A TRIP TO WALLINGTON’S CROCUS LAWN – NT

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I may have mentioned my anxiety in passing on this blog before, and I’ll probably talk about it in more detail one day, but for now, let’s just say my anxiety essentially impacts all forms of travel and just generally being out and about. I’m telling you this because for me a trip to Wallington wasn’t the easiest, but as part of my action plan to overcome my anxiety I have to face my fears head on in the hopes of creating positive memories; and thus I pushed myself to finally go tick another National Trust site of our list.

For us Wallington is about a 1h drive away depending on traffic, and for me a journey this long, is very anxiety inducing, especially when it’s one I’ve not done before. However, after multiple checks of google maps to see which way was the fastest there and locating a good halfway point should I need to stop, we eventually set off.

We decided to travel up the A1 and head for breakfast at The Running Fox cafe in Kirkhill before heading to Wallington, after seeing Chloe from New Girl In Toon’s recommendation on Instagram. Although this was another 10 minutes further than Wallington, I’d pinpointed Dobbies Garden Centre as a good half way point stop should I need it, which made the journey feel a bit less daunting. I ended up feeling okay as we reached the halfway point and I decided to brave it and continued on without giving into my anxiety to make a stop.

It was such a lovely sunny morning that when we arrived and saw there were outside tables we immediately decided to make the most of the glorious weather and sit outside. They had a decent menu with plenty of breakfast options and although I was very tempted by the French toast, I decided for the Avocado on sourdough with fried egg and siracha , whilst Luis went for the full English. Now usually I would be wary of eating a big breakfast and having a cup of coffee when out and about in case it upsets my stomach and raises my anxiety, however, as the drive from The Running Fox Cafe to Wallington was only 7 mins or so I decided to face my fears and enjoy breakfast.

The food was good, portion sizes were huge, and my filter coffee was ok. My only complaint would be that the coffee came quite a while before food and whilst it was nice to have something to sip on, I didn’t want to drink a whole cup of coffee on an empty stomach, and so it was lukewarm by the time I drank the majority of it alongside my breakfast. We took our time savouring breakfast and basking in the sun.

We were both rather full when we finally left and annoyingly my anxiety did end up spiking because as drove up to Wallington we ended up joining a very long queue to enter. The stop and start and uncertainty of how long we’d be waiting made me very anxious. What should have been a short 7 minute drive ended up taking at least 20+ minutes, but I made it through.

Once parked we grabbed a map and a very friendly lady greeted us and answered our questions regarding the site. We were told the biggest walk marked on the map which takes you around most of the site would take about 1h and so we slowly set off to enjoy a spring walk in the sunshine.

The sun was out the whole time we were there and it was warm enough to enjoy a walk without a coat which was so nice. The 1h walk meandered through some forest and along the river, with streaks of sunlight bursting through the trees making the water sparkle. Although it had been very busy on arrival, the path we followed wasn’t crowded and with a gentle breeze and bird song in the air, it was really rather peaceful. I would recommend sturdy outdoor shoes however, as the path was quite muddy in areas and not properly paved as in some other National Trust sites.

Just over half way round the circular walk, you come across these cute little stepping stones to cross the river and Maya, who does not like the water, was very unsure of how to cross. Luis tried to guide her across but she just ended falling straight into the water as if she didn’t quite grasp there was a gap between the stones and she had to hop over; it was rather amusing. Don’t worry though, the river isn’t deep so she didn’t get fully drenched. After her second attempt went no better than the first however, Luis decided to scoop her up and carry her across.

Once you’ve crossed the stepping stones, you soon come across Wallington’s famous crocus lawn and it really was stunning. We were so lucky to have snagged such a glorious day for a visit. This was definitely one of the busier areas as people stopped to admire and take photos of the beautiful purple crocuses.

Following our wander round the walled gardens we slowly made our way back to the main entrance. Passing small lakes and snowdrops scattered around the shady woodland we also came across some beautiful nature inspired sculptures and a tree that looked strangely like the Dark Tower from Mordor and was just missing the eye of Sauron haha.

By the time we got back to the car at around 3pm Maya seemed rather exhausted as she just plonked herself on the cool grass refusing to move – too cute! All in all we had a lush day out and I’m really glad I pushed myself to face my anxiety and make the trip.

Have you been to Wallington before? What are your favourite National Trust sites?

Opening Times:

All Week | 10am – 5pm

Admission:

Ticket typeWith Gift AidWithout Gift Aid
Adult (18+)£22.00£20.00
Child (5-17) under 5s free£11.00£10.00
Family (2 Adults and up to 3 children)£55.00£50.00
Family One Adult£33.00£30.00
Main Season from March 24th (includes house)

Facilities:

Car Park, Cafe, Shop, Kiosk, Adventure Playground for kids, Toilets (albeit, in my opinion, not many for the amount of potential visitors)

WELCOME TO OUR 1970’S SEMI

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Let me introduce you to our 1970’s doer upper – our very first own home.

I love a good old house browse and could waste hours nosying at what was for sale / to rent in the local area and further afield, dreaming of finding my own perfect property one day. On one of these searches I came across 2 properties in my village and decided that, although we weren’t looking to buy yet (especially in my partners opinion who was still happy to rent for a couple of years), it would be good to at least start viewing houses to gain a better insight into the housing market and what to expect. Luis agreed and so we booked to view the two properties. On the day however one of the properties had already been sold and so we only had one house left to view.

We pulled into a quiet cul de sac and met the estate agent out front. The property in question was a semi detached house built in the 1970’s and with décor inside to match. It had a front and back garden as well as a detached garage. We didn’t know what to expect, but as soon as we entered, there was something about the house which immediately made us feel at home.

The downstairs was comprised of an open plan kitchen-dinning area which felt spacious and welcoming and a large living room with windows that stretched right across the room and let in soo much light, which was such a welcome feature compared to the lack of light in our current rental. The upstairs had two double bedrooms, a third single box room with a wall of built in cupboards and one decent sized family bathroom. Throughout the viewing there was no traffic noise to note and the peace and quiet gave a calming presence to the place; another plus for Luis and me who don’t deal well with lots of noise. The house also backed onto a big open field which was an absolute bonus in our minds as it would be perfect for walking Maya and letting her have a run around.

Ignoring the dated décor and slightly musty smell, we could see the potential and upon leaving I was surprised to find Luis saying he could actually envision us buying after all. I was giddy with excitement at his statement and I think he was just as surprised at himself as I was. Once we got home we just kinda looked at each other in incredulity – were we actually going to consider buying a house?

We hadn’t even hit our 2 year anniversary at this point and had so far only dreamt about buying a house together one day, so the fact that we were suddenly seriously considering it, somewhat outta the blue, was a big deal and a big decision for us to make. We spent the next couple of days working through all the details and letting the idea settle as well as also booking a second viewing to have another look around and show our parents, who also liked the house and could see the potential.

Our minds were made up pretty soon to be honest as we didn’t want to miss out on the property and so after a few months for the legal stuff to be sorted we finally picked up to keys to our very own 1970’s doer upper house in June 2023.

It was all kind of surreal to be honest, but also felt amazing; what a feeling, being able to come home to our very own first home together!

Now enough rambling, I’m sure you’re curious to see what our blast from the past semi looked liked when we first moved in, so here are the photos from the listing:

Would love to know if any of you are also renovating a property and what you’ve been getting up to. I’ve got a lot more renovation content coming up, so make sure to be following along as we slowly bring this blast form the past into the 21st century and make it our home. If you’re curious for more up to date sneak peaks of our home, make sure to follow along on Instagram and Tiktok @simplycarinaxo .

VISITING WASHINGTON OLD HALL – NT

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On our way back from our holiday at the caravan a few weeks ago we decided to make a stop off at Washington Old Hall; another National Trust site which we’d not yet visited. Although it’s the second closest National Trust site to where we live, about 20mins in the car, we’d just never made the time to explore it yet, and so I was eager to finally go and make the most of our National Trust passes before they run out in May.

Having checked out of the caravan at 10am, we arrived at around 10.50am and found somewhere to park along the side of the road (which was free) as there didn’t seem to be any parking onsite.

Note: Being a weekday and not the best weather when we went, we didn’t struggle to acquire a parking spot close by, however, I’m not sure what the parking situation would be like on a busy sunny day.

Washington Old Hall is a relatively small yet picturesque National Trust site that sits in the heart of historic Washington village. The stone manor house and gardens feature parts of the original medieval home of George Washington’s direct ancestors, from where the family took their surname of ‘Washington’.

We must have come on one of the coldest days as snowflakes danced from the sky I wrapped myself up in my big scarf. The first signs of spring were slowly showing their face though as snowdrops were out in abundance next to daffodils still shrouded in their protective layers.

Exploring the Gardens didn’t take too long as in my opinion there wasn’t really too much to see this time of year (it would be interesting to see what is in bloom later on in the year). Saying that I do think that with the big field at the back, I can imagine it’s a great place for kids to have a run around on a slightly warmer day.

Dogs are welcome in the gardens, but not in the manor house, and so we took it in turns to have a quick look around, albeit a short one, as we didn’t want to leave the other waiting with Maya in the freezing cold outside for too long.

The manor house is set up to reflect gentry life following the turbulence of the English Civil War and incorporates parts of the original medieval home of George Washington’s direct ancestors. The staff are attentive, letting you explore in peace or at hand to tell you more about the history of the place.

Being a small enough exhibit means you can take your time to read all the information given without feeling overwhelmed or it taking too long. It’s a shame I only had time for a whistlestop tour on this visit, but perhaps I’ll get another chance when the weather is warmer to read all the information boards and learn more.

On our way out, near the entrance, the friends of Washington Old Hall also run a mini second hand book & antiques shop and although tiny, they allow dogs in, so we decided to have a quick nosy. There’s not much admittedly but I did find a cute little vase and bought one of their mystery books*. At only 50p a book I though it was a nice way to support them.

*the mystery book I ended up picking was Greyfriars Bobby. Although I loosely know the story from having seen a movie as a kid, it’s a classic I’ve not read before, so perhaps I’ll make time for it this year.

All in all we enjoyed our little mooch around Washington Old Hall and it makes for a nice half day trip I would say – especially when the weather is warmer and you can enjoy being outside a little more.

Have you visited Washington Old Hall before? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Opening Times:

Thursday – Monday | 10am – 5pm

Admission:

Ticket typeWith Gift AidWithout Gift Aid
Adult (18+)£7.20£6.50
Child (5-17) under 5s free£3.60£3.25
Family (2 Adults and up to 3 children)£17.90£16.25
Family (1 Adult and up to 3 children)£10.80£9.75

Facilities:

There is no cafe on site, but there are toilets, a picnic area and a small play ground for young children.

JANUARY & FEBRUARY READS

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I thought it’d be nice to recap my reads so far. It’s been a good start to the year for me, in terms of ticking books off on my to read list. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying quiet evenings snuggled up on the sofa with cups of tea and a book or getting stuck into my crochet projects whilst listening to an audiobook.

Here’s what I’ve read so far and what I thought:

  1. Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2) – by Rebecca Yarros (book)

4.5 STARS: I couldn’t wait to dig my claws into this much anticipated sequel and it didn’t disappoint. However, whereas Fourth Wing got a 5 Star rating from me, I did knock this one down 1 star because, in comparison, it just didn’t grip me in quite the same way. Perhaps it’s because in book one, the initial relationship building between characters held a lot more sexual tension and was new and enthralling, whereas in book two I felt it flatlined a little. If I’m being harsh in my comparison, I also wasn’t quite as captivated by the storyline in book two. Although I know a lot technically happens I suppose, on reflection, it just has more middle book filler vibes, if that makes sense. Anyway, not sure why I’m only pointing out the negatives here cause all in all I still totally rate this book, it gets a 4 star and I am eagerly awaiting for Onyx Storm to be released in paperback so I can finally continue with this story.

  1. Verity – by Colleen Hoover (book)

4.5 STARS: After being stuck on a train of romantasy novels for what feels like a very long time, it was nice to finally pick up something different. I hadn’t read any Colleen Hoover books yet but had seen multiple book covers cross my screen over the past year, and so was eager to jump on the bandwagon and see what all the fuss was about. It did not disappoint – I wolfed Verity down in 2 days I think. Great tension building throughout and I love that it’s all kind of ambiguous and you’re left in the dark suspecting but never truly knowing what’s true or not, right until, and even past, the very end! 

  1. Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1) – by Tahereh Mafi (book)

3 STARS: I didn’t know what to expect from this series, but it definitely wasn’t this. The dystopian / post-apocalyptic kinda vibe totally took me by surprise. I don’t know why, but I’d envisioned more of a fantasy world from the blurb, thus it took a while to settle into the story. But it was nice to read something a bit different. It’s a relatively short book, but a fair amount happens and the story progresses quickly. As a reader you’re also very much in line with the protagonist’s point of view and knowledge base. Because she’s been locked away and thus shielded from learning what has transpired in the outside world, you’re on a journey of discovery alongside her. I did enjoy it, (and am currently on book two) just not as much as other books I’ve read and thus it’s only getting a 3 stars from me.

  1. Sunburn – by Chloe Michelle Howarth (audiobook)

4 STARS: Poignant and heartfelt. A slow burn that beautifully portrays the turbulence, intensity and tragedy of first love and finding and accepting one’s true self within a very conservative community. Can only recommend. 

  1. Playing With Fire – by L.J. Shen (audiobook)

3.5 STARS: Playing with Fire was an interesting story. It has a predictable hate to love narrative, but adds a bit of thrill and mystery through the backstory of the two emotionally scarred protagonists. This deeper element of the narrative explores trauma, and the journey to recovery and self growth. 

  1. Nocticadia – by Keri Lake (audiobook)

4.5 STARS: An unexpected favourite. My initial thoughts were what on earth have I got myself into as I’m not really used to gothic narratives and it took me a while to settle into the vibe of this dark academia world. However, great storytelling with plenty of mystery, intrigue and a chemistry between protagonists that got to me, ooft – I was soon engrossed in this novel which had me hooked until the end. Keri Lake was a new author to me and I now need to check out some more of her books.

Have you read any of these? If so, what were your thoughts – I’d love to know. Also, if you want to stay up to date with my current reads why not give me a follow on Goodreads – I love seeing what everyone else is reading too!

MY FIRST EVER CROCHET CARDIGAN

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After the success of my first crochet project I was eager to take on another, and once I came across the hexagon crochet cardigan I knew this would be it. I popped to my local Boyes to browse the yarns and decided for a chunky marble in a greeny blue shade.

This design still followed the basic granny square pattern I’d already learned, but instead of going round in a square, you add two extra sides, making a hexagon which will eventually folded in half to create one sleeve and side panel.

Once I had both sides made to the same size (which I almost managed, the tensions was slightly off), I went on to sew up the sleeve seams and decide how to connect the two at the back.

I decided to make a series of smaller granny squares in a lush deep blue for the joining back panel and then also went on to add a border on the sleeves and bottom of the cardigan. I’m so happy with how well the dark blue compliments the green / blue marble yarn.

To finish off the cardigan I made 2 larger granny squares with a mix of the deep blue and green / blue marble yarns. These two granny squares I then sewed on to be pockets at the front of the cardigan.

And voila – there you have it – my first ever hexagon granny square cardigan! I am so so pleased with how it turned out and it really is quite satisfying being able to say I made a cardigan from scratch! I love how it all came together, the pattern, the colours and the fit!

For now it’s a finished project. However, in future I might still experiment with making the cardigan a little longer. Generally speaking, I prefer my cardigans a bit longer, sitting below the bum, so I might still add a few rows to the bottom one day.

Finishing my second crochet project has been even more rewarding than my first. There’s something so satisfying about making your own clothing.

My next project is a jumper. I’ve been chosen as a pattern tester for the Floret Pop Pullover by Yarn by Beck and I’m super excited to get stuck into this new crochet project. I’ve already started and it’s such a lush stitch I can’t wait to see how it all comes together!

Have you been busy with any craft projects or learning new skills??? Do let me know in the comments below!

VALENTINES WEEKEND AWAY

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Last weekend Luis and I packed up the car and headed up to Cresswell for a long weekend at our favourite caravan. We first came across this holiday let on Airbnb last year and enjoyed our time there so much that we keep returning. I think this was our fourth visit. The caravan is situated in the Cresswell Towers Holiday Park and is only about a 5-10 minute walk away from the beach. It’s really reasonably priced, always clean and well kept, and offers a quiet and relaxing spot for a seaside holiday. Note, we’ve only ever gone off season, so can’t speak for what it’s like during peak times.

Cresswell is about an hours drive for us so a good distance for a long weekend away. With my travel anxiety I don’t like being in the car too long, especially if we’re only going away for a couple of nights, so this is an easy enough drive for me to do. The first 30 mins are just up the A1 and then we tend to turn off at the Seaton Burn services, which although kinda dirty, rough and run down, are in a good location as a half way stop to settle my anxiety before we continue on through Cramlington, past Blyth and up to Cresswell.

We both still had to get some work done on Friday, but managed to finish a bit earlier and ended up leaving the house at about 4pm. Once we arrived we unpacked and before wrapping up warm and heading out for a short walk to the beach.

For Valentines dinner I made a vegan spaghetti bolognese which turned out yummy even though I forgot the herbs and spices at home. After dinner we cosied up and unpacked Patchwork, a new game we’d got for Christmas from our friends. I didn’t know what to expect but it turned out to be an easy to understand and really enjoyable 2 player game.

On Saturday we headed out to Amble for a mooch around the Marina. It was icy cold and rather miserable, but it was good to get out. We stopped off at the supermarket on our way back and got some pastries to enjoy with a coffee for once we got back to the caravan and settled down to another game of Patchwork.

On Sunday it rained on and off for most of the day and we enjoyed a cosy day inside. I read my book, Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi, spent a lot of the day crocheting, trying to finish my granny square cardigan and got stuck into trying to solve some Murdle logic puzzles with Luis which was good fun. It was a lovely relaxed day.

Check out was at 10am on Monday and so we got up early to start our day by heading out to watch the sunrise before having to pack up. It’s something we’ve been doing since our first visit. Although I always find the 10am checkouts somewhat stressful, starting the day by watching the sunrise is always so worth it. We really should make the effort more often to get up early to watch the sunrise – it’s always so beautiful – such a magical time.

Frozen after our early morning beach walk we headed back to the caravan to have breakfast and then pack up the car. It’s always sad having to leave the caravan – we’ll have to stay longer than a weekend one day, but it was another lush weekend away for Valentines. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend too.

COMPLETING MY FIRST EVER CROCHET BLANKET

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On a random day at the end of 2024 I decided to follow a crochet tutorial by one of my favourite YouTubers by Helen Anderson. Managing to pick it up pretty quickly, I instantly became hooked – it’s such an addictive hobby.

Early in January, after completing 3 large granny squares as practice, I decided to embark on my first full project. One of my oldest friends was coming to visit from France with her baby and as she had just moved house I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to make her a cosy blanket for a housewarming present.

I browsed the yarn section in my local Boyes for forever, trying to decide which colours to go for and how to combine them. Eventually I made my choice and got started as soon as I got home, eager to see my vision come to life. I had chosen a mustard yellow, a pinky red, a light blue and a white to create two different designs by inverting the order of colours used for the squares. I also went for a darker blue to border the squares and be the join colour.

As the pile of squares grew, so did my excitement – the squares were looking soo good. A little niggle of worry did cross my mind too though as the tension wasn’t always 100% equal. I just hoped they’d all join together nice and evenly. Working every evening after work, I managed to get all my squares completed in about 2 weeks.

The joining of the squares was another new learning curve as I’d never done it before. I had a look online at a few different methods before settling on one that seemed simple enough. It was a little confusing at times and I accidentally joined the wrong sides once or twice and had to back track, but seeing the squares gradually transform into a cohesive blanket was very rewarding.

Crocheting my first granny square blanket has been such an enjoyable and rewarding experience and I can’t wait to make more – who knows, perhaps I’ll make everyone a blanket for Christmas this year aha!? The success of my first project has spurred me on to learn more and also try some more challenging projects.

Next stop – a granny square cardigan!

I’d love to know if any of you also crochet or knit??? Do let me know in the comments below!

MY 2025 READING GOALS

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I have always considered myself a bit of a bookworm; admittedly, however, the reading bug has ebbed and flowed a bit more as an adult. It was reading ACOTAR last year, that sparked my excitement to get lost in new stories again and re-kindled my love for reading. I’ve ended up buying so many new books last year, on top of already having a huge ‘To Read’ list in the first place, and even splurged on a new Kindle. I’m well and truly set up for choice with this years reading challenge and have given myself the goal of reading 35 Books. I only managed to read 17 books last year, but I’ve got so many on my bookshelf I can’t wait to dip my toes into, that I think I’ll achieve my goal for 2025. I’ve also signed up to Audible again as my new favourite hobby is crocheting, and I’d like to start listening to some audiobooks instead of watching tv, as I work away on my projects.

In no particular order, I wanted to share which books I’ve chosen so far for my ‘To Read’ list this year. If you count along, you’ll realise there are more that 35 books mentioned, but there were just too many to choose from. I’ve been drawn to all these books for different reasons and as the year goes on I’ll be interested to see which ones I gravitate to first. I’d love to hear if you’ve read any and what you thought (no spoilers though please) or what books might be on your ‘To Read’ lists. If you’re on Goodreads – let’s connect!

Standalone Books:

Babel – by R.F. Kuang
Cleopatra and Frankenstein – by Coco Mellors
My Dark Romeo – by Parker S. Huntington
The Elephant Girl – by Henriette Gyland
Becoming Molly-Mae – by Molly Hague
The Foundling – by Stacey Halls
Ugly Love – by Colleen Hoover
Verity – by Colleen Hoover

Poetry:

May I Come Home – by Christopher Tapp
Home Body – by Rupi Kaur

Series:

Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #3) – by Rebecca Yarros
Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3) – by Rebecca Yarros

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas
Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #1) – by Sarah J. Maas

Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1) – by Tahereh Mafi
Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2) – by Tahereh Mafi
Ignite Me (Shatter Me, #3) – by Tahereh Mafi
Restore Me (Shatter Me, #4) – by Tahereh Mafi
Defy Me (Shatter Me, #5) – by Tahereh Mafi

Sword Catcher (The Chronicles of Castellane, #1) – by Cassandra Clare

The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia, #1) – by Carrisa Broadbent
The Ashes & The Star Cursed King (Crowns of Nyaxia, #2) – by Carrisa Broadbent

King of Scars (King of Scars, #1) – by Leigh Bardugo
Rule or Wolves (King of Scars, #2) – by Leigh Bardugo

Audio Books:

Sunburn – by Chloe Michelle Howarth
The Outrun – by Amy Liptrot
Playing With Fire – by L.J. Shen
A Touch of Darkness – by Scarlett St. Clair
The Virgin Suicides – by Jeffrey Eugenides
He’s Gone – by Rebecca Collomosse

Books I still want to purchase:

Milk Teeth – by Jessica Andrews
Butter – by Asako Yuzuki
Kalo – by Colin Walsh
Want – by Gillian Anderson
Goddess With A Thousand Daces – by Jasmine Elmer
Think Again – by Jaqueline Wilson
By Any Other Name – Jodi Picoult
Frida – by Hayden Herrera

LATE TO THE PARTY: MY 2025 BUCKETLIST

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Happy (Belated) New Year, everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s. We enjoyed a lovely, quiet Christmas followed by a wonderful week with Luis’s parents. While it was fantastic to have them visit, it left me little time for reflection and planning ahead for 2025. The lack of daylight and continued freezing temperatures at the roastery haven’t exactly boosted my motivation either since starting back at work!

Despite feeling a bit lost and longing for spring, I am feeling pretty excited about the possibilities this year holds. To combat the winter blues and stay inspired, I’m continuing my annual tradition of creating a Bucket List for the new year. This isn’t about setting unattainable goals, but rather a gentle nudge towards a more fulfilling life – exploring more, embracing creativity, prioritizing my well-being and being more present in the day to day.

Looking back at my 2024 list, I’m proud of what I accomplished, even though plenty of items remain unchecked. It’s about enjoying the journey and not just ticking off goals for the sake of it. (You can find my 2024 reflections in my previous blog post here.)

As I’ve been pondering my 2025 goals, I realise many are similar to last year’s. Some are repeats as they are likely to become yearly wishes, while others are carry-overs from 2024 that I’ve yet to achieve. I’ll probably also continue to add to this list as new ideas emerge. Here’s what I have so far…

  1. Finish My Patchwork Blanket: I’m slowly but surely knitting my way through a patchwork blanket. It’s my first big knit project but much less daunting than tackling something like a sweater as it’s just square by square.
  2. Conquer a Patterned Hat: I want to develop my pattern-reading skills and have started with a supposedly easy enough hat project.
  3. Knit a Sweater (the ultimate challenge): I want to step outside my comfort zone and eventually take on the challenge of knitting a sweater, although this will probably be done later on in the year once I’ve built up some confidence and practiced pattern reading some more.
  4. Crochet A Blanket:I have just finished my first granny square blanket, and I’m so in love with it, I am eager to make more. I think I might like to make a few for Christmas Present this year.
  5. Granny Square Cardigan: I keep coming across these beautiful granny square cardigan patterns and I can’t wait to give one a try.
  6. Derwent Reservoir: Luis has wanted to take me for a walk there for ages. It’s only about a 35 minute drive, but I’ve always let my anxiety get the better of me as I know there’s no proper facilities there. However, it was his birthday the other week and I finally pushed myself to go.
  7. High Force Waterfall Family Trip: Although I’ve been before, it was quite a while ago and we’ve not yet been as a family, so that’s one for this year.
  8. Camping Getaways: We went camping near Holy Island last year and I loved it so much I’d like to make this another yearly tradition, starting with at least one family camping adventure.
  9. Grow The Orchid Creative: I would like to be more organised this year, develop mu creative skills further and increase my Etsy offerings and sales.
  10. Tattoo Time: I’ve been itching for some new ink for ages and would like to add some new finger tattoos to my collection this year.
  11. Start A YouTube Channel: This has been something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time, but have always felt too overwhelmed to do. However, I want to let go of the nerves, finally learn some new creative skills, and just enjoy the process of video editing and documenting for fun.
  12. A Holiday Abroad: I’d like to  push myself again this year and overcome my travel anxiety to enjoy an overseas adventure.
  13. Coastal Caravan Retreats: We’ve had a few lovely relaxing long weekends in a caravan in Cresswell up the Northumberland coast over the past year or so and love it so much that we want to make this another yearly goal. 
  14. Reading Goals: Although I only managed 17 books last year, I’m setting myself the same goal of 24 books this year.
  15. Cultural Experiences: Attending at least 3 concerts, shows, or theatre performances.
  16. Dance Lessons with Luis: This one’s been on my list for ages. I think learning to dance together will be a good laugh and a fun way to exercise together.
  17. Learning Portuguese: I finally want to start learning Portuguese properly so that I can communicate better with Luis’s family.
  18. A Holiday with my Bestie: Another yearly tradition and one I treasure – having a small getaway and some 1on1 time with my best friend!
  19. National Trust Explorations: We’ve got our membership till May and I’d like to make the most of it. We’ve already visited Gibside and Crook Hall multiple times, but I’d still like to visit the places in the North East which we haven’t seen yet, namely: Cragside, Seaton Delaval, Washington Old Hall and Wallington.
4. Crochet a Blanket
5. Visit Derwent Reservoir
19. Visit Gibside

Have you also set yourself some goals for this year? What are your top 3 Bucketlist items? Do let me know in the comments down below – I’d love to know!

I’ll keep coming back to this post throughout the year ticking off what I’ve achieved, so if you see something stroked through , it’s been completed.

A FAMILY DAY IN ALNMOUTH & ALNWICK

Published on by simplycarinaxoLeave a comment

A couple of weeks ago my sister was visiting from Canada and the weekend weather forecast was promising, so we decided to spend the day in Northumberland. We packed the cars and drove up to Alnmouth for a walk and lunch at the beach followed by a mooch around Alnwick in the afternoon.

If you’ve never visited Alnmouth and Alnwick before I highly recommend. It’s about 1h and 15minuts by car from Durham (traffic along the A1 depending) and perfect for a fun filled day out with beach walks, book shops and perhaps even lunch in a tree house.

We left late enough on the Saturday and made our way up the coast to Alnmouth Beach. It can get pretty busy and you’re not likely to find free street parking on a weekend, but there is usually enough spaces right down by the beach – although take note that it costs about £3.50 for parking with zero amenities and only a handful of picnic benches.

We arrived about 30 minutes after my parents as we had to stop for a toilet break on the way up and not being sure of services post the metro center had decided to briefly stop at Ikea which ended up being a bit of a detour and confusing google maps something awful!

Anyway, we eventually made it and were lucky with the weather. It was surprisingly sunny and warm at the beach and not the 8 degree we’d been expecting. So we set off on a dander along the beach with Maya bounding along in happiness and stopping to dig in the sand every few minutes.

It was such a peaceful walk in the sand. The beach oozed a soothing presence with the gentle lapping of waves, warm glow of the sun and fresh sea air dancing around.

When in Alnmouth we always make a stop at Scott’s of Alnmouth – a lush artisan coffee stop and deli. A lot of the foods they stock are admittedly rather pricey, but we see it as a treat and choose something for a date night at home. This time was a wild garlic pasta, truffle pesto and a Portuguese wine.

After our mooch in the village we made our way back to the beach and the cars for lunch and were lucky enough to nab an empty picnic table. I honestly hadn’t thought we’d be having a picnic outdoors at this stage in the year – but the weather held up and it was fab.

After lunch I was almost ready to head home as a wave of tiredness hit me, but we packed up and made our way to Alnwick. Mum wanted a walk to the tree house at Alnwick Gardens but we were rather surprised and annoyed (on my part) to discover that dogs were not allowed anywhere on the grounds at all. So my parents had to stay behind as my sister and I took our partners to the tree house as they’d never seen it before. It’s a cool sight to see and has a wonderful restaurant inside if you want to go for a special lunch or dinner. However, it really wasn’t our day as even the tree house was fully shut for a private function and we couldn’t take a closer look. Thus we headed back to the car and shuttled off to Barter Books which, especially if you’re a book lover like me, is always a must visit.

If you haven’t been or heard of it before, Barter Books is a second hand bookstore located in an old railway station. It’s one of those wonderfully quaint and quirky places that ooze cosiness and charm. They have a huge variety of books from lifestyle, cook books and art to fiction and even some foreign language books. It’s just lovely to have a mooch around and or grab a drink from their cafe and sit in one of their cosy nooks to get stuck into a book. Barter Books also offer a scheme where you can hand in old books in exchange for credit. I’d been meaning to set up an account for ages and finally did so, trading in some books I wasn’t going to read again. I decided not to pick up any new books on that trip yet as I already have such a ‘To Read’ pile at home.

After a nice browse we called it a day and headed back home for dinner and a game.

I’d love to know if you’ve been to Barter Books before and what your favourite spots in Alnwick and Alnmouth are – do let me know in the comments.