Highlights of Winter 2013/14

Whilst pingponging between London and Edinburgh over the last few weeks,, it has become remarkably clear to me that Scotland is a few weeks behind England on the seasons front. So whilst my blogger counterparts south of the UK are waxing lyrical about bare legs and daffodils, us lot in Scotland continue to be bundled up in multiple layers.  I figured that whilst it is still wintery where I live, I'll do a little post reflecting on the season that we are soon leaving behind. Don't be fooled by all the pretty pictures on my Instagram feed, its been a terribly heartbreaking and stressful few months for me (and us). Christmas was only three months ago and I spent most of the festive season in hospital and the rest of time outside of it trying to physically recover and reconciling myself with the fact that I may never have a baby again (naturally) and that any other interventions will still be fraught with risk. And to add to that we moved our entire lives several hundred miles north, changed jobs and battled other challenges...However, Ed and I figured that the move to Edinburgh, the culture and new experiences will help us with the healing.  So, here's a snapshot of all the fun things we've been up to...

The Edinburgh Christmas markets, spread across three different parts of the city, are an absolute delight. We wandered around them  every time we could, admiring all the seasonal goodness they had to offer. I particularly love the sight of happy carousels and sky high rides, even if I'm not a fan of getting on some of these rides myself.  Christmas lights, sparkly shop windows, Harvey Nic's during the holiday season, online sales have all been rather delightful. The flip side of being horizontal so much was that I was that much more susceptible to a naughty sale purchases: Charlotte Olympia, Agent Provacateur, Cire Trudon etc have somehow made it into my wardrobe and home ;) And then there was wool, lots and lots of it, with lots of knitting to boot. Who knew I'd one day become a knitter! The nuns that taught me at school would be so very shocked! And, I got published twice... not for knitting but simply because of the blog....my Rhubarb Creme Brûlée made it to a book published by the Princes Trust and my blog was featured in the Making Magazine! And then there was the millinery masterclass with Katherine Elizabeth... so much fun but so not easy!

Winter is also a time when I somehow always manage to gain a few chubby pounds...a lot of it was  because of Dosa ( a crispy south Indian pancake that I could live off)... something almost impossible to find Peterborough way but quite the contrary in Edinburgh.... and there always a session at Laduree every time I was in the big smoke, sessions at Sketch, Yauatcha, Coco Maya and other favourite London haunts.  And there was the London Chocolate Tour... a fabulous chocolate extravaganza... an experience worth trying..Valentine's day card making with Rosie and Hannah of the New Craft Society at Drink Shop Do, a beautiful Valentines day surprise by the husband at our favourite haunt in Exton, a random but interesting Mongolian barbecue of Taiwanese origin at Khublai Khan etc...

Then a month ago, we moved 'properly'... i.e sold every piece of furniture, decluttered a lot of our 'stuff' down south, and moved log stock and barrel to start a whole new phase of life in Edinburgh. I continue to work from England i.e. travel to Newcastle, London etc but hopefully that is all set to change soon..And before the snow could all go, we learnt ( tried to) ski! Looking back, its incredible how much we've been through and how much we've accomplished and experienced in such a short space of time... it reaffirms by motto in life..carpe diem as life's too short and there is no time like the present. 

I hope you've had a season full of life enriching experiences too... and that when Spring comes along, it brings happy, new and wonderful things with it. Ann x

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Highlights of Winter 2013/14
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