London Calling

The Husband and I are really quite different when it comes to organisation. There are list people, and there are those that like the uncertainty and sense of adventure. The first group of people are more than happy to plan every spare minute and create list after list detailing where exactly they will be on any given day at any given time. I am one of these people. The second group of people have within their midst’s my husband. I don’t understand him, and he doesn’t understand me-at least when it comes to this.


I am more than happy to take on the responsibility for big events and holidays, and with the everyday running of the home we just muddle along, I guess like every other couple out there.

We are planning a trip to London for our anniversary in October and have already booked the flights. The accommodation needs to be found and paid for-but we really are on a budget as we are going away in the Summer and have made preliminary plans to head off in Winter too. The months of these events are getting closer and I am counting down the pay days! With this in mind we decided to start searching for a London Bed and Breakfast. We thought that this would be a dependable way to find a cheaper option. I found the website good to use as I really like it when a site has lots of options to narrow down a search (…this is a godsend to list makers)

There are a few places that we like the look of and seeing as we are really just looking for a place to lay our head between visits and tours we are more than happy to forgo a free shower gel! The locations are great and that seems to be the thing that matters most to us anyway. Whenever we’ve went somewhere before we’ve always ended up eating our tea at an interesting looking place we have found while out and about-so we never really make full use of hotels. It’s just a matter of picking which area we like best… Right, just need to get The Husband to ‘sign off’ plans and we are go!

London...again

The Husband and I are looking at booking a little mini break for October. The plan is that, seeing as its our five year anniversary, we will actually DO something to celebrate. I went to London when I was 21 and loved every minute of it. The city is so beautiful and being a history lover there was plenty for me to do. I still look back at the pictures I took of lamp-posts and buses as the whole place was so exciting for me. (Now that I am…..erm….older, and most certainly wiser, I’m sure I won’t do such a silly thing this time round!)


I fell in love with London before I visited, I fell in love again for the Royal wedding, again for the Olympics, and for all the beautiful things I’ve read and looked at in between. Just because these particular events are over, there is hardly a shortage of events in London. The city encapsulates every buzzword you can think of. I would love to go at Christmas, Spring or Summer, however I will be going this year in October.

Because October isn’t quite the time for a Christmas buzz there isn’t anything that instantly springs to mind to visit, however that’s where my crazy planning streak comes into its own!

I would love for us to head off to London to make it like our little ‘event’, it will be our ‘thing’ where we make a fuss of ourselves (seeing as we work pretty darn hard the rest of the year). I’m already looking at restaurants and bars which will be conveniently located around the city. I love the idea of just popping into cosy bar with a little nook or sashaying into a chic room with high ceilings that is light and airy.

So for now I am looking online, I am compiling my lists and after showing all of this to TH I will then head off and do my own things anyway! I can’t wait to start sharing my plans with you.

Our Anniversary

It seems odd to think that we’ve been married for four years, but seeing as today is our anniversary I can’t really deny it. If I’d been asked I think I’d still have to count it up on my fingers.


“Year one, now I remember, we went to the Christening of my Bridesmaids second child,” I’d say. Although if asked at the time it would be a little more like this…”hic, why has she got a baby? Sob, sob, hic, why does she get TWO and I get none?”

I would then hold up another finger to count… “Ah, wedding anniversary two, the year we were supposed to go away,” I’d remember poignantly. However it really wouldn’t have sounded like that in the slightest, it really should be more like “He tells me we’re going away. He then gets voted into the club to take a senior role and he’s leaving me this one night a week. I mean how RUDE is he? Sure we can do anything any other night, and sure I’m really, really bogged down with the flu anyway, but he should be HERE, even though I’m sleeping. I know its TH’s only chance….but what about MEEEE?”

By this point I’d be pretty sure that yes, indeed, it had been four years, but I’d be getting into my stride by this point and count loudly “Oh yes, our third anniversary, poor TH was so upset when he found out he’d have to work away. But you know, when you’re married you really are grateful for the lovely time you have together and don’t think of it one bit!” Ahem…but you know me by now, you know I really thought “What? I repeat WHAT THE HECK?!! You’re going to Australia for two weeks? Two weeks? When? ON OUR ANNIVERSARY?”

So here we are at year four, and I will tell you exactly what’s going down in our house. “Do you want to go away? Head to Inverness or Edinburgh for a long weekend?” TH asks thoughtfully.

“Erm, no, not really. It sounds nice and all, but we live in a little cottage by the sea, I mean, we have pretty spectacular views any day of the week. How about we spend the weekend walking around Haddo House, going for high tea and having our supper in the pub?” I reply

“Sounds like a plan to me!” And whilst TH says this it is exactly what goes through my head too.

Have a great weekend!

My October

October is wonderful and if put into list form in my head (which I invariably do) you’d find it above March, which is The Husbands Birthday month and May, which is my own. You’d find it above all months and it would reign supreme, even above February which has Valentines Day, because October is the loveliest of months being the anniversary of our wedding day.

In October 2008 we wed on a particularly windy day. Bells were rung and toasts made and four years down the line we still love the look and feel of Autumn and are very glad that we made our wedding day right in the middle of it.

This October is different from the last as 2011 was full of trips away for TH, searches for a new job and a bit of uncertainty. The whole family has made similar comments at differing times after contemplation and we have all mentioned how last year we weren’t very festive. We didn’t do anything for Halloween, Bonfire Night, St Andrews Day or much in the run up to Christmas. This year is and will be very different and we have truly been blessed so far. Even with renewed energy to overcome anything in the future if things get hectic again.

This October we all feel like we are seeing things for the first time. We are having a small Halloween get together with some friends, and a joint Bonfire and Birthday Party at the beginning of next month. I have looked out the half finished Christmas projects of last year and I’m planning to use these to get ahead with some pretty home made decorations. (Although we may be moving we can still tinsel up the boxes!)

This October is wonderful because we have already been taking full advantage of the weather staying so calm for so long with very little exception. The nights get dark but TH and I are keen to head out directly after work to kick leaves and collect conkers not nibbled by squirrels.

The dark nights make me want to root around to the back of the cupboard for the slow cooker, I want roasts, I want crumble, I want s’mores!

So that’s our October, the very little plans that I have put here, but you know what? I'm so at peace. I believe that I have had time to rest, recuperate and start a fresh.

Our Anniversary

Its getting very, very exciting in the HH household! The countdown to our second anniversary is on!! The husband has decided to whisk me away, and I tell you, I'm not complaining. We will be heading to The Marcliffe Hotel, which is a super cute and old fashioned place in the West of the city. Although I love my life, we have had a bit of a rough ride for some of the year, and we have both been really tired lately.

I love this time of year, and we’ll be on the gateway to the highlands so we can investigate everywhere, and I mean everywhere!! We used to go antiquing in a small village called Kincardine O'Neil which was really great and we always found loads of odd things there. However, since moving we haven’t had an opportunity to visit as its just too much of a drive.

It’s also a great time of year for reasons other than foliage, as I always feel like it’s a fresh start when Autumn rolls around. I don’t think I’ve ever managed to shake the whole ‘term time’ thing, and I always make up new resolutions in September!! So it seems appropriate that as The Husband and I head into a new year of marriage we look at how we can make more time for each other, or get the best from the time we can carve out of the week!

However, there will be no problems making time for each other while at The Marcliffe, I'm making spa appointments and looking over the menu all the time!!