Hello again!
OK, we could argue that maybe this Blog should be entitled a 'nearer the weekend' blog than a 'mid week' blog but I just wanted to write a quick Blog before the weekend when the Summer Solistice hits us and, of course, that also means that Saturday - being the 21st June - will also be the longest day!
Here at Fat Fairy HQ, I have been banned from saying 'Oh my goodness, it's the longest day on Saturday' - honestly it's those little pleasures in life don't you think.....
As a lot of people are saying, where has nearly half the year gone to? Certainly the last couple of months have sped by. I always feel that the Summer Solistice is the turning point of the year - more so than the Winter Solistice. I guess we are aware that the Summer Solistice means that the nights will then start to draw in - just as we were getting used to, and enjoying, these long summer evenings spent pottering out in the garden. Talking of gardens, I'm hoping to spend the Summer Solistice over at Coton Manor Gardens with my friend Gill. We've been before and had a lovely time walking round, putting the world to rights and then having lunch and cake..... Plus you can also buy plants over there so, no doubt, a couple might just jump into my basket to come home with me. I've bought two lovely fuchsia's this week from a shop in town, so hopefully when they are planted out, they will make a nice show of colour. I have lots of plans for the house and garden this year but, so far, don't seem to be achieving much - again I think because the time is flying by - and the wedding coming up (more of this later!).
With the Summer Solistice approaching, I thought it might be a good time to mention both the Mosaic Magazine published by my friend Beth Forster and also the Cygnus Review. Both are lovely magazines and well worth a look - website links here:-
http://www.mosaic-lifestyle.com/
http://www.cygnus-books.co.uk/
I distribute Mosaic here in Rugby for Beth, so if any of you reading this are local to me and would like a copy, please get in touch! Anyone further afield, there are people doted around the country where you may be able to pick a copy up or if not, please get in touch with either Beth or myself and we can send you one.
Those of you reading this who actually know me, will also know that this year sees the wedding of my son Paul to his fiancee Amie. Wedding date is 3mths on Saturday date wise and 3mths on Sunday day wise - again the time is flying by and this very special day will be here before we know it. They had their 'Pre-Wedding' shoot with their choosen photographer on 8th June and we've just seen some of the photo's. He has certainly taken some stunning shots of them, so can only imagine how fab the wedding photo's will be! I also need to get my outfit sorted out, we are planning a girlie day out with my lovely friend Gaynor, hoping to go to a shop in Warwick that has 'Mother of the Bride/Groom' outfits and the hat, shoes, bag etc. I love the hat probably more than the dress! We'll also have lunch out and probably coffee when we first get there - well one has to make a day of it! I did buy some waterproof mascara today as thought I'd best try some out ready for the wedding photo's so I don't end up looking like a Panda! I normally use L'Oreal mascara but have bought some Maybelline today to try - will keep you posted!
That's all for now folks!
love from us here at Fat Fairy H.Q
xx
Thursday 19 June 2014
Sunday 1 June 2014
Happy Holidays........
It's a good evening again from Fat Fairy Towers,
Well...... the intention in my previous blog (which was to try and blog every night for a week), obviously didn't get very far...... I can only say (yet again....!) that time really does seem to be disappearing and I am definitely blaming it on that Chinese Year of the Horse....
My reason for the intended blog every night was to bring you all up to date with what we'd been up to and what's been happening but I've decided that can wait for another blog (oh yes - another one!) as here at Fat Fairy Jewellery, we've just come back from holiday, so I wanted to share with you all some of our lovely holiday photo's - mostly I should say, taken by my daughter!
I managed to find + arrange a very late booking to our very favourite and special island..... of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. For us here in the Midlands, it's a really easy journey as we don't live far from our local station and the train link takes us straight to Birmingham International. From there we just get on the 'MonoRail' which takes us directly into the airport.
I should, maybe, give you a little background to the island, which was obviously occupied by the Germans during World War 2 and there is still evidence of that to this day. But my love affair with Guernsey began back in 1982 - the year before my twins were born. We were then living down in Hampshire, having moved from our native London a couple of years previously. I had a fabulous job working for Estee Lauder Cosmetics but was going through a pretty stressful time. Our lovely GP at the time - Dr Giles, suggested to my husband that we should go away for a good holiday. We debated where to go - husband fancied Spain but then we thought the heat might adversely affect my migraines, so somehow we decided upon Guernsey. As we lived just outside Portsmouth, the ferry was the then obvious option - sailing overnight and arriving into St Peter Port early the next morning. That was fine - it was the return journey the following Saturday that was a complete nightmare and I vowed then and there never to take the ferry again!
It was a few years later that we were able to return - with the twins who were then just over 5 (or maybe 6) and we flew from Southampton - which, depending on which way the wind is blowing, can take as little as 30mins!
Anyway, we've been back many times, the last was 4 years ago when Debs and I treated ourselves to a long weekend there for my birthday. This time, it was Debs who got the chance to celebrate as she woke up last Sunday (25th) on Guernsey and had a lovely day which included a day on the beach and later a lovely meal at Christie's Restaurant in St Peter Port. Unfortunately, despite wearing Factor 50 suncream, Debs also managed to get badly sunburnt on her birthday - so we then had to find the duty chemist the following day which, lucky enough, was Boots in St Peter Port. So we duly purchased enough lotion and potions, to keep the sunburn under control.
Over the years, we've seen a few changes, not least that the lovely B+B Guesthouse that we always stayed in had been sold off and last time we looked, it was in a state of disrepair. We noted 4 yrs ago that one of the main attractions on the island - the Hanging Strawberry Farm - had closed down and this time were told that the Butterfly Farm had also gone. But, some old favourites remain - not least the very special and sacred Little Chapel at St Andrews. My daughter fell in love with this beautiful and tiny chapel as a 5yr old and wanted to get married there and she still loves it to this day. Sadly it is beginning to subside but they are working hard to save her. We were also saddened to discover that some people have been chipping off pieces of the china and pottery that cover the Little Chapel to obviously take home as mementoes.
We stayed at La Trelade Hotel in St Martins and were very pleasantly surprised - there were some reviews on Trip Advisor that were not that complementary but we couldn't fault it - how many hotels these days give you not only free Wi-fi but also free calls to the mainland - landlines and mobiles? Another favourite place to visit is Bruce Russell, Goldsmith + Silversmith at Le Gron. Absolutely gorgeous jewellery and the only place we reckon to buy an engagement and/or wedding ring!
All too soon, our lovely break was over and we flew back home to Birmingham and now it's time to get ready to go back to work and my day job tomorrow. I'll leave you with a few of our favourite photo's from Guernsey, hope you enjoy them!
with love from us here at Fat Fairy Jewellery
xx
Boats in the harbour at St Peter Port
The Little Chapel, St Andrews
One of the many beaches
Everything's different on Guernsey - post boxes are blue and phone boxes yellow!
The view from Jerbourg Point - very dramatic
A stunning Guernsey sunset at Grand Rocque
Guernsey is well known for it's beautiful flowers
One of the bunkers left over from the war
The Little Chapel again!
View of St Peter Port town rising up above the harbour
Well...... the intention in my previous blog (which was to try and blog every night for a week), obviously didn't get very far...... I can only say (yet again....!) that time really does seem to be disappearing and I am definitely blaming it on that Chinese Year of the Horse....
My reason for the intended blog every night was to bring you all up to date with what we'd been up to and what's been happening but I've decided that can wait for another blog (oh yes - another one!) as here at Fat Fairy Jewellery, we've just come back from holiday, so I wanted to share with you all some of our lovely holiday photo's - mostly I should say, taken by my daughter!
I managed to find + arrange a very late booking to our very favourite and special island..... of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. For us here in the Midlands, it's a really easy journey as we don't live far from our local station and the train link takes us straight to Birmingham International. From there we just get on the 'MonoRail' which takes us directly into the airport.
I should, maybe, give you a little background to the island, which was obviously occupied by the Germans during World War 2 and there is still evidence of that to this day. But my love affair with Guernsey began back in 1982 - the year before my twins were born. We were then living down in Hampshire, having moved from our native London a couple of years previously. I had a fabulous job working for Estee Lauder Cosmetics but was going through a pretty stressful time. Our lovely GP at the time - Dr Giles, suggested to my husband that we should go away for a good holiday. We debated where to go - husband fancied Spain but then we thought the heat might adversely affect my migraines, so somehow we decided upon Guernsey. As we lived just outside Portsmouth, the ferry was the then obvious option - sailing overnight and arriving into St Peter Port early the next morning. That was fine - it was the return journey the following Saturday that was a complete nightmare and I vowed then and there never to take the ferry again!
It was a few years later that we were able to return - with the twins who were then just over 5 (or maybe 6) and we flew from Southampton - which, depending on which way the wind is blowing, can take as little as 30mins!
Anyway, we've been back many times, the last was 4 years ago when Debs and I treated ourselves to a long weekend there for my birthday. This time, it was Debs who got the chance to celebrate as she woke up last Sunday (25th) on Guernsey and had a lovely day which included a day on the beach and later a lovely meal at Christie's Restaurant in St Peter Port. Unfortunately, despite wearing Factor 50 suncream, Debs also managed to get badly sunburnt on her birthday - so we then had to find the duty chemist the following day which, lucky enough, was Boots in St Peter Port. So we duly purchased enough lotion and potions, to keep the sunburn under control.
Over the years, we've seen a few changes, not least that the lovely B+B Guesthouse that we always stayed in had been sold off and last time we looked, it was in a state of disrepair. We noted 4 yrs ago that one of the main attractions on the island - the Hanging Strawberry Farm - had closed down and this time were told that the Butterfly Farm had also gone. But, some old favourites remain - not least the very special and sacred Little Chapel at St Andrews. My daughter fell in love with this beautiful and tiny chapel as a 5yr old and wanted to get married there and she still loves it to this day. Sadly it is beginning to subside but they are working hard to save her. We were also saddened to discover that some people have been chipping off pieces of the china and pottery that cover the Little Chapel to obviously take home as mementoes.
We stayed at La Trelade Hotel in St Martins and were very pleasantly surprised - there were some reviews on Trip Advisor that were not that complementary but we couldn't fault it - how many hotels these days give you not only free Wi-fi but also free calls to the mainland - landlines and mobiles? Another favourite place to visit is Bruce Russell, Goldsmith + Silversmith at Le Gron. Absolutely gorgeous jewellery and the only place we reckon to buy an engagement and/or wedding ring!
All too soon, our lovely break was over and we flew back home to Birmingham and now it's time to get ready to go back to work and my day job tomorrow. I'll leave you with a few of our favourite photo's from Guernsey, hope you enjoy them!
with love from us here at Fat Fairy Jewellery
xx
Boats in the harbour at St Peter Port
One of the many beachesEverything's different on Guernsey - post boxes are blue and phone boxes yellow!
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