2021: The Best Year Yet! August edition

Now I realise it’s already the 10th of August, and that a quarter of the month is gone already, so I’ll be quick.

What happened mostly in July was that I finally, after nearly 15 months without one, went on holiday. Just over a week with nothing to do but walk, chill and eat. Absolute heaven.

Below are some shots, and yes, to people who can’t quite believe it, this is Scotland.

But enough about holidays. What am I planning physical and mental health wise for August…?

PHYSICAL HEALTH: AUGUST EDITION

So this month is all about walking. With less than 6 weeks to go until my Big Hike for Cancer Research, I really need to get my legs ready for distance. I've managed to get out and do a couple of 10 mile hikes, but I need to be doing 15 milers and then at least one 22 miler before September 18th. The goal is to do the 26 miles with no complaints... and with a smile on my face.

Now I do still have some of my goals left over from last month too. I have completed the goal of 4 hours of hiking - as predicted - as I did 4 hours of hiking in 1 day in Scotland. I still have just over 70 miles to walk in 1.5 months, but given I have 15 miles planned this weekend, 22 planned for next and then some small practices before the big 26-mile one, I should just about reach it!

But also, gearing up for the cooler nights again, Josie and I can get back into our routines of doing our Courtney Black workouts. Having both decided to wave Virgin Active goodbye - saving myself an extra £90 a month, Josie over £120! - it's even more important that I keep active. I bought myself some weights, I'll be getting the CB app and working with Josie to shift some weight off my tummy again! All ready to put it back on at Christmas...! :p

MENTAL HEALTH: AUGUST EDITION

I don't really know why, but I've become a lot more emotional lately. I cry at literally anything these days.

I burst into tears for Katerina Johnson-Thompson when her calf went in the Olympics, and I was sobbing harder when she got back up and completed the race anyway. Honestly, it's worrying now. I always knew I was an emotional being anyway, but seriously... any kind of emotional film, TV show, or even an advert, my emotions completely overtake me and I am sobbing mess.

But, joking aside about my overactive tear ducts, this month it has become even more obvious that life can change in an instant. In the beginning of August, my dad lost a very good friend he'd known for a very long time to a brain tumour, and after being told he had months to live, he actually deteriorated pretty quickly. The phrase 'living each day like it will be your last' isn't one you take seriously most of the time because one always thinks one has ages to live... but when you put something like that into perspective, it really does make you think. I'd only met Steve a few times, but throughout the years my dad has always spoken fondly of him, and in the few hours I'd spent with him, drinking in the pub before a football game, him taking the piss out of my dad, it made me realise it's not just life that makes life living... It's the people in it.

So this month I'm giving you 31 memories. 31 memories with different people throughout my nearly-thirty year lifespan. Seriously, I am getting teary writing this, so be prepared for sop. Okay maybe 2 memories a day. I've been scrolling through Instagram to find photos of said memories, and there are too many to choose just 31!

Tennis with ex-ABP colleagues. ABP peeps really are family. These two ladies are friends for life!

The day Charlotte asked us to be her maids of honour. Having known her for nearly 25 years now, there’s nothing I would rather do more than stand up with my best and be there for her on her special day.

It just sums me and Harry up to a tee. We take a selfie whatever we’re doing. This is just us in Sainsbury’s… modelling masks everyone should be wearing!

Who misses pubs with lots of friends without having to book a table? Impromptu drinks after work. Team.

Happy birthday Alex! This was the last outing the choir lot had before lockdown. I love these girlies.

Happy 28th birthday to me! What an amazing bunch of friends I have! (I love these guys all dearly!)

Freddie training. Singing with these people here is an absolute joy, and I’m looking forward to the day we can do it again.

Having met on the day of my first class in Wilmington in 2012, Mallory finally came to visit a couple of years ago… we picked straight up from where we left off. There isn’t a dull conversation with Mal!

Women In Maritime event during London International Women’s Day with 3 beautiful ABP ladies. Again, so many people I have worked with, who have now left, I will be forever friends with.

Happy 23rd (I think!) Birthday Gracie! Mexican theme birthday night with people I’ve known since I was 7, 11 or 22 😂

This here is one of my oldest friends - she’s been the constant rock every girl needs, and I am starting to get a bit teary just typing this…

Sarah and I half way round a 6-mile coastal walk in Scotland. What a day, with a wonderful human being!

My Pickle. My amazing Pickle who made days at work very fun with his hilarity and cheery smile 😃

Baby me with Granny 🥰

Team Mermaid. Every year ABP put forward a team for the Tug of War, and this team was the best team. We may have lost, but at least we lost in style.

Nothing beats Christmas with family does it. And with a family like this, Christmasses are epic!

My fave Welsh lady, Bryonyyyyyyyyyy 🥰

Happy Hen Do to Sarah. The theme was wigs, so it was great to see what I would look like with pink hair!

One ofoThat time some of you leave early but then you all meet up again at Five Guys 🥰

Wicken Christmas parties are the best kind of parties 🎉 especially when Em’s involved

Work bestie Karen. The first day I met her I found a kindred spirit 🥰

It’s Coming Home… where work told us to wear a waistcoat if we had one!

Fam post a night out for Grandma’s birthday 🎉

A day at the football with Dad 😍⚽️

The day we met Chewbacca (it’s a shame the film was so bad - although it did redeem itself)

We all thought it was a video 👋🏼😂

Cousin Harry. Always myself with him, as you can see. Always weirdos together 🤓

A port tour around Immingham for work… amazing photography day with 2 amazing people!

Blarney Castle with another work bestie 🥰

FREEZING cold choir sessions. So so cold, but the tunes were worth it! (I think this was John Williams!)

This is probably one of my favourite pictures, ever. I’m on the back of a motorcycle (a Harley!) as you can see, absolutely loving life!

Aamie visits the isle! Wifey times 👯‍♀️

I think this picture is the definition of drunk eyes and smiley eyes 😂🤪

Not every day you get a cuddle from a sheep 🥰

When the UNCW flatmates come to London 😇

70s garden party at the Matheron’s - Flower Power R2D2

Me and Miss Matheron 🥰 my country house visiting partner

Cousin Thomas at Christmas 🎄 toothy smiles all round!

Me and my best friend Max. My fave lil pooch in the world 🐶

Auntie Lizzie and Chaz, I love holidaying with them becsuse it makes me feel tall 🙌🏼

How to be on the phone whilst being on the phone 🤔 self-guided tour of the Observatory in Greenwich

My Argentinian best friend - me and Noe met on Tumblr, bonded over Once Upon A Time and have been good friends ever since!

THE OTHER STUFF:

FILM YEAR TALLY: Jan 33 / Feb 41 / Mar 23 / Apr 24 / May 24 / Jun 35 / Jul 34 = (214)

AUGUST EDITION: FILM TALLY - 40

Bumblebee, Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Transformers: Age of Extinction, The Last Letter From Your Lover, The Firm, Transformers: The Last Knight, The Time Traveller's Wife, The Kissing Booth, The Kissing Booth 2, The Kissing Booth 3, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Suicide Squad, Plus One, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Batman Begins, The Pianist, Snake Eyes, Life As We Know It, Clash of the Titans, Assassin’s Creed, The Three Musketeers, Dear John, Message in a Bottle, The Talented Mr Ripley, Jane Eyre, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Safe Haven, The Lucky One, Can You Keep A Secret, He’s All That, High Crimes, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Dark Knight, Beauty and the Beast, Free Guy, Cats & Dogs

AUGUST EDITION: BOOK TALLY - 2

The Last Letter From Your Lover

The Kissing Booth