You might as well be talking Dutch - Star Wars Day // #BEDM

Ummm...Star Wars Day?? Yes, I was kinda stumped when I saw this topic on the #BEDM list. For anyone who knows me a Star Wars conversation between my sister and friends is like a foreign language to me - I have no idea! All I know is that Ewan McGreggor was a Jedi (not sure what that is though) and that R2D2 is a robot and to be fair, I only know that much as my sister walked around Orlando wearing an R2D2 hat from Disney World! My friends, family and work colleagues all love sci-fi amd now there's a new film on its way (don't ask me what it's called) I know I'm about to feel as though I'm living in some foreign land with no understanding of what's being said! Many a conversation has started and I've had to end in by saying "I'm sorry but have no idea what you are talking about" - yes I am that girl ....

Source - Pinterest here

So with that in mind and many apologies for this short pathetic post, I'm off into the garden to make the most of the sun! I hope you're all having a lovely Bank Holiday weekend though :) 

Amy-Louise

xx 

Weekend Mornings //#BEDM

Before I start I should note that this isn't my typical weekend morning! Usually a Saturday would consist of if not three, at least two children running around the place as I slowly try to wake up with a cup of tea in bed before sorting the girls out and then getting on with some cleaning. However, as I mentioned yesterday, there are no children in sight for two nights so this morning looks a bit different! I'm sat writing this up in the garden enjoying the sun, with the only sound being the birds singing and the horses occasionally neighing in the field next door. It's bliss and my reward for waking up to this beautiful view this morning yet still sitting down to work!

So this morning it took me a long time to wake up. Probably due to the fact that the night before last after ordering a gluten free pizza, it turned out to be contaminated with gluten and has made me I'll. I've got coeliac disease so this is not a lifestyle choice. I get seriously unwell if I eat contaminated food. I am so careful at home but I recognised the symptoms and luckily was able to get to the pharmacist before the sickness started to get some tablets to help limit the symptoms. They do make you drowsy though so I was pretty groggy waking up this morning on top of the fatigue that comes along with being poisoned! 

I stayed in bed for a while with a cup of tea until I was capable of walking downstairs to take a shower. Feeling a bit more with it, I did my hair and make up before taking the obligatory selfie of my new glasses! Is it just me or does everyone spend half an hour in the mirror with new specs figuring out if they suit you and which way styling your hair will be most flattering? I do hope I'm not the only one!

After contemplating just sitting in the garden and making the most of the peace, I decided that now I can actually see with a new prescription, I should really get down to some work. It was so hard with the sky so blue and the garden being warmer than the house, but the panic of a funding application that really needs to be completed lured me inside.

At 11.30 I'd done a fair bit so rewarded myself with a tea break (Minnie Mouse mug was essential!) and a chocolate brownie. It was too nice to stay in so I parked myself at the bottom of the garden to watch the horses in the neighbouring field. They are very friendly and normally very inquisitive but today I obviously wasn't interesting enough for them (note lack of children with apples).

After completing another couple of hours work scouring the Victoria Cross honours list, I've now packed up and am enjoying the sun as Tim gets changed after work, before heading to the Mulberry and Orla Kiely shops which are just down the road. I'm falling in love with Somerset!

I'm looking forward to reading your weekend routines, I'm afraid mine was that mine wasn't that interesting but although I was working it was quite relaxing.

Amy-Louise

xx

Linking up with #BEDM, MMG

My moment with the Queen & my five fave posts //#BEDM

Hello lovely people, I hit publish on this post yesterday evening but obviously didn't! It could be as I was on the train with not much signal or because I may or may not have had a cheeky couple of cosmos!

Anyway, I was very much looking forward to this Bank Holiday weekend. As much as I love my darling girl, she is away for two nights and we both are in need of a little break. The last few weeks have been tough as she has been unwell and her anxiety levels have been high. We only ever have a night away from each other but I'm looking forward to some fun this weekend in order to relax, have some me time knowing that she is being well looked after. I'm sure that I'll be in a better frame of mind come Sunday and as it's bank holiday I still get two days with her before the week starts again on Tuesday.

I hope you've all had a good week. Randomly on Wednesday I got held up by the Queen on my way to work! I kid you not, the Queen and I had a 'moment' as we looked at each other at the same time as she drove passed me on her visit to South Wales. I didn't know what to do. Do you look away when the Queens eyes meet yours, or do you smile and nod your head as her Rolls Royce moves on? I opted to smile, even though her entourage (including six James Bond style bodyguards!) we're going to make me slightly late for work. I decided however, that it surely counts as a royal pardon, right? I couldn't seriously be in trouble when the Head of State on official engagements held up traffic! Anyway, that was my bizarre moment of the week and I think that the Queen (88) and the Duke of Edinburgh (in his 90s) are quite simply amazing for the amount of work they still do at their age. Can you believe they had five engagements in one day! That would wear me out.

So, I. Now rambling (we'll blame the cocktails) and I'm missing the point of today's #BEDM which is to show you my favourite five posts from my blog! So here goes....

The first post here is from November last year. During October I took Megan to stay with my friend Henri in Paris. Paris has to be one of my favourite places in the world and I try to get there as often as possible. I studied French history in university and I'm doing a comparative modern French / British history PhD. this post shows me conquering my fear of 'La Grand Dame' and the view of Montmatre from the top.

The second post here is from our trip to Vilamoura, Portugal in August last year. I didn't like the touristy areas of Portugal but I loved Vilamoura. I also love this dress and was perfect for coping with the immense heat (even the locals said it shouldn't be that hot!), and relaxing at the marina bars.

So, I think we've established that I love history! The museum that I work for always puts on an event for the annual Museums at Night. Last year we held a Big Band Night, which was so much fun. We all dressed up, had our hair done and danced the night away! You can view all the pictures here. This year our event will be on May 16th at The Cardiff Story Museum entitled 'Bad Copy - Cardiff by Parris. It has been created by artist Janette Parris and is unlike anything we've ever held before. It's free so if you're in the area please come and join us! 

Summer 2012 was obviously a huge year for sport in the UK with the Olympics being held in London. We also held some of the events in Cardiff and it was a great atmosphere. I captured our summer in this post. It was one of the best summers with lots going on and I'm glad that I wrote a post to remember it all.

My final post that I am featuring is about Cardiff Bay, possibly my favourite part of the city. Here you will find my favourite building, the Pierhead which is the first sight of Cardiff the ships would have seen in the 1800s - 1900s after months of sea. It is beautiful in the sun so I snapped a few shots.

I hope you enjoy taking a look through. Some of the posts aren't that good in quality picture wise as I'd only just started blogging and was posting on the go! Have a great weekend.

Amy-Louise

xx

Linking up with #BEDM, Lauren Elizabeth

Welcome May - #BEDM

I was hoping to avoid the cliche "there goes another month", but seriously! So welcome May and my second attempt at Blog Every Day in May with Rosalilium. I really enjoyed the challenge last year and even though I didn't make it all the way through, it was a very good attempt and a lot of fun. So, if you are new around here then welcome to my little web space and I hope you'll stick around!

 Here's a little spiel about me....

...I'm 32 (eeek!!) a mum of one, freelance writer / exhibition researcher / heritage education project manager! 

...I love clothes, accessories, history (obvs!) travelling, all things Parisian, Motorsport, clean eating and fitness.

...At the moment most likely to find me stressing over project funding applications, driving and museum cut backs!

... I'm also putting myself on a spending ban this month. I tried in January and let's just say I didn't make it the whole month, but this month I have to. Things have changed jo wise and I don't have much of an income at the moment and I have spent so much recently. Wish me luck!! 

My blog represents my life and my interests. Up until now I've not blogged much about my work, but as I'm working more for myself this may change. I also want to improve my photography and as I'm at home more now I may get chance to figure out how to use my new camera. You can expect to find posts about days out, fashion, beauty, interiors (as I'm decorating my house), healthy living and anything else in between. I'd love you to join me on my #BEDM journey. I'm looking forward to meeting some new people and getting to know everyone better. Here's to a good month!

Amy-Louise

xx

Linking up with #BEDM