Changing your habits and environment

Hi and I took a trip up to London and just got back as I have done some good walking and having a mooch around the shops vlogging in Victoria and saw some good bits I'd like to buy, I will be taking another trip next week.

I got on the bus just now in Epsom after travelling back by train from Victoria and the bus diverted to the high street again and terminated the journey so went around one big circle, how annoying. 

Anyway apart from that it was a good trip and had a nice lunch in a restaurant Itsu and had Thai noodles with chicken and green beans, and my mum had a Coconut Soup, and do nice tea there too. They are in Victoria Street and there are two along the high street, as you walk straight ahead out if the  big entrance from the overground station, where you got more shops, and restaurants and stalls. 

I did film so will be in a vlog coming. (vlog channel: (4) Typical London Gal Carrie Holmes - YouTube). It is good to have a break from the same environment and take a trip on the train and bus and looking forward to when the weather warms up here in the UK and have a picnic and work outdoors.

One of my favourite things is reading in the park and eating outdoors with the sunshine and blue sky. 

This morning I published a new vlog: https://youtu.be/c0euxNq6XM8 so please check it out. 

I have continued to get up early if you have read my other daily blogs and it really has been the best thing I have done. I am realising that just by changing one habit a day can do wonders to how you feel each day. Yes I know it isn't for everyone, getting up early, but it doesn't have to be that, it could be cutting down on drinking coffee in the morning. There are days where I will take a break from it. Too much of anything can take its toll. 

It is what makes you want to get up and enjoy the days ahead. Its is what suits your wellbeing and having self belief that you can make positive changes in your life, and that there is a whole world outside waiting for you, it just takes that one change that can divert your feelings and thoughts of your life, so lets grow our lives and on the 1st May 2024 my Life Coaching programme starts, Summer Project 2024 Check out my Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thetypicalLondongal/summer-project-2024/ and is to help you have a better life to have a better year, and yesterday posted my work book for it, check out my blog: http://everyonecanbuildacastle.com/2024/04/23/my-life-coaching-programme-summer-project-2024-helping-you-have-a-better-year-and-a-better-life-is-coming-at-the-start-of-may-2024/

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Variety Act on TV

Hi there and happy Saint George's day, and I did wear the colours today and do it for my dad and in laws, who would celebrate it each year. The last couple of years I have forgotten and so wanted to make the effort as it only comes round once of year, and we should celebrate where we come from. 

Talking about being from England do acknowledge that I am British too and watched Britain's Got Talent and oh my word,

Sydney Christmas was brilliant and have not stopped watching it, and watched Sunday's episode and this years is good, and so will be watching more next weekend and really love that they have had some real surprises. Not going to say too much as many may still have not watched and hate spoilers. 

As a kid I loved the Variety show and never missed a year and it still going on and like the different acts you get like Attraction who did a Shadow act and it was so clever and gave me goosebumps. 

Then there was Jonathan and Charlotte that sang Let this be our prayer and so yes it been more serious now and a lot of the acts seen so far have raised the bar and will support Variety acts out there. 

As a child was more confident than I am now and loved doing ballet and tap and then Ballroom Dancing and love dancing acts, comedians and magic, and that lifts you off your seat. 

Let me know who has been your favourite act from when it started to now. You can leave a comment below. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Learning/Building your knowledge and skills

Yes another start to the week. It means getting stuff planned. It means planning dinners and my work on books, blogs and videos and training. I train myself all the time to listen and learn, on different topics I am interested in, that is going to help push me forward to my dreams and aspirations.

I like to learn everyday and so will spend time watching others on Youtube that are already doing the things I want to do and reading books. Seeing other people make a success of their lives is inspiring and that there is plenty of success going around, that I know I am able to also be happy successful in my life.

When it comes to life you have take on risks, and test the water I always say, to see what suits you and if it is what you want to do in your life and learning from experts in that industry, or already doing it, is the best to learn to build you knowledge and understanding.

Going out into working world suited me, as it helped support myself instead of relying on my mum and dad and making money of my own. It was something I could be in charge of and I made mistakes, but that is how you learn aswell in your life, and find your skills you have and it can take many jobs and life experiences that can lead you to do what you want. 

My son is doing swimming lessons and he is good at swimming on his front rather than going back, and not an easy skill, and he was scared at first but loves the water now as one point he wouldn't even sit in the bath and so learning everyday and learning new skills each day can do wonders. 

I encourage to do self learning if you don't want to do a course with the internet now and books available.

There is Youtube University and Ted Talks, and go to the Careers Service and if you are on benefits then there organizations that offer free courses and I have done a few and if you are under the mental team in the UK there is what is known as the Recovery College. 

So lets live and learn, as you be amazed at what you find out.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Investing in Sport

Happy Sunday! So going to plan my week, and their is some football on the TV today and FA cup match, Coventry City vs Manchester United. Watched Chelsea get beat yesterday by Manchester City and was disappointed, being a Chelsea fan, and they played well we just couldn't hold on. 

At AFC Wimbledon Ground watching the London Broncos 

I will understand if you aren't a football fan, to not be interested, but wanted to share, should some of you felt the same. How far away are Chelsea fans these days, now the Premier League is a popular league and how many players play in it all over the world now?

Football has changed so much, which is an understatement I know but it is very commercialised and feel that sponsorship and money get in the way, of the football now and not just what goes on, at the training grounds and on the pitch. I love Chelsea but visiting the Chelsea Shop at the ground, the prices are through the roof and I begrudge it. 

I like investing in sport as I enjoy it so much but I also have boundaries on what I want to spend on supporting it and feel robbed when I have to pay over hundred pound on a jacket and just buy a blue one without the logo. My son wants a Chelsea shirt but the thing is he will grow out of it and may change his mind, which he does a lot, so would be a waste. See when it is his birthday then decide. 

When it came to sport I would buy the shirts, badges and programmes when I went to Chelsea ground, because they are collectable items, but I can't afford it now, and I am not going to spent money knowing that this could encourage clubs to increase their prices even more. 

If you want to buy sports merchandise then that is fine, it is up to you I just don't feel good about it and feel that clubs should lower their prices as there a lot of people struggling to put food on the table, and I have just as I write had a brainwave of if you have got old shirts that are in good condition, then donate them to a family, and wished I had done that, now thinking, and I did give my programmes away, and so if you do have sports gear and clothes, you can recycle and donate. That's if you want to. 

This is the reason why I support lower league clubs, as the prices are lower and still good matches, and not a fortune. 

I just like to go to see a match so, I will book tickets to AFC Wimbledon, which is just down the road from where I live, the food is still expensive, so we eat before or after, at home and feel we have had a good afternoon and support other sports, like Rugby League. When the London Broncos, who I used to follow a lot, play at AFC Wimbledon's ground gone and it is in warmer weather, and last time we went we got free tickets, and at my sons school were offering free tickets to go to see Leatherhead Football club, which I have take my son too. 

It is all about is it worth while? And do I feel ripped off?

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Trying to find a good school for my son

End of the week. I am feeling the tiredness of a busy week. Yesterday I shared my apprehension of my son going to an afterschool club and I did walk there. It was a fare distance but glad I did it and my son was happy and the teacher running the afterschool club said that he is very good at football and so feel relief and looking forward to the same next week. 

Picture on my walk I did to collect my son from school

I feel so thankful, that I can walk and that my son has now joined a new club that can cater for him as he has learning difficulties, and will help him make more friends and he still wasn't super tired and wanted to continue to play, so had to prompt him a lot to sit down and chill.

Today my mum and I are checking out a secondary school as we've been advised to choose one this year before he is in the sixth year at his Primary school, he goes to now. 

It can be daunting and being that I have only one child, because my son has changed primary school, three times because they couldn't cater for him and his needs. 

If you have tips, please share. You can leave a comment below. 

At his school now, they really do what they can for them to get so much more out school, like doing swimming lessons, he was awarded star moment on some sentences he did on World War 2, and religious studies and now an afterschool club. They really cater to the children's wellbeing. 

Teaching children is hard, because all children are different and require different needs, and have a lot of patience. My son not now at his school, was holding back and not showing what he can really do, and shied away from some of his teachers because he wasn't spending time with other children, when he would get 1 to 1. Now he is taught with other children in smaller size class, and its taken three schools for this to happen. 

It wasn't our choice, it was the schools and the local authority. His EHCP wasn't updated for his second school by his previous one and so when we read over it with my mum who works in education, they changed it and found out that his teacher at his second school hadn't sent it from his previous school. 

Now though he is progressing in the right direction and in a school that has matched his ability and feel somewhat better about his education. 

So will see, and if you have experienced the same and wouldn't like to share then please do. 

Have a good weekend. I will be blog again on Monday. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Apprehensive about my son Starting a new after school club

Sorry for not blogging yesterday, time and tiredness took over and so chilled for the rest of the day. I uploaded a new vlog for the week: https://youtu.be/yEv1YJHExW8

I filmed and uploaded a video on my other channel: https://youtu.be/5Y_QP95Cc7o

Most of my tasks are done I just got to collect my son from school today as he is starting an afterschool club and feel apprehensive about it, because it is not straight forward in getting there, so gonna leave early and walk there and get the bus back. 

He was very excited about it and will help with his communication and interaction with other children and pray that it goes well and he enjoys it. It is only for 5 sessions, but often that is enough as he also has swimming lesson at school today too, so he will be so tired tonight but he has so much energy so will help him to chill when we get home. 

Usually he wants to play on passed 7pm when I want to be winding down, and him not wanting to go to bed. When children have still got so much energy in the evening and hungry when he gets home from school, they can start to bounce off the walls and not sure what do with themselves so it is going to be good to do physical activity in the day to help with that.

Is it a boy thing? Please give me feedback. You can leave a comment below.

My son has ADHD and development delay, check out my parenting blog: https://theparentingadventurestipsandtricks.wordpress.com and it is challenging. He likes it when he has a set routine, so he knows what to expect, and can get upset if something is different to his normal routine. 

Kids like fun and the school my son goes to, is a LAN School, as he wasn't coping when it came to large size classes, and so now he has changed to a more of a special school he can do group learning being in smaller classes and is his third school, and now we got to start looking for secondary schools. It will be another LAN school and been told that because of he is under SENCO he can go to private LAN school, so going to be finding this out. 

If you have any advice on this then please let me know, I welcome it.

So going to concentrate on drinking my cup of tea, being lunchtime and will blog tomorrow too.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

The Cost of living lets work together

Hello Hello! Being up since 5:30am I have completed my daily tasks and this not to make anyone to feel bad, its been a long time to find a system for me to stick to and now going to retire and do a workout indoors and then chill until my son returns from school and I have got dinner almost sorted. 

I have a slow cooked meal today, Beef Casserole and just got to do the potatoes for it. 

It isn't as warm as you think and have been feeling cold and so got a few layers on today and hope we can have warmer weather. I find it hard to work in the cold and my husband not happy that I have put the heat back on, and do wish that I didn't need to but I was freezing.

I do feel for those that are having to be in the cold and feel afraid to put their heating on because of the cost of the heating and those sleeping in the streets, with no place to go. 

When I have gone up London Victoria, seen people laying on the streets and it is heart breaking. It does make me see that I am lucky and have a roof over my head, but limited too and I do respect those I live with who pay for the utilities, so I only put the heating on if I am super cold which I was and so it won't be on for long. 

Soon there will be an election and I not confident about it and hope that whoever is in charge of the country, England make a real difference in helping people who are having to rely on every penny they have because of the cost of living, and are homeless. They do have hostels now, but still the only thing they have is drink and that needs to change. 

Every month now I will buy food or donate money to the local Foodbank in Wimbledon and want to do more, because I want to play my part in looking and supporting others and feel to help us all, is to give to those less fortunate and stop people having to be cold and not affording food and personal products.

So lets work together in building peoples lives so they aren't struggling and have more to go round as everyone can live and be happy and not having to scrimp and scrive, and not having enough of what they need to get by. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X