Blog

Here I will share my latest blog posts with you.

Fashion and My Rediscovered Love For It

21st June 2025

I recently took a trip into Leeds for an appointment at John Lewis for a general fitting appointment to get measured for some new bras, something I have been needing to do for a long time, but either didn't have the time or something came up meaning I had to delay going.

Whilst in Leeds I had the realisation that I hate my clothes! - a strong statement I know! But as I was walking around seeing how everyone else was dressed, I felt untidy, my clothes didn't fit right and were just not me! It dawned on me that I had let my style disappear, just like I have disappeared. I used to dress with elegance and liked what I wore. I felt I always dressed smartly even when I wasn't at work.

I suppose since I gave up my career to become my son's carer, I have chosen comfort over style as I am at home a lot more now. I definitely feel like I have lost my identity - I'm not Claire anymore, I'm just T's Mum/ Carer, J's Wife, Copper's Dog Mum, not Claire who had a career, went out to work and had friends.

I have been reading a lot recently about capsule wardrobes and how to create one. French style - because they are always chic and sophisicated. Colour palettes and how to find yours - because I tend to go for the same colours and wanted to find out if I was wearing the right colours.

One quiz I took told me my perfect colour palette is Summer - cool, soft and subtle, and I will admit that the colours shown were the colours I would normally gravitate towards. I used kettlewellcolours.co.uk

marieclaire.com.au posted a guide on how to find your colour palette which included several methods. I tried The Vein Test - my veins are blue which indicate cool skin. The guide tells me that the cool end of the colour chart works for me - best hues are bright blues, royal blue, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, deep purples, lavender, lilac snow. But don't discount warm shades like shocking pink (not hot pink which is warm), cerise, ruby and bright rose. Your neutral colours are grey, navy and pristine white, but avoid oranges and yellows!

All of this research inspired me to go through my wardrobe, and I have been VERY ruthless! I have gotten rid of clothes I don't like anymore, that don't fit or that I just haven't worn in a very long time. I also did that same with my handbags and shoes.

I then took it one step further and before putting everything that is being kept away, I photographed them, so I now know what I haveand in what colours....I have discovered that I own A LOT of stripes!!!

So I am now on the search for some key pieces that will carry me through all season. Investment pieces that maybe cost a little bit more but will last longer. This will also include lingerie, after my appointment at John Lewis where I bought two really comfy everyday bras, but I want more than that - I am literally starting from the inside out!

I also want to look at jewellery, I have been wearing the same pieces for years and feel like it's time for an upgrade. This is obviously going to take time, but I am looking forward to the search and doing something for me, and just for me.

My favourite brands at the moment are:

Fatface for jeans - they are so comfy, wear all day jeans.
Seasalt Cornwall for T-shirts - they are made using organic cotton and are just the softest thing you could wear.
Joules for hoodies, waterproof jackets and basic long sleeve tops - a bit more expensive, but great quality that washes well.
John Lewis for everything, especially everyday knickers
Next & M&S for good quality basics
Katie Loxton for handbags (a new disvovery)

New brands I am currently researching and thinking of trying:

Uniqlo for T-shirts - I have heard that they are really good quality and reasonably priced
Betty Bramble for sweatshirts and graphic T-shirts
Pour Moi (pourmoi.co.uk) for lingerie
Lemonade Dolls (lemonadedolls.com) for lingerie
La Redoute for French fashion (I have used them before many, many years ago).

This year I firmly believe is my year. I am really enjoying learning new things and that includes fashion and beauty, and to help with that I have ordered a book called This is Beauty. This is Fashion. This is Life. This is Mothership written by Samantha Silver & Gemma Rose Breger. They are on Instagram @thisismothership. I have just started following them, so haven't yet had time to form an opinion, but I am impressed with what I have seen so far. These ladies are experts in the fields of fashion and beauty, so if anybody is going to be able to guide me these ladies are.

I will keep you updated with my progress and any fashion finds, and if you have any suggestions on brands to try, please get in touch.

2025 The Year of Me - 6 Months On

19th June 2025

Back in January I wrote about how 2025 was going to be The Year of Me, now we are halfway through 2025 I thought I would give you an update on how things are going, what has worked and what is still being worked upon.

Brain tumour update - I am now nearly 8 months post treatment, which is amazing how quickly time has passed. My energy levels seem to be back to normal; I still have days where I get dizzy and my balance is off, but they are few and far between, and the good days far outnumber the bad.

I do have a slight issue with my top lip on the left side (tumour side) where it is frozen - it just doesn't move anymore on that side. This means I can't smile anymore! I have called ENT, and I am currently waiting for my consultant to get back to my with a plan of action (he's currently on annual leave, so it's taking longer than normal to get answers). Again, I'm not overly worried, we were told that something like this could happen, but it still needs checking by a medical professional.

My acid reflux has settled down again, and this has been done by making small/ surprising changes

rapeseed oil to olive oil
iceberg lettuce to romaine hearts (iceberg always seemed to repeat on me for hours)
cutting out onion and garlic completely - onion wasn't an issue as I was never keen anyway, garlic has been more difficult as I like the flavour.
cutting down on tomato based products - they are just too acidic for me.
cutting down on dairy -if I am having a meal with cheese inat night, then I avoid dairy at lunchtime.
I am trying to eat smaller portions, more regularly, which isn't easy when you have two other people to cater for that can eat anything!

I still have high blood pressure, and I am still looking for ways to reduce it and my stress levels, which seem to have increased somewhat in the last 6 months!

I try and stop at lunchtime every day and read a book instead of scrolling through my phone or putting the TV on, but this isn't always possible, especially if I am having a bad day - I don't always have the brain capacity to concentrate on a book. So, my blood pressure is a working progress.

Self-care is still on going and always will be, as I do struggle to find the time to fit it in!

I really enjoydoing a face mask, and a foot mask as well as both ensure that I actually stop to enjoy the process - I wear glasses and can't really see without them, so I do have to stop for the 15 minutes the mask is on, and the socks the foot mask come in can be slippery on some flooring, and I can be quite clumsy so it is safer for me to stay sat down!
I am trying to be more consistent with my evening skincare routine. My morning routine is fantastic, but I struggle to find the time at night.
I have bought a couple of new crafting kits which I am looking forward to starting - I just need to stop making excuses about not having the time and get started!
I have a stack of books to read, which I am always adding to, and I enjoy my lunchtime reading sessions.
As part of my 2025 selfcare plan, I want to get my fitness back on track. I have always enjoyed exercise, and probably and giving myself more grief than I should about giving it up! I have been looking on Pinterest and found a few workouts that can be done at home with ir without equipment - I have a step, a few weights and an exercise ball. We haven't been out on as many long walks as planned due to my husband sustaining a knee injury.

I do feel like my organisation has improved and we finally have a routine in place. Every Sunday I sit down and plan the coming week. I included meals or ingredients that need to come out of the freezer, and meals that can be prepared in advance. Any appointments coming up in that week, things that need buying before the main food shop and things that need completing that week.

Household chores have been broken down into days - this achieves two things

It's not all left for the weekend, freeing up time for fun stuff on the weekend.
It's not left for one person to do everything....in theory!

Meal planning is done in blocks of 4 weeks, it helps save money and time each day because we know what we are eating.

I have rediscovered my love of cooking and now regularly make double meals one for now and one for the freezer. We have found new family favourites (some I can't have due to some of the ingredients), but I am happy knowing that my family is eating nice food, and that I am not spending hours preparing everything because I was organised enough to batch meals. As The Batch Lady says regularly "your future self will thank you". And I do thank myself for being organised!

I am still not so organised on birthdays. I didn't get round to buying cards for the year, but I do have a list with dates, who and the address where to send the card. I'm not so worried though as I have worked hard on everything else in the last siz months.

As we are now in June (and I am sorry that I'm bringing this up) but I am starting to think of preparing for Christmas. I already have the cards, and over the next few weeks I will sit down and start thinking of the food we will eat and plan when to buy it to spread the cost, and when to make certain items to make the day run easier. I'll also start buying presents soon again to spread the cost as ALL of my family birthdays are at that end of the year. It also helps reduce stress levels knowing it has all been done in advance. And I was kind and only mentioned the C word once!

Sitting down to write this update has actually been quite therapeutic and has made me realise that I have acheived far more than I thought I had even though it feels like my stress levels have increased! When I have ticked a few more goals off the 2025 The Year of Me list I will update you again.

J'aime la France

22nd May 2025

I have sat down to write this blog so many times over the past week, but haven't been able to concentrate on it properly - maybe because this one seems to mean more? Too many distractions in the house? Too much going on in my personal life? Trying to complete too many things at the same time? Or does it resonate more with how I would like my life to be?

Recently I have been reading a lot of articles on Pinterest about France - living there, the food, the way of life, along with the importance of family. Admittedly many of these articles have been written from an American perspective, but even so inspiration was sparked, along with maybe a hint of jealousy at their bravery to pack everything up and move to a new country.

I have been very fortunate to have visited France many times both as a child and as an adult, including having our honeymoon there nearly 21 years ago. I have travelled to many different parts of France, but my favourite place has to be Brittany, especially St. Malo - I have been visiting for years, and a walk around the city walls looking out to sea really clears the head and makes everything better!

France is my happy place - happy memories from my childhood to making memories with my own child.

My son regularly asks me "if you could move to France or Cornwall, which one would you choose?" The answer to that question varies and truly depends on the day, at the moment though, I would pack up my life and move to France in a heartbeat!

But why is the pull so strong at the moment?

I suppose the main reason would be the way of life - the French seem to have a better work/life balance. I find we eat better when we are there, and what I mean by that is the food is fresher, more seasonal, it has less packaging than we have here in the UK. The bread - don't even get me started on the bread....I LOVE IT!!! (I am not a massive fan of English bread, I never have been, and dislike it even more since having to go gluten free). I have found that I can tolerate "normal" bread in France, and it doesn't seem to aggravate my gluten intolerance, which is great because it means I can still visit my favourite boulangerie in Dinan! And if I'm there on the right day, whilst I'm at the boulangerie I can wander around lé marche and buy the freshest produce possible.

How can I incorporate the French way of life into my very English life?

One of the articles I read recently from lavieongrand.com gives you 20 Ways to Live a French Life From Anywhere. She has given me real inspiration, so here are a few things from her list I am going to try:

Take time to slow down
Invest in culture
Read more
Walk more and be a Flâneur
Do Sundays the French was
Shop from the farmer's market
Appreciate mealtimes
Have balance and mind portions
Take time to invest in yourself
Make skincare a priority
Clean out your wardrobe
Invest in your wardrobe
Create a capsule wardrobe
Always look polished and refined

As you can see, I haven't listed all 20 ways from the article, only the ones that are the most important for me to incorporate into my everyday life. I highly recommend a read of this article.

Every time we have visited France it feels like we eat so much healthier (even with all the delicious cakes and treats we consume), and I put that down to slowing life down, shopping from the markets and the local shops, appreciating mealtimes without the distractions we seem to have at home, and we do have the balance and portion control. I do appreciate that we do have the time to do all of this because we are on holiday, but i will be trying to incorporate this practice into our everyday lives. Family time is precious (even with a stroppy teenager), and unfortunately too limited, something my family has discovered the hard way, with a number of cancer diagnoses and my brain tumour diagnosis with it's new side effects!

I have found on Ocado that I can buy French frozen products (a brand called Picard, which is the French equivalent of our Iceland), so we can have a "French Sunday" by starting the day off with proper French pastries and a slower start to the day!

I have already started on taking time to invest in myself, investing in my wardrobe and creating a capsule wardrobe with a planned trip to Leeds. I have an appointment at John Lewis to get remeasured for a new bra, so I am literally starting from the inside out! I am even going to take the time to look for a new skincare routine. Whilst in Leeds I am going to have a look in Waterstones for some new books to read.

I will update you with our progress and if we find following even a few of htese ideas helps us a family and me with my missing being in France.

25th April 2025

Mindfulness, Journalling, Reducing Stress & Me

I have never really struggled with poor mental health before, but this year has been very challenging. I keep being told by friends and family that "I have a lot going on", which I Know is true, and maybe it all happening at once has been too much, partnered with what seemed like a very long, grey winter - things did start getting on top of me a bit

I was told in my last medication review that I have a very busy and stressful life, what with a child with Autism, my brain tumour, a puppy, home educating my son as well as being his full-time carer, and I've not even mentioned my brother in law's terminal cancer. Stress is causing my acid reflux to flare up at the moment, which is resulting in constant burning at the back of my throat.

So, what is acid reflux?

Please bare in mind I am not a medical professional, everything I am writing about has either been researched online or is from personal experience. I will put links to the websites I have used.

According to nhs.uk the main symptoms of acid reflux are:

Heartburn
An unpleasant sour taste in your mouth, caused by stomach acid.

You may also have:

A cough or hiccups that keep coming back
A hoarse voice
Bad breath
Bloating or feeling sick

Symptoms are often worse after eating, when lying down and bending over. There is no obvious reason why people can suffer, it can sometimes be caused or made worse by:

Certain food and drink such as coffee, tomatoes, alcohol, chocolate and fatty or spicy foods
Being overweight
Smoking
Stress and anxiety

To name just a few.

For more information on acid reflux and how to ease symptoms please look on https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heartburn-and-acid-reflux/

I have researched mindfulness, journaling, ways to reduce stress, and diets for acid reflux.

The definition of mindfulness as per http://www.mind.org.uk is

"mindfulness is a technique you can learn which involves noticing what's happening in the present moment, without judgement. You might take notice and be aware of your mind, body or surroundings."

Being completely honest with you, even after reading the definition of mindfulness, I'm not sure how to start mindfulness or if it really works. I did buy the Mindfulness for Mums by Izzy Judd book when it first came out, which I am just starting to read now, so hopefully that will help clarify mindfulness for me.

I have mentioned a website called plumhealthyfine.com before, and thye have produced a list of 12 ways to reduce stress.

Take a long bath
Exercise for better mental health
Read a book
Grab a cup of tea
Clean your house
Build a bedtime self-care routine
Do yoga
Watch a TV show or a movie
Cook something
Spend time with nature
Journaling
Indulge in your favourite hobby

A lot of this makes sense, and some hadn't even occured to me. https://plumhealthyfine.com/ways-to-reduce-stress/

The AI overview of journaling:

Journaling can be a helpful tool for managing stress, improving mental health and promoting self-awareness by providing a safe space to process emotions and thoughts.

Stress Reduction: Journaling can act as a healthy outlet for releasing pent up emotions and thoughts, which can help reduce stress and anxiety.

What am I doing/ trying to change things?

I have never used a journal before, but did buy a self-care journal from Amazon in February but wasn't ready to start it until the beginning of April.

In my last meeting with T's therapist, she gave me the most brilliant piece of advice... Take a lunch break everyday, give yourself an hour where you aren't Mum or Carer - if possible leave the house, even if you just sit in the car and read a book.

I have mentioned before that I meal plan, but for a long time I haven't enjoyed cooking it was a chore! I have started going through my Batch Lady recipe books and found new recipes to try. I have and do use I feel like I am cooking properly again, and I am actually enjoying the process! As well as cooking again, I have started baking again, something I always enjoyed and just stopped!

My house had never been so clean! We do a chore chart, but it is me doing 95% of the cleaning which wasn't the original plan, but I will admit I do feel less stressed walking around the house seeing that it's clean and tidy!

I am currently looking into a new diet to aid my acid reflux, which could possibly mean a seperate meal for my, but I need to get it under control. I have read that having smaller meals or snacks more regularly (5 to 6 a day) is recommended instead of the standard 3 larger ones. I have also read that the Mediterranean Diet is supposed to be good. Once I have researched it more and possibly have a meal plan put together, I will share more.

I have started looking into hobbies I enjoy and possibly starting some new ones. I went to Hobbycraft and bought myself a paint by numbers kit and Deluxe Modern Macrame Kit, both things I have not tried before. I've had a look on Amazon and found some mindfulness colouring books - something I have always enjoyed, in fact I am going to look for my colouring books and maybe treat myself to some new colouring pencils!

Are they working?

I have taken the advice of my son's therapist very seriously and started taking a "lunch break" every day. I stop, sit at the dining table, eat my lunch and read my book - I finished my book which I had been struggling with because I had no time! It was the latest Stanley Tucci book, and I can't recommend it enough! This simple act has made such a difference to me.

Journaling has surprised me! I have consistently filled it in every day this month! The clarity it has given me each evening has helped me relax, not necessarily get to sleep (which is still a struggle some nights), and the organisation on a morning has really helped with the rest of the day. Journaling is definately something I will be continuing with. The journal I bought is Clever Fox Self-Care Journal from Amazon

I know this one isn't rocket science, but I have found breaking the cleaning of the house down into smaller tasks each day instead of leaving it all for one day. Doing this has three purposes:

It's easier to keep on top of things, making it quicker each time.
Our weekends are now free from housework, meaning we have time to do what we want to do instead of what we must do.
It has surprisingly really reduced my stress. Seeing the house clean and tidy is calming.

I'm still researching a new diet to help ese my acid reflux, but the process of cooking meals from scratch has become enjoyable again. We are trying new recipes and I'm even batching meals, so if we have a busy day/ week, I have meals already prepared in the freezer, ready to be defrosted and cooked, again reducing stress.

Along with cooking meals from scratch, I have started baking again - I really switch off and just concentrate on just that, recently I baked enough to fill the freezer with nice snacks and still have enough out for us to enjoy.

I will share the diet I find and the results with you once I have tested it. I am hoping that by my continuing with all of these things my stress levels will lower, and my mental health will improve again.

I hope some of my research can also help if you are struggling to.

10th April 2025

More About Me

At the beginning of the year when I set up copperandme.co.uk I mentioned about the many "hats" I have to wear, but didn't really go into any detail.

Like many other couples out there, my husband and I found out early on in our marriage that having children naturally wasn't possible. We gave ourselve some time to come to terms with that and explored other options available to us and started the adoption process. We were very lucky that where we lived at the time followed the set timescales and our process took six months from start to approval.

Adopting is both the best and scariest thing we have ever done. T came to us two weeks after his third birthday. The first few years went well, we all adjusted to life as a family of three. T enjoyed nursery and thrived when he moved up to Primary School.

Unfortunately, T started to struggle with a few things, so we were referred to a specialist and initially diagnosed with Attachement Issues, we were also referred for some TheraPlay sessions to aid T with the attachement issues. These worked for a while, but he continued to struggle especially with the school system, which completely failed him - I'm not going to go into full details, but let's just say reduced hours, seperated from his friends and not being taught anything for SIX months! Getting T to scholl was getting increasingly difficult, along with his increased symptoms. We were never fully convinced that T had received the correct diagnosis.

This time is when we made the difficult decision for me to give up my career and become T's full-time carer, and for him to leave school and be home educated (something I was doing anyway). Home educating T hasn't been easy, I'm still trying to undo the damage his previous school did and build his self-confidence and self-esteem back up, and we are now years into home educating.

T was eventually diagnosed with Autism - more information available at http://autism.org.uk -which finally made sense of his symptoms. T is still very resistant to his diagnosis. We have had support for T in the form of Play Therapy and were lucky enough for it to have been funded for just over four years. He had his last session at the end of March, and currently there is nothing else available to him due to the Government not releasing any further funding to any adoption agencies and therefore therapists.

You now have a little insight into our background, but that hasn't really told you how I manage everything has it? Two words.... Planning and Organisation.

I have always been organised (which is the complete opposite of my husband). T thrives on routine and structure and does in fact struggle with last minute changes, as do many neurodivergent children.

Meals are planned in 4 week blocks, that includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and a morning and afternoon snack. T comes from a background of trauma, so food can be an issue for him without the planning.

We have a calendar in the kitchen (which I know is a bit old fashioned now) that has EVERYTHING on it, my appointments, my husband's work hours, T's appointments and even Copper's appointments go on there! This tool helps T see what is happening during the week/ month. There is also a chore chart on the kitchen wall showing daily, weekly and monthly jobs that need doing, so it is not left to one person, or left for the weekend when we could be doing something fun!

T's home education is planned so he knows what he is doing and encourages him to be self-sufficient in his learning.

Every Sunday I take some time to plan the coming week - this will include looking at the meal plan to see if anything needs to come out of the freezer, or made in advance, like my pizza dough for example that is best made 48 hours before we need it, as the rise is better.

I also check my diary/ kitchen calendar for any appointments in the coming week. I like to make a list of tasks I want or we as a family need to complete, alongside that there is a list of things we need to buy that week. This might seem a bit excessive, but it works for us, and it helps T because he can see what's coming up so there are no surprises.

By doing all of this it allows me time to do the things I love the most - spend time with my family, play with our gorgeous Copper, cook and bake for my family and maybe do one of my hobbies.

18th March 2025

Self-Care and Trying to Prepare for Sleep

At the beginning of the year, I decided that 2025 was going to be the Year of Me, and a big part of that is getting my health back on track. After the last two years and potentially the next the next two years of waiting to see if my radio therapy treatment worked, trying to get my sleep back on track is important, and the first steps I am taking to improve things.

I have struggled with sleep or lack of for years on and off, and unfortunately, I am going through a poor sleep phase again. I either struggle to get to sleep and can still be awake at 1 or 2am, or I get to sleep really quickly and fall into a deep sleep, then either wake up or get woken by something in the early hours of the morning. It can then take a good couple of hours to get back to sleep again, so when my alarm goes off in the morning I'm exhausted! When I am struggling to get back to sleep or even to sleep, it's normally because my brain is racing with thoughts and I do struggle to calm it down, end up getting frustrated which then keeps me awake longer!!! It's a vicious circle.

Now I know stress, worry and anxiety can restrict sleep, and let's be honest, the last two years has been filled with all of those from finding out about my brain tumour, the eventual treatment plan, then finding out about my brither-in-law's terminal cancer disgnosis, a horrendous prolonged house move, plus other minor health issues. It has been a lot for me to deal with and get my head around, but when you have a child with special needs, your first priority is always their needs over your own, which is why I think I am struggling now, especially with sleep.

I am not a fan of taking unnecessary medication, so staying true to form I did some research on how to create a calming bedtime routine, how to reduce stress, 30 day challenges to help your mental health and how to create a self care routine. I'm not going to explore all of these things in one go, I'm aiming to tackle this step by step and I think getting my sleep back on track will help me the most.

plumhealthyfine.com wrote an article 12 AMAZING IDEAS FOR THE BEST SELF-CARE NIGHT ROUTINE. Some of the points are obvious like putting your phone away, read a book and relax to sooting music. Some of the other points I wouldn't have thought of, in fact they didn't even cross my mind! Breathing in some fresh air or taking a shower - I have always found both of those invigorating, but thinking about it now they both help clear my head, so something I will try.

The article is definitely worth a read if you are struggling with sleep. I did say I was only going to tackle one thing at a time, but I did find another article that compliments the best self-care night routine is the https://plumhealthyfine.com/ways-to-reduce-stress/#reduce-stress 12 ways to reduce stress (something that thrives in our house at the moment!) article. I am going to try and incorporate things from both articles to help my sleep.

This process isn't going to be rushed, I am allowing myself a month to get strted and see how things improve. Of course I will share with you what worked best, and what didn't really make a difference.

6th March 2025

Holidaying with a Puppy

In all of the years we had our previous Labrador Storm, we never went on holiday with him, we either used a company called Barking Mad which was a brilliant concept, our dog stayed with a host family, was looked after how we would have done, was picked up and dropped off at home and normally came home exhausted!!! If we didn't use Barking Mad, Storm would stay with my parents which was his home from home, my Mum had everything at her house that we had at home (bed, water & food bowls, toys, treats and his food), yes he was a very spolit dog at his grandparents! So we never really had to take anything away with us for him.

2024 brought Copper into our lives and completed our family once again (it had been five years since we lost Storm) and our first holiday was booked four weeks after we collected him. The plan had been to go on holiday first, and then find our puppy, but we found Copper first, completely fell in love with him, so we adapted our holiday plans. We booked to go to Center Parcs, so knew they were dog friendly. We did end up having to change parc due to no dog friendly cabins being available at our original parc. The cabin was amazing, wooden floors throughout, so if Copper had any accidents, and at 12 weeks old, he was still undergoing toilet training, so accidents were likely! There were designated dog walking areas, and you could take your dog to certain restaurants - we didn't use any of those facilities because Copper still had to wait 2 weeks after his final jabs.

So what did we pack to take away with us? I think we left the kitchen sink but packed EVERYTHING else! All joking aside, I did over pack for this holiday. I wanted to make Copper as comfortable as possible with ALL of his things, so it was a home away from home. So I packed his crate - he didn't even sleep in it! His toys, he played with the same three all week, blankets he didn't want, the list goes on and on.

The things I packed that did work really well - I premeasured all of his food, instead of having to take the huge bag of dry food. I took floor wipes, kitchen towel and poo bags to help clean up the inevitable accidents.

The first holiday with Copper was a real learning curve, and taught me what he really needed. So, packing for Cornwall in November was so much easier. there was no crate, no full basket of toys, no excessive amounts of treats that he couldn't possibly eat. We pcked his favourite 4 toys, premeasured food, towels to dry him off after his beach walks, his lead, his harness, coat (because it was near the end of November), his food and water bowls along with the mat to put them on. It was a lot more streamlined.

The other things I would mention about holidaying with a puppy or fully grown dog is do your reasearch of the journey - how long will it take? Where can you stop safely with a dog? For our journey to Cornwall, I knew it like the back of my hand as we used to live there, so it was a journey I had done many times and knew the best places to stop. I can't recommend Gloucester Services on the M5 enough, they have a designated dog walking area, lots of bins available for dog waste and a fantastic coffee for my husband. I also knew that the journey would take around 7 hours, so made sure to pack food for Copper (only half a portion, so not to overload his stomach), and plenty of water.

Once at your holiday destination, where are the best walks for your dog? Again for us in Cornwall we were staying near to where we used to live, so knew the area really well and also knew that in November dogs were allowed on the beach (there are restrictions during the summer months). That's where we took Copper every day and he LOVED it!

Are there any dog friendly places you can take your dog whilst you are away? Such as restaurants, cafes, pubs or shops? The other thing I would check is are there any restrictions within your accommodation? We stayed in a beautiful cottage, that was dog friendly, but once we got there, we found out that dogs weren't allowed upstairs, which might not seem that big of an issue, but Copper has always slept upstairs with us!

So, to conclude my holiday essentials for travelling with a puppy/ dog are:

floor wipes
kitchen wipes
kitchen towel
food and water bowls
mat for bowls (if you use one)
toys - favourites only
food (pre portioned to make life easier, and safe space in the car)
treats
towels
poo bags
water bottle and bowl for the car
blanket
lead & harness
coat if going away in autumn/ winter
food/ treats for the journey, especially if it's going to be a long journey

I hope this helps you not to overpack like I did on our first trip! If you thinks of anything else to add to the list please let me know.

13 February 2025

15 Lists to Write at the Beginning of the Month

Following on from my last blog 2025 The Year of Me, I wanted to find more ways I could increase my organisation.

I recently read an article written by Korra-Shay (April 4, 2021)https://korrashay.com/2021/04/04/15-lists-to-write-at-the-beginning-of-the-month/ on Pinterest about 15 lists to write at the beginning of the month, because as I have said 2025 is going to be the year of me. The lists included in the article are:

Goals for the month
A running shopping list of things you need to buy
A master to do list
Budget list - include expenses and income tracking
Meal planning/ Meal prepping lists
Monthly cleaning projects
Pantry, Fridge and Freezer list
Any appointments or meetings you need to do
Fitness plan list/ goals
Emails to send
Errands to run list
Bills to pay and when they are due
Books you want to read/ Shows to watch list
Restaurants to try list
30 Day challenge

I actually found that I already used a couple of the suggested lists, but that doesn't mean that there isn't room for improvement! If I can create great habits/ systems, then maybe they will rub off onto my son and get him set up in a positive way before he leaves home (which is a few years off yet, but if I start early...)

The article was more than just a list of lists, it gave a detailed summary of benefits to writing lists. I highly recommend that you give it a read.

By reading this article myself, it has definitely given me lots of ideas on how to expand my list making - I think I might add a list of clothes in my wardrobe with photos, so I can potentially create outfits with out having to go out and buy more clothes, a capsule wardrobe if you like.

Now I am fully aware this isn't going to happen overnight, and for good habits to form, you need to be repetitive for it to become second nature, but I am more than willing to put in the hard work to make 2025 productive and MY year.

The lists I already use are:

4 - Budget List merged with 12 - Bills to pay and when they are due.

5 - Meal Planning, something I have done for years, but will incorporate the Meal Prepping lists

7 - Pantry, Fridge and Freezer Inventory list. I have made a freezer list for years, because it helps with meal planning and keeping costs down when preparing the shopping list. I will nowever, be includingthe fridge and pantry/ cupboard to my list.

The lists I want to try are:

1 - Goals for the month

2 - A running shopping list of things you need to buy

3 - A master to do list

6 - Monthly cleaning projects

7 - Pantry & fridge list

8 - Any appointments or meeting you need to do

9 - Fitness plan list/ goals

10 - Emails to send

13 - Books you want to read/ Shows to watch list

15 - 30 Day challenge

I am looking forward to the challenge, and as always I will keep you updated with my progress or fails.

Hearing Test results from November 2023, showing my hearing has deteriorated.

21 Jan 2025

2025 The Year of Me

2025 is going to be The Year of Me! and whilst that might sound a bit self centered and self absorbed, I am neither of those, but I do need to find me again.

The last couple of years haven't been the easiest for me or my family, and that was down to a shock diagnosis that I received. I started 2023 going to Boots Opticians to get my hearing checked, as I had some concerns regarding the hearing in my left ear, and rightly so after seeing the test results! To cut a long story short, I was referred to ENT, given a hearing aid and sent for a MRI to rule out anything untoward. This is where the shock diagnosis comes. The MRI scan found a brain tumour. After a few scary weeks, I spoke to my consultant, it was decided that as the tumour was small, we would monitor and rescan in 2024.

May 2024, I had another MRI scan, another meeting with my consultant where we were told that my tumour had not only grown, but it had also doubled in size and was now pressing on my brain stem, which brings its own set of challenges! On top of all of that the hearing has virtually gone completely in my left ear. The size of the tumour meant we were passed the monitor and rescan stage! I had two options - brain surgery or a form of radiotherapy which I would have to go to Sheffield for - I opted for the radiotherapy as it is less invasive and a far quicker recovery time.

I had the radiotherapy at the end of October 2024, and after a month of being extremely tired, I feel absolutely fine. I just have a two year wait to see if the treatment has worked.

Now I don't want to come across as though that any of this hasn't affected me in anyway, I can assure you that it did. When I first received my diagnosis, I was a mess! But I have a son with special needs who needs me, so I had to come to terms with my diagnosis quickly and look for the positives - which are this isn't cancerous, it won't kill me, and yes I might have days where I am particularly off balance and very dizzy, but I can have a normal life with this tumour.

This leads me onto why 2025 is going to be the year of me. I need to get my acid reflux under control again, so I will be looking at ways I can do that, and whilst I'm doing that, I will be looking at how I can reduce my blood pressure. I know reducing my stress levels will help both my acid reflux and blood pressure, so finding ways to do that is essential.

I want to get back into exercise again, it's something I have always enjoyed, and for some reason has fallen to the wayside - time or lack of? For Christmas I actually got a pair of walking boots, an incentive to get back outside again! I am very lucky to live in a beautiful part of the country, with lots of amazing walks on my doorstep, along with The Lake District just over an hours drive away. The best part it's a free activity that the whole family can do including Copper.

I also think I need to induldge in a little self-care, not quite sure how I will approach this yet. Taking myself away to read a book for half an hour? Maybe start journalling? Or restart a hobby? Learn how to meditate? Although I don't know if I have the patience for that!

Once a week I will definitely be doing a face mask, followed by a hand and foot mask, when I find my favourite masks, I will share them with you.

By doing all or at least some of these things I have mentioned I should hopefully get my health back on track.

My other goal for 2025 is to be more organised. I used to be, but over the last few years my organisation has disappered a little. My Mother-in-Law asked me to put together a folder to help her get organised...like me, for her Christmas present, which of course I did, and I accepted the huge compliment she gave me, but I did feel like a bit of a fraud because my organisation has been lacking to say the least. Am I putting unnecessary pressure on myself with everything I've been through in the last two years, probably, but if I can get things back to where they were, life will run so much more smoothly!

So what am I wanting to get put in place?

Number One has definitely got to be birthdays and Christmas. It has been known for me to buy ALL of my birthday cards for the year and Christmas cards in the January sales. I was even know to buy Mother's Day presents and possibly birthday presents in the sales as well. So, to get that back on track I have set up a spreadsheet with the cards I need to get, cards I have and the dates they are needed.

I have a list of post it notes to put in my diary throughout the year to prompt me to get organised. They start in June with put together a birthday and Christmas list and start buying bits for Advent calendars. All of my famliy birthdays are at the tail end of the year, starting in September so by starting in June, it spreads th cost a little more. These post it notes also include when to make the Christmas cake and start prepping the Christmas food.

My son thrives on routine, so I would like to build a routine that includes completing all household chores, his home education and meal planning (I have meal planned for years for a number of reasons - it saves money, stops me picking a food and actually eat a meal! and it helps my son knowing what he has for each meal). If that can be achieved, then it will free up our weekends for more fun stuff!

Another one of my goals for 2025 is to spend one day a month filling the freezer with sweet treats, and another day a month filling the freezer with meals, again this all stems back to being more organised and making my days easier and more streamlined.

It might seem like I have a lot of goals for 2025, and I probably do, but I honestly feel like if I can achieve them, then 2025 will truly be The Year of Me!

I will keep you updated along my way and share with you my favourite products and recipes along the way.

21 Dec 2024

Our Christmas
Traditions

I may be a little late to the party, as it is the last weekend before Christmas, but I thought that I would share some of my family's traditions, this year's Christmas menu including dessert, our favourite treats and this years' table setting.

Twelve years ago we had the best early Christmas present when we finally brought our then three year old son home to his forever home, he was one of the final adoption placements before Christmas. This is where many of our Christmas traditions started.

Let me be perfectly honest, before our son arrived my husband and I didn't even own a Christmas Tree! Let me put that into perspective - we worked in the hotel industry, we would definately be working Christmas Day, and had been "celebrating" Christmas twice a week since the beginning of November with ALL of the decorations, dinners, carols etc., so the thought of Christmas at home as well, well we needed a break from it!

That thought did change when we found out about our son, we bought a Christmas tree, the decorations and a few crafts to do, which leads me onto our first Christmas tradition. I still have the tree topper we made 12 years ago, and much to my son's embarrassment, bring it out every year to put on the top of the tree. It might be a bit tatty now, but it means the world to me and I will use it until I can use it no more.

When I was little my mum made my brother and I a Christmas Tree Advent Calendar each and filled it the pockets with treats and little toys, I don't ever remember having a bought chocolate advent calendar, but I don't feel like I missed out on anything, so I knew that I wanted to carry on the homemade advent calendar tradition with my son. I found a wooden train advent calendar (my son loved trains) and lovingly decorated it (I won major Mum points that year). Each year since I fill it with treats, they have changed somewaht over the years as my son has got older, last year he requested a hot chocolate advent calendar.

We always make a trip to Lidl at Christmas to buy their caramalised almonds (in bulk) and bags of the Lebkuchen, unfortunately they didn't have the almonds, they had peanuts instead, which I'm allergic to, so they stayed on the shelf! The Lebkucken hasn't made it to Christmas this year, but that is the only overindulgence we have partaken in this year...so far!

Christmas Day, I set up a hot chocolate station with the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser, a selection of hot chocolates (becauce my husband and son like different flavours), marshmallows are a must, along with fancy squirty cream (we discovered the French brand Predident had a can of squirty cream available in this country), and sometimes I'll get a flavoured syrup as well. Alongside the hot chocolate staion, I'll set up a selection of snacks. This year we have Walkers Shortbread (they do the best gluten free shortbread), Cadbury's Roses for me, Celebrations for my husband and son, Nairn's gluten free mini cheese bakes and some Cheddars for my husband and son. Now this may sound indulgent, but it will last a few days, and it means we can all have some of our favourites. It's also not something we do at any other time of the year.

This year we are not going for the tradtional Christmas dinner, none of us are overly keen on turkey, and my husband only has Christmas Day and Boxing Day off this year, so we didn't fancy spending one of those days in the kitchen! So we have been to the butchers and bought the best quality steak we can afford, I'm going to get the deep fat fryer out of it's box and make proper chips, make homemade onion rings for husband and child, and a peppercorn sauce from scratch. This meal is just a special to us as a roast would be, because it's not something we have often. Dessert will be homemade sticky toffe pudding with a homemade toffee sauce, agani I know it's not traditional, but my son doesn't like Christmas Pudding, so I have bought individual ones for my husband and I to have on Boxing Day.

This year I decided that I wanted to invest in a set of "good plates" for when we entertain. Don't get me wrong, I love my everyday plates and saved for a longtime to buy them (we have a Denby dinner service, which I found at a price too good to leave nearly 6 years ago). Along with the plates, I also bought some nice wine glasses, contrasting cutlery and proper cloth napkins with some Christmassy napkin rings.

After A LOT of searching and review reading, I found the plates I like at Next - 12 piece natural spekle Oakley dinner set (B12-802) £48. I aso bought the wine glasses from Next - Green Hollis wine glasses (QL-1017) £28, these are unfortunately currently unavailable. I found the cutlery, napkins and napkin rings in Dunelm. The cutlery is the Churchgate Ashwell 16 piece cutlery (30897312) £20, I chose the bottle green Isabelle napkins £7, and the Christmassy napkin rings are no longer available on the website, in fact I got the last 2 pairs from my local store. The placemats I've used are ones I bought last year (I think) from John Lewis, which really pull everything together. I feel I must point out that everything mentioned above has been bought and paid for using my own money.

However you celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a happy, healthy. and safe one.