If you knew your future would you change it?

With so many changes (many not in a good way) happening both in the UK and around the world my mind has started to think about the future and the kind of world we are bringing our children into. A couple of years ago my father passed away, I won't go into details but it was sudden and unexpected and could of been prevented, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and every now and then my mother and I reflect on what happened in the years before and after, if we had changed anything and maybe because I am somewhat a realist I try not to dwell on the past, I do like to remember him but I don't think it's good to go over and over things you simply cannot change. After he passed many things changed in the way I feel about life and I choose to see it as the glass half full. In a crazy way for me so much good came in the years after my father not passed and if that event in my life hadn't happened then I wouldn't of met my partner John or finished my degree......

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Autumn Inspirations

The only thing that makes the end of summer bearable is Autumn in all its cosy country fashion. It's such a visually inspiring month with the leaves changing to beautiful hues of red, brown and orange as well as the fact you can start layering your clothes and justifying 3 cups of hot chocolate in one day.  Just like with spring, I feel the need to clean, make a few changes to the home and get involved with more crafts. I have made a little list of things I want to do this month especially as it also feels like the calm before the storm that is Christmas, Autumn is truly a time to soak up the smaller quieter moments while still enjoying the last few days of fairly mild weather before plummeting into those ice winter temperatures and being a southern hemisphere ex-pat I will never get used to the biting festive season. So here are a few things we are planning to get up to this Autumn 1. Finish decorating all the bedrooms, making them a place you want to lay your head a......

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The bath is back

So for the past two weeks the bathroom has been a bit of a war zone. Our bath had sprung a rather bad leak which meant water was running into our living room - not a good look. As we are planning to sell the house this year we were hoping not to replace the bath as it was very solid and when buying the property didn't appear to be an issue but things don't always turn out how you think they will. If we were going to be living here for a longtime we would of gone for a roll top bath and different tiles but when renovating a property you need to detach yourself a little an we opted for something plain and neutral. All I can say is I am very happy to have a bath and new shower back in before the baby arrives. Like I said if we were staying in this house longterm we would of gone with something a little bit different, not that we don't like ours now, it's a cute little room in the eaves which we have made a fair amount of changes too with new floor and wall ......

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Is 60 the New 40? How to Age Gracefully

Love this from Advanced Style I am in love with the blog Advanced Style - it's really different and refreshing and is the brainchild of Ari Seth Cohen who roams the New York Streets looking for the chicest, creative and fashionable older folk and some of them really know how to put an outfit together and are truly inspiring and remind me of my mother who is my constant source of classic style. My mother enjoying eating el fresco in the sun According to psychologists, the key to ageing gracefully is to accept the fact that life doesn’t stay the same and that yes, ageing can change the way we live our lives. Attitude matters a lot, and if you let the negative aspects of ageing get to you, you’ll surely have fewer reasons to laugh. Accepting the fact that we aren’t as strong-boned as we used to be and preparing for the lifestyle changes that come with it can make ageing easier to manage. The Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, “You don't......

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