Roll on pay day.

I can't be the only one who finds that January pay day sure does take a long time to come around. Here's some things I may be buying when January 30th finally rolls around.

Topshop Monti Boots I've been living in my cut out boots this winter but I'd like another pair. These look perfect as they're real leather and have a smaller heel than my current ones. If only they had a size 6 in stock.

Large Yankee Candle I had the small version of this before Christmas and it's a lovely scent. I thought this was a bargain for the large size for only £14.99. Will definitely be ordering this.

Topshop Stripe Top I'm not usually a Topshop fan because I think there items are overpriced but I really like the look of this top. You can never have too many stripes and I think this is a nice change because it's got green stripes instead of the usual navy/black.

Revlon Matte Balm (photo from ETC LLYMLRS) So I've seen these on a few blogs now and they definitely seem like the kind of product I would love. Moisturising and matte, sounds perfect. I think I have about £9.00 on my boots card so will be treating myself to one of these whenever my local store gets them. Just to decide which colour now.

When it comes to money I'm usually a saver. Also I'm currently still having driving lessons which really take a chunk out of my wages. But come pay day I'm not sure I'll be able to resist treating myself to a few bits. Reading blogs is definitely bad for my bank balance.

Details

Well today was my day off, so I spent it in the nicest way possible. A combination of laziness and actual leaving the house. Here are some details of my day.

I really don't know when I became a crazy cushion lady. I do realise that 8 cushions may be excessive but my bed is the cosiest place. I spent the morning in here with my kindle finishing my book and drinking tea. And to make you even more jealous I had my electric blanket on. Getting out of this bed was a bit of a struggle.

I popped into town with my sister for a little Pizza Hut buffet and a quick trip to the shops. Managed to get some bargains. The dress on the left was £2! The pink one wasn't in the sale but it's so pretty. The cord pinafore was £5 and will possibly be worn for work, even if I look like a 90s child in it.

Finished my day off getting wrapped up in my snuggly blanket accompanied with yet more tea. I then watched some comedy dvds and am now watching the Sport Relief Bake Off. I love the Bake Off although it always makes me need cake.

Today has been nice. Taking photos throughout my day made me realise how all the little things add up to a lovely day overall. Back to work tomorrow but I will definitely feel a bit more refreshed after a chilled day today.

Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014.

So that's it, another year over. 2013 wasn't a bad year for me, in fact I had some really lovely days during it. I managed to visit Dundee, centre parcs, Leeds a few times and Amsterdam. I got to see both Bastille and Bruce Springsteen live in great concerts. And I definitely became slightly braver in myself, going to London twice alone for work as well as starting my driving lessons. Despite all these good things happening I can't shake the feeling that the year was a bit 'meh' and that I didn't really achieve too much. This probably has something to do with the fact that it was my first full year out of education and in the world or work. The year felt a little stagnant if I'm honest. I didn't learn anything particularly new, I didn't challenge myself much and I'm still in a job that I find unrewarding. That being said I know that I'm lucky to have experienced nice things and that many people would have been grateful for the year I had.

It's with this in mind that I'm going to set myself some goals for the coming year. I've never been one for resolutions but I think that if I write something down then I may be more likely to stick to it.

Pass my driving test.
I've been having lessons for around 5 months now and still find the idea of driving pretty terrifying. I am getting better but roundabouts definitely still freak me out. Having passed my theory just last week I'm now more determined to make 2014 the year I am allowed run of the road on my own.

Travel.
Generic resolution right there but I do feel alive when I'm experiencing new places. I'd like to possibly go abroad as well as exploring the UK a little more. Preferably with good friends in tow.

Do something, anything, job wise.
I'd like to say that this year I will get the job of my dreams but since I don't have a clue what that might be, I may struggle. However I am determined to apply for new jobs or take a course in something that interests me. In an ideal world I would like to be out of my current job when December rolls around again because I'm not sure I could face another Christmas in retail.

Moan less.
I've always been a moaner (see first paragraph of this post for example) but in 2014 I'd like to be more positive. Recently a family friend told me that whilst my face was smiling, my eyes were not and this really struck a chord. I want to be the person that sees good in situations rather than the one who picks out a negative. This can apply to any aspect of my life but particularly with work. If I'm not willing to make a change in my own life then I really shouldn't moan about it.

Stop comparing.
I definitely need to stop comparing my life to those of other people. I've spent my life worrying that I'm not doing enough or am not as likeable enough as other people. This coming year I'd like to leave that mentality behind and focus on making my own decisions for me. Who cares if some of my friends have good jobs, husbands, babies or more fun on a weekend? I think by focusing on my own life a little more I should be happier.

I think those are the main ones. I'm not going to pretend that I'm going to eat any healthier, I started the year with biscuits in bed for breakfast. I'd like to read more and spend a little time away from the internet every so often. Should probably also drink more water because that's good for your skin and shiz. Wow this post ended up being super long. I've enjoyed reading other people's plans for 2014 so if you've written a similar post then link me up. 

Thankful

I'll not bore you with apologies for my absence. I just never felt in the mood to write. But today I'm feeling super Christmassy and really thankful so thought I'd mention the things in life that have brought me joy recently.

I am thankful for:

Christmas jumpers

Anything tartan

Hot chocolate

Finding the perfect gift for my secret santa at work

Christmas nail art

Downton Abbey on Netflix

Winter candles

Helping nice customers do their gift buying

Fairytale of New York

My electric blanket

Some of the lovely people I work with

The fridge being stocked with Christmas foods

Finding a top I wanted at full price in the sale

And finally... passing my theory test today.

I honestly hope any people who read this have a lovely Christmas. Despite the fact I only get one day off I'm determined to make the most of it with lots of food and all my family.

The Nice Things: Summer

So I've been away from these parts for a while. I've been quite busy recently but the main reason for my absence was that my laptop decided it was going to break. It was overheating and turning itself off after about 20 minutes of use. It is now fixed (it had a chunk of plastic stuck in the fan so it wouldn't work) and I'm back. I missed writing my 'nice things' for July so thought I'd combine them with August and make a Summer post. August has probably been my favourite month so far which is strange for me because I'm not usually a fan of the Summer months.1. We actually had some sunshine this year in England. Shock horror! I made the most of it by sitting in the garden with cider and my kindle. 2. My Mum's birthday is in August, we went out for an Indian which was lovely and I wore my new Primark dress. 3. and 4. One of my friends from school got married. It was a lovely day and meant I got to see some of my favourite people. We don't all get together too often so it made for a nice change. There was also pick and mix at the wedding which went very well with my peach schnapps and lemonade.

5. I was somehow really lucky and won a Model's Own giveaway on Twitter. 6. and 7. I had a week off work and went away for a few days in the countryside near York with my Dad, Stepmum and little bro. It was nice to relax and spend time with them. We went to Lightwater Valley and the York Dungeons (where Ellis was terrified, would not recommend to easily scared children) 8. At the end of my week off I went to see my best friend in Leeds again. We were meant to be going on a night out but changed our mind in favour of X Factor and Dominos. We also went shopping and got cupcakes.

Now I've written it all out it does seem like I've done quite a bit recently. I can't believe how fast this year is going. I'm now back at work and I'm sure it will be my birthday and then Christmas before I know it. How have you spent your summer?

Ultimate Driving Songs

So I can't drive. I'm currently having lessons but roundabouts are still my nemesis. But when I saw that the lovely people of money supermarket were holding a competition where you discuss your favourite driving playlist I thought I'd get involved. Instead of listing my current favourite tunes I decided I'd compile a list of songs that I can remember listening to in the car at different times of my life.

(me and the sister, Florida 2010)

First up it's got to be Wayne Wonder- No Letting Go. I may have mentioned before that I love a bit of cheesy r'n'b. For some reason when I went to France with my family and best friend in around 2004 we listened to this in the car everywhere we went. We also tried to clap along. I bet my Mum and stepdad loved that holiday!

One of my playlists wouldn't be complete without a bit of Oasis. For this particular one I've gone for She's Electric because I have good memories of this being blasted out in my Dad's car in the 90s when he took us to his house.

I left school in 2007 and that year Umbrella - Rihanna was a big hit. On one particular occasion I remember going on a school trip to Alton Towers and the majority of the bus joining in in a singalong of this song. Definitely a good one if it's a rainy day when you're on the road.

The next one is mighty random. But stick with me, I have my reasons. The Wild Rover - Dublineers. Again a song we used to listen to in my Dad's car. For some reason I vividly remember singing this with my Dad, sister and stepmum in a round. Meaning that one of us would start singing and as they got through a line of the song the other one would start and so on. We'd inevitably end up confused and laughing as we all merged our singing into a mess of tunes. 

Finally I thought I'd include a cheery one that reminds me of a trip to Florida and driving to and from the theme parks. Hey Soul Sister - Train was played every single day on the radio station we listened to in the car and was a perfect song to go with an exciting family holiday.

If any one reads this I am sure they will think myself and my family are slightly mental but that's all part of the fun. If you'd like to enter you can find the rules of the competition here. I think music always adds to memories and it's great to know that a certain song can take you back to a specific place. Even if that place is just driving around your local town with Oasis blasting out.

Mundane Midweek

I love Charlotte's blog, not only because she has a great name but also because she advocates writing about the dull days in your week as well as the fun things. Here's how I spent my mundane midweek.

This Wednesday I was at work, which seems to be a regular accurence for me. Before work I had a cup of tea and some cereal, the healthier choice when I really wanted to have one of the homemade cakes me and my sister made the other day. I slapped on some make up, but not too much because I knew by the end of the day it would be melting off my face.

Upon getting to work I had to deal with delivery. It's not the most exciting task but it made the morning go quicker. I had my break where I ate a gregg's sandwich and managed to get egg on my clothes. I read some of Gone Girl which I hope gets better because two chapters in it isn't wowing me. I also ate a cake that I brought with me and it was delish.

After my break I was put onto Menswear for a while because they had someone off sick. In a department store you become accustomed to your own stock and customers so moving to a different area really does throw you off. My recent chats with customers have mostly involved matching a handbag to some shoes for a wedding/races/summer occasion. Today I had to make conversation about polo tshirts, it felt like another world but somehow I survived.

Later on in the day I was back to handbags and it was promotion time. This basically means that the offers that are currently on get changed. Everything has to have a new sale tag, sticker and had to be marked down in red pen. Sure it's not rocket science but in this warm weather, in a store with no air con, it sure does tire you out. I was very thankful for my second break where I drank a load of water and ate a jam donut. I should probably seek help about my 'donut a day' addiction that I seem to have going on at the minute.

Finished off a tiring day with chicken and salad pittas for tea and the Apprentice final. I won't say who won but I was kinda disappointed I wanted the other girl to get it I think. Wow writing this out made me realise I moan a lot but it was weirdly theraputic. If you want to check out how other people have spent their day then have a looky here.