Goodbye 2020

So here we are at the end of 2020 and heading into 2021. Wow if I think back to the positivity and expectation I felt as we were going into 2020, how everything changed after a couple months. All the plans that were cancelled and all the different hopes that changed completely. What a tough year mentally it has been. It’s been a constant barrage of depressing news, lockdown and separation from friends and family. It’s been an uphill battle to stay positive and keep hope for an end to this pandemic in sight. We celebrated birthdays and our first wedding anniversary in lockdown. I haven’t seen my office and colleagues since March 2020. It’s been a bonus not having to commute on the train everyday for work but very different not being at work. Trying to have that work/ life balance when it’s all in the same place has been challenging. 

Through all of this though there has been many positive things that have come out of this. It has meant more quality time spent with my husband and gorgeous dog Luna. I started doing PE lessons with Joe Wicks the body coach. It gave me a focus and was a great way to get going for the day and get moving. I then went onto the 90 day plan and then graduation plan after that. It has been such a positive focus for me. I feel healthy and have lost weight and feel much better. It has helped me feel stronger and healthier. 

Two of the most overwhelming feelings for me this year have been gratitude and thankfulness. So grateful to have a  roof over my head, we are lucky we still have jobs and food to eat. I am so thankful my family and friends are safe. I know so many suffered this year mentally, physically and financially. People have lost loved ones. My heart and thoughts are with them all. 

One of the scary things this year has been renovating and complete rebuild of our house. Taking out a mortgage just before all the uncertainty started, has been truly worrying. It has all been worth it though and we are so thankful now to be in our newly renovated home. We are so happy that it still managed to get completed with everything going on.

Some before pics as the works started in Jan 2020.

Here are some after pics. Our newly renovated home.

It’s been an experience but we now have a family home which is amazing. We also have started on a journey which is super exciting. We will see what comes of that in 2021. 

Looking ahead to 2021 I go in with a cautious hope that things will be better next year. Never before have I been as glad to see the back of a year like so many people. I know there is still so much uncertainty and so as positive as I always strive to be. I can’t say I’m going into the new year full tilt. There is is still so much anxiousness and uncertainty going into 2021. However there is light at the end of the tunnel and I know we will get there. So to everyone wishing you so much Health, happiness and more in 2021. Stay safe and keep your love ones close. There is always hope. Here is to 2021. Go reach for those stars.

Some early 2020 highlights when we could travel….

and some more….

Postcards from Paris

 

There is something truly special about Paris… I was fortunate enough to celebrate my birthday there this year due to a Eurostar voucher. So off we set on the train for a birthday weekend of fun.

I have always loved Disney since I was a little girl. I have never been to Disneyland or Disneyworld. So finally got to experience Disneyland Paris. It was truly magical and I loved every minute of it. I couldn’t get around fast enough.

One of the absolute highlights was my birthday dinner at a place called Lou Lou’s by the Le Musee des arts Decoratifs. It was located outside in the gardens and it was one one of the most incredible places I’ve been too.  You are sat inbetween the Pyramids from the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower on the other side. It was out of this world and the food was mouthwateringly delicious.

 

 

 

We did a little walking tour of Paris where i discovered new pretty squares I hadn’t seen when visiting before.

 

More Disney pictures

Meeting Minnie and Mickey Mouse…

 

Then I met Cinderella 🙂

These are memories I will carry with me forever.

J’Taime

 

 

Some of my favourite places in London and the UK.

 

So having lived in London for 7 years I’ve been to some amazing restaurants/cafes since I’ve been here. London has so much on offer, so there is never any shortage of options. I thought I would mention a few in my post today, that I would highly recommend.

The first is Petersham nurseries. This is in Richmond. They have opened one now in Covent garden. The restaurants are opening very soon which is very exciting.

I just love the tea room and sitting in the Green House. It’s worth a visit. The food is lovely.  Its perfect for lunch or if you just fancy a cup of tea and cake.

 

The next place is the Ivy Chelsea Garden. The food is mouth-wateringly good and I love the courtyard. Its so pretty. Their Ivy Garden Royale cocktail is amazing. Both times I have been I have had the lamb.  It’s just so delicious. The one in Wimbledon village is wonderful as well.

 

Recently I went to place called Peggy Porchen for tea and cake in Belgravia. It blew me away! I don’t even know a word to describe how delicious and soft the sponge was in the cake and cupcakes. I also loved their hot chocolate. I will be visiting again definitely. I already have visited again since I started writing this blog post…

 

A couple of other great places are the restaurant at the Tate Modern. The food is fabulous and the views. Also, for the same reason is Oxo Tower Brasserie which is also along the South Bank. For breakfast/brunch I love Balthazar in Covent garden. Or Megan’s Café in Fulham. The food is wonderful.

Megan,s Cafe

Megan,s Cafe

 

A couple of places outside of London which I think do an amazing brunch/Breakfast are:

The Waffle House in St Albans  who does incredible breakfast waffles. You can choose between Sweet or savoury options. We have been back a few times.

 

Red Roaster in Brighton.  I love their decor, food and their coffee is amazing too..

 

Red Roaster

Red Roaster

Red Roaster

Red Roaster

 

I do have a few more places on my list that I still want to try. Hopefully will get to those in next couple months. There is always something to experience and explore in London. That’s just one of the many reasons I love it so much.

 

Val D’Isere

Hello….. I’m so sorry it has been so long since the last post. The past few months have been very busy. I can’t believe we are now in the fourth month of 2018 already. Where is time going?

So in February I was lucky enough to go on a once in a life time trip to Val D’Isere, right in the middle of the French alps. Growing up in South Africa, this was truly a first-time experience for me. I didn’t know what to expect. I certainly was not disappointed. Never had I breathed in such clean air or seen such beautiful crystal blue skies. The white snow capped mountains glistening in the sunshine were breathtaking.

 

 

We stayed at a hotel called La Savoie. This hotel was brilliant. It had a spa which we visited at the end of every day.  I just loved to relax in the Jacuzzi and have a swim in the pool. The staff were so friendly and helpful. The food was fabulous. They served breakfast, then afternoon tea and then it was a 5-course meal for dinner. We certainly didn’t go hungry. Don’t even get me started on the different breads on offer and butter infused with all sorts of flavours… I mean the standard was certainly set for my first Ski trip. I was spoiled with this hotel and felt truly lucky.

 

 

I have never skied in my life before, but I thought being in the mountains and a ski resort as such; I had to give it a go. So, the first day I had a ski lesson.  I found the boots so uncomfortable. I think my face when I was walking round in them, was a picture. Am I really doing this to myself? Aren’t I supposed to be on holiday? I did enjoy the skiing though and went down a small slope twice(with help). I needed to get out of the boots pretty much immediately, after finishing the lesson.

 

Then I decided to give snow boarding a try mainly as the boots were so much more comfortable for me. I really enjoyed snowboarding. I managed to glide a bit even. I mean sometimes in life its good to try new things.

The village itself was so picturesque. The snow was so thick! The chalets covered in snow, sparkled in the glorious sunshine. It truly was a magical winter wonderland.

 

 

Just some highlights from the trip…

Day trip to Tignes, another nearby ski resort. We sat in this café called Le Levanna, overlooking the slopes. For lunch we went up to Grand Motte with the panoramic views. At first it was so cold with the wind we couldn’t stand outside for long. After we warmed up and had lunch, the weather had cleared so we managed to see some stunning views of the mountains.

 

On the Thursday we went dog sledding, which was incredible. What an experience that was, as the sun slowly came over the mountain. I had to say hello and learn the dogs names afterwards.

 

I was also sort of dragged out for an hour and a half walk along the snow with talk of beautiful views and a café at the end of it.. The walk ended up being good but no café at the end. So we got the bus back and found a warm place to have a coffee and defrost.

 

 

Friday turned out to be such a beautiful and sunny day. We went up the mountain to La Folie Douche. This has a couple of restaurants and entertainment. It then turns into kind of a club scene at like 3pm where a DJ throws out some dancing tunes.

We ate at the restaurant called La Fruitiere, where the lamb was out of this world. We sat there basking in the sun and from there we could watch the cabaret. Then it was time for the dancing…

 

A couple of gem places that were found along the way..

La creperie where we had a delicious ham/cheese pancake.

Maison Chevallot where had one of the most amazing hot chocolates.

Arctic café where I found the best coffee. I also just loved the vibe of this place.

New York, New York

Hello again  🙂

So recently I was lucky enough to go on an incredible trip to New York City. I had been a few years before on my own but hadn’t really seen half of what I wanted to see. This time I wasn’t going on my own so it would be much more special. I also was so excited to be going to the US open tennis for the first time. Before leaving I had received a few recommendations from wonderful collegues/friends.

So the Wednesday evening I was on the plane headed for New York. It was kind of surreal to me that I was fortunate enough to be heading back to this amazing city.

Jetlagged but excited we headed out early in the morning to catch Brooklyn bridge at sunrise. We were still stuck on London time.  We made it to the bridge in perfect time and watched the sun rise over the city. It was a beautiful site to see.

 

I was then in need of coffee and breakfast. We stopped in at a lovely little diner to have some breakfast and then we got on the train to the US Open. My first stop was the shop, as I can never not buy a souvenir. So a few moments spent debating on what to allow myself to buy, we then headed to our seats. We got to see brilliant Roger Federer play and on the other big court spotted Del Potro.

 

That evening we went to a wonderful Italian place called Gelso and Grand in little Italy, where I ate far too much! A wonderful pesto pasta and some calamari. We then headed to a revolving restaurant high up in the Marriott Marquis, near Times Square. It was amazing to sit and have a drink, watching the city revolve by.

On day 2 we headed off after breakfast to the High Line gardens. These are gardens located on an old rail way line. So you are walking through a park but you are overlooking the city.

 

We then took the train to Coney Island.  We tried our luck at winning this big donut cushion. I wasn’t thinking at the time about actually getting it home. Sadly, we didn’t win,so the donut cushion was not meant to be. We had some lunch and enjoyed some time on the beach. Then had a ride on the Ferris wheel which gave a wonderful view.

 

It was then time to head back as we were going to Yankee stadium to watch the Yankees vs Red Sox play some baseball. The atmosphere was loud and brilliant. We stopped off at a lovely pizza place to end off the day.

The next day we went to a wonderful place called Sarabeths for breakfast. The pancakes and a pumpkin waffle were mouth wateringly delicious.

 

After that we spent time walking around central park seeing the John Lennon memorial, the Alice in wonderland statue and the famous bridges which have featured in many films. The bow bridge and the bridge known from the home alone film.

 

We stumbled across a couple who had literally just got engaged. The newly engaged lady mentioned that the shirt she was wearing was not her favourite and now it would forever be the one she got in engaged in haha.

 

For lunch we went to a most wonderful place called Ellen’s stardust diner. The waiters all sing!!! It was truly the best thing. They even sing as they are bringing food to the tables or sorting out the bill etc. I loved every minute of it. They have amazing voices. It was like being at the theatre..

 

We then went to the Rockefeller centre to see the view from top of the rock, which was fantastic. Then I couldn’t resist going into the fabulous Christmas shop in times square. I spent some time there just browsing the beautiful Christmas goodies.  In the evening we went Top of the standard. We had wanted to go on the rooftop but it was chucking it down with rain. We sat in their cocktail lounge which was beautiful. The views of the city were just spectacular. Even the bathroom had a view…

 

The next day we went to see ground zero which I found truly moving and took a ride on the Staten Island Ferry.  We had an early dinner at a wonderful Cuban place called Victors Café. The food was fabulous. Then we saw Cats the musical on Broadway. After Cats I was surprised with drinks at this rooftop bar overlooking the bright lights of Times Square. It was an incredible way to end off the Last evening in the city.

 

On the last day we went to the US open tennis again where I got to see my favourite tennis player on court Rafa Nadal. He was on top form!

 

Then It was time to head back to the airport and say goodbye. New York I truly hope to see you again… As the cliched t-shirt goes I heart NYC 🙂

Book Review: The Break by Marian Keyes

There is something so thrilling about a new Marian Keye’s book coming out. You just know it’s going to be like curling up on the couch, chatting with a wonderful and dear friend. You know you will fall in love with all the characters.

The break is out September 7, 2017. I was extremely fortunate to get an advanced copy to read and review.

I adored this book so much! I truly was drawn straight into the story and could see all the beloved characters so clearly, I truly felt as if I was there. This is the genius of Marian’s writing.

So, the story centres around Amy, a mother of two and her wonderful extended family. Amy and Hugh have been married a while. They love each other and their life together but it’s fair to say maybe a bit of a spark has gone from their relationship. After some truly sad events Hugh decides he needs a break from their marriage for six months, to travel around South-East Asia. He still loves Amy and everyone but feels it’s his only choice. No amount of pleading helps and Hugh leaves. I truly wanted to hug Amy and could feel every bit of her heartbreak, as if it were my own. I could also sympathise with how hard it was for Hugh to leave and stick with his decision. He truly believed it was his only choice for his mental health. I was hurt and upset along with Amy. I also felt angry towards Hugh but I couldn’t hate him.

So, we stay with Amy as she tackles being essentially a single parent again and all she must deal with on her own. I love Amy’s family as well especially Lillian, her mom. There is such a wonderful warmth to everything that Marian writes. Her characters are not perfect and have their flaws, just like all of us. That makes them even more endearing.

This story is wonderfully heartfelt, real and filled with humour. It’s about what life throws at you and staying in love as a married couple. I loved every minute of this book and couldn’t put it down.

I write this not as a huge fan of Marian(which I have been for years) but as a lover and ferocious reader of books. Marian fans you will not be disappointed. This book is everything and more. For other readers this is just a wonderful book to read which you will make you laugh, cry and so much more. I felt bereft as I finished the book. I didn’t want to leave Amy, Hugh and the family.

Its a must read. Make sure to get your copy when it’s out later this year. You will not be sorry. This book is one really great reason to look forward to September 🙂

 

J’taime Paree

Hello, it’s me again. It’s a gorgeous and sunny day in London as I write this. So for the next installment of the travel diaries, here it goes. At the end of May we spent a weekend in beautiful Paris. I have been fortunate enough to have been to Paris before but hadn’t seen too much of it. The first time I went I ran my first ever full marathon there and the second time was when I stayed one night to see Celine Dion perform there. Also, this time would be different as I wasn’t on my own.

Started the first day off with a fresh croissant and cup of coffee. This was at a café, around the corner from our hotel. The temperature was due to be a scorching 34 degrees.

 

After breakfast, we took a lovely walk alongside the Seine. We arrived at the incredible louvre, to do some exploring. It is such a huge place but amazing to see the Venus di Milo and the famous Mona Lisa. The Italian statues are something else to see as well!

 

We went to a wonderful place called Angelica’s for some tea and cake.. Then we paid a visit to Notre dame which is such a stunning cathedral. As we were walking back we were treated to woman on the street singing opera!

 

Later that evening I was surprised with a wonderful dinner cruise along the seine. The view that you get of Eiffel tower was amazing. It having been such a hot day, loads of people were just sitting alongside the river. To top it off a Celine Dion French song, called amor existe encore, came on as we were eating dinner. It was as if they knew I was on the cruise haha…

 

The next morning, we went to a church called Sacre Coeur (The sacred heart of Paris). This is in the montmarte district. On top of the steps here you get a fabulous view if the city of Paris.

 

Near there we found a place called the Hardware Societe for breakfast. This was a little gem of a place. The food, coffee and the feel of the place was brilliant. I highly recommend it.

 

We took a walk to where the famous Moulin rouge is located.  I loved the film so to see the actual place was a real highlight for me. I was waiting for Nicole Kidman and Ewan Mcgregor to pop out and sing…

 

Finally it was time to head to Roland Garros for some French open tennis. I had never been before and was super excited! On my bucket list is to visit all four grand slam tennis tournaments. So I’ve now been to Wimbledon and Roland Garros. I am halfway there. After browsing the shop we made our way on Suzanne Lenglen Court for a day of tennis on the clay courts. I loved every minute. It has a completely different atmosphere to Wimbledon. I was hoping for glimpse of Nadal, as he was practicing on one of the courts. The crowd was quite big though so I couldn’t spot him.

 

After a day of sun and tennis we headed back for some dinner. Later that evening we were booked to go to the Lido, the famous French cabaret. I was in awe of how magical it was. They had a woman swallowing swords, loads of dancing, a wonderful French singer and more. There was even this grand sparkly chandelier that came out from the bottom of the stage with dancers on. It was spectacular.

 

Soon we had reached our last day.. We went to the Eiffel tower to get a good view and to be able to get some obligatory tourist pics .

 

Then we headed off to our second day of tennis at Roland Garros. This time we were on the Phillippe-Chatrier court (Their centre court)  Nadal was due to play on the other court . we did get to see some great tennis from Novak Djokovic and a great women’s match between Brady and French hopeful Mladenovic. It was a great fight between the two of them.

 

Now after a lovely fun filled weekend in paris, it was time to get the Eurostar back. We never imagined that this would be quite an eventful trip back to London. So two young guys decided they wanted to have a good time on the journey back and bought a few drinks from the bar. They were in the queue in front of me. They seemed to be on a mission. About an hour into the train journey an announcement came over saying that we would be making an unscheduled stop in Calais due to disruptive passengers. I immediately thought its those two guys from the bar as they were giving the staff hassles by going behind the bar etc. So to cut a long story short it was a wait to get them off the train. Then the French border police decided the train wasn’t secure anymore. So we had to disembark and then be rechecked onto the train. This took hours. We were to due to be in London at 21.40 UK time. We ended up finally getting into London at 4am. I got home at 5.45am. I felt so sorry for the young kids. What’s life though, without a few hiccups?

 

I fell in love with Edinburgh…

Hello! So as I’ve explored a couple of wonderful places recently, I thought I would do a little blog post on them. I also will be travelling some more this year, so this won’t be the only one. As you may have read previously, I am currently in a relationship with a lovely man. So for our first ever trip together, we traveled to the beautiful city of Edinburgh. I had heard how amazing Edinburgh was and was not disappointed. Also being the huge Harry Potter fan, the draw of seeing the Harry Potter sights was truly special for me.

 

We stayed in a hotel just near the Royal Mile. We flew out late on the Friday morning. When we landed it was all lovely and sunny. I was expecting clouds and pouring rain! We checked into to our hotel and then decided to do a open top bus tour, to get a glimpse of the sights. We braved it on upper level of the open top bus for as long as we could, but it soon became cold, even with the sun.

 

That evening we went a wonderful place for dinner called Michael Neave’s kitchen and Whisky Bar. There I had a taste of whiskey. I had only ever tried a sip before when I was younger. I thought though while in Scotland, I should give some a try.  We tried two different ones with hints of toffee and cinnamon and a delicate apple/pear flavour. I enjoyed mine so much, I had a second one haha! Now onto the food… I had a lobster and crab ravioli which was amazing. For dessert I had a sticky toffee souffle with salted caramel sauce and lemon shortbread. I was literally in food heaven.

 

 

The next morning, we took a nice walk and found the Elephant House to have some breakfast. Now for all Harry Potter fans, this is where Jo spent time writing the harry potter books. I was a little enthusiastic at being in the same café, where Jo wrote some of her amazing books. The breakfast and coffee was scrumptious! The café is also decorated with pictures of elephants. Over all the ambiance, food, coffee and service I highly recommend. It had a lovely feel to the café.

 

 

We then went to a place called Camera Obscura. Its basically a world of Illusions! All the different exhibits were really fascinating and fun! The vortex tunnel though which made me feel like I was moving sideways, did make me feel a bit queasy though.

 

We then made our way to Edinburgh zoo which was truly a highlight. We saw the tiger up close and personal. When we first arrived we were told that the pandas were out much to my delight. Also got to see some very sleepy koala bears. Finally, we got our turn in the panda enclosure though it was just Yang Guang(which means sunshine) who put on a show for us. He apparently is a little less clean than Tian Tian is, we were told by the zoo staff. Tian Tian (which means sweetie) was hiding in her little home. What incredible creatures they are.

 

 

After that we had a lovely Italian dinner and on our walk back, we discovered the roads were closed off. This was due to some filming. Obviously, me being a huge film fan, I was desperate to know who was there and what was being filmed. Turns out it was the new avengers film being done there. Sadly, me being a short arse , I wasn’t able to spot anyone. It would have been lovely to spot Robert Downey(Iron man) or Chris Hemsworth(Thor) perhaps. It was fun to see though how they do the filming with all the lighting etc.

 

 

On Sunday it was time to explore the Edinburgh Castle which was amazing. It is quite a fortress. The views from up there are fantastic.

 

We did some more walking and then found the other café where JK Rowling used to hang out called Spoon. Also a wonderful café. Loved the décor. We were there for an early lunch/;ate brunch. I went for some French toast.

 

Then it was time to start heading home. However not before I spotted two Christmas shops along the way which I had to go into. the tiny thing of it being only March wasn’t going to stop me from going in. I love Christmas! So that was Edinburgh and I look forward to a return visit.

To Tash on your 33rd Birhday

To Tash on your 33rd birthday

 

So another year has gone by. Time seems to be racing away. I feel like I’ve barely blinked and I’m a year older. Edging ever closer to the big four-O! Age they say is just a number baby and I don’t plan on letting it stop me. It seems to be this time of year that I always berate myself for not being any further than I was the year before. I begin to feel like a failure. Perhaps I haven’t done everything I set out to do does that mean I’ve failed at life? 

 

Instead I’m going to reflect over the past year and the good things that have happened. 

 

Over the past year there have been some very special memories which I will always hold close to my heart. 

 

In February I got to see my gorgeous friend marry her wonderful hubby. The ceremony took place under the blue African skies, deep in the heart of bush. It was such a gorgeous lodge in South Africa, where the wedding took place. You know you are in the African Bush when you see zebra roaming around the lodge and in the early hours you could hear the roar of a lion in the distance. It was a truly incredible weekend, which I will never forget. It made my heart burst to see my friend find her happiness and to share in their special day. 

 

 

While I was home I also got to see my beautiful friend and her group called MitzyGeorge launch their single called I am home. MitzyGeorge is a country girl group consisting of 3 extremely talented ladies. They are truly mesmerising on stage. Definitely check out their music. There is something so special and surreal about seeing one of your dearest friends performing on stage, doing what they are passionate about. Such a overwhelming sense of pride I felt. I got some quality time with my friend and her wonderful family too and I will always hold those memories dear. 

 

Time also spent with my mom and family which was wonderful when I was home. I was able to give my dad a hug on his 70th birthday. I was so happy it worked out I could be there. We got to share at dance too at the Italian club. Some truly special times. 

 

 

Another significant thing that has happened is that I’ve met a lovely man, with a very kind and gentle heart. He makes me feel beautiful and cherished. With him I can be completely myself. This is something I’ve never had before or felt I was really deserving of.

Over the past few months there have been some wonderful moments we’ve shared. Including a first trip to the amazing city of Edinburgh and my first ever time at Roland Garros for the French open tennis. 

 

So I have a lot of things running through my head that I would like to achieve. In general I am quite a patient person but when it comes to things I want though, I want it all to happen right now.So for the year ahead I will try to give myself one big thing to try work towards. I will be a bit easier on myself and not have a list of 10 huge things to achieve within a year. Maybe that way it won’t be so overwhelming and I won’t set myself up for a fall so to speak.

 

Also I want to try not let the inner critic in me drown out every other voice. When I look at the person in the mirror staring back at me, I want to believe that they are worth something. I want to try be a better version of myself, and stay motivated. As they say you need to make your own magic. No one is going to write the book for me. I’m the author of my own story and I need to tell it. So for this year my goal is to finish or get a huge majority of that novel done. So go out and give it all you got! The only one stopping you is yourself. 

 

I know the world seems to be in despair at the moment with all that is going on. Watching the news these days is depressing. It’s so hard to keep positive and believe at times that it will get better. Being right near the area where the recent terrorist attack in London took place, it does shake your perspective up. It makes you realise what a precious gift life is. Every moment is a treasure and we need to make the most of it. Hug loved ones tighter and truly be grateful for them. I want to try not let these things crush my spirit or stop my love for life. Maybe my heart is naive in believing there is still goodness in the world but I can’t let the world change who I am. Our mind is a powerful thing. So I am going to try laugh more, worry less about the little things & stuff I can’t control(I mean worrying means you truly do suffer twice) and be less harsh on myself. I’m going make the most of times spent with loved ones. I won’t take them for granted. 

 

Here is to bring 33 and not letting go of those dreams. Here is to my 34th year ahead..

 

I’m going to make lemonade if the months ahead decide to give me lemons. Cheesy I know but right now maybe a bit of cheese is just what’s needed. 🙂 

This week has left my heart heavy

 

This week has made my heart very heavy. It started off with the shooting of a very talented singer Christina Gimme being shot as she was signing autographs at a gig in Orlando. She was only 22 years old. Then two days later a mass shooting at Pulse night club in Orlando, where at least 50 people were killed.

As if that wasn’t enough violence then football fans from Russia and England clashed. This overshadowing the Euro 2016 football tournament which is about standing behind your country and cheering for your team.  Where is the love of the game?

The awful and sad weeks events weren’t too end there as on Thursday English MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in broad daylight. She was 41 years old and a mother of 2. Their lives irrecoverably changed forever. She was just trying to do good for her community and fellow man. The 57 year old man allegedly saying he was fighting for freedom for Britain? What? How is their Mothers death going to be explained to their kids. She had been MP for less than a year. This violence just so uncessary. What a awful waste of innocent lives.

I just cannot comprehend where all this hatred comes from. I just don’t understand where the humanity has gone. To be honest I don’t enjoy always watching the news as it is extremely depressing. However when horrific events happen like this, there is no way of getting away from them.

Also back home the sentencing for Oscar Pistorious is going on. A tragic set of events for both families. Showing yet again the danger of guns and the damage they can cause.

However I believe deep down there is far more love in this world. When things like this happen it makes you realise how things can change in an instant. Life is a most precious gift and we need to make the most of every moment. Make sure the people in your life know how much you love them. Hold them a little closer and cherish that moment. The love in this world is much stronger than hate. I truly hope that the world can get to a peaceful place where a person is free to be who they are and love who they love, without any judgement or shame. Where religion or political views aren’t used as an excuse for hate or actions.

In weeks like this I appreciate my friends and family more than ever and am beyond grateful to have them in my life. It makes my sad heart much lighter knowing they are there. My heart bursts with love for them.

This quote by Nelson Mandela I believe is extremely appropriate:

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

In the face of these horrific events, I hope the people affected find comfort in support and love from people around them and that they are able to find healing in time. My thoughts and prayers are with all the loved ones of the victims.