Friday Thoughts - Are We All Critical?

Happy Friday!

Today was an eventful day. The Big Brother winner was crowned and for once a very deserving person in Isabelle got crowned the "people's choice".  We all loved Issy the cool unassuming brightly orange girl, who didn't think of herself as beautiful, gladly put herself up for eviction when given an option to decide who should go up that week. Isabelle stole our hearts when she stood up to Lotan the Alpha male in the house who had every single person licking his butt. He was no role model for his son and she said it! Sometimes things need to be said who is going to be brave enough to say it? Few people have the guts while the masses follow the so called cool ones. We all need to show our own personalities, we are individuals, we don't need to be like everyone else. Let that be a point to ponder.

Today after months of unnecessary suffering little angel Charlie Gard eventually was allowed to leave his earthly home by his parents, who fought to keep their son alive. Rest in Peace little Charlie heaven has a lovely spot for you. May your angel wings guide you in your journey to whatever your souls destiny brings. The Pope tweeted, Mike Pence tweeted everybody knew Charlie and followed his fate, may peace & rest come to his parents hearts.

If you read the Daily Mail, its gossip never fails to bring hundreds of comments to every article. Most articles center on looks, fitness, youth, whose body is looking firm etc. We all want to keep fit and be healthy but this unnatural obsession with how everybody looks is getting quite ridiculous. Courtney Cox was criticized for her face being botoxed, Reese Witherspoon was getting the middle age spread going by the comments of the readers, Demi Moore should keep her body covered because the lingerie scene in her new movie BLIND supposedly showed cellulite and it was obviously an older woman's body. Why is everyone so critical? We are in an era of unhappiness, nobody has personal happiness so by being critical we offload our own feelings. Get over this people, we all look good and if we feel good about ourselves we will be fine.

This week with sadness we heard about the suicide of Chester Bennington from Linkin Park. I just read today about a couple in financial woes committed suicide by jumping off a building in New York. Suicide is never the answer. It's the tough things in life we have got to accept before we decide it's too much for us. No problem is without a solution. Perhaps those two who jumped could have moved and lived a frugal life away from New York and had a cut to their finances . Sent their children to state schools, cut out university and made them find jobs. There is always a solution. It will not be easy but better stick it out then have your soul come back to a more unfortunate circumstance and this time be plagued with thoughts of wanting to die!

Be a friend and help listen to someone. Everyone is fighting a battle. Understanding goes a long way. Hope you enjoyed reading this. Have an awesome day and keep smiling. We love everyone.

Love & Peace  

Outfit Recommendation & Forgiveness - Can Humans do That?

Happy Sunday!

The schools have closed everyone is in holiday mode, the kids go to bed later, there is more fun in the air and the lucky few are preparing for a little summer break. If you happen to be among those privileged people feel blessed because there are not so many in the UK who can afford a break. Day trips, a few days at the beach or even Center Parks is a great destination for any young family.

On a Sunday, I like to go a little religious and say a few words on the topic. My theme today would be forgiveness. How often do we actually forgive? Many dishonestly would say I forgive easily but put to the test, I doubt many would come out roses. Forgiveness is a very important part of growing as a person. We want to be able to allow our life to have more love in it than showing hate to everyone. As an Aries, I mostly feel passionate about things, especially if it's somebody I like. Aries also have an impulsive streak. Today what touched my heart was a gesture from someone I was not expecting. Normally if you make a wrong move say something inappropriate you can be certain you will get unfriended, blocked etc. So today after, I said something maybe I shouldn't have, the person, did nothing at all. That is the most benevolent gesture I have ever seen in my life. Forgiveness, he did not choose to punish me and banish me to hell. No we all need to learn something from this. Don't be hasty if we like somebody and have chosen to be friends with them, a little kind gesture will not go amiss. We teach others that we can forgive, and be a bigger person. It was so extraordinary, because I have never ever experienced somebody overlooking something I have done before, something like this, an enormously kind gesture, forgiveness for what I had done. God bless the person abundantly. I try everyday in my life to do things with kindness and generosity but sometimes as humans we fail. It's nice to see one kind person does exist. So please people forgiveness is not hard, try and show it more we do have the capacity to forgive, if we want. Thank you.

A summer outfit recommendation if you are planning to go on a day trip to a theme park, or a funfair ...some inspiration. Hope you like my choice.

1. floral flower frayed denim shorts / 13 euros / Rosegal.com
2. sleeve button up striped blouse / 30 dollars / zaful.com
3. white gladiator sandals / 20 pounds / gojane.com
4. bloom pastal backpack / 25 euros / Pbteen.com
5. Kesha sunglasses / 40 pounds / smartbuyglasses.com

A quote on forgiveness "Until we have seen someone's darkness, we don't really know who they are. Until we have forgiven someone's darkness, we don't really know what love is. " Marianne Williamson.

Have an awesome day and keep smiling.

Love & Peace

Healthy Lemon Chicken With Potatoes & Beans!

Happy Wednesday!

Who's enjoying seeing all the photos of the Duke and Duchess's visit to Poland & Germany? The little kids are stealing the show. Kate does appear too thin in the red flowing tule gown she wore today. The style didn't exactly suit her but I am not a fan of off shouldered anything! It's a style that has gone out of fashion a long time ago. It might come back in 5 years :)

The news all over the press was the release of the BBC's highest paid stars.. totally utter madness that was, how do they even justify those salaries? But that the talk was was more about how little the women earn in comparison to the men shows that it somehow seems fine they earn these absurd amounts! It seems we have gone back to the dark ages of inequality where the elite earn gold and the paupers crumbs! Disgraceful! We need Robin Hood to complete this medieval tale of corruption from all sides! Not a fan of Capitalism!

Today I want to share a favorite recipe of mine which I enjoy cooking for my kids, I learnt how to do it a long time ago and the kids love it and find it delicious. It's a one pot chicken dish our favorite meat! Lemon Garlic Chicken with Potatoes and beans.

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts halved
6 potatoes halved
Salt Pepper & Oil
Half a cup of whole milk
5 teaspoons of all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup of chicken stock
chopped parsley
a small packet of french beans 100 grms
mushrooms about 8 quartered
8 thin slices of lemon
4 pods of garlic

Get a frying pan on the hob , add 2 spoons of oil get it warm put in your chicken pieces with salt & pepper to taste with some parsley and the cloves of garlic get the chicken browned off . Now place the pan in the oven 200 c and bake for about 10 minutes till the chicken is done . Remove the chicken and keep the frying pan with all the good stuff in it .
Put the potatoes in a pan of water and lightly boil it for about 10 to 15 minutes .
Put the frying pan back on the hob throw in your potatoes and mushrooms and allow it to brown . In a small bowl combine your flour and milk and whisk . Now add it to your frying pan with salt and pepper lemon slices and the green beans and allow it to simmer till the beans are tender and its thicken up a bit . Add more parsley at the end . Serve this with some fresh green salad for a healthy light nutritious meal .

Enjoy, keep smiling and have an awesome day!

Love & Peace.

Be A Strong Woman!

Happy Monday!

Took a short break with the blogs, did anyone miss me? I was a bit unwell. Had terrible toothache, which is better but not gone completely for now painkillers seem to be helping but I'm bearing it out. Hopefully it runs its course and dies out, can't go on paining forever. I like the mind over matter thing, it's better, it's better and so it will be. Eating meat is killing me, just infuriates the tooth and on a scale of 1 to 10 I'm at 8. But on to other stuff. It has been an awesome week it always is, hope for a good one and you will be rewarded. I still remember as a young girl all the self help books that lay around my house, it used to be a favorite of my brother. I think positivity is wonderful as is telling the universe this is what I want and you will have it delivered. Think of it as an online company selling you confidence, strength and great mental focus determination. I love all that . Life is tough but we have to roll with it. Its never easy being single but with standards as high as I have it's difficult to find the right person. Nobody seems right, and when he is, he's just not!

The kids all got great reports from school all have been promoted to the next year, it's celebrations. Summer holidays are almost here and the weather is promising to warm up. Life is good, a nice man would make it better but maybe that's how it's supposed to be!!

Sunday saw Roger Federer lift yet another Wimbledon title, with ease, Venus struggled and lost on Saturday!!!! What does that tell us?? Men get better with age and have more stamina. Venus's age I'm sure played a factor against the Spanish girl with that forgettable name! woman are the weaker sex and as soon as they admit it the world will be a better place! I strongly feel women should not be working over the age of 55, it's a disgrace that they should. Physically they get weaker, that is why they go through menopause!! A young childbearing woman is fit, once you can't have kids you are physically weaker. But in this so called modern pretend, forward society having a thought and stating it is unthinkable. We must walk with the masses say YES to what we should say yes to and think the same as everybody. This is not Modern!!!

The 13th Doctor Who was revealed on Sunday and just like I thought and dreaded it turned out to be a woman!!!! WHY or Why??? Dare you feel this is unacceptable! I am deeply disappointed my favorite Sci-fi series has regenerated the Doctor into a woman!! He was supposed to be a man, let the series run the way it was created, have a spin off show with a Time Lady Doctor/Nurse whatever !!I will not be watching this anymore, it will not be forever because He/She will regenerate again and hopefully into a man again! Goodbye Doctor Who!! Wouldn't it be a great idea if Wonder Woman is next played by a bloke and Batman and Robin were females transgender if the case be, that would be everybody's dream ? Yeah , I'm so happy with where the world's going ... NOT !!!

We need to be able to say what we think, we should be respected for our thoughts. If a woman wants to go out work and be a man it should be fine, and if you want to be a woman it should be fine. No woman should be forced to continue working and not have rights . If I could I would encourage girls to be themselves , not what society says . Its okay whatever you choose ! Just be strong and I'm strong and able to say what's on my mind because I have such awesome friends who allow me to be who I am ! Thank you for reading my blogs . God bless!

Have an awesome day and keep smiling.

Love & Peace.

Beauty Secrets!

Happy Wednesday!

With the summer rays shining down and drying our skin, our new beauty best friend is OIL! Stay away from all things greasy, don't they say? Wrong! Oil is perfect for your hair, skin and nails. Here's why it's so perfect for you.

Skin: We have always been told to keep oil away from oily skin and breakouts. Skin's natural oil is sticky and attracts dirt. Cleansing oils, ironically loosens the stickiness, so make up and debris slide off more thoroughly. The result ? A cleaner skin surface. For dry skin: it doubles as a moisturizer, leaving skin super plumped and radiant.

Hair: Oil is proven to protect hair, but it can also leave it limp and greasy. Lightweight hair oils hydrate fine hair without weighing it down. "Moroccan Oil" is a super example, leaving your hair super shiny and hydrated .

Nails: Cuticles can feel dry and hard. The best remedy.. you guessed it-- oil! Hand creams hydrate the surface, but oil penetrates deeper and helps to soften and moisturize the whole area around the nail.

Body: Body oils are the perfect cure for dry, dull skin. Use oil to lock in moisture and illuminate skin. Use Garnier's Ultimate Beauty Oil. It's the perfect thing to soften your skin. The blend of argan, macadamia, almond, and rose oil leaves your body satiny soft.

Hope you enjoyed reading these simple tips to keep your skin looking good. A simple Baby oil used everyday also does wonders for the skin, in case you want to keep on a budget!

Have a great day and keep smiling  :)

Love & Peace.

Self Defense - Why it's So Important!

Happy Saturday!
Today's blog I want to focus on self defense. Why it is so important to know how to be able to care of yourself. We all feel a little vulnerable today than maybe the generation before us did. There are so many opportunists around hoping to find in some isolated spot, alone at home or anywhere they can take advantage and perhaps rob you, rape you etc. We should always be prepared.

Taking up self defense classes is always a bonus. If you are armed with a few moves it could help you to get away and perhaps save your life. If you can defend yourself, you have not only learned something useful but you don't need to know a whole bunch, because you are are learning it to embark on a full fledged fight with the predator. You only want to get away as quick as possible to safety. Always be alert when you are out and about. Take for example a lioness with her cubs. She's got her head held high and always on the look out. You want to walk tall and look a bit intimidating so you don't get approached.

If you are set upon, look for vulnerable spots to inflict some sort of kick. Kick him in the groin, a punch to the throat, adam's apple is a weak spot for a guy. If somebody comes up from behind keep all your stuff confined mainly to one hand so with the other you could elbow him swiftly with the free hand. If somebody approaches you for your wallet or bag, don't become a hero and try to fight, at the same time don't hand it to them throw it as far away from you as possible so while they have to go retrieve it, you can make a get away .

A lot of women in the US keep a pepper spray in their bag. Out here in the UK it's not available so easily. So what I always keep in my bag is a little hand size (travel size) deodorant. It is not for me to freshen up, but to use on somebody's face in case I need to get away. In the eyes it can cause the person some discomfort. It's also handy in case some loose dog tries to attack. Eyes are vulnerable so always a good target.

A few more tips: always make sure at home you know who is on the other side of the door before you answer it. A peep hole is very handy. When you fill up at the gas station always remember to lock your car while you go pay up. You don't want somebody to get into the back of your car and surprise you after you have driven away. If you are away somewhere always make sure somebody knows your whereabouts. Even if it is just out to get something from the corner shop, let someone close know all your movements.

Last of all, every man needs to respect women more. Don't take advantage of a woman, treat her with respect and chances are she will like you more. A phrase I particularly hate especially when a man says "Oh you love it " No. A man doesn't need to say that it's the most vile thing to say. If a woman loved it she would say it herself, like OH I love that. Do not assume a woman loves your shit. And No means NO not a maybe. If a girl is open to something she will let you know she is responsive to any advances.  

Hope you enjoyed reading this and it's a bit informative. Have an awesome day and keep smiling.

Love & Peace

Cocktail Time - Salty Watermelon Frosty!

Good morning/afternoon/evening/night wherever you are in your day, hope you're smiling a big toothy grin! The weather is giving us all the sunshine and heat we need in the south but the north is just pouring down bucket loads. Still, all we need is some good company, music, nice food, some good drinks, and we have all we need. No point letting the weather get us down!

With the children's school vacations all about to start mid July, we are excited about doing more outdoorsy stuff, get to the park, ride bikes, beach days, pool parties, and loads of badminton. Yes, I love watching tennis but no it's not easy to play. Takes a lot of wrist action and I wish I had enormous strength in them, lol. I could get my wine bottle open without having to rely on anyone downstairs :)

A line I read today which I loved. Wanted to share it with you all. "Life is short. Buy the shoes, drink the wine, order the dessert and kiss the man of your dreams." Definitely my goal in the next couple of weeks. On Big Brother, Izzy was telling Kieran she wanted to go to Marbella for a holiday romance. Yes, a summer romance is nice but you don't need to travel so far for it sometimes the person is not too far from your doorstep. Never give up, don't feel defeated there is somebody for everybody and you will meet your perfect match if you don't settle for less #wordsofwisdom. There is nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shore line, no matter how many times it is sent away.

With summer here and I have found the most beautiful flavored Vodka "Salty Watermelon" I thought I would share this lovely cocktail recipe for it . Absolutely stunning drink called the Salty Watermelon Frosty.

2 parts Salty Watermelon Vodka
1 part triple sec
1 tsp sugar
Splash of lemon juice
4 large ice cubes

Blend it together and serve.You will love it. If you can't find the Salty Watermelon Vodka try any other flavored Vodka it would work just as well!

Enjoy the cocktail. Have an awesome day and keep smiling.

Love & Peace

Optimism & Positivity Big Traits To Succeed!

Happy Monday!

July is flying by, do you feel it? Tomorrow is the 4th, Independence day so it's barbecues, parties fireworks, and family get-togethers. In The UK it's the start of Wimbledon the tennis tournament which every summer is the highlight of everyone's calendar. We haven't had many warm days and there has been so much rain. Hope it stays dry and sunny to stir up the festive mood!

Today the Duchess of Cambridge showcased a new hairstyle. It was a lot shorter and a little choppy. It was an improvement, though one side was curled more and it appeared her hair was uneven, lol. Well that was me being a perfectionist with hair. It is of course our crowning glory. Everybody wants to appear fabulous. That is why today as I watched Botched Celebs on Channel 5 after Big Brother. I wondered why Gail Porter, who was stunning, has allowed herself to fall away. I know she suffered allopacia but that was no reason to be bald. There are plenty of good wigs on the market and she needs to invest in them. It would help her self esteem and make her feel whole again. She has a lot of sadness in her eyes. We don't always have all we want in life but we must overcome our hurdles and do the the best we can to improve our life and make ourselves happy. I am so glad she got that boob reduction and the new pair is perfect. The doctor did a grand job and Gail needs to get back in the spotlight. It would give a lot of confidence to other people in the same position as her the step they need. Gail get yourself a beautiful wig, my advice.

We all lose confidence at some point in our life. Be it as we get older. But we see how other people around us cope and we take heart. Generally we look to celebrities as our role models. I am very moved by Kourtney Kardashian. She has 3 children, but after her break-up with Scott she is now with a 24 year old. Okay so I don't need a boyfriend so much younger than myself but I should not feel bad. I like someone who's four years younger than myself, lol. What does society think about an older woman / younger man? Times have changed but men generally prefer a younger woman, so I've got no big hopes of landing the man of my dreams. So you see how we all must live with disappointments. I'm not ever going to let anything bring me down. We all must learn to be optimistic and continue living our life still striving to achieve our goals and be happy.

Optimism is the key, don't bring yourself down. Stay positive, good thoughts attract good things into your life. Love life, smile, and watch yourself attract the people you want in your life.  Somebody once said, ''how does a french woman manage to stay so attractive for her man?'' Watch a Frenchman gaze at his woman even if they have been together 20 years. The secret is to be nice, don't yell at your man, don't get sloppy around him. Put on sexy clothes keep your hair well groomed and always be affectionate. Men like attention and to be looked after. If you spoil him, chances are he's not going to be chasing other women. If you have a problem with him say it in a nice way, write him a note, and always be interested in the things he loves, if you don share his interests chances are the relationship is doomed. See The beautiful Princess Diana & Charles, it was ill matched. He loves the witch Camilla because she likes all the stuff he does and she acts like a mother around him, so he's eating out of her hands. Try to work your magic, even if its hard. You will succeed.

Hope you enjoyed reading this and a #Happy4thJuly  Keep smiling and have an awesome day .

Love & Peace.

Stylish Summer Dresses!

Happy Saturday!

So with Summer in the air, dresses are high fashion. I have chosen the prettiest to inspire you if you are thinking of expanding your wardrobe. Dresses can always be dressed up with heels or kept simple with flats on a day out shopping with the friends or a lunch date!

All these selections are available online and I have listed them below:

1. Floral Dress / 19 pounds / thehut.com
2. Skater Dress / 35 pounds / Vestry.com
3. Pencil Dress / 48 dollars / Missselfridge.com
4. Scoop Neck Dress / 16 dollars / Rosegal.com

A quote from Carrie Bradshaw which is a favorite of mine (Yes, I am a big Sex and The City fan!) is, ''I like my money right where I can see it, hanging in my closet.'' I love that!!

Have an awesome day and keep smiling!

Love & Peace.