Gratituesday // 26.01.16

January is notorious for being the most depressing month of the year (I mean, it even has a Monday dedicated to blueness). Christmas is over, only the stuff no-one wants is left on the sales racks and you've got leftover food and chocolates coming out of your ears even though your New Years resolution was to lose ten pounds. THE INTERNAL CONFLICT! So in the spirit of keeping things as light, happy, positive and peppy as possible, let us observe another edition of #Gratituesday.

1. That warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you reach optimum toastiness in your car after it takes an age to heat up each morning.
2. Collectively deciding with your colleagues to rebel against 'Blue Monday' and mark it instead by gorging on numerous chocolate biscuits.
3. Those odd days when it's actually above zero degrees and you don't need to scrape frost off your windscreen. REJOICE GRILLED CHEESUS.
4. Hanging out with some strangely friendly swans by the River Thames. And unknowingly photobombing tourists pictures.
5. Meetings that run over lunch, but have M&S food included. Carrot sticks and hummus get at me.
6. Finding a stray Starbucks gift card from a few Christmases ago and getting a (sort of) free peppermint latte.
7. Not yet failing at my New Years resolutions.
8. That feeling when you get after you've scrubbed your face clean at the end of the day and you feel like you've just been reborn.
9. The return of one of my favourite period dramas, Call the Midwife. Sunday nights are DOPE once again.
10. Having colleagues from all over the world and getting to experience the chocolatey delights of their home countries. Russian chocolate is balling.

~ Eleanor xo

Gratituesday // 24.11.15

This past week has potentially been the most joyous of my entire life (if we don't count that time when I got to sit and watch wild Greater Flamingos chillaxing in their natural habitat) and it's mahoosively uplifted my spirits. I've been given so many reasons to feel happy in myself and nothing beats a healthy boost of internal morale. I'm beginning to think maybe 'Motivational Speaker' is my true calling in life.

1. Reuniting with my best friends for a celebration to end all celebrations! And then getting to applaud each other walking across the stage to receive our well deserved degrees.
2. Discovering that I was one of three students to receive the 'Direct Marketing Award for Digital Excellence' at my Graduation Ceremony and feeling on top of the world.
3. Hobbling into work with near-broken feet to massive congratulations, a card and some delicious looking Hotel Chocolat goodies from everyone.
4. Using the above achievements as an excuse to treat myself to my first Jo Malone candle (I went for Nectarine Blossom and Honey) with the help of the sweetest attendant.
5. Completing my three months probation period at work and becoming a fully-fledged employee (with hundreds of business cards).
6. Watching the GINORMOUS Christmas tree being put up right outside Windsor Castle and feeling unmeasurably Christmassy. I can't wait to see it all lit up! 
7. Being invited by one of our automotive clients to attend an 'agency day' to learn more about the brand and to test drive some of their cars. Roll on December Third!
8. Discovering Sky Movies has an entire channel dedicated to Christmas films (this gif is me)
9. Enjoying my first Starbucks #RedCup filled with Honey & Almond Hot Chocolate while catching up with my gal pals.
10. Snuggling up after long (usually cold and rainy) days in my new super cosy blanket from Oysho (it also has a bear on it).

A lot of these things seem to revolve around the same theme; but what can I say, I'm a creature of habit.

~ Eleanor xo

Gratituesday // 20.10.15

Adulthood is taking serious effect these days and sometimes it's hard to keep positive when not everything goes the way you hope it will. I had a sort of epiphany while stuck in traffic last week and realised that it might be time to focus on the good stuff that's happening; and so I present to you: #Gratituesday. A list of things that've made me happy or grateful recently (pretty much exactly what it says on the tin):

1. Falling in love with sunflowers again after having a beautiful bouquet on my bedside table all week (and then buying some gigantic sunflower seeds ready to grow my own next year. I am the next Martha Stewart, after all).
2. Getting home to a warm slow-cooked casserole and an even warmer shower after being rescued from the side of the motorway by the RAC after our tire blew out.
3. Planning Graduation Ball festivities with my pals. I can't believe how close it is now!
4. Watching a beautiful orange sunset while driving through Windsor Great Park one evening. I wish a photo would do it justice.
5. Waking up toasty warm because we've officially turned the heating on in our house.
6. Realising it's 100% 'Christmas films showing on weekend afternoon television' season and reveling in the joy while hunting online for seasonal scented candles.
7. One Direction's new song being more perfect than I could ever have imagined (see what I did there?). And then, someone created a mashup of Perfect and T Swift's Style - it's magical!
8. Rediscovering my love for toasted pitta bread and guacamole thanks to some recent work drinks which (to my delight) ended up including a charcuterie platter, beef chilli nachos, fries and all manner of tasty bites... as well as civilised alcoholic beverage consumption.
9. You know that hedgehog I wrote about in my July Favourites? Well, last weekend I got to watch him snooping around bird feeders gobbling all the fallen seed, which according the V reliable source that is Wikipedia, means he is preparing for hibernation. What a smart guy.
10. Finding the perfect weekday afternoon pick-me-up in the form of the juiciest and downright tastiest organic plums from my local farm shop (yup, that one I wrote about).  

Merry Gratituesday to all, and to all a good night!
~ Eleanor xo