Potted bread, crafting and baking

Well, it's been a while since my last post... working full-time means that time is just flying by at the moment!

Since my graduation day I have...

Gone out for a lovely lunchtime meal with my family for my mum's birthday:

 

Check out this beautiful bread, baked in the pub kitchen and served in a terracotta plant pot, so cute! (and it was extremely tasty).

Since I really don't want the 9-5 routine to take over my life, I thought I really ought to get a hobby, so naturally, I took a trip to Hobbycraft. This is my new favourite place in the whole world! Among the many shiny, frilly, fluffy, really neat stuff that I could have came home with, I decided... Drum roll please...

That's right, I'm trying my hand at knitting! After several very dodgy starts and lots of cursing and throwing childish strops I finally managed to get a row going. I'm not entirely sure what it's going to be yet... The initial plan was a mug cosy but it's a bit large for that so we'll see if a compromise can be established!

Oh, and whilst I'm not feebly trying to create something useful from what is frankly already a rather pretty ball of wool, I have been baking! My latest creation was a rather yummy lemon cake with blueberry bits and cream and lemon curd filling.

To make the cream filling I bought some whipping cream and whipped it with icing sugar and vanilla essence - it turned out to be really light and tasty!

So that is a rough detailing of the last month... I'm now really looking forward to autumn, really excited about digging out my woolly scarves and long socks :-)

Nom nom

 Got spoilt for my graduation :)

Lovely celebratory meal with wine... and galaxy later whilst we get all patriotic and watch the Olympic games opening ceremony. Good food/fireworks and dancing = happy Melissa :)

No plans for the weekend, perhaps a duvet day is in order after all this celebrating!

I hope you are all out enjoying this fabulous weather as it doesn't appear to be sticking around much longer - best make the most of it whilst we can I guess!

Toodles chaps

Graduation!

Graduation day!
Had a wonderful day today at graduation with the family in this beautiful sunshine :) The ceremony was lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed some tasty strawberries and cream at the Humanities reception. Yum. And my lovely team at work got me some celebratory rose wine and a card, isn't that thoughtful? Really chuffed.

Yes it was rather hot in all that!

We took a leisurely drive to Lyndhurst afterwards and had a meal at this really nice little pub called the White Rabbit, which had beautiful vintage furniture and was... wait for it... Alice in Wonderland themed! Brilliant stuff :)
Oh and of course we took a stroll down to the fields to pay our cow friends a visit.

Check out these gorgeous flowers we stumbled across in Christchurch!

Ooh I feel all summery and such :)

Sniff Sniff... Is that the scent of summer I whiff? (and some lovely cows, aww)

It's been a while since I last posted as I have been very busy lately with all this six-day-work-week lark, so sorry for that!
I had a lovely day today, as the sun decided to pop his hat on we thought it'd be crazy not to make the most of it, so a trip to the New Forest and Christchurch it was! On arrival at Lyndhurst we were heartily greeted by this young chappy:

Isn't he adorable?! Nawwh.

There were dozens of beautiful calves lounging about enjoying a spot of sunshine with their grassy brunch, and they were friendly and curious about the strange two-legged characters pointing odd-looking flashing devices at them.

I learnt also that cows love brambles:

Yum!

Lyndhurst was beautiful as ever, lots of bunting and festivities in the lead-up to the olympic games, it's lovely to see so many people getting involved - we need a bit of team spirit in our lives.
There are so many gorgeous shops that I could genuinely live in and be happy for the rest of my life here. Antiques galore, which has inspired me to attempt at some point to attempt to restore a piece of furniture, a good bit of sanding and lick of varnish or wood paint can work wonders!

 

Lovely stuff.

After a rather tasty white chocolate and chic chip ice cream (with waffle cone - yup), we took a drive down to Christchurch and had a walk around the harbour and the river, such a beautiful area.

Now back at home I am enjoying a steaming cup of sweet tea AND a bar of Galaxy chocolate, bliss :)

Xx

Week of work, interview invites, life alterations and anatomy museums

Wow, it's all go, go, go at the moment! Having completed my first week in full-time work and succeeded in not collapsing into a heap complaining of withdrawal symptoms relating to student life, I am now staring life-altering decisions in the face. Working within the faculty of medicine has peaked my interest in the academic and career side of the subject and I have been seriously considering the possibility of changing my career path to medicine. However, whenever I seriously contemplate this prospect, I find myself coming back to the inherent desire within me to write and to surround myself with books. Medicine is such a cold, clinical subject, would I ever be fully comfortable with it? Having been invited to interview for a graduate trainee librarianship and therefore researching the role even further I'm really excited about the prospect, but terrified of committing myself to it and then finding that work in the area is difficult to come by. I shall continue my intimate researching for a while and see what opportunities are available. So, onto the juicy stuff, my first full-time job - ever! The team within my office are a lovely bunch of people, all very dedicated and professional but also up for a bit of a giggle which is great! I have my own desk, which in itself is a total novelty to me :D I'm currently restraining the urge to fill it with pictures and trinkets and notepads and books... I guess I do need some room to work. My job involves processing the travel claims of students on placements, so responsibility from the word go which is scary, but I'm also grateful for the trust. Having completed my first week of work, me and my partner gallavanted off up to London on Saturday to see the sights, and we came across a little gem called the Hunterian Museum, dedicated to famous surgeon and anatomist John Hunter. Having stumbled across this place we were instantly rewarded with rows upon rows of fascinating jar containing all kinds of weird and wonderful (dead) objects. Some of the highlights included full nervous system displays, placentas, open heart surgery recordings and feet affected by elephantiasis, phew. Luckily for us, the weather was beautiful on Saturday, not so much could be said for this typically grey, gloomy Monday. Ah well, perfect excuse for a steamy cup of something sweet and a pile of books stashed from the 'free' pile at work - life could be worse! Goodnight all :) xx

Shopping, working, cooking... A woman's work is never done.

 Hello everyone! Looky look - I am very excited as I came across some lovely bits in the H&M summer sale, including this beautiful playsuit (and I usually hate playsuits!) for £7.49! Eeep.
Popped in and did four hours of work today as they were short-staffed, all extra money before I begin full-time work next week I guess!
Rather terrified of beginning said new job, having not worked in admin before but hey, all experience is good experience, right?
Well I am off now to be a good housewifey (after my shift at work and trawling new job area for parking this morn) to make a homely meal, now that's commitment!
If anyone can recommend a good sauce to go with smoked salmon and brown rice, it would be much appreciated as I really have no idea! I believe it was lime and coconut last time which for now shall be my failsafe option.
Good eve!
Xx