Are you ready for the Sea Life?

Take the plunge. 

I recently made a trip with my other half to the Sea Life Centre in Birmingham. That sounds very formal reading it back so I shall rephrase that with: 'my boyfriend' (yeah that sounds better!)

I hadn't been for years and I'm talking a fair few years (probably showing my age right about now) It was a sort of belated Valentine's thing and it was just up both our streets. I think a few couples had the same idea too!

If any of you haven't been for a while either then not much has changed, apart from the otters which I think are new or at least a new feature since I last visited. They were extremely cute I have to say!

If you're a fan of the sea life then this little excursion is for you! We even had a 4D cinema experience included in our ticket and although the 'Sponge Bob Squarepants' short film which included bubbles and water being squirted in your face was clearly aimed for kids, I quite enjoyed it! I'm proud to say that I'm young at heart.

My favourite parts of the centre were the sea-horses and turtles.. and of course the 360 tunnel view of a range of sea life including sharks (but not Jaws unfortunately!)

I honestly recommend a visit if you haven't been in ages! Plus they are having a penguin section in the near future and we are going back when this opens! Just a tip though, if you are planning on making a trip then book on line as it is significantly cheaper!

Thanks for reading!

Tilly x

Meet Henry.

Okay, so I haven't written anything in ages and sort of lost my writing flare. I'm hoping to get back into posting an entry once every week as I really do love writing even if it is about the mundane things in life.. but my blog is called 'the simple things' so really I'm staying true to form. However, choosing a topic for today's entry has proved a little difficult. I usually have an idea which comes to mind straight away but it appears that I'm suffering from writers block....

Okay, so in the end I have chosen to write a brief entry about a dear little companion of mine, my guinea pig Henry who has recently been in the wars.

Meet Henry

Everyone meet Henry. I bought him last year around February time along with another guinea pig Harry. My little fellow hasn't been too well recently but now he seems to have perked up and is doing okay (touch wood) People might think this is a bit lame doing a blog post on a guinea pig but to be frank I don't care. I love animals and they are such a delight to have.

Henry's crib

As a family we have always had animals, which I blame my mom for! From a young age my mom always had pets from mice to cats and even a pony! Even to this day she is a big animal lover with three dogs, two cats, two guinea pigs, three rabbits and four tiny Russian hamsters - quite the menagerie! I have to say that animals just make me happy and I find them very therapeutic!

Chow for now!

Henry is currently having a snooze in his hay bed so from Henry's crib it's a goodnight to all!.

Thanks for reading even though it was a short but sweet return to the blogging world.

Tilly x

The Falling Leaves.

So the start of winter is upon us. The leaves are slowly falling from the trees, that wintery nip is becoming noticeable and the shops are now stocking Halloween and Christmas items. Not forgetting people moaning about the cold – myself included.

 

Most people have a preferred season but I appreciate them all for the different events, fashions and food they bring. Winter means swapping BBQ’s for stew, sandals for boots, shorts for thermals and so much more! I’m writing this blog entry with the view to looking forward to the things I have planned or are planning to do in the months ahead. For me a staple of winter is going to the German market in Birmingham and of course having an obligatory glass of mulled wine. The atmosphere is always so festive and Christmassy and if you come away not in the festive spirit then you are definitely a scrooge! 

 

This month marks my little sister turning 19 and what better way to spend it than to visit it her in Derby where she is at University. We are having a night on the town freshers style! I have to say I’m looking forward to reliving my freshers days. We are also getting a piercing done on the Saturday although I’m not too sure what I’m going to get. I’m very impulsive like that- I usually decide on the day. I also have my birthday coming up in November. I want to do something different this year and have proposed a trip to Glastonbury. I’m desperate to buy some tarot cards and to experience the quirkiness that Glasto is renown for. I am also planning a joint night out with one of my besties which true to form should be a wild night!

 

At the end of November I am off to the BBC winter Good Food Show to experience the culinary delights that the festive season has to offer. I went last year and wasn’t disappointed. My favourite parts of the day had to be the live cooking demonstrations, seeing celebrity chefs, the local produce stands and of course the free samples! If you’ve never been then I highly recommend it. They also had a Dove’s farm and a Genius food stand for all you gluten/wheat free people! I made the most of getting some gluten free goodies at a bargain price!

 

And of course there’s the Christmas holiday! As I’m not religious, for me Christmas is a winter holiday to be shared with friends, family, good food and drink. The highlights of the Christmas period are definitely Christmas Eve, Christmas day and New Years Eve – not only for the feel good atmosphere but the excuse to pig out on festive treats, watch rubbish Christmas television and spend time with loved ones. And of course having an advent calendar! 

All this talk of Christmas is getting me into a premature festive mood so I will draw this blog entry to a close. Winter is always better if you look on the bright side and have things planned which you can look forward to. So if you haven’t already get planning!

Tilly x

National Arthritis Week 2013

The start of my RA journey

 

As its national arthritis week I thought I would write a blog entry on Rheumatoid arthritis as a sufferer myself. I was diagnosed with RA in the summer of 2012 at the age of 22. It all started on a Sunday morning in the April of 2012 when I woke to find I was unable to bend my right index finger. As I was staying with Uni friends and had been out on the town the night before I assumed that it was as a result of a drunken blunder. Since none of my friends could recollect me having a fall, the fact that I wore flats and could recollect the whole night this little event left me bewildered. As the weeks rolled by my finger didn’t improve and so I headed to A&E to have it checked out convinced that it must have resulted from a drunken mishap. To almost my relief it was only swollen and there were no breaks or fractures. But the mystery remained.

 

From this point, I began to experience pain in my wrists and feet but assumed it was as a result of the physical demands of my job at the time. During this period I was also under investigation for hypothyroidism due to the overwhelming fatigue and exhaustion I was experiencing. Eventually enough was enough and I saw my GP about this mystery pain I was now living with on a daily basis. He immediately referred me for a blood test to test for Rheumatoid factor. The result was astonishingly high and so I was referred onto a consultant in Rheumatology. 

After further blood tests and investigation I was diagnosed with sero-positive rheumatoid arthritis in the summer of 2012. On hearing this diagnosis I felt almost a sense of relief. I finally had an answer to explain the chronic pain I was now in at this point. I don’t think the implications of what a chronic autoimmune disease may entail hit me at the point of diagnosis. I was more concerned with what treatment was available to get me out of this rut. So I began my journey on the medication highway. A journey that many RA sufferers will know can often be a very frustrating one. Finding the right combination of DMARD’s or biologics etc can almost be likened to the quest for the Holy Grail. Once this balance is found, some RA sufferers can experience years of stability. But every RA sufferer is different and has their own unique disease and what works for some fails for others. I think having RA teaches you about patience, because it often requires the patience of a saint whilst playing the waiting game to see if medications are successful. 

Dispelling the myths of RA 

What often gets overlooked or not even considered is the mental health impact a chronic condition can have. There is nothing worse than not being able to escape pain and feeling almost like a prisoner in your own body. Trying to stay positive with a background of chronic pain and exhaustion is no mean feat, especially when you can see no light at the end of the tunnel. Many people with RA suffer with depression, so not only is there a physical impact but an emotional impact too.

For any RA sufferer, the most pressing thing anyone can say to you is ‘I believe you’ For the most part RA is an invisible illness as you can’t see pain unless the pain is restrictive to movement and then it becomes more apparent. I often get the ‘you’re young to have it’ or ‘it’s just a few aches and pains’ – two big assumptions about the condition. The other thing that I think is massively overlooked is the fatigue element of the condition. I often try and explain to people that my body is in a constant battle and this has its consequences. And it’s not a case of just being ‘tired’ but an overwhelming exhaustion where you literally feel like you have zero energy.  For me getting through a working day is an achievement. So not only do you have pain and swelling but also exhaustion to contend with. A massive bug bear of mine is people assuming what you can and can’t do.  The only person who can decide that is you. I also think that when you say ‘you’re stable at the moment’ people assume that you’re almost back to normal health. Wrong.  Saying your stable can simply mean that it’s not getting any worse and that you’re in a period where the pain is more bearable for example.

I’m sure anyone with any form of arthritis will tell you of the emotional roller-coaster that accompanies having an arthritic condition: that daily battle you have with trying to stay positive whilst in pain. For me the biggest battle is trying to get people to understand what it’s like having a chronic condition and that it’s not just a ‘few aches and pains’ In my quest to try and raise awareness I am walking a half marathon as part of a group effort next weekend to raise money for the NRAS as well as the MS society and Acorns. If you could spare a few quid to help spur us on in this fundraising challenge I'd be so grateful. Here’s a link to our fundraising page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=teamprincess&isTeam=true 

A massive thank-you to anyone who makes a donation. It means alot to us all and of course to the charities. 

Thanks for taking the time to read

Tilly x

Anyone for an ice-cream?

I've had this post written up for a fair few weeks but with the on/off sunshine I've held off putting this on my blog. But what the heck here goes…

Us Brits have been well and truly taken by surprise with this beautiful weather. In true British style though we have all been moaning about how 'hot' it is. Typical eh? We are never satisfied! I just wanted to write a blog pose on the ways I have been enjoying the sunshine including fashion and skincare.

For me there is no better way of enjoying the sunshine than to get under a brolly with an ice-cold Kopparberg, a nice salad with all the trimmings and a good book. One thing about this weather is that I really struggle to fancy a lot of food especially anything heavy or stodgy. So salads are perfect - healthy, tasty and light! I have also tucked into a BBQ - but who hasn't? It goes hand in hand with this weather and who can resist the smell of a good BBQ? Good food, good company and good weather: priceless! Although I'm a massive tea-drinker, I've not been having my usual 8 cups a day. They do say though that hot drinks are the perfect choice in hot weather - homeostasis and all that - but I won't bore you with science.

So onto skincare....

 

This weather is spot on for getting a natural tan. But no-one likes to look like a lobster! Looking after your skin is so important in this weather and although it's tempting to think 'we are only in Britain we don't need sun cream' - those Uv rays are so strong and protecting our skin is so important. Hawaiian tropic have some wonderful smelling sun creams but they aren't the cheapest. If you have a B&M by you they sell it there and for a fraction of the price of Boots and Superdrug!

If you're not a sun seeker and don't like soaking up the rays then a great alternative is to use a gradual tan moisturiser. I'm currently using the Dove version which I bought from B&M for £2.99. I'm using it to purely top up my tan and mainly for my legs which I struggle to tan naturally.

Baking ourselves in the sun does come at a price for our skin and after sun exposure it is important to moisturise. Aloe Vera gel is perfect to cool and soothe sunburn and there's a vast range of after sun products available. I recently purchased the No.7 after sun lotion which has a lovely shimmer to it - and it smells great! I will also use it for nights out as it will look lovely on top of a subtle tan. Highly recommended!

I have also bought a self-spray tan (medium-dark) from the No.7 range and silky leg oil so that I can get my legs out in style. I don't usually bare my legs but in the heat we've had its impossible not too! Plus I’m getting to show off my tattoos and it seems pretty pointless to have them and not display them.

Get your lippy at the ready…

In weather like this I always have the dilemma of what make-up to wear. I have recently bought some new shades of lippy and eye shadow to compliment this beautiful weather. Lipstick wise I have swapped my sultry plums and reds for coral pinks and violets. In the eye shadow stakes I have chosen forest greens and purple shades - it is all about colour in the summer after all! BB moisturiser is a must too if you want to mask blemishes without using a heavy foundation. All this nicely topped off with some bronzer and you are ready to look like a summer goddess.

Enjoy the beautiful summer rays

Tilly x

Not just a few aches and pains...

I haven't worked on my blog for a couple of months now and with Rheumatoid Arthritis awareness week last week I just wanted to write an entry on the condition and my experiences of it.

I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in the summer of 2012 at the age of 22. Most people will see 'arthritis' and associate it with 'osteoarthritis' which is a common misconception of the condition. Unlike osteoarthritis which is caused by the general wear and tear of the joints, rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease whereby the immune system attacks the cells that line the joints resulting in swollen, stiff and painful joints. Any joint can be affected but is most commonly the hands and feet but as a systemic disease RA can affect the whole body including the internal organs. What most people don't realise is that with the condition some people experience fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell which I can only liken to flu-like symptoms. 

The prospect for RA sufferers is much improved nowadays with the medications available.  The medication I currently take is classified as a DMARD or 'disease modifying anti rheumatic drug' The action of this drug is still not fully understood but it is used to slow down the disease process and reduce the inflammation and pain in the joints.

Some of the biggest challenges I face with the condition is fatigue, knowing my limitations and the frustration of people not really understanding the condition. As a young person being diagnosed with RA was like a kick in the teeth and I couldn't help thinking 'why me?' Nearly a year on from diagnosis I still don't feel like I have come to terms with the condition and I don't expect to for a little while yet. In some ways I do consider myself lucky as there are children and young adults who are diagnosed with juvenile arthritis and I couldn't imagine being so young and being in pain.  

The main reason for writing this entry I guess is to make people more aware of the condition and that it is not just merely 'a few aches and pains'  - which to any RA sufferer is so frustrating. My biggest hopes for the future are for awareness of the condition to improve but better still for some sort of cure to be developed.

This October myself and a group of friends are running the Birmingham half marathon to raise money for three charities which are: the MS society, Acorns and the NRAS. I selected the NRAS or 'National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society' as it is a charity close to my heart. If you would be interested in helping our team to raise money for these three worthy charities or if you would like to find out more about our fundraising venture then follow this link: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=teamprincess&isTeam=true

Thanks for reading

Tilly x

Music is food for the soul.

I'm pretty sure that if most people were asked if they had been to a gig or festival the answer would be yes. Over the years I've seen my fair share of bands and artists from 'Lily Allen' to 'We are Scientists' and 'Lethal Bizzle' to the 'Fratellis'

I think the beauty of going to a gig is that you experience the music you enjoy live whilst soaking in the atmosphere of the crowd. The most recent gig I have been to was at the HMV Institute in Birmingham to see Rudimental. I wouldn't say I'm a die hard fan or anything and I didn't know all their tracks but I was pretty impressed by their whole set. The two female vocalists are brilliant live and I honestly couldn't hear any difference between their recorded and live performances. Probably the highlight of the entire gig was their cover of Paramore's song 'Now' and one of Bob Marley's historic tracks.

Another gig ticket to add to the collection.

If you get chance to see Rudimental then go - highly recommended!

Tilly

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