Sparkles & Kisses: An English Adventure

Thursday 3^rd February 2011

Today at work we were talking (as usual) about how little we explore our own country. I mean England must have a million attractions and still we spend our hard earned cash escaping to warming climates given half a chance. I’m as guilty as the rest of you. However, I was thinking it would be nice to investigate what makes Britain so “Great”. The big idea is to research the different counties in England, then to find out what there is to see and do in each one. It’s not going to be a quick project to complete, solely because I lack the time and money to go gallivanting. So here begins my adventure…

Initial research findings:

©       Counties are not as cut and dry as you may think. There are “Ceremonial Counties”, “Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Counties”, “Administrative Counties” and “Postal Counties”. Now as England is divided into 83 metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties, but just 48 ceremonial counties – I’m opting to use the ceremonial version.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counties_of_England

©       In alphabetical order those 48 counties in England I plan to visit within my near future are:

1. Bedfordshire
2. Berkshire
3. City of Bristol
4. Buckinghamshire
5. Cambridgeshire
6. Cheshire
7. City of London
8. Cornwall
9. Cumbria
10. Derbyshire
11. Devon
12. Dorset
13. Durham
14. East Riding of Yorkshire
15. East Sussex
16. Essex
17. Gloucestershire
18. Greater London
19. Greater Manchester
20. Hampshire
21. Herefordshire
22. Hertfordshire
23. Isle of Wight
24. Kent
25. Lancashire
26. Leicestershire
27. Lincolnshire
28. Merseyside
29. Norfolk
30. North Yorkshire
31. Northamptonshire
32. Northumberland
33. Nottinghamshire
34. Oxfordshire
35. Rutland
36. Shropshire
37. Somerset
38. South Yorkshire
39. Staffordshire
40. Suffolk
41. Surrey
42. Tyne and Wear
43. Warwickshire
44. West Midlands
45. West Sussex
46. West Yorkshire
47. Wiltshire
48. Worcestershire

Counties in England

Well that’s about all for now. That was quite a task typing all those counties out. So next task is to research what each of those counties has to offer. Let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions =)

Sparkles & Kisses xx

Cor, what a gorgeous day :)

So I woke up this morning to sunshine with clear blue skies stretched over the horizon. How much better does that instantly make you feel? I looked forward to my ritual of morning walks with marshall the entire time I was getting ready. I headed to work in a fantastic mood which carried me through the day. 7.30pm and I’m still smiling. To top things off, my drive home wasn’t in complete darkness, more dusky and I love it. I am So looking forward to the summer, days like today just make it feel that little bit closer. I hope you all had a wonderful day!!

Sparkles & Kisses xx

A photo a day, keeps the doctor away?

It’s fair to say I have a little obsession with photos. I sometimes get the impression my digital camera has permanently attached itself to my hand and needs a surgical procedure to remove! I think I’m just very scared that one day I might forget all these precious memories of time spent with good friends. If anything can give remind me of these amazing times I’m experiencing, I’m going to make the most!! So I’ve spent the past couple of weeks printing out my photos & organising into albums, because it’s never really the same looking at them on a computer is it? Although I’m starting to think I might need to rent storage to fit them all in. From last year alone I have printed over 1000 pictures. I’ve already filled a 200 slot album for New Years Eve and the first part of January 2011, oops! But seriously, looking back over 2010 and so far through 2011, a huge thank you to all of my friends for the fun, giggles & most importantly memories. Heres to a huge photo album full from 2010 ❤

Lots of love

Sparkles & Kisses xx

reward: find my weekend!!

Seriously, if somebody finds my weekend please give me a call so we can arrange the safe return. Where the hell has it disappeared to??

Scarily enough not only did my weekend do a runner, the whole of january seems to have escaped aswell. 1 more day and its all over. I don’t want to wish my life away but it does mean getting closer to hopefully a long, hot summer!! 🙂

Sparkles & Kisses xx

my boyfriend is a cross-dresser :o

There’s something you don’t find out everyday. Thankfully is was only my coat he came downstairs wearing with pride. How random. Although he wriggled out of it before I could get photographic evidence. Shame!!

So today has been uneventful, half day at work this morning followed by the joy of washing and then a quick trip to argos clearance warehouse. I managed to keep my pennies in my purse though as nothing much there (a good job really). I’m just watching the southampton – man u match, for no reason whatsoever as football doesn’t really interest me. Then it’s my turn to treat simon to dinner. Where to go??? Hmmmm choices choices 🙂 I rather fancy a melt in the middle chocolate pud. Yep I’d more than happily skip the main course n have 3 puddings. Maybe that’s why I’m so sweet *wink*

Sparkles & Kisses xx

bunnies, candy floss + fairy wishes :)

Well today was just what I needed after yesterday. Work was really lovely, had some friendly & interesting people in and the day just seemed to fly by. Its been freezing cold but clear and sunny, just the kind of winter weather that makes you feel better. Isn’t it funny when your content writing becomes a lot harder? So this evening I went to my best friends sister’s ann summers party. Lots of fun & giggles 🙂 can’t beat a good ann summers party. I was even healthy and walked the entire mile each way, go me!! I must admit I found it so peaceful walking home all wrapped up at 10pm, stars sparkling like diamonds and nobody around to spoil it. I do enjoy walking alone, I find it very theraputic. It’s a nice opportunity to argue things out in my head 🙂

So here I am now lazing on the sofa, my doggy stretched out across me like a wriggly hot water bottle.

Right now life is good <3x
Sparkles & Kisses xx

pigtails & pyjamas

pigtails & pyjamas

Ahhhhh how good it feels to get out of my work kit and into my pjs at 6pm!! (How lazy???) But after a pretty hectic day, I think I deserve a bit of r&r! So the plan for tonight is simple:
Hot chocolate, laid on the sofa watching sex & the city movie 2 🙂 maybe do my nails if I fancy it. Bliss!

I was thinking today that I could do with a bit more patience maybe? But then I’m just not cut out to be the kind of person to pander to anyone. I think sometimes people need a cold, hard slap of reality. With some politeness to boot. I didn’t realise until today quite how much people huffing, puffing and tutting annoys me, but it REALLY does. Some may say I’m a little blunt, I prefer truthful – but never rude. I despise rudeness, unfortunately there seems to be a lot of it around in our society! Such a shame. But I’m not going to dwell on it, because I choose to have happy, friendly and polite people around me and I choose to smile 😀

Sparkles & Kisses xx

Good morning world *wave*

Today I am putting in my order to the universe. Tomorrow I want sunrise to occur before I wake up. I love that feeling when sunshine flooding through your window and birds singing gently wakes you up before your alarm goes off. It seems so long ago, this winter *touch wood* hasn’t been too harsh as yet but it still feels extremely lenghty. Unfortunately there’s some distance still to go before daylight resumes full service 😦 but please, even just for one day!!!!

I happen to realise the only way for the above to happen is for me to oversleep by approx. 2 hours and somehow – work would not be impressed with that. Anyone know how much longer I have to wait for sunrise to be around 6am-ish?? Would be nice to have an eta, or even better anyone want to pay for me to go on holiday somewhere hot and sunny?? I may be pushing my luck now…

Sparkles & Kisses xx

What is that really annoying noise??

I’m none to impressed with the screeching alarm wailing through my house from somewhere in the distance. It has been going off for at least 15 minutes now and is driving me bonkers!!

So I hope you guys have all had a good day. Mine has been pretty indifferent. I hopped up out of bed (slightly exaggerated enthusiam there), showered & annoyed the fella by waking him up with my hair drier, walked my gorgeous little doggy and got myself to work. Work went WHOOOOSH so quick, I had one of those days where every single task took 10 times longer than usual. There may well be a very good reason for that, but that is a whole different story. One I am not going to publish on here. Nope, ‘fraid not.

You will be amazed to hear that last night I did actually do my ironing. Thats amazing to you and I both. It only took me three weeks to get round to, but I think epilation is the furthest I could go to avoid it. So now it’s just my room sat there waiting to be tidied. I wonder how far my motivation can be stretched =)

Sparkles & Kisses

ps/ I think the alarm has stopped. YAY!

So I got a torture device for christmas…

I’ve always wanted an epilator but never really dared to try one. So this year (or actually last year now, as in 2010) my mum bought me 1 for christmas… Thanks!? It has actually taken until today for me to pluck up necessary courage to use it *wimp*… So I’ve read and re-read the instructions, turn on the epilator and then just stare at it getting closer and closer to my leg! Then I back away. After a few minutes of repeating the above process I gave in to temptation and just got on with it – bloody OUCH!!!!!!!!!!! For the first minute or so it was pretty damn painful, but then after a while I honestly did not mind it and the results are fantastic. I’ve opted for definate beauty must-have! Although only time will tell how long my legs stay silky smooth, any less than a week and maybe my razor shall be my best friend again…?

All things said, epilation is a rather odd way to avoid ironing which by the way, is still waiting to be done… I’m going right this minute (honestly)

Sparkles and kisses xx

torture device?