tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26735185039739754782024-03-14T07:41:01.500+00:00Tilly's random chatterI'm not a 'one theme' sort of person so I want to talk about new places I love, something funny that has happened, an amazing new discovery...the list goes on... and want any people who decide to read this to chip in with their experiences and finds.Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.comBlogger155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-66324780357909365042014-09-03T14:45:00.000+01:002014-09-03T14:45:48.065+01:00My new full time job - Motherhood<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Six weeks ago I got a new job that I wasn't meant to start until September and that I've never been more eager to start. The job? Being a mammy. Apparently baby was eager too and surprised us six weeks early! As my husband and I don't really know very many other people with babies or children that we see very often, it's been a case of learning on the job in our new role as parents.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thinking back over the last month or so, the biggest thing I've come to realise is the lesson we've been taught about human kindness. Family, friends, hospital staff and even strangers have rallied round, cooking us boat loads of meals for the freezer, offering help in numerous guises, sending far too many (much appreciated) cards and gifts and everyone giving smiles and well wishes. Until we had Toby, we didn't realise how much babies bring out the best in most people. We've also giggled about how much female attention fellas get holding a new born.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">For a couple of weeks, Toby had to stay in the Neonatal unit to get strong enough to come home. Although he was fairly robust in comparison to many of the other little babies in the ward, his birth and subsequent stay in the unit came as a huge surprise to us. After all, despite being first-time parents, our textbook pregnancy had led us to believe little man would appear around forty weeks and be able to go home after a day or two. The last thing we expected was to have to leave hospital still as a duo, but I'll forever be thankful that this was only a temporary measure. When I was staying in the hospital with Toby, I got up at 3am to help with changing and feeding him. I was cuddling him afterwards and in a moment I'll remember for the rest of my life, he opened his eyes and looked right at me. It was in that instant I was overwhelmed by my love for my beautiful son and I knew my life would never be the same. Before July, we knew nothing about the neonatal unit, but we found it to be a place full of positivity and we'll always be grateful to the numerous nurses who cared for Toby (and gave us so much support and advice) during those weeks. They are truly inspirational. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Something that's been invaluable since we got home has been a <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Nasosal-Spray-15ml_1116572/" target="_blank">saline spray</a> and a <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/4little1-Baby-nose-clear-Nasal-Aspirator-with-case-_118420/" target="_blank">nasal aspirator</a> for Toby's nose. Poor little sniffly thing has been getting used to the big dusty world and these two things have helped him and us get relief and some sleep rather than fall victim to congestion. I would fully recommend them (I love you Boots) and I've included links to them.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span id="goog_853407678"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Another thing we've come to realise is that there's no such thing as <i>too </i>many photographs. Even in the few weeks Toby has been with us, we've noticed so much of a change which we've been fortunate enough to chronicle to enjoy (and use to embarrass him) at a later date. I'm already imagining Toby's life when he's older...his first words, his first steps, what music he'll like, the first time we can surprise him with a trip to Disney World...I JUST CAN'T WAIT!!! He's got bags of character already and both my husband and I are excited to see the person he'll become. Whoever that is, I can't imagine loving anything more in my entire life. I guess to sum it up, becoming a parent is the best thing I've ever done and although the hours are long and the pay is appalling, I'll never want another job.</span></div>
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Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-61340025573803003082014-07-24T10:27:00.001+01:002014-07-24T10:45:40.114+01:00Lotti's Voluptuous DelightsNo, it's not the title of a burlesque show although if it were, it would be the most beautiful, well presented burlesque show! Lotti's is in fact one of the first places I want to tell you about on my self-titled, 'Tilly's Teesside Troughing Tour.' <div><br></div><div>Lotti's is situated on Stokesley High Street. It's up near the end where Boyes is but a bit further down and on the opposite side of the road. 59-61 High Street to be exact. Just so you recognise it, it looks like this.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwMjv4P94QfKa1S7iw7VqVLpVm9Z0Vuo75hDfHY0s25h_8R-vO6nEUnt2Vz931QFa3NBnh7qbuz5vNu0jyyiUZNYdpGF9-i7uEX_OF8dJ-C1lbWIPurU7sdRXToLT0zmm9woetyjNJrX2/s640/blogger-image--658829674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwMjv4P94QfKa1S7iw7VqVLpVm9Z0Vuo75hDfHY0s25h_8R-vO6nEUnt2Vz931QFa3NBnh7qbuz5vNu0jyyiUZNYdpGF9-i7uEX_OF8dJ-C1lbWIPurU7sdRXToLT0zmm9woetyjNJrX2/s640/blogger-image--658829674.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>When you enter this beautiful tea room, you're immediately met with a sensory experience. Good music, the sight and smell of delicious food and drinks, and the charming, vintagey decor. If you're lucky enough to get a table straight away you'll be given a menu which is pretty in its own right. This isn't just your bog-standard tea shop though. For starters, the menu is packed with offerings that have that extra special detail, in particular, Strawberry scones with lime drizzle and unusual Earl Grey cake to name a couple. </div><div><br></div><div>To enjoy whatever choose, you sit at quirky mismatched tables and chairs, surrounded by chintzy scatter cushions and lamps and doily bunting. The atmosphere has been really good each time I've been in too, the staff are all very friendly and helpful and the other customers all look to be of a similar mindset, appreciating good food and good company. You feel as though you're amongst friends! </div><div><br></div><div>I haven't experienced the savoury food yet as I usually race in on a morning to make sure I get a table but I'm aware that they do Tapas and Cocktails some evenings too which I hope to experience in the not so distant future. They also offer Afternoon Tea and which is something that has become extremely fashionable in recent times and understandably so. Who doesn't love that sedate, 'ladies what lunch' way of life?! </div><div><br></div><div>There are great reviews on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/Lottisvoluptuousdelights so you can see plenty more genuine comments and pictures there. </div><div><br></div><div>Hurry down as soon as you can and give them a try yourself. I promise you won't regret it!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div>Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-25939385591489205342014-07-21T14:38:00.001+01:002014-07-21T14:45:33.667+01:00A mum-to-be saying goodbye to long nails assisted by Clyppi.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Having always been a lady who loves having long nails, times are changing as I prepare for motherhood. What has been practical for the first thirty years of my life now won't 'cut it' ( accidental pun but I thought I'd go with it) and whilst my nails will never be truly short, I have to admit defeat and think what will be sensible for baba and I. Painting my nails and looking after my hands with nice hand creams has always been a simple pleasure and I've always received compliments about my nails which I guess makes you take more notice and care. Need proof? I'm constantly posting pictures of my newly pampered nails on <a href="https://twitter.com/MissTRChatter" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/nadaleymcrobbo/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>. Now that I'm only a matter of weeks from having my first baby, I know from a practical/ safe point-of-view that my nails will have to be shorter from here on out unless I want baba to look like they've tangled with Wolverine. I know shorter nails don't have to be less glamorous, in fact I'd say a lot of dark nail varnish and current nail trends actually look classier on short nails but it'll just be a change from the norm for me.<br />
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( Excuse my veiny hand but it's been really warm hasn't it? Here are my nails pre-Clyppi.)<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Three years ago, I bought some nail clippers from a well know chemist chain which weren't cheap and sadly tore my nails up. Ever since, I've been on the hunt for some simple but effective clippers that would give me the finish I wanted. When I happened upon the opportunity to try <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clyppi-Fingernail-Clippers-Professional-Stainless/dp/B00GQ0GD4A" target="_blank">'Clyppi Nail Clippers'</a> I thought I'd give them a go and see if they lived up to their promise. The claim? "A Lifetime Guarantee - an ultra cool precision tool for the trendy, stylish and well groomed." Well, as I mentioned before, I like my nails to be well groomed...</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clyppi-Fingernail-Clippers-Professional-Stainless/dp/B00GQ0GD4A" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clyppi-Fingernail-Clippers-Professional-Stainless/dp/B00GQ0GD4A" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwMlah3E-Di9ILrmy9L8o3jMhFqrjEH9NIqh9_jVtkz9wsrqJVi3-Uu6T_FPhHeU-runzMNprrcs7rQ2zW8B50T534fhtPJ1YVhmpF4_RMDkNHhI8CcBmw771-cSnoxUq6GsWMJMs1QNX/s640/blogger-image-1853670991.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> These clippers actually surpassed my expectations. They are really sharp and cut through my nails with ease. This was particularly impressive because my thumb nails are very strong and are usually really difficult to cut and they made light work of them. My nails were left with only a few rough edges to file which was in high contrast to any other clippers I've used before. I got my husband to try them and said he thought they were better than any nail clippers or scissors he has used in the past. Two converts in one household! Below is a picture of my nails after minimal filing.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Faults? None. If I'm desperate to find something, there is a small nail file as a feature on the handle part of the clipper which will do the job, but I'm still a crystal nail file kind of gal. Having said that, the file would be useful for small shaping needs or if you were on holiday and didn't want to pack lots of things. These clippers are very compact so they're handy to transport about wherever you'd need to take them.<br /><br />The price is really competitive, especially for the quality - they're made from stainless steel and as I said before, they have a lifetime guarantee! Currently available on Amazon <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clyppi-Fingernail-Clippers-Professional-Stainless/dp/B00GQ0GD4A" target="_blank">here</a> for £10.97 (and FREE UK delivery!)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I'm very impressed by these clippers and would recommend them to everyone. Don't waste your money on weak ones like I did in the first place. Just do yourself a favour and get these - it's a no-brainer.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(I agreed to review these for Clyppi and these were sent for me to try, but, as always, these are my honest opinions.)</span></div>
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Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-64460322301228642182014-06-29T22:34:00.000+01:002014-06-29T22:34:05.847+01:00Parenting - an idiots guide<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I was recently bought a copy of 'First-Time Parent' by Lucy Atkins. I've avoided buying baby books during my pregnancy because I expected to feel overwhelmed by the information in them and thought I would just google anything I wanted to know or ask friends and family. My mam kindly bought this for us so I thought I'd give it a go and I've been so impressed. It's a total idiots guide, it's not too wordy or preachy, and best of all there's no bulls**t. Atkins tells you what you need, what not to spend money on if you don't want to, and all the things you probably would feel silly asking - like how to change a nappy. Let's face it, these skills aren't innate and if you don't know many or any people with children, why the hell would you know how to look after a child?<br />
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Here's the Amazon description:<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Forget unrealistic childcare manuals – this is the book you really need to help you cope brilliantly with those first chaotic days and months ahead.</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As a health journalist and mother-of-three, Lucy Atkins is familiar with both the medical aspects of childbirth and baby development, and the reality of day-to-day life as an exhausted first-time mum or dad. In her feisty, humorous style, she begins with that first mind-blowing day and addresses the issues unique to the first-time parent who stares at their newborn and thinks “Where are the instructions?”</span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Anticipating the questions and concerns of all new mothers–Why does my baby cry so much? Will I ever lose all this weight? Am I a bad parent because…?–the book provides practical advice and level-headed reassurance. It addresses the needs of the baby and, very importantly, those of the parent during the first year of their baby’s life.</span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Contents include:</span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>• Starter’s orders – the equipment and kit you really need, as opposed to what the department store tells you<br />• Hello – how to cope with the first few hours<br />• Start – coming home, bonding, how to survive the first few days<br />• Sleep – for everyone!<br />• Cry – why your baby cries, what to do, why you'll want to cry, too<br />• Eat –breastfeeding, supplemental feeding, moving to solids, nutrition<br />• Grow – baby's physical and mental development<br />• Play – yes, you two actually can have fun<br />• Thrive – health considerations for baby and parent<br />• Live – adapting to your new life, the changing mother-father relationship<br />• Work – coping with being at home and with going back to work<br />• Also includes information on single parenting, and on adopted, multiple and special needs babies.</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The First-Time Parent is on your side, and reassures that you can cope brilliantly with your new baby and your new life.</span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I felt like Atkins was an honest mate. Someone who you'd feel comfortable receiving guidance from whilst having a laugh. My favourite points have been that it's not patronising, there are plenty of references to the father's role to keep all the lovely dads informed and there are no guilt trips about breast-feeding, instant connections with your baby, feeling like you have to be the human embodiment of Mother Nature and all that clap trap. It's a really healthy account of how to take on the roles of mother and father and how you shouldn't feel guilty about trying your best. Perhaps an attitude a few health professionals could adopt and cut new parents some slack.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If you're a first-time mammy or daddy and fancy a read of something understanding, to-the-point and how you'd probably want to explain parenting to a newbie, this is the book for you. </span><br />
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Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-730607570416880252014-06-17T17:57:00.000+01:002014-06-17T17:57:00.292+01:00Tilly's Teesside Tea and Troughing Tour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm a lady who loves her cuppas and food. On my days off I love popping to a coffee shop or restaurant, particularly the little indie gems. For those in Teesside and perhaps those who visit our little region, I thought I'd list and/or review the places that I've visited so I can share my views or introduce people to places the might not otherwise have heard of.<br />
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I've already written about one such gem, <a href="http://tillyrandomchatter.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/waiting-room.html" target="_blank">'The Waiting Room'</a>, Eaglescliffe. You can read about it on the link. It's a cracking place, great food, great drinks (the local wines are lovely) and very friendly service. That should start you off!<br />
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If you've got any favourite tea rooms or restaurants for me to try, please let me know and I'll give them a go. Let the eating and drinking commence! <br />
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Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-67747810009896891232014-06-16T14:47:00.001+01:002014-06-16T14:48:21.805+01:00Needle Phobia - a positive update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been well over a year since I addressed this point on the blog but I thought it deserved an update. The first post regarding my needle phobia is <a href="http://tillyrandomchatter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/phobias.html" target="_blank">here</a> if anyone wanted to read it again or give it a first look.<br />
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In this last year and a bit I've realised that I couldn't go on avoiding needles forever. It would be nice if that was the case but it's not very realistic. We've all seen people like The Speakmans on the television helping people overcome these debilitating phobias and really improving these peoples lives, but I didn't have hundreds of pounds to spend on getting better and as a last straw kind of move, I even applied to be part of the show they've recorded this year. I didn't end up participating - I didn't get chosen for the pilot show and by the time I got asked to apply again for the commissioned series I was already exploring other avenues but for anyone who knows me, this was a really out of character thing for me to do, perhaps demonstrating just how desperate I was. <br />
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In October last year, something happened which made me hit breaking point with it all and I found the number of a service in the area that I'd seen advertised my my workplace. <a href="http://www.talkingmatters.com/service/talking-matters-teesside/" target="_blank">'Talking Matters'</a> is a place where you can be referred by your Dr or you can do what I did and self-refer. They deal with phobias, OCD, stress, anxiety and depression issues, and you can read about their services on the link. I nervously dialled the number and the lady who picked up the phone was amazingly understanding when I laid my cards on the table and asked if they could help. They said they'd ring me the following week for an assessment of my needs and they were very punctual and sensitive when I had this appointment. Long story short, I was paired with a lovely chap I've since called Phobia Phil. We've worked through lots of Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques to try to teach me how to get a handle on all of this and whilst there have been tears and emotional conversations, I cannot believe how much of a difference this course of action has made to my life.<br />
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One of the reasons I wanted to get treatments for my phobia was because my husband and I wanted to have a family and as you know I'm now very pregnant. 'Talking Matters' has enabled me to do one of the things I never thought possible and that was to have blood taken, albeit from my hand, for the first time in 23 years. I'm still working hard to get the courage and discipline to have blood taken from the bend of my arm but it's not something I see as impossible anymore which is half the battle. I'm due some more tests in the next week and I won't lie, I'm still very frightened but the fact that I'm talking about it and getting it done is incredible. I feel like someone has waved a magic wand over me.<br />
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Please, please seek help with your phobia or anxiety problem if you have one. Talking Matters is my local service on Teesside but there should be similar provision around the country so ask your GP or Google it to find yours. You don't have to suffer and be like that for the rest of your life. I wish someone had given me the information to sort this out for myself sooner and I'll never look back. Who knows, it might just save your life.</div>
Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-32470423320943723772014-05-20T19:03:00.000+01:002014-05-20T19:05:03.862+01:00Haworth 1940's Weekend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This weekend, my mam, grandma's and I went to the fabulous <a href="http://www.haworth1940sweekend.co.uk/HOME.html" target="_blank">Haworth 1940's Weekend</a>. We went for the full day on the Sunday and were blessed enough to have red hot weather. We drove - just under a couple of hours in the car for us Teessiders - and the place was already buzzing when we got there.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was a bit awkward to find a parking space initially as parking places were quickly filling up and you were already heading down a tight road before you found the car park was full, however, we soon found a space and headed over to the park nearest to where we were, which was full of lovely stalls and an already bustling beer tent. I was impressed with how many people had gotten into the spirit and dressed up. Many looked like they came year on year in their beautiful chosen ensembles, pristine forces uniforms, tailoring and parasols - it really seemed like you'd stepped back in time. People held themselves differently and seemed to speak and act in a more gentile manner. Everyone seemed so elegant and refined with beaming smiles, dancing and music everywhere we went that day. My Grandma's remarked that although people had just endured another awful World War at this time, the spirit was a positive one, captured and reflected well by the Haworth Weekender. Chin up and crack on. I think we could all learn from that attitude today, but sadly some people don't seem to know how to help themselves or one another in the same way anymore. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Most of the businesses that were open had adopted a 1940's theme, menu or costume to get "In The Mood" (see what I did there?) My favourite shop was </span><a href="http://www.rose-apothecary.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rose & Co Apothecary</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. They sell bath products in the shape of sugar mice and cupcakes and gentleman's shaving products amongst tons of other stunning gifts and treats, but my absolute favourite part was the bit stocking the ever fabulous <a href="http://www.stopstaringclothing.com/sunshop/" target="_blank">Stop Staring</a> dresses. They're not cheap but they're beautifully designed and made, and really fit with the vintage revival we all love so much. I'm saving for one when I'm out of my preggy clothes - I'm just gutted they don't do maternity or kids wear! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We relaxed on a bench whilst a chap sang and played trumpet on the back of an army truck. This picture by a nice bloke called Jason Bowers was of this lovely part of the day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the nicest people we encountered that day was a nurse who was dressed as a WW2 nurse. She spent a while chit-chatting with us and telling us some really interesting stuff about her uniform and adjustments that were made from the original uniform in WW1. I could have listened to her all day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hopefully we'll go back for this wonderful weekend next year. I would whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone.</span></div>
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Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-33668639341661489422014-05-05T20:33:00.001+01:002014-05-05T20:33:27.410+01:00Arbonne - is it really as bad as it sounds?<div>To many, Arbonne - a premium health, cosmetics and skin care brand, is suspicious and untrustworthy. You only have to type Arbonne into the internet and there's so many people wanting to bad mouth this company so what have they done that's so wrong? </div><div><br></div>I was first told about Arbonne by some friends. Genuine friends at that, who would never mug me off or try to commit a daylight robbery. My husband and I have known them for years and we are as close as family members so I had and still have no reason to doubt a word they say. A couple of members of their family and their friends had signed up to become what is known as an 'Independant Consultant' as a side-line that would hopefully perhaps become a lucrative earner whilst they carried on with their normal lives and therefore didn't jeopardise anything they were already doing. These people had put some money into this but only out of choice and as you would any serious business opportunity. When they told me about it, the main thing I was interested in was the make up range. Which girl wouldn't be? I thought I'd give it a whirl and support them, perhaps in the same way people buy Avon from their friends/family and collagues. The mascara and lip gloss I bought were some of the best products I've ever purchased - the lip gloss was a beautiful, strongly pigmented berry colour and the mascara was hands down the best mascara I've ever used. I'll hopefully do a proper product review on them soon so you can see them for yourselves if you so wish.<div><br></div><div>Back to the point...</div><div>Whilst I was happily using these products I googled Arbonne, just to learn a bit more about the brand, its history and to see more products that I would fancy trying. What I found by looking at links other than the Arbonne site itself, was a lot of vitriolic, knee-jerk reactions from some people that didn't seem to grasp the concept properly or had been tricked by less than trustworthy people into signing up to be a Consultant when they didn't understand the full picture of the business. From the get-go, my friends had been transparent about their involvement and what you did or did not have to do. My understanding at the end or it was that it was a premium Avon, with the incentives it offered 25 years ago...lavish gifts, holidays, good money and a less saturated market. Oh and no door-knocking. Having actually looked at being an Avon Rep myself last year, the lady who rang (repeatedly) to give me more information and then turned up at my door one night with brochures was passive aggressively coercing me into joining. Nobody seems to be on the same witch hunt about Avon, even though it's the same kind of package. Maybe because it is a familiar name to people so they are less intimidated by it? Of course I was guilty of reading all these reviews on forums but my conclusion was still the same - that irresponsible people are misselling what could actually be a perfectly good opportunity. It shouldn't be sold as a get rich quick scheme but sadly that's what some people are doing and even if you could get people involved under those sketchy terms, that is a shaky and not very sustainable way to grow a business, no matter how seductive at the outset.</div><div><br></div><div>Because I'm so obsessed with the mascara and lippy I'm considering signing up myself, but rather than do the approach that people are recommended to do, I've decided that I'll take the slow and steady approach if I do opt in, and order things I'll use rather than lots of expensive stock. Anything else is a bonus really? After all, business is something you need to invest in if you want to make big money quickly, but it's not the only way. </div>Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-29001092854004921272014-04-20T20:40:00.001+01:002014-04-20T20:40:54.267+01:00What's in a name?We're now half way through the pregnancy and have started looking at names for the little baba we've been calling 'Titch' whilst he or she is in my tummy. The scan is next week and we've chosen not to find out the answer to the question everyone seems to want to know - pink or blue?<div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The approach we've taken isn't everyone's approach it seems. Some people have loved particular names all their lives and some put it to public vote using social media. A dangerous game if you stick to the public choice which is no doubt something crazy!? There was a chap who did exactly that and at last check, he was going to have to name his child Optimus Prime or something from Transformers. I wonder if he followed through with it?</span><br><div><br></div><div>As I've probably said before, we're <i>that</i> couple who didn't have any elements of our wedding pre-chosen and it's the same with baby names. We've never had any favourites that we've always wanted to call a little bundle of joy, so we've been pouring over name books and websites to give us inspiration. We've managed to shortlist a few, but we're keeping those under wraps until we meet the little guy or gal to see what suits them. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The biggest struggle choosing names has been associating the name with someone else or even a pet. In most cases it's been realising we know someone with the same name who is irritating or has negative connotations in some respect, whether that's a celebrity or a person we know or have met in our lives. The next hurdle was choosing a name one of our friends or colleagues hasn't already chosen. I know it's not a pre-requisite, but I didn't want our baby to have the same name as all the other kids belonging to people we know. There are plenty of names to choose from in the world and we're not choosing really random names, but since we don't have our hearts set on any it just made sense to us to do it this way. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The next check we needed to do is to write what the initials would be, say the names out aloud and check that the most torturous nicknames aren't going to be painfully obvious. A woman at work suggested 'Belle' until another collegue followed it wih the word 'end'. School is hard enough without targeting your kids for abuse! Having done all that we're happy with our traditional choices and have managed to tick everything off our list to do the best we can for Titch.</span></div><div><br></div><div>Only approximately 20 weeks to find out now! </div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-53194565777992838342014-03-12T07:59:00.000+00:002014-03-12T07:59:14.495+00:00Are you a High Achiever?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I met up with an old school friend at Christmas. We only manage to see each other once or twice a year as he lives in London and I still live on good old Teesside where we grew up together. A conversation we had really got me thinking and after seeing a related article in a magazine and having a change or circumstances in my own life I mulled over about what we'd discussed.<br />
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The day that we had met up, my friend had already visited another friend and they'd been discussing who the 'high achievers' were from school. I found it interesting that every person mentioned had moved to the city and now worked as a freelance writer, was in a good position for ITV or was jet-setting around the globe. Admittedly these are fantastic achievements, especially when you consider how competitive the job market is these days, but when I thought about the other things in their lives (I only know because of Facebook) then the rest of their lives didn't seem quite as well-rounded. Again, I'm not saying that you need a partner to be happy, but I know at least one of them had a failed engagement so I figured that at least one of them did want more from that aspect of their lives. I suppose what I'm asking is: How do you classify a High Achiever?<br />
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Career -wise, I've hopped around a bit. Now at age 30 I've still never settled on one thing I've always wanted to do. I'm more a 'Mr Ben' type who would like to have lots of experiences until maybe one day I've found something I LOVE. I've worked in retail, pharmacy, admin and I've been self-employed and I've loved most of them for different aspect of each role. I must say at times I've been very envious of people who have always known what they've wanted to do, they've focused on getting there and they'll do this job until they retire. I suppose by 30 I expected to be on more money and a bit more settled than I am, but then every other aspect of my life is perfect and this year I'll be taking on my most challenging role yet - being a mammy! I've heard the pay is rubbish but the rewards are second to none ;)<br />
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I class myself as wage poor but experience and love rich and so I would class myself as a high achiever. Of course I'd love to be on more money but I wouldn't swap it for anything that I have in my life. I was lucky enough to meet my husband when I was 19 and we'll have been together 11 years this year. We're blessed enough to have a baby on the way and we work hard to have nice experiences and a beautiful home and are lucky enough to have amazing relationships with our families and friends. That's something all the promotions and money in the world can't earn you. So if I had that conversation again, I might argue that myself and other people in a similar position to me are also 'High Achievers' and need adding to that hallowed list for less obvious but equally as important success.</div>
Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-13327236019427437972013-10-01T13:15:00.000+01:002013-10-01T13:15:30.542+01:00Missing a friend today<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This time ten years ago I lost one of my very close friends. I was just twenty years old, and I'm not sure even at thirty, that I've ever really come to terms with it properly. We were good friends in and out of college and I can honestly say he was one of the kindest and most considerate people I've ever met. This was proven to me and witnessed by me repeatedly in the few short years I had the honour to have him in my life.<br />
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It has however taught me a few very important lessons, more so than any other death that has taken place in my lifetime. Maybe because he was so young and has made me be thankful for any birthday I've had since. When family, friends and randoms have said "Oh, it's just another day" or "uurrrghh, I don't want to turn thirty..." I want to give them a shake. Age, in most cases, is a privilege that is regularly taken for granted. I'm sure you'll agree on days when you're ill, or something awful has happened, there's nothing you would wish for more than 'a bit of normality'/feeling 'normal' again and the same goes for the gift of life. This attitude has encouraged me to try things that I wouldn't have pushed myself to do and take chances to improve my life and have lots of experiences I might not have had the confidence or the drive to pursue<br />
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Maybe because it threatened my own mortality? Let's face it, we expect older people to die, and that's not harsh, it's a fact of life. But when a lad of twenty dies in a tragic road accident, you begin to realise, especially at the point in your life when you feel like you're invincible and can take on the world single handedly, that you're not invincible and all the risk taking, careless behaviours people indulge in need to be replaced by more respectful ones.<br />
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Lastly, his death has been a contributing factor in me being less of a doormat. A combination of this and growing older has made me less tolerant of toxic situations and relationships. I'm now only an advocate of trying to nurture something worth trying for whether that's a friendship, romance, work situation or general day to day occurrence.<br />
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So, thank you, Jim. I miss him more than anyone will ever realise, but his impact on my life will never be unappreciated or forgotten and neither will he. </div>
Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-60631709599182160082013-08-30T12:46:00.001+01:002013-08-30T21:07:49.519+01:00Fun at work - is it a sin or should it be encouraged?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I happen to have the best work colleagues in the entire world. They're the hardest working bunch of people but at the same time, even under immense pressure, we still all have a laugh.<br />
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Recently, we were 'advised' that the fun should maybe not be so visible which I was a bit cross about. After all, if you're still working hard whilst chatting or laughing why should it matter? I would understand if we were stood chatting and doing nothing productive...</div>
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The point of all this is that I would much rather go into a workplace where people enjoyed themselves and where work got done rather than seeing people looking down-trodden and demoralised. Morale counts for a lot in any workplace, but especially in a high-pressure environment! Just look at google headquarters for instance?! When did the fun police make smiling and laughing illegal? </div>
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Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-14398060799398944762013-05-26T21:14:00.001+01:002013-05-26T21:14:50.848+01:00Changing prioritiesMy big birthday is quickly approaching and just before that is the ten year anniversary of my Mr and I's togetherness. It has flown and it has made me think about the last decade, how I've stayed the same and how I've changed. <div><br></div><div>Thankfully, I've managed to stay looking virtually the same in this time - probably in the most part due to having exactly the same hair do and not beefing up much. Attitude and priorities on the other hand seem to have changed. </div><div><br></div><div>Ten years ago I was living with my parents, studying for my degree and most income was spent on new shoes, clothes and nights out. I wanted to move to a big city, drink cocktails and be with my friends all the time in a big bubble of hedonism. I wanted a house or flat to rent with a yard because I hated gardening and wanted to just have space for deck chairs and a BBQ. </div><div><br></div><div>Today I sit outside a house I have bought with my husband in our garden in my suburban hometown. We have mostly spent the bank holiday gardening and planning a vegetable patch and trying to figure out time to see our friends who are all busy with similar grown up people decisions. Unbelievably, I couldn't be happier, despite all the things I wanted being so far from what I want now. I'm not sure I could convince my 19 year old self of that though!</div>Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-54683378217726463132013-05-21T22:30:00.000+01:002013-05-22T20:23:22.259+01:00Business Sense vs COMMON SENSE?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been watching the series by Mary Portas about saving the British High Street. It's been a very interesting and sobering watch, viewing evidence of the state of the country and realising it's not just 'Up North' that's being hit this hard. <br>
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Stockton - a nearby town to where I live - is one of the <a href="http://www.maryportas.com/portaspilots/" target="_blank">Portas Pilot Towns</a> and as I understand it, it wasn't worth her while coming and using this as one of the examples for the series because it's currently like a building site. It's a shame because I would have liked to see her wave her magic wand over somewhere closer to home so we would be able to personally appreciate the benefits of all this sooner than expected.<br>
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If I were to have a conversation with anyone about what I thought we could do try and boost our declining localities, I think the first step would have to be in the direction of landlords. Since everywhere you go and look, you seem to see empty shop units and offices, it makes a lot of sense to me for rent to be reduced to give small business a sporting chance. Things are hard enough in this climate without rocketing/high rent costs. The responsibility also falls with the government and local councils to reduce business rates. Both these things don't have to be a permanent reduction but maybe on a common sense basis depending on the economic circumstances at the time. After all, are units not better being used and bringing in some money than derelict and earning nothing? Encouraging small to medium enterprises into unused buildings will kick start the funds for the council and the landlords and will also help surrounding businesses by increasing footfall. When I've read some information about the Portas Pilots, in fairness, these seem to already be recommendations or guidelines which is a good sign.<br>
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There are plenty of unemployed people in this country, and I imagine there's a healthy proportion where they do <em>want</em> to work. Our local uni, Teesside University, offers a scheme for small businesses to have a graduate work for them for 'free' where they are actually paid by the university, therefore they get paid experience and you get a worker for a temporary period. If more voluntary posts/subsidised posts were advertised, I'm sure it would help people get confident and get back into work and would also take pressure off small business, who can ill afford staff, in potentially busy periods (e.g. Christmas).<br>
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If people used a bit more common sense, perhaps things would gradually get better. We just all need to look out for one another and become a community again. Traditional values and attitudes need to make a comeback and then we might catch a glimpse of the glory days we all seem to look back on so fondly.</div>
Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-61041658733431474222013-05-21T21:37:00.001+01:002013-05-21T21:49:32.124+01:00My first sewing machineI got this beautiful thing in a British Red Cross charity shop on Monday. It was a bargain and just needs a bit of TLC. Can't wait to use it :) Any first project advice would be greatly appreciated but I know once I start I'll never stop!!!<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZERGvxV5fd4byqxUApMxZiWZ6nSad_hD5ZZjuD0BFBcLvYkro9cQYUTIoqktX0WCLI-5vC4TjT2FHGUJOR6nBvLecv46aJySkke5qIWju7B9OGUeS_RrFJVNuRKQgfXosgr-xggP4MqrJ/s640/blogger-image--407663248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZERGvxV5fd4byqxUApMxZiWZ6nSad_hD5ZZjuD0BFBcLvYkro9cQYUTIoqktX0WCLI-5vC4TjT2FHGUJOR6nBvLecv46aJySkke5qIWju7B9OGUeS_RrFJVNuRKQgfXosgr-xggP4MqrJ/s640/blogger-image--407663248.jpg"></a></div>Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-44944749352925476212013-04-03T22:07:00.002+01:002013-04-03T22:21:01.911+01:00Yull want 'em all!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Vintage inspired and shoes are two of my favourite things so I was OVERJOYED when I happened upon <a href="http://www.yull.co.uk/" target="_blank">Yull.</a> If you do one favour for yourself this week it will be to take a peek at their beautiful creations which, by the way, are made in our very own Great Britain! The 'Chartwell' is available in a selection of colours - mustard, pink and blue - has white piping detail around the foot and a white toe.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkGg750TLAihn1UasrRekw5qIQ21ZKvPijR6QtfSZX9aRv-FT_9FyTnobhCV7DiJnE5r_byDY4E0j5xBKJmQHCYboQ_lQCYe8sU2Jp9MHLcVsinCkii7LbB5f09EAZbI_5gIIYqDTzabW/s1600/chartwell-pink-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkGg750TLAihn1UasrRekw5qIQ21ZKvPijR6QtfSZX9aRv-FT_9FyTnobhCV7DiJnE5r_byDY4E0j5xBKJmQHCYboQ_lQCYe8sU2Jp9MHLcVsinCkii7LbB5f09EAZbI_5gIIYqDTzabW/s320/chartwell-pink-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image taken from <a href="http://www.yull.co.uk/">www.yull.co.uk</a></td></tr>
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I'm a big 'Mad Men' nut and with the latest series hurtling towards us at high speed (I cannot wait) I've been inspired to channel my 'inner Jonie' and plan to invest in these affordable beauties. These are a total classic. Looked after properly, they will last you for years and years to come. I would team it with this sort of look:<br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1KbF8JSb-oFtLicwlAmxaimNrHtteue6PIv12CbrqbDP5dz4jyzPF7sMJggFewPJGKxxZ7Yh2zcuPiOITgsI8oBcBxSXNftGr1mCweS2HzcE4V4j5oCEgvPAPU1VFf3P190ANbyZ_89zr/s320/Joan+Harris.jpg" width="226" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image taken from </span><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.chicagotribune.com</span></a></div>
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Teamed with some seamed stockings, feline black liquid eyeliner, a perfect pout and a Lulu Guiness bag I know most of us would feel pretty pleased with ourselves. The 'Chartwell' collection are, at time of blogging) only £75 - amazingly cheap for the crafting involved. If you compared them to something that you would be offered on the High Street, I find it hard to believe that you could find many things comparable with the value of these.<br />
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Conversely, I would be just as happy in skinny jeans and Yull's very own <a href="http://www.yull.co.uk/fulham-boot" target="_blank">Fulham Boots</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSikFZakDx0urpHTxynn4nuooqPRgbErnZNtPuHQVyxrWNBc1XkGrWzovf1jQt7VsCqhLbg5LkKxbvqjis4R3VmjWP4USFzOkFtxQMJ80WIBTBTS7ZQqG1_4aEjSEwRckS89D848WUm5UC/s1600/fulham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSikFZakDx0urpHTxynn4nuooqPRgbErnZNtPuHQVyxrWNBc1XkGrWzovf1jQt7VsCqhLbg5LkKxbvqjis4R3VmjWP4USFzOkFtxQMJ80WIBTBTS7ZQqG1_4aEjSEwRckS89D848WUm5UC/s320/fulham.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image taken from <a href="http://www.yull.co.uk/">www.yull.co.uk</a></span></div>
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With our long winter showing little sign of changing into a scorching spring/summer anytime soon, it's still all about layering up. Boots like these can see you through the whole year really. Whilst they would look great with jeans and chunky cardigans or leather jackets, they would look just as fabulous with a floral dress to add a bit of an edge. I've found an image (below) that I feel brings together similar ideas and shows how well they can work. Chic, elegant but still a bit edgy - perfection. The Fulham boot is currently £90 - again, very competitive for boots, and possibly unfairly cheap considering the design and materials. I guess the only thing to do is pick some of these beautiful shoes and figure out which way you'll wear them today?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image taken from <a href="http://www.popsugar.com/">www.popsugar.com</a></td></tr>
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Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-38590066086179790892013-02-06T08:35:00.001+00:002013-02-06T08:35:53.015+00:00PhobiasSince I was seven years old I have had a very real phobia of needles. It has prevented me from visiting different countries that require vaccines, stopped me from seeking medical attention for (fortunately) minor ailments and has generally had a huge bearing on my life for the past 23 years. <br />
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How did it all begin? The Dentist. I was absolutely fine with it all until then actually. Before that I'd needed numerous blood tests etc and always been fine but when I came to have teeth removed they told me I was having knockout gas and when I turned around they were whacking a syringe into the bend of my arm. No wonder then that that is the area I'm the most phobic about people even touching. At the present time I can't even bear to look at people extending their forearms in this fashion. I suppose nowadays I'd have a case to sue for damages (curse you 1980's and your lack of ridiculous suing culture!) <br />
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My 'rock bottom' was a couple of years ago when to talk about needles made me feel breathless and it all culminated in a bit of upset at work. I'd taken a job as a receptionist at a Doctors surgery and one of the girls said I might need a Hepatitis injection because I was handling samples. I freaked and the first thing I thought was that I could either run or hand my notice in and run. I don't suppose these are healthy attitudes when you have bills to pay but hey ho. After a lot of tears, the nurse talked me round into staying and for one the first times in my adult life I felt like someone had really listened and understood. She talked me through different options she'd offered needle phobics before and it helped me feel like I'd have someone to trust if I needed advice about any of it. At this point, I couldn't even hold boxes if I knew there was a syringe casing in it. <br />
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Nearly a year later, I found myself working in a pharmacy. At this point I had decided that I had to try and sort all this out and try and take baby steps to desensitise myself. Surrounded by lots of very understanding colleagues I've really tested myself and after a year and a half of working there I can hold the boxes with them in and even look at the real thing so long as I'm the one in control. This sounds very insignificant but I assure you it's one of the biggest adjustments of my life. <br />
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Rant time...The most irritating things people can say to a needle phobic are as follows:<br />
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-It's just a scratch<br />
-Don't fuss it's over in a second <br />
-Look away and you won't notice<br />
-I'm scared of needles too<br />
-Lots of people are scared of needles<br />
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I think most people don't understand phobias. I know how I feel is irrational and that doesn't hurt very much but getting my mind and body to go along with this is quite something else. I was asked at my 'rock bottom' if my life or my family and friends lives depended in me having an injection in the bend of my arm would I do it? The answer was and is 'no' and I am DISGUSTED at myself and I love my family and friends more than anything but but that's how strong the grip of a phobia is. <br />
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I'm now on a quest to try and sort this out so any tips you have or alerting me to mechanisms you have seen that exist would be greatly appreciated. Wish me luck!Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-31964897594517117612012-12-02T22:13:00.001+00:002012-12-02T22:16:43.215+00:00Testing timesThis last week has driven me to tears on more than one occasion. In the last seven days I have shed tears over the stress of work (under-staffed and under pressure); my husband has been moved to another site to try to avoid making him redundant and now the head gasket has gone on his car meaning that he's had to take mine and I'm now carless :( <br />
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Fortunately I have a priceless load of friends and family to help me out in these awkward times. My mam has even said I can borrow the car if I need to and people are listening out for jobs for the mr as we think the writing's on the wall for his current job. Keep your fingers crossed guys and gals!Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-87930074782645451832012-11-21T22:55:00.001+00:002012-11-21T22:57:28.125+00:00First time for everything!Today we had a meeting at work and for the first time ever I said everything I wanted to say and fought my bosses on every criticism they had of our team. We all really stood our ground on matters and I feel like we really gave our boss something to think about. <br />
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Although I'm not sure things got resolved as much as they should have done, I feel better for getting it all off my chest, after all, you can't really get upset about things if you're not prepared to try and change it! Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-18946540598460445572012-11-15T22:33:00.001+00:002012-11-15T22:33:47.215+00:00How much is too much?Recently work has been pretty testing. I'm sure everyone has been or might even be in this position now. This last week has really pushed me to my limits because it's not only the customers that have been unfair (and frankly abusive) and this is where the line has been crossed. <br />
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Being a team can get you through anything really and I refer to that in terms of relationships, friendships and working relationships. We have a great team and I love each and every one of those girls. We work SO hard and support each other if a difficult situation arises but today the boss must have had a bit more of a difficult day than usual and went crazy...on US. Our morale was pretty low anyways with the volume of work we had to cope with and staff already off sick. <br />
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We were all pretty upset with different pressures at work but this was the straw that broke the camels back and now I feel like we're rotting from the inside too. Fortunately there's an existing meeting set up so who knows what will be said then. The only thing I know is that there are a lot of unresolved issues to be dealt with. If they're not dealt with I think people are going to want to leave. Update soonRandom Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-88101230539879179432012-11-08T22:50:00.000+00:002012-11-08T22:50:24.550+00:00Mindy The Micra<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Mindy was the name of <a href="http://www.carcraft.co.uk/info/first-car" target="_blank">my first car</a>. A Ribena coloured, N-Reg, Nissan Micra to be exact and I loved her. She came into my life as a surprise 18th Birthday present and was parked proudly on the grass verge outside of my parents house with a big bow on the aerial. My poor mother had got out of bed at the crack of dawn to go round to my Grandma's house where Mindy was hidden in the garage and driven her round to be hidden behind our hedge, out of sight. I opened my presents and the last two gifts were small jewellery boxes. One was a pretty necklace, the other, a car key!!! I'm not a particularly sporty person by reputation but I reckon I nearly broke the land-speed record that day running out of the house. <br />
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My friend had a white Micra called Mitch and our next few years were spent being willing designated drivers for anyone who needed a lift anywhere really. My love affair with Mindy ended in a fluke accident. Maybe accident is the wrong word but when your car breaks down as you're driving to a night out in darkest, coldest January 2004 and you're wearing a strappy top (and not a great deal more) you can fall out of love pretty quickly. In some strange and unlucky twist of fate, some debris from the road had flicked into my car somehow and the vibration of all the inner workings of the car had caused the debris to drill a crack into my radiator causing the fluid to leak out and for me to break down on the busy bend of a slip road in rush hour. After a traumatic hour road-side and a lovely AA man towing me back home, Mindy got repaired but our relationship had lost the most important factor in any relationship...<em>TRUST</em>. Mindy soon got exchanged for a Smart car (called Starsky) and I'm not entirely convinced she'll still be around today. RIP Mindy.<br />
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Despite the sad ending to our partnership, Mindy will always be my first love (in car terms anyway) and saw lots of good (and plenty of emotional) times that I'll treasure forever.</div>
Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-73119979660234065432012-11-07T22:24:00.001+00:002012-11-07T22:24:59.691+00:00Waste not, want not.With the Mr back home and then away just as quickly as he appeared, there's often food open to feed two people that only needs to feed one. A lot of the time I'm left with a half loaf of bread and eating bread as much as is reasonably possible won't use it up in time before it dries out.<br />
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Only today have I realised I can use them (whatever the amount and freeze them in smallish amounts) to defrost whenever I fancy. Breadcrumbs is the latest mission and they can be used for sweet and savoury dishes alike. My plan is to blitz the bread once it gets a bit too dry for sandwiches and perhaps bag it in the required quantities for treacle tart or have a bag to coat chicken beasts in for some recipes I want to try. You can mix in herbs etc at a later date when you have a better idea about what you want them for!<br />
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So next time you're in a grump like me about the possibility of wasting bread, consider this as a suitable solution :)Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-84065701263436169282012-11-06T18:46:00.000+00:002012-11-06T19:00:31.903+00:00The Devil Makes Work For Idle Hands<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
...or so I've heard, so I thought I'd give it a go. Kitchen Devils is a brand lots of us have heard of and they've been around since the 1960's which proves the quality of their products. Lets face it, if all these big companies are collapsing due to the recession, Kitchen Devils must be doing something extraordinarily right!<br />
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As I've possibly mentioned before (numerous times) I'm a bit of a cooking fanatic and use cooking and baking as a way to wind down after a rubbish day at work or just as something nice to do on days off. Last week I got my hands on my very first Kitchen Devils knife. Why is this so exciting? I'm about to explain.<br />
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For as long as I can remember, my mam has always been into cooking which is probably where I get my enthusiasm from. People often remark how she can whip up a veritable feast from only a few store cupboard ingredients and she always receives lots of compliments. Anyway that's off the point slightly but she has always had a favourite knife which she got not long after she got married and she still has it to this day. It's one of those comfy knives where you can use it to peel or cut things. It's a great all-rounder and it was my favourite when I lived at home. She has had this knife over 30 years and it's still going strong. This to me is an amazing advert for them and I've always wanted one of my own! Although there's not one that is exactly the same these days, I've got the closest thing I could find to it which is this little beauty which I have used a few times already in the few days I've had it in my possession.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture taken from <a href="http://kitchendevils.net/lifestyle/">http://kitchendevils.net/lifestyle/</a></td></tr>
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Everybody should have at least one Kitchen Devils knife. I hope I have mine in thirty years time too!</div>
Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-5267371105452163992012-11-01T17:58:00.001+00:002012-11-02T07:15:20.334+00:00Be careful what you wish forI recently sold a Jaeger jacket on eBay and when the winning bidder came to pay they gave me a massive story about how the female in the equation had to go away for her nephews funeral and how there was a massive police investigation so she didn't know when she would be back to pay by PayPal and could he send a cheque. The cynical 50% of my brain thought it was an ingenious way of paying by cheque rather than PayPal but I went along with it and promised to send the item out when the cheque cleared. It did, and I did. <br />
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So imagine my surprise when I noticed on their profile that they were quick payers to other people during this period and even more surprised to find they had bought it to sell on anyway. <br />
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I'm no mug, I know people buy to sell but it was the unnecessary tragic lie thrown into the mix that was the astonishing thing. I've always been told to be careful what you wish for but obviously they haven't. I hope they make a loss to serve them right!<br />
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* at the time of writing, the jacket going for considerably less than they paid me. Updates will follow!*Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2673518503973975478.post-67739207465462449302012-10-18T20:03:00.001+01:002012-10-18T20:03:53.488+01:00Who Fights The Monster Under Your Bed?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I was recently asked, "Who Fights The Monster Under Your Bed?" Even coming up thirty years old and with the hubby on nights from time-to-time, I'm still a bit on edge when it's time to turn off the lights at night time and about those 'house noises' you hear when everything is at its most silent. I'm not too embarrassed to admit this although I thought I might have grown out of it by now. That's why you always need what <a href="http://www.warrenevans.com/" target="_blank">Warren Evans</a> have dubbed a bedtime guardian. <br />
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Since I was little, I have had a teddy - Mammy Bear - which isn't a very original name but that's what I called her. She went everywhere with me (even the bath) and she has a bald spot on her head where I cut her hair once and then realised it didn't grow back. Even when I was frightened of what might be under my bed or in my cupboard, having a comforting presence there helped make me feel secure and have a good nights sleep and I still have Mammy Bear tucked away in my cupboard. OK, so that sounds like she was just a childhood guardian, but when I went away to uni she came too. My husband says he'll never forget me walking out of halls after a particularly traumatic day with a bag of belongings slung over my shoulder, car keys in one hand and her in the other. The nice thing is he didn't think it was lame, he actually said it's one of the cutest memories he has.<br />
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In the future, I might be able to pass her on to any children that I may have but I hope that everyone has their own version of Mammy Bear. Life is that bit less scary with her close by. <br />
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Random Chatter by Tillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812443209362502818noreply@blogger.com0