Wild Wet Welsh Weekend

The other weekend saw me and my besties hit West Wales for a girls weekend. We were lucky enough to stay in my Auntie’s Caravan in New Quay.

Friday we set off a little later than planned but didn’t care as this was meant to be a chilled out weekend where there was no stress. We stopped off to see a friend on the way and then we were back on the road. Whenever I drive up to New Quay I make the error of trusting the auto route rather than my own judgement (also I am a massive campaigner against sat navs). So we ended up getting a little lost around the wilds of West Wales until I got my bearings and some fab navigation from my besties. We arrived!!



We settled in, got the central heating on, chose our bedrooms (luckily one each) and cracked open the wine. This was the start of things to come. We ended up watching a program on TV about Frank Sinatra whilst chatting and drinking. For some reason Engelbert Humperdinck came on the and I really can’t look at him, he makes me cringe, so I was hiding in my jumper, and then had a word slip when I called him Engelbert Humpledink, personally I think this sounds much better, but this got us into hysterics, and debating what a Humpledinck was (answers below please).



Saturday was glorious, we were really lucky with the weather and headed into New Quay its self and took post in the pub, looking out over the waterfront. This was lovely and we enjoyed sipping our beverages. After much scowling of people jealous of our seats we left to try the local Pasty shop, Pasty Pasty. This was yummy but they did scrimp a bit on the fillings. The sun was out and it was feeling relatively warm, the wenches decided to indulge in some lovely ice cream as a treat, well we were on holiday!! We headed back to the caravan for an evening of films, take out pizza (delivered direct to your caravan, very impressive), wine and Pina Coladas. We were expecting to be joined by two more besties but they unfortunately couldn’t make it due to transportation letting them down.

Sunday was a wash out it was raining and windy all day; luckily we were lovely and snug in the caravan and could look out to the storm at sea. We took our places for the day watching some films and chilling, we had a brief walk up to the shop on site and to have a nose in the new caravans on display. One was so lovely it looked like a chalet and was done out like a beach hut, but with all modern fittings. However the cost a pretty £80,000!!!! We thought we would leave it there. We glad to head back to the dry warm caravan after our brief outing in the storm and I made my lovely Gnocchi for tea for my besties and I.



Monday it was time to pack up and come home, sad to say goodbye to our little home for the weekend, but we were glad of the nice weather back. I would definitely recommend New Quay for a nice chilled weekend away in any weather to be fair as there is plenty to do on any occasion and some of the local pubs are great. Also you can never go wrong with pizza delivered to your caravan door.

Ex Bumping

There is nothing worse than bumping into your ex, especially when you least expect it - I think this year has been my turn for bumping into exes, sometimes it’s hilarious and sometimes not. I was expecting to bump into the one sooner or later since he lives perilously nearby; I wasn’t expecting it to be at the local polling station where I had gone like a good citizen to place my vote. I spotted him on the way in and thought I could do a quick dash with just saying hello, as there is no reason to be rude. On the way out I stuck to the plan and managed a hello. Then the ex asked if we could have a chat. “Argh” I thought, do we really need to? He wanted to apologise for being an idiot and clear the air; fine by me, there were no hard feelings and I tried hard not to look really smug as I’m so happy now with my life and with Mr Bus. Times change. The ex knew I was seeing someone but didn’t know anything else - I wasn’t going to give him any more information in that respect. We parted ways and I treated myself to a large glass of wine when I got in.

 My top tips for bumping into an ex and remaining fabulous:

• Remain calm
• Be polite
• Don’t appear bitter in any way
• Try to make jokes to lift the pressure
• Try not to be smug
• Don’t give out any details on your current life
• Remember they are always an ex for a reason!!

A Little bit of Vintage

There is something about seeing vintage cars that makes me want to don a head scarf and pack my picnic basket, set off into the countryside for a spiffing time with jam sandwiches and lashings and lashings of ginger beer. In reality though I am sure you would have the top of the car down, your hair looking like you styled it on the 80’s fashion complete with bugs stuck to your teeth. This vintage car show I didn’t have a picnic, but a cuppa from a dodgy vendor, but hey it was hot which was the main thing, as that point in time I was rather cold. I had just been watching a bird display with Mr Bus, which was really good and interesting but just standing there in the open made me cold as there was no where to hide from the gusts of wind. We decided on a cuppa and headed off on the forest walk as we had seen most of what we had wanted to.

I did really enjoy looking around all the vintage cars etc. and also managing to find a Gilbern. This is a car that was made in Trefforest in South Wales and I thought that they would be unlikely to have one at the show, but to my pleasure they had one there that they had more or less saved from scrap. This was my hunt for the day and I found one. I decided anymore car shows I go to of this calibre this will be my objective, to hunt out the Gilberns.

Homemade Crisps

Most women will stop at nothing for chocolate and love it. This is not the case for me. I am in love with Crisps, I love all flavours and styles of crisps and will eat them all. I would prefer an egg made out of crisps for Easter rather than a chocolate one, as I would probably still have it a year on, it really is pointless giving me chocolate. Crisps however are a different story.

When I was in school I was completely addicted and sometime would have up to four standard packets a day. Luckily I was also training playing Badminton about four times a week as well so could burn off all the calories.

In work I have become known as the crisp connoisseur and I also tweet about crisps and have crisps conversations with crisp manufacturers on twitter. A few years ago I was very good and gave up crisps for lent (not that I am religious, just saw it as a challenge). I have to say that I was really good but did find it hard.

My love of crisps has entered a new domain and for Christmas my lovely dad bought me my own microwave crisp maker. I have to say it’s brilliant and the crisps taste good, I will never be short of crisps again as long as I have potatoes in my cupboard.

The crisp maker is really easy to use, you use a mandoline to slice the potato, of course be very careful with the blade, but it comes with a handy holder that you stab into the potato so that your fingers don’t get close to the blade. Then place the sliced potato onto some kitchen roll and pat down, after this arrange the slices in the microwaveable rack and place on a microwaveable plate and pop into the microwave. Then ping after about 6mins you have some lovely healthy crisps to munch on. After they have been in the microwave you can add your flavours, it’s fantastic.

A Year On

I tend to not like to blog too much about serious things, as it can all get a bit bogged down. However, I would like to reflect on the past year, and truly I must say that everything happens for a reason.

My 30th year started in disaster with what was meant to be a lovely trip to Rome with my boyfriend at the time, which was on my list of places to visit since goodness knows when. Instead we got to Rome and I got dumped and found a person who I considered a friend was truly the opposite. Still we managed to make the best out of a bad situation and I still got to see the things I really wanted to see but obviously my heart wasn’t in it and I was reluctant to throw my euro into the Trevi fountain not particularly wanting to return at that point.

The next few months passed in some what of a blur, but luckily I have amazing friends who were there for me and pulled me through. I kept myself busy and developed quite the social life for myself and so I was never left to mull in my own depths of darkness. If you look back on my past posts you can see how lovely and busy I have been.

I found a new joy to life and realised what I had been missing out on and actually how unhappy I was before and unfulfilled. I was quite prepared to spend quite a while being single and enjoying my single life with my friends, when I met someone fantastic which was unexpected. Being with him (the Fantastic Mr Bus) has made me think of all the loved up clichés under the sun and how true they are so much I am fit to burst with it all, I have never been so smitten and mushy, he is brilliant.

I have to say once again my friends are brilliant and I count myself lucky to have friends who I know will be there for me when I need them, are loyal, caring and most importantly honest and fun. I really hope I can be such a good friend in return.

So from the past year I can say I have learnt the following or things have made me reinforce what I already thought:

• Everything happens for a reason
• Trust your instincts
• If someone stomps on you, stomp them out of your life
• I have amazing friends (friends are the family you choose for yourself, so choose wisely)
• Life is for the living
• Enjoy the simple pleasures life can bring
• There are some fantastic people out there you just have to go out and meet them.

Flexinoon

The delightful Ms James and I spent a wonderful afternoon full of excitement last Thursday. I booked a half day off work (thank god for flexi, it’s amazing!!) We met down Cardiff Bay cinema but it was too early to book any tickets. We headed off for food in Strada. This is one of my favourite places to eat and they were doing a lunch time special as well. Ms James and I both went for the Risotto Fungi, it was delightful and tasty, it was cooked perfectly and cream, lovely and filling.

We got back to the cinema and booked our tickets, however we were too early to go in so we had to wait around. With that the lure of the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream got us and we were drawn in. I had Fairly Nuts which is a caramel ice cream with a praline almond cluster and caramel swirls; I have to say it was very yummy. Whilst getting out Ice cream I managed to glance around only to see an ex boyfriend standing there with his date. Ms James and I deduced it was a date and a second one at that as there was a certain level of familiarity about it but not so much as he was sure what to do, this made us laugh. He was doing his nervous head scratching thing too, and kept waving his one arm around her back but not touching her as he seemed unsure whether to or not. Also he had made an effort and she looked like she just rolled out of bed and put on the clothes that just happened to be hanging around, maybe not that into him. She seemed normal enough though. We stood back and laughed, I am sure he must have noticed me. I would have thought that would be quite a bad thing to come across, you’re on an afternoon second date with a girl and bam there’s your ex in the same queue for the refreshments. No eye contact was made so didn’t have to say hello or acknowledge him, which of course I would have said hi, no need to be rude bwhahahahahahaha.

Our entertainment filled the time before taking our seat in the cinema. We went to see the Muppets and were quite pleased that there weren’t many people in there. I have to say this film was brilliant and we loved it. It was a really good feel good film and you left feeling happy and joyous. It didn’t even bother us when a child was running around the cinema with flashing shoes on. We weren’t even the odd ones out in there having no children with us; there was an old couple there too which was sweet to see.

We left the cinema in high spirits and thought we would enjoy our afternoon more heading back to mine and opening a bottle of the old vino. Still very full from our amazing lunch we didn’t feel like any tea (MISTAKE NO.1). After seeing our way through that bottle, we thought this is a really lovely evening lets pop to the shop and get some more wine (MISTAKE NO.2). On getting to the shop we see that the wine if on offer RESULT and decide to buy two bottles. We get them back to mine and put on a bit of Iron Man 2 in the background just purely to drool over. As usual our conversations end up quite random, but that is what we love and we start making wild plans.

All of a sudden it’s half 11ish (I am guessing as I am not quite sure), and the two extra bottles of wine are gone (MISTAKE NO.3). I say good bye to Ms James and remember I must go to bed; I have work the next day (MISTAKE NO.4) and are driving up after work to see the fantastic Mr Bus. Well with all those mistakes its no wonder when the following day came I didn’t feel so chipper and thought I would feel rough all day so armed myself with a can of coke a coffee and a sausage and egg mcmuffin. Much to my delight my hangover was gone by 11am woop woop and I enjoyed a fabulous weekend with Mr Bus.

The Beginning of 2012...

I can’t believe that January is almost over. This year it has gone quick, I normally find that January drags and is a long month. I suppose it has been filled with fun things and excitement.

My friends and I started off the Year by going into town in Hobo’s to their cheesy 80’s night; we thought this would be great and reminisced about the horrible 80’s style. We dressed up in our 80’s gear had a few drinks before hand and headed in. Good job we had a couple before we went out, the rest of the people there weren’t dressed up, either too miserable or too young to remember the 80’s. Still we didn’t care, ordered hideously bright coloured cocktails, demanded the 80’s music from the DJ and danced the night away. It was a really good night. Followed by a leap of faith at the end of the evening, I am still hoping this will pay off.

Ez and I also re-discovered a local to haunt, this is the Coach in Bridgend which is looking fab after its refurb and what a lovely place to have a pint or two, with Welsh Ales and Ciders. I would definitely recommend it.

The following week saw me hitting the Rummer in Cardiff with my work colleagues for one of their Birthdays. The Rummer is one of our favourite places to go for a drink; always a good atmosphere and you can always get to the bar, not to mention the good food there in the day. A good time was had by all as usual.

Then it was the wonderful Ez’s 30th Birthday and there was much rejoicing and celebrating. We started the day off wonderfully with a champagne breakfast, unfortunately something occurred and we managed to set fire to a couple of birthday cards. Luckily they were put out in time so you could still read the message inside and most of the card was still there. We then headed into Cardiff booked into our hotel and went and got some delightful cocktails and Cake in Milgi’s on City road. I would really recommend this place for it’s glorious cake (which they put a sparkler in Ez’s as I mentioned it was her birthday) and it’s fantastic cocktails.

The time went all too quickly and we met up with the others for a gorgeous meal in Henry’s, the service was good, the drinks flowed nicely and the food as always was gorgeous. I don’t think anyone had a complaint. I had also organised party bags for everyone with balloon animals, lip gloss, roller stamps, jumping frogs and a Disney princess ring in it. Ez’s had the bonus of a little tiara. We went from here to our favourite haunt of Gwdihiw’s and then on to Café Jazz, before collapsing in the hotel.

The next day we had a lovely continental breakfast, a lovely spot of window shopping followed by lunch in Tiger Tiger. We were pooped, but in good spirits. We decided to go to the cinema and watch the Artist which I have to say was wonderful and it was filmed really well. It was lovely to hear everyone laughing in the cinema, and the ending was superb.

That’s it really for my busy January; a couple of meals out this week with friends and a catch up, it has been a great start to 2012, let’s hope it continues.