Summer Delights | Cakes, Mother-Daughter Days & Moonlight Jogging

I finally get to show you some of the chilled out times I've been having lately. Trips to the beach and lazy days in various cafes.

My Mum has made it her mission to go to the beach once a week. Even when it's a rainy, cloudy, cold, miserable day. Sometimes they're the best times to look at the ocean. Comfy in Aran wholly knitted jumpers.

Since it was a hot day, I myself got an iced tea (love the jar idea) and a BLT. Most people are disgusted by its taste. Mum made some strange choking noise when she sipped it. The waitress giggled, as though it wasn't her first time seeing this experience. I however love its taste, especially on a summers day.

From one of my previous posts on 'Shells Cafe in Strandhill' I mentioned the colanders that are used for lamp shades, so I took a sneaky picture for you guys. I would love this kind of idea for my kitchen. Mother dearest had the shrimp salad. The dish itself looked so colourful and tasty, so it was necessary for pictures.

Mum took a week off from work, just for the summer. She is a hardworking women. I never hear her complain. And for an Irish woman to NOT complain, that's pretty rare I tell ya!

We spent the week, shopping, eating enough cake in cafes, you know the real girly experiences (okay well, the cake was all me!) But living in England is hard without Mum. The only times we do argue are when Dad or my brother are involved. Mum is terrible for arguing though. She seems incapable of shouting (poor soul)

We sat in 'Esquires Cafe', a usual little spot we go to, for the comfy couches and of course their chocolate cake! Mum was glad to get her picture taken... as long as she looked at it long enough, nodding that it was okay to keep. "Oh Mother I have much worse pictures than this!" "WHAT?" "I'm joking, I'm joking!" I sure do love winding her up.

It was our first time in the new cafe 'Rogue & Co. Cafe' in our nearby town Roscommon.

It was nice to look at, sure, with its pretty, vintage furniture. But the prices on the menu, jeeze! Pretty damn expensive. We shared a baileys and toblarone cheesecake, which was scrumptious in taste and looks. And a milky latte to help it go down heehee.

'Time Pieces' is this antique shop of which I love. I have bought many gifts in here. And on this day I found a lovely writing set for Peachy. She'll be expecting a letter any day now.

And I couldn't go away with not showing you my new plate, cos that's how lame I really am! Getting all hyped up over home ware. This was purchased in an Irish store, 'Dunnes Stores'. I have plenty of mugs, tea cups and trays for my tea and snacks, but the idea of putting my cake on the cupcake! *Open mouth* 

"You gotta grow up" is often said in my parents house, heehee.

But this for me is a summer delight. Listening to the thundery weather (it's Ireland people, not California) with a snugly hoodie and quilt. And happily getting lost on You tube or through a favourite movie. Carrot cake was the chosen cake for the night.

Now many of you may think, this girl sure does love cake. I do! It's a piece of happiness that I have no shame in eating and taking pleasure in.

I make sure though that some of the calories are taken away. These past few nights, we've had unbelievable dry weather and the moon has been amazing for light. My preferred time to go jogging is at night, strangely (another summer delight). If I feel upset or need to clear my head, it's the best time for it. And the bonus part of it, is that I'm keeping fit. I love starring up at the stars. Smelling the cold air, reminding me of Christmas.

What are some of your summer delights? For you cake lovers, you are not alone! Heehee!

Thankful Thursday

A little tbt for ye guys... just a few days back I had a lovely day out with my bestie.

I just love how the lighthouse in the back is popping up on the horizon.

I have abandoned you fellow peeps for the excuse of not getting things done on time. I procrastinate a fair bit lot you see, especially when I don't have such demanding things such as work or assignments to do.

So, my 'Thankful Thursday' includes

Having a weird Mother

Every parent embarrasses their child, but for me I've become a little proud of the strangeness she carries with herself. Last week, we were sitting out by the river with cones, looking at the boats, next thing she mutters something about the toilet. An hour passes and still she hasn't returned. I have an old couple sitting beside me. She then comes back and remarks something like, "Oh I see you've made some friends!" That is her humour sadly (even though I don't laugh)

Day out with Edel

We took a brisk walk on the beach, saw 'Walking on Sunshine' in the cinema (Edel has sworn she will find the main guy in the movie... Italian you see), and during the movie, Edel was sighing whenever he came on screen, with a mischievous smirk as though she was planning on kidnapping the fella. You seriously don't want to know what we talk about during a movie. We end up creating our own script!

House chores & BBQs

I had the sun on my back while I painted the front garden wall and the pleasure of a refreshing shower afterwards. I actually can't picture myself having a desk job. I'll need a job that requires practical work. I hate being bored. I get frustrated with it. And by the end of the day, coming home from the hospital, I'll feel happy to return to a bed, a bath, a steaming cup of tea... just thankful that I have these simple, joyous things to come home to.

Yoga

This week I have been moving a lot. I bought a pair of new sports leggings, so I don't want them to go to waste. In the mornings, I'm mostly alone. So the house is quite, great time for a long session of yoga. I find that it's great for my back. Wah hey, I'm 21 years of age and I suffer from backaches! I blame the 100 year old bed... Haa! But I'm happy for the me time I get in the morning. Bad mood swings come with my personality package and yoga really helps.

Movies & 'Bones' marathons

Every night I've watched all kinds of movies. I unwind and forget where I am when I see another story being told. My brother is always interested in how I rate movies. He says I'm quite harsh with my decisions. Let me know what your utmost favourite movie is :)

I have such a love for acting, directing, the work that goes behind writing the script. It would be a job I would love to have, to produce, but you need a lot of talent and luck for that in this world.

I've managed to get to Season 8 of my 'Bones' collection. David Boreanaz (Booth) is-a-god! And Emily Deschannel! I love how she portrays her character. I see her as the female Sherlock.

I got my love for movies from my Dad and my Nan. And I feel like it's a special thing to have. Talking about the greats from the black and white times and the scores through a film.

Shells Cafe

We've been putting it off since I've been back from England and last Sunday we actually went. I felt so chirpy when I sat down with my cake & hot cocoa. I thank god for my parents, for having good, stable jobs and for being able to afford leisure's such as these. They know I appreciate it, through helping out in the house work, and taking care of my younger cousins.

Choir Group

 The people that are in it are so welcoming and friendly. I find it so strange how you don't see many young people in choirs anymore. It's a great thing to be able to help out in the community.

 I've been gone 2 weeks, so this will go towards my absence.

Thanks for reading lovies, and be sure to let me know what you've been thankful for this week.

My Holiday to Mauritius | Part 1 ( The Beaches)

It's taken me ages to sort out these pictures of my recent trip to Mauritius (Ile Maurice), over 400 of them. So I have planned out a series of parts, first up the beaches of Mauritius.

It was perhaps one of the most laziest, luxurious things to do. You just had to grab your kindle, your ipod and just lay down in the sun.

I had a routine with lying out, scorching to death, run into the sea/pool, bring camera while collecting shells on the beach.

As you can see, the ocean was so clear and the perfect shade of blue.

This beach was a private one, belonging to the Plantation Hotel.

It was a lovely hotel, with it's volleyball tournaments, pool parties and sega nights (Sega - Mauritian style dancing)

I loved this beach. We got to go paddling and got plenty of free drinks at the mini bar on the beach.  

There was a waterfall near the beach as well, along with men fishing along the stream. I thought this was a lovely little place, just to have some alone time. Very peaceful setting, don't you think?

This is one of the funniest things that my family does. We go to other other hotels that are beside ours. This one was just across the stream from the one we were staying at. If you can squint your eyes, you can see my little cousin wearing a shower cap. She likes being different! So you can imagine the embarrassment her mother had to face when she walked in that hotel.

There's a reason why I took this photo. In the water there was this family; young parents with a 2 year old daughter and a disabled 11 year old daughter. They were staying at the same hotel as us for the 2 nights. And every evening I would see them at dinner. At first all I could think of was, "Their relationship must be tested to the extreme point with having that much stress." But looking at them, they were so happy. The husband adored his 2 daughters and would give a quick peck on his wife's cheek as he would play with the 2 year old. One night the parents were out dancing, as though they were this new lovey-dovey couple. Even knowing the stress they were going through, I couldn't help but feel a somewhat envy from this family. It was their faith and optimism that really shined through their happiness.

I was just happy that they were like shadows in the ocean, so I could snap a quick shot of them. This picture of the family, out of the hundreds of pictures is a favourite of mine.

Having a sunset every evening made this time even more valuable. When in Hertfordshire am I ever going to get such a sunset like these again!

We went on a glass-bottom boat. Looking at all the fishies and corals. We even had a chance to go snorkeling, jumping from the boat and diving under.

My cousin and her dad collecting shells. It's one of the loves they share. Having a fascination for nature and life. Both share interests such as cooking and gardening as well. With my dad, it's music, music, movies, music, certain foods, history, chocolate, meat & potatoe pie, sci-fy movies and tv shows & music again.

My dream job would be a singer. My dads, a music manager. 

This was a little island 15 minutes from the east coast of Mauritius.

It was as though I had stepped into a dream. I'd never seen the sand so gold before, or the water so clear. It was as though there were diamonds in the water. Ooooh SPARKLY!

We brought back some starfish as well. All the time I was picturing the starfish from 'Finding Nemo', haahaa :) 

I have two more parts belonging to this holiday mini post series. This blog after all is for memories. And I'd love to share them with you.

I'm planning on doing the next post (Part 2) on the places I went to around Mauritius.

If any of you that have traveled, what was your favouite holiday and what were the highlights?

Cheers for reading,