Ten happy things – June 21

At the end of each month I pause and reflect on the month that’s passed and think of everything that made me happy and brought me joy. I feel it’s important to take joy from even the smallest of things and to try to make the most of each day. So here are my ‘ten happy things’ for June!

Ran 5k twice

So this month I didn’t manage to run as many times as last month, however I did run 5k twice! And both times were on a treadmill as the weather wasn’t great. I run much slower on a treadmill so not only did I run 5k, I ran the longest I’ve run in months!

Dinner with my girls

I finally got to catch up with Nadia, Cath and Jennie for dinner during the week. We hadn’t seen each other since Nadia’s birthday in September and we missed Jennie’s birthday as it was during lockdown. We went to Flat Iron Square in London Bridge, which was buzzing. We had a lovely evening, even though ordering through the website was rather annoying. Also, it was a good night because Italy won their match in the Euros!

A weekend in the Cotswolds

I had bought my husband a weekend at The Wild Rabbit in the Cotswolds for Christmas and we finally got to go in June. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t great but that’s a British Summer for you! The Wild Rabbit is situated in the very pretty village of Kingham and close to the market town of Stow-on-the-Wold.

We had a fabulous meal in their restaurant as well as a great meal the following night at nearby The Kingham Plough. The Cotswolds is such a gorgeous part of the country and less than 2 hours by train from London!

Delicious tapas with Neha

I met Neha – Mostly Food and Travel – on Instagram a few years ago and we finally got to meet in person this month! A fellow foodie, Neha suggested Barrafina in Coal Drops Yard for lunch when she was down in London for work. I adore their food and hadn’t been for ages so was excited both to meet her and for the yummy dishes. Their padron peppers are the best! We had a great time getting to know each other better and eating delicious tapas. And we both discovered we hate awkward silences!

Delivered lots of training

This month I delivered lots of training for work and I won’t lie, there were two I was really nervous about. They both went really well though and I had great feedback. I should’ve remembered to read my post on how to deal with impostor syndrome – written exactly for these occasions!

Yummy dishes with Comté (Ad – gifted)

I’ve taken part in a few events with Comté and they are always good fun! As we can’t cook in person in a class just yet, they sent over ingredients from Waitrose so I could take part in their virtual #CookingWithComte cooking class with chef Laura Pope.

On the menu was a Summer vegetable frittata – although I added chorizo to mine – and also leek, spinach and courgette filo pastry parcels (both using generous amounts of delicious Comté of course!). Both dishes were very yummy and simple to make. Check out their recipes on their website.

Read the best book!

Is there anything better than getting lost in a good book? I’d seen Richard Osman’s debut novel The Thursday Murder Club all over social media and finally bought it. I absolutely loved it! Such a great story, brilliant characters and I didn’t even guess the killer… Highly recommend it if you’re looking for a good whodunnit.

Lunch with Genevieve

Genevieve and I met at primary school and used to go to ice-skating classes together. We went to different high schools and then she moved to the UK way before me so we lost touch for a few years. Over the last 8 years or so we reconnected and we finally got to meet up after a year (thanks Covid)! We met up in Kings Cross and had a delicious lunch at The Lighterman. It was so good to catch up over great food and a lovely bottle of rosé! By the way, their vegan platter is AMAZING.

After lunch we walked around Coal Drops Yard and I discovered the Canopy Market which has apparently been there for three years and I’d never seen it! It’s open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Got my second vaccine

My second vaccine was booked for early July but I got a text from the NHS saying I could book an earlier appointment, which I did. My husband got the same text too and we ended up going on the same day. Happy to report that neither of us had any side effects at all. Thank you NHS! Oh, and this time I got a sticker.

Discovered elephants in Green Park

London is full of surprises but never did I expect to see a herd of elephants in Green Park on my way to a client’s office in Victoria! They are part of an outdoor exhibition and campaign, called Coexistence, by the Elephant Family and The Real Elephant Collective to help educate people about these beautiful animals and the role we can all play in biodiversity. They are also life-size! It was amazing to walk among them.

So that’s my ‘ten happy things’ for June. How did your month go? What made you happy and brought you joy? Let me know in the comments!