Slytherin, Slytherin Everywhere! A Little Harry Potter Primark Haul...

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote any products or stores, just wanted to share some Potter related smiles from my wonderful Hubby x

Hi Honeys
We've reached the end of August and, other than this horrid cough, I'm actually starting to feel almost human again after fighting this horrible chest infection.  Aw honeys this has been a dreadful couple of weeks.

I can tolerate RA, and the myriad of annoyances that come with it, such as body batteries going from as-good-as-they-get (not great) to completely drained in no time, migraines that could stop a charging rhino and being mostly housebound for the past too many years but it turns out that a thoroughly nasty and just-won't-quit chest infection is the one thing I have no defence against.

I admit it universe!  It's beat me!  I've so had it with the not being able to sleep and sore lungs so can this horrible cough just really, really, really hit the road now please?  Pretty please?

Well, coughs, shivers and sleeplessness aside, it hasn't been all bad this past couple of weeks honeys. Mostly bad... but not all bad 😊  It's that time of year again and Hubby, after leaving our furbaby Jade with instructions to look after her Mum and making sure I had everything I could possibly need for a few hours (bless him) went off to Comic Con.

When he got back home again he had a bag with assorted things for me to make me smile in spite of the awful coughy, shivery thing. How sweet is my other half honeys?  Unknown to me, Primark had released a whole new range of Harry Potter items which Hubby had seen in the window and had gone inside to check out.  I thought I'd share the little smiles he brought home for me...

Before seeing the Harry Potter things at Primark, Hubby had already spotted something else at Comic Con. Do you remember the scarf Hubby bought for me at Comic Con last year? Goodness, I love that scarf.  It's so soft and warm and cosy 😊  Well, while at Comic Con, he saw a pair of Slytherin House gloves....

5 Ways To Feel Better When You're Sick...

Disclaimer:  This is not medical advice.  If, like me, you've been feeling poorly, please consult your health care professional for advice and feel better soon dear ones x

Hi Honeys
I'm sorry I've been missing.  I'm currently battling a chest infection.  It's had me in it's merciless, can't breathe, can't sleep, all-sore-from-the-constant-hacking-cough grip now for... well yesterday was the start of it's third week!

Yikes! Not to worry though, I think (hopefully) I might be on the mend. I'm still coughing, at times sounding like some kind of demented seal, I still can't sleep, everything still hurts (especially the muscles around or supporting my lungs, all of the coughing has obviously done bad things to those poor muscles) but there's a slightly longer gap between coughing fits so I'm hoping there's light at the end of the tunnel.

So, how have I managed to put up with being stuck on the sofa for the past fortnight dear ones? Especially since the first week was actually vacation time I'd waited patiently for and had planned some major decluttering projects! Well, simply put dear ones, I've been able to put up with it because I haven't had a choice 😊

It helped of course that the first week was spent hiding under a huge blanket on the sofa and that I had my dear Hubby to look after me (thank you sweetheart x)  Even having Hubby here though (it was his week off work too, as I said we'd planned on getting some work done around our home) didn't stop me hating my lungs. I have to be the worst patient ever! I can't bear being ill, no patience for it. We had stuff to do after all!

So, other than going from the extremes of not being able to breathe to trying very hard to not cough up both lungs (yuk!) mostly I just desperately wanted all the noise to quieten down.  I've always had a problem with noise honeys, can't bear it, and when I'm ill it just becomes unbearable.  Thank the heavens we live in a (usually) very quiet little cul-de-sac but I swear on bad days I can hear the air move around me.. ick!

It can be a very difficult thing to cope with.  Being stuck at home, knowing there are things needing done but knowing you're not well enough to do them yet.  Anyone recognising this?

OK, imagine, we're past the very worst of what ails us but still marooned on a sofa on sick leave because...

• Dashing back to work too early will knock our recovery backwards and we'll end up having to repeat the fight towards being well all over again and 
• We don't want to go back to work while still contagious and then infect all of our workmates. Be kind and keep those cough and sneeze borne germs to yourself dear ones.  

5 Ways To Help Yourself Feel Better When You're Sick 

1. Get enough rest. I know, it sounds so obvious but how many of us keep going till we just can't anymore?  In order to get well our bodies do need to rest, so rest! Seriously honeys, rest is a medicine all of it's own.  You can help time pass by doing something fun, maybe something you've been meaning to do for a while but haven't had the time? Why not read a book or two? Watch a dvd box set or catch up on crafts? Time will pass and you'll be smiling 😊

2. Stay hydrated. When battling an illness it's so important to drink enough fluids.  Keep water nearby and sip often.  Warm water with a little lemon and honey will help soothe a sore throat as will warm broths or lovely calming herbal teas.

3. Be Mindful of hygiene.  Have a litter bin nearby to quickly dispose of paper tissues.  Keep a bottle of hand gel nearby too and use it if you cough into a hand.  If your poor body is battling bacteria or a virus already it's too easy to keep re-infecting ourselves by touching our face, especially eyes and nose, with germ filled hands.  I also change my pillowcase every morning.  If I've been coughing all through the night honeys, I don't want to be putting my face on that germy pillowcase next night.... ick!

4. Stay Warm.  When stuck on the sofa, why not be cosy with a warm fluffy throw to snuggle under? Wear your softest, fluffiest socks to keep your feet warm too.  So many of us have wooden or laminate floors now instead of carpets and cold feet don't help an ill body heal.  Even if you prefer bare feet indoors, I so do, it really won't help and bare feet let your body's heat escape as well as invite chills in. Why not wrap your shoulders and neck in a really pretty shawl? It'll keep you toasty warm and make you feel better, and maybe smile, too.  I always feel quite glamourous in a shawl, even if I'm wearing a nightie 😊

5. Do as you're told!  By your doctor anyway 😊  If you've been given medication, especially antibiotics, check with your doctor before stopping them.  He'll be able to tell you whether the original problem has been addressed and it's safe to discontinue them.  Many people start to feel better and quit taking medication only to find themselves feeling poorly again within a day or two. Doctor knows best honeys.

All very obvious, don't you think?  It really is! So why do we all find it so difficult to practice even a little self care when we'll gladly and happily run our body batteries completely drained looking after everyone else?  Self care is so important, and not just when we're ill.

About that self care...

Perhaps we should consider tiny acts of self care, such as having a manicure, a lunch with friends or even just some alone time, as deposits into a vital savings account.  This savings account might not pay for a holiday or help with the bills, but it does something arguably just as important. It helps us to function better, it makes us stronger and this in turn helps us to care for our loved ones.

When was the last time you made a deposit into the bank of you dear ones? When did you last do something, even a little thing, just for you?

I hope you've had a fabulous weekend dear ones and that you're looking forward to a wonderful week.  Till next time, smile lots and hug even more, huggles always xx

ps:  Just in case anyone is suffering as I am with an early autumn chest infection there is a wonderful information page from the NHS here: NHS chest infection information page feel better soon honeys x

What's Inside The Soap and Glory Happy Glamper Kit?

Disclaimer: I haven't been paid to promote this kit or any other products, just sharing my love for all things Soap & Glory and the contents of their latest fun bag set x

Hi Honeys,
I hope you're well and have had a fabulous weekend.  I can't believe we're moving so quickly towards autumn.  The weather is certainly looking that way.  We're about to, according to weather forecasts, start our third week of rainy days.

The schools all start their autumn terms in Scotland this week and before we know it, it'll be Halloween, then November 5th (too) quickly followed by Christmas and New Year again.  Phew!

Time is rushing past again.  I know I'm not alone in waiting all year long for the lovely Christmas bag collection released every year by Soap and Glory.  Seriously, I go to work and there are so many customers walking around with their bag, in our locker room on top of the lockers there will be a few sitting too and by the time I get to work mine is already at home because Hubby picks it up for me in the City and brings it home.

It's turned into a yearly tradition for so many ladies, myself included 😊  Can you imagine my excitement then to find that Soap and Glory have released a summer version of their bag this year, well sort of 😊  

This is the Soap and Glory Happy Glamper Kit.  It's a gorgeous drawstring bag containing essentials for any lady making her way to one of the summer music festivals.  Would you like to see the contents of this fabulous bag?

Let's have a look then shall we honeys...

10 Ways To Be Happy On A Rainy Day...

Hi Honeys
It's a soggy day outside again today.  It's been raining all morning and it doesn't look as if it wants to stop anytime soon.

It's been raining a lot just recently honeys, but living as I do on the west coast of Scotland, I'm used to the rain.  Sunny days are odder here than rainy ones but still, when summer is far too short already it can be a little depressing when the rain drags on for days (or weeks) with no apparent end in sight...

Just because the rain has become an almost constant companion doesn't mean we can't have fun and enjoy any days we are lucky enough to be able to stay home.  Free-to-do-whatever-we-want days are the best!   What to do with a free day that happens to be rainy....

Let's Bake Some Apple Crumble!

Hi honeys
I was at a loose end today so I thought I'd make a yummy apple crumble for Hubby coming home. Crumbles are very popular in this house, not just apple either but more on that later 😊

First then, to the kitchen to put on a pinnie and gather our ingredients....

Do you love crumbles as much as we do honeys?  They make the perfect treat.  Any day in need of a happy burst of smiles can be made better by baking a crumble 😊

Of course I don't bake them too often.  They wouldn't be so special if I did! To make a loved one smile though, few things can beat a lovely surprise crumble 😊

OK, got your pinnie on dear ones?  Let's make a start...

Saturday Smiles 😊 Roses & Some Adorable Solar Hearts...

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to recommend any products, just sharing my latest smiles x

Hi Honeys
Just a quick post while I get organized for today's shift at work.  How did we reach August so fast honeys?  I swear this year seems to have just flown by!  Well, it may be August, and we might well be heading towards autumn, but our tiny front garden is still making me smile every time I open our front door and I wanted to share in the hope these pretty roses make you smile too....

Mum's roses are still beautiful, and there are still tiny buds waiting to bloom too...

Cyrano De Bergerac: A Sweet Smile From Hubby...

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote anything, just wanted to share a sweet gift Hubby bought me x

Hi Honeys,
Hubby did it again, bless him!  Do you remember he recently surprised me with one of my favourite movies on DVD?  It was Breakfast at Tiffany's which I'd previously had a copy of many (many) moons ago on vhs.... yes, I'm that old 😊 but somehow hadn't ever gotten around to replacing it on dvd.

Well, honeys, Hubby appeared with a smile and this......

There aren't enough words in the whole world to describe how much I adore this movie!  I (still) have a much (really, really, much) loved copy on vhs which I've watched so many times over the years it started to have lines show across the movie.

Every cell of this wonderful movie is golden honeys, every second is simply glorious. I've had a long, long term (albeit one sided since I've never met the man!) love affair with the star Gerard Depardieu and this movie, among a sea of fabulous performances, has to be among his finest.

Every time I watch it, it breaks my heart all over again.  I always cry at the end... a lot.

For anyone who hasn't seen this gorgeous, fabulous movie (or read the book or seen any of the other versions) The story is set in Paris in 1640.  Cyrano is a soldier and a poet.  He is fearless in battle, with a brilliant mind and is irresistibly charismatic, Cyrano is also in love with his beautiful, intelligent cousin, Roxanne.

Cyrano is held back from professing his undying love to Roxanne by his embarrassment over his appearance.  He was born with a large and prominent nose. How could his perfect Roxanne return his love when he looks as he does?  Self doubt costs him his chance of happiness.

While attending the theatre one evening Roxanne catches sight of Christian, he is young and very beautiful and Roxanne feels an immediate attraction to him.  She learns that Christian is to join Cyrano's Company of Guards and begs Cyrano to protect him.  Cyrano loves her so much that her happiness is everything to him and so he agrees.

***Spoiler Alert*** 

How To Choose Your Perfect Pillow & Duvet

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to recommend any products, just sharing what I've learned over the years about making a bed comfortable x

Hi Honeys
I love our bed and I love to make it look beautiful.  I feel the same way about bedding as some other ladies do about shoes...although I do love those too 😊  

Buying pretty bedding (and throw cushions... I sooooooo love throw cushions!) is entirely useless though if we don't have the foundations in place.  No one ever got a good night's restful, restorative sleep because their duvet cover was pretty.  So, what are these foundations?

First of course is a good mattress.  It's so important when shopping for a mattress to try it out!  Don't just look at it in the store and press it down with a hand, actually lie down on it (remember to take your shoes off!)  You're making an investment, treat it as such.

Does your chosen mattress support your back?  Try lying on your side, on your back.  However it is you most commonly sleep.  Your body should be supported.  It can be just as harmful to sleep on a non-supportive mattress which is too soft as to sleep on one which is far too firm.

Next, and yes dear ones, before thinking about pretty bedding 😊 we have to choose our pillows and duvet. You'd think this would be simple enough but there is much to think about honeys...

Do You Need Solitude?

Hi Honeys
Do you need solitude?  Are you happy with your own company?  I am.  I need quiet, peaceful alone time. More than that, dear ones, I crave it.

The world outside our happy little home moves too fast for me, it's too noisy, too busy, too much. Inside the walls of our home I feel safe. I feel at peace. I can rest.

If I'm having a bad day or the arthritis pain is too much I go upstairs, sit on the bed in our master bedroom and stare at my canvas.  That wonderful image does more for me than all of the medication in the world ever could.

I can just sit, concentrate on my breathing, and mentally step inside this canvas, put my hand on the rail and walk down the steps. When I reach the beach, I can take off my shoes and (almost) imagine the sea air on my face, the sound of the waves and the sand between my toes.  

If I could, I'd happily live inside this beautiful canvas... with Hubby & our furbaby too of course.💖

I adore my job, I really do.  It's my connection to the outside world and for those couple of days a week I can chat, socialise and cope with the busy, noisy world but I only cope because I know that when I finish up my last shift of the week I can come home to our little oasis of calm.

When I step through our front door my shoulders relax, and I feel a profound sense of calm settle over me. Our home wraps itself around me and eases the stresses of the day away.  It's my sanctuary from the storm of noise generated by the world.

Where is your sanctuary honeys?  What do you do to escape from the world when you need to?  Is your sanctuary to be found in your home?  in music?  In the pages of a wonderful book? In the company of loved ones?

I wish for you your own little oasis of calm, your own precious retreat to calm your senses and feed your soul. Till next time dear ones, sending mountains of gentle hugs your way always xx  

 

A Tiny, Smiley Bit Of Retail Therapy...

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to recommend any products, just sharing my latest smiles in the hope that they make someone else smile a little too x

Hi Honeys
How are you today?  I'm actually starting to feel a little bit more like me 😊  For the past few weeks I've been (as any spoonie will understand) feeling very "off."  I've been very drained, putting up with too many headaches and letting the arthritis win the battle and that's just not good enough dear ones.

If anyone ever finds a way to store up energy to better cope when one of those "flares" hits, I hope it's yelled from the rooftops honeys, so we can all know about it.  Doctor's all seem to think (at least all of the ones I've seen over the past twenty years or so) the worst part of living with a chronic illness is coping with the pain.

Thing is, it's just not. At least not in my experience anyway.  We all get used to the pain. We don't have a choice really, do we?  It becomes a part of our day to day lives.  Just like the smile we wear to stop the world's gaze from stopping too long on us.. "move along, smiley person here.. nothing to see.. off you go world..."  No one wants to be pitied. Not ever.

No dear ones, the worst part of living with a chronic illness, in my humble opinion, is the loss of everything we always took for granted.  Being able to do anything we wanted, when we wanted to do it.  The complete lack of energy is the real chronic pest.  Having to choose too carefully the activities of the day because you know you're starting off with half drained body batteries.

Add an unhealthy dose of anxiety when faced with the outside world into the mix and well... life gets kinda sucky honeys.  The reason I'm telling you all of this is so that you'll better understand why it took me until last Thursday to be able to travel the mile or so to the hairdresser to have my hair cut.

I'd planned to go on Monday morning but, long story short, I felt utterly hellish and simply didn't have the energy.  By Wednesday night I was starting to feel a little better and by Thursday morning I thought OK, it's now or never!  Phone a taxi and let's get to the hairdressers.

Why the urgency for a hair do?  Well at work honeys I have to pin it up, my hair is very heavy, very thick and gives me headaches when it's pulled back and pinned up never mind my poor shoulders having to wrangle it into various clips & pins.  So, I broke my own unwritten rule about Thursdays.  I never, ever go out on Thursdays. Don't do it.  I have to work two long, tiring shifts on Friday & Saturday so I need to be quite miserly with my poor wee body battery on the day before them.

Needs must though so off I went into a taxi and off to see the sweetest hair stylist in the world, dear Julie, who knows exactly how to cut my hair when I get fed up pinning it (I'm not a fan of short hair and always let it grow back till I simply can't pin it up any more.... Julie understands)  Saw Julie, chatted, had hair snipped (looks fab, thank you Julie x)

Then decided I'd have a wander around a shop or two since I was there...

I may not have bought very much on Thursday but what I did buy made me smile honeys 😊  Should I share? OK then, why not grab a coffee?  See you in a few minutes....