Hen's, Headaches and Getting Hitched!

Heyyy, 

I. Am. Tired.

After nearly 160 miles, two nights of drinking, and approx twelve hours of sleep the whole weekend I am well and truly knackered.

It was my future Sister-in-laws's Hen do / Bacholerette party this weekend and after traveling to Nottingham for a spa weekend of partying and drinking with some close friends and family. Being the land of Robin Hood I can definitely say that we were less about robbing from the rich and giving to the poor, more like we came rich and left poor ... mainly for the sake of alcohol and spa treatments! I thoroughly enjoyed myself with some incredible company and a good lot of people to while away the weekend away from husbands, kids, and responsibilities, however, if you think that this blog post is going to be spilling all the beans and providing the inside scoop, you will be sadly disappointed. I am afraid a lady never kisses and tells (not that anything like that happened at all I must say) and what happens on Hen Do', Stays on Hen Do's!

I have started the second week of my new job as Operations Coordinator in Milton Keynes at an Air Conditioning, Plumbing, and Heating company and am enjoying it so far, slowly slowly but getting there with the lingo and terminology. But with 8-weeks to go until our wedding things are getting to the point now where bills are going to need paying in the next few weeks by the end of the month and plenty of things that still need doing including tonnes of DIYs and wedding stationery that needs doing. I just hope things stay as they are and we finally make it this time to our special day.

Monday 19 July 2021 in the UK marked the ending of lockdowns and an end for all COVID restrictions including nightclubs reopening, no face masks, and big festivals and events beginning to start. Bozza Jozza's plans for the final unlocking of restrictions in England were pushed back from the 21st of June and maybe rightly so. But can Prime Minister Boris Johnson really go back on his word yet again, U-turning? Now BoJo's lifted all legal restrictions in England but he has urged the public to remain cautious, saying the pandemic is not over.

The BBC outlined today (Monday 16 August 2021) that there have been nearly 6.3 million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK with nearly 131,000 people have died from the deadly disease that has ruined and spoilt life for over a year now. Government figures show however that almost 90% of adults in the UK have now had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine and nearly 77% have had their second.

Public Health England estimates that, up to 6 August, the UK vaccination program had prevented nearly 85,000 deaths and more than 23 million infections. Impressive and certainly the hope and faith we need and less of the doom and gloomy crap the news is mainly made up of. The BBC news article continues that more than 47 million people of all UK adults have had at least one vaccine with everyone over the age of 18 across the UK can now book a vaccine, so hopefully, the uptake continues and we can hear less and less about the stupid idea that you have a microchip implanted in your arm or that it makes you a magnet?! And with the most recent government figures show at least 5,894 people with coronavirus in hospitals in the UK. A week earlier that figure was 5,816. Although numbers climbed in recent weeks, they are far below the peak of nearly 40,000 people back in January. I am desperate to hang onto any piece of positivity as we break the 2-months-to-go mark! 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou x

Remember, if you would like to purchase anything then please feel free to check out my store at: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Wooftys or visit our Instagram @WooftysDogTreats and use "TATOATS21" to get 10% off your first order over £15.00.

Wedding planning is stress free; Said no Bride ever!

Evening All, 

And so after nearly a fortnight of being a lady of leisure; shopping most days, lunching some others and most of my other free and spare time dedicated to wedding stuffs, today I started my new job as Operations Coordinator in Milton Keynes at an Air Conditioning, Plumbing, and Heating company. A breezy 20-mins from home I was very glad to not have the ninety-minute commute I used to have to Hertford, plus the staying away.

With just over 9-weeks to go until our wedding things are super stressed at the moment, so much so after the fourth phone call one day I had to screen my Dad's call. I know that he goes at 100-Mph but honestly, the whole GO GO GO thing at the moment is getting a bit much! Last weekend my Dad, his wife, Mr. Warehouse, and I all went to view the village hall again where we will be having our reception after the ceremony. This wouldn't have been such a trial if it weren't for the fact that every single time we come to view it we change the damned layout and floorplan meaning there is something else to do or buy or think about. And on this occasion, there were no exceptions.

Lunch afterward was intense, as it always is as there are two very strong personalities in me and my father round the table with his wife trying to battle through and butt-in once in a while and poor old Mr. Warehouse being completely left out of any thoughts or feelings he may have. I always knew wedding planning was going to be tough and stressful, but this is on another level. 

Luckily, the last few days off has lent itself to some serious life and wedding admin which has been much needed - Confirming all the details with vendors, organizing meetings with suppliers to go through things, order of service, and other wed-min items. I have even been proactive in chasing all the RSVP's in advance of the end of August deadline date which has helped us in being able to possibly make a head start on the table plan and more. I must say it does make life easier knowing most of the guestlist is now coming and as such I know how many kiddo's I need to make PAQ's for (PAQ standing for Peace and Quiet) which will include coloring books, crayons, toys, sweeties and other fun stuff.

So along with a trip to the local pound shop for those kid-friendly bits which I picked up some of last week and will collect the remainder tomorrow, I have also completed a few other things off the list as long that last week was as long as my arm. Crafts and DIY's that need to be finalized and completed are not all fully there yet however some of the simpler tasks such as blankets to wrap and flip-flops to tie have all now been finished. However, that being said the bogroll list cant be put away just yet as I still need to find time to make signs, create table centerpieces, design a table plan and manufacture pretty, bathroom baskets not to mention having to relabel everything that has our old wedding dates on including the confetti boxes. But now I have a full-time job to occupy me and weekend time is limited. With Hen-Do's, Stag-Do's, BBQ's and Parties booked in the next few weeks I have no idea when this will get done but somehow it has to. Eeeeek!!!

'Til next time, Love A.Lou x

Remember, if you would like to purchase anything then please feel free to check out my store at: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Wooftys or visit our Instagram @WooftysDogTreats and use "TATOATS21" to get 10% off your first order over £15.00.

All But Dream's ...

Hello All,

So last week I spoke of my misfortune with Mr. Suicide and the fact that my job had come to an end. I also said that maybe, just maybe things would change by the next time we spoke. And it has. Sort of ...

Yesterday I bagged myself a job. So it was a bit out the way and would mean a long journey to and from work, but I was up for a challenge and ready for a fight - Especially when they refused to let me have the job simply because I didn't drive (In which the job did not state was a requirement so HA!). After an hour and a half journey to work this morning and waking up whilst the sun was still yawning I arrived bright and early ready to start my first day's work, and I loved every second of it. Calling customers and sorting out cavity wall and loft insulation's was a breeze and I picked up everything they taught me super fast.

But when the clock struck five-o'clock and I headed out the door, that's when it all changed. After slogging it up a steady hill on a bicycle which I now hate, I watched the bus sail on past. After then realising that there were no bus stops for another few miles I puffed it out again on my wretched cycle. Arriving at a local pub and knowing that the bus would eventually stop there I sat sown on a bench, only to check the timetable and realise that buses now run every hour. I had a fifty-nine minute wait by the time the bus arrived, which it did. Late. The fugly female driver then had the audacity to say that my bike was not allowed. By this point I have had enough and hoofed it on before she could drive off. Three hours it took me to get home. Three hours. Plus the hour and a half getting to work. A grand sum of four and a half hours commute. That's more than some people's shifts. The worst part about it. For forty-five pounds for a shitty commute and long arse hours, its just not worth it. Safe to say I wont be doing that tomorrow I can tell you that!

And so here I am again. Back at square one. Still searching for that all elusive clerical role. On the plus side though I decided to throw it all away this weekend with a bit of a party! Well it started out as Miss Tweedle-Dumb and I washing her car and pretending to be sexy whilst doing so on a muggy Saturday afternoon in denim hot-pants and tight white t-shirts which became see through when we ended up having a water-fight including soap-suds all being topped off by a make out sesh. Haha I'm joking. You would never see us in hot pants. Or the rest of that stuff - But a girl can dream cant she? But the fun didn't stop there - Oh No!

Feeling sad, single and under-sexed Miss Tweedle-Dumb and I came round to the subject of weddings. You would think that two young, youthful women would get excited about such an event, understandably ... But when you and your best friend are in platforms wearing nothing but a white bed sheet as a make-shift wedding dress, a net curtain as a veil and a tiara walking around the house together taking it in turn it be the bride, then maybe things have gone too far. Regardless, we laughed and giggled no amounts and she made me feel much better about myself and my situation. I cant wait until someone now gets married ... Hurry up friends! Or Prince Charming, you know, I don't mind. Either one. Which ever comes first. Ohh, did you hear that? I think I just heard all the men running away from me in horror of commitment and the freaky lady dressed in a bed-sheet wedding gown. Oh Dear! Forever alone.

This did not stop us though as Miss Tweedle-Dumb and I continued the party (Carrying on the wedding themed afternoon well into the night labelling our night on the town as our 'Wedding Reception'). However when Miss Tweedle-Dee and Miss Tweedle-Dumb got wind that I was supposed to be going out with Miss Chocolate to celebrate her moving in later on that night they decided to make a proper night of it and join us in going all out, all together. But this wasn't before copious amount of shots and nearly being sick before we even left! Upon arrival at our nightclub of choice Miss Chocolate and I made the most of the empty dance floor whilst we could as by the end of the night, as usual, I was being 'grinded' on by a black man and being mentally undressed and seduced by someone else.

All in all though a better week than previously. Hopefully things will pick up and maybe a new job. I would say Prince Charming too but maybe that's asking for too much since I only started online dating this week. Aha a girl can only but hope!

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx