So I suspect that I wont be fitting in that blue dress, not likely. I haven’t had the time to do Nanowrimo. I wish I did, but it has been rather a strange November. Maybe next year I will be able to do it. But small steps I suppose. I am doing my best to try to make the time to write. Even if it is taking a while. I don’t think I’ve written much at all for fun, I suspect the truth might be nothing at all.

Do I get bonus points for doing the other half’s wrapping too?

 

24/7 Goals:

1. Do Nanowrimo
2. Write The Diary of Elliot Parker (4)
3. Draft up book 2 of The Big Project
4. Re-edit book 1 of The Big Project
5. Edit book 2 of The Big Project
6. Learn to drive
7. See a West End show
8. Complete at least one of the tattoos
9. Improve on last year’s site views
10. Keep learning guitar
11. Create and keep a manageable writing schedule
12. Look for/find an agent for The Big Project
13. Finish the cable knit jumper
14. Start and finish a cross stitch project
15. Win the lotto jackpot
16. Keep growing hair out
17. Keep doing daily positive aspects
18. Complete at least one minor savings goal
19. Have Christmas wrapped up before October 31^st
20. Read around 12 books at least over the year for fun…
21. Be more time efficient, come up with a better schedule.
22. Fit into the blue dress again and go somewhere to celebrate it
23. Begin writing the next big project for the site
24. Enjoy 2018 as much as possible, be happy at every chance!!!!

6/7 goals complete!

So time for the low down on what happened on Halloween.

I didn’t really feel my best, I felt bloated and fat in everything I tried on, so I decided to wear leggings and I instantly felt way more comfortable. I wore my blue birthday dress which had room in it for dinner. Sure it wasn’t “the blue dress” that I have been trying to fit into. I got my nails done and they were a nice matte navy colour. My hair wouldn’t behave at all. it ended up being tied into a simple ponytail and adding a few flowers, no idea how it actually looked. But I wear pony tails practically everyday.

So the morning didn’t really go to plan. But the trains were running perfectly on time for us, we got in to London early. We went and saw the fantastic beasts wands outside St Paul’s cathedral. I hate to say this, but it wasn’t quite what my other half and I thought it would look, it didn’t live up to our expectations, but chocolate moochi balls from wasabi made up for that… Turns out we really like them.

So, as nicely as we both were dressed, we definitely felt like we stuck out like a sore thumb when we reached the Savoy, very out of place. But I think some of that might have been a bit from the morning of not feeling great. But that being said, we had an amazing evening. The building is beautiful and grand but that is nothing compared to how amazing the food tasted.

The meal started with an amuse bouche of a lamb croquette, gorgeous! So delicouse. The staff were so amazing and attentive, they really were incredible. The starter, we both got the same, a seafood raviolo with lobster vinaigrette and tomato (fondue? or something like that), truly amazing and delicious. Oh did I mention the bread basket, the bread was so gorgeous, warm and so perfect. So mains, the other half had steak (which was delicious) and I had pork cheeks with mashed potato and pickled turnip. Turns out I don’t like pickled turnip. But the side order of chips were delicious but I didn’t love the mushroom side simply because I don’t like basil, and it had basil oil on but aside from that it was delicious. Oh but pudding… Spiced apple Eton mess. PERFECTION, I could have that again in a heartbeat. So beautiful. If I could eat any meal again it would be that one.

The show, The Phantom of the Opera, well that was incredible, the cast were great, I really loved the way Christine wasn’t the “weak” character, neither was Raoul, they were played in a way that was refreshing, strong, protective. The other half and I however found that the Phantom was very over emotional for us. I think for me, the Phantom however bruised and broken he is, is a very strong character. I think Ramin Karimloo will always be my Phantom, and that’s ok, but it is also a very big bench mark.

Halloween was an incredible night, I loved it and it was the best way to have a last blow out date for the year.

November news?

Well, I’ve mostly been at work, but there has been some semi-reprieve.

There was the trip on Halloween since my last update, the post goes live next week. Safe to say it was a truly lovely evening. But there was some sadness.

My other half’s grandmother passed away and so we went to Yarmouth for the funeral, bittersweet, our last trip there was to celebrate her 90th birthday. From all the stories I have heard, she was a wonderful person. I really do hope that she is resting in peace now. I think she waited for that last day, a trip to the beach with her children, a goodbye and a peaceful passing, she was ready. It was a really beautiful ceremony.

I’ve got to be honest. I have done nearly nothing in terms of writing, which is the total opposite of nanowrimo. I managed to dye my hair red, as in cherry red kind of colour. I think not writing this month has been sheer laziness and finding excuses sadly. But then again at the moment the level of procrastination is horrific, I will find an excuse for almost any reason sadly. There is so much to do that I haven’t even bothered to try to make it more bite size chunks. Today is the first day that I have done any writing in a while.

It’s not even like I’m doing lots of knitting, which is my usual procrastinating activity.

Our heating’s been broken for a month now, we’re waiting on the parts for repairs and the guys who do it, hopefully next week that will change. Until then my blanket lasagna at bed time has gained some layers.

I don’t think there is much I can really update on. But be sure to check back soon. I have every hope that I can write more about exciting things for next months update.

So Darling Daughters is OUT NOW , so for those of you wanting to get your hands on the ending… here is the link for Darling Daughters!  OUT NOW!

The Diary of Elliot Parker  Ninety-One to One hundred and Twenty!  OUT NOW!!!

Or if you want the whole collection in one neat and tidy book, here is the link for the Complete Collection! OUT NOW!!!!! 

Nothing changes here in terms of throwing plugs in for my amazon books on my author page… I haven’t lost my hope just yet.

May luck and adventure be on your side!

ARA

xxx

Ok So you all know I knit, I write and I dabble with cooking…

I am very very hap-hazard with cooking. To be honest I don’t follow a recipe properly, I tend to dabble and I rarely measure anything or agree with so called serving suggestion quantities. My idea of portion control is laughable… Could be how I fail all my diets.

But I am wondering about new hobbies, like things that I could learn.

Learning to crochet wouldn’t be a far jump from knitting I guess. I could start with a super simple blanket maybe? I’ve always wanted to learn crochet, or at least understand it, without getting a headache. I mean I look at knitting patterns understand it and still end up confused with a headache and I’ve been doing that for maybe ten to twenty years at least.

I would love to be able to do lace, but it looks like even more of a headache, although I think it would be amazing. How many times have you looked at a piece of something lace and been like that is incredible, especially as it used to be something made by hand a long time ago.

Sure embroidery looks incredible, but I barely, rarely have the patience to do cross stitch and even then I don’t bother with fancy stitches or outlining… It always looks super weird when I try. I don’t think embroidery is for me.

I could learn something physical, learn to ice-skate properly… Sure I can go forward and smash into barriers because I still haven’t learned how to stop yet. But again, smashing into barriers hurts.

I could learn to dance, but I always feel like an elephant trying to do ballet super clumsily and squashing people. It doesn’t come naturally to me. AT ALL.

I could try running, but no. Just no. That is so not going to happen, I won’t even run for a bus. Which leads on to I wont ride a bike because its far too dangerous to ride a bike in Croydon.

I could try bird watching but like… outdoors means bugs… eww!

I could learn extreme coupon-ing but I am super lazy and that looks like a full time job and I feel like I have three…

I feel like every idea is met with an excuse or reason not to. For all of those except crocheting so maybe once I finish my current knitting projects and the ones that follow immediately after I could try learning to crochet something cute… Oh one day I want to make a teddy bear or something… one day…

The time is almost upon us!

So what gem am I about to write? Well, I’ve been feeling Christmassy since September. I completed and wrapped up all of my Christmas shopping in October, so well on schedule. Why start that early? Simple, it is cheaper, closer to the holidays things become more expensive and the winter months feel much much more expensive…

This weekend I will be doing my Fiancee’s Christmas wrapping for him… I am being paid in food so I don’t mind. But that is the thing I always forget, Christmas wrapping can make your back hurt and your patience run thin. I normally finish off all my Christmas wrapping early and end up in the lead up to Christmas doing my families wrapping for them, and it seems I now do the other halves too. I must be some kind of Christmas Elf.

But really, I encourage you all, who hate to think of Christmas until November or even December to begin your Christmas shopping earlier in the year, see how much money you can save and see just how many more things you can get up to in the lead up to Christmas or even in the sales with those paychecks no longer having to juggle the bills and the Christmas shop. It has saved me having to consider using credit cards or over spending in those winter months. Sure money is hardly a Christmas topic, but it will play a large part in what you are able to do.

I am a little Christmas coach/motivator/elf for the people around me.

The first thing I always suggest doing, write down a list of people you need Christmas cards for, and buy an extra 20 or so because you will forget someone… (Buy these in the January sales for bonus points and extra savings)

The second thing that can be done almost immediately after is write down all the people you have to buy Christmas gifts for. Next to their names give yourself a realistic budget of how much you can spend (or want to spend) on each person, total that up, re-evaluate. Shopping earlier in the year and keeping your eyes out all year round for Christmas gifts is a great way to see how much you can save…

January Sales Tip

Save roughly £100 or something like that earlier in the year, when the sales hit, use that to pick up a few Christmas presents cheaper than usual and put them away somewhere… I use a storage box and sort of hide it at the back of things so no one finds it, it’s a great way to stock up on things that can bulk up the Christmas gifts, buy with someone in mind and use it as a boost to their Christmas gifts as it wont be part of the budget (I recommend this method for your immediate family when it comes to sale shopping)

Plus if you save a little extra you might be able to snag that thing that you saw for yourself that you liked that no-one else brought you a bit cheaper…

 

Safe to say, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas when I hit poundland, buy a tonne of battery operated fairy lights and gift bags… My room is currently filled with Christmassy gift bags ready to go to their future homes… I have a love of fairy lights and safe to say battery operated is a lot easier and lighter than electric cables. Plus, Poundland is great for getting and making DIY Christmas stuff when you butcher the decorations and go all Frankenstien on them…

Oh during Halloween I also pick up their coloured fairy lights (they do red, orange, green or purple) I tend to go with purple but I found the orange ones really cute this year, So you could in theory have a room lit up all in purple or a Christmas tree or something if you are doing a specific colour scheme somewhere, it is a great bulky buy and takes 2 AA batteries. Oh as for the battery packs… I haven’t worked out how to make those “pretty” yet… so get good at hiding them.