What season is it anyway?

June is usually the only month in which I am ever happy and excited about it being summer. By July, I’m starting to get fed up, and by August I’m totally over it and impatiently waiting for autumn, which is my favourite season.

It’s not that I don’t like summer weather. I love what summer weather is supposed to be – I just don’t like British summer weather. It’s as unpredictable as the rest of the year (in fact, I’m pretty sure it rains more often in the summer months) and is often downright chilly (this week it’s averaging around 10°C in Newcastle). Despite this, because it is technically summer, you’re expected to do things like plan outdoor activities (such as music festivals where you watch bands in the rain and wind, and barbeques where you eat sausages in the rain and wind, and weddings where you shiver underneath a big gazebo in your thin summer dress while the rain and wind blows in sideways and upsets all the paper plates for the buffet…you get the picture), and you’re not allowed to have the heating on, and you’re supposed to wear lightweight summer clothes. Because it’s summer. Technically.

Eleven days in, and I’m already done with it. I’m wearing boots, and long-sleeved dresses, and all the other things that aren’t supposed to come out again until September. I also have the fire on. I don’t care anymore – I’m nice and warm, and that’s all that matters.

Plus, spending the day being nice and warm indoors has meant that I’ve been really productive and have got all my scheduled work, admin, housework, and writing tasks done for the day. Same again tomorrow I hope!

OOTD 11th June 2019
OOTD: I know the ‘autumn flash’ is soooo autumn 2018, but the papers haven’t said anything about autumn 2019 yet and besides I expect I’ll be mostly rocking autumn 1985 anyway. Dress unknown brand (vintage 1980s, bought at vintage fair 2018), belt H&M (2017), boots Primark (2017).

Today’s earworm playlist:

The Drifters – Under The Boardwalk
Charlie Puth – One Call Away
Elton John – Crocodile Rock
David Bowie – Golden Years
Queen – One Vision
The Crüxshadows – Winter Born (This Sacrifice)
Queen – You’re My Best Friend
The Midnight – Los Angeles

A twenty-five-hour Sunday

A good quiet day for getting on with stuff.  I got a lot of writing done again, and Geth and I went to Asda to get Hallowe’en supplies for the next few days.  I’m now settling in for my autumn Sunday evening of Doctor Who and the Strictly results!  The clocks having gone back today makes it feel even cosier.

Being so pushed for time at the moment, I REALLY appreciated the extra hour, too!

OOTD 28th October 2018
OOTD: lovely crisp autumn day requiring a warm walking outfit! Glasses Emporio Armani (2017), jacket unknown brand (vintage 1980s, bought at vintage fair 2018), bag CXL by Christian Lacroix (2018), jeans Vivid (2018), trainers Reebok (2017).

Today’s earworm playlist:

Nicole Scherzinger – Poison
Michael Jackson – Thriller
Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Irene Cara – Fame

Settling into that Sunday pattern

I had a really good day today.  I got up and got ready to go to the two vintage fairs that were on in Newcastle, then came home and caught up with some more reading, to the relaxing background of Geth playing videogames (he’s currently playing West Of Loathing on our new Switch and also still getting on with Final Fantasy IX on the PS2).

I then watched Doctor Who and the Strictly results, which is fast becoming the only way to spend a Sunday evening.  Why can’t autumn last forever?

OOTD 21st October 2018
OOTD: comfy bargain-hunting outfit. Duran Duran classic lineup t-shirt eBay/Fruit of the Loom (2018), jeans H&M (thrifted from Steff 2016), boots unknown brand (2018).

Today’s earworm playlist:

Elton John – I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues
Soft Cell – Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
Michael Jackson – Thriller
Sarah Brightman and Steve Harley – The Phantom Of The Opera
Michael Jackson – Rock With You

PBs and hibernation

Unusually, this morning’s parkrun went exactly as planned!  This is because I’d intended all week to have Geth pace me to sub-30, ’cause he’d offered last weekend after I got tantalisingly close again.  My cold threw a bit of a spanner in the works in terms of training this week, as it meant I had to skip my midweek long run, but I’m feeling a bit better now and so had no problems keeping up with Geth round the course today.  The result was a 29:45 parkrun, a forty-second PB and more importantly my first ever sub-30!  This is a real milestone, as it means I finally feel like I’m no longer a slow runner and am instead a solid mid-packer.  Just have to get more training in so I can start translating it to longer distances!

We had a relaxing afternoon hibernating with more Final Fantasy IX – which is our now-traditional way to spend autumn and winter Saturday afternoons and made me feel really cosy and autumnal – before enjoying the first of the Strictly live shows.  I’m still voting for Danny John-Jules, but most of the contestants are really good this year so it’s going to be an interesting series!

OOTD 22nd September 2018
OOTD: sleepy hibernation outfit. Glasses Emporio Armani (2017), hoodie Gildan for Resistanz (2016), Duran Duran classic lineup t-shirt eBay/Fruit of the Loom (2018), leggings Primark (2018), shoes Carvela (2018).

Today’s earworm playlist:

The Clash – I Fought The Law
Barbra Streisand – Memory
Sisqó – Thong Song
Phil Collins – Sussudio
Macklemore and Skylar Grey – Glorious

And a couple of bonus tracks that Geth was humming earlier:

Roxette – Listen To Your Heart
Monty Python – The Money Song

Autumn cooking

Still quiet workwise, so it’s been a day spent batch-cooking and catching up with radio shows.  Very relaxing!

After the summer, which is always chaotic and hence bad for my diet, I like to spend the autumn getting properly back on plan and into routine.  I usually have this absolutely down by mid-December, at which point everything gets flipped up in the air for Christmas.  Such is life.  As part of this, I’ve decided to carve out time once a week to batch-cook my lunches, which means I will remember to eat properly at lunchtime rather than just grabbing a bit of fruit, and hence am less likely to be tempted by high-syn snacks mid-afternoon.  Today I made a big batch of Mediterranean vegetable pasta (and have only just realised that I’ve never posted the recipe for that.  Will rectify soon!), which will do nicely for this week.  I also made lasagne for tonight’s tea, which is enough for two nights, so I don’t have to do any cooking tomorrow.  Not struggling for pasta meals at the moment!

I also caught up with a couple of Top 40 chart shows – I’m a few weeks behind at the moment – so by next week’s chart review I will have a lot to say about all the new hits of the last month or so.

OOTD 21st September 2018
OOTD: day in the house. Hoodie Gildan for Resistanz (2016), vest top Batman (2018), leggings Primark (2018), trainers Reebok (2017).

Today’s earworm playlist:

5 Seconds Of Summer – Youngblood
Duran Duran – Hungry Like The Wolf
Nik Kershaw – I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Kendrick Lamar and Sza – All The Stars
Benny Blanco, Halsey and Khalid – Eastside
Juiceworld – Lucid Dreams
One Pound Fish Man – One Pound Fish
Maroon 5 and Cardi B – Girls Like You
BTS and Nicki Minaj – Idol
Mark Knopfler – Local Hero
Blondie – One Way Or Another
Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes

And a bonus track that Geth was humming earlier:

Elton John – Tiny Dancer

Summer’s end

It was good to get out and have a walk today.  Geth and I finished packing up his office fairly quickly, and after bringing his work essentials home, we headed back into town to go for lunch and a couple of pints.  Now having a fairly relaxed evening, starting to catch up with some of the Marvel Universe films we’ve not seen.

Just under two hours to go until meteorological autumn.  I’m very excited!

OOTD 31st August 2018
OOTD: a nice walk in the sunshine on the last day of meteorological summer! Sunglasses Boots (2013), jacket Mercy (2007/2009, due to a complicated story that I’ll tell you someday), bag CXL by Christian Lacroix (2018), jeans Levi (2018), trainers Reebok (2018).

Today’s earworm playlist:

Hot Chocolate – It Started With A Kiss
Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes – (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life
The Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling
Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Tears For Fears – Shout
Matt Terry – When Christmas Comes Around*
Duran Duran – A View To A Kill
Queen – I Want To Break Free
Tracey Ullman – They Don’t Know
Bananarama – I Want You Back
Final Fantasy X – To Zanarkand
The Beatles – Ticket To Ride

And a bonus track that Geth was humming earlier:

Puretone – Addicted To Bass

*I want to emphasise that this was because there was a poster in the Metro station advertising Matt Terry’s role in a musical at the Sunderland Empire, not because I’m thinking about Christmas already!  I have a whole autumn to enjoy first 😀

Drawing in

I mentioned the other day that I was looking forward to the weather cooling down in preparation for autumn.  Well, it looks like I got my wish, because I’m back in full-length jeans and boots for the first time since the spring.  It’s still a bit stuffy upstairs in our house though.

The nights are getting a little darker too, although I’ve not really noticed due to the fact that I’ve been finding myself putting the lamps on at around seven o’clock all summer long, because it’s felt bizarrely comforting.  I don’t know what that’s about.

Also, they’ve started announcing the Strictly contestants, which definitely means autumn is on the way!  So far, I’ll be voting for Danny John-Jules (due to my massive love for Red Dwarf), but I’m looking forward to finding out the rest of the lineup.

Today was a nice normal work day, with a bit of cleaning and tidying involved because Geth’s dad and stepmum, Keith and Helen, are visiting us tomorrow.  Looking forward to a good day spent with them!

OOTD 14th August 2018
OOTD: that is my ‘telling Geth to focus the camera better by looking at the print on the boardgames’ face. I clearly need to work on that one. T-shirt Space Tribe (2006), jeans H&M (thrifted from Steff 2016), boots Carefree (2017).

It’s still hot

Lots of people have been posting this week about the weather cooling down, but that has definitely not been the case in Newcastle – I’m still finding it really hot and stuffy, especially in the upstairs of our house, where the mugginess just seems to collect and sit there uncomfortably.  I’ve been trying really hard not to complain about the heat, because we hardly ever get summers like this in the UK, but in all honesty I am starting to get a bit fed up of only being able to wear about 5% of my clothes because everything else is too heavy.

Also, I love autumn.  It’s my favourite time of the year – the pretty leaves, the onset of crisp weather when it’s still a novelty, Strictly Come Dancing on TV, Hallowe’en, NaNoWriMo, and the long magical run-up to Christmas.  I know I shouldn’t wish time away, but it’s tantalisingly close now and I am starting to get excited.

Anyway, one day at a time.  I lost two pounds at Slimming World weigh-in today, which is great – it gives me a good buffer for the weekend.  I’ve been able to get a bit more work done this evening, and will be able to slot in a bit more tomorrow before the wedding on Saturday.  All going well!

OOTD 9th August 2018
OOTD: another very lightweight summer dress. Dress Monteau (2018), trainers Reebok (2017).

Summer mugginess

Somehow, despite saying after last summer – which involved a busy work period and four weekends on the bounce in August where we were travelling away somewhere or hosting guests – that I wanted to have a much more chilled summer this year, it’s ended up being similarly hectic.

Fortunately/unfortunately work has been quiet during June and July (so I’ve been able to get on with other things, but I’m also a bit broke now).  Fortunately/unfortunately this will not be the case during August as I have two huge projects lined up (more money – yay!  More stuff to do – argh).  However, the house stuff is still ongoing, the now-finished Now! marathon ended up taking up more time towards the end than I thought it would, and Geth and I ended up booking a lot more trips away than we expected.  As such, I find myself doing the whole ‘argh! can’t wait till autumn when I can relax a bit!’ thing yet again – and I shouldn’t wish the summer away, especially when the weather has been so nice this year.

Today is yet another hectic day – I’ll update more fully later this week – so I’ll leave it there.

Oh, and I went swimming again this morning.  Eight lengths this time, although I think I’m actually getting worse!