Godrevy Point

Seal Cove

Sea Centaury wildflower

Godrevy Lighthouse

Thirty-Two Going On Spinster by Becky Monson

After The Happiness Project, this was a lighthearted Chick Lit read. It was funny, silly and easygoing. And despite the Americanisms, engaging.

Jules is 32 and lives in her parent's basement. She has a job she doesn't enjoy, no social life and no motivation or hobbies other than baking.

It's a storyline I've seen a thousand times, but with Monson's twist. I admire authors who take a tried and tested storyline and put their mark on it.

What I also like, is that even in the story's simplicity, the author has a plan to create a series from this book. She knows her market and target audience and has geared her social media to this particular genre. I wish I could be that disciplined!

Some of my favourite bits from the book:

"I believe that I am past the common age for marrying. I just turned thirty-two. What's the going age for marriage now? Twenty-five? Twenty-six? It doesn't matter because at the age of thirty-two, my clock is ticking. In fact, my doctor informed me of that last week. He actually told me that I should consider finding someone and settling down because my eggs "weren't getting any younger." Pretty harsh when you consider that I haven't been on a proper date in over a decade, right? I seriously should find myself a new doctor, one who sugarcoats everything."

"I got a reply back that simply said: "You're welcome," which I took as: "Please have my babies."

"It's better to avoid feelings rather than actually feel them. I'm good at avoiding. I've been doing it for years."

Kynance Cove Part 2

Can you spot the suicidal cow?

Waking up to a new day

I read an illustration recently about holding a glass. You can hold a glass for a minute and it's fine. You can hold a glass for an hour and your arm starts to ache. Holding the glass for even longer and you're probably going to get cramp. The glass represents the stresses and struggles of daily life. The moral of the story is - you have to remember to take a break by putting the glass down.

Do you ever have the time to lie in bed for a few minutes before getting up to think about the day ahead? The average day can drag and yet, be over in a flash. Do you fall into bed at night and wonder where the hours went and how it all just seemed a blur?

Working from home means my day can start a lot slower. I say I'm a morning person, but then I don't function until I've had two cups of coffee and watched some comedy and / or sitcoms. Then I have a leisurely breakfast. That's how I wake up happy. If I was commuting to an office, it would be completely different (from previous experience). I'd rush my coffee, skip breakfast and there would be no happy TV kick starting my day. I literally used to roll out of bed "work focused", which was good, but then I never gave myself any quiet time. And believe me, it catches up with you as the years tick by!

I stumbled across this article "10 Things You Should Do Every Day Before 10AM" and was pleased to see some of the things I do (while I can) included in there.

Sit and experience the quiet - I love my thinking and planning time.

Being grateful and smiling enables you to build your resilience to challenges and put any drama into perspective.

Hydrating and stretching. That first morning stretch is divine.

Cleaning up as you go along. I'm a strong believer in tidy desk / office / kitchen = tidy mind. I can't move forward if I know I need to do some tidying up first.

Kynance Cove Part 1

Cows on the cliff

One of the Looper caterpillars

Tide's in

Tide's in

Upton Towans & North Cliffs

Looking over to Godrevy Lighthouse

Crantock

After a lovely Sunday carvery, we spent the afternoon relaxing in the dunes above Crantock beach.