Wonderful Wednesday #62

Bonjour dear, SWEET positive pals!  How has your week been?  Mine has been all UPS and downs and bursting, whizzing and FIRING on all cylinders or curled up under my favourite lilac blanket on the sofa at 8pm feeling like i could very well just fall asleep right here!  There seems to be no middle ground around these parts this week.  Do you ever get that too?  Even the weather has been following suit:  We awoke to big, fluffy flakes of snow come Sunday morning and yesterday turned warm and sunny late on.  So much so that i felt like a little bit of a wally in my orange duffle coat and sweet leopard angora beret.  I'm hoping to find some kind of balance along the rest of the week.  After todays day off {which shall mostly be spent in the dentist AGAIN getting part two of my treatment and a small operation} i have seven days in a row!  Luckily then i have a few days off.  I just can't wait!  But more on that another day, right now we've got #wonderfulwednesday business to attend to!

*  That ^there^.  Experiencing my first proper golden hour CAPTURE of the year.  Whilst there's no doubt that the nights are getting lighter and brighter, until recently i've not managed to get home, changed and out in enough time to capture that extra, special and magical light.  Until the beginning of this week.  I went all out:  No coat, summer sandals and a flower garland in my messy mop!!  I.  Was.  Frozen!!! Must remember i live in Cumbria and that it is not quite that warm yet.  It was worth it though - just!

*  Trying new combinations:  I'm TOUGH to break:  A lover of routine and an appreciator of the expected.  Sometimes it's nice to have a change, and it's especially nice to do it along with the change of the seasons as well.  Switching up my usual lentil based salads for lighter, greener ones:  Roasted chickpea, tahini and spiced cauliflower with red quinoa and spicy kale, bulgar wheat and peanut salad with a good helping of chopped avocado being my two new FAVOURITES.  

*  Appreciating SLEEP.  I don't know what it is lately, whether i am just feeling a little like I need a few days off, or just starting to wind down because i know i've got some time off coming up; i have just really been enjoying and appreciating my sleep lately.  That's not to say that i've been managing to squeeze in more of it {sometimes i do not know how people manage to get to bed early - i am such a faffer!} but i have just been feeling like i have been really valuing a good sleep.  And there's been a good run and lots of it.  Maybe it's the abandonment of the hot water bottle {tough!}, the change into lighter smock tops and cotton pyjama bottoms or just exhaustion.  Either way, my head has been hitting the pillow the same time each night and i have been falling into the most blissful, heavy and sweet bout of un-disturbed sleep for a little while now.  Yesterday morning the first thing i thought when i woke up was how much i couldn't wait to be curled back up in our little cloud of cotton, cushions and heaven.  Do i need to get out more?!?!?  

*  Celebrating the best hair conditioner find AND swishing and swooshing my hair all the more because of it.  We talked about switching up my hair care come this time of year and the need for less moisturising in last weeks #wonderfulwednesday.  When i popped to Lush at the start of this week, i decided to try another conditioner instead of my usual 'American Cream'.  There was no other reason other than i picked up another conditioner and fell a little bit in love with the scent!  It's called 'Happy Happy Joy' conditioner and it has made my hair the softest it has been in SO long!  The smell is much less sweet and very floral:  All heady damp roses and sweet orange flower. Try it!  It's MAGIC!!!!!

*  Magic FM.  I know, easy listening for the over 30's right?!  Lately i've sort of been LIKING a little bit of older music.  I love to pop on the radio or Spotify in the evening when i am pottering about getting ready for bed and having a shower or bath.  I accidentally set our digital radio onto Magic FM the other night and was halfway {or more! Ss!} through singing along to Abba when i realised.  I've only really neglected to change it.  I will….soon.  I'm still cool right?!?!

*  That GREEN headband.  If you follow me on various other platforms {read:  Instagram} you'll know the one because i've been HARPING on about it for aaages.  It's bright green and was a present to me on my 30th birthday celebrations up in Edinburgh way back in December from Anthropology.  In reality i wanted to buy the whole and entire shop {having only ever shopped on their website before and never set foot inside a shop}. I managed to narrow it down to some plates and that sweet headband.  It's fitting so perfectly into what i'm loving to wear lately.  When i bought it i felt i was forever wearing winter hats!  Now it's not quiiiite flower crown weather, but it IS bright green and lovely headband weather!   I love how it's bridging the gap.  I do love it when you re-fall head over heels in love with something all over again.  It sort of feels cathartic and charitable in equal measure!

*  Family.  Wherever they ARE, whoever they are and however your family is made up.  You should never ever take them for granted and always be grateful that you've got them.  You never know when you'll need them or more importantly, when they'll need you.  I often find myself getting caught up with life and forgetting that i haven't checked in with family for a good few days.  Life's too short to forget these things!

*  Hot chocolate. I mean it's no BIG secret that i'm a bit of a chocoholic but hot chocolate?  Well i've sort of got to be in the mood.  'Cos i've been feeling a little tired this week, i've REALLY been craving a mug as big as my head of milky hot chocolate.  The very best hot chocolate {i think!}  is warmed almond milk, two teaspoons or raw cacao powder and a teaspoon of almond butter.  It's HEAVEN.   Trust me!  It's nutty, smooth a little bit more filling and just plain LOVELY.

*  Great FINDS!  Snagging a brand new silk ivory embroidered peasant-y smock blouse for a fiver on Ebay.  I can't wait to wear it with my trusty Gap flares and a floppy hat or flower crown come Summer.  I'm a little bit addicted to Ebay lately!  

*  Scarf SWAPS.  Swapping over my woolly scarves for my lighter cotton printed and silk scarves worn alongside sweet little tapestry jackets, longer cardis and sweet little jackets adorned with pom-poms!  I'm making Spring-shaped progress slowly and it feels good.  

*  Treating myself to some sweet and dainty gold temporary tattoo transfers from Accessorize.  I can't WAIT to have swirls and whirls of golden flowers around my ankle and across the back of my hands.  Is it too soon yet?!
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What has your week looked like so far?  I'd LOVE to know what has been making you happy and smiley - no matter how little and insignificant it might seem.  Often they are the very best things.  What exciting things are you looking forward to?  I'm meeting a friend i haven't seen for a LONG time for coffee and a big catch up this morning.  And then i shall be spending my afternoon feeling sorry for myself after my dentist appointment.  Just for a bit though.  Maybe  i might  use it as an excuse to watch Paddington Bear on the sofa in my pyjamas.  Maybe.  Remember you can share your #wonderfulwednesday wonderful-ness over on Twitter too. I'm @sallytangle.
 
Have a super duper rest of week!