My Favourite Place

I have many favourite places in this world but one of them is a big love of mine in Nottingham: Rufford Park. 

Whenever I feel stressed or anxious about anything, or even if I just need some fresh air, I love to go there. 

It's one of the most beautiful places all around the year. When the lake's frosted over in the winter and your breath is clouding the air in front of you, or when the sun is beating down in Summer and making the lake glisten over every inch; it's always stunning.

If you ever come to Nottingham I recommend you put at the top of your 'Must Visit' list. Although I love places like Sherwood Forest too, it's just the constant calm of Rufford Park that attracts me to it. You have more room to think than you'll ever need, and you can walk forever and always find something new to see every time.

Katie x

Nottingham Christmas Light Switch On 2014!

Hello!

It was the Christmas Light Switch On here in Nottingham last Friday (21st November) and, although we got well and truly soaked, it was awesome sauce!

They have a little Winter Wonderland spread throughout the streets of the city centre and it all looks so pretty! It was unbelievably busy on Friday night so I didn't get the best look around at it but I've been since then to have a little nosy and there is so much delicious-smelling food everywhere, my mouth was watering the whole time I was walking around the market stalls. They have some lovely little unique stalls too with quirky things that would make great gifts, in my opinion. 

They had a fireworks display when the lights got turned on, leaving the sky a sparkly (and smoky) scene; it was beautiful.

My friend and I even went as far as going on the carousel... Yes, we are nearly twenty and it's perfectly okay to still want to go on the carousel! I got hot mini doughnuts too because who doesn't want hot mini doughnuts? They remind me of being by the seaside with my brother in Blackpool - we love our hot mini doughnuts, hence why I took pictures to taunt him with via Snapchat.

The tree in the centre is massive - something like 60 feet I think they said! Whatever the case, it's huge. And it's in the middle of an outdoor ice rink, in case I didn't mention that, not that I'll be going on the ice considering I can barely walk without falling over every five seconds, god knows what I'd be like on ice!

We had a great time anyway, even if we did get soaked - a message from my friend (who was more soaked than me by the end of the night, definitely an achievement): don't go out on a rainy night in a dress and tights and boots with holes in; it's never going to end well.

Katie x

A Winter Lover

Hello!

I work in a takeaway, not the most glamorous of jobs but a job's a job and, as far as jobs go, it's not actually that bad. When I looked out of my window this morning though and saw pouring rain, I'm sure a did a little happy dance inside my head - it's too early and too soon after just waking up to be physically dancing - yet rain is never really something to get excited about in the UK (especially up north!) because we see a hell of a lot of it over a year. When you work in a takeaway, where there is constant heat everywhere, rain is a very welcome element!

In the UK lately, we've had really hot weather (it's a massive rarity!) and not to sound all British and constantly complain about weather but, it's too hot. Yep, that's right, I said it. It's too hot. I know there are other countries who have weather tons hotter than we've had at our height of summer but we're not equipped to deal with this kind of heat because we're just not used to it! Man, was I dying in all that humidity. I felt like the Wicked Witch of the West that melted to her death - I felt like I was slowly melting into a pool of sweatiness - lovely mental image for you there!

As you can probably tell, I'm not the biggest fan of the English "summer", which basically just consists of sweaty, humid air. I much prefer the winter.

1.

If I'm cold, all I have to do is put another jumper on!

2.

Talking of jumpers; jumpers! I love being able to put a soft, cosy jumper on and feel all lovely and warm.

3.

I can drink hot chocolate and not feel like a numpty for drinking a hot drink whilst it's thirty-odd degrees celcius outside! Instead, I can just feel even cosier with all my jumpers on and a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream sitting in my hands.

4.

I love ice hockey... a lot! And, of course, ice hockey is a winter sport. There is also an ice hockey team in Nottingham, the Nottingham Panthers, who are awesome and, as most of my winter is spent at uni, I get to see lots of ice hockey!

There are plenty more reasons why I prefer winter but I'm going to be late for work if I list them all, there are that many! I just think winter is a much cosier and, ironically, warmer-feeling season!

Katie x