Life lately, autumn 2016.

So, it's been pretty quiet on the old blogging front for the last few months.

The last few weeks have been the worst.  A couple of weeks ago I had a miscarriage, I was 11 weeks pregnant.  I *knew* I was pregnant since the day I was (I just felt it), so I had nearly 3 months to dream and hope and plan.  We were planning on telling everyone after the 12 week scan, but I've ended up telling pretty much everyone our different news, as I've been such a weepy, hormonal mess.  Miscarriage totally sucks and it's hurty and my heart's broken.  It was a really scary, traumatic experience and I'm really fed up of feeling poorly!  

But.  During those 11 weeks my body did something magic and made a tiny creature (my body also felt very very sick a lot!  And so sleepy.), and I was so happy and excited, and the way I think about so many things changed, and I fell even more in love with my husband.  I wouldn't ever take back those weeks of being pregnant.  Maybe this will be my only, short, experience of carrying a baby, and I don't want to feel bitter about it.  But I wish with all my heart it had turned out differently.  

Anyway, I'm trying to focus on nice, positive things and getting back to some kind of normality, so here's what else I've been up to these last few months,

Watching - all of the Netflix, the new seasons of Arrow and Flash, we saw Dr Strange at the cinema, and very good it was too.

Reading - so much comfort reading, I bought the entire series of Princess Diaries for 30p each in a charity shop, so I've been working my way through them.  I've just started Margaret Atwood's Hagseed too, I love a bit of Margaret Atwood! 

Home renovating - The kitchen cupboards are (almost!) in!  The quote for the stainless steel worktop was £3000!!!! We're going to have a plain white one instead!  Our new massive wardrobe with a slide-y door from IKEA is a thing of wonder.

Weddinging - My mum married her partner last month, ending a 12 month period where my brother, me and our mum all got married!  The wedding was lovely but that's enough weddings for now!

Auntie-ing - I was chief bridesmaid at mum's wedding, my main job being in charge of my neices.  I had a handbag full of distracting toys so each time they looked like they were making a break towards clinging to mum's legs (their location of choice!) I was on hand to offer Peppa pig colouring books/toy mice/bubbles/tiaras/dollies and so on.  Needless to say I didn't see much of the wedding!  

Printing - I went on a lino printing course, I printed a snail, it was so good!  When we sort our garden craft shed we're definitely having lino printing supplies in there!  We were taught by a local artist called Amanda Hillier, check out her prints, we were so lucky to be able to be taught by her!

Playing - a lot of words with friends with my mum! 

Buying - we bought a new mattress, funnily enough husband wasn't happy sleeping on the double mattress I've had since I was 15.  New mattress is king sized and so high I might need to buy a step to help me get into bed!

Being scared - by the American election results!

Working - the date we have to reapply  for our jobs keeps getting pushed further and further back, we'll be in December before we can submit our applications!  I'm doing some super fun freelance writing for a vegan leather brand that I'm really enjoying.

Guiding - My Rainbow Guide unit has closed and merged with another due to lack of adult helpers, I'm sad because I loved my little Rainbow unit.  I'm going to help at the unit we've merged with, hope it's nice there too!

Looking forward to - thank goodness that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, AND the new Gilmore Girls are both nearly out.  I'm realllly looking forward to both of them!  I can't wait for our traditional visit to Birmingham's Christmas market either.   

Blogging - well, I haven't really been blogging, but I will!  

Hope you've had a good autumn and have been finding lots of crunchy leaves to stomp through and making yourselves into blanket burritos and snuggling up! 

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Life lately, summer 2016.

Reading - I read the new Harry Potter book and was soo happy to be back in the Potter-verse even if I didn't love everything about the story.  I read Abundance by Alys Fowler and the new Doctor Who official cook book, both of which I loved and think I need to own my own copies of!

Watching - You guys, we got a new TV and Netflix last month.  It's been dangerous!  So far we've worked our way through i-Zombie, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and we're doing our annual re-watch of the whole of Doctor Who.

Working - Next week we have the Big Meeting to tell us what jobs will be left for us to apply for in our restructure/big budget cut.  I'm dreading it, but it'll be good to finally know after 9 months of uncertainty.    

Being angry about - Brexit.  And the Labour leadership vote debacle.  Grrrrr!

Staying home - this has definitely been a summer of home.  We haven't really been anywhere, after recovering from the cost/ecxitement of our wedding and having to buy lots of things for the house.  I'm happiest at home anyway, so that's fine by me.

Home renovating - Joe finished laying the cork floor and the kitchen is due to be delivered this week!  Eeeep!  We've also ordered a new bed and some furniture from IKEA!

Listening to - I found my Wicked soundtrack CD so I've been listening to that a lot.  And the mix CD of music we made for our wedding has been on heavy rotation too.

Cinema-ing - we went to see Ghostbusters and it was the best thing Everrr!  Ever ever!  Girl power, kill all the ghosts!  Yeah!

Auntie-ing - Suddenly they're all grown up, those nieces of mine.  The big one is just 3 and she 'does hair' and draws houses and asks me to make volcanoes for her and says clever things like 'eyes open is the reverse of eyes shut!' (and also slightly alarming things like 'I like hurting people'!!).  The little one is nearly 2 and is almost not a baby any more, sob!, she knows all the characters from Peppa Pig and picks up conkers from the alleyway because they're 'hedgehogs'! 

Blogging - I wrote a guest post for the lovely website The-thrift.com, showing off my latest haul of retro homeware from Barnardo's charity shops.  And I collated a collection of Beatles crafts for cut out and keep. 

My most popular blog posts have been, 

My review of Greencane loo roll (!!!)

My first ethical OOTD

Start using a reusable water bottle

Make vegan chocolate milk ice lollies 

Charity shopping - Lloyd Loom basket 

I'm glad you all enjoy eco friendly loo roll as much as me! 

How has your summer been?  Good I hope?

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Life lately, spring 2016.

Reading - I've become addicted to M.C. Beaton books, I'm on the Edwardian Murder Mysteries series at the moment!

Watching - We went to see Avengers Civil War at the cinema, and we've started our yearly re-watch of Doctor Who.  Also - GREAT BRITISH SEWING BEE!!!

Getting Married - Yep, we did it!  I'm Mrs Evans now.  I might do a separate wedding-y post if any of you are interested in seeing wedding photos? 

 

Buying - I couldn't find my trolls in my mums garage, I think I gave them to the charity shop, I had to buy more, obviously! 

Learning - I've finished my Blog with Pip course, which was really good, and I've finished my business and admin course too (and got a shiny certificate!).  I'm still working through my computer course, it's quite boring!

Working -  Work is funny at the moment, we're waiting for a public consultation to finish before we find out how many jobs will be left for us to reapply to.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that just yet.

Guiding - (I'm a leader at Rainbow Guides, the girls are age 5-7) We had a fun circus skills session where I discovered a hidden talent for plate spinning!  We went to a Guiding activity day and spent a sunny afternoon playing in paddling pools.  And we're doing a Queen's 90th birthday badge.

Adventuring - We had our honeymoon in Aberdovey, it was lovely but not very adventurous, mostly relaaaaxing!

Auntie-ing - Both nieces are still lovely, they were the cutiest ever little bridesmaids at our wedding.

Gardening - Things are growing, I have so much weeding to do!

Home renovation-ing - Joe's started laying floor in the kitchen which can only mean one thing, soon we'll be ready to have a kitchen fitted and I can't wait!

Blogging - I had a little break to enjoy/stress about our wedding, I missed blogging though, I'm glad to be back!

The most popular blog posts this Spring have been,

Easy and nice ways to campaign.

Charity shopping - the one with the retro wallpaper.

3 ways to eat vegan yogurt.

Garden, May 2016.

On taking a blog break.  (this one has some sneaky wedding preparation photos!)

#honeymoon #charityshopping #charityshopblogger #thriftbreak

A photo posted by Susie (@secondhandsusie) on May 16, 2016 at 12:18pm PDT

#lastday #honeymoon 😔

A photo posted by Susie (@secondhandsusie) on May 18, 2016 at 6:42am PDT

How has your spring been?  Good I hope! 

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Things I loved, winter 2016.

This winter I've loved,

Reading - I've been reading the Malory Towers series, I never read them as a child, I liked Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill, but apart from that nothing I've read has really captured my interest, I'm finding most adult fiction too boring, but most YA too kiddy (although I did enjoy a series about a Roller Derby team by Megan Sparks).  Any recommendations?

Learning - I've nearly finished my level 2 in Business and Administration that I'm doing through Vision2Learn (which is government funded so I can do it for free) and I've just started an ECDL, trying to brush up my skills in case my job goes.  I've signed up for Pip Lincolne's Blog with Pip course starting at the end of the month, I've not done a blogging course before but I love Pips books and blog so I'm excited and hoping to pick up some tips.

Home renovating - Our new corner sofa arrived and is SO COMFORTABLE, we got a new rug, and replaced the fridge freezer with a lovely huge one!  Joe has 2 weeks off work at the moment and he and his dad have been getting loads of jobs done.

Guiding - (I'm a leader at a Rainbow Guides unit, the girls are aged 5 - 7) We've done the Upside Down and Back to Front Challenge badge, we made a pancake breakfast and ate it under the tables with our jumpers on backwards, and we're onto our Recycling badge now which pleases me greatly. 

Watching - My absolute favourite thing we've watched recently has been Freaks and Geeks, I loved it so much!  I've also been watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch, the BBC Merlin series, War and Peace, Agents of Shield and Agent Carter.  We saw Goosebumps at the cinema and have seen Jurassic World too, I loved both way more than I thought I would!

Eating - Chocolate reindeer, pancakes, vegan quorn (oh my goodness, I'm so happy about that!) and paprika pringles.  Dreaming of the day my kitchen will be finished.

Auntie-ing - My little neice says 'hiya' and it's counterpart 'Bye-a' and also said 'Susie' for the first time which made me so happy, my big niece is utterly clever, she 'writes' now, mostly i and o but I think that's a good start for a 2 year old!

Wedding planning - Joe asked me to marry him on Christmas day and we're getting married in May.  We're having a teeny tiny wedding, but there's still so much to plan.  We've booked the venue and registrar, and the honeymoon, and just have final payments to make and songs and readings to choose.  Phew!  

Adventuring - We did our traditional trip to the German Christmas market in Birmingham, saw a beautiful E.R. Hughes exhibition at BMAG, had nice meals out with my family and Joe's family, I've caught up with a couple of friends and Joe and I have taken to going on funny little 'dates' to the next big town to wander round the shops then eat chips from Burger King, it's not massively exciting but we both like it!

Listening - mostly to my Taylor Swift 1989 CD to be honest.  Shake it off, shake it off...

Gardening - I've mostly been hoeing the weeds out of the gravel driveway all winter, but I'm dreaming of buying a new shed and a mini greenhouse.

Blogging - my top 5 posts this winter have been,

My retro brooch collection (I also wrote an article for the-thrift.com with some handy tips for creating a retro brooch collection!),

Things I found by the bins,

Top eco-friendly new years resolution ideas (they're good all year round!),

My tutorial for making a cute Studio Ghibli Soot Sprite from a pompom and a pipecleaner!

And this yummy recipe for vegan pancakes made with buckwheat flour and coconut milk.

How has your winter been?

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Things I loved, autumn 2015.

This autumn I've loved,

Reading - I read some really good fiction, 'The Boston Girl' by Anita Diamant, 'Carry On' by Rainbow Rowell and 'Going Vintage' by Lindsey Leavitt.  I read the children's picture book 'The Princess and the Pony', which is excellent!  The best non-fiction I read was 'What we Wore', 'My Tiny Veg Plot' and 'Big Hook Crochet'.

Learning - I enrolled on a couple of free online courses, Writing for the Web (which was really good!) and now I'm doing Principles of Project Management. 

Home renovation-ing - We have carpet!!  I'm sooo happy!  And we've ordered our new sofa and are expecting it in the next week or so.   Joe put light shades and blinds up too, which makes it much more cosy.

Guiding - (I'm a leader at a Rainbow Guide unit, the girls are aged 5-7) We finished our Unicorn Challenge badge, which was super fun, we made unicorn horns, cupcakes, necklaces and played pin the tail on the unicorn!  We're doing the Wish Upon a Star challenge now, and we've made a wishing tree, a wish jar and a fairy wand!

Watching - Doctor Who, Agents of Shield season two, Arrow season three, The Flash season one, Hellboy.

Listening to - I've only just unpacked my CDs, I've been listening to the Christmas ones!

Socialising - I had a lovely birthday, we went to Birmingham to see an art exhibition, family from Australia visited for the day, we had a lovely curry for my boy's birthday, my brother got married and my nieces had their naming ceremony, we went to the Seasonal Market in Digbeth and we went to Hogwarts in the Snow!

Remembering - my Grandma, it would have been her 100th birthday this year in November, and my Grandad's 100th birthday would have been last February.

Buying - I've been killing it in the charity shops recently!  We bought a beautiful second hand mid-century unit for our dining room and an awesome retro mirror too.

Auntie-ing - My oldest niece is 2 now, you can have a proper conversation with her, she's super lovely and clever.  My littlest niece had her 1st birthday, she has loadsa teeth and has started talking too, she puts her arms up and asks for a 'cug' sooo cute!

Some posts you might have missed, 3 easy, vegan potato recipes, make a log pile for your garden and my stripy, crochet shawl.

How has your autumn been?

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Things I Loved, Summer 2015.

This summer I've loved,

Watching - Series 1 of Merlin, Humans, Melissa and Joey (did anyone else freak out over the Halloween special?), Orange is the New Black, Pitch Perfect 2, Arrow season 2, My Mad Fat Diary, Big Hero Six, Anzac Girls (I sniffled my way through it!), Humans, The Clangers.

Reading - Nimona (best. graphic. novel. everrrr.),Grow for Flavour by James Wong, Edible Estates by Fritz Haeg, Peace and Parsnips by Lee Watson.

Listening to - Radio 2, all my CDs are still in boxes!

Moving - the sale of my flat went through this summer, and I moved into our lovely new home with my Joe.   

Home renovation-ing - pretty much all the heavy duty gas, electric and plumbing work has been done, we're onto the cosmetic stuff now, and I'm hoping for carpets really soon!

Buying - Dowe Egberts Orla Kiely coffee jars, so so many plants for my new garden (mostly from the 'dead plants' section in Wilkinsons!), so so many boring house things, some exciting house things too though!  And lots of pretty dresses from the charity shop.

Guiding (I'm a leader at a Rainbow guide pack, the girls are aged 5-7) - we made sock bats, mine was called Bernard, made mud pies and had a lovely walk round a local woodland.  We're currently planning activities for our Unicorn badge (totally my idea)!

Auntie-ing - My biggest niece turned 2, she's so lovely and clever and she remembers anything anyone ever tells her!  She's also very bossy, I was pushing her on the swings and was told in no uncertain terms that I was pushing her with the wrong hand!  My littlest niece started crawling!  And she has teeth! So proud!

Socialising - Ice lollies in Mums garden, lovely meal by the river with Joe's family,  trying a new Japanese restaurant for a friends birthday, going to see Take That's concert screened at the cinema with Mum, my sis in law and her mum, trip to the seasonal fair in Digbeth to meet one of Joe's uni friends, IKEA shopping trips with Mum.

Hope you've had a lovely summer too!?

Don't forget you can find out what I'm up to on facebook and twitter too!

Things I Loved, June 2015.

This month I loved, 

* Moving into our new home, the sale of my flat going through and getting pennies! * * Douwe Egberts coffee jars * my friend from Brazil visiting * eating paprika pringles, sweeties and croissants * finishing digging the weeds out of the garden and planting lots of things * watching lots of films - Rise of the Guardians, Serenity, Pitch Perfect 2, Take That (a live screening at the cinema) and Calamity Jane * Playing our first game of peekaboo with my littlest niece, and being amused by my biggest niece 'no likeee'-ing anything! * being given lovely, lovely housewarming presents * charity shopping * buying a dishwasher (it's not plumbed in yet, but I'm looking forward to no more washing up in the future!) * we've at fun at my Rainbow Guide unit this month, making mud pies and sock bats! (my bat was called Bernard) * watching My Mad Fat Diary and Arrow series 2 *

Hope you've had a good month too! 

Things I Loved, May 2015.

This month I've loved, 

* time off work * weddings * cutting my hair * watching Doctor Who, series 9, Peter Kay's Car Share and No Offence * 2 year anniversary with my boy * reading with my lunch * planting seeds * pancakes * Lush bathbombs * pain au chocolate * epic date day, including seeing Avengers Age of Ultron at the cinema, eating chips and bhajis, walking by the river and seeing Kate Rusby (we were making up for hardly going out since buying the house and spending all our time/money on it!) * washing my hair with aloe vera, it's a revelation! * my little nieces, the littlest one is nearly always asleep when I see her, the big one ventured in for a visit to my new house and managed not to touch any wet paint, found a dirty old brush to play with and ran round and round and round * my mother in law's tongue plant flowering *  painting our new hallway 'Bumblebee' yellow, it's sooo yellow! * 

I started a facebook page for my blog, you can find it here.

Hope you've had a lovely month too!?

Things I Loved, April 2015.

This month I've loved, 

* Having 6 days leave from work! * sunshine * watching lots of films, 'Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll', 'Pretty in Pink', '10 Things I Hate about you', 'What we did on our Holiday' and 'Clueless' * Easter * chocolate bunnies * chocolate hedgehog/bunny cake * picnic in a flowery park * PICKING UP THE KEYS TO OUR NEW HOUSE! * my boy and his bro' pushing down an old tree in our new garden * gardening! * pain aux chocolat * buying seeds and paint and choosing carpet and buying our first piece of furniture (an IKEA day bed off Ebay for the conservatory, so comfy!) * I've seen my nieces lots this month, my biggest niece is so interesting at the moment, her language is developing really fast and she's starting to get really grown up, my littlest niece is growing up too she's 6 months old now and does a bit of standing-ish when you hold her up and lots of leg kicking! *  BBQ *

How has your month been?

Things I Loved, March 2015.

This month I loved,

* sunshine * crochet magazine arriving through my post box * croissants * watching Doctor Who, The 100, Neighbours and Great British Sewing Bee * spending time with my little nieces, my big niece is 20 months now and is doing 3 or 4 word sentences, like 'chicken, box, row', which means putting the chicken door stop into her toy box, getting in too, then singing row row row your boat! She's soo clever!  My little niece is 5 months and so cute and cuddly and lovely and starting to sit up * wetherspoons * new books * daffodils and crocus * setting a completion date for our house buying! *   I've watched some great films this month, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, It's Kind of a Funny Story, The Punk Singer (sooo good!), Easy A  *  eating too many chocolate bunnies * solar eclipse (although I hurt my eyes trying to look at it!) * SPRING! * buying a zebra table from the charity shop * reading at lunchtime *

Hope you've had a good month too?

Things I Loved, February 2015.

This month I loved, 

* having 6 days off work! * going to Cardiff with my boy, we had a huge comfy bed in the hotel, went to the castle, museum, Doctor Who experience, ate delicious fajitas and falafel and chips, unfortunately I had a baaad cold the whole time, but it was still fun * crochet magazine and Mollie Makes magazine * charity shopping * drawing * buying lovey fairtrade tops from the Nomads sale (I got 4 for £40!) * my little nieces visiting me in the library, my smallest niece is so lovely, and smiley and cuddly, my biggest niece is so tall and clever, she repeats everything you say which is really cute! * Valentines day, we ate curry and as I was opening the book and bathbomb Joe had bought me, he texted me a photo of a gorgeous art deco-y dressing table he'd bought for me for in our new house, he's definitely a keeper! * watching Great British Sewing Bee, Doctor Who, Cucumber and Banana, Vamps, How to make an American Quilt, season 3 of Girls * pancakes * reading during my lunch breaks * it being light in the mornings and evenings, looking forward to spring! * crochet * Wetherspoons chips and onion bhajis * remembering my Grandad on what would have been his 100th birthday * pizza * accepting an offer on my flat, and my mortgage stuff all being accepted, I start my nagging campaign to get a moving date for our new home on Monday! * 

Hope you've had a lovely month?

Things I Loved, January 2015.

This month I've loved,

* time off work * lie ins * watching Esio Trot, Miranda, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The 100 * pringles * lush baths * listening to The Wombats, * going for walks * skyping with my friend and her dog * tidy flat * filling 4 more bags to donate to the charity shop * fleece nightie and hot water bottle * new dresses * My cute little nieces, my biggest niece is 18 months and spent a happy morning in the library, sitting on all the different chairs, completely ignoring me but saying 'Hello Lady...Buh-byeee Lady' to any person (male or female) who caught her eye! * lunch at an all you can eat restaurant where I ate 11 onion bhajis * seeing the Hobbit at the cinema * crochet magazine * house buying progress - we have all the stuff for contacts at last (4 months after putting our offer in!) and I've had 2 viewings on my flat already * flowers * my boy cooking me lots of yummy dinners * sunshine * snow * booking all my holiday off work for the next year * reading Our Super Adventure, The Spell Book of Listen Taylor, Bumped and Thumped * buying Russian dolls from the charity shop * helping a lady at work, who then bought us cakes to say thank you (I couldn't eat the cakes, but it was a lovely thought) * Having my own little page on Vegan Life Magazine's website, as one of their bloggers *

I hope you have all had a lovely start to the new year?!

2014

This year I've..

Crocheted,

Grown,

Cooked,

Adventured,

Read - 57 fiction books this year, I don't have photos cos my laptop had to go to be fixed and came back with everything wiped off it!  My favourite books this year were Longbourn by Jo Baker, Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead, The Shdow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and all 4 Rainbow Rowell books.

Watched - Torchwood, Melissa and Joey, Doctor Who, Firefly and Serenity, Doctor Horrible's Sing Along Blog, Awkward, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Agents of SHIELD.

Listened to - Eddi Reader - Vagabond, God Help the Girl, Wicked soundtrack, She and Him. 

Eaten - Croissants, pine nut pasta, 'cheese' and onion crisps, pizza, dhal. 

I've had another lovely year this year, I'm so lucky.  I became an auntie for the second time and got to spend lots of time with both of my lovely nieces, celebrated our 1 year anniversary with my boyfriend and my 30th birthday.  I've been to Brazil, Windsor, Legoland and the Harry Potter Studio Tour.  I saw David Tennant in Richard III and the touring production of Wicked.

The highlight of my year was seeing 3 real life wild toucans while I was on holiday in Brazil.  It was amazing!  AMAZING!

Next year I have plans to move house, I have my fingers crossed someone will buy my flat, and I hope I will have lots of adventures  (I already have tickets booked for a holiday in Cardiff, to go to the Doctor Who Experience, and tickets to see Kate Rusby in May.)  Yey!

I hope you all have a most excellent 2015, do you have any exciting plans? 

Things I Loved this Month, November 2014.

This month I loved...

* Binge watching Torchwood * doing lots of grown up house buying things (buy my flat, anyone?) * Wetherspoons currys * my boy walking all the way to Matalan (about a mile and a half each way) to buy me an owl biscuit barrel, filling it with vegan biscuits and leaving it for me to find in my kitchen <3 * naps on the sofa * watching Doctor Who, Made in Chelsea, Melissa and Joey * Cuddles with both my nieces, the littlest baby is so cute and calm and sleepy and the biggest baby is so cute and runs everywhere!  She has started saying 'oh peeee-eeeeeeese' in an irresistible manner whenever she wants something! * family dinner * pizza night * having a major declutter, I've sent at least 10 carrier bags of stuff to the charity shops and sold some bits on Ebay too * having a lie in * seeing 'The Book of Life' at the cinema, soo pretty * nice work chums * chocolate reindeers * jammy dodgers * proper, wintery cold weather * Birmingham German Market * pigs in blankets crisps * geese flying by in formation * 

Hope you've had a lovely month too! 

Things I Loved this Month, October 2014.

This month I've loved,

* lie ins * sitting on the sofa in the sunshine * lovely work people * having time at work to actually tidy some books up and make some displays * chocolate fridge cake * ordering photos online and sticking them in my photo album * soft pretzels * my heating breaking but my mum knowing how to fix it! * watching Doctor Who, Torchwood, Awkward, Downton Abbey * butter pasta * my friend who I visited in Brazil being here for 6 months! * finding interesting things in the bins * seeing Pride at the cinema - sooo good!! * buying a crochet trolley * croissants * crocheting a mustard coloured shawl and a cupcake hat * a belated housewarming present from my friend * tea at mums * charity shopping * wetherspoons chips * tidy flat * putting the lovely fluffy 10 tog duvet on our bed ready for chilly weather * lush baths * holiday in Windsor with my boyfriend, we went to Windsor Castle and LEGOLAND, which was awesome, and we ate yummy stuff and did a bit of charity shopping too, even our 4-changes each way train journeys went ok.  It was our first holiday together and it was lovely! * my new niece was born, she is beautiful and soo teeny.  I've seen loads of my other niece this month too, she is getting so big now.  New words this month are 'narna' 'bum' and 'done' and I still love it when she says 'iya zizzeeeeeee' * autumnal walk with crunchy leaves * carving a pumpkin * bonfire *

It's been a great month in Susie-land, I hope you've had a lovely one too!

Things I Loved This Month, September 2014.

This month I've loved,

* Spending a day looking after my niece, playing crayons and splashy water games and toe biting (she is still in a toe biting stage!) and trying to make her say Susie (she can do it, she says 'sisssseeeeeeee') * my 30th birthday, I had cake, chips, curry and lots of lovely cards, messages and pressies * Harry Potter Studio Tour, Awe-some! * Ikea * Wicked soundtrack * balloon * watching Doctor Who (what do you think of the new Doctor?  I love him!), Great British Bake Off, Downton Abbey, Clarissa Explains it All and Cilla * skyping * croissants * exciting snail mail *  buying a 2015 diary, organisation! * charity shopping * new houseplants * ice lolly in the sunshine * gardening * sweet peas * being bought flowers * reading Caitlin Moran's new book * making a new display at work * jelly * watching Arrietty, Made in Dagenham * my friend from Brazil being back in the UK for 6 weeks! * seeing art by Rossetti, Frances Bacon, Burne Jones and a Rodin at Shrewsbury Museum * chocolate covered kendal mint cake * homemade vegan pizza * buying some photo prints and making a photo album * making salt dough daleks * new birkenstocks * 

I had a lovely month apart from this MURDER happening in my block of flats, which has been very scary.  Pictures and film of my balcony and kitchen window have been all over local newspapers and TV news.  I have new found respect for the police, who have been here round the clock for the past week collecting evidence and well, I don't really know what else because they don't tell me, but I did see them emptying the bins which was pretty grim.

I hope you've had a lovely (and not as dramatic as mine) month too!?

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Things I Loved This Month, August 2014.

This month I've loved, 

* Chocolate brownies * My nieces first birthday, she is getting so big and clever, she can say 'Susie' now, but has only done it once in front of me! * overtime at work * booking tickets to go to Legoland next month * takeaway curry * watching Primeval, Doctor Who, Great British Bake Off, Melissa and Joey * tidying my little house * taking part in Make do and Mend hour on Twitter - fun! * bargain dresses * baths with lush bath bombs * crochet skulls * my boyfriend getting a new job * seeing Guardians of the Galaxy at the new big Imax cinema by me, I love Groot * new house plants * my heating breaking but only costing £45 to fix * sleep * gardening * my mum helping me put a new shower curtain up, after the old one fell down and hit me on the head repeatedly about 10 months ago! * my mum buying me a tiny pink eraser in the shape of a hamster * coming home to a bunch of flowers and my tea being made for me (vegan wellington, roast potatoes and peas), the croissants the next morning, I have a very nice boyfriend! * having a good appraisal thingy at work * making vegan cheese and onion crisps * meeting up with my Rainbow Guides ladies * finding a conker * seeing The Wind Rises at the cinema * really good homemade flatbreads! * Bank holiday * spicy bean burgers and chips at the pub * payday * books I requested coming in at work * seeing Wicked at the theatre, it was amazing, amazing, amazing!  I have listened to the soundtrack about 30 times since seeing it last Thursday! (which I'm sure my neighbours love!) * 

What have you loved this month? 

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Things I Loved This Month, July 2014.

This month I've loved, 

* crisps and lemonade in the pub * new books * bacon crisps * doing lots and lots of overtime at work, loads of extra pennies! * watching Serenity, Dr Horrible's Sing a Long Blog, Robin Hood, Whip it, The 100 * sleep * eating at the new ethnic buffet restaurant in town, yum! * hogwarts t shirt * my colleague buying me a nice new yellow glass to use for my drinks at work * mega lie ins * ice lollies * fans * curry at mums * buying a staple gun * chocolate penguins * fresh bed sheets * fresh pretzels * crochet * pompom makers * my niece, who is one next month, she walks now and says helpful works like 'up' 'down' and 'drink' (and 'turtle'!), she is a clever, scampish, lovely child! * payday (I'm aiming to save £5000 by the end of the year, and this month I passed the £4000 mark, very pleased with myself!) * skyping * charity shopping * my boyfriend makes yummy vegan cheese for pizzas! * a customer at work saying 'I like your dress, you wear a different beautiful dress every day, you look lovely.' (blush!) how nice! * reading on the sofa * booking cinema tickets to see The Wind Rises and Guardians of the Galaxy * listening to the Wicked soundtrack, in preparation for seeing the musical next month! * 

Hope you've had a lovely month too? 

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Things I Loved this Month, June 2014.

This month I've loved, 

* Library makeovers * BBQs * icing * pretzels * crafty shopping * broccoli pasta * new house plants * finishing watching up to series 7 of Doctor Who and finishing Firefly too * my little niece, she is 10 months and 23 pounds now, she says moo and bites toes!  She is purely lovely (In the middle photo of my collage above you can see niece-let and boyfriend playing nicely in the library, aren't they cute!) * reading Boys Don't Knit and Campari for Breakfast * having a big tidy out of my flat, 10 bags for the charity shop, a bit for ebay and countless bags of recycling.  I feel a lot better for it, although there's still more to do! * pancakes * pizza dinner party * new phone * watching Made in Chelsea, New Girl, Neighbours, The Big Bang Theory and The Hobbit 2 * drinks and eatings with friends * buying vintage dresses * listening to The Beatles, Norah Jones, Eddi Reader, 10 Things I Hate About You soundtrack * booking my birthday trip to Hogwarts!!!!! EEeeep! *

Hope you've had a lovely month too?!

Things I Loved this Month, May 2014.

This month I've loved,

* lie ins * mending my clothes * new hair cut * BRAZIL! Catching up with my friend, Botanical Gardens, seeing 3 toucans, monkeys, hummingbirds, yummy food, markets and seeing lots of beautiful, jungle-y views * being home again and sleeping in my own little bed * sausage sandwich * my 1 year anniversary with my lovely boyfriend * lego * Doctor Who Series 7 * lush baths * takeaway curry * reading The Shadow of the Wind and The Hen Who Dreamed she could Fly * nice new posh pub in town * pay day * wool and trainers and DVDs in the post * my lovely little niece, who is growing 4 teeth at once, says diddy when she wants her dummy, is sooo tall, and soo clever! * tidy bedroom * 

Hope you've had a lovely month too?!

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