My Life's Motto

'We have all suffered some hardship in life. Mine might just be different to yours. So don't judge other people until you know theirs' 

This is so true. 

If you think to that woman in the office. Right sour old grapes isn't she? Doesn't get involved in any conversation at work. Scowls at most people. Grasses you up for wearing flip flops at work maybe? 

Just take a second to think. 

She might have something going on at home, currently or in the past, that has really turned her into this person. Your past can really mould a person into what you are today. 

Hopefully, it has made you into a stronger, more compassionate, easy going person. But, it can also make you quite resentful, almost angry or extremely timid, so much so that you can seem quite stand offish. 

Sometimes it can be not having the most nurturing upbringing, a horrific past, or current, relationship. It could even have been an experience that happened in the flash of a second that left an imprint on your life forever! 

So, before you judge that person, please spare a thought, and have some compassion for that person. And if you really can't tolerate their behaviour, then by all means, give that person a wide berth. 

I always think when you get to know someone, your opinion of that person can dramatically change. On the other hand, it might not? 

Have you ever experienced this or even been mid judged for some things you do as a result of a life changing event? 

My most cherished belonging

This, is my nan's necklace that she gave to me on my 16th birthday. 

I remember getting it and knowing how beautiful it was. It's a pearl which is my birth stone too and there is a tiny diamond on the bow where the 'ribbons' cross over. 

I also remember thinking that I couldn't wear it. I had nowhere to wear it. I was still 'hanging out' with my mates, as kids do, so I wasn't keen on wearing it to get damaged. 

I remember my sister being given a necklace too, it was also one of my nan's old ones but it had a gold necklace and my sister (also my twin) instantly changed the chain on it but still wears that pendant almost every single day and has done since, which was 11 years ago. 

This is the necklace that I wear the most. I don't wear it everyday as I don't want it damaged and I wear quite a bit of dress jewellery, but this is the necklace I will wear while walking down the aisle, just to ensure that she is with me, holding my hand, as I do this. 

She did meet Ben a couple of times before she passed away, and she thought he was wonderful for me. She really liked him! So I know that I will be making her proud when I marry him. 

I know this blog kind of has a theme running through, but I have always lived my life in awe of my nan. I have completely admired her. Even her perceived flaws, I think they are the most perfect flaws in the world!

My nan is the person that I strive to be like, the one influential person in my life that I will consider in every decision I make. Her recipe folder is treated like the Holy Grail. Her Slow Cooker has pride of place in my kitchen. Her Oat Krunchie recipe is only ever made in the dish that my nan used to make it in. Her headscarves are hanging delicately in my bedroom where I can look at them often. 

I can't help but go to my Grandad's house, knowing there is lots of lovely bits of my nan's still in the wardrobes and just wanting to go and touch them. Wanting to collect all the things in the kitchen that remind me of her, including the awesome retro silver dishes she used to serve my favourite in, Butterscotch Angel Delight. 

You have no idea how awesome and inspirational and inspiring and utterly magical my nan was. She never had any large, public achievements but her motives in life were always pure, her family were the most important people to her and she worked hard, alongside my grandad, to carve out a life for our family to give us the best future possible. 

All I can do now is follow suit for the sake of my children! 

Thank you for reading about how much I love my nan, again. 

Xxxxxxxxx

My most favouritest place in the whole wide world!

Petworth House 

Petworth House, Petworth, Sussex

I love this place from the bottom of my heart. 

When I think about this place I genuinely get a warm feeling. 

When I visit this place I turn into a small child and start whizzing around and literally spinning! 

I have always desperately wanted to get married at Petworth House BUT they don't do weddings! 

It is the most beautiful building. 

With a stunning chapel. 

With fabulous art. 

With such passionate staff and volunteers who love sharing the stories of the place. 

To the contrasting kitchens that have been renovated back to pre war. 

To the fact that it was turned into a hospital for armed forces in The Great War. 

To the Capability Brown landscaping including the Great Lake and the nature park with their own Deer. 

To the romance of the whole place.

To the fact that this place could never be tainted by anything, ever, in my heart. 

And all because my Nan and Grandad took us there one Summer Holiday when I was a lot younger. 

All because I so desperately want to be close to my Grandparents high expectation of me. 

All because I have always shared in their passion for History, including our own history as a family. 

All because it is always sunny when I visit there. 

Thank you for letting me share my most favourite place in the world with you. 

My brand new Vintage Outfit!!

Photos courtesy of Samantha Goddard of www.facebook.com/theteapartystyle 

So, I went to the local Pop-up Vintage Fair at Adastra Hall in Hassocks and WOW there was a lot of amazing things! 

I do need to start being a little more selective as I seem to have a lot of pretty much everything. Hehe. 

I bought myself a beautiful platter and flour sifter from Sam, a vintage flower press and this amazing Bathing Suit! And it even came with a story. 

It is about as genuinely vintage as you get. You don't get boned bathing suits anymore, do you? And I am even more please to say, that it fit me! 

The lady that was selling it found it in an undisclosed location and needed to buy a few bits for a Marilyn Monroe lookalike for Goodwood, but when said lookalike saw the bathing suit, she wasn't overly taken with it. Hence why I now have it! 

This lady was fabulous and I really wish I had more time to talk to her. She was one of those terribly interesting people who didn't mind sharing her stories. All of which were magical!!

Favourite Film

Favourite film of all time is hands down 'Color of Purple' 

It's a Steven Spielberg film that starts Whoopi Goldberg and documents the life of a young girls life that gets married off to a local man, who had been previously widowed and documents the mid treatment of her at the hands of the men in her life. 

Her relationship with her sister is a very close and tragic one and sees her sister being banished from her marital home because she tried to teach Whoopi to read behind her oppressive husbands back! 

The next close female relationship she has after this is with her husbands lover who is a beautiful, talented and graceful woman. She sings the most beautiful Blues songs in the shack that Whoopi's husband built for the local areas and holds a captive audience with all the men who attend. 

One man that she cannot capture in her spell is her preacher father. All she wants is to be loved by her father. 

She sings the most beautiful song in the film about Whoopi's character called Miss Celie's Blues. It is a beautiful, sad and empowering song, truly sing from the heart. 

The utter disparity of life in this film makes all those little pockets of romance and compassion so much more heart rendering. 

Steven Spielberg has never made a bad film and I truly feel that this is one of his best works. It is quite a long sitting though, almost 3 hours long but perfect if you want an evening to yourself because you are losing the ability to feel pure compassion for all those people that, quite frankly, could do with a slap! 

Best holiday

Hands down the best holiday I have been on is the one I've just got back from. 

Hadn't been on holiday for years and it was really needed. 

But the best thing was that my boyfriend, father of my beautiful Angel girl, asked me to marry him! 

I've got the most beautiful ring from the most amazing man in the world!!!! 

I can't wait to Marry him. He's my hero! My king. 

I can't wait to marry him. For him to be my husband would be a dream come true. 

He's the man I have been waiting to marry all my life. 

Like my dad in the best ways. Like my step dad in other best ways. 

What more would I want than to have more healthy babies with this man! 

I love you Benji. Thank you for making my holiday the best holiday in the world. 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Favourite Quote

'My nan owned it, my mum threw it out and I'm bringing it back!' 

This is my favourite quote in the world and sums up my way of living perfectly. 

I don't just like old things. I genuinely want to live like my nana did. (It's OK she had one of the first microwaves when they came out and experimented a lot with cooking using the microwave.) 

I have just taken delivery of my typewriter. I have my own sewing machine. I support my man while he works late. I TRY to make do and mend within my ability. I have her cookbooks and her folder that she compiled her recipes. I have her pinking shears. I wear her head scarves. I have her jam pot. I would lift anything from her house to have as my own. 

My mum likes everything new. Everything. 

I would dress as my nan did. From the 40s through to the 90s. To me she was a style icon with her beehive dyed brunette until she retired at 65. Never a hair out of place. 

My mum has short cropped hair. Wears trackies to the shops. 

My nan had her kitchen redone once in her life time and treasured it. She had the carpets relaid once and made everyone take their shoes off at the threshold. She wasn't poor, in fact she was quite well off, she just appreciated and cherished those items she had. 

Mum has had 3 new kitchens in 10 years!!

I'm only saying...... 

Which way is better. I know what I would choose. You made do. You made things work. Things were built to last forever. They had a purpose and were beautiful. 

Now back to my typewriter.....