The best yoga channels for pregnancy

I love yoga and have been doing it for about 5 years now, mostly via YouTube, although I did enjoy the odd class in the >~!before times~$! I am in no way some sort of expert, or even particularly "good" at it (still can't touch my heels to the floor in downward dog!) but it really helps to calm and centre me, especially during pregnancy. 

I initially found it difficult to find good quality pregnancy specific yoga videos/people on YouTube, but now I am 8 months pregnant I have curated quite the playlist, which you can find here if you wish. Here are some of my faves:

Sarah Beth Yoga 

I loved Sarah Beth's videos before I was pregnant (she does mainly non-pregnancy videos) and her style very much suits me. She doesn't waffle but just talks through the sequence calmly and provides helpful modifications if applicable. Her videos are easy to follow even if you are a beginner, and she does a lot of short sessions which I appreciate. 

Lucy Flow

Lucy is a fairly new discovery, she is a British yoga teacher who does 'Serene in 15' yoga flows. There are only a few on YouTube as I believe most are on her paid-for subscription service, but the small selection available are very calming, soothing and really lovely to do. They concentrate on sorting out niggling issues like back pain and actually work. 

Harlow's Earth 

Cassie from Harlow's Earth has created a prenatal yoga series with a yoga video for each week of pregnancy (Week 1 - Week 40) which is such an amazing free resource! Most sequences are at least 25 minutes and are a mix of active and relaxing moves. I feel like I've had more of an actual workout after doing her sessions as she loves a chair pose and a squat! There is a lovely savasana at the end of each video which is wonderful to finish on. 

Bettina Rae 

Bettina's channel is a gem because she has tailored videos for coping with miscarriage, trying to conceive, being pregnant after loss and anxiety in early pregnancy. She also focuses on pregnancy specific ailments such as aching back, sore legs and insomnia which are so helpful when you feel like crap! 

Being pregnant after misscarriage and some tips that helped me

I wrote this when I was 28 weeks pregnant...I'm now 34 weeks but it all still applies! 

I still follow the miscarriage Facebook group that I joined in the midst of one of my losses. I don't know why. I'm 28 weeks pregnant now and *touch every bit of wood in the world* things are going well. 

Being pregnant for 6 months, being actually physically pregnant where I can feel the baby kicking and moving, where people can see my big old stomach and ask me what my due date is is just something that I dreamed of for what feels like so long. If I think about it too much I just want to cry my eyes out (spoiler alert, sometimes I do).

But despite all of the reassurance scans, all of the photos, all of the slap bang in the middle of the centile growth measurements, it's still utterly terrifying. It still doesn't feel 100% real. I think that's why I still read the notifications that pop up to say someone has posted in the miscarriage group, I can't let myself leave because deep down I feel like of course I'm still going to need it again one day. Yet at the same time, I feel like I read the stories almost as another person; a past me who struggled to get pregnant who is separate from the me who can feel my baby kicking in my stomach as I write this post (just writing that made me feel teary). 

I feel the pain of the women writing the heart wrenching posts acutely, but I also don't feel it at all. It's such a strange feeling, I can't really get my head around it. I feel like it almost annoys me that I don't feel as bad anymore - I feel kind of guilty for getting what I wanted for so long. 

And the anxiety comes out in weird ways, even if I think I've squashed it. We had another scan last week and although I thought that I felt fine about it, I was an emotional wreck the weekend before. I had two arguments with my mum and picked a fight with my sister. I burst into tears watching Come Dine With Me (couples edition!). The mind truly does work in mysterious ways. 

Being in lockdown, or just having so many 'normal' pregnancy practices taken away or changed doesn't help I don't think. There has been so much more time to dwell. 

If you find yourself in a similar position to me, here are a few things I have found helpful in not losing my mind:

1. Find a mantra

I was listening to a fertility podcast (I cannot for the life of me find which one it was now) and the guest had had a really harrowing fertility journey with multiple miscarriages and other health issues. When she got pregnant afterwards, in the really scary, early stages where you have no idea what is going on, she would say to herself 'this hour, I am pregnant'. This really, really helped me because after miscarriage every time you go to the toilet it's stressful, expecting to see you've started bleeding, every tiny back twinge you think it's a miscarriage symptom and it's all over. Breaking it down into small, manageable chunks is so helpful and soothing. 

2. Pregnancy yoga/meditation

I am going to do a separate post on my pregnancy yoga recommendations on YouTube, but I have found doing yoga every day grounding and calming, and felt reassured that I was doing something good. Even if it's just for 5 minutes. 

3. Call for help if you need it 

Very early on in my pregnancy, I lost one of my pregnancy symptoms and went into panic mode, convincing myself it was all over. My husband encouraged me to call the consultant who was looking after me but I didn't, because I thought I was being silly and didn't want to bother people unnecessarily. My husband rang her himself in the end because he could see I was distressed about it, and she was reassuring and kind, telling him that symptoms come and go which is totally normal. If you are worried, call someone - your consultant if you're lucky enough to have one, the GP, the midwives, a friend who has been pregnant. Even apps or Facebook groups can help reassure you. Don't suffer in silence! 

4. Do things at your own pace

I knew I wanted to do an Instagram post to talk about my pregnancy and miscarriage, and it seems that a general 'rule' is that once you have the 12 week scan done and all is well it is then fine to announce to the world. However, this just felt too soon for me. I told my wider family and friends after the 12 week scan, but didn't feel ready until 18 weeks to say anything on social media. I also knew I would have to start buying clothes etc. for the baby, but again took my time. At first we just went to Marks and Spencer and I allowed myself just to look and coo over the tiny babygros. This felt like a big deal! People can tell you you should be doing x by x date, but you do what feels right for you. 

5. Give yourself a break 

It's a bloody scary time. Sometimes you feel terrified, and it's totally fine to feel like that. No matter if people have it worse, no matter if it's not nice to feel terrified, no matter if you feel like a moany cow. Sometimes it just bes like that. Give yourself a break! 

I hope this was in any way helpful to someone, if you are pregnant after loss I have all of my fingers and toes crossed for you! 

Christmas mocktails

I'm not a big drinker, but I do enjoy a cocktail or 5. Being preggers, and with Christmas coming up, I wanted to make some easy, tasty drinks I could whip up to get into the festive spirit and join in with the drinking fun. Here are 3 super simple ones that I made and enjoyed.

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Non-Alcoholic mulled wine 

This was so easy to make! It definitely tasted like mulled wine, and made the kitchen smell real festive. It did lack that certain depth, which some might say was the tasty tasty alcohol, but nonetheless it was a great substitute and perfect accompaniment to a mince pie. I kept mine on the hob and just heated it up in batches throughout the week, but it would also be good to share with family and friends (when Covid allows!)

Ingredients (serves 4-5)

• Bottle of non-alcoholic red wine (I used this one from Tesco)
• 2 or 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon mulled wine spice or regular allspice
• Orange slices from 1/2 orange
• A thumb sized piece of ginger, grated or chopped

Method

1. Pour wine into a medium saucepan
2. Add rest of ingredients 
3. Simmer until hot but just before boiling
4. Drink! 

Hot chocolate with Irish cream (aka non alcoholic Bailey's)

Non- alcoholic Baileys is, again, ridiculously easy to make and combined with hot chocolate is a deliciously creamy, indulgent beverage perfect to treat yourself to of a December evening. Why not combine with decorating the tree or a Christmas film. Just not The Holiday, please. 

Ingredients (serves 1)

For the Irish cream

• 50ml Double cream 
• 15ml (three tablespoons) Evaporated milk 
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the hot choc

• One tablespoon of powdered hot choc/hot choc flakes (I used Mrs Potts which I got from my advent calendar, and tastes divine)
• 1 or 2 squares of dark choc 
• 1/2 mug Milk (I used oat as I'm not a huge fan of cow's milk)

Method 

1. First make the Irish cream by combining all ingredients in a jam jar and shaking. Measure half of a mug's worth and then tip into a small saucepan
2. Measure another half mug's worth of milk and add to Irish cream to heat the two gently together (try not to boil)
3. Place powdered hot choc in same mug and add square/s of choc. 
4. Once milk mixture is hot, pour into the mug over the chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts. 

NB: You could deffo make this with just the non-alcoholic baileys, hot choc flakes and chocolate squares. It would be very rich, but also very delicious. 

Pear, ginger and rosemary spritz (serves 1)

This is adapted from this Guardian recipe. I will be making these for me and my mum (a fellow non-drinker) on Christmas day. 

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon honey (optional - depends how sweet you like things)
• 1 shot glass of rosemary syrup (it is so easy to make. If you can't be arsed, just use the rosemary but I think the syrup makes it more cocktail-y)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 200ml pear juice (I used this one and it is lush)
• Ginger ale to top

Method

1. Chuck it all in jam jar, or cocktail shaker if you have one. 
2. Stir with a spoon until the honey dissolves, if using. 
3. Shake it all up real hard. 
4. Pour into your best glass over some ice, if you like (I don't like my drinks too cold personally).
5. Top with as much ginger ale as you like. Garnish with a spring of rosemary, feel fancy. 

 

Places to Potter: Ilfracombe

I visited Ilfracombe in August with my darling mother. It's not the first time I've been, my mum grew up there and I used to visit all the time as a child, but I haven't been in about 10 years. 

I drove down there, which took about 3 hours and was quite a big deal for me! Although I passed my driving test 3 years ago, I am not a confident driver at all, I hate parking, other drivers and basically all elements of being in a car. But I did it, so yay me! 

The harbour and front are lovely with lots of cute shops, restaurants and beaches. The high street is now a bit run down, which is a shame as it used to have loads of lovely independent places.

Some recommendations if you visit Ilfracombe:

• Go to The Tunnels beach (this wasn't open when I went but hopefully it will be soon cos it's the cutest place with a lush tidal pool)
• Get an ice cream from the Hockings ice cream van
• Visit the Verity sculpture by Damien Hirst  

           

• Eat the following, which is law when you got to any seaside town: A pasty (I had a vegan cornish pasty and it was G R E A T), Roly's fudge, Fish and chips 
• Walk to the top of Capstone and admire the sea views
• Have some retro fun in the arcades
• Visit nearby Lee, which has some lovely beaches which aren't overcrowded
• Take a boat trip to Lundy Island, which has wildlife galore, including a absolute shit ton of puffins 
• Visit Ilfracombe museum, where you can do a brass rubbing and see a shrunken cat's head in a jar, something I was weirdly obsessed with as a child 
• Have a peek inside the RNLI shop and support a great charity 

This was taken mere moments before I slid on some rocks and fell on to my back like an upturned beetle

My life in books

I saw Amy from Read with Amy do this My Life in Books post and loved it. So I copied! Thanks for the inspiration Amy.

My favourite book as a child

There are so many I could pick for this, but I think it's going to have to be a Judy Blume, and the one that immediately jumps out is Just as Long as We're Together. I would read this over and over, I was obsessed with the characters, their friendship and the American lifestyle they lived. I wanted to go to homeroom and the school dance and have a school lunch period and eat an oatmeal and raisin cookie. 

The Book That Got Me Back Into Reading

When I first moved to London, for reasons I cannot fathom I would read The Metro on the way to work and The Evening Standard on the way home. The amount of good reading time I wasted pains me. I can never get that time back! I finally got a clue and started reading on my Kindle, and I whilst I can't pinpoint the exact book, I vividly remember reading the bee scene from the first Hunger Games novel and being completely absorbed in the story. That first book was so good! 

A Book That Got Me Through A Hard Time

This is going to sound stupid, because it wasn't really a hard time, but I went travelling with my friend in my early 20s and whilst it was mega fun there were times when I felt horribly homesick. I found David Nicholl's book One Day at a used book shop along the way and it just resonated with me so much - it was like finding a little bit of home and the comfort it provided on long, hot bus journeys was immense. One Day (and especially Emma) will always have a special place in my heart and I think that when you read a book is often just as important as the actual story or content. I think if I was to read it now I would enjoy it but have nowhere near as emotional a reaction. 

A Book You Always Recommend

I get asked for book recommendations quite a lot, and whilst I know different people can have different tastes, I will always recommend The Namesake or An Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. Characters are so important to me in a book and she writes such perfect ones - good or bad. 

My Favourite Quote From A Book

I'm cheating and picking two.

"On the flight home, I daydreamed of Tottenham Court Road and ordering shit off Amazon. I thought of Farly's laugh and the sound of my flatmates getting ready for work in the morning and the smell of my mum's perfume in her hair when I hug her. I thought of the blissful mundanity of life; of what a privilege it was to live it"

Dolly Alderton, Everything I know about Love

"One's just supposed to conform. I know what they'd like, they'd like a blank they could fill in. A person already filled in disturbs them terribly"

Claire Morgan, Carol.

All Time Favourite Book

This is impossible. Do I choose a nostalgia hit from my childhood? Or my favourite from last year? So many books mean so much to me for lots of different reasons. I just cannot chose! I am the worst. 

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Notes from July 2020

Some bits and bobs I have enjoyed this month. I feel like July has been a bit up and down - I love love love summer usually but obviously this month has been unlike any other summer. I started the month feeling really fed up with working from home and felt a bit like I was just existing and not enjoying life. That sounds quite dramatic, but I think THESE TIMES make any emotions feel a bit times ten.

Regardless, I tried my best to think of one of my favourite quotes, which is 'Never lose sight of the fact that just being is fun', and I reminded myself that a lot of people are much worse off than me, so I still did fun things, and felt a lot better towards the end of the month.

This jammy pepper pasta salad

Essay about this dinner incoming.


I saw this on Michelle's blog and it spoke to me. I had most of the ingredients in the fridge (I love it when that happens) and so I made it and it was so delicious, especially for a summer's evening. The descriptions on Bon Appetit really get me; describing peppers as jammy *drooling emoji* . I made a few substitutions - I didn't have quite the required number of peppers so I kind of 'thirded' (unsure if that's a word) the whole recipe, and I didn't include the nuts or the onions because Rich isn't a fan of onions and I just didn't fancy the nuts. So after all, it was kind of only partly the recipe! It had the main essence though - the jammy peppers. They were the main event and they were glorious. Oh I also swapped parmesan for feta as we had some leftover that needed using. Subs and using your cooking initiative for the win!

This adorable Instagram account

I can't remember how I found this account but it is just adorbs. It's run by a girl called Kyla and the aesthetic is 'a brown girl in 1950s utopia' (her words, obviously) - she remakes 1950s magazine covers and creates dreamy vintage looks. It's just so cute!

The library is BACK BABY

I missed the library so much! Whilst one still can't go and browse (sob), Bristol Central Library have created a system where you email them with the type of books that you enjoy and they will make a curated selection for you, which you go and collect in person. How lovely is that? A free selection of curated books. I will never stop appreciating that the library is 100% free. The books that were selected for me were Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Enduring Love by Ian McEwan, The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid and And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini. All books that I have never read before but look right up my street. I am very impressed.

My cat has started going outside

My fluff is all grown up! We bought her a collar and a tag with our details on and let her roam free in the garden (and beyond). She has already lost the collar (thanks then) and had an altercation with a neighbourhood cat, but apart from that she has loved her little outside life. 

Adam Buxton with Joe Cornish

I love Adam Buxton's podcast at the best of times, but this one was a particular highlight, firstly because any time Adam and Joe are together it is comedy gold/ pure entertainment. Secondly because Adam was talking very candidly and emotionally about his mum who recently died and it was very, very sweet.

Cute picnic

One of my July goals, which I post on my monthly bullet journal Instagrams, was to have a cute picnic in the wild. We went to The Bath Soft Cheese Shop, which is a dairy farm, shop and cafe not too far from us. I purchased some cheese (extra mature of course) and then we took our other food and many items (Rich was so pleased that I packed glassware to achieve my aesthetic goals) and went in search of a cute field to sit in. The first spot we found was shortly disrupted by a farmer letting in a huge herd of cows, which seemed fine to begin with but shortly became very unnerving so we trondled on further and found an even better spot with BUNNIES hopping about. It was the best.

Sex Education

I am aware I am very late to the bandwagon but I love this programme! I'm only on episode 6 of season 1 and it makes me cry and I don't even know why half the time, it's funny but it also gets you right in the feels. I STAN ERIC. The aesthetic is also super pleasing on the eyes and I want to live in Otis's house a lot.

Links I liked reading

Midsummer celebrations sound lovely
The Babysitter's Club movie discussed by the people who were in it
This article about Normal People is an interesting take on the TV show
Man Repeller did a deep dive into feelings about libraries and it made me feel warm inside
Cats are the best. Even Vogue knows.
The hygiene theatre of deep cleaning everything is arguably pointless

Money Diary during coronavirus

I very much enjoyed doing a money diary back in February (yep, seems like 10 years ago now!) so I thought I'd do another, in this brave NeW n0rmAl we find ourselves in. 

Monday 6th July

• I went to the post office as I sold something on Depop £3.10
• As we've recently moved house we've been gradually getting bits and bobs to make it look pretty. Wanted a rug for the front room - went for this one in the end, after A LOT of research. Finding a rug that's not a) one colour b) a million pounds and c) not a triangle based print is surprisingly tricky. £79.20
• The direct debit for my veg box came out. We get an organic fruit and veg box from Abel & Cole delivered every week. I love opening it when it arrives, it's a bit like Christmas. Unless they send Pak Choi, which I hate. £15.75
• Since moving, I have become obsessed with Facebook Marketplace. The previous tenants left a plethora of items in this house, including baby gates and lots of random items in the shed. Today I sold a tile cutter for £7. 

Tuesday 7th July

• My vitamins had almost run out, so I purchased a top up. It was free delivery when you spent £30 so I thought I might as well buy two bottles at once. I buy all my vitamins from Cytoplan - the website was recommended to me by a nutritionist and their delivery is so quick! £30
• I was doing my daily DuoLingo and an advert came up about the unthinkable situation in Yemen so I donated to Care International £20 

Wednesday 8th July

• My friend has recently had a little girl and I went to see her for a socially distanced peek at the baby. I bought her other daughter a gingerbread man as I thought she might be feeling left out! £1.35

Thursday 9th July

• It was definitely a McDonalds breakfast kind of day today. I've never actually had an egg McMuffin, for my shame, so that was a revelation. I had it without the cheese though, because plastic cheese is an abomination. I reckon I could live on McDonalds hash browns though £7.98 on two Mcdonald's breakfasts (not both for me)
• My lovely auntie gave me a £50 cheque in a moving in card, so I paid that into my account. 

Friday 10th July

• Went to my friend's house for a curry in her garden with another pal. Quorn bhuna, pilau rice, garlic naan, poppadoms, onion bhajis and chutneys. So good. £18.06 for my share
• The direct debit for Hello Fresh came out. This is only the second week of starting this up again, simply because after so many days of cooking my dinner day in, day out, I cannot be bothered to decide what to eat every night! I won't carry this on for ages but wanted a bit of a break £27.99 for four meals.
• Went to Tesco for the weekly shop. We have been spending a lot more on the weekly shop at the moment. At the start of lockdown it was at least £100 a week, it slowly going down but I'm very snacky at the moment and in a treat yourself mindset. Baking most weeks has also increased the bill somewhat. £67.49 

Sunday 12th July

• Our cat Bluebell, was a house cat when we lived in a first floor flat, but now that we are in a house we are going to start letting her out. Advice says she needs a collar, so I ordered her a bougie one, because I love her and she deserves it. Rich wanted to get her a black one from Pets At Home, because for some reason he thinks she's a basic bitch £29.99 inc. postage.
• We went to Somerset Lavender Farm, a place I have wanted to go for a long old time. It was very peaceful and lovely, would recommend highly. Rich paid the donation to go in and I paid for the snacks - we had a still lavender lemonade, a cheese scone (it was probably the best cheese scone I've ever had) with cheese and chutney, and some cheese crisps. Cheesy. I also bought a lavender plant to take home, along with some local honey £20.70

Total: £321.61

This was an above average spend, because of the rug purchase and the new Hello Fresh habit. Everything else is fairly standard - I mostly spend my money on food and excursions, and whilst I can't do as many excursions, then I will spend more money on food I suppose! Food's nice though innit. 

The best things I've baked during lockdown (and some things I've learned)

My hobby of choice during the lockdown as undoubtedly been baking stuff. With little else to occupy my busy hands, I have turned to Pinterest, my small collection of cookbooks and my trusty saved recipe folder (a physical folder!) and kneaded, proved, mixed to my heart's content.

Favourite things I have made

The Anna Edit's cookies

The hype is real for these cookies which are based on the recipe from the Levain bakery, with a few tried and tested hacks. They are the thicccccc, gooey cookies you've seen all over Instagram, winking at you with their height and oozing chocolate chips - in short an absolute absolute dream. They are sweet, a tiny bit salty, stuffed to the brim with chocolate and a delicious bite from roasted hazelnuts. I want some now! I have to try the white chocolate and miso ones too.

Cheesy welsh cakes

I made these initially to use up a glut of leeks from my veg box - they love sending a leek and Rich HATES eating a leek so alternative leek routes must be explored in our mission to not be a wasteful household. These savoury nuggets are a delightful discovery - I often use them as a bread substitute for my morning boiled eggs, or just as a umami mid-morning snack.

Decorated Foccacia 

This fun baking project lets your creative juices run wild, is easy and tastes great. You feel clever because you have made bread but you don't need specialist equipment so it's a win win. The only downside is you have to eat it quite quickly because without the tons of preservatives they put in supermarket bread, turns out it goes mouldy more quickly - who'd have thought?

Tea, Lemon and Blueberry Cake 

I made this for my mum's birthday. It is from Tesco magazine and it's the first time I've made a cake larger than two tiers so I was a bit intimidated by it! It turned out great though, and tasted lush. You couldn't really taste the tea in it however, so I would probably leave that out next time as it wasn't
missed. My mum appreciated it greatly and even brought out her best cake knife to cut it. High praise indeed.

Some things I have learned...

Measurements need to be precise...but sometimes it just ain't working

I made a pizza base recently and I swear I followed the instructions to the letter but I just could not get it to stop being so damn sticky. Sometimes, no matter how precise you are, the temperature of the room, how warm your hands are, even your mood definitely makes a difference to how things turn out.

You can substitute stuff

That said, whilst they do say baking is a science, most of the time you can sub in like for like and it's largely the same. Oil instead of butter, lemon zest instead of orange, granulated sugar instead of caster. Trial and error is part of the fun - just need to use your imagination and logic.

Sharing is caring

The only downside about making so many baked goods, is having so many baked goods. I'm lucky that both mine and Rich's parents live nearby so every Sunday we would do a little walk or bike ride round to both households and drop off some excess treats, stopping for a little doorstep chat along the way.

It's not worth making the pastry!

I made shortcrust pastry for a pie and it's just long and an effort and I cannot make it stretch properly to save my life. Shop bought pastry is my friend.

Notes from June 2020

I've decided to change the format of these posts, as they were getting a bit brain dump-y.

Instead of just listing everything I've done, I'm going to write about 7 things I loved across all the categories I used to cover - reading, listening, watching, buying, eating, enjoying on Instagram and so on and so forth, and then some links. Might include something I didn't enjoy as well just for balance.

Last month we moved house! We've managed to get quite a bit done in a short amount of time - painting the hallway and the upstairs, getting the carpets and oven cleaned, ordering furniture, but I'm still getting used to it all. Exciting though! 

Anyway, here are some things I have enjoyed of late.

1. Alexa Chung's YouTube series about Met Gala. 

I look forward to the parade of looks that is the Met Gala so I let out a sad sigh when it was cancelled this year. Luckily, good old Alexa Chung interviewed some designers about the fun Met Gala times they have had in the past and it almost made up for the usual spectacle. 

2. Normal People

I'm only human okay? But srsly, this was a whole emotional punch in the face wasn't it. It's weird, I loved it but at the same time it pained me to watch it. Still wonderful though. And please can there NOT be a second series. Some things just need to exist as they are. 

3. Girlguiding Book

I am the biggest GirlGuiding nerd going and I recently read a book called 'How the Girl Guides won the war', which put the whole lockdown thing in perspective for sure. The bravery, capability and willingness to help from these girls (some as young as 10) is admirable. Brought a tear to my eye. 


4. Finding out about Babysitter's Club on Netflix

I found out there is going to be a Babysitter's Club series on Netflix and my tiny heart sung with joy. Watch the teaser trailer here if you know what's good for you. 

5. "Finishing a book is proof that we aren’t stuck in time – we still have the capacity to begin things, to finish things, to make use of this time in small but comforting ways" 

This is a quote from one of Alice Catherine's recent blog posts. It resonated with me a lot.

6. Pic & Mix

Online pic and mix is a wonderful invention at all times, but particularly when they have stopped selling it in shops because of old auntie 'Rona.  When it's 100% vegan it is even better. This is the one I ordered and I can particularly recommend the foamy ovals. Also the fudge - my gosh. 

7. Anti-Racism Daily

This is a newsletter that sends out daily information about the Black Lives Matter movement, and how we can continue the anti-racism work. So far I have learned what defunding the police actually means, why Black people are more affected by Coronavirus and why facial recognition technology is used to match Black people to crimes but is a highly flawed system. I am so grateful for the amount of research and work that goes into this newsletter FOR FREE (although you can donate or subscribe on Patreon). I would highly recommend subscribing. 

Links of note

• The death of the office?
• Stories of nannying during Coronavirus. Some people are the worst! 
• Arranging the perfect bookshelf
• 10 micro habits that will change your life
• Michelle really does write so beautifully about issues surrounding race - she is swiftly becoming one of my favourite bloggers 
• A list of movie characters you would not want to be quarantined with 
• Cooking tips for when you're really over cooking every single meal
• This Disney song thread, I live

Black Lives Matter

image by Clay Banks from Unsplash

I am swapping my May monthly round up to talk about the Black Lives Matter movement. I have always, like many other people, considered myself non-racist. However, it's only been recently that I have been shown that being passively anti-racist is not enough. I need to be actively anti-racist; educate, donate, have discussions. Diversify my social media feed more. So that is what I have been doing. And you should too.

I found this guide to be helpful in listing tangible ways to help and action to take, both big and small.

I have a long list of content I want to read, listen to and watch. Here is a list of things of things I can personally recommend. These are illuminating, devastating, funny, moving, interesting, entertaining; sometimes all of the above.

To watch

• Mo Gilligan live (Netflix) 

I love comedian Mo Gilligan's Instagram, and this live show cracked me UP. 

• When They See Us (Netflix)

This 4 part Netflix series is the story of the Central Park Five, a group of black kids who were wrongfully convicted of murder. It is heartbreaking but so powerful, especially the last episode. The acting from Jharrel Jerome especially is incredible. 

• Beyonce: Live at Coachella (Netflix)

This is a joyful thing to watch. 

• Boyz N The Hood (Netflix)

This film has some great explanations of systemic racism, poverty, police brutality shown through the life of Tre, a young black male in the 1990s trying to navigate living in LA following the 1992 riots. 

• Radical Brownies (YouTube)

The story of a Brownie troop in America who are also black activists. 

• Menace to Society (Rent on Amazon Prime)

Another 90s film set in LA which explores similar themes as Boyz N The Hood, but takes a bleaker, more violent stance to drum the points home. 

• Do the Right Thing (Rent on Amazon Prime)

This Spike Lee film explores racial tensions in NYC during a swelteringly hot day - it's impactful but witty, plus the colours and cinematography are very pleasing. 

• Styling Hollywood (Netflix)

This show follows a black gay couple, Jason (stylist) and Adair (interior designer) and they are both so compelling and likeable. And hilaire. Hoping for a second series please! 

To read 

• The Fruit of the Lemon Andrea Levy
• Americanah Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Purple Hibiscus Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• That Thing Around Your Neck Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Interpreter of Maladies Jhumpa Lahiri 
• The Namesake Jhumpa Lahiri
• My Sister the Serial Killer Oyinkan Braithwaite
• Black Boy Richard Wright
• Queenie Candice Carty Williams
• The Hate u Give Angie Thomas
• The Longest Memory Fred D'Aguiar

To listen to

• The song 'Black' by Dave 
• Dissect podcast, in particular Lemonade and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
• The Receipts podcast 
• The Reality Tea podcast
• Hip Hop Saved my Life podcast with Lennie James
• Yikes podcast 

Black Lives Matter.

My working from home routine

Since my first foray into documenting my morning routine, a lot has changed. I still love a routine though. Sets me up for the day and reminds me that I am, in fact, a person and not just a stretchy waistband blob who has to set an actual alarm on the Alexa to stop me from scrolling Tik Tok until my eyes start bleeding and fall out.

So this is what we do now.

Please note, all times are now (ish) due to the flexibility of time in this new world.

6am

Alarm goes off. I have always been an early bird and I enjoy having an hour in the morning to myself much more than I enjoy sleeping. My alarm of choice is Alexa telling me the weather. This is a  gentle alarm and I like it. It's preferable to an actual Alexa alarm because that requires me having to tell her to stop, and I highly dislike having to talk as soon as I wake up, especially when she doesn't listen and I have to shout, making me feel annoyed as soon as I open my eyes. No-one wants that. However, as a counterpoint, sometimes this alarm is so gentle that I just go straight on back to sleep, as there is no sound I have to stop and nothing time sensitive I need to get up for. So sometimes 6am turns into 6:15am or 6:30am.

6:05am

My cat, who used to be so pleased that I was getting up, could not care less about me anymore so I do a quick look around to see if she is going to grace me with her presence, or hide under the bed in safety. If she is around I might get a rare stand up cuddle which is cherished morning treat.

6:10am

If my cat is nowhere to be found, I go ahead and make myself a lemon and ginger tea and do a quick tidy of the kitchen.

6:15am

I retreat to my cosy armchair with my current book and a magazine. I read at least a chapter of my book and a bit of the magazine whilst I drink my tea. My magazines of choice are Heat, Grazia, Guardian Weekend and Vogue. I will also occasionally read interiors magazines and other newspaper supplements foisted upon me by my mother. Thanks mum!

6:50am

Yoga time. I have made it my mission to do yoga every single day this year and so far I haven't missed a day! My favourite person is Sarah Beth Yoga, who is very calm and doesn't feel the need to fill every silence with flim flam. She also tells me well done a lot and says 'you are right where you need to be' which I find comforting but not wanky. I do a lot of Yoga With Adriene videos too, like everyone else. I appreciate very much that she has given us free yoga content for every ailment imaginable, but I have to confess I do find her a tiny bit annoying! It's the combination of talking for the sake of it, being 'goofy' and saying things that make 0 sense, like 'float to the top of the mat'. Rant over.

7:15 

Sometimes I do a little bit more exercise from the Nike app, which is my fave working out resource because again there is no chat or 'encouraging' waffle, just a demo of the movements and then time to do the movements, punctuated by helpful beeps. This means I can listen to my own workout music which motivates me a whole lot more.

7:30

I swap my workout clothes for my dressing gown and take my vitamins before doing my morning skincare, then have a quick shower and get dressed in either jogging bottoms, shorts or if I'm feeling really fancy, pleather trousers. Never jeans though. I'm not a psychopath.

7:50

If it's a putting on make up day, I will shove on some concealer, blusher and mascara, or if I have more time, follow a make up tutorial for something to do. I like the tutorials from Lisa Eldridge and Jamie Genevieve.

8:00

Time to begin work. I start by checking my emails and to-do list.

9:30

I don't like eating as soon as I get up and only start to get hungry about 9am - most days I have a boiled egg or avocado on sourdough or rye toast with watercress or whatever herbs are hanging around in the fridge that need to be consumed. The other week I had pickled red cabbage which added a lovely tang to the proceedings. Sometimes I swap the bread for savoury welsh cakes which are delicious and pair perfectly with the egg.

That's basically it - I must say this routine is a lot nicer and more relaxing than my previous schedule. I could get used to it!

List of things I miss, don't miss, won't miss, will carry on

I saw this list on Man Repeller a few weeks ago and liked the idea, so thought I would do my own version. Obviously these are lighthearted, and it goes without saying that the things I miss the most are my family and friends, whilst also knowing I am very lucky to be safe at home.

Things I Miss

• Browsing shops aimlessly with no sense of time, stopping for a drink and a cake
• Seeing books I have ordered from the library are ready and coming home with a fresh stack
• Having that second cocktail in a bar and embracing the warm, slightly tipsy feeling
• Getting dressed with purpose and wearing shoes that aren't trainers or flip flops
• Being able to keep up with the amount of podcasts I listen to
• Planning trips to London and the anticipation of all the fun things I will do 
• How excited my cat used to get seeing me in the morning and when I got home from work
• Creating my monthly bullet journal spread and having actual events to add to my calendar
• Seeing groups of people in a pub garden or park laughing, carefree and joyful

Things I Don't Miss

• Commuting when it's absolutely pissing it down or when it's boiling 
• Sweating all my make up off trying to walk down the hill to catch my bus in time 
• Making my breakfast and lunch in a work kitchen and having to do the constant awkward I'm getting in your way you're getting in my way dance
• London Victoria coach station at 4pm on a Sunday when my coach inevitably gets cancelled 

Things I Won't Miss

• Feeling anxious before going to the supermarket 
• Being confused about whether or not something that used to be a no-brainer is 'allowed' or not
• Walking round and round my local streets. I've seen all there is to see now. I've seen EVERYTHING
• Hearing "unprecedented/wild/crazy/worrying times" 50 x a day
• My horribly uncomfortable work from home set up and triangular bottomed chair

Things I Will Carry On

• Not bothering to use eyelash curlers - I used to use them every day but they make less of a difference than I thought. Special occasions only. 
• Doing a longer yoga practice when possible. I never thought I'd be that guy but during lockdown I sometimes have to do two videos back to back to get my stretching fix.
• Trusting my instincts with cooking - not following recipes so religiously or being afraid to substitute or omit ingredients. Necessity is the mother of invention as my mum drilled into me!
• More baking, trying new methods and sharing the fruits of my labour 
• Being more careful with my spending, and saving more 

How I use Pinterest to organise my life

I love Pinterest. It's such a fun, sparkly space without the heaviness of Twitter or the one-up-man-ship of Instagram. I think it gets overlooked somewhat because it is more lighthearted, but I find it to be an important resource not only for blogging but for general organisation. It is a real gem when it comes to finding recipes. outfit inspiration, home ideas and more, but actually implementing the pins you love can be left by the wayside.

This is the way I like to get the most out of Pinterest for organising things I love.

Sort boards into sections...

There are two main reason I use Pinterest: information and inspiration. For more informative, instructive boards (such as recipes) I love the section feature. It means I can use my Meal Ideas board effectively to menu plan, because I can think about the type of cuisine I fancy or a particular ingredient I need to use and then not have to trawl through loads of stuff to find what I need. See also: Nails, Homes, Bullet Journal. I use my boards for inspiration on these topics but I also want that inspiration to be neatly sectioned so I can access the bits that I need.

Sections also work really well with boards that have many different facets, like my Christmas board. I'm much more likely to actual do some festive nail art or make a Christmas cocktail if I know exactly where to find inspiration at a glance. 

...but only if it's necessary

On the flip side, for boards such as my Olsen Twins one, which only exists to make my eyes happy. I don't need there to be sections, it would be pointless. I don't go to this board to think 'which Olsen am I going to be today' but just to absorb their general Olsen-NESS. See also: Summer, Wildfox, Pattern and Texture

Archive old boards

This is largely an aesthetic thing. I hate having boards that I no longer use, but don't want to get rid of completely, among my current boards. It's just messy and confusing things. A perfect example of this are my wedding boards. They are no longer in use for obvious reasons, but I had such fun making them and I still look at them from time to time for nostalgic reasons. And to laugh at how I thought I could achieve or afford the things in them. 

Use monthly boards

Sometimes I go so pin crazy that I can't keep up with all the fun things I want to try. This is when a monthly board comes in handy. I call it by the current month and year (so May 2020 at the moment) and then just rename it once the next month comes. If I see something such as a recipe I want to try immediately or a seasonal outfit I want to recreate, I pin it to that month's board, and it only gets moved to another board or deleted once I've tried it. That way, things I really want to have a go at don't get lost in the ether, and I also have inspiration on tap for when I meal plan or am racking my brains when I get dressed in the morning. I find this method really effective!

Pin, pin, pin!

If you want to use your Pinterest to grow your blog traffic, there are plenty of great resources about how to do that which go way beyond my technical expertise (like Jade Marie's guide which you can get here). However, a simple way I have found to boost traffic is to pin, pin, pin! Since I've been pinning more than usual, I have seen my impressions and engagement go up massively. It's an easy and fun thing to do whilst you're doing other things as well; during a phone call, while boiling the kettle, waiting for your nails to dry. It all adds up. Make sure you claim your blog as well.

Search your own pins

This might be obvious but I thought I'd add it nonetheless as it's a great feature if you know that you've pinned something in the past that you loved but can't remember where you saved it. This can also be helpful as some pins don't have captions so if you know that you want to cook, for example, an aubergine dish but can't be bothered to search through all your food pins, search aubergine then select 'your pins' on the right hand drop down. Then, even if you have pinned something without a caption, it only takes two seconds to open each aubergine post rather than trawling hundreds of pins in a board and having to open each one to see what it is. 

You can find my Pinterest here - happy pinning! 

My favourite fashion buys of all time

Now more than ever, I am cherishing my favourite wardrobe pieces, the bits I wear again and again . Not having a real reason to get dressed everyday means I'm seeing all my clothes in a new, exciting light. I can't wait to put together outfits again!

This attitude fits in nicely with the slow fashion movement as well, which I've been embracing increasingly in the past year or so, rejecting hauls and the need to purchase something new for every occasion. I'm by no means perfect, and I still find it hard to resist the pull of something new every once in a while. But I'm trying much harder. This winter for example, I didn't buy any new coats, whereas in the past I would have seen the new season as an excuse to treat myself.

So today I'm celebrating my ride or die numbers, the clothes I would save in a fire, my wardrobe staples and all the other clothes based cliches you can think of. 

Lego.

Red cardigan

I'm pretty sure me aquiring this little number was a meet cute. I was trying on some stuff in H&M and there it was, winking at me from the changing room rail. I tried it on, and it was love at first sight. It was heavily reduced in the sale, and when I got to the till the woman said 'I think this was an internet return', which means it was the only one in the whole store. So you do the math.

Denim jumpsuit

I saw this on Frassy's Instagram and I knew I needed it in my life. It was from a site called Fashion Union, and I have never bought anything from there before or since. This bad boy can be dressed up or down, take a good old under layer for warmth and it's extra comfy. It's a buy.

Shiny leggings

Leggings sometimes get a bad rap but I've loved them since Disco Pants were in fashion (still can't bring myself to get rid of my Disco Pants) and I'll continue to love them until Disco Pants eventually come back into fashion in an ironic mid 2000s way. Say Disco Pants again Disco Pants. I can't put my finger on what it is about my legs being shiny but I know that it makes me happy in a way that only shiny leggings can.

Black baker boy hat

I think this is a love hate item and many people hate this hat. It angers a lot of people just the sight of it. That is an Uncle Buck reference and if you knew that please get in touch and I will marry you instantly, whether you like it or not. I am a fully fledged hat person and I am obsessed with this ASOS one which I bought on Depop, lost somewhere (WHERE?) and then re-purchased on Depop. I then left it in a hotel room in Canary Wharf, I emailed them, they said they didn't have it but I KNEW THEY DID and lo and behold they found it and they posted it to me. Wow. FYI, I don't have a pic of said hat because it's in the attic with my other winter stuff but it's this one.

Leopard print boots

Never have I ever had so many compliments on a pair of boots. Everyone loves these boots. Leopard print is the one, it is a neutral and I have been saying this since 2001. All hail the leopard print boot.

Check blazer

This is a new addition to my collection, but you know when you feel a garment just represents you completely? I got this from a charity shop about 5 months ago - it's actual Aquascutum so at £20 it was more expensive than your average second hand item. I ummmed and ahhmed about it for this reason, but so glad I went for the kill and purchased. An absolute classic.

Top tip: Play games with your Alexa

This is the kind of blog post I was talking about writing when I wrote this post. Quick ideas and tips that in my opinion, have a high effort to reward ratio.

Rich and I have started playing games with our Alexa, and it is fun! Especially during lockdown, when you have lots more time to spend with whoever you're living with. Equally, if you're living alone, you can play games without having to sit through someone's else's crackly WiFi on FaceParty!

Ones we have tried include:

- Trivia Hero
- Pop Quiz (the 'theme' song to this is amusingly bad)
- Choose your own adventure

These are fun to play during a little break from work, or just before lights out at bedtime.

Alexa, you have ruined the name Alexa but you do have good games. 

Notes from April 2020

Reading

Articles

• Photographers capture what the pandemic means to them
• This blog from the University of Bristol Botanic Garden makes me feel peaceful 
• Are there any books where no bad things happen? 
• What's it like coming out of Coronavirus lockdown in China? 
• Helpful Cleaning hacks
• This Twitter thread made my whole week
• Love this blog post about 'shopping' during Coronavirus - especially the planning your perfect day part! 
• Tiger King missed the point, and another very good article about Tiger King 
• I have spent most of the last two weeks trying to secure flour. Here is some help if you are too.
• The ridiculousness of celebrities thinking we are all in this together 
• Can you eat cheddar with mould on, and other food expiry date info
• I love this interview with Charlotte Jacklin, who is one of my top content creators
• Man Repeller's Quarantine diary type posts are perfect, of course. One of my faves. 
• I really love this article about birdwatching, and this one about identifying different bird songs I've been watching and listening to the birds a lot more and it is so lovely and calming. 

Books

Obviously I haven't been able to visit the library, my happy place, so I've been working my way through my own bookshelf. It's a mix of stuff I've recently bought, charity shop finds and my husband's collection.

• The Story of the Lost Child Elena Ferrante If you have read my recent Notes From posts I have been wanging on about this series for a while. This is the last book; another wonderful read, but bleak and sad at the same time. Didn't end how I wanted it to, to be honest. I truly loved this quartet of books though. A beautiful saga. 
• Absolutely Normal Chaos Sharon Creech Aww this book! This is a book I used to get from the library in Ilfracombe every time we went to visit my grandparents when I was small. Recently I have had an overwhelming urge to read it but had forgotten the title and the author - the only thing I could remember were vague details about the cover and plot. Yet I found it! I love the internet and its powers. It's a story of a girl's summer, written in diary form and is just as entertaining and amusing as I remember. So much pre-teen angst! 
• The Power Naomi Alderman I had high hopes for this much lauded novel and I was sadly disappointed. It started off strong and gripped me but descended into a bit of mess in this reader's opinion. The characters were pretty flat and I struggled to care really. A shame, as it has a great premise. I did like how it flipped a lot of the horrible, brutal practices women have had to endure over the years, such as genital mutilation. 
• The Secrets of My Life Caitlyn Jenner I borrowed this from my friend about 3 years ago but never got round to reading it, because it didn't fill me with much excitement to be honest. And it was fine, I suppose. Interesting to read about someone transitioning and the day to day stuggles this brings up. However, I can't say I find Caitlyn a particularly compelling person, and there were many pages about sports where I felt my eyes glazing over. 
• No Country for Old Men Cormac McCarthy This was a surprise hit for me - I thought I would find it boring and or/irritating. But I thought it was great. The premise is pretty simple - a man steals a bunch of drug money and then a chase by a psychopath ensues. It's set in the American deep south and, this sounds a but dumb, but you can really tell, which is something I love. The dialogue, descriptions of the landscape and even the sentence structure (not something I usually notice all that much) combine so well to create an all-encompassing atmosphere. Some bits did get me a bit confused, and it's hella bleak (not to mention violent) in places, but this didn't distract from my enjoyment overall. 
• From the Corner of the Oval Office: One Woman’s True Story of Her Accidental Career in the Obama White House Beck Dorey-Stein This was a surprisingly good, solid read about a subject I thought was going to be both confusing and dull. The author is very loveable and writes in a fun and sparky way. It was sometimes a tad repetitive and confusing, but would nonetheless recommend. 

Listening

Without a commute, my podcast 'to-listen' list has gone off the scale! I'm slowly getting through them, and I particularly enjoyed Hip Hop Saved my Life with Lennie James - a very interesting conversation about the N word.

Watching

A LOT of stuff. Been working my way through Netflix. I won't bore you with everything I watched, but some highlights (and lowlights):

Loved

• Between Two Ferns: The Movie, mockumentary on Netflix looking at the behind the scenes of 'Between Two Ferns', a fake celebrity interview show from Zach Galifinakis, which I believe started life as a Funny or Die sketch. I was skeptical before watching this, but trust me it is super funny. Loved it.
• Beyonce: Live at Coachella. I thought this was going to be a bit too self idulgent for me but I actually loved how vibrant and optimistic it was. 
• Two All the Boys P.S I Still Love You. I have a large soft spot for these films, despite them being pure cheese and aimed at someone half my age. I think it's the main character, played by Lana Condor - she's so darn loveable and intriguing. 
• McQueen - this documentary is fascinating and heartbreaking. Alexander McQueen's talent was crazy, and this shows it all in such a down to earth, accessible way. 
• Mo Gilligan's stand up show. I laughed a LOT. 

Disliked

• But of course, I watched Tiger King. To be honest, I am angry at all of the vitriol targeted at Carole Baskin, who may or may not have committed a crime, and the lack of vitriol targeted at the men who have definitely committed many crimes. The poor tigers tbh.
• After Life. Not for me this one, I have mixed feelings about Ricky Gervais - his podcasts with Karl Pilkington and Stephen Merchant are one of the most hysterical things I have ever heard, and I like The Office and Extras. This though...I mean it's not exactly subtle is it. I felt like I was getting beaten over the head with cliches and *time to cry now* scenes. I think it being written, directed, produced and starring Ricky Gervais is just a bit too much Ricky Gervais. This review largely sums up my feelings. 

Eating

I really enjoy cooking, but I am a bit over cooking every single meal. The town we live in is mostly an absolute takeaway wasteland (Deliveroo doesn't exist). Some favourites I have been falling back on are:

• Anna Jones' popcorn tacos (don't knock until you've tried)
• Roasted Aubergine Banh Mi (Or anything with these miso aubergines really)
• Sweet Potatoes with charred lemons and crunchies 
• Veggie chilli on potato wedges 
• This mushroom burger, which I PROMISE is the best veggie burger in the world

Doing

I have discovered Tik Tok and I have to pull myself away from it or I will be absorbed by it for many many minutes. Good escapism though. I've also got well into both the Boggle app and the Scrabble GO app, which are fun but why are these type of apps so obnoxious and non user friendly? I don't want 100 gems I just want to play scrabble.

Along with other lockdown cliches, I have been baking my ass off. I've made hot cross buns, decorated foccacia, bakewell tart. The best thing I have made though, are Anna's cookies. Sublime.

Wanting

Was very close to buying this whimsical and perfect summer dress (in 4 installments ofc) until I saw that it was backless and instead I just got angry. For £188 this is not a practical choice for most women who need to wear a bra, go to work and don't exist just to waft through a field of sunflowers. EYE ROLL.

Enjoying on Instagram

• It's a diamante encrusted egg. What's not to love?
• Adds whole outfit to basket 
• Life vision