Let Sleeping Dogs Lye

Hello, 

So I now have a nine-month-old ... Puppy that is.  It has only been in the last few weeks that I have really appreciated the fact that whilst our (OK my) little Frankenstein is pretty much a teenager, he is still a baby really. 

Puppy ownership has really been a handful from the early days of limited sleep and constant cuddles to monthly flea, worm and tick treatment at the Vets and even a big decision as to snip or not to snip which I wrote about in the blog post where I told of "The Day Frankenstein Got His Stitches" it certainly has been an adventure. Ever since I knew I was going to have a little boy, I knew that I would have to face this question and I think in hindsight it was the best for him as has both calmed him down (at least a tiny bit) and taken a fair amount of testosterone out of his system which could have made him aggressive and not pleasant to be around. 

One of the things I think both Mr Warehouse and I struggled with though was the early mornings. Frankenstein simply couldn't sleep in and refused to let us do the same. we could have been up until 4-in-the-morning and still, the pup would have woken at 6am. Frustratingly, even as he got older he never grew out of it. One minute I was dreamily gazing out of the window at the setting sun awaiting my new fluffy arrival and the next I was sat listening to him cry and winge as we try and attempt one of the hardest things about puppy ownership - Training. In his first few weeks (which then stretched into months) our little Frankenstein (made by mistake and pieced together from two different breeds of dog - Jack Russell Terrier and Toy Poodle) has been somewhat of a little horror. I was not sure in the beginning of it was just a new environment or that he missed his mom and siblings or if it was separation anxiety but I knew that whilst his time alone is arduous, I look at other owners we know and what some of their animals get up to and I am glad we don't have it that bad! 

A quick Google of Dog Separation Anxiety come up with hundreds of helpful pages with useful tips, tricks and hints on how to have a happier pup! One website, in particular, I have referenced for a bit of help has been PetMD which was helpful however didn't allow us any more sleep or lay-ins than before.  With time ticking on we attempted the whole night time routine over and over and over again but nothing seemed to work. That was until Halloween!

With Miss JoHo and Miss Tweedle-Dee staying in the spare room and me tucked up in bed with "The Bowl" by my bedside, Mr Warehouse had little choice but to have the dogs sleep in with us for the night, somewhere he could keep an eye on me and them. It also meant our friends wouldn't be disturbed by puppies early morning war cries. However, the following day, after the decorations had gone away and our heads had been nursed, I noted to Mr Warehouse that our puppy seemed less needy and "into us" than before. Mr Warehouse had suggested that because he had slept in with us the night before, maybe he didn't feel like he needed our attention all-day long. It was a fair point and pup even seemed to listen more, being more receptive to commands and training. So when it became time for bed that night I suggested just letting him choose where to sleep, leaving the door open to his crate downstairs and leaving the hallway and landing free to roam, we let him sleep where ever he liked. And it seemed to work. 

Looking online, you can find loads of information that is both negative and positive when talking about co-sleeping with your dog but from what I have read and also talked to fellow dog-moms and dog-dads is that this can also ease anxiety, providing a feeling of safety and security, especially for smaller dogs or lap breeds. One blog I came across describes that when it comes to sleeping with your dog, there are many benefits to sharing your sleeping space and that by allowing them to sleep on your bed has a different meaning for you and your fur-baby. For you, it can be a way to snuggle. For your dog, it’s an important bonding experience, something which I never really thought about before. 

Not for me (as I have my stunning Fiance by my bedside) however for some people having their pup sleep alongside them helps not only with the dog feeling secure, but also the person themselves, especially if they live alone or have nightmares. If there are any noises or disturbances, your pup can always alert you first and maybe even protect you should the moment come to it. Plus, having a furry friend to share the sheets with can always be comforting when the nights get cooler. 

One of the other things that Furbo.com's "12 Benefits of sleeping with your dog" is that when your dog sleeps in your bed, separation anxiety they feel during the day is soothed. If you work long hours, being able to share time at night can help you support your dog and make them feel less distressed. This is again something which up until writing this now I hadn't correlated the two - him having my attention and closeness at night and not needing it throughout the day and barking excessively. I suppose if you were such a way as well that having your dog alongside you at night could be very calming and have a positive effect on your well-being, mental health and even reduce your own anxiety. Another reason in the pro-sleepover camp is that if you suffer from insomnia it can help, although if it is my dogs, older one included, then maybe not as they just see you laying there asleep as a human trampoline. 

This being said the website doesn't come with its own caveat and warns that while there are many benefits to sleeping in the same bed as your dog, there are also some disadvantages. If your dog isn't fully trained, you don't want a situation where accidents happen. In addition, if you have allergies or a new dog, you may want to proceed with caution. Another website I stumbled across was Tuck.com, who went through some of the risks carried when sleeping with a small and furry bed-fellow. They explain that "Even if you’re not allergic to your pet, they spend more time outside interacting with things us humans take care to avoid, which could otherwise interfere with your health." 

Let's face it, pets aren’t exactly clean, but if you keep your pet up to date on vaccinations and flea medication and they’re otherwise healthy, you should be fine to sleep with them. However, the website does warn you that sharing a bed with your pet can be as dangerous as face licking or kissing for transmission of zoonotic diseases, including plague, meningitis, and parasites. Now, of course, this is very rare, but if you’ve been bitten by fleas or have broken skin, and your dogs are infested, your risk is higher. 

Obviously, it goes without saying that spending time together in a quiet setting like the bedroom, away from hustle and bustle and distractions it helps you get closer to one another. Dogs are pack animals and will often sleep together in a puppy pile when they can, so why not try it with your pooch. Of course each to their own, however, if you could put up with a few moments of restlessness or the odd night of broken sleep and you can maintain the intimacy and connection as a couple (if you are one - sorry Singletons) then go for it. 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx

The Goldilocks of Dress Shopping

Heyy!

Standing in line, I was surprised that the queue was not longer considering this was the biggest wedding show in the UK - The National Wedding Show. With everything a bride and her entourage could every dream of under the beautiful glass-domed roof of Olympia London I was in awe of the venue and looking forward to walking around sampling champagne whilst looking at all the different suppliers and vendors. Amazing wedding dresses, stunning catwalk shows, expert advice and all with free tickets in hand. 

As we entered the lobby area, I was more than ready to elbow out my fellow brides in order to get special show offers, help and advice from over 250 wedding specialists. However on walking through into the Grand Hall and after about an hour or so of walking around as well as watching the first catwalk show I have to say that I was quite disappointed. On my long list of suppliers and vendors to hunt out in order to apply for competitions or sign up for freebies were quite a few that were not present at the London Olympia National Wedding Show. Krispy Kreme doughnut stand was missing and the authentic Italian ice cream man was also lost. 

"Nevermind though I thought", walking back from a cigarette break outside "there are lots of stunning dresses at multiple stands that I am sure I can try on". I suppose part of me was correct - Yes there were lots of stands and yes there were lots of dresses however most if not all of the guns on offer to try on we're all a UK size 14 or under. And by this standard assuming that the rule still applies that for your bridal gown should be at least two if not three dress sizes bigger than what you normally are on the High Street or in normal clothes. This, in turn, would mean that I would have to be a UK size 8 or size 10 in order to try on any of the wedding dresses at what was advertised as the UK's biggest wedding show. Somehow I think not!

The more I think about this fact, both then and now, it infuriates me. People (unlike me on this occasion) pay good money and even take time off of work to travel far and wide to a wedding show where they claim to have the widest variety of suppliers including wedding dresses and bridal wear specialists and yet only choose to supply a few gowns in a few small sizes not catering for anyone else. Here in the UK, our average dress size for a woman is around about a size 16 which would roughly be equated to wearing a wedding dress or bridal gown in a size 20 to 22. Now, why is that not reflected? 

Nevertheless, Mrs Tweedle-Dumb and Miss Tweedle-Dee struggled on with me, sore feet and aching arms from all the books and leaflets we were carrying around. After an hour or two of walking around the same vendors flogging the same old stuff we were all bored and with not much more inspiration to suck from the place we decided to bounce. I would say in the experience of The National Wedding Show was mediocre at best and am pleased that I did not pay for tickets as if I had I think I would have been even more disappointed than I was. Looking back on some of the other wedding shows that I have been to both in my local area and a few miles out, I have always been able to get a lot more out of small local independent's rather than what is classed as the UK's biggest! 

That being said however that this wedding show is perfect for those that have recently got engaged or haven't a clue where to start on their wedding planning journey, but a word of wisdom to my fellow Brides or Brides-to-be out there - Make sure that you do your research and if you are not prepared to pay megabucks then maybe consider a local wedding show or fair before heading to some of the National big boys as I can almost certainly guarantee that you will be able to find exactly what you are looking for by a friendly and local supplier ready and willing to take on your business. They will be just as capable as a supplier at one of the National wedding shows and yet will probably charge a lot less for something it just as special for your big day without a massive Price Tag and will probably care a little more too!

Calling it a day Mrs Tweedle-Dumb, Miss Tweedle-Dee and I decided to head over to the Westfield shopping centre in order to grab some dinner and a spot of shopping before heading home for a sleepover - Just like the good old days! The following morning I anticipated coffee and a light breakfast before heading out with my maid and matron of honour to try on wedding dresses! I was keen to get a few visits booked in especially when I have both of my besties on hand for gentle criticism and polite judgement. 

The first Bridal Boutique we stepped into we were all offered a cup of coffee which was much needed as we had not had any of the light breakfast I had intended due to waking up late. Walking around the store cloaked in wedding dresses and feeling as though I was Mr Tumnus in Narnia, there was not much is anything at all in my size and so I grabbed a couple of dresses just to make it seem as though we have not come for a free coffee. 

The next bridal shop Mrs Tweedle-Dumb and I left Miss Tweedle-Dee in the car for a nap as I was certain that she was suffering from a lack of caffeine and a poor night's sleep on my crumby sofa-bed. This store seemed much more positive as its ethos was to help the plus size lady find her dream dress. But just as the first so had been too small, the second store was way too big catering for up to a UK size 30! I did, however, fall for a few gowns there although there are no pictures as apparently, the designers get very funny about photos being taken something I personally think is a crock of shit. 

Stepping into the final score of the day was my Goldilocks moment and with this in mind, I picked out 4 or 5 dresses that I was happy to try on and headed through to the dressing room. Each of them I tried on and each of them I loved more than the last. However despite Mrs Tweedle-Dumb, Miss Tweedle-Dee, the lady who was helping me, and her colleagues all telling me that I looked beautiful and stunning, I just wasn't feeling it. With each curtain swish to reveal the outfit, I could tell Miss Tweedle-Dee was growing impatient and that she wanted me to buy. The dress in question was Letitia. The exclusive Platinum Edition waterfall ball gown was the ultimate princess wedding dress. With long creamy folds and layers detailing the skirt and the luxurious bodice, encrusted with beaded embroidery adding the perfect sparkle I could see her point. But with the biggest expense so far I was hesitant to say yes to the dress. Mrs Tweedle-Dumb took one look at me however and said exactly what I was thinking, reading my mind like a novel. 
"You are wondering if it is too early to say yes and that if there is something else better out there. I know that you are thinking about this and that it is something you are concerned about. Let me ask you one question though - If you were to be in the same position, standing here this time next year, I know you would not be as hesitant." Mrs Tweedle-Dumb said, softly but stern. And like that, it was an arrow to my heart. Having Mrs Tweedle-Dumb and Miss Tweedle-Dee there knowing that they knew me better than I even knew myself was somewhat scary yet comforting. 

Having Mrs Tweedle-Dumb home the last couple of weeks has been incredible and having her and Miss Tweedle-Dee around more times than I think I could shake a stick at has been wonderful. But alas all good things must come to an end. By the end of this week Mrs Tweedle-Dumb will be back home in sunny L.A. It will certainly be different not to have her around but I am sure it will not be long until we are all reunited and yet in the meantime I am sure that Miss Tweedle-Dee and I will have plenty of fun - Wedding or not!

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx 

Pacing Prague And Other Tales!

Ahoj!

Racing around like a blue-arse-fly I was now stuck in a serious traffic jam on the A421. Stand still. Not. Moving. Anywhere. Frustratingly I spent over double the amount of time it would normally take me to get to Miss Tweedle-Dee's house for our Pre-Holiday sleepover. After a spot of telly and a night time snack of coffee and Jaffa Cakes we headed to bed for an early night. Waking the next morning the staples of toast and more coffee ensued and afterward it was time to head to the airport. Thanks to Pappa Tweedle-Dee we arrived in good time and after changing up more money (to think I was worried about not having enough) we headed shopping and for a bite to eat. 

Boarding the plane Miss Tweedle-Dee and I were excited and just over ninety-minutes later, with a rather uneventful flight in general that had passed really quickly we had arrived. Touching down we collected our bags and headed through nothing to declare and awaited our driver. And waited. And waited. Went outside into the cold early evening air for a quick Vape Sesh and then back in. Still no driver and it was now I started to panic. Was this a scam? Have I made a grave mistake in booking a hotel and not looking at the reviews? I had been talking to the receptionist for the last few days as Miss Tweedle-Dee and I had many questions but maybe it was all a set up and now I am in a foreign land where I know virtually no Czech and am struggling to call their offices! Help! Just then, as if by magic a pink-shirted gentleman approached us as if from no where and asked us if it was us he was looking for. We must have looked lost! He took my bag (Miss Tweedle-Dee carried her own) and we headed to the car. Driving through the streets of Prague we swapped small talk and asked advice on where is best to eat and visit in the city, but more-so where not to go. 

Finally arriving at the apartment and figuring out our own way on how we get in after being abruptly told by a moody jobs-worth of a receptionist, we settled into what I can only describe as a very white, clean and well equipped studio apartment. Small for the two of us it certainly ticked all the boxes and provided us with everything we could have wanted or needed in our time here including a super comfy memory-foam double bed, small dining table and chairs, wardrobe, safe and small kitchenette consisting of the microwave, kettle, under-the-counter fridge and sink. There is / was a hob however we did not use it. In the hallway was a coat-rack and areas to put boots and other outdoor wears and opposite was a toilet and separate bathroom complete with a very small shower, washing machine and sink. Cosy to say the least, but in all fairness it was a place we would spend the next few nights in bed, scrolling through social media and sleeping before heading out again. That being said the stairs are and have been an issue. Three flights that curve round and are usually shrouded in darkness have certainly been the bain of our lives. 

For our first night in Prague, Miss Tweedle-Dee and I hadn't made any real plans in terms of dinner and neither of us had actually reviewed or researched any where near our apartment for some dinner and therefore we wandered rather aimlessly towards what looked like the Christmas Market set-up. Around there we found what looked like a rather neglected from the outside restaurant, but to be fair it looked warm and I was getting cold so I persuaded Miss Tweedle -Dee to come inside with me. And oh boy was it the best choice we made, I think probably all holiday. Since we had both eaten lunch pretty late neither Miss Tweedle-Dee or I were that hungry so opted just for a single main course from the French Restaurant menu. I ordered a roasted Guinea Fowl and the Bestie ordered a Pork Belly with Potato Puree. This was all washed down with a couple of beers. Such a stunning meal and honest to god I would definitely recommend it so if you are heading to Prague you need to go to La Gare just round the corner from the main Palladium shopping center (which is deceivingly huge by the way, like some sort of shopping tardis!)

Waking up in the city the next morning I was glad for being here and on holiday once again. Heading out into the fresh chilly air we looked round the Christmas Market Areas round the areas surrounding our hotel and found ourselves moving over to the Old Town Square area. We watched the Astronomical Clock and pottered around some of the churches and architectural landscapes surrounding the infamous area. Wandering then took us over the Charles Bridge, and sauntering across the river Vltava and finding ourselves in a small cafe, Miss Tweedle-Dee and I ordered a traditional goulash and some Camembert, accompanied with some tasty raspberry infused beer! Delish! The following days were spent very similarly, touring round Prague, taking photos, filming filler for my holiday Vlog and visiting the many Christmas Markets around the city. 

A visit to several of the most popular tourist hot-spots were also frequented by Miss Tweedle-Dee and I including the Prague Castle which is the largest Castle in the world sprawling out over eighteen acres. Me and the Bestie also visited the Sex Machine Museum which I will be honest was a slight let down, although the Creepy Bear (picture uploaded to my Facebook page if you really need an example) and other apparatus were certainly interesting but possibly not worth the nearly ten-quid entry fee?! Another maybe more worth while waste of money being a tourist in Prague was with our visit to the Chocolate Museum / factory just off The Old Town Square. Other than this simply wandering round the shops and Christmas Markets and stalls have occupied both Miss Tweedle-Dee and I throughout our stay here. 

Eating out in Prague has certainly been an experience which in my opinion was miles and miles ahead of my experiences in Tenerife with Mr. Warehouse in the Summer. Our first night I have already touched on and whilst I was given loads of advise from tonnes of people I knew who had visited Prague before as well as some helpful vloggers and bloggers who live in Prague and the Czech Republic, Miss Tweedle-Dee and I hit up some really, really good restaurants. Firstly there is the cafe round the corner from our accommodation called Cafe Apetit. Whilst I am almost certain that all that occupied at the time we visited on Sunday Morning / Afternoon were all local, Miss Tweedle-Dee and I struggled through our broken Czech to order a delicious open sandwich, coffee and a large slice of cake which all came to under two-hundred Czech Koruna, equal roughly to under a fiver in British money, something which we were both stunned by given if the same was bought in London it would have easily been double if not triple the price and so much lacking in quality. 

Another place you need to hit up when in Prague are Brasilerio where you can have as much meat as you can handle and an unlimited salad and other specials bar. Very similar to the steak all-you-can-eat buffet Miss Tweedle-Dee and I had with the rest of her family and Miss Tweedle-Dumb in Las Vegas you use your coaster to show green in order to tell the meat-staff and servers when you are ready for the BBQ goodness or switch it over to red when you just want to tap-out for a little bit. Regardless of the hefty price tag (well only hefty in comparison to the other eateries we visited which came in well under the four-hundred Czech Koruna I was expecting to spend each night) I still think that for the price it was certainly worth it and would certainly encourage you to visit if here. 

My only let downs about Prague as a whole I feel (apart from going home tomorrow) is that the majority of the city, its sights, tastes, smells and feels could easily be done in half the time we have spent here. I would suggest if you are planning your trip that two or three days would be sufficient and if the Christmas Market is in town, maybe four but I probably wouldn't plan another city break for as long as Miss Tweedle-Dee and I have come for. Whilst it has been relaxing we have done a lot of the same thing. Long lazy mornings lying in bed till noon an staying up late scrolling through news feeds have kept us occupied though and I honestly cant think of many other people I would want to spend my time exploring a European Christmas Market with that my bestie, Miss Tweedle-Dee. 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx

Magnets, Gold and Bubbles - All in the Name of Beauty!

Hello, 

Surely I can't be the only one that feels like today has been ever so long for a Monday. So busy. So many calls. So many issues. So many things to do. My weekend feels like it was years ago! Oh good lord send me back. It started well as after healthy eating I weighed myself in for the first time in months after initially starting my diet-that's-not-a-diet. And I lost! Half a stone, so not huge amounts but a great start and has really spurred me on. With the week I had as well what with visiting Cadbury's World and then having chocolate cake every day after dinner as Mr. Warehouse bought us a serves-sixteen massive chocolate cake. Makes me wonder what would have happened if I actually made the effort. 

Anyway after an early start seeing Mr. Warehouse off to Eurogamer EGX in Birmingham with Mr. CWG, I headed home and revelled in having the bed back all to myself as I slumbered until mid-morning, snoozing with the dog, watching pointless Youtube videos on crap and snuggling alone! People have often asked what Eurogamer EGX is and from what I know (which isn't much since I have never been) is basically a convention for all the new games that are coming out in the next few months on the count down to Christmas! The classics were all there including Call of Duty, FIFA and Far Cry as well as the smaller lesser known games that are attempting to break into the hard market of gamer-pleasure. As well as the host of games on offer there is also a abundance of talks discussions and places to buy merchandise from brands and gamer's themselves who are well established on Youtube, Twitch and other gaming networks. A small part of the event from what I have heard is of Comic Con also plays a large part in the day with people from all walks of life dressing up in everything from Manga and Anime to Pokemon and other gaming characters. What is slightly off putting for myself would be the fact that whilst you are playing your game, after waiting potentially anywhere up to four-hours or more, that other people are staring at you, literally face up against the glass watching you play a game. Weird if you ask me. 

Back to my comfy bed all to myself, but alas I had to get up, for I needed to be at Miss Tweedle-Dee's house ready for a night of pampering. But first I caught up on some telly and took pooch for a nice long walk in a local park and nature spot. After our walk I thought that in the good spirit of it nearly being Halloween I would head into town and look at some of the charity shops in order to try and piece together an outfit or at least get some sort of inspiration for what myself and Mr. Warehouse would be going as. In the next six weeks we have three fancy dress parties to go to, an eighties theme, a nineties theme and a Halloween one. Normally by this time of the year in late September I am all set and ready for Halloween with an outfit planned already, however this year I am again leaving it till last minute it would seem with the eighties themed party less than a fortnight away. 

With town centre charity shops being a let down I figured I should maybe just head down to "Home" early and maybe pop in to see some family whilst I'm there. Having a catch-up with my Auntie and Uncle is always cathartic as it makes me realise just how far I have come from the scared little 17 year old that ended up living with them all those many moons ago. And my cousins are growing up ever so fast too, the eldest nearly the same height as me?! Jumping back in the car I took the normal route I would through the winding streets and villages surrounding my home ground to Miss Tweedle-Dee's. Suddenly it hit me, Vivienne and I whizzing through the meadows. If my life had a not have taken the term that it did all those years ago, if my father didn't have an affair, if parents didn't divorce and if I had gone to Uni, I could be still taking this route home after visiting my Auntie, Uncle and Cousins to my old family home where I spent most my childhood, maybe to have dinner or maybe to get ready for a night out on the tiles. Maybe we as a family would be meeting my Brother's girlfriend for the first time or maybe I would be the one bringing home a boy! As surreal as it was I soon snapped out of it and wondered would I be there person I am now today? No I would probably be even more entitled than I think I am, with an additional side order of arrogance and sass. I would be the princess of my family and rule the roost as such being the only niece, daughter, sister and granddaughter. 

Arriving at Miss Tweedle-Dee's we all settled in for a night of wine, pizza and pampering. Starting off with make-up I started out with a sexy smokey eye and vampy Halloween lips, however I then found some glittery blue eye stuffs and before I knew it I looked like a man in drag. Wiping it off and resetting our faces we began the detox that was starting with a bubble face mask. Now for those of you that have been hiding under a rock or just avoiding Instagram for the last year or so, bubble face mask's are the latest time to hit the beauty industry from our good friends over in the east. Applying the creamy yet gooey consistency to your face, watch as your face starts to tingle and almost feels as though you have popping candy on you. After a few moments you will start to see small bubbles appear on the surface where the cream once was and in time your face or blow up to look like a massive Storm Cloud complete with chipmunk cheeks and poofy features. 

Cleansing afterwards we then all tried what I thought personally was the best beauty treatment yet. Magnetic Face Masks and T-Zone cleaners. Applying either all over your face or alternatively in areas where you feel there may be more toxins than others such as the t-zone, on your nose, forehead, cheeks or chin. Letting it sit and absorb the toxins from your pores a while later you can grab a hold of the magnet that the product comes with and gently rub it over the skin and without actually making contact with the covered area you will see and feel how it just pulls it away from your face, attracting the product back. This is 100% something I will be adding to my Christmas list this yeah and definitely would recommend it to anyone. 

Heading to bed, tired and sleepy, Miss Tweedle-Dee, Momma-Dee and others all agreed will certainly be doing that again for sure, Oooh, just think of the Christmas looks we could all do on each other with make-up and nails as well as what new fad face thing comes out. Maybe next time we'll even ramp it up with a Lazy-Boy spa for the weekend! Ahh Bliss ... 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx

All Ma' Girls!

Hello Dears!

So with less than a week to go I am super excited about my holiday with Mr. Warehouse to Dublin and Southern Ireland to see the family. But this weekend I spent some Q.T with the Tweedles, Miss Tweedle-Dee and Miss Tweedle-Dumb in a mammoth sleepover-weekender. 

Friday I had decided to take a half day as not only did I not fancy spending more than two-hours getting to Miss Tweedle-Dumb's house in the darkness after work, but I also wanted to try and catch up with some family members after Christmas and New Years. Settling down in a local cafe for Afternoon High Tea with my Nanny Pumpkin I soon forgot the stresses of work and the mountain of paperwork I had to do come Monday (AKA this) morning. I had barely sank into the comfy, leather tub-chairs before Nanny Pumpkin unleashed all her worldly gossip to me, nattering away and chatting like we always do about work, life and a little bitching here and there for good measure. A slice of coffee cake and mug of caramel latte soon disappeared as did the time, and eventually we left, thankfully my little Nanny Pumpkin gave me a cheeky lift back home to Dunstable/Houghton Regis to see some other family members where again we chatted for a good few hours, consuming more tea and putting the world to right. 

My afternoon with the elderly relatives in my family really put it into perspective that I have come along way since those dark days of my teenage years, just after being chucked out by my pathetic excuse for a mother. Looking through photos of me as a baby I wondered to myself what life will look like with my own children in it, a nice Silver-Cross parked outside the cafe, or breastfeeding whilst having a chit-chat with me Nan in her rocking chair. I hoped and wished that one day I will have children and they could meet these wonderful older ladies in my life, for they are genuinely the ones that have made me who I am today and will encourage me I know to be a better person tomorrow. Their influences already and what is to come from them will help me become the mother I want to be and makes me less scared of the crappy example I had. And it seems as though now the dust has finally settled, both sides of my family have accepted me to be a honest, true and well-turned-out individual in my very own right. 

Drizzling with rain I walked the five-minute walk to Miss Tweedle-Dumb's house and was greeted by the over-sized family hound and my bestie waiting with what can only be described as the best welcome to a sleepover I have ever had ... Gooey Baked Camembert and red onion chutney with lightly toasted French baguette. Mmmm, Yummy! Settling in for the night we indulged in a horror flick (something I will miss once Mr. Warehouse moves in since he is such a pussy when it comes to scary things) and ended the night all curled up in Miss Tweedle-Dumb's parent's Queen-sized-bed. 

Saturday brought a new sense of excitement as we were all heading off for a shopping trip, something we had not done in absolutely ages, and whilst it was to the posh, commuter town of St. Albans, I most certainly spent more money on stuff that quite frankly, I am sure my bank balance will suffer for later. Who needs a concrete Ampersand anyway? No-one. But it looks good in my flat and was only three-quid so it has been fully justified. Some Cookie-Dough lube, Yankee Candles, toning weights (because I realised that I have enough bingo wing to fly both me and Mr. Warehouse to Dublin and back twice over without having to pay for the Ryan Air privilege) and some other home improvements were also in my bags Saturday and although there was nothing in there that I essentially necessary, it is all very much needed in my life now. Lying in bed that evening, Miss Tweedle-Dee on my left, Miss Tweedle-Dumb on my right, I knew I was thoroughly happy with all my purchases and was somewhat sad that I had to go home after such a wonderful weekend. However when Mr. Warehouse messaged me Sunday morning with the promise of cocktails whilst he watched the Game on TV in the local pub in Bedford I was more than happy to oblige and head home. 

On the train journey back I was also made aware that there were now even less sleeps to go until I get to eat out every night and wear nice clothes that aren't office appropriate! So hurry up Dublin - I wanna get my Ta-Ta's out! 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx