Tag: Mr. Michie (page 2 of 20)

December 23, 2018 / 0 Comments

Christmas Preparations

The cookies are baked and stored in tins, a “Pimped out Pumpkin Pie”, recipe courtesy of The American Pie Company is cooling on the counter. The turkey has been picked up from the butcher shop and a loaf of bread is on its second rise before being baked, cooled and cut up for stuffing.

There is a pecan cinnamon-sugar star bread in the freezer, that I made a few weeks ago, that will be pulled out on Christmas Eve to defrost and rise again and then be baked on Christmas morning and smothered in icing for breakfast.

Christmas music is playing, all the lights are twinkling. There is an excitement in the air, but a calmness to our pace. Tomorrow we shall work on final preparations for Christmas day and then Mr. Michie said he had a surprise up his sleeve for me. We’re going to see one of my favourite Christmas movies, “White Christmas” on the big screen. I can’t wait!

It always feels as Christmas will never come and then suddenly it’s here in a rush and a blur of lights and noise and torn Christmas paper and I don’t want to miss a thing! I’m going to savour every moment.

{Image FOUND // Pinned HERE}

December 11, 2018 / 0 Comments

The Nutcracker

Last night, we were lucky enough to have snagged tickets to the encore performance of The Royal Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. Like numerous other people, I’m sure, this ballet means “Christmas” to me and I simply adore it. It was such a part of my childhood growing up. I was very blessed to live in a town that supported the Arts and our ballet company and symphony would put on a beautiful rendition every year.

I have wanted to see this particular performance at The Royal Opera House for years, but for one reason or another, it just hasn’t worked out. But last night, was perfect. It was the first time we had seen a “live” performance at our movie theatre and we were both truly pleased. It was a wonderful way to see something like this. I know there are elements you miss by not sitting within the audience, staring at the stage together, your eyes wandering over the cast, the sets, feeling the crowds emotions around you. Here, the camera controls what you see. But that didn’t bother us. We felt just as much a part of this performance as if we were seeing it in person.

Anna Rose O’Sullivan and Marcelino Sambé in the Royal’s The Nutcracker. Photograph: Alastair Muir

The cast was marvellous and we could have not asked for a better Clara (Anna Rose O’Sullivan), Nutcracker (Marcelino Sambé), or Sugar Plum Fairy, who was played by the beautifully talented Marianela Nuñez. This year, she celebrates her 20th year with The Royal Ballet.

During the intermission, Mr. Michie ordered us hot chocolates. So we started the second Act, nestled in our velvet sofa, drinking hot chocolate, covered with mini pink and white marshmallows. It was perfect! It was a truly magical evening, a wonderful way to start our week and one more enchanting Christmas experience we’ve been able to do this year.

December 6, 2018 / 0 Comments

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

I forgot to put my shoes out last night, so only Mr. Michie got a surprise. It was a pretty big Christmas chocolate bar that was wedged in his shoe though, so I’m hoping he’ll share a piece with me later.

{Image Phoebe Wahl // Pinned HERE}

July 13, 2018 / 2 Comments

Hello, Friday!

“Hello, Friday! We’ve been waiting on you all week!”

I don’t know about anyone else, but I have been waiting for Friday all week! This week has been a roller coaster, but we’ve marched on.

Mr. Michie surprised me ages ago with tickets to see an exhibition of one of my favourite artists, Frida Kahlo. There is an exhibition at the V&A of her personal things. So that’s on the weekend agenda as well as cooking together, listening to music, enjoying the sunshine and soaking up life.

I hope you have a wonderful Friday, wherever you may be today! ♥

{Image FOUND // Pinned HERE}

May 29, 2018 / 0 Comments

Fourteen

“The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” ℘ Audrey Hepburn

Fourteen years ago today I walked down the aisle in the church that my parents were married in and my grandparents before that and Mr. Michie took my hand in his. Fourteen years later, he still has my hand in his and I still have a serious crush on this red-headed man of mine! Here’s to the next fourteen! ♥

{Paul Newman & Joanne Woodard HERE // Pinned HERE}

May 25, 2018 / 0 Comments

Solo: A Star Wars Story

As Rod Stewart croons, “Tonight’s the night!”. We’re going on a date to see Solo: A Star Wars Story. And I can’t wait! Popcorn, holding hands with Mr. Michie, a tub of these heavenly chocolate covered honeycomb bites our movie theatre sells to share, all equals happiness to me!

Here’s to the weekend, long may it last!

{I snapped this image of the movie poster on my morning run. I love its old school look!}

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May 17, 2018 / 0 Comments

Home

Yesterday was a good day in many respects, but it was a long day. I hadn’t slept very well the night before because a local security alarm went off literally all night. It started just before 1am and didn’t quit till after 6am. I know it didn’t quit till then, because I was downstairs making breakfast and just after six, went to open the curtains and as soon as I peeled them back the alarm stopped. I just rolled my eyes.

So the not sleeping so hot, compounded by the fact that our neighbours are door slammers and they must have been in and out of their house over 20 times yesterday and every single time they left, they kept slamming the door, making everything rattle. Plus I had a long list of tasks to get through and for one reason or another, they just weren’t getting ticked off of my list.

All of that was piled on top of the serious amount of pollen we’re getting at the moment and it had made my voice hoarse and my nose run like a faucet. So I was feeling a little sorry for myself.

Mr. Michie had a late meeting and I walked to meet him after work. It was a lot windier and a lot chillier than I thought it was after I started walking. By the time I realised that, it was too late to turn back for a coat. I was a popsicle by the time we met each other. He kissed me hello and then he slipped off his coat and put it on me and zipped me up in it and all of his warmth inside the jacket was warming me up and suddenly the world felt pretty rosey again.

He did what he always does, what we always do; we take care of each other. It was an act of kindness, of love, of gentlemaness. It was a simple act, but that simple act had turned my day around. In that simple act, I knew that I was home.

{Image HERE // Pinned HERE}

May 8, 2018 / 0 Comments

Running

I’m always accepting of others, yet I’m my own harshest critic. I workout on a daily basis and as with anything there are highs and lows to my practice. I want everything to change faster, with a snap of my fingers. But, that’s not how it works. I’m blessed to have a body that is healthy. I’m blessed to have legs that carry me where I want to go and eyes to take in the beauty around me. I might not always be in love with everything about my body, but it is mine and it can do amazing things. My daily run is just as much about mental health as it is physical. I love being outside. Watching the seasons turn from one to other and seeing that transition everyday makes my heart happy.

The first part of my routine starts pretty much the same every morning. It is a combination of jogging, running and walking. After which, I do a full series of stretches and yoga in a little nook in the woods.

I felt I was ready to take my running routine up another level and asked Mr. Michie, who is an incredibly strong runner to help me devise a plan. I’m four weeks in to this new routine and today, I was supposed to take it up a notch. Yesterday, I ran last week’s course again and after that I realised that I’m actually not ready to move to the next tier this week. I spoke about it with Mr. Michie last night and his advice was to repeat week three again. I can’t tell you how frustrating I found that suggestion. But, he was right.

I’m not a quitter, I push myself every day and to have to go back to what felt like square one made me feel discouraged. But, this morning, I stood back, I took a deep breath and I knew that it was more important to listen to what my body was telling me. I’m in this for the long haul. So, what if I’ve added on another week! I’m just building up my endurance. Today was a little easier than yesterday and I know tomorrow will be even more so.

It’s so easy in the process of trying to achieve something to get discouraged. But at these moments, I pull out my binoculars so I can look way, way back into the past and clearly see that I’m better than I was a year ago; I’m better than I was sixth months ago. I’m building something, brick by brick and it is far better to have a strong foundation underneath me to build it on. So, this time next week, I’ll add the next step into my new running routine and I’ll do it with the confidence that I’m in the right place to do so on my journey.

{Poem by Nayyirah Waheed // Image Pinned HERE}

February 18, 2018 / 2 Comments

Sunday Morning

There is a different pace to Sunday mornings. We are usually up early and out the door, rain or shine. There is a different feel to Sundays. You know the weekend is wrapping up, there are things to prep for Monday, there are last minute chores to be done. It has a flow all its own.

This morning, we opted for a quiet Sunday morning. Mr. Michie made coffee; I made smashed avocado toast. We lit the candles, listened to music, worked on the crossword. The Sunday before going back to work after a school break, to me, is always filled with a tinge of sadness. For I am selfish with my time with him. I like moving to our own pace, I like not having rules to our days.

Tomorrow is back to work for him and a mini adventure for me. Here’s to Sunday, may we pack it full of life before the sun sets.

February 12, 2018 / 2 Comments

Coffee & Eggs

We are a house that rises early. I have always been and I think will continue to be, a night owl. But, I’ve come to love getting up in the early hours of the morning. I think I crave that quiet time, just as much as my 2am writing sessions.

So, in this house of early risers, we aim to have breakfast together before we head out the door to start our day. We normally make toast or have some yogurt with fresh fruit; we work on the crossword together, sometimes there is music, sometimes it is just quiet and there is always a candle lit.

I’ve come to cherish our morning routine. However, one thing I do love about school breaks is a mini break in the routine and a chance to do something on a weekday when everyone else is at work. We awoke early this morning but stayed bundled up in bed for a while longer before we braved going out. It was a balmy 24ºF when we headed out together. We went to the woods. The ponds were completely iced over, the birds were singing and flittering from one bough to another. There was ice on the ground and the bit of snow that had fallen late last night had hardened.

After a good run and a bit of a workout using the park benches, we headed to one of our favourite joints to grab breakfast. Outside of the weekend, we never get to go there. It was quiet, just one other table eating breakfast. We sat in the window so we could feel the sunshine on our faces.

We ordered coffee, worked on the crossword and decided to order some breakfast. I deviated from my normal choice of smashed avocado, feta and chilli on toast, to the rosemary roasted ham on toast, topped with fried eggs. It was bliss. It was a well deserved breakfast after such a cold run; it was luxuriously enjoyed as there were no time constraints and even better there were no dishes to do when we were done.

This was a perfect start to our week off.

P.S. We’re having a blast watching the Olympics. I read the lovely Tieghan’s blog of Half Baked Harvest and we were jumping up and down when her brother Red took the Gold in snowboarding! His first Olympics and he goes home with the Gold! Just INCREDIBLE! ♥

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