Farewell 2013

It's time to say farewell to another year. Writing this post kind of feels like writing the last paragraph of a chapter.  And what an interesting chapter it has been.  It started with snow and me questioning if I had made the right decision.  Could I really retrain, take a second degree, be something completely different to before? After alot of contemplation I realised I could do this, still be me and do something different.  So I worked hard and passed my first year.  I also started this blog to keep writing, to have a space where I could be me, dip into my old world.  Once a writer, always a writer!

After a fabulously warm summer spent at the beach and in the garden, treasuring family time I packed my pencil case and headed back for year two.  Now there was no turning back, I loved what I had chosen to do.  Everything was more in depth, less scary and I knew deep down this is what I wanted to do.  Andy and the children had now got used to me studying and commuting and not always being there, which also made the past four months alot easier.  Just as time is a healer it is also a huge factor in change.  The more time we have to get used to this big life change the easier it gets.

So now here we are, getting ready to drink champagne and say goodbye to 2013.  What will 2014 hold? Nobody knows but I am excited to see.

I want to wish you all a fabulous time tonight, whatever you are doing.  Close your chapter firmly and get ready to start a new page tomorrow.

Until next time, take care.
Zoe
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Being Mindful

There seems to be a lot of talk about living in the moment just recently.  I've also read several articles about meditation, being mindful.  Living in a constant whirlwind of activity means we often miss things that are important.  Little moments that should be precious, treasured, swish past.  As a mother I have spent many hours just watching my children when they were little, as they play, sleep, chat.  But as they grow into teenagers and our lives become an endless calendar of events I rarely find the time to simply be, watching these amazing people I helped create.  

So the more I read about mindfulness and stopping to be present in my world the more I want to make this a part of my new year and of course beyond.  I never make resolutions but the past few days I have had time to pause, think, reflect and consider the person I want to be in 2014.  Are you aiming to live a more mindful life next year or have you already been doing so for many years? I really would love to know.  

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

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The Lull Between Festivities

Well that's it Christmas is over for another year and what a wonderful time we had.  Full of good food, festive cheer and fizz and lots of fabulous presents unwrapped.  Now it's time to relax, rest and reflect. I love this time of year, the perfect time to stop, restore energy levels and plan for the year ahead.  Living an incredibly busy life means often things get overlooked, moments to myself are minimal and time to exercise can be hard to achieve.  But the promise of a new year means I can think about what I want to achieve and how I can do it.  

So I am off to drink tea, eat cake and reflect on the past year and consider what I hope to do and achieve in 2014.  How about you, are you ready for some reflection and planning? 

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

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Fit Before 40 - The First Ten Weeks

As I get that little bit closer to turning 40 (18 months to go) I have been thinking about my health and fitness levels.  After so many years being pre natal, post natal and a very tired mother of preschoolers, time to exercise was limited.  Also since moving to our village three years ago I seem to walk less.  Before when we lived in a town I would walk the children to school, which was almost a mile away, walk to the town and not even think of it as exercise.  This helped me trim down after having my youngest but now we live in a more rural setting the distance to school isn't quite so far.  Although my husband and I have a rule that we don't drive to somewhere in the village unless it's raining or very cold.  So the children walk to school, to brownies and guides, to panto rehearsals and the park.  But working from home made us live a more sedentary lifestyle.  

So starting my course last year made me think about my lack of exercise.  Obviously living a active healthy life is better for us and this becomes even more obvious in my new career.  Active and fit people tend to cope better with treatment. So in my last few weeks of clinical practice before the summer I was so tired and felt so unfit I decided to spend my summer getting fit. Seeing several people share the 30 Day Shred DVD on their Instagram feeds and Facebook pages and they were seeing results, I decided to give it a try.  

Ten weeks on I can say I feel a lot fitter, stronger and more toned.  I am not wanting to lose weight particularly, just to be fitter and toned, fit not thin, yet I have to admit I am a little slimmer, even other people have said!  Now I don't manage to workout everyday, but I do aim for four times a week.  Yes it means getting up half an hour earlier to fit it in and yes that can be hell.  But afterwards I feel good, taking time for me and looking after me.  This is something so many of us forget to do. Working mothers, whether we work at home or away from home, we rarely take time for ourselves.  Guilt and time restraints make us focus on the home, the family and forget that we are the motor that keeps all this going.  If we get poorly, are not taking care of ourselves, then things don't run quite so well.  This is of course true for women in general, we juggle so many things, children or no children, that often exercise isn't high on our list of priorities.  But I think we all need to find something we enjoy, whether it's taking the dog on a long walk, circuit training, running,yoga or swimming, then make time to do it at least three times a week.  As one of the big sportswear brands says 'Just Do It'!

I will be writing every so often about my progress, in a bid to get fit before I'm forty.  I plan to do a 10k race before I turn forty, but need to workout how to fit in running to my week! I also really want to do the Moonwalk in London next year, but need to persuade a friend or two to join me, as I really don't want to do it on my own.  

Have a fab weekend and until next time take care.

Zoe

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Help I have a magazine addiction

In between reading journals and textbooks I still love to read magazines and other books.  I guess my love for magazines grew when I was a freelance writer, but I can honestly say it goes way back before my writing days.  As a little girl I loved that my mum had Twinkle delivered for me with her newspaper and I then grew older and read Mizz, J17 and moved onto More as I progressed through my teens. Then Cosmo and Marie Claire were favourites of mine during my uni days.  Then at 23 I had my first child and I found myself reading parenting magazines and somewhere along the line discovered my favourite ever women's magazine, Eve. Sadly this magazine hasn't been in print for a few years and I now subscribe to Red, for my women's magazine fix.

Yet since those early days of motherhood and marriage we have moved to the countryside and so of course one of my monthly reads is Country Living.  This is one of my mainstay magazines and I know I will be reading it still in twenty years time.  Combining my love of the countryside and interiors I also reguarly read Country Homes and Interiors. I especially love this magazine in Autumn and leading up to Christmas as it always seems so cosy in their pages! 

The past couple of years has seen a surgance in craft magazines, but my favourite is still Mollie Makes.  Every page is a complete delight to read and every month I excitedly await it to land on my doormat. The crafty makes are always fab and my daughters and I have spent many afternoons making things and I love to read about  the designers lives and homes.  Obviously being a huge fan of Mollie Makes it was a natural progression to start reading The Simple Things, from the same publishing company.  I actually think I love this magazine even more than its sister mag! 

I may not read as many fashion and interiors magazines anymore, since leaving my career as a writer, but as you can see there are some magazines I simply cannot live without.  So what makes a good magazine, one that makes me want to subscribe, to read it forever?  A good page layout, images that speak to me, my lifestyle, stories that ignite interest or capture my imagination, pages that make me want to sit down or snuggle up with a cup of tea.  So what makes a good magazine for you? Do you have any favourites, past and present or ones you know you want to read forever?

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

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Reluctant to Pack Away My Flipflops

Yes it is true I am reluctant to pack away my flip flops just yet.  I want Summer to stay and play for a while longer.  I am not quite ready for beef stew although we have readily enjoyed blackberry crumbles made with our haul from the bush at the bottom of the garden.  But warm fires and mugs of hot chocolate seem a far away thought.

It is too soon to hide the picnic basket into the back of the cupboard as I hope for just one more warm summery day on the beach.  I know it's September and I should consider taking a jumper, as there is a chill in the air, but I want to be free of several layers for just a little longer.

Yet I love driving through the lanes and seeing the trees change colour, greeted with the warm russets, orange and yellows.  The pheasants plumply toddle across the road and the tractors are busily finishing the harvest for another year.  Saturdays in the late autumnal sun beside the rugby pitch, wrapped up in a warm coat and scarf, cheering on my sons, watching through my fingers as they almost get sqaushed in the scrum.  Sunday afternoons spent crafting and playing scrabble, eating warm cake or crumpets. Maybe autumn isn't quite so bad?  But please just one more day of warm sun, so we can have one more picnic on the beach.  Then I will pack away my flip flops.

Until next time, take care.
Zoe
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Settling into the New Term

After a lovely warm summer we all headed back to school last week and thankfully it seems to have gone smoothly. The downside is tired grumpy children as they settle back into routines but insist that times for bed are still in holiday settings! Of the joy of starving children meeting you in the playground at the end of the school day.  Fortunately after a plate of crackers and cheese and a glass of juice my little darlings are revived.  Yet the older three can almost eat a meal when they arrive home from the school bus ride and then still eat their dinner.  Honestly I am not sure where they put it all, but at least they are all very sporty and active so there are no fears of wider middles here!

Well I am almost at the end of my second week of the new academic year and boy what a difference being a second year makes.  The workload seems enormous, with plenty of extra reading to be done.  Yet the subject areas we studied as first years are now being explored in more detail and if I am honest, I am actually really excited about this.  Projects and assignments have been set and I am really looking forward to getting stuck in.  Having covered the basics in year one I feel that now it's time to get serious and I have already raided the library at uni. So much to learn and do but I couldn't be happier.

I hope you have all had a good start to the new school year, with happy, if a little more hungrier, children.  That new teachers are a welcome change and that the homework schedule isn't too gruelling just yet.  

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

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