The Truth About Pregnancy

Ah pregnancy. The miracle of life! The joy of growing something created out of love!

When I found out I was pregnant in February I was in complete and utter shock. In fact, The Boy thought it was hilarious that I just stood in the kitchen crying and shaking.

Of course I was happy, of course I was grateful, and of course I thank God regularly for the blessing he has given our little family – especially when so many of my friends and colleagues have had such struggles with fertility.

But here’s the thing they don’t tell you. Pregnancy is HARD. Pregnancy is WEIRD. Pregnancy, quite frankly, sucks balls. The books LIE. The movies LIE. Let me enlighten you on my pregnancy....

Shame on you, JK Rowling

If there is one thing that could have brought me out of hibernation, it's JK Rowling's horrific news that she "regrets" pairing Ron and Hermione, and that Hermione should have married Harry.

When I read this on the train this morning, my fists actually balled up. I wanted to punch something, or someone, mainly her. Here's why:

A complete food turnaround

10 years ago, I worked at a lovely little place called The Natural Foodstore, sniggering in my head at all those spending extra money on organic food and vitamin supplements.

Today, as I sit at my desk with my gluten free organic porridge (made with rice milk) with cinnamon and a goji, acai, cacao powder thing on top I am wondering how on earth the tables turned so far around.

Firstly, I suppose, my intolerance to Gluten has caused a dramatic shift in my diet. Potentially brought on from years of indulging in sugary wheaty goodness, who knows. But now it's just not an option for me, and therefore many yummy things are off the menu.

Secondly, the health risks of eating badly are just too great.

5 Tips for your very own Roman Holiday

I’ve seen a lot of Europe over the past ten years, gallivanting around in order to see the “must-see” sites of the Continent.

Few of these cities have tempted me to go back for a second time. 3 trips to Paris and I seem to dislike it more on every visit. Most I feel I see enough of in the first visit to not need to go back. But there is one exception to this rule.

Rome. The Eternal City. I think, the most romantic city in the world. Where the pace of life is hectic and slow all at the same time, and you walk over thousands of years of history in every street, piazza and alleyway.

Here is my guide to this phenomenal city...

Get up early. 

Rome attracts a bazillion tourists every year, and they all want to see the Sistine Chapel, throw their coins in the Trevi Fountain and walk around the Colleseum. They come in bus loads, and walk around in groups of matching baseball caps, following flags on sticks like a flock of sheep. To maintain your sanity, and feel you have Rome to yourself. Get up early – I’m talking, be out the door of your hotel no later than 8am.

Here’s two pictures of the Trevi Fountain to demonstrate...

 

7.45 am

Mid Afternoon ish

Wear a hat

It can be very hot in Rome, with very little shade to protect you. Don’t turn into a lobster. Wear a hat. It also acts as a convenient fan. I'd recommend a wide brim, so you look fabulous and don't look like you are with that group of American's in matching baseball caps.

Book Ahead

You can pre-book your tickets to the Vatican online up to 6 weeks before, which means you can skip the winding queues (when we arrived there was a 2 hour wait) and go straight in! Hurrah! 

Look Around and Get Lost

Rome is a stunning city, and some of it's beauty isn't in the famous monuments. There are fountains, shrines, gorgeous buildings, antique vespa's, accordian players all around. We spent hours getting ourselves lost and discovering amazing looking restaurants, markets and churches.  

Drink Spritz

It's delicious, refreshing and cheap (well cheap-ish). And my new favourite drink. Everywhere sells it... and they are delicious. 

Writing Fail

A week or so ago I took myself off to an author event with Marie Claire and Cecelia Ahern - how to write a successful novel.

I was obviously filled with enthusiasm and inspiration for writing more, after hearing that Cecelia wrote PS I Love You at the age of 21 in just 3 months.

In fact I was so inspired that I wrote the above two lines the morning after the event, got distracted by work (damn you spreadsheets!) and have been sitting in my draft posts since.

I really, really, really must work on my discipline.

A Very Theatrical Weekend

When I was in school, I dreamed of nothing but being an actress – spending my afternoons in drama classes and performing in every show I could.. and here is a rather embarassing photographic evidence of a 1996 production with Helen O'Grady Children's Drama Academy and some very bad hair...

Inevitably, it was the realisation that I rather enjoy having a reliable income and don’t have the discipline to work hard enough to make it.

Travelling Gluten Free in Italy

Being gluten intolerant I was a bit wary about venturing to Italy, the home of wheaty goodness. But my fears were unfounded, as it turns out that Italy was coeliac friendly. In fact, coeliac disease is a recognised condition in Italy, with all Italians being tested for the disease at a young age, meaning that asking for  “Senza Gluten” is quite common, and not met with the often blank stares you frequently get in certain London establisments. 

In fact, as a recognised disease, bigger pharmacies stock an abundance of snacks, croissants cereals and breads, rivalling the range of the bigger UK supermarkets. My carry on luggage was loaded with biscotti and fancy looking pasta on our return!   

But everywhere we ate in the Eternal City, there was at least 1 Gluten free pasta

xxx

One of good friends recently lost their mum to cancer. It was a bit sudden - and hard on them all.

Cancer really is a giant twat - and will inevitably affect us all. So, if you got a spare fiver, you should donate to charities that help make life a bit easier for those dealing with it. I've picked Macmillan - but there are many out there who deserve your support - so find your local charity and give.


xxxx

Old friend recollections

Today is one of my best and oldest friends 30th birthday - and it does make me a little homesick cause I'm all the way on the other side of the world.

But, it has made me remeber lots of fun times, as optimistic teenagers when we would have sleepovers or be at the beach, talking about getting married and our weddings and what we imagine our lives would be like - as all teenage girls do.

It is funny how things don't turn out how you plan. She didn't get married to one of our former high school comrades in a surfing wedding (thank goodness!), and I certainly didn't marry my high school sweetheart (not that I even had one). But she did marry a wonderful man, and have a lovely baby girl. And I've found happieness in exploring the world and love in the most unlikely of places.

So I would like to tell the teenage us - things do always work out how they are supposed to in the end - and don't worry, in ten years you'll both have amazing boobs.

Happy birthday my darling friend - I miss you xxx

Winter is Coming: 10 Game of Thrones Ponderings

*Please note, this post contains lots of spoilers. 

Since Gossip Girl came to it's sensational conclusion last year (DAN was GG, who would have known xoxo), I've felt a big gaping hole in my life, that only an addictive television show can fulfil.

So it was with much eagerness that The Boy introduced me to Game of Thrones. Holy Moley is it addictive. To the point of hysteria.

First, you've got girl power complete with awesome hair braids and dragons. You've got more broody anti-heroes than this girl can handle, and more skull-duggery and backstabbing than you can point a stick (or sword) at. Not to mention cute loyal puppies (or direwolfs), sexy man beasts, lots of lovely boobs and of course - Tyrion, who's awesomeness is too much for this humble author to describe.

Before I Turn 30: Become a Manager

I've now been in my professional career in "marketing" for nearly 10 years. Or rather 10 years on and off while I battled with bouts of wanderlust and unemployment.

But finally, after many a mediocre job and much hard work I have finally succeeded and been promoted to a management role. That's right, Marketing Manager at a prestigious (ish) media firm in London. I get to control a big budget, and am responsible for the development of my young exec. Hurrah!

However, this is never something that

Sunny London Love

As our quest to purchase a house outside the M25 grows more serious every week I've found myself falling more in love with London. 

On Friday, the sun came out, it was warm, and I spent as much of the day outside as possible. Nowhere else  does propriety go out the window and it is suggested that you have your team meeting in the pub, because it's sunny, than London. 

And when it's sunny, London is glorious, people are happy, joyful and on an endless hunt for Pimms and Rekordling

Wine fuelled adventures in the Adriatic

It is a truth universally acknowledged that no matter where you travel in the world, one can always find an Irish Bar.

And so was the case when The Boy and I travelled to Dubrovnik a little while ago, for a much needed break. However March is not the sunniest and warmest of months to visit, and it was during a ridiculously heavy rain shower that we found ourselves in Karaka's Irish Bar in the Old Town. It's cosy (but incredibly smokey) interior was a welcome refuge from the inclement weather, and with cheap booze and Motown on the stereo we happily killed quite a few hours here before it was safe to venture outside.

During this rainy interlude in the smokey Irish Bar I discovered something wonderful. That Croatian wine is phenomenally good. Like, absolutely delicious and extremely reasonably priced. Not readily available in the UK, as Croatia is not yet part of the EU and they don't produce enough to export.. I spend the rest of my 5 day holiday indulging in as many different local reds, whites and pinks that I could.

Forgotten Songs

With The Boy out for the night on a Bro-Date, I had a blissful evening to myself. Hurrah! 

And it was after the dishes were done, and I had watched a rather awful program I recorded last night (Breaking Amish on the new TLC channel. For reference it's a pile of bollocks) that I did something I have not done in a very long time. 

I turned off the television, and put on some music. That's right, I am listening to albums, long forgotten in the depths of my iTunes. 

I have 3,347 songs in my iTunes, a modest collection by most standards - but the thing is I very rarely listen to most of them. I don't like to wear headphones when I'm on public transport, mainly because my father raised me to be paranoid and I like to be aware of what is going on around me. 

Too old for Topshop

A recent trip to Oxford Street left me with a sinking feeling.

It all started when I thought to myself - I haven't been into Topshop in ages, I must pop in and see if I can find a pretty spring top. So I enthusiastically walked in and was hit - very suddenly - with the feeling that I was far too old to be in there.

By the top of the escalators were what I can only assume were trendy teens, midriffs and bum cheeks on display, wearing mouse ear headbands and uncomfortable looking shoes.

What I thought was relatively fashionable office wear (navy pleated Ralph Lauren skirt with a tight crisp white blouse showing an appropriate amount of office cleavage), felt frumpy. But I battled through the giggling girls and descended into fashion mecca.

Domestic Bliss Part 4: House Hunting

Recently, the boy and I made the somewhat monumental decision to purchase our first home. A lovely piece of the world that we will own (or rather the bank will) and can start a proper grown up life together of DIY, dinner parties and growing vegetables, perhaps even some chickens.

It turns out that house hunting is possibly the most stressful thing ever.

Before I turn 30: Cocktails at The Rivoli Bar

I have created a list of things that I want to do before I turn 30 later this year. Turning 30 does have that notion that I should now be a grown up, and yet there are still so many frivolous things that I want to do, so me being me, I made a list.

One of the things on my ever-growing list was to go to The Rivoli Bar at The Ritz, so on Friday, The Boy and I got dressed up, and he took me to The Ritz after work for a few celabratory cocktails (his bonus, my promotion)

Domestic Bliss Part 3: Thoughtfulness

This weekend, the boy went to a wedding somewhere down on the coast. I wasn't invited, which I was ok with, as it involved a blissful weekend all to myself.

What was even nicer was that my thoughtful boyfriend brought me home a wedding cupcake. Presenting it to me in paper towel, slightly squished and stating, I know you can't eat the cake (damn you gluten!) but that he thought I'd enjoy the icing.

Hashtag Lucky.

The Gosling Enigma

It is a truth universally acknowledged that women the world over love Ryan Gosling. 

I never saw the attraction - the man was far too pretty boy looking for me. For me, I prefer them more rough looking. In fact, I had many a debate with my girlfriends about why he doesn't appear on my metaphorical "list". 

That was, until I watched the delightful movie Crazy, Stupid, Love.   

Fifty Shades of.. Meh Part 2

So I recently finished reading the 50 Shades trilogy... and I'm still waiting for all the scandalous sex that has had women worldwide a flutter for the past year. 

My original thoughts (which you can read here) that it would be no worse than a Mills and Boon was confirmed by the end of the first book, and the second and third book had hardly any shenanigans