With another month down of the weird and wonderful 2020. Here I am today to share my favourites for July. The first month in many, we have been allowed nearer people and in certain shops. All still a little off putting if I am honest but there we go. I try to share at least 12 things with you, but it is still hard when I am in the moving process and zero spends and shops being barely open a week. Anyway, here they are, not 12 but a variety to, I hope, inspire you.
First on the list is an app actually. It is called Barre by Down Dog. If you didn’t know this Pilates is meant to be very good for endometriosis and for years, I was doing personal training Pilates. When my pain is bad, I have to stop, its just unbearable. Now I am feeling good or ok I have downloaded this app and every weekday evening, just after work I do a 15-minute Barre workout. Barre is a ballet type Pilates. Exercise is something I hate if I am honest, but I have been really enjoying the workouts. The app is free for 2 weeks I believe and then you have to pay. Two weeks is enough time to get a feel of the kind of workouts and if you enjoy them. You don’t have to do 15 minutes either, you can set the amount of time for your preference.
Jayne Hardy is a really good author for self-care, self-help books. Her latest book ‘Making Space’ is my latest read and I find her books really helpful, easy to read and I always take away new elements of self care to practice. This book is all about making boundaries and creating them for everything in life. Honestly this book is amazing, mostly a book you can read and learn from. But it also has worksheet ideas to allow you to make the boundaries.
Another app I have been loving is the BBC Good Food app. I tend to eat healthy but that went a little out of hand during lockdown. Because I wanted to have a fresh start and focus on healthy eating but clean and good foods. So, I downloaded this app, I mainly use one recipe which is baked oats, but have used many off the app to try out as well. They have recipes for all kinds of dishes and treats as well.
From that app, as I just mentioned I am loving the baked oats. I am no lover of milk or porridge if I am honest. But I really wanted to try find an oat-based recipe that I actually could eat and enjoy. It I really filling and easy to make. With breakfast being the best meal of the day for you, this recipe allows me to have a good nutritious breakfast and stay full till lunch, if not longer. The recipe is for 6 breakfasts, but I now have this recipe over 8 breakfasts. Adding the nuts and berries takes the taste away from the porridge taste. A couple spoons of yogurt and some honey and its tasty.
I don’t watch a lot of tv, well actually I watch it for 40 minutes on a Saturday and that is it and only if Casualty is on. YouTube is all for my chillout time and watching vlogs mainly. The British people reading this may know of this family, being 22 kids and counting now. When they started a tv show years ago, it was 18 kids and counting I believe. They have their own vlogging channel now called ‘The Radford Family.’ Though they are filming for tv right now as well, they are bringing us content as well, they are just a loving family and I enjoy watching their day to day life.
Something I wish I could do myself but can’t is French plaits. Every time I am at my mums and my hair needs sorting out, I get her to French plait my hair. There is just something about a French plait, that keeps you cool in the heat but looks pretty neat and like you’ve made an effort. For the fact I can leave mine in for days and just add a hairband or something, works wonders for me.
If you are a regular video watcher of mine, you will probably know this one. But Mr Whippy ice cream. Every weekend we go to the local garden centre and get one, because theirs are the best. They are just super yummy, delicious and a lovely treat. Think the ice cream lady knows our order off by heart now but there we go.
With Covid and all that, I have missed seeing the kids. When the rule you can meet as 2 families outside social distancing. We started a weekly lunchtime art club. I would just drive to theirs and we would sit distanced on their drive doing origami mostly. It is just nice to spend time with them and Abigail especially loves to be creative like me. So, it is perfect for them and me to get some time together and do something we enjoy.
I am in the middle of the stressful moving to a new house process. With that I love interior design and getting my ideas together. Etsy has really helped me with this actually. There are so many things or ideas even that I would like to use in my house, or it has inspired me with ways to decorate. Literally I search for an idea and then look at things to put in or what goes with the theme etc. Eventually I will look to buying the bits but for now its just letting me get excited a little for decorating my new home.
And they are all my favourites for July. What was one of your favourites?
