Getting That Degree

It has taken me a while to write this post because I have been too busy enjoying my freedom!

After five years I have finally handed in my final piece and will be graduating later this year which I am thrilled about!

It has been a long old slog to get here but it has been so worth it. I will now be the proud owner of a degree in English Literature, something that I always wanted to achieve. What is even better about it all is that I did it all for fun and have no plans to use it in anything, I just wanted it for me!

Open University have been so great and I would highly recommend looking at using them if you want to get a degree part time. I have come out of it with no debt and with some government help I have actually only paid around £1000 for my degree over the course of five years which is such a good deal.

Yes it does take a long time and yes you do have to put the work in but if you want to keep working and study too it is ideal and has a workload that is manageable. It should have actually taken me six years, but I managed to get two done in one year so if you time it right you could get it done sooner too.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with all my spare time!

C x

New York Food Feature

Another New York installment on my YouTube channel, this time eating all of the food! We really did go to town!

Click the picture to link through!

Good News!

I took a little look back through my old blog the other day and it was packed full of little posts with me just chatting which I don't seem to do anymore. This is a little chatty post though as I have news to share!

After 14 months of working in a temporary position at my job they have finally offered me a permanent place here! Which is all I ever wanted really! To have found a job where I don't mind coming in every day, I don't mind the hour 20 commute and I get on with my boss is just incredible and I wanted to hang on to that with both hands.

Now I finally feel like I can relax and not worry every few months if they will be able to keep me on. I have made some really great relationships here as well and to not have seen these people every day just would have been awful.

I will now be an Operations Assistant, helping to look after the day to day running of the school and all the behind the scenes bits that keep it running. This will enable me to learn about Estates, HR, Lettings, Catering, Health & Safety and will add a huge string to my bow.

Things are looking very sunshiney for me indeed!

C x

Recipe - Party Ring Biscuits

Sunday biscuit time! Recipe makes a whole heap of biscuits with a crunch, and who doesn't love pink icing! Perfect for making and keeping in a jar to sneak one every time you walk past.

Click on picture to link through:

C x

Recipe - Coconut Ice

Sticky, pink and coconuty, this sweet treat is perfect for keeping in the fridge and sneaking a piece or two every time. So simple to make and it only requires three ingredients and some chilling time!

Let's get started:

Ingredients

250g condensed milk
250g icing sugar
250g unsweetened desiccated coconut
couple of drops of pink food colouring

Method to the Madness

Mix the condensed milk, icing sugar and coconut in a bowl

Until you get a dough...

Separate out into two equal balls and press one lump into a square 20cm tin lined with greased cling film

Add a few drops of pink food colouring

And layer on top of the white mixture, using the back of a spoon to smooth out the top

Leave in the fridge to set, preferably overnight. Once set cut into bite-sized chunks and marvel in it's pretty pinkness!

 

Enjoy!

C x

Isle of Wight

As I am sure most of you know I work at a school in the Operations side of things, so although I have contact with the pupils most days they are slightly removed from my every day role. Last week however I was offered a chance to go on a school trip to the Isle of Wight.

I haven't been on a school trip since I was in secondary school so coming up a good fifteen years, so I jumped at the chance to go on an activities holiday and run around like a big kid!

I have no idea what I was thinking! The difference between being a child on a school trip and being the adult responsible for those children is a whole different matter. I have so much respect for all teachers for having to look after children on a daily basis because it is just exhausting!

You have to be switched on 24/7, as the welfare and safety of the kids is the most important thing. I mean it was just a constant soundtrack of 'Miss Hewitt, Miss Hewitt, Miss Hewitt'. 'Miss Hewitt, how does this work?' 'Miss Hewitt, when is lunch?' 'Miss Hewitt, what time is it?' I fell asleep every night to the white noise of this.

Do you know what though it was really worth it. I now have 11 new best friends, and a whole experience that I wouldn't have dreamed of.

On arrival to our cabins we got straight into the activities, which I continued to take part in over the 3 days we were there.

We went hunting on the beach for crabs and tried to rock climb.....

I took part in the Cat Walk, what felt like a death defying tightrope trip, at some height. My smile here is not genuine....

This one is because I came back down to earth....

I drew the line at the trapeze though, and although I attempted abseiling I just couldn't convince myself that throwing myself backwards over a 35ft drop was a good idea, so I had to climb back down the stairs. You really are fearless when you are younger, but it soon disappears!

The weather was glorious, which was such a relief as the forecast had said rain all week and it's always much nicer outside when you don't end up soggy!

I honestly had the best time despite the fact I was dead on my feet by the end of the week and I love that I had the opportunity to go.

C x

Broccoli, Walnut and Stilton Tart

One of my favourite things to eat is tart. Savoury or sweet, I do love a filling in a pastry case. Try this easy and tasty tart which is perfect for lunch paired with a salad.

Click the picture to link through to the video. 

C x

New York Video

The first installment of our trip to New York a couple of years ago! We had such a good time and I love filming our trips away, it is going to be brilliant to look back in years to come and remember.

Click the picture below to link through!

A Day Trip to Oxford

As it is the bank holiday weekend what better time than to take a little jaunt out of London to Oxford. I have never been before. When I was growing up I always wanted to go to Oxford University to study English but that just never worked out so instead I contented myself with a lovely day wandering around and looking at the beautiful buildings.

We took the Oxford Tube down from London and arrived early afternoon. We had such a lovely walk through the streets admiring all the architecture. It is such a shame that a lot of the interiors are off limits as I can only imagine how stunning they are.

This is a very picture heavy post so grab a cup of tea and have a scroll!

 

After we has our fill of everything  we could see we followed a tip on a pub and we were not disappointed. Hidden down an alleyway 'The Turf Tavern' is a perfect little hideaway with a very good pub grub menu and plenty of seating and some fire pits. The courtyard is framed with original mid 13th century city walls. I would highly recommend visiting if you are in Oxford.

 

 

We honestly has the nicest day. It was lovely to do something different and get some fresh air over the bank holiday weekend.

I hope you had a lovely Easter.

C x 

March Favourites

Can you believe that it is the end of March already? The spring sunshine is trying desperately to make an appearance and now that the clocks have gone back it feels that we are well on our way. Here's a list of my favourites this month!

Music

A couple of songs for you this month - I've realised that Youtube videos are not working from mobile versions of this blog so instead click the artist to link through to the video.  I have just discovered Honne after being told by a friend I should take a listen and Years & Years are just filling my ears with happy sounds.

Honne - Warm on a Cold Night

Years & Years - Real (Original Mix)

Fashion

Can you believe that I haven't really been shopping at all! As I've been losing weight recently I realised that there really wasn't too much point in buying new clothes when the goal is to drop a dress size or two. I did however pick up this maxi dress in the hope that Summer is just round the corner! I love a good maxi dress and I like that this one has a little sleeve even more.

Dorothy Perkins - £16

Home

It is my birthday in a week and my wonderful parents allowed me to open a present early when I popped down to visit them last weekend. They had got me this perfect Stand Mixer which goes beautifully in the kitchen and with its 'Walls Ice-cream' theme is so very retro.

Another early birthday present! This beautiful GIANT mixing bowl. It is just the kind of thing that I love and looks brilliant on display although I am definitely running out of counter space....

Food

Bit of a random one but I just have to put it in here! Leigh bought me a Caramel collection Easter egg this year because, you know, Cara-mel..... Anyway in this Easter egg there happened to contain the single most delicious chocolate bar I have ever tasted. Why on earth have I never tried this before?! Its all over for me. I don't like chocolate but I think I finally get why everyone else likes it if they feel the way about normal chocolate as I do about this:

 Life

This month I have been doing what I should always have been whilst living in London. Being a little bit cultural!

I went to see Die Zauberflote at the Royal Opera House, and attended a showing of Swan Lake the following week via the Live Cinema Screenings that the Royal Opera House organise. It was actually a refreshing way to view the Ballet, for one who cannot afford the stall seats this was such a good way to really see the show. This weekend I went to see 'My Night with Reg' which was fantastic and I laughed the whole way through. I also took my seat in a Choir performance of Handel's Messiah that my friend lent her voice too. It is things like this that I will look back on and think 'At least I made the most of living in this city!'

 Die Zauberflote

Swan Lake

 My Night with Reg

Choir performance

Yet again quite a small favourites post this month but I suppose it makes a difference as I didn't post one for January or February!

C x