I don’t have a huge amount to rant about this week. How can you when the weather is so fantastic?? I thought I’d also tie-in some updates from what’s going on with my living situation going forward (sounds rather illicit…but I assure you it’s not that exciting).
Rant: *Sighs* I am so accident-prone it’s ridiculous. I think I’m genuinely lacking in the eye-hand coordination department, especially when I’m rushing around. This is mostly happening in the morning before work; sorting out my breakfast, tidying, and getting my lunch together. I take my own home-popped popcorn to work (I just put kernels into a plastic box, add salt and pepper and then microwave with the lid on until the lid starts opening). In my haste to get the pepper on it I dropped the grinder.
And all those little pepper corns went EVERYWHERE. Alfie thankfully turned his nose up and wandered off. Clearly not his snack of choice!
What was most annoying was this when I was a) already running later and b) had someone coming over to view our house later that day to possibly buy it. GARGH. I had already hoovered and tidied up everywhere but now had to sweep (and bin the peppercorns – what a waste!).
Sometimes speed isn’t the best way forward when you’re late!
Rave: It’s been very busy around here lately with all the house stuff. A few weeks ago we got the ball moving to value the house. They valued it substantially above what we initially paid for it which is MARVELLOUS obviously, but we still needed to get it sold at that price. As the house was a new build when we moved in (3.5 years ago now) it’s still in very good condition. I also regularly clean it so I didn’t have to do anything crazy before people came to view it apart from just general tidying things away to make it look more minimalist and hoovering.
At the same time I needed to look for a flat to move into. Juggling lots of balls from viewings of our house, viewings for my flat, mortgage appointments and solicitors…it’s all fun and games I assure you not.
Long story short, our house went on the market on Friday (my birthday, happy birthday me…). Our first viewing was Monday and they put an offer in for our asking price. Within this time I also found a flat I loved, put an offer on it and got it accepted. WOW. Luckily the guy buying our house is an investor so has no chain his side, and the person I’m buying from is also an investor and I only need to wait two months for the current tenant to move out (I’m buying, not renting). So actually things are looking (finger’s crossed) to go quite smoothly.
AND (this is like an UBER rave) my flat is still within the same area, still close to my gym and even closer to my running club. Fabdiddlytastic.
Rant: The flat is tiny. Really it’s a studio. I call it my Carrie Bradshaw (but smaller) apartment. One bedroom…But it’s well within the budget I have, meaning I can still live quite comfortably and enjoy my current lifestyle, and it’s in a nice, nice area. I looked round two bedroom flats in not so great areas and it just didn’t feel right – plus it added so much time onto my already long commute. The flat in itself is lovely – it’s only three years old, and funnily enough the kitchen is bigger than my current one and it’s just beautiful inside. There’s more than enough storage as well. So despite it being very small, it’s actually perfect for what I need at the moment and my day-to-day life won’t change vastly.
Rave: The day after the Liverpool marathon I had the day off, as did my parents. So we decided to go for a Nando’s and cinema trip to see Jurassic World.
A whole chicken really hit the spot post marathon. Runger? Adequately defeated.
And a whole screening to ourselves for Jurassic World (for about 15 minutes until a few others came in…damn them!)
Rant: Well not really a rant, more of stating the obvious. Jurassic World is not Jurassic Park and is no where close to being as good. It’s good for mindless enjoyment but there was no ‘pizzazz’…no rippling water, no Ian Malcolm, no goose bumps…I could go on but I shan’t bore you (the Empire Jurassic World spoiler special podcast does a great review).
Rave: After reading Claire’s post about her buying colouring books to relax I promptly decided to do the same. During university my friends and I, for a laugh, bought some colouring books as a way to have down time between revision and exams and found it was very addictive and a great way to relax while still being able to chat to each other or watch TV.
I got one from the post office, one from Amazon (called Indian Summer <— not an affiliate link) and some colouring pencils. Honestly, I am fully addicted. In the evening I watch TV while colouring and I’m so relaxed. Normally I’d be on my phone or iPad and wouldn’t really be relaxing my mind. I also wouldn’t be able to concentrate on what was on TV. But with colouring I can now watch TV as well. I even took a book with my on the train. OK people did give me a few funny/curious looks but the time flew by.
Rave: I was in the paper for the Southampton Echo for the Romsey 5 mile Beer race (bit delayed on this one as the race was a good few weeks ago now…). What was nice was that it mentioned me being part of the top three females the previous two years and now finally securing the first place this year (top left paragraph).
Needless to say my parents are very proud 😉 Sorry bragfest over.
Rave: I hate going to London in general and I especially hate going for work, which I had to do for a big meeting on Tuesday (funnily enough I’m going to London again on Saturday to meet some fellow lovely bloggers – but I’m sure this experience will be far better!)
The one saving grace of it being in London was the amazing catering at lunch time.
It was a buffet and there was just so much food. And not a chip or fried food in sight. It was all fresh, good ingredients and lots of vegetables and salad. I sort of went overboard…but then buffets are my weakness. The bottom left sweet potato and lentil curry was VERY nice indeed.
What are your plans for the weekend? (Yes I know it’s only Thursday…) I’m off to London on Saturday and then doing a 10k race (which I’m racing but not looking forward to – going to be riding the pain train!)
Do you go anywhere exciting for your job? In a previous job the best place I went was Sweden.
Colouring – yes or no? I’m not creative at all so this works well for me as it requires no real skill above what a five year old could do.
Yay for colouring! I keep meaning to buy some better pencils, I really want to get stuck in again!
WOW on the house stuff, that’s so fast and fantastic. Great that you found a place too. I lived in a studio a few years ago and I learned to love having so little space (I think yours will be bigger than mine.. I literally had a room with an en suite – I could touch my cooker from my fold-down bed…). Wishing you the best of luck with it all!
Claire @ Flake and Cake recently posted…All kinds of updates
I now need a pencil sharpener!
Well I thankfully won’t have to have a fold up bed… it’s mainly the living room that’s the small bit.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…A sunny blogger meet-up
I promise we’ll fill you with plenty of good food to make London worth it!
I’m not very good at colouring… I always got marked down in Geography homework because of it!!! No patience haha.
Pip {Cherries & Chisme} recently posted…The Intimidation Factor in Geneva, Switzerland
Haha that’s hilarious about the geog comment. So true. It was all about the colouring.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Having a healthy workspace
yay – that’s such good news about all the house and flat stuff. It sounds like there has been minimal stress for you, which is always good.
I love colouring. I always encourage my niece to do it, but secretly I just want to do it myself haha.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pomegranate by Dannii
It’s soo relaxing, honestly get yourself a book and enjoy it!
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Having a healthy workspace
I could rant a bit for you if you like: the weather is WAY too hot for me! See, this is why I can’t write posts like this one…everything would be a rant 😛
I’m so happy that the house situation has been relatively painless in terms of logistics, and I’d definitely choose a smaller place in a nice location over a bigger one in a rougher area. What’s the point of having extra space if you don’t feel safe or comfortable in it?
Even colouring doesn’t calm me down: I get really, really upset if I ever go outside the lines. Like, irrationally upset…that happens to me with a lot of things. I heard the reviews of Jurassic World were pretty mixed, and I didn’t think it could really match the level of originality and soul that the first film had. Nice to have a cinema all to yourself though, even if it was only briefly!
I really hope you enjoy the meet-up, and good luck for your 10K 🙂
Jess @ One Step Closer recently posted…The Highlight Reel
I do get a bit frustrated when I colour something the wrong colour (like getting the pattern wrong) or it’s messy…but generally it is very relaxing.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Having a healthy workspace
Good idea to pop popcorn in a plastic box. We have a couple of packets of the real stuff but I’ve been put off popping them when I’m at work. There’s the solution!
That’s really good new about your house being valued above the price you paid for it, especially as a recent new build. Glad you managed to find a flat that you liked so quickly as well. Dan and I fell in love with a couple of houses whilst waiting for someone to make an offer on ours and then they had been sold by the time somebody put an offer in on ours. Luckily, we also fell in love with the house currently owned by the person buying ours, but that has brought along a new set of problems!
Fab that you were in the paper and written about as well – not just your name and time printed! One for the scrapbook. 🙂
Mary recently posted…Colworth Marathon Challenge – Day 3
I have some Graze popcorn as my back-up and that’s popped in a bag but it’s really easy to pop it yourself. It does sort of dent the plastic of the box but I have a really hardy one I always use and so far it’s lasted quite a while!
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Having a healthy workspace
We were going to go and see Jurassic world on Monday but how cheeky- the cinema are charging a pound extra each as it’ a new release blockbuster or something. So on principle, we are waiting until it is normal priced!
We saw Spy and that was really funny.
It’s great that you are getting a new flat sorted- I think especially as you are living on your own you need to find somewhere that you feel comfortable in- I would choose a small place in a nice area any day (which is what we have- a 2 bed maisonette )- plus a smaller mortgage is always better because you have some breathing space.
With my job I get to go to the training centre at Stevenage- exciting places! Actually, I did go to a briefing in London a while ago, and it reminded me that although I like going to London to meet friends or see a band or whatever, I do not like travelling in during rush hour. Plus the tickets are about 3 times more expensive! Crazy.
I hope you have a lovely time in London and don’t hate the race too much! I am having my hair cut this weekend- I cannot wait. I’m going to parkrun with my dad too- I haven’t seen him for ages so that will be lovely, and then on Sunday we are going in to London to see Dave Gorman which I am really looking forward to.
Maria @ runningcupcake recently posted…Club parkrun outing!
I’m completely with you on not seeing it on principle – that’s terrible them hiking the price up!
I quite like the sound of Spy and want to see that eventually. I really like the actors and actresses in it.
Hope the haircut went well! I’ve decided I’ll probably just get mine cut once a year as it’s just too much faff haha.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Having a healthy workspace
Sounds like things are really working out on the house front- that’s really good news.
Lauren (@PoweredbyPB) recently posted…Ultra Training Highs and Lows
I know, fingers crossed eh!
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Having a healthy workspace