The July Edition

Botany Bay

I need to write this quickly before the laptop melts my already thick-with-sweat thighs in this relentless heatwave.

What I did

I surprised Mum and Dad at their first ever 10k race! It was so hot (can you spot the theme of this month) but they both smashed it.  

I cried at the football. It may not have come home, but it made me cry at that final penalty and that’s all I needed to tip me over the edge.

I had a week off! Ryan and I usually take the week of our anniversary off and go away somewhere in the UK, but this year we decided to stay at home and have day trips instead. It was blissful to come back to our own bed each night.

I took part in my first ‘mob match’ with Petts Wood Runners, against Orpington Road Runners. It was hot and fun and we won.

PWR vs ORR
 

I had my first ever cervical smear test. I might write a whole post on it but, TL;DR, it was fine! It was the most fine thing! It felt like someone was scratching my belly button (i.e. it was uncomfortable) but it didn’t hurt and it was over in seconds. Boom. Done. 

Amy came to her first PWR night and bossed it!

BOOKED FLIGHTS TO CANADA. We booked three weeks off work and booked our initial flights to Toronto for next June and July. We planned to just travel the east side, but now my auntie has surprised us with a few days in Calgary and LAKE LOUISE, too!! Anyone who knows me knows that going to Lake Louise, to do the pilgrimage, has been my dream since I was a little girl, so I CANNOT WAIT.

I showed my baby brother how to do his swabs to post back to Anthony Nolan to join the stem cell register!

 

What I thought

*mumbles* It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming, football’s coming home…

Where I went

I went to Pride in London for the first time! Anthony Nolan had a spot on the parade and we shouted about how your sexuality makes no difference to joining the stem cell register. It was sunny and happy and loud and fun and bloody brilliant.

parkrun saw us at Barking, Clapham Common, and Billericay. 

During our week off, we went to Margate, Botany Bay (BEAUTIFUL), Kew Gardens, Birdworld (SO GOOD, I BOUGHT A TOUCAN REUSABLE COFFEE CUP EVEN THOUGH I DON’T DRINK COFFEE… OR TEA), to the theatre, to Bravas Tapas at St Katharine Docks, and to see little Leo. It was a perfect week off.

Margate

 

Botany Bay

 

Kew Gardens

 

Birdworld (other animals are available)

 

Leo

I had dinner with Ellie before she went back to Orlando to work on the Disney Cruise Line, having just come back from working at Disney World. 

What I read

I finished The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fuck by Sarah Knight (three stars, it was quite repetitive) and started reading Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, which a colleague has lent me and I’m loving it!

I’ve read a LOT of brilliant articles this month and here are a few:

This piece in The Guardian by Hannah Jane Parkinson on mental health is raw and painful and true and fantastic. 

This by Susie Boyt on the blissfulness of the comfort zone and why some of us crave it resonated intensely with me. 

Emine Saner wrote this fantastic article on how mental health played a huge part in the England team’s success and popularity this World Cup.

What I watched

Geostorm. Fucking love an awful disaster movie.

We went to see The Comedy About a Bank Robbery on the night of our anniversary, after seeing The Play That Goes Wrong for our anniversary last year. It was brilliant and I highly recommend!

We went to see Incredibles 2… it was ok but I wasn’t overly fussed. The Disney short was better.

I took Mum to see Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again on her birthday, and surprised her with friends when we got there. It was bloody great. 

What I was thankful for

Fans and trains with air con.
 

Realising that you don’t have to DO anything with your annual leave. You can just take it. 
 

My auntie for TAKING ME TO LAKE LOUISE, HAVE I MENTIONED??!?!?!?!?!?
 

Toucans.
 

Baby goats.
 

Ryan for putting up with my new obsession with toucans and baby goats.  

 

That we can get free regular smear tests.