All Work and No Play...

Well that hiatus from blogging turned out to be for longer than I expected.

Those of you who follow me on social media, or indeed know me in the real world will be aware of the crazy hours I have been keeping in the office. Something had to give for a little while.

I'm still putting in some crazy hours but I am planning on being a bit more proactive and getting some bits and bats written up and shared with you guys.

There were a few plans I was mulling over for November, starting with attempting to write a novella in a month. I can safely say, that isn't going to happen. I truly do need to get on top of the housework, but somehow after a long week in the office a Saturday spent cleaning isn't doing it for me right now.

I've been wanting to make rock buns for such a long time, and again it has just not happened yet. I get sat on my sofa and sucked into my crochet.

Some books from amazing authors have landed on my desk this month and there are the festive novels that I love so much also vying for my attention. Always best read with a hot chocolate or gingerbread latte in the other hand. My Kindle is filling up with Christmas-themed novellas and novels too.

Hands up if you are aware of an app that squeezes an extra hour or two into the day, or even the mythical day b'twixt that nestles between Saturday and Sunday.

My Life Monday: A Piece of Me

I am a Brownie Leader's child. 

I think this explains a lot about me. 

I have an inane need to help. To be there for people and to troubleshoot. Often to my own detriment. 

Sometimes this is taken to be a weakness. My ability to process nonsense and get on with the job I put down to my mother. 

On my 7th birthday I joined Brownies, I was an Elf. That batch even now is still on my camp blanket. As an only child, of a single-parent mother I learnt that I could share and be part of something bigger. I learnt how to play large games, responsibility, one summer I made over 100 cups for tea and won a Tetley Tea competition (I still don't like tea, coincidence), I sewed on a button, learnt to keep several useful items in a very small compressed pouch for emergencies and my love of giant bobble hats was born. 

I moved on to Guides, I got to camp outside. But only after learning how to make a sink with draining board out of sticks, canes and string. I learnt that chemical waste is a job for someone else, and that eggs don't like to be hit by broken beams, nothing beats cooking on an open fire, sitting on the floor in a horseshoe and eating as a group, powered orange juice is the best thing ever! Campfire skits and swimming in rivers and streams. I only left Guides because I wanted to do Duke of Edinburgh, they were on the same night. 

Duke of Edinburgh was ace. Teenagers against the world, and the elements. Map reading wasn't a strong point, but working together to sort things out was. I learnt first aid, the important of balance in life, look after the mental, the physical and the adventure. This is the pinacle of why these groups exist.  

As a teenager, I helped at Brownies as a Young Leader. In fact I was a volunteer until I turned 21. 

Then I decided my life was too important. 

I was wrong. Since I had my two boys, I returned to volunteering. First at a pre-school, then I returned to the Baden-Powell family. This time with scouting. I spent a short time at Beavers (the little ones), due to my working hours I had to leave this section, I moved on to Cubs (the middle ones). I loved this section. Getting to see them move on from all the glitter and glue, to becoming rough and tumble kids growing in size, stature and as people in their own right weekly was a massive privilege. 

This term I start my journey with Scouts (bigger kids but not the biggest). Their hormones will be raging, their skills with be greater. I also step back into the world of GGA, helping with Brownies. After a long time away, it currently feels like a comfort. Almost as if I'm going home. 

Helping people is part of me. It always has been, it always will be. It makes me who I am. 

However, I don't do it solely for the people I help. I do it for me. It makes my heart bigger, keeps my soul happy, and I keep learning everyday. After 15 years of nursing those who are close to me through varying illnesses, I can honestly say I do this for me. 

Time is the most valuable gift I have to share. Giving these kids the chance to make memories that will shape them and they will think back to as they age, then have their own kids. Maybe seeing the fun that I have will inspire them in turn to pay it forward to the next generation. 

It takes a village to raise a child. I am a villager, the Scout Association and Girl Guide Association are the village I live in they have shaped me into being the person I am now. 

Love me, or hate me. I like me and I thank those leaders within Brownies, Guides and Duke of Edinburgh who gave up their precious time to teach me life skills I am now showing to a new generation. 

 

My Life Monday: Happy Monday

And here it is.


My bright, shiny new look blog.

It is still going to be a place of positivity - a bit like a Spice Girls album. There is still going to be a mix of lifestyle, beauty, food, general good fun and craziness.

So what have I been doing?

Not a lot really. Apart from work and sleep.

I have also had a couple of epiphany moments. Let a lot of baggage go, and realised just how much I missed blogging and sharing things with you all.

Things and priorities have changed and this space of BeeBeeness had to take a short hiatus, so life could settle and level out.

And here we are. A new month... my birthday month at that! Rock on.

Welcome along for the ride.

and

May your day glitter & sparkle.

July and August... Where Did You Go?

Good grief.

When I said I was taking a little break, I never for one minute thought that I would be gone for this long.

A lot of things have changed here at BeeBee Towers.

You will have known that back in March I went back to work full time, after 8 years being a part time desk jockey at a national new agency.

Well... about the same time something else huge occurred, which left me reeling to say the least. I'm not going to come right out and say it as that isn't fair to him indoors. But it is fair to say that it rocked the very foundations of life at BeeBee Towers.

So what have I been upto?

Working my day job primarily. I stepped back from some of my voluntary roles in the community which is sad, I am striving to find a work life balance that will sort all of us right now.

I can barely remember the last time I 'did' my hair or put make up on. Stress hits my skin in a big, painful and swollen way. Everything is starting to calm down again now... finally. It was a very lumpy, bumpy couple of

In September I am planning to revamp the site, and bring more blogs to fruition.

I'm excited to get to work with some brands and review more items.

If there is anything you would like to see in the blog just let me know.

My Life Monday: Decision Making

When faced with despair, there can only be a decision to be made.

To I rise above it, or do I sink to the bottom of the pit.

I'll put my hands up and admit I have been sinking. I've been sinking fast.

I am starting to turn a corner, at last. It's going to be hard work, but I am going to pull myself out from underneath the chasm I have been hiding under.

First in this step is starting to care for me again. Rather than the opinions that others may have of me. I can't change those, I can't change me. I can however be the best me I can be. At home, at work and online.

I have downloaded some inspirational books to my phone and I will take baby steps from here, and with summer coming up I may even get to grow my nails - for a little bit at least.

10 Things To Do...

In your lunch break. 

Since returning to work I've been looking for things that I can do during my lunch break to make sure I actually leave my desk and take that break. I only get 30min but if your luckier and get that full hour just think what you could get up to!

1. Take a stroll. The weather is getting better and it sure as heck feels good to break free from your desk, even for just 15 mins. 

2. Nip to the shops. If you are lucky enoiugh tot be in the centre of a bigger town or near a city centre bo to a chemist, department store or even a supermarket and pick up a new lip gloss, lipstick, eyeshadow or even mascara. It doesn't need to cost the earth, but it will brighten up your day. 

3. Me time. Book yourself a treatment. Getting your eyebrows tamed takes no time at all. Or if you have a slightly longer have an appointment a tthe hairdressers for a treatment and blow dry. 

4. Getting handsy. If you can get the space, give yourself a mini manicure. Pop a bright nail varnish into your bag and liven up your fingertips at lunch. 

5. Every day is a school day. Try and learn something new, a skill or  a craft. I'm a crochet fan, so I sometimes hook at lunch, your could knit, start to learn a new language, take up puzzles. 

6. Go on holiday. Well not a full one. Plan a virtual break, where would you go, what would you do, what would you like to do, where would you stay/eat... I think you get my drift. Dream big. Pinterest is a great site to do this on. 

7. Embrace your smartphone. Most of us have a smartphone these days, pop some earbuds in your bag and you can catch up on some vlogs, a tutorial or even a tag video using YouTube.  

8. Take a picnic. Pack a nice lunch and meet a friend for a picnic lunch in a local park. 

9. Eat out. Instead of your normal packed lunch, get out and visit a local eaterie and have a nice lunch. Your sandwich is always going to be there tomorrow. 

10. Novel idea. Read a book, obviously not a whole one but you could squeeze in a chapter or two depending on the length of them. Have you a book that you've always wanted to read, but you never seem to have the time at home anymore? Lunch breaks are the perfect in for a blossoming reading habit. 

My Life Monday: Targets for April

So this month I am aiming to get on top of a few things.

This starts with a complete bedroom declutter.

The wardrobe has far too many things in it. Including blankets, sheets, random other bedding, enough pillowcases to cover a hotel full of pillows, odd non-matching duvet sets, suitcases, a tv from one of the kid's bedrooms and that's before you even get to the mounds of clothes.

Lots of clothes that either fit and I don't wear or clothes that don't fit and theere are rows up rows of books that need reading or bosing, donating, selling or binning. I think you might be starting to get my drift.

It feels like I'm drowning under all the stuff in there. I daren't even look under the bed! There could be a whole undiscovered civilisation living under there.

What I need to be is ruthless, someting I find tricky yet also weirdly exhilerating.

So on my To Do list this month.

Reduce surface clutter.
Organise bedding - getting rid of some and replacing the ones that have seen better days with new bedding.
Being ruthless at the bookcase and in the wardrobe.
if it doesn't fit, it must go
if I haven't worn it, it must go
Make up - compared to some I don't have much, compared to most I probably have too much and right now it all sits in a Peppa Pig shopping tote.
Tackle the drawers, junk and otherwise. They don't shut - or open.

My reign as Queen Bee Hoarder must end this month - at least in the bedroom!

Do you set any monthly goals?

Get Moving Monday

I've not written one of these in a while. Mainly because I haven't been doing any sort of formal exercise. I know after I got those shoes!

I'm finding that life has this trick of changing my plans. After what I can only call a really low and emotional weekend, I have gone through my stash of fitness dvds and found out a couple I can do and get under my belt before I head into the office. (Did you know, once upon a time I used to be out the door at 5am to go running?)

At the moment I'm rediscovering Zumba. I have 3 dvds and right now I'm using the Zumba Express one, 20 minutes from beginning to end, no floor work (which I hate), a lot of dance (which I love) and you can lower or raise the intensity to what you can manage. Which is paramount if you are out of condition, don't want to get injured or just aren't as fit as you should be.

This works for me as, like many people, I don't like to be seen to exercise in public, partially as I have a tendancy to break out in a blotchy rash from head to foot - attractive huh? Also, as I have been on the receiving end of some less than favourable attention while pounding the pavement.

I do know that breaking into sweat and raising my heartbeat is important for my general health. It also promotes a feeling of wellbeing which I've been missing. I'm not getting the chance to move around as much as I used to now I'm sat in front of a monitor all day.

My Life Monday: Word Building

Today I've been spending a bit of quality time with my eldest boy JJ.

He's currently 8 going on 30, with a touch of toddler strop thrown in for good measure.

It would appear he has entered the word building phase, taking different sounds and putting them together to use in place of the expletives I must admit I try hard not to use.

Today we have had boosh, skidoosh and skidooshi. None of them have any particular meaning to him but they are littered within conversation.

Now I can just about recollect the heady days of being an 8 year old. One of my words was squaz. It mean a little bit, gizza squaz of that paint. A bit more than a squaz was a squazidick. I still love the feel of that word, although I can't really use it in day-to-day life with many people.

Then again, when I was 8 I was obsessed with being a witch trapped in a human dimension and I could only pass to the wiccan side via a tree or through a certain pair of goal posts at the local school.

Things seem different for boys, at least it does for my two. Games with no defined story or that aren't based around some sort of video game just don't seem to happen.

It's a shame, I'm trying hard to instil some imagination into these two but they're not going for it yet. However, they're constantly making up new gangs. Prank Gang, Secret Agent Spy Group and Weird gang, so you never know it might just be me sucking the imagination out of them.

My Life Monday: I'm the New Girl... Again

Today I started my new role in the office.

Oh jeepers. It's almost like starting all over again. New products, with new styles, a new team and a new desk. Scrub that. Two desks.

In some ways it's like returning home. Many moons ago, when I first started working at the company I was in a different with three of my new team.

I wonder how long it will take for the novelty of working full time to wear off?

I treated it a bit like going back to school. I got a new notepad, pencil case (and pens), and a new mug. All colour co-ordinated too. I must take a photo of the set up, it looks rather swish.

It started as an early shift, in the office by 8am. I'm not a morning person. Never was, never will be. But I managed to get up and out almost on time. Even after dropping my phone in a large bowl of washing up and drowning it. Even now it's currently hanging out in a bowl of rice in the airing cupboard hoping to draw all the bad bits out. I know I don't like my current phone, but it at least needs to last me until summer when I can get a new one.

My Life Monday: Things They Are a-changing

For the last eight years I have been working part time at my office.

Next week I am going to return full time. New department, new role, new responsibilities.

I also embrace the whirlwind that is shift work, five days a week. I will still be publishing on this blog daily, I will still need to keep on top of the housework, the boys and their homework, cubs and just who will take the boys to school and bring them home (depending on the week).

This means I have, for the last few weeks, been trying to get the house in order so I can maintain, rather than fight an uphill battle in 15-30 minutes a day.

A few weeks ago you will have seen I worked on the de-cluttering of my bedroom. That is still remarkably tidy. However, little bits that needed to be finished still need doing and there are a couple of other areas that are starting to fall behind again.

The bathroom got attention last week, the joy of living surrounded by boys.

The kitchen is this week's task.

I'm also working on getting back into the groove with planning shopping around a pre-decided meal plan.

I also need to start to use weekends for doing things with the kids... and sleeping!

I'm going to be a busy BeeBee.

My Life Monday: Procrastination is a Very Long Word, Spell It.

I don't know about you, but I am a fully paid up, card-carrying member of the procrastination club. 

If I don't do something straight away, it tends not to get done. I have a tendency to over think, over plan and just make things over complicated. 

Some things in life do need to be thought about in advance. Due to the ramifications that are imparted post idea, other things not too much. 

I can lay in bed for 2 hours thinking about getting up after the alarm goes off. No snooze button required. I just lay there and think about it. 

I have been known to plan how to clean a particular room for that long, if I'd just got on with it the room would have been finished before my To Do list was. 

Another thing is if I'm engrossed in a book, everything just gets pushed aside. Writing these posts, I often do them one night a week, if a book is involved... yeah let us not dwell on that one eh?

Sleep, I think about that... a lot. I'm frequently lacking in that. It's like finding a mythical creature in the supermarket. Just doesn't happen when I particularly want it to. Usually because I'm busy watching vlogs in bed. I just love YouTube for those. 

If I'm lacking in inspiration for something I can easily get lost within @pinterest. For hours at a time! That site is a procrastinators dream. You can lose yourself and at the same time feel really productive as you are finding ideas and inspiration for future endeavours, which lets be fair you will probably also procrastinate over and then never actually do.

This year I am trying to break the procrastination habit... it's really tough, and I'm trying hard. Maybe it will be easier tomorrow. 

My Life Mondays: What an Experience

Oh my word.

This weekend was surreal to say the least.

Along with a team of other Scout leaders I took my pack of Cubs (and 5 others) on their Humberside District Sleepover at The Deep in Hull.

What an amazing experience.

After the public had all left for the day over 100 Cubs arrived at the 'submarium' for their big adventure.

First we took the tour around the facility, stopping to marvel at the jellyfish as they glowed in their tubes, stopping to pet the starfish and a sea urchin the children's minds started to spark with what was ahead.

After marvelling at a purple-spotted and pregnant ray in the petting tank, we continued to a slightly larger tank filled with tropical fish. Including the most darling of a fish with a polka-dot belly and a rather deflated puffer fish. They're almost cute when not looking like they have swallowed a balloon.

We turned round to be brought face-to-face with a shark and some of the hugest fish I have ever seen. Not a clue what variety they were but goodness they were fast.

We got to eat supper near the shark tank, then moved on to design some t-shirts and badges. This is where I sloped off for a crafty latte in The Deep cafe. If you do go I wholly recommend that beverage, creamy and caffeinated just what I needed!

Quickly, 10pm arrived and with it bedtime for the cubs... believe that you'll believe anything. My pack were next to the shark tank. As soon as lights out happened the giant swordfish came out to play. There were truly a sight to behold.

One by one the Cub fell into slumber. That's when as I leader I got to play. I tend not to sleep on residentals/sleepovers if they are only for one night and they are going home soon after. I got to tour the facility with the lights off, the sharks were amazing and the fish sneaky.

It was such an amazing opportunity, and all my cubs loved it.

All the staff we had contact with were brilliant and I can't wait to return once the penguin's arrive, their new enclosure already looks like it is going to be out of this world.

My Life Monday: Bucket List

Last week I started my plan to get back to fitness, then by Friday I was stricken down by some lurgy that totally floored me and had me asleep in bed by 2pm.

Today, I thought I would take a look at Bucket Lists. If you don't like to call it that just take solace in the fact that it is a list of goals you set yourself to do at some point in your life.

I have quite a random one, I won't list them all here but I will give you a flavour. If you want any other ideas take a wander over to bucketlist.net

I want to visit:
Caribbean
America
Take a camper van across the UK
take more city European breaks

Activity:
Run an 'extreme' event
Run more 5 and 10k races
Return to Youtube
Write a cookery book
Go to the opera
Spend more time with my extended family
Go to more to comedy and music gigs
See the Northern Lights
Go indoor sky diving

Frivolous:
Own a designer handbag
Wear & walk in designer shoes

What would you choose to put on your list? I have other goals linked to finances and scouting too.

This post was inspired by Kate Harrison's 5:2 Your Life. Get your copy here currently £1.99 for the Kindle.

My Life Monday: Get Moving

Over the weekend I decided that I wanted to do the Race for Life again this year.

I stopped running last July/August, not long after my last race.

My fitness has dropped right off. So today I have started the long road back to being a 5k runner.

I went out for a walk. It was roughly 2 miles. I didn't march it out I just took it nice and steady.

I'm planning to walk a similar distance 3 times a week until I cover 3 miles comfortably, then I will gradually introduce power walking intervals and then running until I am able to run the full stretch.

Around where I live I am lucky that we have such fantastic scenery, but unlucky in that there is no non-hillly routes!

I'm not impressed with my first time. however it can only get better!

I forgot how nice it was to just have a bit of peace and quiet time. I plugged in my ancient ipod and listened to some old Jillian Michael's Podcasts and blocked out the world around me. When I start with the running I will be moving over to more up-tempo tunes to motivate me and to match my stride pattern to.

What do you do to keep moving, and what do you listen to when you are out and about?

My Life Monday: What's Holding Me Back?

and most of the time I am my own worst enemy.

While I have been thinking about how to change things for the better. I sat down and tried to work out reasons why I don't ever seem to reach my goals.

To do this a did a quick drawing of the things that stand in my way.

There are times when I feel that my family hold me back. I have been putting them first for so long, I seem to have forgotten what being just me was like. Making decisions because I want to do something, rather than what can I do that pleases everybody else.

What I think other people think or are thinking about me stops me from living life to the full in the way that I want to live it. Last year I was severely burnt by people and how what they assumed I was doing and thinking about things.

Sleep, I simply just don't get enough. I'm out of routine, I can be up to 2am maybe 3am most mornings then don't rouse until 8am. Far too late for a simple school run, a stressed rushed one yes, but not a nice simple one.

Finally the other thing that seems to create a sticking point is money. The lack of it, the use of it, the power of it.

So my next challenge is how to tackle these obstacles...