race for life. I managed to run the majority of the 5km race, and only had to power walk for half a km whilst it was uphill and I was struggling. I'm really proud of myself for taking part as I had been saying for years that I was going too. I even managed to raise £100 which went straight to Cancer Research UK. Having lost my Mum and Grandad to cancer in the past 4 years I'm happy that I got to raise some money in their memory that could help others. 

On Monday we went for afternoon tea at a place called The Grapes in Croston. A few of my friends had been and it looked too good not to try ourselves! The presentation of the food is amazing, all placed on a miniature picnic bench! We got 5 savory and 6 sweet dishes, served with a milkshake and tea or coffee. It all tasted wonderful and I will most likely be visiting again!

I really didn't want the weekend to end as I had so much fun and it meant saying goodbye to Jamie for around 3 weeks!!

Camping weekend in the Lakes

I have just got back from a lovely weekend camping in the Lake District. After a few weeks of working hard we decided that a mini weekend break was due to relax so we booked to go camping. Even though all of my childhood memories of holidays are on campsites, I usually stayed in our caravan so it was fun to be staying in a tent! We stayed at the Great Langdale National Trust campsite and even though it was fully booked, it was nice and peaceful. It was in the middle of the countryside and had hills surrounding it, extremely quiet with beautiful scenery! 

On Saturday morning we woke up early and headed to Grasmere for a little wander about and to visit the famous gingerbread shop. We of course bought a packet and indulged in some whilst sat in the daffodil garden. It was definitely worth the trip! Afterwards we made our way to Ambleside to meet up with some friends who I know from university, one of them actually lives in Ambleside so it was cool to have a wander round after lunch and see some stuff we probably wouldn't have gone to see. We had a wonderful long lunch at the giggling goose cafe and because of the beautiful weather we were able to sit outside. In the late afternoon we wandered back to the campsite and sat outside relaxing before having a mini bbq. It was really refreshing to have no electricity, no television, no internet or phone signal, basically no distractions.

On Sunday morning we ventured to Bowness for a wander around and for breakfast before we headed back home. The weekend was so much fun and really relaxing. Just what we both needed! I absolutely love the Lake District and cannot wait to return!

Two Years!

Today's post is a rather soppy one. Today is quite special as it marks mine and Jamie's two year anniversary since we first met! It's crazy to think that it has already been two whole years, it's has gone by incredibly quick and I can remember almost everything about the night we met. I say almost everything as there were parts of the evening when alcohol may have taken over my brain slightly... hehe

After a drunken night out and a few texts during the week we soon made plans to see each other again and after about a month of 'dating' we decided to become an official couple, even though I'd say we were already a couple before it but we were both too shy to bring it up in conversation. 

I think the main reasons we are so suited to each other and have made it work for this long are that we are both laid back about things and we have the same beliefs about the world, for example both being vegetarians and believing in conserving and helping the environment. We really understand each other and make the most of the time we spend together. 

I can't wait to go on more adventures together and plan the rest of our lives together.

Jamie, you have stolen my heart. Please keep it safe forever <3

Skateboarding in Southport

Sunday morning started off as the usual lazy morning with a lie in followed by breakfast on the sofa, reading the newspapers and watching a cookery show. We didn't really have any plans and were struggling with what to do with ourselves, we could have gone to Liverpool or Manchester for a wander and something to eat but as we are trying to save money at the moment we decided on a drive to Southport for a walk along the pier and a bit of skateboarding. Jamie used to skateboard loads when he was growing up but hadn't done it in a while and the first and last time I did it was last summer in Newquay. We soon got the hang of it and had so much fun skating down the pier and through the parks. Even though it was terribly windy we had a great day and Jamie got to show off doing some tricks.

A lot of people think that once you get to a certain age you have to start behaving like an adult and give up childhood hobbies, for example skateboarding, I disagree strongly with this view and believe that if you really love something you should continue to pursue it! Now go and grab your boards! :D

The Future

The future and what it has in store excites but also scares me. The mystery and possibility of anything that could happen makes me eager to find out what life has in store for me but it also makes me fearful and makes me want to hide away and hibernate. It's coming up to a year now since I graduated from University and I feel quite lost and unsure of what I'm doing with my life. It just feels like everyone I know has a plan and goals for the future and they all have great jobs and career prospects and I feel like I have just wasted this year in a job that I don't really care about and could do without having a degree. The fact that the many jobs I have applied for didn't even respond, not even to say they had received my application is disheartening and demotivating, especially as I try really hard and spend days doing the applications. I have the best family, friends and boyfriend that anyone could wish for but even this cannot make up for the fact that I feel lost and wasting my life away.
Things that excite me about the future is not knowing what adventures I may go on or where I'll end up living etc. I have always said that I want to travel more and do some volunteer work and after researching some possibilities I have realised that it is something that I need to do before I settle down. Society seems to judge people  if they appear different from the rest and if they go against the norm, but what is normal anyways? I don't really want to be stuck in a job that I hate and worry about paying the bills for a house I don't particularly like in a place I don't want to be. Nobody forces people to do anything and yet so many people live unhappy, unfulfilled lives because they are afraid of deviating from the norm and scared of how they will be perceived.
I can't shake the feeling that there is something out there for me that I will feel passionate about and this makes me restless and makes me want to explore and find my calling. This part of the future really truly excites me and come September I hope to find what I am looking for. All I want is a simple life full of fun, love and adventure!