Hello!

I hope you are well and looking after yourself.

I want to apologies for my absence (yes I have FINALLY Fiesta by Ernest Hemingway) You will be getting a little book review soon!

To be honest I really didn’t do much in February! I do not have an excuse which is no bad thing!

February was the month where my sleep pattern improved! Previously I do not think I had more than 100 hours sleep in that month…maybe that’s why I didn’t want to blog anything…felt too sleepy and groggy!

Going for a run/working out in the evening helped to make me wind down. I honestly think the bedtime stories on the (this is not an add) and listening to classical music because;

1. I never seem to get to the end of any of their Bedtime stories…no matter how hard I tried
   
2. Classical music helped me wind down. s=Sometimes jot down some one liners in my diary

I am not saying that solve all of your sleeping problems.

BUT if anything, these February and March have made me realise how although small……small changes can help you achieve things 🙂

AND if this takes time but that’s ok

As long as you are doing it because you want to and it makes you feel better. In time his change will no longer feel like a struggle and you will also realise and appreciate the changes they have made to you.

The clocks in the UK going forward unfortunately meant that I (and the rest of the UK) lost an hours sleep last Sunday.

My sleeps was not impressed HOWEVER at least the evenings are getting brighter in the UK!

I really looking forward to summer and baking!

Which is why to make up for my delay I am posting 2 of my recipes on here for you to try at home. Tried and tested and with great feedback!

As Easter is coming I will be making my homemade Jamaican Bun Cake!

Hope you all have a fabulous week and Happy Easter to you all!

N x

Christmas may have been a few weeks ago but I have bought some amazing things from local company’s during the festive period! And if you can please contiue to support local especially during these times!

Nuwe Roam
https://www.nuweroam.com/

The first thing I bought were these lovely soap dishes from Nuwe Roam! I needed some soap dishes as I use oilive oil soap on my skin which makes my soap bar EXTRA slippy and kept falling into the bath while I had a shower.

I really need to get better with my camera angles but here’s a photo of what they look like

The business is ran by two people I know quite well ester and Tanya there stock is inspired by travel! They have fantastic prints that they have designed themselves which have matching candels so you can imagine relive past travels!

They Vintage section where you able to buy their off vintage finds! The website is easy and accessible on both laptop and mobile. My order came quickly and  was beautifully packaged

Kitsch Noir
https://kitschnoir.com/

I am some who really needs a diary. I like writing stuff down because it helps me remember things. I am an old soul at heart as although I have  a diary on a phone, you can’t beat one on pen and paper.

This probably why I still love buying books and love going to the library!

I enjoy looking back at past plans, events and I think it is nice to see what you have achieved and done.

Which is why I have deicide I need to start journaling. I write also sorts of random stuff on bits of paper for myself and saw this beautiful A5 diary to get me ready for 2021 from KitsCH Noir….I was sold!

It also comes with stickers!

• 

I really like the fact they diary had females in it that looked like me and it is beautifully illustrated and in a format which is perfect for me.

As you can see in January, I have written my daily yoga with Adriane and Benji for their new Breath Series!

After this page the week can be viewed on 2 pages from Monday to Sunday AND it has a note section under Sunday so you can right reminders/ anything you missed off!

Yoga with Adriene is actually going very well! I am going to try and keep going as I really enjoy doing this in the morning before having my breakfast AND helps me have a nice night sleep.

BusyHappyHands
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BusyHappyHands

BusyHappyHands has beautiful homemade crafts such as the Manchester Bee plant pots, earrings, scarfs and decorations!

All items are really reasonably priced and ran by my friend Hannah!

Their Esty shop is definably worth a look! I have just ordered some gorgeous hand made earrings from tjem this week!

I will share an image of the ones I bought once they arrive!

Happy New Year!

I hope you are all well had a fabulous time celebrating whether if you were celebrating with your bubble, home alone, working or even if you fell asleep!

We have made it to 2021!

I really hope the first few weeks of the year been treating you well!

FIRSTLY I want to thank you all SO SO SO much for reading my blogs this year! An amazing 450 people have been regularly reading my blogs which is amazing! That fact you are from all over the world has definitely given me the kick up the bum to write more.

If you are in the U.K…. Lockdown 2.0 is on going until further notice!

Personally, I have ZERO of baking a Banana bread and cheeky trip to the supermarket is my highlight of my week!

To be honest my first week of January has actually been a bit manic! I been a busy bee I STILL haven’t finished Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway!
I will finish it I promise (I am aiming to write a review on this by Sunday) as I am well over half way through!

I have noticed that I have been baking and cooking a lot more than usual! Once a week I make a what I like to call ‘FAKE AWAY’ at home.

This is basically me making a DIY take away, and usually taste lovely too (if do say so myself). Tonight I made prawns in black bean sauce and salt and pepper chips all from scratch!

It went down a treat and I gobbled it all up! I have also made vegan curry with onion bhajis, fish and chips, sweet and sour chicken, chicken rogan josh….

I am thinking of sharing one of my “Fake Away” recipes once a  month? I will make sure I take pictures and also let you know what you can use as a vegan replacement for the ingredients I use. 

I am aware that some people are vegan and have diatery requirements. When I post these recipes I will try my best to accommodate 🙂 In UK we have Veganuary during January! I think it is a great idea but I usually have at least one meal a day where I eat vegan/vegetarian meal!

I have lot more ideas for the new year on what to write about but I will keep doing my book reviews as you guys seem to love reading them!

Anyway as mentioned before, a book review will be with you this Sunday with a bonus!

You will have to wait and see what it is…..

Hope you all have a fabulous week and thanks again for reading Naomi&!

N x

Winter is officially here as I feel like its 9pm from the moment I wake up!

WELLLL I was going to attempt to do blogmas (daily blog post) but I knew I that would be a bit of a fail because

1. I know what I am like
2. I go home, have a shower, have chat and read a book in bed then…
3. Fall asleep…I know what I am like

Talking of books! I went to my Charity shop this weekend and got these books two books to read, I’ll see how I get on this month as I usually read 2/3 books a month!

I have the app kindle on my ridiculously old tablet BUT I love reading an actual book and love going to the library!

Are you the same as me or do I need to get with the programme? Anyway these books only cost £1.50 each BARGAIN!
I am debating if I should make one of them my January 2021 book to read…mmm

Anyhoo! Despite me being typically British and moaning at the fact it so dark outside, I have actually stuck to running 5km 2 to 4 times a week AND walking more!

Can you believe I have managed to run (and walk) over 640 miles so far this year?!? Honestly I can’t believe it!

It amazing how new routines turn into a habit SO quickly! You you end up exceeding your own expectations even if you don’t reach your goal! It is nice to do a little something that makes you proud of yourself!

I mean there is NO WAY I will be running a marathon anytime soon! The thought of running for over 3 hours with no snacks does not fill me with any excitement or joy!

When I did the 10K last year (I did the Great Manchester Run) I remember thinking “Your Almost Famous Burger is nigh, keep going Naomi”

SO IF anyone fancies going for a winter run/s I recommend doing the 7 Minute Follow Along Running Warm Up by the The Run Experience on YouTube! Holly is great and although the warm up more like 8 minutes it really gives your body an amazing stretch before your run!

Holly also does a good 5 Minute Follow Along Post-Run Cooldown which is great and covers all basics BUT if you fancy a longer cool down Yoga with Adriene does a great 18 minute Yoga For Runners 2 – Cool Down Sequence (Her dog Benji doesn’t feature in this video)

Do something that makes you proud of yourself!

This could be anything from teaching yourself a new language to getting up 15 earlier than usual so you have time to sort out your lunch to work!

N x

P.S Mummy’s Star it is the only charity in the UK and Ireland dedicated to women and their families diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy or within 12 months of giving birth.
Their mission is to provide cancer support to every family facing this traumatic situation, to donate click here

A MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has been reading my blog posts and following me! It’s been a while…

Well it’s only been about 20 months since I have last written in this blog post!

A massive hello to whoever is reading this! I really hope you are doing well.

Let’s be honest we are not all ‘doing well’ we are in a strange time where we are globally adapting and getting used to this ‘new normal’. This is absolutely fine, please allow yourself to be frustrated at the news at times and have a rant.

I really want to try not to talk about Coronavirus because it is still the hourly bulletin on UK news and to be quite honest I am finding it all a bit draining.

We all have other things going on in our lives and our routines have changed even if it is ‘just’ that you now have to wear a mask in a supermarket or can’t spontaneously go to a restaurant for a meal.

SO…what have I been up to in 2020?

1. Allowing myself time to process information

2. Spending more time listening/ reading other perspectives

3. Self care

I have found that limiting how often I watch/listen to the news has helped me not feel so overwhelmed. Also I no longer think that ‘There’s a News Bulletin at 4pm…I have to watch it’

NOW…I tell myself “Naomi….the News is on at 6pm and also 10pm….if you miss it you can watch it later or even tomorrow”

Take your time you have been adapting and you are doing your best.

Whats your New Year Resolution?
“Already failed 2019 roll on 2020?”
“New Year, New Me?”

Whether you have or haven’t got a “New Year resolution” my advice and mantra this year is…

Rather than say “I would like to…” say “I will…”….you fill in the blanks!

Words have power and I do like giving myself a few aims or create a dream board rather than trying to somehow ridicule myself for not having body of a Victoria’s Secret model! We are all unique, let’s try not to be cruel to ourselves and others! Celebrate you, your friends and family success and achievements! AND if you want aim higher, think of what steps are needed for you to achieve it.

Sometimes you can accomplish things within the year but remember some things may take years and that’s FINE! The way I see it is this you are allowed to have a “bad day” it’s normal and it’s ok to feel like poop sometimes BUT when this really *BEEP* day happens. Don’t dwell too much on it, picture your life as an opening to a cringing soap opera with highlights, turn it around and don’t suffer alone we need humans!

So call a friend; arrange to catch up with a date and time – this way you have something to look forward to! Also having a plan B (a new routine) this could be anything from going for walk, starting a new hobby or join your local library and get reading. Try to give yourself breaks from social media, talk to people and laugh about your day of falling over in front of a bus load of people on the way to work! 

Life I think is a bit like me and this blog, full of typos BUT these can be edited. We are all improving daily, I will get better at writing and I write when I can because I enjoy it! As for dealing with negatives, it unfortunately normal but focus on your aim/s and move on! It’s fine to not “like” me because a lot of the time these silly people don’t actually know you.

You aren’t on my level to make assumptions of me based on my typos. Especially when you have zero intention of arranging a catch up!

Happy New Year and keep going!