Hi everyone, I hope you’re all keeping well. It’s been a little while since I did one of these catch-up posts. A lot has happened since our wedding and honeymoon. You’ll know of course that Harry followed Poppy’s footsteps to Durham Uni and that Ian and I had a fabulous week away in Calpe a few weeks ago.
Empty nest
I’ve adjusted well to my empty nest. On one hand, I miss Poppy and Harry terribly, but on the other, it is lovely for Ian and I to have the house to ourselves. I cannot get over the fact that there is still food left in the fridge when I get home from work and that I no longer need to buy five x four-litre cartons of milk every time I set foot in a supermarket.
Poppy is in her final year and is working hard on her dissertation- she’s looking at options for after graduation. Harry has settled into university life incredibly well. I don’t think he’s been to bed before 3am, but he manages to keep up with lectures etc. He got into the college football team too. After being unable to play in well over a year due to his knee injury, he’s buzzing to be back in goal. I’m pleased to say he survived Freshers Week and two football initiations!
Bedroom makeovers
At his request, Ian and I are giving Harry’s bedroom a complete makeover. At the time of writing, his room is just a blank shell. We took all of the furniture out and have removed the carpet to give us a blank canvas. He has no idea what the style and layout will be, so it’ll be a surprise when he comes home in the Christmas holidays.
We’re also about to start a makeover on our bedroom at our home in the North-East. (I still find it hard to think of it as our house- I keep calling it Ian’s house). There is plenty to keep us busy, despite the empty nest.
Fabulous friends
I have a brilliant group of friends here in Skipton. Here we all are.
We met at the primary school where our children went and we’ve been friends for fifteen years. All bar three have an empty nest too. We socialise and get together regularly, so we really missed it during Covid. They came to my house for homemade curry and cupcakes at the end of September and we went to my friend Jane’s last week for an afternoon tea which was as good as any in any restaurant or tearoom.
Work
My work in practice has been the same since we went back in June 2020 after the first lockdown. I still work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 7.30am until 6pm. The rest of my week is filled with creating content, ( writing, blogging, photography, videography) and the usual household chores and admin that we all have to do.
I enjoy making Instagram Reels and videos. In fact, I made a video version of this type of blog post at the end of September with a round-up of things I’d used and loved throughout the month. It’s easier to talk about and to demonstrate some items, for example, cosmetics, than it is to write about them. It is also a good way of mentioning gifted and PR products as well as chatting about things I have bought myself and recommend. Please do click here and take a look at it. I’ll be doing a new one for October in a day or two too which will include a brilliant book, some fabulous eyewear, (of course), and a few skincare products.
I have noticed that my blog traffic is decreasing so I’m interested to know if you prefer video content, or if blog post are still your favourite social medium. Please let me know in the comments- I’d really appreciate your insights and feedback.
A fabulous frock
Ian and I spent A LOT of money on our wedding and it was worth every penny. It means though that we need to be mindful of our budget, especially as we’re doing the bedroom makeovers. There are a lot of clothes in my closet that simply didn’t get worn last winter as we still in lockdown. I make no apology for loving clothes and for enjoying the thrill of a new purchase, but I do make sure I can justify them.
I’ll be honest and say that I don’t often buy pre-loved clothes. Crockery, glassware, books yes, but not apparel. However, I couldn’t resist this dress which was in the window of a charity shop in Skipton, (Cancer Research if you’re interested). I could tell it was my size so bought it knowing that I would simply donate it back if it didn’t look right. Well, I’m absolutely delighted with it. It is by Damsel in a dress and it is still available in *John Lewis reduced from £210 to £95. I wore it on Saturday night when Ian and I went out for dinner with his brother and his wife.
Notes
This isn’t a sponsored post. Gifted items are marked as such and affiliate links are identified with an asterisk *.
Tweed shift dress: Rosita by Damsel in a Dress. Pre-loved.
*Chunky chain resin bracelet: Anthropologie.
Orange shoes: Mulberry, (previous season).
