Could I be a Domesticated Goddess??

Hello Tuesday morning, yay it’s Tuesday and not Monday. It was Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada this weekend, therefore a long weekend woop woop. My husband was away working so my lovely new friend invited me to her families for Thanksgiving dinner, which was very delightful of her. I am also British so it was fab to see what a Canadian Thanksgiving was like. I really enjoyed it, it was just like an early Christmas minus the presents! I tried Pumpkin pie, which I probably won’t be having again but I did enjoy the Saskatoon pie oh and the homemade ice cream!  The family are farmers so it was all very country and just listening to them talking about their working day made me tired (I am such a townie)!

My friend who kindly invited me is somewhat a bit of a neat freak and her home is immaculate, mine on the over hand takes the lived in look to the extreme! So I have decided that today I am going to give the house a good clean and from now on will get up on a Saturday morning and clean. My friend gets up every Saturday morning and cleans for 3 hours! Not sure how the getting up on a Saturday morning is going to go as I am mostly hungover on a Saturday and getting out of bed before midday is at times difficult!

This Saturday is a prime example, I went out with some friends on Friday night and had so much fun but I also had a lot of Tequila! Needless to say the day was pretty much wrote off with me sitting on the couch watching anything that came on HGTV.

So this is it, I am going to be a Domesticated Goddess, wish me luck!

What Now?!!

Well my studying has finally finished and I was awarded a BSc (Hons) Health & Social Care, I received a 2.2, which though I was quite proud of myself for achieving, felt a bit embarrassed about it. I’m not academic at all, I can’t possibly be, I have the attention span (I almost wrote spam but did a quick google!) of a 5 year old (no offence kids). So why am I embarrassed about my 2.2, I honestly am not to sure, maybe I feel like I should have done better or that others will judge me for not being clever enough to announce a 2.1 or even better a first!! To be fair when I announced on Facebook that I had finally been awarded my degree, only one person asked me what I got and I chose to ignore them!!

The thing is, we should be proud of our achievements and not worry what others think; I completed my degree whilst working full time as well, so whatevs! I left school when I was 14, so had no formal qualifications and though now at the wise age of 36, I have enough experience that it’s not really an issue when it comes to job applications or interviews, it still used to get me if it did come up. So yeah go me I got a degree woop woop. My awesome friends are throwing a graduation party for me and we’re all going to wear gowns (this really excites me) and I’m going to be the valedictorian!! My Uni is in the UK and I’m in Canada so I won’t be attending the official ceremony.

So what next……well I do want to do my Masters at some point but I think for now I am going to finally get into the career that I really want to do. I am going to be a Youth Worker, working with young people to help them realize and reach their full potential. As a former foster kid, I know how people can easily write our troubled youth off, but with the right opportunities, encouragement and support, we can all be whoever / whatever we want to be.

The End is Near!!

So, I have one piece of work to submit for my degree and what am doing….yep you guessed it, everything but doing my work. My house looks spick and span, the bathroom has been redecorated and there is no washing pile, this people is procrastination at it’s very best, though there is also the fact that my mother in law is coming in a few weeks eeekkkk!! What is it about mother in laws that turn us into this competitive at times submissive mess, mine isn’t even all that bad, granted she didn’t like me at first (the girlfriend before me was like the daughter she never had) but now we have a lovely relationship………amazing how moving to a different country will have that effect! Oh well at least my house is clean and I now just have to master the art of baking before they arrive.

I woke up today slightly hungover (that 1 glass of wine turned into 1 bottle) and hating myself for yet again giving into the evil of alcohol when I have to focus my poor sluggish brain, so I had a Green smoothie (link below to recipe). I never thought I would be one of those Green smoothie type people, but it turns out that I am, it was lovely with a very slight taste of Spinach (really it was lovely) and apparently it will help me loose weight, I’m banking on the smoothie killing all the calories from the wine but we’ll see, I’m thinking I might actually have to get off my arse and run!!

http://www.roxyskitchen.com/creamy-banana-green-smoothie-healthy-eating-never-tasted-good.html

Talking about running, I am meant to be doing the San Francisco full marathon at the end of July! Yep, like in what 8 weeks and I have done no training at all. I was meant to be training but I was heading out to see my beautician (to make me look like I am in fact a woman again)  and fell down the steps near the back door, I was in agony and my ankle is still swollen which makes running difficult. Luckily I was able to make it back to the beautician the next day to take care of what was quickly becoming a very impressive moustache. At the time of my fall I was thinking bad things about some chavs that are cringey and I think God / the Universe was telling me to stop being a bitch!

Right, best go and crack on with this Uni work!

Procrastination at it’s best!

Ok so I have not wrote anything since probably before Christmas but I’m back now and guess why…….I have an assignment due! I have one more assignment and a project to design and then that’s it I am finished with my degree woohoo; You would think this would motivate me to crack on and get it done but no nothing can seem to motivate me to put pen to paper and get it done and I know that once I start writing it I will be on a roll!! So what have I done this morning………

I made the mistake of jumping on my scales today and discovering that I have put on nearly a stone, how on earth did that happen, well I have not been running regularly and have been drinking wine like a fish that’s how, so this mornings time wasting consisted of trawling through Pinterest looking for weight loss recipes, so far I have had a green smoothie, which was quite nice and I am currently brewing a green t bag in some water to which I need to add mint leaves and lime! I am also sat here in my running kit as I also know that once I start running again my weight will just be a thing of the past and I will not even think about it. Oh and I have signed up for the San Francisco full marathon which is at the end of July so I guess I need to start training oops!! All this time I am listening to debate on the radio regarding the Costco $1 hot dog and I won’t lie I could now eat one. Oops my timer has just gone off, telling me to take out the green tea bag and put the lime and mint into my detox water……..

Procrastination and the TOWIE Effect

Eric is not impressed with his harness!

I can’t believe it’s been so long since I last posted but I guess I have been v busy looking after my new fur baby Eric; Eric is a 12 week old Boxer and is the new love of my life, I love the little terror to death and even his snoring makes me smile (my husband’s snoring makes me want to throat punch him but I guess it’s different). Eric is bloody hard work though, he runs me ragged as I chase after him around the house worried that he’s going to go potty (l know, a month ago this phrase was not in my vocabulary) anywhere and everywhere. My fave purchase weekend just gone was baby gates (reading that back makes me want to grab a bottle of wine and dance on the table), these baby gates are great though as I can now confine the little terror to the kitchen.

So TOWIE is back (yay) and I love it but what I don’t like is that it is one of the shows that once I have finished watching, I immediately feel the need to go and put a full face of makeup on and do something (even a brush) to my hair, the real housewives (I know, I watch some right trash TV) has exactly the same effect. I’m studying and a stay at home wife (I think the official title is home maker 😉 ), so I only need to make myself look decent when OH is here or when I’m going out but as soon as I have watched one of those shows it’s, I must go and do my makeup, what’s that about!

So the reason that I am writing this post is because I have a deadline to conduct a literature review and write an assignment by next Thursday; so far I have made soup, cleaned the house, looked at holiday destinations oh and watched TOWIE, so the studying is going well. Right, I best get back to it,  I must remember that next time I need to write about my friend not letting anyone hold her baby (I’ve googled it and it’s quite normal but I still find it weird).

One Bad Ass Book Club!

Yes my book club read and review books, some of the books are amazing lit like The Book Thief, others not so great like the one we read that compromised of some birds modern diary (ha that sounds familiar eh) and others are just pure good old trash like the Vampire porn (yes there is such a thing) we discovered and all sheepishly admitted to enjoying! Our book club is also about socializing and we do like to drink a lot of wine, as I am typing this I am also thinking what to wear tonight as we are going out to some new Tequila Bar and Cook County (country bar), it is going to be v messy! Anyway I digress, the reason my Book Club is so bad ass is because we met on Wednesday to review a book (The Sparrow it was awesome) in Red Star (v cool bar in Edmonton) and gave ending the night with a coffee a whole new meaning in the form of Espresso vodka shots, which where actually really nice! Let’s hope tonight ends well!!

On another note, I am getting my new Boxer puppy this Sunday (pics to follow) and am so excited, we went out last night and bought a load of stuff which was v exciting. The breeder we are buying Eric from (cool name eh) is great and also runs a Boxer rescue society, well she requires a training plan from everyone buying pups from her so I best crack on and get reading!!

Have a fun filed weekend virtual world 🙂

Pinterest addiction and a spot of Acupuncture!

I hate to admit this but I am one of those people who spend hours and I mean like hours surfing Pinterest looking at other peoples ideas! I am an avid pinner and get a small buzz when someone else repins my pin, even though it’s not my original pin, it makes me feel smug and like yeah I have good ideas and fabulous taste!

I will also admit to never making anything that I pin, in fact the only time I have used a pin was to clean my top loader washing machine (I know, when I moved to Canada I was surprised that these things still actually existed) with baking soda and white vinegar; I followed the instructions and yes it did work and yes I felt like a domesticated goddess and haven’t done it since (had to be a good few months ago).

So I am now putting this out there, by mid February I will make a pallet sign (I have plenty of pallets as my hubby dutifully went and got me a load when I stated forever ago that I am going to be crafty) and use it as a prototype to launch my amazing new career in the world of Crafts and all things Etsy!!

As you can tell my life is some what stressy (!) and I am always looking for ways to relax so I love Groupon and all it’s deals for massages etc. This weekend we had a Groupon for a therapeutic massage and Acupuncture. We went after a lovely lunch and a beer at MKT (I know not the best idea but the food is so yummy) and was excited to try the acupuncture. The massage was like a beating, I did not know I had sore muscles until I went in there, I literally nearly jumped off the bed when she deep massaged my left calf, which was no doubt my own fault for not stretching after running (when I don’t forget, I am actually a runner)! Then came the acupuncture, I didn’t really feel the needles going in but oh my, when she connected the needles to the power thing it was awful!! Having needles pulsating in my spine was just an horrific ordeal that I never want to experience again, it felt like someone punching my spine over and over again but I laid there being all brave and biting down the need to call for help! Oh well at least I tried it and to be fair my hubby who had it on his knee (he has really bad knees) found it to be ok (yeah just ok).

A crazy weekend……..

I remember the days when waking up with two stamp marks on my wrist would signify that I must of had a pretty good night and danced my ass off in some club but when I looked at them yesterday (whilst making my reed raw trying to scrub them off) the stamps on my wrist from this weekend were in fact from two expos I went to boo hoo I am no longer cool, instead of recovering from a hangover and having flashbacks of dancing like Beyonce (I truly think I am just as a good dancer when I’m drunk) I was thinking back to the Home renovation expo and the pet expo that I went to (I know, I am an absolute looney)!! I guess this is what growing up is all about, which I guess a part of me likes (nobody enjoys a hangover and they where a constant theme in my life) though another part does crave for a little (not the hangovers) but that’s fine as this Friday is girls night and about ten of us and going to Cook County to attempt two stepping, gawk at real cow boys, ride a mechanically bull and watch some serious dancing, woop woop it’s going to be so much fun!!

So I had some food fails this weekend, I made green curry but had no lemongrass or lime leaves,  which to my utmost surprise (I know, I know) made my curry taste bland but I did got to 3 stores looking for Lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves (I braved Walmart which was awful and I will never step foot in one again), that will teach me to be more organized. Yesterday’s dinner was amazing though, my hubby got me Jamie Oliver’s comfort food cook book for my Birthday (which was also on Friday) which has so many yummy looking dishes in; I chose to make his Chicken Tikka Masala and parathas (felt like a major achievement to make the parathas) and it was awesome I loved it as did the hubby!

Curry Night!

Monday Already!

Well the weekend left as quickly as it came and I can’t wait for the next one already (I know, I know don’t wish your life away and all that jazz) as it’s my birthday weekend, which means I will get pampered and spoilt and not have to make any decisions (I don’t believe we’re the only couple to have this kind of conversation “so where shall we go for dinner tonight”? “I’m not bothered, where would you like to go”? “I’m not bothered either”!) It drives me nuts; I remember when we only saw each other at weekends and because of how daft these conversations got, we decided that one person would make the decisions and the other person would hold all the money (thus have to go to the bar, interact with other humans etc…..), it worked perfectly but we haven’t done that in such a long time and are now back to the “I’m not bothered” phase argh!!

Highlights of this weekend was: we discovered how to listen to music in our hot tub woop woop, we had a good old singalong (sorry neighbours) and ended up staying in there much longer than usual, oh and I felt drunk after 3 beers (doesn’t normally touch the sides). Erm what else, well I made a Mexican feast on Saturday using recipes from my new Wahaca cookbook, it was pure lush, especially the black bean soup. We also got very creative with ideas for a business (after a bottle of wine)….more to follow. Oh and I nearly forgot, I scored a sewing machine for free from Freecycle, it’s from the 1950s and mad heavy but it was free! Guess I need to learn how to use a sewing machine now!

I found out today that my ‘mother’ has unfriended me on Facebook, probably because I didn’t respond to her annual message on Facebook saying “Happy Christmas Shelly”, oh well guess I’ve got an excuse to drink some wine tonight (thank god for shitty mothers).

Right best get ready for swim class, only 3 more then I get back 3 precious hours of my week that could be spent engaged in a Netflix marathon!!

Getting the running bug back and other stuff!

I have finally got the running bug back and have been out 3 times this week, though I did not go yesterday, due to beasting myself on Wednesday up some steps and having v sore legs and I probably won’t go today as I feel a bit rubbish (wine and port will have that effect on you) but none the less, I will get out again next week and have even made a running date for next Friday; Do you find that when you first arrange to meet someone new to run with they immediately say “I am not a fast runner” it’s like they’re sussing you out and then comparing! Well I am currently running at a pace of between 10 – 10:15 minute miles, which for me is a nice steady pace. Anyway like I said, I have a running date on Friday, which will be good as I don’t push myself when I am on my own but my competitive edge comes out around others!!

Last night I watched The Good Lie and loved it, I laughed and cried and hugged a cushion the whole way through it! Such a great film and one that I would for sure recommend watching. Tonight we (hubby and I) will be watching Should I stay (we turned it off pretty quickly as found it boring).

Hubby is back for the weekend tonight and I am looking around my house thinking shit I really should sort this place out and make it presentable; I have also promised him a Mexican feast and haven’t even practised the recipes from my new Wahaca cook book, this could be disastrous! I also need to make dinner for tomorrow night as we are off to the rockies snow boarding tomorrow and won’t get back till late, oh and I’m meant to be making a carrot cake (his fave apparently), wow guess I best go and get on!

Have a fab weekend virtual world 🙂