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Beth Sandland

Life Update: Summer in a Nutshell

09/02/2018 · DEAR DIARY, LIFESTYLE

 

Life update: summer in a nutshell, Shere, The Holiday village, pretty surrey villages, Surrey village, Cuckoo corner shere, Newlands Corner, wild flowers Life update: summer in a nutshell, Shere, The Holiday village, pretty surrey villages, Surrey village, Cuckoo corner shere, Newlands Corner, wild flowers, black and white portrait

 

Is Summer officially over? I’m not sure. I’m trying to tell myself that the cut off point is when you have to start wearing forty denier tights again – dealing with the inevitable knee-height hanging crotch and ladders from ankle to arse – but I have a sneaking suspicion that really, the end of August signifies the death of summer. Am I ready to welcome Autumn? Uhhh…well I’m already a bit bored of the glorification of knitted jumpers (itchy), pumpkins (who ever actually makes something edible with the leftover pulp?) and bonfire night (a celebration centred around a terrorist who tried to blow up the government, just saying). I’m not quite in mourning of the Summer months yet, but I’m not ready to jump on the ‘lets skip around in orange leaves in chunky knits’ crew either.

You may have noticed that I haven’t posted on my blog for a while, which was an active choice. I felt I was neglecting it a little and so I decided to take all of August off of publishing and focus solely on brainstorming new ideas, drafting without the pressure to actually post and just generally allow myself some headspace. I’m back and will have a new post every Sunday and Wednesday for the foreseeable future!

So here’s a little summer roundup. A life update, as it were. The highs and lows from June to August in my little world. Well, first of all, June. I finished my final university exam at the end of May and so the first of June officially marked my first ever day as a real life adult, thrust fully into the world of work. Better still, self-employment. Although technically I’ve been my own boss for about a year, I finally don’t have a degree to stress about simultaneously and that’s both terrifying and a relief in equal measure. I think doing a degree whilst running my own business gave me firstly, a safety net – I could use exams and school work as an excuse – and secondly, made me look a bit great (doing both at once). Now? Well holy shit, now I really do have to make it on my own.

 

Life update: summer in a nutshell, Shere, The Holiday village, pretty surrey villages, Surrey village, Cuckoo corner shere

 

In June I won the Blogosphere ‘Lifestyle Blogger of the Year’ award and honestly, I’m still giving my glass trophy a weekly polish. I fear this is beginning to sound like one of those ‘look how great our family is’ newsletters middle-class parents send out every Christmas, but it really was one of my proudest achievements to date so far. In other news, I spent a weekend in Brighton with some of my best friends and their male counterparts and it was just perfect. Sorry for sounding like a smug bastard. It’s just – honestly – the thought of going away with a big group has always filled me a little bit with dread because you see, I am Monica. And Monica often struggles in large social situations when the washing up isn’t done and someone’s sicking on the rental rug. Life and soul, I know. In reality, the trip was exactly what you’d imagine a dreamy weekend away with some of your favourite people would be: everyone got along swimmingly, we laughed until our faces nearly fell off and equally shared the domestic workload so nobody felt out of joint. God, it was fun. September Beth is dying to go back to those hazy, lazy, early Summer days. *Moody Jon Snow voice* Winter is coming.

Then in July, well July, I graduated. My three years at uni were tough and graduating was a bittersweet experience. I was so relieved to have gained my degree and to have a small moment to celebrate myself for doing so, but I also felt a bit weird because I didn’t have a big group of life-long friends to celebrate it with. Actually, I felt quite alone. I think in all honesty a part of that is a symptom of the environment my university created and another was that my turmoil with my mental health in first year stopped me from really living the life and making the friends that may have been there for me. Nonetheless, I was fucking beaming as I walked across the stage and collected a certificate for a 2:1 in a degree I thought I might drop out of, my closest family watching proudly from the gallery. After, we filled up on Italian food and it gave me a good excuse to drink prosecco every day for a week. 

 

Life update: summer in a nutshell, Shere, The Holiday village, pretty surrey villages, Surrey village, Cuckoo corner shere Life update: summer in a nutshell, Shere, The Holiday village, pretty surrey villages, Surrey village, Cuckoo corner shere, Emu sandals

 

Post-graduation I had a bit of a ‘wow, this is really it’ realisation which came with both pride that here I am managing my own time and running my own business, and total overwhelming fear that I’d find a way to fuck it up, or that maybe I just wasn’t good enough and should’ve taken a more conventional route. As a blogger (don’t make me call myself an ‘influencer’), income comes in peaks and pits depending on the season and campaigns are largely dated around consumer spending habits. July was bloody great. Summer campaigns are in their prime, new product launches are around every corner and everyone’s purse strings loosen a little as the weather heats up and the Pimms slows. August? September? Slower. All of a sudden Christmas doesn’t seem that far away and everyone is mildly panicking about saving every penny they have for Christmas; brands and consumers alike. Ah, Christmas. My local Tesco already has tins (they’re actually now plastic tubs which I’m quite peeved about because a) smaller capacity and b) what else is your granny supposed to give you cake in for the next 3 years?) of Quality Street stacked up and when I popped into an interiors store at the weekend they had decorations on sale. *Shudder*. 

I took a week off in August. An actual week off. I logged out of Instagram, I put an out of office on for the first time in forever and I couldn’t recommend it more wholeheartedly. I’m planning to publish a post soon about my week off-grid and off-gram, but essentially I hid away in a Shepherd’s Hut in south Devon, barely charged my phone and woke up every morning to a view across Dartmoor national park. It was exactly what my soul needed. That slower pace of life, time spent surrounded by nothing but nature and a reminder of all the homely luxuries we are so graced with, as we attempted to light a gas oven with a stick and had a freezing outdoor shower. True story. I promise it was fun though. For the first time in a long time I returned home feeling as though I’d actually had a holiday, rather than needing another one. 

 

Life update: summer in a nutshell, Shere, The Holiday village, pretty surrey villages, Surrey village, Cuckoo corner shere, water off a ducks back, duckling Life update: summer in a nutshell, Shere, The Holiday village, pretty surrey villages, Surrey village, Cuckoo corner shere, Newlands Corner, wild flowers

 

Well, that is until I got a cold. In August. I’ve been watching Grey’s Anatomy for the first time this summer, so I know it’s not much to complain about (who remembers the guy who had an actual tree stuck in him?) but it’s thrown me off my game. A snotty nose and a sore throat I can cope with, but I’ve found that my motivation has dwindled and my get up and go has got up and gone. As soon as I battle to climb out of bed in the morning, it has a knock on effect on my mental health. I start saying no to things, doubting myself and cancelling plans, but I’m determined not to be that version of myself again. I really struggle with a lack of direction or routine, so in a way I’m glad it’s September because I’m trying to channel some of that back to school mentality (helllooo new stationery) and embark on project: Get Shit Together. Wish me luck. Anyhow, that’s where I’m at. I’m off to Bali in a week (don’t hate me) and I can already feel happy tears welling at the thought. I’m determined to make September just as much of a ‘new year’ as it was when I was at school. In a way, I think it’s a much better time to make resolutions than in January when we’re all cold, broke and a little bit fat from many a day spent eating Quality Street and drinking Baileys for breakfast. 

 

Life update: summer in a nutshell, Shere, The Holiday village, pretty surrey villages, Surrey village, Cuckoo corner shere, Newlands Corner, ice blonde hair

Posted In: DEAR DIARY, LIFESTYLE

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Comments

  1. Michelle says

    09/04/2018 at 08:10

    Congratulations on winning that award — that is such an achievement. Also, I’m glad you’re back blogging, I do love your blog!

    Great post! x

    Michelle
    dressingwithstyle-s.com

    Reply

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I am a multi-award winning blogger, photographer and writer from London. I’ve travelled to over 38 countries, lived out of a backpack for a year and love to scuba dive! This site is a destination for all things travel, lifestyle and my successful online book club.

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Weekend plans right here! Popped some extra essent Weekend plans right here! Popped some extra essentials - paperbacks and a creme egg (okay, a 10 pack) - in the trolley today. Have you read any of these titles? Homemade pizza, 0% beer and ‘Cardinal’, a scandi-noir esque detective drama set in Canada (iPlayer), is how our Friday night is shaping up. What about you? 📚 @bethsbookclub_ #BethsBookClub
In this moment, I know you better than anyone else In this moment, I know you better than anyone else possibly can. That might not always be the case; you’ll have adventures that are far bigger than me. You’ll meet people who literally change your life. You’ll walk paths that I haven’t trodden and you will be your very own unique individual. Soon we will be two separate people, but for now, we are one. My world revolves around you and for you, for now, I am your world. 🤍✨
Ad: WARMING GINGER, CHILLI & LEMONGRASS CHICKEN NO Ad: WARMING GINGER, CHILLI & LEMONGRASS CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP RECIPE 🍜💓🥰 
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A hug in a bowl from the inside out, this steaming bowl of sweet and sour broth is the perfect warmer for a moody January day. Taking care of yourself - here in a winter lockdown - is more important now than ever. It’s healthy, fresh and ultra comforting and all the ingredients are easily picked up at @waitroseandpartners during your weekly shop.
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Serves: 4
🌶: Medium heat (warm rather than hot) - add more or less chilli oil to taste!
🥬: Vegan version: skip the chicken, make the broth as is then add peeled and chopped veggies of your choosing instead of the shredded poached chicken.
⏰: 10 mins prep, 90 mins cook time
👩🏻‍🍳: Ease level: foolproof!
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Hit the SAVE button for later! Who’s going to give it a go? #AtHomeWithWaitrose
Tuesday shelfie! About as exciting a caption as we Tuesday shelfie! About as exciting a caption as we’re gonna manage today, on what feels like day 72 of January. If you’re feeling a little spruce up there are 35 neutral homeware pieces for under £30 in a new blog post - link in bio! 🤍
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Everything tagged! Paint is Farrow & Ball Setting Plaster. Shelves are Funky Chunky Furniture. And that’s my lovely dried wedding bouquet 🥰
Nursery pending 👶🏼🌈🎨 I’ve hated this Nursery pending 👶🏼🌈🎨 I’ve hated this room for the last year. After our first loss it completely taunted me and I couldn’t bring myself to do anything with it other than use it as a giant Monica cupboard. It’s been called so many things - ‘the middle room’, ‘the spare room’, it even stayed as ‘Emily’s room’ for a long time after our lodger moved out - but now we finally call it the baby’s room 🥰🤍 #week28 #thirdtrimester #nurserydecoration #pregnancyafterloss
Week 27: extra hormonal, everything is stretching, Week 27: extra hormonal, everything is stretching, bub is the size of a cauliflower in this bizarre compare babies to fruit & veg game...👶🏼🥦🌈
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😭 Hormonal wreck: I haven’t really had mood swings at all throughout pregnancy but oh my goodness have the hormones got me good this week. There have been tears. And hysterical sobbing. Sorry husband.
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🏀 Basketball belly: the stretch is real! My uterus is now firmly up under my ribs and I swear I can feel them slowly pulling apart. I cried when I sneezed - “it’s like someone STABBED me” (see point 1). Everything feels very round and my old belly piercing scar is not thrilled about life...
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👈🏼 Still an innie: ....just. It’s more like a saucer where it was once a cereal bowl.
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🦒 All the cute things: we’ve decided on a neutral safari themed nursery. Says the person who hates themes.
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💸 “But they’re so small...😭”: I’m officially on a tiny clothes shopping ban. I’ve rinsed eBay and some lovely small brands (and the Zara sale) and I get an eye roll every time I smuggle a new parcel into the nursery.
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🥴 Tasting everything 6 times over: Hi reflux.
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📖 Reading: Your Baby, Your Birth by Hollie de Cruz is next on my bedside table.
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#27weekspregnant #pregnancyafterloss #rainbowbaby #secondtrimester 
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Two things in life that you just can’t have too Two things in life that you just can’t have too much of: books and tea. My survival tools! ☕️📖💫
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Here are 3 titles I’ve read recently (and rated 5/5 - I’m a harsh critic) that are perfect if you need a pick me up or some escapism...
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1. The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley: an old man leaves a notebook in a cafe for a stranger to find telling his ‘truth’ and challenging them to do the same. The catalyst for a web of unusual friendships and genuine, warm characters...
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2. Educated by Tara Westover: a memoir that reads a little like a fiction depicting Tara’s life growing up in a strict Mormon family in Idaho with a survivalist father who is battling undiagnosed mental illness. They don’t believe in formal education or medicine and any form of governance is the work of the Illuminati. Covers some heavy themes (tw: abuse) and is extremely interesting and engaging.
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3. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams: sometimes laugh out loud funny, sometimes poignantly sad, Queenie is a vivacious twenty-something growing up as a black woman in an ever gentrifying south London. A crap boyfriend, covert racism and a battle with anxiety paint a backdrop whilst she navigates daily life. It’s excellent!
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Hit save for later or tag someone who needs some reading inspo 📚 What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
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Join/follow: @bethsbookclub_ 🥰
Love a good wedding-stalk? In it for the pics? Wha Love a good wedding-stalk? In it for the pics? What to know *exactly* what a teeny tiny BIG day of just 4 guests might actually look like? Link in bio 👰🏻💓
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Photos:  @victoriasomersethowphotography 
Hair: @whiteman.soho 
Make up: Keeley Wilson MUA
Flowers: @emmahewlettfloraldesign 
Dress: ASOS
Plant mom 🌿✌🏼 ⠀ Monty the monstera is go Plant mom 🌿✌🏼
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Monty the monstera is going to start eating dentists soon. My top tips for a super healthy swiss cheese plant -
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🌱 A lovely bright spot away from direct sun (not a problem in winter) and radiators.
🌱 Intuitive watering: stick your finger in and water when the top 2” of the soil are dry, rather than to a set schedule. The amount needed depends on your plant (I use around 700ml approx every 10 days) but make sure you’ve got good drainage!
🌱 Every now and again I like to put it in the garden when it’s raining (in the spring/summer) or under the shower. Rain is best if possible as hard tap water can cause mineral build up on the soil.
🌱 Moss pole! Train it to grow upwards with a strong pole and ties.
🌱 Wipe dust off the leaves (shower also does this) and use a spritz bottle regularly.
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If it’s looking sad it’s probably an issue with water or light! #urbanjungle #monsteramonday
26 weeks: mini diary 🤍 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 26 weeks: mini diary 🤍
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With less than 2 weeks until the final trimester I thought I’d try and document weekly, as much for me to look back on. This photo is already a week old and I seem to be growing by the day!
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What’s the crack this week?...
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😴 Sleepy AF: A new wave of exhaustion has hit. It makes sense - babies generally double their weight between 24-28 wks. I’ve started going to bed earlier/falling asleep at 9pm in front of Bridgerton.
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🤧 Pelvic floor: Sneezing brings ALL the fear!
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🐙 Movement: I saw my belly move from the outside like a scene from Alien for the first time. At bed time it feels like a small octopus is doing the Macarena in my uterus. It’s still the most magical feeling in the world.
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👶🏼 Prep: The pram arrived this week! We ordered it in a brilliant Silver Cross sale. I was feeling a bit flat about the loss of that ‘pram shopping with my bump’ experience due to lockdown but putting it together made me happy - it’s so beautiful! And so surreal - we own a pram!
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📖 Reading: The Positive Birth Book by @milli.hill. It puts across all options in a clear, non-judgey, humorous way and has made me think of things I’d never heard of. It’s also the first time I’ve understood what a birth plan might physically look/read like.
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🧘🏼‍♀️ Hypnobirthing: I’ve started to feel more nervous about the birth (not the actual act or the pain, rather fears I won’t share as don’t want to project) but we’re starting hypnobirthing online next week which I’m looking forward to!
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👯‍♀️ Following: @birth_ed, @takingcarababies, @mixing.up.motherhood are accounts that are bringing joy/invaluable info.
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#26weeks #rainbowbaby🌈 #secondtrimester #pregnancyafterloss
I loved being a pregnant bride. Often a baby is a I loved being a pregnant bride. Often a baby is a reason to delay or speed up a wedding (lots assumed that was the case for us, but it wasn’t!) and is generally seen as perhaps spoiling things a little. It’s totally fine if you do feel that way, but for us it made it extra magical. It felt totally right to have our little bub between us as we exchanged vows and I was happy to embrace the bump in my dress. I still chose exactly the look and fit I wanted and wore the sparkly heels and in a way, I found trying dresses on much lower pressure as I wasn’t worrying about my figure. Perhaps the biggest difference was staying sober and the fact that we had a tiny wedding with a fancy lunch rather than a party probably made this a lot easier. I raised a toast with our four guests but beyond that, I didn’t have any inclination to drink anyway. Bonus - a great nights sleep and no hangover! 🥂👰🏻
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Photographer: @victoriasomersethowphotography
Dress: ASOS
Box fresh kicks ready to explore [from the bedroom Box fresh kicks ready to explore [from the bedroom to the kitchen, to the loo...aaand repeat]...at least they’ll stay clean 🥴☕️
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Type into browser: https://rstyle.me/cz-n/ewjdwzcbq2x (junior size 🤑 if under a UK 5.5)
AD: Pregnancy has given me a lot of time to reflec AD: Pregnancy has given me a lot of time to reflect on my relationship with alcohol over the last year. 🍸 I flitted between giving it up when pregnant or for fertility purposes, then using it as an emotional crutch in loss which made me more anxious and restless. This time - now 6 months pregnant - I haven’t had a drink since August and have been really pleasantly surprised by how little I’ve missed it, even over the festive season. I’m not into vilifying booze; I enjoy a couple of drinks and even the feeling of lowered inhibitions and being tipsy. But I know that even post-pregnancy and the other-side of the hazy newborn/breastfeeding days, I’ll try and maintain a far more positive relationship with alcohol which for me, looks like indulging lightly and occasionally.
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Having access to brilliant alcohol-free alternatives makes this significantly easier. My favourite gin distillers, Salcombe Gin, are behind the @NewLondonLight; a 0% spirit that doesn’t compromise on taste. So whether you’re pregnant, doing Dry January or simply attempting to live lighter, you can still enjoy a Sunday evening tipple. How do you feel about the alcohol free movement?
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Get 20% off with code ‘NLL20Beth’ 🍊 #NewLondonLight #LiveLightNLL #NLL
Top 5 Books I read in 2020 ☕️ ~
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Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens: totally captivating, unusual and enchanting. I literally devoured this one!
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Queenie, Candice Carty-Williams: as well as being laugh out loud funny, Queenie is also an education. A must read on what it’s like to be a young black woman growing up in London. Also tackles mental health really well!
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The Flatshare, Beth O’Leary: I recommend this to anyone who just really needs a hug from a genuinely enjoyable book. It’s warm and lovely but offers depth well beyond your usual chick lit too.
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Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi: this novel is such a triumph! Spanning over 300 years from pre-colonial Ghana to present day USA, each chapter follows a new character in the lineage of two sisters. One sold to slavery, the other married to an English coloniser. It’s sweepingly powerful and incredibly well written. I could’ve read an entire book on each character!
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A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman: Ove was the very first book I read in 2020 and it stuck with me throughout the year. At its most basic, it’s the story of a cantankerous old man. Delve a little deeper and it’s funny, heartbreaking and incredibly heartwarming. I just love Ove!
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Hit the ‘save’ button to come back to this list when you’re in need of a good read! What were your books of the year? 📚
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PS. If more reading, less scrolling is one of your 2021 goals too then don’t forget you can come and join us at @bethsbookclub_ 😎
2 0 2 1: the year of you 🕊🤍
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Happy new year saucepots! We had an ultra rock n’ roll night (read our books in bed then watched the midnight fireworks - that was a nice surprise! - on a phone before falling promptly to sleep...) and today is all about a long walk, a longer bath, books and tea. And obviously starting a new diary because isn’t fresh stationary the best thing about a new year?!
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Are you setting New Years’ resolutions? I prefer a bit of reflection and mindset shifting. This year it’s all about setting firm positive boundaries, protecting my energy and saying no to things/people that don’t serve that. I like the new year, not for the ‘new me’ noise but rather as a chance to let go and embrace a fresh beginning again. ⚡️☕️
As far as NYE outfits go, I’m not mad about this As far as NYE outfits go, I’m not mad about this one...🐻🥂 I hope you’re all well and excited to bid farewell to 2020. I know the clock striking midnight doesn’t fundamentally change anything but I’m hopeful that we can look forward with more optimism. I always find the turn of the year really emotionally complex. I’m not even going to attempt to unpack this last one other than to rejoice that even amongst the lowest of lows there have been highs. My beloved Nan won’t see the new year, which is hard to contemplate. I also married my best friend. This time last year I was miserable on the sofa, a day after surgery for our first miscarriage and wishing I could press pause on life. Tonight I’m still on the sofa, but full and at peace rather than empty and grieving, looking forward. For us, 2021 will see the birth of our little cub so it’s one that I’m welcoming with open arms. So much can change in a year and I hope you can seek comfort in that. However you’re feeling tonight, I’ll raise my alco-free bubbles to you because you did it: you made it through one of the toughest years in history. Brighter days are coming ☀️💓
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