The October Blog Tag

I can't remember the last time I did a 'tagged' post, so I thought it would be fun to answer The October Blog Tag, which I recently came across via Jemma's blog, Dorkface. 

The tag was created by Lisa from Oh Luna to help you learn more about the blogger behind the blog, and it seemed like the perfect post to help you get to know me a little better. If you ever wondered why I started blogging, if I like pineapple on pizza, or what my favourite thing to do in October is, this is the day you'll find out!

Name

Louise Christine P.

What Is Your Favourite Colour?

Probably green (especially emerald), but I really like turquoise, teal, and cobalt blue a lot, too.

What did you do today?

I've been lounging on my bed watching TV, played a game of fetch with my dog in the garden, prepared some blog posts, finished the last eighty pages of my book, and worked on a Christmas cross stitch project for an hour or two.

Where are you currently?

Lying on my bed at home in Oxfordshire.

What is your star sign?

I was born in early July, so I'm a cancer.

Cake or ice cream?

Definitely cake; is there anything better?

Frozen or Moana?

Moana; I can't stand Frozen!

A night in or a night out?

I'm a typical introvert, so I'd rather have a night in. Unless the night out involves a concert, in which case I'd choose a night out every time.

Home cooked meal or takeaway?

It depends on my mood. Some meals are better home-cooked, but others like Chinese food and pizza are definitely better from the takeaway. 

Pineapple on pizza or no pineapple on pizza?

I'm a pineapple on pizza kind of girl. Hawaiian is the best kind of pizza.

Books or films?

Don't make me choose- I love both! If I had to choose, though... today I'd probably say books as I've really found my reading mojo again lately, and can't get enough of them, but tomorrow, I might say films because I'm a movie geek, too, and my heart flits between the two.

Autumn or Spring? 

I love autumn, but my favourite season is actually spring. I just love it when the evenings start getting lighter again after a long dark winter, pretty pink blossom and magnolias bloom from the trees, all the leaves start returning, the weather gets milder, colourful spring flowers are everywhere... Then there's Easter and pastel colours and spring fashion and months of light evenings ahead... it's the best!

Flowers or chocolates?

It depends on my mood; I wouldn't turn down either. Flowers are a real treat, even if it's just a £1 bunch of daffodils I've bought for myself, and chocolates, well, they make any day better, don't they?

Full fat or diet coke?

I actually can't drink either right now as caffeine aggravates my tachycardia and I've had to cut it out of my diet, but I usually prefer full fat coke. Especially when it's from a glass bottle, served with ice and a slice of lemon. Yum! TBH, it's been so long since I last drank it, I bet it would taste too sugary now, and I'd prefer diet again.

Phone or laptop?

Laptop! I use it so much more than I use my phone, as I prefer typing on a real keyboard and having a bigger screen. I use it for everything- blogging, social media, email, shopping, listening to music, photos, online banking, booking medical appointments and prescriptions... I couldn't live without it.

What is your current favourite TV series?

The Big Bang Theory.

What is your favourite thing to do in October?

I'm not sure I could pick just one thing! I love taking walks to crunch through paths covered in leaves, spending the dark evenings crafting, curling up under a cosy blanket with a good book, carving pumpkins, watching Halloween-themed movies... there's so many great things to do in October.

What is your current food to crave?

Right now I keep craving Snickers chocolate, and salted popcorn.

Do you have any piercings or tattoos?

I have two tattoos; a group of stars, dots, and swirls on my wrist, and a floral design on my foot. I was just getting in to them when I got ill, and I know I'd be covered in them by now if I hadn't. There are so many more I want, but I just can't afford them right now.

I do have my ears pierced, too, but just once in each ear. That's it for piercings. I keep meaning to get more in my ears but I never seem to get round to it. I'm definitely more of a tattoo girl.

Are you an introvert or extrovert?

I'm definitely an introvert. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy spending time with people and I'm not anti-social, but I've always found socialising draining, and need time to myself to recharge. I value time alone to do my own thing, and rarely get bored in my own company the way most people do.

What is your all time favourite Halloween film?

There's so many great horror movies I love to watch at this time of year, but let's be honest; nothing beats Hocus Pocus! I have to watch it every year.

Name your top three favourite artists / bands.

Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, Boyzone / Ronan Keating.

Have you got any plans for Halloween?

Not really; I haven't done anything exciting for Halloween since I was a kid. I'm planning to carve a pumpkin, but apart from that, I'll just be watching Hocus Pocus and a couple of other Halloween movies, and stuffing my face with sweets.

Do you have any fears?

Yes, I have many:

♥ Enclosed spaces. (I'm extremely claustrophobic).

♥ Spiders and daddy long legs'. (I actually fell up the stairs last month and bruised and carpet-burned my legs because I saw a daddy long legs and freaked!)

♥ Dying a horrible death by drowning, burning in a fire, or being in a car crash.
♥ Death... the uncertainty of whether that's it, lights out, or if something else comes next.

♥ Being alone for the rest of my life... not romantically, but literally having no one in my life as I get older.

♥ Not being able to work again due to my health, having no financial support, not being able to pay my bills or afford food, and ending up on the streets... This actually keeps me awake at night far too often.

Do you believe in life after love?

# I can feel something inside me say, I really don't think you're strong enough... #

Do you have any children? (Or animals you treat as babies)?

I don't have any human children, but I have a two (almost three) year old Tibetan terrier called Rosie, who's my little fur baby. Yep, I'm that crazy dog lady who spoils her dog rotten, and talks about her proudly, like she's my child.

What do you want for your future?

Happiness, good people in my life, my own home, some financial security...

I'd love to have good health and be pain free again one day, too, but I know that's extremely unlikely to ever happen, so I hope that my conditions will at least be manageable, and won't get much worse than they are now. 

I always hoped for a career in animal care again, as well, working with zoo animals or perhaps caring for sick and injured critters, but at the moment, it doesn't look likely that I'll be able to do manual work again, so this might not be on the cards, either. My future is full of uncertainty.

Be honest, why did you start blogging?

I started blogging because I needed something to keep me occupied on bed rest with chronic pain. I'd been house bound for six months, and I was going stir crazy from being stuck at home doing the same things every day (there's only so much watching day time TV, reading, and mindlessly surfing the Internet a girl can do before it starts to get old), and I needed a distraction.

I'd been following body positivity and plus size blogs on Tumblr for a few months, and as a plus size girl with a love of fashion but zero body confidence, I was so inspired by their style and confidence that it began to change how I saw myself. For the first time in my life, I had a little body confidence, and out of nowhere, I suddenly thought it would be fun to have somewhere to share my own outfits, and a place where I could work towards self-acceptance. So, I signed up to Blogger, created a blog, and the rest, as they say, is history.

What is your biggest achievement so far?

Making it through over seven years with excruciating chronic pain and chronic illness without falling apart, even though my entire life has been turned upside down and changed beyond recognition.

What are your ambitions with your blog?

I'd love to keep improving my content and photos, see it grow, and work with some of my favourite brands.

If there is one thing you'd like to change about your blog what would it be?

I wish my photography was better. I try so hard to make my photos look good, but no matter how hard I try, I suck at photo editing.

Have you achieved any blog goals you set out to do this year?

I haven't achieved anything major, like gaining a huge following or anything, but I did finally rebrand my blog with a Pipdig blog design in March, which was a long over due goal. I'm still so happy with it all these months later.

Where do you want to be in ten years time?

I'd like to be happy, pain-free, physically more mobile so I can be out there living my life, surrounded by friends and family, living in my own home, and achieving my dreams.

What is your dream holiday?

My dream holiday was always New York, which came true in 2011, and was the best holiday ever. Now, I'm dreaming of going to Austria, Italy, Greece, Amsterdam, and Australia, and taking an epic road trip all over America. I want to see everywhere from The Carolinas to Salem, and Chicago to Alaska... just not while that orange-tinted twat is running the country.

If you had an entire day to yourself, what would you do?

Being a housebound introvert, I regularly have entire days all to myself, so it wouldn't be a rare treat for me, but I always relish some time to myself. I'd do some blogging, curl up with a book, watch a movie or two, do lots of crafting, and relax with some good food, a face mask, and a manicure. Pre-chronic-pain Louise would have also gone shopping, and got her eyebrows done.

And that's The October Tag. 

I tag... anyone who wants to take part! If you decide to give the tag a go yourself, make sure you leave a link to your post in the comments because I'd love to read your answers!

So, now you've read my answers, do we have any of these things in common?

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The Autumn Tag

As today is officially the first day of Autumn, I thought what better way to mark it than with an Autumn tag post here on the blog. I couldn't find one I liked that I hadn't already done in the past, though, so I decided to come up with my own questions, and created my own tag to answer! 

I give you, The Autumn Tag:

What signifies the start of Autumn for you?

When the evenings begin to get darker earlier, the air feels chillier in the mornings and evenings, the leaves begin to change colour, and kids go back to school after the Summer break. It actually feels like Autumn to me as soon as we reach the 1st of September, even if it's not officially Autumn until a few weeks later; it always feels like the start of a new season.

What do you love most about Autumn?

The explosion of colour. I love it when the leaves change from green to oranges, yellows, reds, and browns; everywhere looks so beautiful with a backdrop of all those fiery colours, especially here in The Cotswolds.

What do you hate about Autumn?

The dark evenings and shorter hours of daylight. It's depressing. I wish we could have summer daylight hours all year round.

What are you most looking forward to this Autumn?

I haven't got anything exciting planned, so I guess I'm most looking forward to seeing the leaves change. 

What are your goals for Autumn?

I want to blog, cross stitch, and read as much as possible, work on improving my photography, up my survey-answering game to earn some extra money for Christmas, sit down and reply to all blog comments, keep training Rosie, carve a pumpkin, go for an Autumn walk, and a bunch of other stuff you can read about here.

What's your favourite Autumn memory?

I don't have a particular favourite Autumn memory, but I get all nostalgic thinking about walking down to the bonfire through paths of fallen orange leaves, and watching the fireworks on the RAF base with my family year after year. Their firework displays were / are always magical. I also love remembering childhood Autumns when we would squeeze through tiny gaps between the garden fences behind our street and the RAF fence line to scavenge for conkers.

What is your favourite Autumn activity?

Going for long walks or drives in the countryside to enjoy the gorgeous Autumn scenery and the fresh air.

What's your favourite thing to do on a cosy dark Autumn evening in?

I love to curl up under a cosy blanket, put on a movie, and do some cross stitching, blogging, and / or reading.

Best way to spend a rainy day?

Curled up at home watching movies, reading, crafting, and blogging.

Do you decorate your home for Autumn?

I still live with my parents because of my chronic illnesses, who don't tend to switch up their decor from season to season, but I would if I had my own place. I like to add a few Autumn decorations to my bedroom, though, like sunflowers, munchkin pumpkins, candles, and cosy bedding when I can afford to.

What's your favourite Autumn movie?

My favourite Autumn movies are actually quite random. At this time of year I love to watch Practical Magic, Stepmom, You've Got Mail, Little Women, War of the Worlds, The Village, The Others, Hocus Pocus, Labyrinth, The Time Traveller's Wife, Mona Lisa Smile, the Scream movies, I Am Legend... and loads of others. Most movies that get me in to the Autumn mood aren't scary movies, but cheesy films with an Autumn setting.

What TV show are you most looking forward to watching this Autumn?

I can't wait for season two of Stranger Things. I got hooked on season one last Autumn, and the trailers for the new series look amazing.

What are your favourite Autumn songs?

Most of the songs I love to listen to in the Autumn aren't proper Autumn songs, but these are the songs that I associate most with Autumn, and listen to a lot at this time of year:

Fallen (entire album)- Evanescence 

Grand Theft Autumn / Where Is Your Boy- Fall Out Boy

Suburban War- Arcade Fire

Pyro- Kings of Leon

Helena- My Chemical Romance

Wake Me Up When September Ends- Green Day

I Miss You- Blink 182

Two Beds and a Coffee Machine- Savage Garden

Lost In Paradise- Evanescence

As The World Falls Down- David Bowie / Labyrinth OST

Final Masquerade- Linkin Park

Love Will Tear Us Apart- Broken Social Scene

Not Like The Other Girls- The Rasmus

The Killing Moon- Echo and the Bunnymen

Head Over Heels- Tears For Fears

Set The Fire To The Third Bar- Snow Patrol

The Interview- AFI

Love Will Tear Us Apart- Joy Division

Broken- Seether and Amy Lee

A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More Touch Me- Fall Out Boy

What's your favourite Autumn candle?

I love a good Yankee Candle at this time of year, particularly Salted Caramel, Tarte Tatin, Pain au Raisin, and anything that smells like baked goods. They make the house feel extra cosy.

What's your favourite Autumn comfort food?

My Mum's apple pie with custard has always been a favourite of mine. 

What's your favourite seasonal Autumn drink?

I don't do the whole seasonal-flavoured thing, but I love to treat myself to the occasional Costa hot chocolate when the weather starts turning colder.

What are your favourite Autumn colours?

All of the colours of the foliage; the oranges, yellows, reds, and browns which blend together to create an explosion of colour.

What are your favourite Autumn fashion colours?

I love burgundy, forest green, teal, mustard, plum, raspberry, wine, and rust.

What is your favourite Autumn fashion trend?

I really like the checked trend that's around at the moment, although I don't really follow specific trends. I just wear whatever I like regardless of whether it's in or not.

What's your favourite Autumn fragrance?

It has to be Red Delicious or Be Delicious by DKNY. The apple scents are perfect for Autumn.

What's your favourite Autumn make up look?

I love wearing gold, bronze, and green eyeshadows and liners with black or brown mascara.

What is your favourite eyeshadow palette for Autumn?

The Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette is rather gorgeous for Autumn; it has so many beautiful shades.

What's your favourite lipstick for Autumn?

I don't wear lipstick very often, but at this time of year I would go with a berry shade or a deep red.

What's your favourite nail polish shade for Autumn?

I can't get enough of forest green and burgundy nail shades at this time of year. My favourite was Racing Green by Barry M, but I think it's been discontinued, and right now I'm loving a Body Shop Colour Crush shade called Body Shop Green.

Do you like feeling the cold on your skin?

Yes, I love feeling the cold air on my face, as long as the rest of me is wrapped up warm enough. It's a welcome change to being boiling hot 24/7.

Do you go to a pumpkin patch or buy your pumpkins in store?

I've never been to a pumpkin patch. I'd love to go to one, but I've never come across one in my area. I guess they're more of an American thing? I've always bought my pumpkins from the supermarket or farm shop.

What's your favourite pumpkin recipe?

I've never tried anything pumpkin-flavoured. We don't really do the whole pumpkin-flavoured thing in England.

Do you enjoy carving pumpkins?

I do! I'm not very good at it, but I've always enjoyed carving them.

What are you dressing up as for Halloween?

I'm not planning on dressing up for Halloween. I haven't actually dressed up for Halloween since I was eleven!

How do you celebrate Halloween?

We don't make a huge deal out of Halloween in England- it's mostly observed by kids trick or treating. I've never done much to celebrate it as an adult, apart from carving a pumpkin, watching some Halloween / horror movies, and eating sweets. I would love to go all out for Halloween and celebrate it like they do in America, though. It looks like so much fun!

Do you decorate your home for Halloween?

Aside from a Jack O' Lantern or two, we don't decorate for Halloween at all. I might have to try a few more decorations this year, though.

What's your favourite Halloween movie?

My favourite Halloween movies have got to be Hocus Pocus, and the Scream movies- they're classics!

What's your favourite horror novel?

You can't beat some Stephen King at this time of the year. I particularly love The Stand, The Tommyknockers, The Shining, Pet Sematary, Under The Dome, Misery, and his short story 'The Mist'. 

Please feel free to steal the tag and answer the questions on your own blog! Remember to leave me a link to your post if you do- I'd love to see your answers!

What's your favourite thing about Autumn?

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50 Things You Should Know About Me

Hi guys,

I hope your day is off to a good start. Mine sure is not. 

I awoke this morning to find somebody had hacked my eBay, and Paypal accounts, and the email address attached to them over night, and spent £600 I do not have on Lego using my eBay account! I've been freaking out because I don't have the funds in my bank account to even cover the transactions because I don't have any income right now, and I'm just praying I'll be able to get it all back. Paypal are already on the case and I've got one of the three large transactions refunded already (luckily one seller thought to query the fact the address didn't match the one I registered), and the other two are pending, so fingers crossed. Hopefully it will be sorted before any of it reaches my bank balance or otherwise I'm screwed. Thankfully eBay noticed the unusual activity last night and froze my account as who knows how much more they would've tried to spend.

I'm fucking livid that somebody would do this. The spineless little cretin(s) really need to reevaluate their pathetic little lives. I'm sure their kids would be so proud to know their parents are buying them presents with stolen money from somebody who has none.  I hope karma comes back to bite them in the balls. Scum of the Earth.

They've also used my email address to sign up to hundreds of different sites, so even though I've changed my password, I think I'm going to have to delete the account, and set up a new one to be on the safe side. I'm going to have to go through everything I'm signed up to and change my sign in info. FML. It's the last thing I needed to be dealing with today.

I've done all I can for now, so I've taken a break from it all to blog to try to take my mind off it (doing well so far, then, haha!) It's been so long since I last did one of those 'Things About Me' kind of posts, so I thought it would be fun to share some facts about myself to help you get to know me a little better. 

Here are 50 things you should know about me...

1. My favourite pastime is going to concerts. I would happily go to one every night if I could.

2. I used to be a visual merchandiser in a vintage-style children's toy shop before I got ill.

3. I've lived in the same small town in Oxfordshire all my life.

4. I'm from a military family- my Mum, Dad, and Grandad were all in the RAF, and my brother-in-law currently is. Luckily, I never had to do the moving around thing growing up because my parents were out before I was born.

5. I studied animal care at college. I still hope to put it to good use again one day.

6. I'm the second of three sisters.

7. I've been in excruciating pain for almost six years straight.

8. My spine is naturally and abnormally fused to my sacrum (above the pelvis).

9. I suffer from bertolottis disease, fibromyalgia, ankylosing spondylitis, degenerative disc disease (plus torn and herniated discs), sciatica, osteomalacia, depression, and anxiety. Apparently my body hates me.

10. I've met all members of Boyzone twice, and Mikey Graham a couple more times... and I've had a fair few interactions during concerts, too. Yep, total fan girl right here.

11. The comedian Ronnie Barker was a regular customer of mine when I worked in a pet shop. We used to sell him ducks for his home in the Cotswolds.

12. I did work experience in two zoos when I was studying animal care, and got kissed on the head by a huge male sealion.

13. I love collecting novelty handbags, and quirky brooches.

14. I'm from The Cotswolds but I'm neither rich nor posh.

15. I was so shy growing up I would clam up and go mute around everybody but my immediate family and closest friends. I only really came out of my shell in my early twenties, after a few years of working in retail, and having to talk to people all day long.

16. I really love cross stitching, and find it helps me cope with my pain. It's not just for grannies; there are heaps of fun modern designs these days!

17. I have a black and white Tibetan terrier called Rosie, and also keep tropical fish.

18. I have two tattoos, but I would love dozens more. I was just getting in to them when I got ill, and if I hadn't I'm pretty sure I'd be covered in them by now. I have a tattoo wish list as long as my arm.

19. My favourite films are Little Women, Steel Magnolias, and Titanic.

20. I'm covered in freckles from head to toe, and have them on all areas of my body, including my lips, ears, and palm of my hand. I hated them until I was about seventeen, and now I love them!

21. I can't stand bacon or mushrooms. The smell and taste of both makes me gag.

22. Unpopular opinion: I can't stand Beyoncé, or the film Frozen.

23. I'm an introvert, and enjoy my own company, but I'm not anti-social and enjoy spending time with people I like, too. I just need a little time to myself to recharge every day.

24. I love creative writing, and have been scribbling down stories in my spare time since primary school.

25. I was raised catholic and went to a catholic primary school, but I'm an atheist. I tried to believe but I knew from a young age that religion wasn't for me. 

26. My favourite bands are Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, and Boyzone, and I also have a thing for Ronan Keating. I don't actually like much pop music these days, but my love for those Irish men goes back to age nine, and old habits die hard! I also really love Arcade Fire, Panic! at the Disco, Evanescence, and Kings of Leon.

27. I worked in a pet shop for five years.

28. I've always wanted to be a zoo keeper. I'd particularly love to work with tapirs, giraffes, anteaters, aardvarks, and armadillos. I like the weird ones!

29. I'm happiest with my feet in the ocean. I'm a total water baby.

30. I've always wanted to learn how to surf.

31. I'm addicted to colourful eye make up, and particularly love green shades.

32. Colour makes me happy. I try to inject it in to all areas of my life.

33. I'm a stationery addict, and can never resist a new notebook, even if I already have 15 unused ones at home.

34. I pretty much always have my finger nails painted.

35. I love the Big Bang Theory, and watch an episode or two almost every day.

36. I love musicals, especially live at the theatre. My favourites from the stage are Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray, The Sound of Music, Sister Act, and Chicago, and I love the movie versions, too.

37. I hate the sweltering summer heat, and love the rain.

38. My favourite place on the planet is Perranporth Beach in Cornwall, closely followed by New York City.

39. I once broke my wrist by unknowingly getting my foot caught in a basket rack, and falling flat on my face at work... in front of my boss, a colleague, and a big queue of customers. Hands down the most embarrassing moment of my life.

40. You will almost always find me with a camera in my hand, snapping photos wherever I go.

41. I love travelling and sight-seeing, and hope to travel all over the world one day. I'm currently dying to visit Austria.

42. I love crafting, painting, and creating stuff. There's just something satisfying about creating something with your own two hands.

43. I still don't know how to drive. I kept meaning to, but always had other things to spend my money on... like concert tickets and dresses. Now I can't learn to drive because sitting and travelling causes me too much pain.

44. I have a slight Cath Kidston addiction.

45. I'm a Christmas enthusiast, and love to embrace all the festivities I can.

46. My middle name is Christine.

47. I've had the same best friend since I was eleven.

48. My nicknames range from everything from Lou and LouLou to Weeze ('ouise), Weezy, and Weaselby.

49. I've had three ECGs so far this year.

50. My earliest memory is sitting in a hospital corridor with my Dad and older sister aged three after my Mum had gone in to labour with my little sister, and asking if we could "have a brown baby this time." Funnily enough, I didn't get my wish.

So, I've told you a little about myself... now I'd love to learn a little about you to get to know you better! 

Please tell me a few  things about yourself in the comments below! 

Do we have anything in common from the list above?

My First Holiday With Chronic Pain (To Cornwall)

Hey guys!

I'm back after a fun-filled week away in Cornwall with my family last week, just beginning to piece myself back together, and recover from the pain and exhaustion it caused me. I had a lovely break and had a great time while I was there, so I can at least say it was worth it. I actually think it did me the world of good to get away and have some fun for a change, but it was over waaaaay too quickly.

I spent a week down in Perranporth with my sister and brother-in-law, returning to my favourite place in the country after seven unnaturally long years away. I've been holidaying at Perranporth since I was a baby, so it's a place very dear to my heart, and somewhere I've made a life time of happy memories. I loved being back at my second home for a week, and had so much fun revisiting many of my favourite places, and exploring a couple of new places, too.

We visited St. Ives and took a boat trip to Seal Island, we popped in to Truro, we went to Newquay Zoo, wandered around Perranporth, went out for cream teas and ice creams, spent some time in Padstow, drove around Penzance, had a walk and a paddle on Perranporth beach, went to St. Michael's Mount, gambled pennies in the arcades, and more. We also spent plenty of time lazing around the caravan, watching movies, reading, eating delicious food, cross stitching, and in Marie's case, crocheting, so I managed to get plenty of rest in between adventures, too, so it was the perfect amount of fun experiences and relaxation for me. Any more and I would probably have ran out of spoons by day two, and ground to a halt. 

I coped much better than I thought I would, and somehow kept powering on through the pain all week in determination to enjoy as much as possible. There was no way I was going all the way to Cornwall just to be confined to a caravan all week. I was in agony the whole time, but I managed to get out and about for at least for a couple of hours every day, and I'm really proud of myself for it. I've got no idea how I did it, except I must have been running on adrenaline and my stubborn personality. I'll be blogging about many of those little experiences separately over the next few weeks once I've had a chance to edit my photos, because I can't summarise it all in to one post.

We stayed at Perran Sands holiday park- the same Haven holiday park we've been visiting since we were babies. We always stay at Perran Sands whenever we visit Cornwall, and always in one of those luxury caravans. I wouldn't have it any other way. If it was anywhere else, we'd probably all prefer to stay in a nice hotel, somewhere a little more luxurious, but I couldn't imagine staying anywhere else or in any other type of accommodation in Perranporth. It just wouldn't be the same. A Cornish holiday isn't a holiday unless it's spent in a static caravan for the true English summer holiday experience! Fact. Don't knock it; some of my best holidays have been the ones spent in static caravans, and I'm sure there'll be many more to come!

We rented a privately owned caravan on the site this year, and it turned out to be a really lovely base for the week. It was a two bedroomed van with a big master bedroom and en suite, a bathroom with a great walk-in shower, fully equipped kitchen, sofas, a 3D TV with Sky TV and a DVD player, TVs in the bedrooms, an outdoor seating area with a barbecue on the decking with a ramp for access instead of steps, and everything we needed for a comfortable stay. The area we were in was quiet and peaceful even though most of the vans around us were occupied, so there were no complaints from us. Behind us were grassy dunes complete with rabbits, and a natural pond, with vast scrub land stretching out behind it like the moors. You can often spot all kinds of wild animals like foxes, weasels, and birds of prey on site because it's made up of so much natural countryside, but this year we only spotted the bunnies and garden birds. On our last visit, we stumbled up on a trio of tiny fox cubs, and a pair of baby weasels tumbled across our path, play fighting. We were also very close to the centre of the site where the shops, bars, takeaways, restaurants, pool and arcades were, which I could comfortably walk to and from without much difficulty, so we were in a great location for everything, and couldn't have asked for better than that.

My only major problem during the trip was with my bed. On our first night, I could feel every single spring in the mattress, and it felt like I was lying on razor blades. I was in so much pain I was in tears and barely slept- although the news of the London terrorist attacks had just broken which didn't help because I couldn't stop watching the news as it unfolded or stop thinking about the awful things that had happened. I was in agony by the morning, and after that I decided to sleep on the sofa for the rest of the week. It wasn't ideal but it was much more comfortable for me, and I got by. There wasn't actually anything wrong with the mattress; I think it was quite new, but my spine just doesn't get along with sprung mattresses any more; it always feels like I'm lying on jagged rocks. Maybe I'm just a spoiled princess who would feel a pea through a hundred mattresses and isn't satisfied with catching her beauty sleep on anything but cushy memory foam. Either way, I'm so glad to be back in my own comfy bed!

Sadly, the weather wasn't the best while we were there. We had two lovely warm sunny days on the Sunday and Friday, but we also had a full day of rain with gales so strong they were moving the caravan, and it was practically raining sideways. It was windy for most of the week, and most days were overcast with some periods of sunshine, but never really getting warmer than about 20'C or so. We made the best of it, and Monday was the only write-off day, but it would've been nice if we'd had more blue skies and sunshine, and balmy Summer heat like we've got again right now, but that's England for you. You don't holiday here for the weather.

Our holiday was actually my first holiday in six years, and the first holiday I've taken since I developed chronic pain almost six years ago, so it was a big deal for me, and without a doubt a well-deserved, long over due break. I haven't been able to travel since I've had chronic pain and my chronic illnesses set in because my back and spinal pain is so severe it's difficult for me to spend long out of bed without dramatically increasing my pain and suffering, and I guess I'd long since accepted that holidays were part of my past and not my (foreseeable) future.

When my sister and brother-in-law invited me to go on holiday with them a couple of months ago, I actually declined repeatedly because I couldn't see a way I could manage the journey or a whole week away from home without being stuck in bed all week trying to recover from the journey down. I also didn't want to ruin their holiday by playing gooseberry and spoiling their quality time together, but I was basically told I was going even if I was bleeding to death, and that was that. They'd already booked a week in Perranporth in a two-bedroomed caravan, so there was a spare room at no extra cost to them, and their reasoning was that even if I was stuck in bed the whole time, a week in bed in Cornwall was better than spending a week in bed at home, and if I managed one trip out it would be worth it. It was a fair point, and since I really wanted to go and I'd been missing Perranporth like crazy, being my favourite place in the world and all, I eventually gave in and decided to go, determined to give the holiday my best shot and enjoy as much of Cornwall as I could. I'm so glad I did because I ended up having a fantastic time, and totally smashed my expectations of myself.

I conquered a massive hurdle I didn't think I could possibly scale, and managed to see and do more than I've been able to do over the last almost-six-years combined through determination alone. For a week, I was living my life again, and apart from the burning pain in my back, spine, and legs, and the stiffness in my joints, my life almost felt normal again for a little while. The aftermath hasn't been fun, because the pain has been so horrendous. I couldn't move or get out of bed for the first five days after I got home, and have been drifting in and out of naps all week because I've been so exhausted, but it was definitely worth it, and I'm finally beginning to bounce back to my usual state of ill health. 

Now I know I can make it through a week's holiday in the homeland without falling apart, I'm hopeful I'll be able to get away for annual Summer holidays like this one again. There's little hope of me coping with a holiday abroad or a full on action-packaged trip just yet, but I'm more than happy to stay on home turf and return to Perranporth for a repeat of a holiday like this one each Summer! Fingers crossed I'll be strong enough to return again next year!

For now, I've got plenty of happy memories from this year's holiday to tide me over until I can get away again.

Look out for posts about my visits to Perranporth Beach, St. Ives, Padstow, Newquay Zoo, and St. Michael's Mount on the blog over the next couple of weeks for more Cornish tales!

Where are you going on holiday this Summer? If you're not going away, what do you plan to do on your staycation?

50 Things I Couldn't Live Without

We all have things in our lives that we couldn't imagine living without. Our friends and family, our pets, food, mobile phones, hair straighteners, alcohol, chocolate, Netflix... so many great things. In reality we could get by with just the basics- food, water, shelter, health care- but life's far more comfortable and satisfying with the things that aid and enrich our lives. 

After thinking about it for a while, I've come up with fifty things I couldn't imagine living without- a mixture of essentials, and those things that make my life so much greater. And here they are. Let's see how many we have in common.

1. My family. Even if they do drive me mad most of the time.

2. My friends, especially my best friend, Angela.

3. My puppy, Rosie.

4. Concerts. I'm always happiest watching my favourite bands and singers perform live. I live and breathe them (or, at least I did pre-chronic pain), and couldn't imagine my life without them to electrify my soul. I hate that I can't go to anywhere near as many as I want and used to. 

5. A camera. I may not be the best photographer, but I love taking photos every day to document my life.

6. My laptop. I'd be so lost without it, and bed rest would be far more boring. I use it for everything- blogging, keeping in touch with family and friends, shopping, banking, playing music, storing and editing my photos and home videos, ordering medication, educating myself... I pretty much organise my entire life through it.

7, Glasses or contact lenses. I can't see much without them, and would bump in to things a lot. At least it would give everyone a good laugh, though!

8. Books and / or my Kindle. I always have a book on the go. It's my escape from reality.

9. My medication. I wouldn't be able to cope with the level of pain I'm in without my painkillers to take the edge off. Plus, withdrawal symptoms are horrific.

10. Hazelnut milk chocolate. Cadbury's Whole Nut, Ferrero Rochers, Nutella... so much deliciousness.

11. Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance leave in conditioner. It's my number one beauty essential, keeps my hair in great condition, and makes it easier to brush through wet hair after a swim or shower. There's no way I could live without it in my life.

12. Fit and flare dresses with amazing prints; the basis of my style.

13. Having a creative outlet. Whether it's blogging, photography, creative writing, cross stitching, painting, journaling, creating displays... I have a need to create and like to channel my emotions and energy in to creative hobbies.

14. Comfy PJs. I need to be as comfortable as possible, so most days I live in them. I regret nothing.

15. A memory foam mattress. They're so comfortable! I don't know how I ever slept without one.

16. Time to myself every day to recharge after socialising. (Introvert alert!)

17. The Body Shop's Vitamin E Moisture Cream. Best moisturiser ever!

18. Colour. Colour makes me so damn happy. Life would be so boring in black and white.

19. A notebook... or seventy. I admit it: I'm a notebook addict. I love to write, and I use them to record, plan, and organise my life.

20. Music. I can't imagine life without it.

21. Adventures! I love to travel, take day trips, explore new places, and make memories along the way.

22. Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner- the nineties kind, not the newer versions. They give me the softest, shiniest hair, and the smell makes me so nostalgic.

23. Red nail polish, especially bright 'tomato' red. I feel so put-together when I wear it.

24. Movies and cinema trips. I'm a bit of a movie geek.

25. Special fried rice from my local Chinese take away. Nom.

26. Blogging. While I don't consider myself a great blogger, it's something I enjoy, it keeps me busy, and has given me a purpose and an outlet during the last four and a half years of my five years with chronic pain / illness. It's helped me cope with a lot.

27. Health care. Who knows what state I'd be in without it!

28. Cadbury chocolate. No explanation needed.

29. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. It's make up removing powers are magical.

30. Showers. Cold showers in the Summer, hot showers in the Winter. Bliss.

31. Schwarzkopf Real Red hair dye. If anyone asks, yes, I'm a natural red!

32. Christmas time. I love everything about it. It's the most wonderful time of the year.

33. Cross stitching. It might sound lame, but it's so therapeutic.

34. Waterproof black mascara. I need to make my eyelashes look pretty.

35. Animals and nature. The natural world is an amazing place, and being around animals and close to nature makes me happy.

36. Concert adventures with friends. Spending a day being a total fan girl with good friends is the most fun ever. It makes me sad that I can't do this often anymore.

37. My hair straighteners. I'm a slave to them, just like everyone else.

38. Heat patches. They help to ease my back muscles after a physically demanding day, making my back less tense the following day, and the back pain easier to cope with.

39. Freshly-washed bedding, straight from the dryer. Is there anything better?

40. The Body Shop's satsuma collection, especially the shower gel and body puree. Amazing products, and best fragrance ever. Fact!

41. Leggings. I live in them! I always wear them under dresses for confidence, as I have a complex about baring my legs. Plus they're comfy, too.

42. Those rainy days spent reading under cosy blankets with the sound of the rain drumming on the windows.

43. Creative writing. It's a hobby I've enjoyed since I was in primary school, and something I can't imagine not doing.

44. My iPod. I feel like I've lost a limb when I'm without it on the go.

45. An eye lash curler. I don't know why, but I feel so much prettier when my lashes are curled.

46. Trips to the seaside, especially to Perranporth Beach in Cornwall. Aside from concerts, I'm happiest with my feet in the surf, swimming, and body-boarding in the sea. 

47. Escada Taj Sunset perfume. It's my favourite fragrance ever.

48. Coca Cola. I'm sorry to say I'm a little bit addicted.

49. Naps. Naps are awesome!

50. A bag big enough for me to carry around everything but the kitchen sink.

What couldn't you live without?

Turning Thirty One

On Saturday, I turned thirty one. I still haven't quite got my head around the numbers, but my age isn't bothering me like it did when I turned thirty and freaked out so badly, I got trapped under a toxic fog of depression for a couple of months. After making it through a full year as a thirty year old and discovering there really wasn't anything to worry about- even without all those things society says we're supposed to have by thirty- like a husband, babies, a house, and a respectable career- being thirty-one doesn't worry me in the slightest. It's just another year of my life to live, grow, and make as many memories as I can before the counter resets in a year's time. I've decided that it doesn't matter that I don't have the picture perfect life we're made to believe we should have, and its absence shouldn't stop me from appreciating the life I have now, so I'm happy to live the life I've got and see where it takes me. There are plenty of years ahead of me for life to happen naturally, and I'm certainly not dead yet. Turning thirty-one is no big deal, and the next year can be as exciting or unremarkable as I want it to be. We'll see where it takes me!

For now, here are some photos and snippets from my birthday, including a mini haul of the birthday presents I was given by my family.

Colourful presents and cards from the family.

My  parents gave me this colourful, floral print pair of Rocket Dogs. They're so pretty. I don't often wear trainers these days, but I know they'll come in handy for running around after the dog.

This beautiful set of Mavala nail polishes was also from my parents. The five shades are all gorgeous, and so wearable. I first tried Mavala nail polishes last year, and I've come to really like them because they glide on like a dream, and usually remain chip-free for several days. They're a little pricier than many, but they're totally worth their price tag.

My  Mum also gave me this flamingo cross stitch kit. It's so cute and colourful! It's different to anything I've made before, so it'll be fun to try something different for a change. Plus it has flamingos on it, and you guys know how much I love all things flamingo.

My  older sister gave me this adorable Cath Kidston cottage sewing basket, which I knew I was getting because I was with her when she bought it. I've wanted a Cath Kidston sewing basket house for years and had been coveting this one for months, but at £58 I couldn't justify the purchase. It's a lot of money for a sewing basket. I was planning to buy it after it was reduced to £34 a couple of weeks ago, but the sister kindly got it for me instead. It's beautiful, and I finally have a proper place to store my cross stitch supplies, instead of haphazardly squeezing everything in to a couple of tiny cheap wicker baskets. It'll make a cute prop for blog photos, too.

She also gave me this beautiful copy of The BFG, which was one of our favourites books growing up. I have to admit, the illustrations inside and on the cover are so beautiful.

My  little sister gave me a Sega Mega Drive games console, which is loaded with classic nineties computer games like Sonic The Hedgehog, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and Columns, along with two separate games we played to death when we were little- Aladdin and The Lion King! Oh, sweet Jesus, this is amazing! I didn't even know this console existed! (FYI, she said she got it from Argos). If I had, I would've bought it in a heart beat; I loved the Sega Mega Drive growing up!

When I was nine, my sisters and I were given a Mega Drive for Christmas (1994), which was the best present ever because until then we only had an ancient Commodore computer which we played on an old black and white TV. It took about an hour and a half for the games to load so you had to clear your day if you wanted to play with it. In comparison, the Mega Drive was the coolest thing ever, and it kept us amused for years. We used to fight over whose turn it was to play on it all the time. We were all addicted to The Lion King, but I also had a soft spot for Aladdin, Golden Axe, Sonic, and Maui Mallard. It was awesome! With so many old favourites to play again, I have a feeling I'll be addicted to this console in no time! If I disappear from the blog for a few months, you'll know why!

Some of my birthday cards. The banana card is brilliant, and oh so true!

I decided to spend my birthday at my local zoo, The Cotswold Wildlife Park, so Marie and I headed out around half eleven, and she treated me to a ticket. It's one of my favourite places and only a few miles from home, so it makes for a fun, easy day out, and I don't even waste any spoons getting there. Yay! The weather was grey and drizzled at times, but we had fun wandering around just the same, chatting, eating ice cream, and looking at all kinds of weird and wonderful animals and plants 'til mid afternoon. We got caught in the rain towards the end and got soaked trying to find the car (it took us about ten minutes to find it!), but we really enjoyed our visit, and it was a great way to start off my birthday. I'll be blogging about my visit properly really soon, once I've got through all of the photos I took.

After The Wildlife Park, I was in agony and exhausted, so I soon changed in to my PJs, and went for a lie down. I took a couple of selfies before I crashed. This is 31 year old me in my PJs, with hair damp and frizzy from the rain, and hair dye stains along my scalp and hair line as I'd dyed it the night before. My fringe has grown past my chin, and I'm in dire need of a hair cut. Most of my make up had come off in the rain, revealing a face covered in a gazillion freckles that have grown in size, multiplied and darkened from spending so much time in the garden with the puppy over the last few months. My eyebrows are unkempt and in desperate need of some TLC, awfully shaped thanks to over-plucking them when I was twelve, and had no idea what I was doing. (Why did I do that?! Why?) They've never filled back in. Thirty-one year old me has dark circles and a few blemishes, but no wrinkles just yet. I'm told I don't look thirty-one, and I definitely don't feel it. I don't feel old, and I don't feel like a proper grown-up yet. I have no current plans to change who I am or 'act my age'; and judging by my birthday and the presents I was given, I've started to grow back down instead. I'm okay with that! Me, old? Pah!

A couple of hours later, my Mum put together a 'party tea' or a buffet, if you prefer, so I crawled back downstairs and ate junk while watching Mrs Doubtfire with my Mum and little sis. I felt about five! If you can't eat junk unapologetically on your birthday, when can you, eh?

We  finished with the most delicious gooey chocolate birthday cake from M&S, which was so large I had a slice on Saturday, Sunday and Monday! Bad for my body, but oh so delicious.

After I'd had my fill and the movie had ended, I couldn't bare the pain any longer, so I crawled back upstairs and in to bed. I vaguely remember watching Avatar and trying to blog, but I was so shattered I napped on and off and fell asleep pretty early.

My birthday was hardly rock 'n' roll and I couldn't celebrate with a few drinks (thanks to medication) or a night on the tiles, but I had a good day just the same. If Saturday was anything to go by, thirty-one won't be so bad after all.