Photo Diary: July Round Up

Because who would I be if I didn't snap some peonies? @ Secretts Farm Shop, Milford

Saturday morning in the sunflower fields are my favourite @ Secretts Pick Your Own, Milford

Hand physio in the form of holding a glass of Pimms for a photo #NailedIt @ Durweston, Dorset

Flower arrangements full of greenery speak to me on a spiritual level @ Durweston, Dorset

Relaxing days in between chaos (this book was awesome!)

It rained, it poured, we ate, we drank @ The Aviator Hotel, Farnborough 

Organic buffalo cheddar is the reason normal cheddar will never be the same @ Laverstoke Park Farm

Fruit of the season looking fine @ Secretts Farm Shop, Milford

An afternoon learning about (and witnessing) how Jaguars are made @ Jaguar Manufacturing Centre, Castle Bromwich

Hydrangeas are the new black @ Squires Garden Centre, Milford

Getting stranded in London on the hottest day of the year meant photo opportunities! @ Cornwall Road, London

Just hanging out on a giant deckchair, nbd @ Squires Garden Centre, Milford 

I'd say this month has been way calmer than June, but in actuality, the heat (metaphorically and physically) was turned up a notch. As my life has revolved solely around my left hand these last few weeks, that's about all I have to report. But I already wrote a post about that so I won't bore you again (though I am typing this on the final day of July which means I'm two thirds of the way through the recovery and I'm fit to drive my car again! Hallelujah!).

Time seems to have got away from me a bit in all honestly, I suppose that'll happen to you when you spend almost every hour of every day watching American dramas on Now TV (which has, incidentally, been my absolute saviour during these endless days at home recovering). I did get to leave the house occasionally; my parents arranged little trips I could accompany them on at the weekend or during their days off so I didn't go 100% stir crazy (it didn't work, I am 110% stir crazy).

Still, I took lots of trips to the supermarket, attended the odd 'booked in advance and non-refundable' day out, I got to supervise the man from BT moving our telephone wire, signed for lots of parcels, helped pick out the new windows and front door for our house, walked around the block a few times and made, what I believe to be, a permanent indentation in the cushions on our sofa.

Life should be well on the way to returning to normality by the end of next month, which will likely be bizarre and huge a relief. I'll let you know how it goes.

~ Eleanor xo

NOT FORGETTING:

Katy Perry finally released a new song which is balling; I'm not entirely sure why The Girl on the Train movie is going to be set in New York; and the British public learnt that takeaway coffee cups aren't actually recyclable.

Photo Diary: June Round Up

A serious facial expression just wasn't going to cut it with those crazy foils going on @ D's Hair Creations

I could totally get used to spending hours reading gossip mags, drinking coffee and getting my hair did @ D's Hair Creations

But look at my hair though

Feeling so Pinterest right now @ Giraffe, Guildford

I did not order well (I mean, it was tasty, but you know, one handed) @ Giraffe, Guildford 

Our homegrown sweet peas are nice though so

As you can see, this month's photo diary is looking a little sparse. To put it mildly, June didn't play out quite how I envisioned. Two weeks were supposed to be spent at work, and two weeks were supposed to be spent on the beach of small Spanish town. Instead, one week was spent at work and the other three were spent at home on my couch. If you've already read this post, you'll know about the cataclysmic event that occurred just four days into the month and managed to mess up pretty much everything for the foreseeable future. #Blessed.

But before that day, here's what happened:

• It got really super cold again. I'm talking, gloves and scarf weather.
• I spotted Nick Knowles on Windsor high street just doing some casual shopping.
• I witnessed the police chase and arrest a man who you wouldn't necessarily think was a criminal. Meaning, he was wearing a fancy-ass suit.
• I made my first ever purchase from FCUK which I was mighty pleased with until my mum freaked out when she saw the bag because she thought it said something else.
• I finally got the USB charging port in my car fixed. Only took me nine months...
• I took the plunge and spent an eye-watering amount of money getting my hair highlighted blonde.

And then:

• I severed my index finger's flexor tendon, had emergency reconstructive surgery on my left hand and began a gruelling twelve week recovery filled with physiotherapy sessions, hand exercises, lots of sobbing and a strange amount of "that splint makes your arm look very thin" comments from my mum.

Still, in between the 24/7 splint wearing, the fact I couldn't go to work or leave the country, there were a couple of good moments. I learnt just how resourceful I can be (and that knees are the unsung heroes of the human body), I read all of my favourite monthly magazines from cover to cover, finished a couple of books, took up colouring, re-watched loads of my favourite TV shows (and became of obsessed with ABC's newest release 'The Catch') and I finally tried apricots.

Oh, and then the UK voted to leave the European Union so that was annoying*.

~ Eleanor xo

*It was way worse than 'annoying' but I'm trying to be PC.

Photo Diary: May Round Up

Oh to live in one of these townhouses @ Kings Road, Windsor

Baked up these oat cookies using spelt flakes and they were ahhhmazing

Our summer house is all set up and ready for business! Now all we need is the weather...

Black tulips not only exist, but also grow in our garden. Obsessed!

When someone has a birthday, GBK burgers are not optional @ GBK, Windsor

A little celebratory glass of prosecco... or two @ Prezzo Restaurant, Guildford

Kinda wanted to buy the whole vase @ Secretts Farm Shop, Milford

This amazingly tasty artisan spelt, honey and oat loaf seriously hit the spot

Breakfast meetings are the ONE. Hello brioche! @ High Street, Windsor

Oh hey Mr Wisteria, you are looking mega fine @ Kings Road, Windsor

May managed to bring with it, not only a bought of super lovely weather, but also, TWO bank holiday weekends! I wish all months offered that; three days is just the perfect amount of time to tick all those little things off your to-do list and then round it off with a marathon of your favourite show. Am I right or am I right? It also rolled into summer holiday season at work which meant holiday envy aplenty and everyone trying to get bikini body ready in about a week by drinking copious amounts of infused water and trying strange detox diets. #ItsANoFromMe.

• I finally got around to watching Disney's Zootopia and I have to say, I have mixed feelings. The soundtrack is banging though. #ShakiraShakiraaaa
• Still not managaged to get the hang of functioning at work after a bank holiday weekend.
• The weather got SUPER HUMID AND IT WAS GROSS.
• I was ill (yet again) and it totally messed me up because I started craving tea rather than my usual Nespresso. 
• I experienced virtual reality first hand and I was all like woaaaaaaah.
• Once Upon a Time got waaaaay too emotional. I mean, I'm not usually one to weep at TV shows but my god I was balling when CaptainSwan parted ways.
• The Royal Windsor Horse Show rolled around and while that sounds like a super cool event, which I'm sure it is, it's not so much fun when you're stuck behind a horse box driving at 30mph on a 50mph road. *eye twitches*
• #WisteriaHysteria went down on my Instagram. And everyone elses.
• I one-hundred percent have found the street I want to live on for the rest of my life.
• It was someone's birthday so things got totally wild with a team lunch to GBK (chargrilled chicken burger say whaat) and some hefty slices of Colin the Caterpillar birthday cake.
• For a while it was just generally 'unhealthy snack' central in the office. I blame M&S food.
• Someone bet one of the developers that he couldn't eat an entire lime in one go with the waxed skin still on the outside. Said developer is now £20 richer.
• Bagpipes are now included in the orchestra of the Changing of the Guards ceremony and it's starting to get a bit much.
• The most joyous of family celebrations was had after some very good news was shared. Obviously, prosecco was non-negotiable.
• I was slightly disappointed by the lack of craziness that went down at this year's Eurovision.
• Though I'm still unsure why Justin Timberlake was there...
• Our homegrown rhubarb ripened up.
• I went for a wander around Eton for a change and I swear to God stepping over the Eton border is like stepping into another world.
• A Thursday afternoon game of 'rate all the Kardashian sisters by looks' unearthed some interesting viewpoints.
• We had someone from a digital publishing agency come in to present and he brought us all umbrellas and I have never seen a room of people light up so quickly.
• ITV cancelled Home Fires and I've never been so distraught in my life.
• Now TV announced it was stopping streaming Disney Channel so what is the point of living. How will I find out how Liv & Maddie ends??
• My university sent me my printed dissertation and it was the weirdest feeling ever to hold it in my hands again.
• I bought a basil plant. And quickly decided that Basil would be a great name for a greyhound.
• I had my first eye test since I was a child and it turns out I have 99% perfect eyes. *mic drop*
• Chrome Bentleys? A thing.

~ Eleanor xo

Springtime in Windsor

Other potential titles include: 'Wisteria Tour of Windsor', or the delightfully more fun, 'Windsor Wisteria Hysteria'. Try saying it out loud. Ah, so satisfying.

Ok, so I don't know all that much about cults, but I'm beginning to think that the most notorious cult in Windsor requires its members to pledge their allegiance in the form of wisteria creeping up the front of their house and draping over their doorway. I mean, what other explanation could there be for all the wisteria? Aside from the fact it looks HELLA CUTE AND ADORABLE OMG. Not to mention the scent, am I right?

Also, please appreciate these photos because I think I may've got myself on the Windsor's Most Wanted list for lurking outside all these beautiful properties and taking photos of them. Sometimes I just wanna grab all those passersby and residents by the collar and say "I'm not planning a burglary, I swear, this house is just too pretty not to put all over the internet, do you get what I'm saying??????". But then I realise that doing so would probably make the situation even weirder so I put my head down and hurry off. Looking even more guilty.

~ Eleanor xo

Photo Diary: April Round Up

Always a fan of slow sundays

I strongly advise having Finnish neighbours

Daffodils in the office hell yeah @ High Street, Windsor

The colour of this juice just screams 'earthy' @ Borough Market, London

Hands down the greatest sourdough I've ever tasted

Stumbled upon this beaut cottage overlooking the Great Park @ Kings Road, Windsor

This month's farm shop finds

Maxin' relaxin' on a Sunday

Windsor looking fabulous with flags

Toast, almond butter, banana slices and sunflower seeds because #health

In the words of our lord, Justin Timberlake, "IT'S GONNA BE MAY". I am aware that it has been May for a few days now but not including that reference just seems disrespectful.

By some miracle, I'm writing this while the sun shines through my open windows (which is obviously super great because #Spring but also not super great because it's distorting my screen. Life, am I right?). I've also got some kind of viral illness (shock!!!!) and my nose is running and I've only just painted my nails. Why do bad things happen to good people????

So, aside from all of the above AND my laptop battery scoring 'Poor' for the first time ever, here's some other noteworthy occurrences from the past month:

• April showers? 100% a thing.
• And so are April snow showers, apparently.
• One of the daily 'Changing of the Guards' routines at Windsor Castle featured a dog wearing the guards uniform and I freaked out a bit #DOGINACOAT.
• I challenged myself to hit my daily FitBit step count every weekday...it was hard, but somehow I managed it.
• I challenged myself to use my FitBit app to help myself drink the recommended two litres of water a day. I gave up after three days because I felt like I was drowning internally and I basically needed to pee all the time. Is this what it's like to be pregnant?
• The London Coffee Festival rolled around so that was fun.
• Byron Burger has taken over the lease of the property which once held Starbucks. You cannot fathom how un-okay this is.
• The traffic on my drive to and from work has reached a new level of REDONK so occasionally I take a scenic back route through quaint countryside villages where the houses are not only the things of beauty, but also worth more than seventy-five jumbo jet areoplanes.
• Speaking of redonk, I had a dream where I invented the work 'Rebonk', which is appaz a mash-up between redonk and bollocks, because why wouldn't you need a word to sum that up?
• I've watched this video on repeat ever since it was released. I still cry with laughter every time.
• ORPHAN BLACK RETURNED AND MY SOUL IS ONE AGAIN.
• I started using Snapchat way more. Not to keep up with my friends, to watch what my fave celebs and brands are up to. Eva Longoria is just A+++++.
• I bought new clothes for Spring and I'm mucho excited about it. Goodbye Winter!
• We had a photoshoot at the office for our new company website and it was really stressful and I'm probably going to end up looking like a serial killer. NBD.
• I got really into daffodils.
• I went to Borough Market for the first time and enjoyed a tremendously healthy juice filled with apple, kiwi, acia and banana. It tasted like compost.
• Though, the fresh organic free range pumpkin tortellini we purchased from another stall at Borough Market made a rather tasty midweek meal.
• Petrol prices went up. *sobs forever*
• It's got to that really annoying time of the year where you get in your car and turn the heat up in the morning and crank up the A/C in the afternoon. 
• The Queen threw an epic birthday celebration in Windsor. You can read all about it here.
• I discovered that adding Marmite to avocado on toast is the stuff of dreams. Is this what taking cocaine is like? I mean, wait, what?
• Clearly a lot of food related things went down this month...
• My pet hedgehog has come out of hibernation and was spotted out and about with a lady friend. Fingers crossed for mating season (whenever that is).
• I learnt that if you accidentally refer to LinkedIn connections as 'friends', you'll never live it down.

All so noteworthy, I know.

~ Eleanor xo