22:24

Another month has passed and March is underway. It has been a busy time with both work and my personal life being incredibly full with different events and ventures.

This month I have started a course as part of the International Compliance Association to get my Advanced Certificate in Anti Money Laundering. This is running in conjunction with my job which will also be a good addition to my skill set and qualifications. I will complete online classes and tutorials, as well as assignments and an exam, with the results being published in October. Having not studied since I graduated from university, it will be a challenge to go back into studying but it is a worthwhile investment. I look forward to seeing how it progresses!

My fiancé and I are in the middle of all our wedding planning – menu tasting, favour making, pre-wedding shoot, guest list, ordering buttonholes, hair and make-up trial, sending marriage notice (to name a few!). As the months draw in seemingly quicker each week we look forward to the big day and celebrating with family and friends. Less than three months to go!

Other notable events include a trip down to visit my parents with my fiancé and his parents. We spent just under a week in England showing them around my home town, and visiting relatives and exploring other cities. They seemed to really enjoy their trip and I’m grateful to have gained another set of parents! It was a lovely break from work and a chance to spend more time in nature too. As the weather is slowly getting better and the days are getting lighter, I look forward to more days off spent with family and friends.

This month is also packed with activities and plans so hopefully I can remember to check in before March passes by!

21:40

Happy belated new year! I hope everyone had some time off to relax and rejuvenate before 2023, and we are now back to the hustle and bustle of busy lives. I am back into the swing of working life after having some time off in late December and early January. The routine lifestyle is missed during the holiday season sometimes!

Since my last post I have been busy with my house. Lots of DIY, furnishing, cooking, cleaning, organising, as well as working full time! Thankfully I get to work from home frequently so I can get things done around the house then too. In December I attended my nephew’s 2nd birthday party, work Christmas party and various family gatherings. Moreover I was also able to travel back to my home town to see friends and family and spend quality time together. My week back at my parents’ felt quicker than usual and before I knew it, I was driving back to Edinburgh again. I spent new year’s eve with a quiet dinner at my boyfriend’s parents’, where they always feed me really well! We then watched fireworks from afar to ring in the new year. Our local church held a thanksgiving service for new year’s day with choir presentations and a meal together. Afterwards a group of youths gathered to cook and play games, where we laughed into the night! Add in some babysitting, brunches and running various errands, and that took us to the start of the work year!

All in all a fulfilling couple of months spent with those closest to me! I have also been enjoying the independence of living alone, and also embracing the challenges of solo living. Looking forward to a fruitful year and hoping for the best for everyone too!

21:15

July?! Officially past the half way mark in the year and the days really have been flying by.

Tomorrow marks my 30th birthday! Something I wouldn’t have mentioned otherwise however my blog name change would be a big hint to my age. I am not feeling particularly sentimental about turning 30 or excited, or any other feeling people usually attribute to a big birthday. I guess it is true that as you get older a birthday doesn’t necessarily mean as much. This birthday has been one that has crept up on me. June was so busy with work, and then the beginning of July was busy with family time, that mid-July is here already!

My parents were in Edinburgh last week so I spent a lot of time at my brother’s house with them. I worked ‘from home’ there, ate three meals a day there, and had a lot of bonding time with my nephew. I also helped them with weeding the garden, cutting the grass, washing up, and general aunty duties. On Friday my older brother, sister-in-law and nephew surprised me by coming down to Edinburgh as an early surprise for my birthday. We met up to do some fruit picking and had a lovely day out with a rich harvest. On Saturday we went to church together, explored Edinburgh city centre on foot, and then they surprised me with a birthday meal, cake and presents. On Sunday we went to a safari park and enjoyed the hottest day of the year there. Saw a lot of animals and made a lot of good memories! A thoroughly enjoyable week with family, something which we don’t get to have often due to physical distance.

I am thoroughly blessed to have such a loving, caring family who make time for me in their busy lives. My love language of quality time is thoroughly filled! I am very thankful for the past 30 years and the guidance God has given me, as well as my parents, family, friends and peers. 3 decades of experiences and memories and more being made each day. I have a thankful heart and a reflective mind this evening. Here’s to 30!

21:58

A couple of things that happened from March onwards:

• I spent some quality time with my parents while they were in Edinburgh. I will visit them next week when I travel home for Easter break! It will be good to see family and friends again, especially my elderly grandmother who isn’t as mobile any more.
• I went bowling for the first time in years! I wasn’t particularly good but it felt like I was a child again just having fun!
• I got three fillings and fell asleep while in the dentist’s chair. This is the result of the pandemic which caused the dentist surgeries to shut for a while. The falling asleep part is due to the fact I don’t mind going to the dentist – injections and all those noises don’t bother me!
• I went bouldering for the first time and wasn’t too bad. My back was surprisingly sore the next day and I could feel the tautness of my muscles, but it felt good to exercise in a fun, different way.
• I led a successful surprise bridal shower for my friend! We had friends and family gather in a tea house, and I brought her inside under the pretence of returning a purchase. When everyone jumped out she was thoroughly surprised! A lot of organisation and planning – two things which I enjoy – and happy faces and bellies.
• I satisfied many food cravings and tried some new Edinburgh restaurants. This is definitely something I do a lot of every month! Food is such a simple joy for me!
• I was offered a position within the law firm that my current company is an outsourcer for. I was doing a secondment of 3 days a week in the Compliance team with 2 days at my regular job. The firm appreciated the value I added in those 3 days and how I cleared the majority of backlogged work, and offered me a full time position! I am due to start at the beginning of May. This is a role I have been looking to get into since studying at university, and I am so grateful and thankful that this opportunity came up.
• Wedding festivities have started for my friend! The bride’s side of the banquet was held yesterday. It was fun and emotional to help the bride get ready, and it was a happy occasion to see everyone all dressed up and celebrating together. A busy week lies ahead with the wedding ceremony and groom’s banquet in Newcastle. I am thankful for some time off despite it going to be spent being super busy!

21:50

At the end of February my siblings (and their families) and I surprised our parents for their belated birthdays with a mini family getaway. We haven’t spent time as a family for a long time due to the pandemic and our different geographical locations. Though we only were together for a short period of time it was refreshing to be back together again. We surprised them with birthday cake and a fancy seafood meal in a private room, as well as spending quality time together. A tiring weekend but one worth driving up and down the country for! My nephews played together and we enjoyed watching them interact, and learn from each other. Plenty of photos, experiences and memories made!

20:14

Is there a clause in the pandemic paperwork that states all days and months must pass by quicker than pre-pandemic times?

I do not think I am alone in having the above thought! It seems like we only just stepped into the new year of 2022 yet it is already mid-January. Each week passes by quickly and I find my months turning into a blur.

Everything in both my professional and personal life is thankfully running smoothly. My family and friends are well and have good health. I have no complaints about this year so far! I have many things to look forward to this year so my heart is joyful, and my mind is hopeful. Taking each week as it comes and giving all glory to God!

23:38

And just like that we’re at the end of 2021! Though there is a definite lacking of the ‘new year’ feels, it couldn’t be a more perfect end to the most bizarre year. Another year of the pandemic with changes left, right and centre. A year to be thankful for none the less!

I have spent the past two weeks at home with my parents. After a two year gap of being away due to the pandemic I was able to safely travel home to see my friends and relatives. Lots of catch ups, familiar faces and a whole lot of food! Breaking in the new year by sitting in bed in my pyjamas willing my eyes to stay open! Eighty year old masquerading as a twenty-something I guess… A quiet end to the year with reflection and thanksgiving.

Wishing all my readers a happy new year! May you all have a safe and blessed celebration whatever you are doing, and I hope 2022 brings you all good things!

21:12

Tomorrow marks my last working day of the year! I have recently transitioned into working from home with my new role so have been really enjoying the perks – sleeping for longer, lazy mornings with cooked breakfasts, running errands during breaks, not wearing contacts or make-up, and not having to wear proper clothes! I am thoroughly enjoying lone working and being able to listen to music all day. It really is an introvert’s dream come true!

I have taken time off to return home and visit my family and friends. This marks my first trip home in 2 years! I had initially planned a trip home during April/May 2020 however the height of the pandemic had other plans. While my parents have visited Edinburgh and I have seen my siblings and their families, there are some relatives and friends who I haven’t seen for the full 2 years. I look forward to relaxing at home and catching up with everyone.

I will not be back to work till January! While this year has flown by so quickly and each month has passed swifter than the one before, I will cherish the days left of 2021. A year full of change and uncertainty, but plenty to give thanks for and to entrust unto God. Winding up my work year with a thankful heart for this new role!

22:59

It has been a manic month.

I didn’t know that I could feel this tired and my body could feel this achey. Mentally I have been very challenged at work, and while I like to push myself to do better, the stress that comes from it is unwanted. Working overtime hours has also taken its toll. The past student days of insomnia have been replaced by falling asleep on the bus, naps before dinner, and quick snoozes while watching Netflix. 

I am pleased to have a couple of days off this week and will be spending some family time in Aberdeen. My older nephew turns 1 year old this week! Looking back at photos from this time last year has made me see how far everything has moved forward in the pandemic. I am appreciative of the roll out of the vaccine, the easing of lock down and also the return to normality. A few days to destress, unwind and enjoy some quality time with family. 

 

19:17

July brought multiple days out enjoying the summer sun, leading into beautiful evenings, hence less posts. In Scotland our window of sun does not last long! After a few glorious weeks of blazing heat, we had multiple thunderstorms as well as flooding.

I spent days off with friends and family, enjoying lovely scenery, picking fruit and eating delicious food. I attended an in-person wedding and reception for the first time since 2019! I was very thankful for the chance to be a part of their limited wedding guests, and also to see so many familiar faces again. Though the pandemic brought many difficulties for the couple, they were finally able to go through with their special day!

Work has reshuffled me to a different desk – a change I hadn’t been expecting – same work but a different view. I now provide more of a personal service to our client as I offer a more visible presence. Like all changes it will take time to get used to!