Ten happy things – May 21

It’s that time of the month where I pause and reflect on everything that happened and write about ten things – big or small – that made me happy and brought me joy. Despite May being the rainiest month I can remember… it was a good one – especially as I finally got to enjoy my spa day Christmas present and see my dad! Here’s my ‘ten happy things’ for May.

Getting my float on

Last year was a special birthday for my friend Shelley so I asked what she’d like as a gift and she said a float. Now, I’d been wanting to try one for years so I bought us both vouchers for Floatworks in Angel so we could go together. Of course Covid put laid to any plans to go until this year so we finally went in early May. It was an interesting experience! You can read what I thought about it here. They have a gorgeous relaxation area where you can enjoy a herbal tea afterwards, making it feel a bit like having a spa day.

It was lovely to see Shelley as I hadn’t seen her for over a year! We went to Itsu for lunch before our float and had a good catch-up. All in all it was a lovely, relaxing Friday afternoon.

Made my first ever cheesecake

I’m a pretty avid baker, yet for some reason I’ve never made a cheesecake! I spotted a recipe for one in a supermarket magazine and decided it was high time I made one – especially as I love cheesecake. This one was a baked one without any base, so not your traditional cheesecake. I had some blueberries so decided to make a compote and I’m glad I did as it worked so well with it. Delicious!

A visit to Edinburgh

We finally managed to book a weekend away in Edinburgh so I could visit my dad, who we’d not seen since December 2019. The weather was absolutely gorgeous when we arrived in the late afternoon on the Friday. At that time, you were only allowed to drink alcohol outside. Do you think we could find anywhere to enjoy a drink….? No chance!

On Saturday morning we went to visit my dad and it was so wonderful to see him! My dad lives in a care home now and has Aphasia, which means he can’t communicate verbally very well, so I’ve not even been able to speak to him on the phone. Seeing him in the flesh and seeing him happy and well just made me so happy!

After visiting him we had a fabulous lunch at Timberyard, which I highly recommend. The food was wonderful and the setting was very cool too. We’ll definitely go again next time we’re in Edinburgh.

Beautiful peonies

Are there any flowers that are prettier than peonies? I spotted some in my local M&S and despite the £10 price tag, I had to buy them. The colour was so beautiful and they certainly not only brightened the living room but my mood too as we’d had pretty awful weather that week. It was like bringing a bit of sunshine indoors!

A spa day at ESPA Life

Every year my husband buys me a spa voucher for Christmas, which is the loveliest gift! I always use it on my birthday in February (especially as the weather is usually rubbish). Obviously this year we were in lockdown so I had to wait – and the wait was worth it!

It’s the second time I’ve been to ESPA Life at the Corinthia hotel and it’s a gorgeous spa. You’re not allowed to take photos so that you don’t disturb the tranquillity for guests but as I was by myself in the ladies’ changing room, I couldn’t resist a cheeky photo! By the way, the loungers are heated – blissful.

I had lunch, a facial and a massage as part of my day spa package and I can honestly say it was the best massage of my life! I felt so relaxed afterwards.

A lovely team lunch

Since mid-December I had been doing an interim Head of Marketing and Communications role at a charity and it was my last day at the end of May. A few of us got together in the office for a team lunch and then we went out for some drinks after work. It was so lovely to see so many colleagues who I’d only met online and it was a great way to celebrate all we’d achieved over those months. I’ll miss them all! And how stunning are these flowers they sent me from Bloom & Wild? A week and a half later and they’re still going strong!

Delicious pasta we didn’t have to cook ourselves

As much as I LOVE my husband’s pasta dishes it was amazing to finally be able to eat out (and not have to do the dishes after!). Our first lunch out in London (we’d been out in Edinburgh) was at Margot, one of our favourites. They even gave us a glass of Prosecco to welcome us back!

We also returned to Officina 00 in Old Street, where we’ve only been once before. We sat at the counter so we could chat to the chefs and watch them cook. The food is great and really reasonably priced. And they do pasta workshops too if you fancy it.

I ran 11 times!

Last month I was so pleased that I’d run six times as I’d only managed to run twice in March. Well, dear reader…. I ran 11 times in May! And not only that, I ran my first 5k in about a year. Super pleased with myself!

Bank Holiday lunch with Fee

We had not one but two Bank Holidays in May! On the last one I met up with my friend Fee for lunch on the terrace at The Orrery in Marylebone. Won’t lie, the food and the service could’ve been better but the wine and company were perfect! I’d worked a lot over the Bank Holiday weekend so having the afternoon off to enjoy the sunshine was just what I needed.

London in bloom

Spring in London is such a magical time. Cherry blossoms, magnolia… pretty blooms and flowers seem to be everywhere you look. May was very wet but there were still some lovely, sunny days where I very much enjoyed going for walks and stopping to appreciate the trees and flowers. On one walk to my nearest park, I spotted this perfect shot of a church framed by flowers!

So that was my May! How did your May go? What things, big or small, made you happy and brought you joy? Let me know in the comments!