Summer is upon us

Happy Easter to you all! My son with his dad went to get their haircut but wasn't open but I was glad I had some time for myself, and wrote this blog about it:  http://everyonecanbuildacastle.com/2024/03/31/putting-yourself-first/ 

Putney one of the towns I like to spend some time and where the Boat Race starts 

I got up early as I do now, check out my previous posts where I have written about this habit I have started and went through my diary and wrote some tasks down and updating my google calendar and had a nice bath, sorted out the closet in the guest bedroom, and played football with my son in the garden, and edited another chapter of my book, called When Mothers are Real and got two chapters to do and that will be the 4th edit done. 

It has been a good productive day and gave Henry his Easter Egg from me, which he was happy about, and tomorrow we will be going over to my Wimbledon and doing an Easter Egg hunt. It is a good time to get together and it is nice to play out in the garden and glad it is lighter now. 

Oh and instead of doing a shopping haul this month for the Food Bank, I made a donation instead. If you'd like to do this too, check out this link: https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/

I hope this means having to put on layers of clothing as it has been nice. When it comes to the summer it is good to go for morning walks, go to a splash park. They often have one in Wimbledon Park. Sadly the cafe they had their is no longer there, so pack a picnic, but there is still the playgrounds, tennis courts and you can even play volleyball, and they often have events there too. Last year we went to Pub in the Park, please check this vlog on my Youtube channel, Typical London Gal: https://youtu.be/YkDOauaiJBY

It is good to get out and enjoy the sunshine and didn't realise yesterday it was the Boat Race. This Race has been going on for years and is top event between Oxford and Cambridge. I love watching it, but didn't think it would on so soon. 

Then there is going to a pub and having a pub lunch outside or a coffee. I may do this whilst my son is at his holiday club do that and go to Wimbledon Village, as they have some nice coffee shops and sit outside. It is good to have a BBQ and have a gathering of friends. If you have a birthday this time of year when it is warm, have it in a park or in the garden. My nieces did this last year and was were really good days, and was lucky with the weather, living in the UK. 

Anyway I am going to enjoy the rest of the day and will be back with a blog tomorrow. Please remember to subscribe and this will help to write things that you'd like for me to write about and can leave a comment below. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

A Super Productive Day

So I hope you have all, had a good, Good Friday. I was up early again, check out my previous blogs, where I have written about my new morning habit.

The Kebabs I made last night, which I wrote about in yesterdays blog, were okay but forgot to season and put some oil over them, because they were a little dry. I will learn next time I make them, and that is one thing I would always advise, is never give up and keep trying, and it is a natural human living thing, to make mistakes, that is the only way we learn. 

I was doing a lot of planning today for various projects. When it comes to planning projects the one thing I advise is to brainstorm, create a vision board and read books like Atomic Habits, and doing 2 minute habits which following this method, has really helped get things done, and I have started like with getting up early, started to use my Google Calendar again, aswell as using OneNote, my diary and always have my journal and a notepad. 

It is so rewarding to be able to tick things off and completing my tasks I set out for the day. I have never been so productive in my life. Yesterday after I took part in doing LinkedIn training updated and changed my details and my profile, and today was planning for my Life Coaching Programme I do each year now, which is the Summer Project 2024, and will be blogs and videos with free resources, to help you have a better life and better year. I will talk about this more as we get near to the start, which is from 1st May to the 31st of August. 

If you like to see my previous blogs for my Life Coaching project then you can, they are all on my site: Everyone can build a castle

I also did some Life Coaching training, and worked on my book When Mothers are real which I am editing now and will be published soon, and popped out and got a few bits, my did some home learning with my son, to help reach his targets set out by his teacher at school and made dinner, gave my son a bath and now writing this blog, and will watch a bit of Youtube and then some TV. 

So, I won't be posting tomorrow as I don't on Saturdays but will on Sunday, maybe Monday but if not from next Tuesday onwards. So have a good rest of Good Friday, and have a great weekend. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Making good food

Hello, so as of now as my son has finished school for the day, the Easter Holidays have begun and so means planning lots of fun. Tonight for dinner we are having picky bits for dinner, which I haven't done for a while and really looking forward to it. 

It is a good way to use up the food you have and making kebabs tonight, Chicken and beef, along with Nacho's, dips, carrot sticks, breadsticks, pitta breads and got dessert too. 

I made homemade chicken nuggets yesterday and was a great success and feels good to cook again and want to make more. 

If you want the chicken nugget recipe then check out this link here: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chicken-nuggets

The one thing you can do, which I have done is have a folder of the recipes, and tweak them, so use spices and instead of chips we has mash potato, and my son and husband had beans and I had salad. Oh and don't by the cheap lettuce from Waitrose as I wrapped it up but being day 3 it started to be inedible, and so won' be buying again. 

I bought Easter eggs and if you want some tips then check my video here:  Planning and budgeting for the Easter Holidays (youtube.com)

We went to ASDA's and there wasn't many to choose from and was going to go to Home Bargains but my mum said that there wasn't any cheaper unlike last year so have to make do with what I got. The price of everything is really going up and I think next year will be going homemade again. 

If you have any recipes of meals you'd think I would like to make then please do. You can leave a comment below. 

So going to go and make dinner ready and will be blogging again tomorrow, so have a good rest of the day. 

Carrie X 

New Sleeping habits I have started and how it has made a difference to me

Hello! If you are new to this blog site then welcome. Today has been super productive, and if you haven't read my previous blogs then I have started to get up really early. This just happened and in doing so I have found that my energy has improved. 

I also now at the end of each day write in my journal of all things that has made me happy each day. I have become more organized. We did got to bed a bit too early lastnight and we all woke up at around 1am and struggled to go back to sleep so going to go to bed a bit later tonight, so I don't over sleep. 

Sleep is so important and everyone's body clock is different and Steven Bartlett for example sleeps late in the morning and go to sleep later. What I have found that has helped is to listen to your body and mind, and what it needs. 

What we eat can have an influence our sleep, like chocolate, which can keep you awake and eating late at night. I was making dinner around 4:30pm but I found that I'd be hungry again come the evening so now we eat between 5 and 6pm. 

There was a time when I would sleep only 4 to 5 hours a night and that was never enough, but I have always woken up early. I remember as a kid at the weekends, when my dad would be up early and I'd be desperate for the toilet but I knew if I got up my dad would hear me and then ask if I'd like a bacon sandwich and knew not to say no, and then that would be it in terms of sleep and be up. 

Friends thought I was a morning person, but that was never the case and would be grumpy. Now I have started to get up around 4:30am to 5:30am and do feel happy and not deprived of sleep. 

So going to now watch a bit of Youtube, read my book and then relax before it is time for bed and will blog again tomorrow. Have a good Wednesday evening.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Changing how I live and doing more positive habits

So today was good, and getting up early Around 4;30am to 5:30am, has made me more productive. I edited one of my books, and edited the chapters I wanted to edit, went out to do some walking and pick up some shopping, did an indoor workout and posted a blog on my site Everyone can build a castle, listened to another section of my online course I am doing, which is Life Coaching and watched a bit of a TV programme I have gotten into called Dropout on BBC iPlayer and made a decision about building my life and growing, and feel that my life is changing, and feel super positive about my life now. 

I was always someone who worried a lot. Since getting up early I no longer feel anxious, so going to keep getting up early, as it really is making a difference to my life. 

Soon it will be time for dinner and have started writing a list of food that we need to eat going on the expiry dates and that it all gets eaten and reduce waste. 

I do feel we all have to do our bit for the environment and lower our waste to protect our planet and lives. 

There was a time I wasn't taking this seriously, and feel bad about that, and now am taking action. 

I feel it is our duty as a human beings to help respect our homes and the air in which we breath, as who else is responsible. 

Reducing waste can have a good impact in stopping global warming and protect the solar system. 

It is important for me to set a good example for my son and not be wasteful. I like the fact that many people are growing their own vegetables and wanting to help us all be healthy and happy. 

So I hope you have a great evening and I will blog tomorrow too, so see you then. Oh and remember to subscribe, its completely free, and you will be alerted of when I have posted a blog. It is helpful to me and like feedback so if there are topics you'd like me to cover, then please leave a comment below.

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Getting up early has boosted my energy and helped my sleep

Wow today went so fast and got up about 5am and feel alright. I since getting up at around this time, that I have a lot more energy and get a lot done. I posted my weekly cheat sheets I create each week, check out blog sites Everyone can build a castle and The Parenting Adventures tips and tricks, and did a walk on the treadmill and worked on the books, planned for the week and so will keep reporting on how it's been affecting me since this has started, because it naturally happened.

I used to hate the mornings and would take me ages to get to sleep and then wake up the next day and have suffered insomnia all my life, and would wake up between 3 and 4am and when I would try to go back to sleep would have a terrible nightmare. As you get older your body and your sleep can change and get your sleep under control can really make a difference to your daily habits and how you feel when you wake up, and your feelings.

I hated alarms and as a kid it was my mum would sing to us, to wake us up (we my brother and I) and neither my brother nor I wanted to get up and I often would go further down the bed under the sheets hoping she'd forget and could stay in bed and wanted it to be possible to hibernate through the winter. 

It would amaze me how people can sleep through out the day as I was never able to unless I was unwell and when I began working it changed, and of course when you have a job and not school, it can change your sleep pattern, because like school you couldn't be late, as you can lose your job, as it is important to turn up on time and often found it hard to switch off, to get a good night sleep, when it was bed time again. I would dream of work and feel I hadn't been asleep at all. 

I would think in the morning as I was super tired still think "Tonight I will go to bed early" but that never happened and would play out on the housing estate where I lived, and food, TV and now android devices it can affect sleep and reactivate your mind, and still be fully awake come bed time. 

When I worked at a holiday camp, and would work split shifts I would then sleep in the afternoon, but I would get disorientated and would wake up startled thinking I was late for work and only to see that it is the morning especially in the summer when it light early morning and the afternoon. 

So now I am going to get on as soon it will be dinner time and get ready for evening so will blog again tomorrow. 

Please subscribe if you'd like be notified of my daily blogs as soon as they are posted and hoped you have a good rest of the Monday. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X  

Things to do at the weekend for you and your kids

Hello on a Sunday. I got up again at 04:30 this morning and like Friday, have a lot of energy and working on my Life Coaching programme I do each  year,  called the Summer Project which I have done now for two years and is to help you to have a better life and better year. Check out my blog site: Everyonecanbuildacastle.com 

Image I took of the show we saw at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon

My son went to his rugby club and they help with coaching, like my son, that have special needs and got so much patience and have plenty of coaches to teach them and it has taken a long time to find a club like that, thanks to my mums persistence, found it and have matches being played aswell different clubs. It is Wimbledon RFC , and has a brilliant club house where you can have a coffee and food, and plenty of space inside and outside to sit down and watch them training and are all volunteers. 

On now as I back in Epsom, is a women's rugby beginning, one BBC 2.

We also went to the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon to see a play called Tiny and it is about a Badger who likes to be tidy and it was only for 45 minutes and great for kids and there is a cafe and a shop to buy toys and books and again run my Volunteers. You do have to book to see the shows, and get in early because they can sell out. 

I love the weekends and always have. Me and my brother always had hobbies and went to different clubs and would visit my grandparents and watch horse racing, as my grandad (my mums dad) loved horse racing and a programme which is no longer on, called Grandstand and showed many different sports on BBC and was a must watch and programme on Channel 4 called, Transworld Sport. 

I would worked for Fulham football club as a Steward at the weekends and sometimes in the week and then later on coaching a football team. I did my coaching qualification a Richmond Upon Thames college and it was good. A lot of work involved and thankfully my mum drove, so she would take me to the away games, for the matches and they are many clubs that have kids clubs and academies. Check out the FA website: https://www.thefa.com/

So great for kids when not at school to still have social interaction and see different faces and other children for their skills and development and build good relationships with other children. 

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and please follow me if you like to be notified about my daily blogs and never miss one.

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Joining the 4am club

I feel so good today as I almost got all my tasks done for the day, being up since 4:30am and not feel tired at all and it took me ages to go to sleep and usually I will sleep on, but often when I have done that I feel sluggish and groggy, so was up and having that time in the morning was what I needed and didn't rush. Usually I get up and get dressed right away but fancied getting, still made my bed and fancied a cup of tea. I set my alarm for 6:25am, and just that extra time has made a real difference. 

Picture of #Epsom Racecourse one of my favourite places 

                                

I have posted a blog aswell as this one, see link: https://mybooksandstories.wordpress.com/2024/03/22/five-habits-i-do-that-help-me-write/ 

It is now 6:25pm and starting to feel tired now and see if it will help me drift off quicker tonight and see if I wake up at the same time and feel the same as I do today. I have watched many videos where they wake up around 4am and go to the gym and then get ready for the day, and didn't think I'd be that person as I not a morning person at all, and usually takes me ages to get up, but wonder if it better than staying in the evening and getting up later in the morning, because when I have done that not slept well and then lack energy, so going to see if I continue to get up around 4 and if I feel the same. 

Are you a early riser and do you wake up really early? Please leave a comment below and how it makes you feel. I am interested in sleep and today not had my doctor pepper I usually have so see if this makes a difference too. 

I like it when I have had a productive day and once my son went off to school, I went with my husband to ASDA to buy food for the week ahead and he went to do some work for a work friend, whilst I got on with my day and feel so good and ready for the weekend.

So I hope you have a good one and be back posting my daily blog on Sunday. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Remembering the places I love that give me so many wonderful memories.

Today after meeting my mum for lunch today, which I enjoy and wrote a blog to today about this morning and feeling anxious about today like I do when I go somewhere. https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com/2024/03/21/i-just-needed-my-coffee/

I took the bus back, the 211 from Victoria to Fulham Broadway and to travel back to Epsom, and I love going down these roads, as I spent a lot of time there as a child, and was bought up around Chelsea, Fulham and Hammersmith. It brings me so many brilliant memories. My mum and dad are from Chelsea and knew other people who lived and was bought up in Chelsea and would get together most weekends and were such good fun, as we would go on holiday with them and looked forward to them. 

When I went to Secondary school in Westminster would meet up around there to the cinema on Fulham Road that is close by and would have McDonalds down the kings road, look into the shops and there used to be a restaurant called the Chelsea Pot, and travel back from school by bus, and would do a sight seeing tour with my friend Laura, and wish I had been more thankful for those days. 

I thought back then, that this would be my life forever and imagined still travelling with those group of friends, but that wasn't the case, but you don't know always what is going to happen and why it is important to live for each moment. 

So much has changed as many of the people who lived around Chelsea now have moved and so lost contact, and thanks to social media I am now contact with some of them and liked to thank them for those fantastic holidays and days out we had. We would go camping with them and to Rye in Hastings, as my dad played in the pub team where we would meet up with those friends from Chelsea and Chertsey and I love where I come from. London does have it poverty like other cities, and so I hope this can change and build better communities and support for people to keep the cities alive and living, and stop local businesses shutting down and build them up, to keep them clean and help the homeless and families struggling, aswell as other places out of London. 

If you would like to be kept up to date with these blogs I write daily, then you can by following me. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

What I feel about the news today about Kate Middleton

Today has been all about Kate Middleton. Yes sorry discussing the news, listening to some chill out music and so good that it is lighter in the evening. So yes, so Princess of Wales has been spotted out for the first time since her operation, and someone trying to get to her hospital files, and I am like, Leave her alone and allow her some privacy and people making up conspiracy theories, of that not it really being Kate spotted with her husband the Prince of Wales.

My Own Picture of Buckingham Palace 

She is allowed a life, so what's the problem? Her blood is still red and she still got a heart, mind and lungs, so let her pop out if she wants to. I bet even she is like, "What so yes I am allowed outdoors after having surgery other people do you know". 

There was a time I wanted to be in the royal family, as I was obsessed with the royal family as a kid, and bought the video tape of when Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew wedding, and travel to Westminster Abbey in a horse drawn carriage and have a long train attached to my wedding dress and was blown away by it. 

Now though not sure I would now. You are always targeted by the press and seems the only privacy she is allowed is the use of the toilet, but if the tabloids could take photo of that, they would. 

My Aunty when she was young worked at a stables and groomed the Queens horses and my mum would visit there, I can't remember where, and would ride the horses, and so was bought up to respect the Royal Family and got to stand in the gates of Buckingham Palace to watch the Trouping of the colour, and so have a connection with them and being in it was a fairy tale. Of course I now realize its not and they have had bad times too and have health issues. After all they are human and I think many forget that and use them to make headlines and just can't blow wind without it being hot topic. 

There are wars taking place, and seems to gone quiet and that Kate Middleton popping out is now hot topic, over that. 

So yes not going to watch the news today, but in the morning and see if it still hot topic. 

I'd like your views. Please leave a comment below.

Many thanks for watching,

Carrie X

Looking after my health and wellbeing when travelling

Today I have been for my yearly blood test to test my blood sugar levels and didn't know that it said on my form that I needed to fast, and the woman who did my blood test told me, I wouldn't have been told and have to read the form. Well what if I was blind I wouldn't know would I so should have been told, but still got it done, and it is also to check my cholesterol, and didn't have liver problems.

I hope when they come back are okay. It is always nerve racking, because you never know, but I have cut down on snacks and had a lovely lunch, Salmon and pasta. My eyes were bigger than my mouth but should fill me up until dinner time.

Soon my son will be home from school, and from when he goes to school and comes back the time goes so fast and so, separate my days. I don't like to be on my laptop for too long, but in different intervals. 

It feels so good to not be looking at a screen all day and will make my sons dinner. It will be bath night and then before I know it, it will be bed time again. 

I gave myself time to listen to some music whilst travelling today and like travelling by bus. I like to sit at the back and just look out the window and take in the journey. Travelling can be stressful, so having some music and watched a video coming back, made it stress free. 

The one asset I have is good time keeping. I hate being late and so avoid it. I preplan, by checking what I need to carry with me, bus and train times, and the weather. 

I plan like I did to day, to pick up bits I need for the day on route, and rather then wait until after my blood test, as I had to wait a while to get my blood test beforehand and then went straight back to Epsom to be in for when my son returns from school. 

I do feel sorry for those working in the NHS as it was just two people taking bloods today and you can't just turn up now because it would get so busy, so prebooked but it was still busy and do need funding to make less stress for the staff and the patients. 

Noone really wants to be there, but you have to go to look after yourself, and when I was a kid and had to go to Charing Cross Hospital in Hammersmith as it was near to where I lived and every time they'd lost my notes. There was a lady who arrived, was complaining about it and said how things were back when she was young, but watching call he midwife, they staff would still be off their feet, working to keep people well and didn't have the resources and so it needs help and hope it happens.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

How life can be a mixed bag of emotions

 In thinking about life, it is a mixed bag of emotions. It can be tricky so what I do to help my feelings is I play out the day in my head, write it down and think to myself what do I really want to do today, that will help me feel good. 

Today I posted my cheat sheets which I post every Monday check out blog site: https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com 

I have just now been planning in my diary and going to carry on building my steps, and to get my tasks done for the week, and when I do that, it really helps me stay on track with my feelings, and what I know I can do and not feel overwhelm and planning on days out. 

Walking is an important to me, and staying in can help me to wind down but not all week, as I get restless so been planning to do a bit of work outside, and not indoors, really important, and that is what you have to do, by doing things that are important in a different place and feeling content with your life and growing inside and out. 

Not doing so much at once. Investing in your wellbeing can do wonders. Like swimming, cleaning and decluttering and writing. 

On my phone I didn't realise I have a journal app and been writing in this everyday and using my physical journal to help get things done, and not burning out and taking my time. 

One of the things I have begun to do write down is what I feel good about the day, and what I have done and got to do next. This is really helping me reflect on how I am doing that is helping me feel good and not worrying or stressing.

You have to look after yourself as noones going to do that for you. You can sit down with a cup of tea with a book, you can have a TV binge day of a series you like, have that glass of wine in the evening or a hot chocolate, and have others who can do the house work for you. Take life by the hands and think "This is what I can do today" and do it, to help make you feel good, "I can walk for an extra 5 minutes or so, or to that station" and write down how you are going to go about it and do it.

I have been guilty of holding myself back, and can hear the question in my head "What if it goes wrong?", but like Mel Robbins has said, "What if it does work out?". 

Its your life and your world too and turn your feelings to happy ones.

Take action and start to working through your emotions, and feelings. It can make a difference when you journal and face your fears.

Life can be the best it has ever been by not allowing the inner critic take over, but use it to fight against it and listen to it, and prove it wrong. Get as much out of life as you can, and lets get our lives together.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

A Strange but relaxing weekend

The weekend has been a strange one. My son wasn't feeling to well. He went to his swimming lesson, but then he developed a temperature and so gave him some medicine, and then relaxed watching the football, as it was FA cup weekend and going to watch some of the matches today too. 

I can't believe that our trip to Bognor Regis was a week ago, and still got a buzz from that weekend, and would like to do more weekend trips away. If you have a place you'd recommend then please do. You can leave a comment below. 

It is hard when your kids are poorly, and there is a lot of bugs going around at the moment. I was breaking out in rashes and bad stomach. Thankfully using E45 products and a cream my step dad has, which I not sure of the name, has really worked. 

This is why you need to make sure we all wash our hands before touching food, after being a toilet and using cleaning products, and clothes are cleaned and clean the areas of the home, and have a good deep clean. 

Working in a holiday camp you'd pick up viruses and colds, and head lice, because of people not doing anything about it and so they just spread. I enjoyed my time there, and met some wonderful people, but many staff had bad hygiene, and so however how much you tried to not to, you'd pick up something. It was hard, but it is different now, and things have changed, and good, because if it gets passed to customers, then they won't come back and not enjoy their holiday. 

I look back now and do smile, because there were many characters. There was a guy called JC and we would argue over little sachets of butter in the fridge in the morning, and he would come out with bags of food as he left the camp, and outside we'd get on, and then there was a guy called Pat Malley and we worked together in the staff canteen, and was such a laugh. I could add more, but then, this would be a huge blog, but it was the one of the best things I did, just make sure you know you'd be sharing with others in the staff chalets, and you were responsible for the cleaning of them. I admit I wasn't always good and cleaned my room, yet when it came to the work, which was in the restaurants, would really would clean up leaving areas were shining, and also take personal belongings as there was stealing going on, and so protect your belongings and look your room door when you leave the staff accommodation. 

Rooms would be checked, and one of the members I lived with put a fork in the kettle, and thought it was funny, and were woken up by them, because there had been a boxing match that played, a famous one, can't fully remember but was woken up with banging on the windows, and you didn't know of who you'd be sharing the accommodation with, and was there for 5 years and will be grateful for the time I had there. 

When we get sick, it is important to take it easy, and if your child doesn't want to eat or your appetite goes that is okay. Make sure they or you hydrate drinking water and touch their head, their chest, cheeks and back if they are clammy. It can mean they have a temperature, along with a thermometer.

So, I hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday and lets get ourselves ready for a new week.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X  

 

 

 

Getting outdoors

End of the week, and feel blown out. It has been a good week, and felt so good from yesterday and building my steps. It has really given me a boost, in walking and why I love it, and I was super sweaty yesterday and you don't realise it until you relax, and had a lovely bath, and so going to make it a regular habit to travel up to London and walking, with a few bus rides. 

It is good to get out and not be stuck in one place. Going out I feel my fatigue shift, less restless and good to look out the window whilst listening to music, a podcast or audiobook. 

Tomorrow after I take Henry, my son to his swimming lesson, plan to take him on a bus ride and then get the train, and sit on the platform and watch the trains. 

It is amazing what can entertain your kids and if he doesn't get outdoors can start to jump all over the furniture, and it looks like it may rain all day tomorrow, so if this is the case then, it will be finding games we can play indoors. We will often play a board game, cricket in the hall way, or tennis, or watching a film. 

I was looking to take him to the cinema because it was the ghostbusters film premiere lastnight, and so if it is age appropriate, was going to take him to see it, but doesn't become available to watch until next week, in our local cinema. 

Creating a plan, can help with ideas of what to do. In England our weather is mixed so I always have a plan A and B, because it rains a lot, and is unpredictable. 

I do feel that spring is here, and be good to reduce the layering of clothes and be able to be a top and a cardigan, without a jacket, and starting to plan for Easter and then Summer, and get out and taking trips to different places and have a holiday. 

So, I'd encourage if your feeling bored and restless, getting outdoors and walk around a park or along the river or seeing local attractions, really helps stop those feelings.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Travelling into London

I took a trip up London today, to meet my mum for lunch, and it was good travelled mainly by bus and did some walking and love the view from the bridges of London, and walked over Vauxhall Bridge, and seeing Battersea Power Station, gives me so much pride. 

This is no taking down other cities, as would love to visit more cities in the UK and the World, and experiencing different cultures, but I feel you should be proud of where you come from, and I love being a Londoner. 

There were some odd characters in Victoria, where I went for lunch with my mum, and seeing people living on the streets so sad and we should look afte
r those that have no where to go. 

What can we do about those who are homeless? I did give money today for a guy that was raising funds for the charity Mind, and do buy food for a local food bank, but wish I could do more.

My mum was saying that there is a hostel, any many are staying there, and are drinking cans of beer, which is not going to help, but what else can they do? Yes we don't know their circumstances are, but its not nice for them or other people, and so it is coming a pandemic. 

I saw a guy as I was crossing the road from Vauxhall Bridge to Vauxhall Bridge road, eating beside the road, another laying down outside McDonalds in a sleeping bag as I walked along Victoria street. Then on the train, there was a woman with a bit of writing on cardboard, and I would give money, but it is hard to know who is genuine, and who is not. 

When I was a kid, we often had what we called them, "Tramps" and would hang around the subways, asking for money, and I remember there was a woman with a fir coat that would ask if you got any money and I remember when she saw my mum, asked if she had any notes, instead of spare cash, (coins). 

I have been there, where I been shopping and didn't have enough money, so had to cancel some items and it was so embarrassing, and humiliating. I been in debt, a few times, from using credit cards, and overdrafts. 

Please check out Youtube channel, My Way Of Living, where I talk about managing my money, and I avoided my bank account. There are families struggling to live, and relying on others to have something eat and keeping a roof over their heads. People in this day and age, should not have to rely on donations, and able to live without fear and heartache of not having a place to go to stay safe, and warm. 

let me know your thoughts. Please leave a comment below.

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Cons and hackings, please be careful

I watched the documentary on TV channel ITVX and it was about Belle Gibson and oh my word. Let me know if you have seen it too. It really made me astonished that she would lie, after lie and misleading people, and got away with it for such a long time. I still got to finish the second episode of it, but wow, unbelievable. https://www.itv.com/watch/the-search-for-instagrams-worst-con-artist/10a2547

It shows how the world has evolved and what anyone would do to con people because they want to live a lie. She looked like she had no remorse over it. I wouldn't do it in the first place, as I couldn't live with myself and it is unforgiveable. 

I was scammed last year by an email that was making it was Paypal and they were going to take a payment from me and ended the call, and someone took £600 from my bank account, for Studio and I never bought anything from them. I was called by someone saying I had a parcel from amazon, which I hadn't as, at that I hadn't bought anything from amazon, and it just awful feeling when that happens. 

If you have experience anything like that too, please share. You can leave a comment below. 

There are programmes that talk about cons and hackers, and what extent they will go to, to take someone's identity and money. I do like doing online banking but I use my phone, but also going to the bank. 

This is why I check my bank account everyday and go through what's coming out and what is going in. 

I talk about managing my money, on my Youtube channel: (5) My Way of living - YouTube

Buying things now has become easy, but so has scams and hacking, and on my honeymoon we got conned doing a scratch card, and it was to get to buy timeshare, and it wall all on watched dog, and we paid a £300 deposit and it only when we got back we realized it, and lost £300 but on the going on the Watched Dog website, gave details of how to cancel and so be aware. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2DQwStWpWjfYJQprQFN70TS/watchdog-on-the-one-show

So please be careful of who you follow and remember you can block people on social media and a bank would never email you or call you, so if you get a call making out they are the bank, are from HMRC ignore.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

 

Building and growing as I get older

Second day and still in weekend mode. It took a while to get the bus into town. I did see if the local shop had raisins for my son to take to school, but they didn't and often the plans we have change. I stopped bitching about things now, as what's the point?

The weekend was so good to catch up and was feeling anxious about it, and there were people I would have wished have spoken to, but couldn't find the courage to do so, and now going over it in my head of what I should have done and said. 

These were people I hadn't seen in years. We catch up on Facebook, but there were people I don't but was good to see them again. I glad it was still a good party and not sure if we will get to meet up again. Those who I did speak to, talked about meeting up. I hope it happens, and not been out for a long time, so if felt good in doing so. 

As a teenager I started to do my own thing, and my confidence grew, and not be with my parents all the time. We played out on the estate where I lived and made sure we stayed safe, created places to pretend they were our homes and loved imaginary play. My bestfriend was a girl named Hayley and we would play top of the pops, school teachers and mothers with out dollies, and our dream was to have a house together with a room just for our barbies. That never happened, but it is good to make up those dreams and my son pretends he is doing the commentary as he kicks the ball. My confidence was always there and thought as an adult all my insecurities would go, but not the case. 

So going to do more to build my social skills and not be so self conscious and have my courage back to talk and chat to people. Have you felt like this? Please leave a comment below.

Self growth is important and we can lose a lot of ourselves as we continue to leave, but I am now in the mindset of I can be that person again, who can really be the life and soul of the party and not hold back, as you may never get the chance. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Going away for the weekend

I am back, been away for the weekend, celebrating a friends birthday and was a good weekend. It was in Bognor Regis which is a seaside place and the southern coast of England and has a town and there are some good towns nearby like Chichester, Arundel, Worthing and a train ride away from Portsmouth and Brighton. 

Bognor Regis, English Coast 

There will more trips this year, and really like having a weekend away. I want to explore more of the UK and so going to plan and enjoy going on trains and buses and see friends and also family. 

It is good time to unwind and I filmed a little bit of it. We were lucky with the weather, and was raining a little this morning and windy but still walked around, and love visiting the tourist type shops and bought some nougat and fudge. We didn't go into the arcade, but went out to the pubs and restaurants for food, and caught up with friends we haven't seen for a long time. 

For me, I just need that time. 

Time to chill, journal and reflect on life. 

I like to walk by the sea. I like to read without being called to play football and rugby. I love my son and being a mum, but I also like time for myself and he was with his grandparents, and went to the rugby and spend time with family. I caught up on sleep and didn't have to get up so early and have someone else cook. 

On Saturday we didn't in until Sunday morning after 1am, but is was so worth it. 

The hotel was the Royal Norfolk Hotel by the sea, and nice breakfast and room. Not out of this world but I have stayed in worse and it was a bed, had TV and free tea and coffee. 

I do prefer self catering accommodation, and we were booked to stay at a caravan park, but it was closed so found the Royal Norfolk Hotel at last minute, but will look to stay in a little cottage next trip by the coast and take our son Henry. 

So, there will be more trips and so will share. I do have a Youtube channel. Typical London Gal

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X