Month: September 2018

Categories
Recommendations

A place to visit: Southwold, Suffolk

We all tend to spend hours researching into exotic places to visit for our yearly holidays or look to head to the continent for the odd weekend away, when sometimes all you need is right on your doorstep.

For readers close to home, then most of you will have visited this beautiful place or heard of it at least. For those a little further away, if ever you’re in Suffolk or nearby, it is well worth a trip and any international followers when planning your visit to England, the Suffolk Coast is something that you ought to include in your plans.

Over the weekend I went on my second visit to Southwold, a coastal town vibrant with life, shops and colourful beach huts. Not only were we extremely lucky with the weather – glorious sunshine and heat – Southwold is a great place in rain or shine.

If you strike lucky and get one of the rare (with the exception of this year) English days of sunshine then you can enjoy time on the sandy beach and even brave a dip in the North Sea. A back drop of colourful beach huts will put a smile on any face and the names will bring more cheeriness to a good day. The price may shock you but one can always dream and they’re a good opportunity to ‘do it for the gram’ and gain some popularity on social media with likes on your photos.

You can then mooch into the small town filled with shops full of trinkets as well as some well known designer brands such as Joules and White Stuff. Allow time for this because the shops have the cunning ability to suck you in and you may think that it’s only been five minutes but actually you’ll have been browsing for an hour or more. If charity shops are you preference then there are also plenty of these and most of the stores are dog friendly so you don’t have to worry about your furry friend while you enjoy spending some well earned cash.

While wandering around you will notice some of the huge houses which are all very pricey but great to look at and if it all gets too much then the Lord Nelson is never far away. The Lord Nelson is a traditional pub serving delicious food and some of the best Adnams bitters as well as the one and only Suffolk cider – Aspalls. Ensure that you have a driver with you because some of these beverages are strengthy ones so you’ll be reenacting the Fools and Horses scene where Del Boy falls off the side of the bar in no time at all. Nice and cool son, play it nice and cool.

If beer is too bloating for you then take a look at the gin selection that they also have and many tonics to accompany and add to the deliciously refreshing taste.

The Adnams shop is a must where they sell a wide range of alcoholic beverages, including the ones you will have tasted while in the pub, so remember which you liked best and take it home to enjoy in front of the cosy fire. Not only does the store stock wine, beers and spirits but stylish home bits too. Whether it’s a new bottle opener you’re looking for, a tasteful chopping board or an artistic tray on which to lay out nibbles – this place has it all.

So next time you’re planning a short escape, don’t shy away from heading to somewhere in your home nation. If England is your home, then the Suffolk coast is a great place to be.

 

 

Categories
Writing

Writer’s block: 300 words per hour

I came up with so many ideas for this week’s blog post as I always do, writing them down while at work or in the shower or making a cup of coffee in the morning or during everything that I do that isn’t writing.

That’s the beauty of having a creative interest. How ideas can come to you when you least expect it so a clean notepad and pen or the trusty note app on an Iphone becomes your new best friend. However, this week I seem to have struggled with every idea that I had.

Usually keeping up to date with my blog is the fun part of my working week. I don’t find it too difficult to write a decent and entertaining post, and it never takes me long so it’s another satisfying tick off my long to-do list. Yet this week it just hasn’t been happening and everything that I have written hasn’t come so easily nor have I felt that what I put down was any good at all.

Whether it’s just a bad week on the writing front, or I’ve hit a wall of exhaustion and need a fortnight holiday in the Bahamas (yes please) I don’t know, but I thought if I can’t write a decent post I will just have to write about not being able to write!

Sometimes I think of myself and all humans as cars. If you keep us fueled up with food and water throughout the day we tend to be able to just keep on going no matter what. Wine in the evening gives us that extra push into the night until we eventually crash ready to do it all over again. Admittedly one of my more random thoughts but I hope you can agree to some extent.

I try not to stop from my shift at the shop to sitting down at my desk to write and it seems to work. In fact, it’s never until I physically stop on a Sunday or the rare more than one day off that I get when I crash and feel shattered. I am sure many of you can relate to this too.

While this is true most of the time, today I do not feel like a functioning car. Cars don’t need breaks or power naps or refueling every five minutes with chocolate and coffee. Today I am not a car.

I find that though writer’s block crops up during my writing time quite often, there is always a solution. Whether the solution can be found in a twenty minute power nap, a lay down and listen to a few of my favorite tracks (of that moment, they change each hour), unloading the dishwasher or doing something away from the computer screen – there is always a solution which allows me to push on.

But today this doesn’t seem to be the case. I got in from my six hour shift feeling tired but armed with strong coffee so all would be well, I thought. I began on the first job in my diary having crossed off work and felt good about the first tick on my list, but nothing was happening.

After half an hour at my desk I looked at my word count with disappointment – three hundred and fifty. I can usually write a good seven to nine hundred words in the same amount of time and that’s not even on a good day.

I left my desk and lay on my bed for five minutes shutting both eyes and listening to the strong winds of Storm Ali whipping up outside, returned to my computer but the motivation remained elsewhere.

I put my headphones in and allowed to pick two songs to listen to before trying again. Though I thoroughly enjoyed this, it didn’t boost my motivation anymore so I sat back down, ditched the other job and began this blog post.

Ten minutes and six hundred words later and I think I have cracked it. The solution to not being able to write is to write about not being able to write! Writer’s block? Non-existent.

A huge gulp of coffee and onto with my other jobs!

Moral of the story? Where there’s a problem, there is ALWAYS a solution. It just might not be as obvious as it has been in the past.

Ta ta for now

x

Categories
Observations

Retail: the good, the fun and the slightly irritating!

Mr important walks in past four customers patiently waiting and straight to the front demanding ham.

“Cut it thick please, you know, just how my wife likes it!”

(How are we supposed to know how your wife likes it, you think, but continue to play the game and ask politely whether the slice you have just cut is thick enough)

He then wants exactly 200g, no more nor less. Again, the guess work comes with a smile through gritted teeth and then to the side at the customers still stood patiently waiting.

He chats for ages about what a lovely shop this is, what a wonderful area it is in and because you can’t be rude and he is saying nice things, you must listen to his babble. Yet you are constantly wanting to serve the four customers patiently waiting, though first in line is becoming ever more frustrated.

“Do you sell Quinoa here?”

(What a stupid request? Of all the things you offer you always get one who picks the most obscure product and has the balls to ask for it)

“No, sir. I am afraid we don’t. Is that everything?”

He goes to grab his wallet from deep within his jean back pocket.

(Hallelujah, you think, we are finally at the end and I can now serve the four customers who have been patiently waiting)

“Oh, I’ll tell you what I need actually. Bare with me one moment.”

He wanders off to another part of the shop so you begin to ask the first patient customer in line if you can help them, both agreeing through wicked eye movements at what a nuisance he is being.

“Can I hel–”

(Interrupted, of course)

He’s now requesting a licorice sweet one centimeter shorter than the ones you have in stock. Inside your head you’ve left the room, yet sadly your body still remains and you have to come up with a serious answer to this barbarity. You want him to ask for a pet unicorn to keep the insanity levels high.

“Frightfully sorry, sir. This is all we have at the moment. I can order it in for you though.”

(The get out clause that saves you in any situation but allows you to conveniently forget your promise if the request is ludicrous.)

“Not to worry, I think that is all.”

(Brilliant, fantastic, the pain might well be over)

“So that will be £4.89 please.”

“Wait a minute.”

(I’m pretty used to waiting)

“Let me just find

(The change)

the change.”

(You knew it)

You wait for him to count out the correct amount in twenty pence pieces while pleading apologetically with your eyes to the eight customers patiently waiting in line and all humour him while you pretend that he is as important to society as he feels.

Meanwhile, his friend ‘I can’t wait a minute’ is hovering forcefully at the other counter, nagging for a cash withdrawal.

“Hello there, I’ll be with you in a minute. These eight people have been waiting so I must serve them first.”

“Ok, do you have any cakes?”

(Clearly not listened to a word you just said)

“I’ll get to you as soon as possible.”

(So you don’t listen either.)

“The ones with icing on, I really like them.”

(Fabulous, two of them in at once)

“Yes we do. I shall just bag this for you so it doesn’t go but I really must serve everybody else first. Thank you sir, good bye. Thank you for waiting everybody. Can I help you?”

Of course Mr important knows Miss I can’t wait a minute and they collectively become ‘the hovering gossips’. Chatting quite happily away to one another and taking up the capacity of the shop in the process.

“Hi, yes. Please can I have a cheese roll and a coffee?”

“Certainly, if you could just pass up the roll you would like.”

Miss I can’t wait a minute heckles from the other counter, interrupting her role as floater.

“Could I just withdraw thirty pounds I am in an awful rush.”

“Yes, just one minute and I will be with you.”

“Is that my roll,” comes from the mouth of first in line which makes you immediately think that he’s not in the patient group as you’d first predicted but in fact fits into one of the other categories of retail.

“Yes, sir. It’s almost complete.”

“Oh, I’d only like half a piece of tomato and just the one cucumber please. And if that knife has been anywhere near the chutney then I would be needing a new roll.”

“I’m ever so sorry, sir. Would you pass me another, I didn’t realise so I shall start again.”

“Sorry to be a pain.”

“Not at all, you’re absolutely fine.”

(Do not let inner thoughts show on facial expression)

. . .

Eventually after what feels like forever but has probably only been five minutes, the shop is empty. Apart from two customers. Finally time to catch up and regain your faith in mankind.

“Hello there. A strange request I know but do you know of any toy voyage hosts?

(What do they think you are, Google? What is toy voyaging?)

“I don’t know what that is? I’m really sorry.”

“It’s where I have a toy and would give it to a host from another country to take it on a vacation. In return I would have theirs. I’m from New Zealand you see.”

“I see.”

One customer remains. The lingerer. The one who has come for a day trip rather than to buy necessities and spends hours choosing items but buying nothing. You attempt to get on with jobs while still looking eager to help them but getting more and more frustrated at the time they take to choose a bag of crisps.

“I’ll take these.”

(Finally)

Now, the shop is empty. For a few minutes the shop remains empty. You wash up all of the dishes, prepare more salad for sandwiches and stock up some shelves. A lady walks in. Lovely looking and as if she knows what she wants. No queues to skip so she heads straight to the counter with a smile.

“Hi there, I’m off to Mongolia next month. Would you be able to recommend the best hotel?”

(You give up)

This is a very exaggerated version, don’t get me wrong, but it is also a glimpse into life in retail. I absolutely love my job and don’t feel at work half of the time with the lovely customers/ friends that I serve throughout the day. However, as with anything in life – there is always one!

Whether you are behind the counter serving or waiting in line, you will be sure to experience the down sides to retail at more than one stage in your life. Though most people you deal with are lovely, there is sure to be irritation along the way.

Categories
Adulthood Observations

I am learning

At the age of twenty three I thought it inappropriate to write this week’s blog post focusing on the things that I have learnt in life due to the fact that it isn’t an overly huge amount so far.

I mean, of course there are billions of things I have learnt to improve my knowledge and understanding of this crazy world, but in terms of mastering valuable life lessons, the process is yet to be completed.

Therefore, I felt it much more accurate to talk about the things that I am learning as I grow and will hopefully have fully accomplished one day.

I am learning not to care so much what people think, a tricky one that I think takes years of practice.

I am learning to stick with what I love and to do it well. This is much better than doing something else that I think I should be doing purely based on other opinions, but only making a half halfhearted effort to do so.

I am learning that people don’t always mean what they say and sometimes they don’t necessarily say what they mean.

I am learning that a cup of tea solves any given situation, no matter how good or bad.

I am learning that there is always a reason to celebrate with a large glass of vino.

I am learning that a good laugh with good company is another form of therapy and sometimes a chat about absolutely nothing can help to clear out your mind.

I am learning that there are certain days when you just aren’t feeling it but after a good cry you’ll usually feel better and you will have your mojo back in no time at all.

I am learning that hormones are very real.

I am learning that when you feel sad about something, talking helps and even if you feel that the person you talk too has much more going on, your issue is yours and the majority of people are more than willing to help.

I am learning that some days just go your way and you feel great even if it is raining and dull outside.

I am learning that photos are the best keepsake to look back on when you feel that you begin to negatively evaluate your current position in life.

I am learning that time out is always needed, whether it’s a long weekend, an entire week or just half an hour on a really bad day.

I am learning that dogs are happiness with four legs and their presence makes your insides smile.

I am learning that that is a skill, to make your insides smile, and to keep everything in life close to you that makes this happen.

I am learning that you don’t have to hear people tell you that they love and care for you to know that they do. This emotion can come in so many different ways such as a message or phone call checking up on you. Perhaps they get you a present just because. They may hug you that bit tighter or smile a bit more when you enter the room. They may help you with a boring task that only benefits you. All of these are expressions of love.

I am learning when to keep thoughts in my head and how to hold my tongue and think before answering or saying something I will regret.

I am learning about toxic relationships and that holding grudges only makes your angrier, it is much better to listen to the old sayings and kill them with kindness.

I am learning to take a step outside your own head in times of anger because sometimes it is more within you than towards the given situation.

I am learning that jealousy is a bad trait but sometimes only natural.

I am learning that being happy for others and seeing the best in people are great traits to have.

I realise how unorganised this post is but I tried a little stream of consciousness exercise which turned into word vomiting out the things that I am beginning to learn. I am also fully aware that there is so much I could add to this but I will save those for now.

 

Keep on learning folks!