Diamonds are forever.

A few weeks ago we celebrated the marriage of my beloved Nan and Gramps. 60 years together and still going strong. A diamond achievement.

On the 1st of July 1953, two very special people got married in the sunshine and have loved, laughed and lived alongside each other ever since. They are my rock, my hope for the future, my belief that some stories really can have happy endings.

All you tend to hear these days are stories of divorce and un-happiness, of endings and sadness. It felt so good to be celebrating the kind of love that has survived generations, that has been tended to and looked after and nurtured. They have never given up on each other, they have never thrown in the towel because of a silly tiff or argument. They have raised two sons, four grandchildren and a great-grand-child. They are magnificent.

I thought and thought about what I could give them, what gift could say 'Thank You' for their un-erring support and love over the past 27 years. After weeks of wondering, I resigned myself that such gifts are priceless and all I could give them were my words.

For Nan and Grandad -

There's so much I'd like to say,
On this your Diamond Wedding day,
We're celebrating all those years of bliss,
60 years of memories, that began with a kiss.

You married on a sunny day back in 1953,
But it didn't take long until two became three,
A shorter time still till three became four,
Two handsome sons to love and adore.

Nigel the eldest, the man I call Dad,
Uncle Mark I am told was a cheeky wee lad,
Both boys they grew up, had family all their own,
And now we too, are all fully grown.

Matthew, then Katie, then Charlotte and Blaine,
All ever so different, but somehow, the same.
And now we have Dee, a new great-granddaughter,
You continue to impart wisdom, how much you have taught her.

So if you all have a moment, just a minute or two,
I'd like to share some happy memories with you.
But first I want to say thank you to my Grandad and my Nan,
Who have helped me more than I can say, who have loved me best they can.

They have always been a constant,
Even through some rocky years,
They have loved and they've supported,
And they've wiped away my tears.

Their home is like the anchor,
Which keeps our family strong,
Its nice to put your feet up there,
And know that you belong.

Growing up I remember,
So many happy times,
Times I'll always cherish,
Times that make me smile.

Nans' many 'Berylisms',
And picnics in the park,
The sprinkler in the garden,
And camping in the dark.

So many Christmas parties,
With those indoor fireworks,
Baking in Nan's kitchen,
And laughing till it hurts.

'Do you want a cup of tea?',
And thirty biscuits too...
And don't even get me into,
The trouble they've been having with their loo.

Catching up on gossip,
From Nan's Fellowship hareem,
And would you like some pudding,
With your pint and half of cream.

Grandad's intricate rundowns,
Of the meals they've had this week,
Nan hiding her anxiety,
When he wants to make a speech.

But when they talk of family,
And their many, many friends,
It's nice to know their happy,
Even though they drive us round the bend!

We wouldn't be without them,
They're the glue that holds us together,
And we will love them dearly,
From now until forever.

You two are very special,
Each unique, one of a kind.
Two beautiful shining diamonds,
That brighten up our lives.

Finally, I want you to know how much I love you,
How very much you mean to me,
And how I look forward to many more days,
When we can share a cup of tea.

Love till next time, L&L xxx

Friday Fashion Fix #6

Hi there.

So, no excuses, but here are my excuses. ....

No blogging lately -

1.Been on holiday

2. The weather is too damn nice.


So lets ease back in with a little fashion interlude. Its been way to hot for anything more than some shorts and vest of late, but for date night last week I decided to make a bit more of an effort. So this is the Friday Fashion fix from last week -  there will be a new one on Friday.

Summer Brights

The shops are full to bursting with beautiful, vivid colour at the moment. So as a break from my usual monochrome madness I divulged in a little colour overload.

I have to say super brights scare me a little and any sort of luminous-ness is a definite no-no in my wardrobe, but I just simply couldn't resist this outfit.

Outfit - Topshop, Necklace - Asos, Sandals - KG

These harem trousers are so comfortable, they are like wearing pjs. The cami looks really yellow on this picture but it is actually lime green. These cami tops are everywhere at the minute and available in every conceivable colour. Great for just chucking on with some shorts or a skirt when the weather gets a bit too much. 

This necklace was a recent purchase from Asos. It was an absolute bargain as they kept dropping the price from £18 and I got it for £9. Personal high five. It matches the top perfectly. Im not really all about the matchy-matchy fashion wise but I like this.

My old-faithful KG jelly sandals. Love them. 

Tried to keep my make-up as simple as possible as nobody needs their face clashing with their outfit!!! 

Just simple black eyeliner and a bit of highlighting. 

Hope you like..

Love till next time -  L&L xxx

Friday Fashion Fix #5

This is a bit of a rushed one this week. I have been away on holiday so I've found it hard to find the time to blog.

This outfit is one from a couple of weeks ago.

I'm not really a skirt person - especially a tight skirt. My little Buddha belly stops me from wearing anything tight fitting these days, I feel like people are going to ask me when the baby is due. However, apparently I was feeling quite brave on this particular day and have gone for this little leopard print number. I used to think that leopard prints were all very 'Bet Lynch' but as they have exploded on the fashion catwalks of the world, I have embraced the world of animal print so forcefully that most days I look like I am actually dressed as an actual animal. (rawr)

Skirt - F&F, Belt - Topshop, Top- Topshop, Boots - Office

Had this belt for an absolute age -  but its great. The older it gets the better it seems to look. The little leopard detailing on the sides is something that I love, and fits beautifully with the theme. The top is just  from the basic jersey range in Topshop. Cheap as chips and goes with everything. I have one in every colour. 

Picked up this feathery beaut of a necklace when I was in Thailand. I loves it.

I got this bag from ASOS. Its big, its brash, it clashes with everything. Its bloody amazing.

I teamed the whole outfit with my trusty Office boots.


Sorry this is all a bit rushed this week!!!

Going on a girly London trip on Friday so I will be sharing all my fashion finds with you from that, in what I hope will be a more inspiring post!

Love till next time - L&L xx

To be blessed.

I am blessed, truly. My life is enriched with all sorts of relationships that make my life a full and happy one. They colour my world with their differences and eccentricities. I am blessed.

Managing and maintaining such relationships is a never ending job. Like honing a garden to make it beautiful and vibrant. Each relationship is different , just like every flower and plant, they have a different set of rules. For example, the relationship I have with my daughter is a completely different one to the one I have with my Mum, which in turn is different to the one I have with my best friend. Each category of relationship has different smaller categories, each relationship, unique.

Some relationships take more maintaining. My daughter takes up the most of my time and energy these days. Even in the moments not spent with her I am thinking of what to plan for our next adventure, or what I need to get her from the Supermarket. The relationship with my husband is next in line. I like to cook us a meal every night so that we can chat about the day and find out the ins and outs of what is going own in each others lives. I like to send him little cards and buy little presents every so often to let him know how much I appreciate him and how much I care.

My relationships with my friends are very important to me. Since having Dee, my life has become full to bursting. Playgroups, coffee mornings, swimming lessons, nursery, bath time, storytime... The list is endless. However, I try to make a real effort to maintain strong relationships with my friends, who have always stuck by me and who I love endlessly. In my opinion, life without friends is no life at all. I don't know where I would be without the years of love and support from  those closest to me.

I am blessed. Are you blessed?

Love till next time -  L&L xx

The view to Spinalonga.

If any of you wonderful people have ever read the wonderful book -  'The Island' by Victoria Hislop you will know exactly what I mean by Spinalonga.

Last week we had a little holiday, just the three of us.

I needed that week. Head space.

We headed to Crete, near the small village of Plaka and spent six blissful nights together. Quiet, happy, warm and content. I love these escapes that we go on, it gives me time to clear out my thoughts, re-organise them.

The previous few weeks have once again been an emotional rollercoaster. Someone very close to me is going through a hard time. This person is so close that sometimes I don't know if it's her pain and suffering that lies in the air, or my own.

When someone you love is in pain all you want to do is comfort them, to hold their hand and tell them the things they need to hear. You want to wrap them up in your arms and shield them from the demons outside. You want to explain that you love them, that they are strong, that they will get through.

At first I thought it was her sadness that reverberates through me. I felt it in every step, my bones ached with it. But then I realised it wasn't sadness at all, it was love.

I am apart from her situation now. After years of struggling with un-idyllic relationship she shares with him, I have decided that I just have to let it go. I have to let her live the life she desires (rightly or wrongly) even though I know she is going to be eternally let down. He will let her down as he always does. His promises will break, his mask will slip.

As I sat in the sunshine last week, looking out onto the lonely, deserted island of Spinalonga, I realised all of this. I realised that I should not be the one who always picks up her pieces. I realised I'm truly not strong enough for that. All I can do is support and listen and love.

Spinalonga is a painfully beautiful place. Un-nerving, un-assuming, with a history that is so sad that you could almost cry. Now deserted,  formally a fort, the lonely island became a Leper colony in the early 20th century. The little island stands like a gravestone in the aqua-blue waters of the Aegean Sea, it is a token of memory to the people who suffered terribly at the hands of Leprosy and poverty. It stands testament to what can be overcome if you fight hard enough. If you believe.

I think there's a lesson in that for all of us.

Love till next time -  L&L xx

Friday Fashion Fix #4

The weather is beautiful out there. No too hot, not too cold - It's like the Goldilocks of weather reports.

What does sunshine mean? PIMMS! Well, and bright coloured dresses with sandals!

As I have said in a previous post - I am not a dress-wearing kind of girl. I do own a lot of dresses but they invariably only come out when I am abroad or on a night out. I don't tan easily and since having Dee my fake-tan regime has gone completely down the toilet. Due to this I don't tend to get my legs or arms out unless absolutely necessary! Yet, this recent bout of gorgeous weather has done something to my psyche and I've been in dresses almost every day.

So this post is a big 'Thumbs-up' to dress wearing (and Pimm's drinking!)

This weeks theme -  'Pretty Prints for Pimm's Parties!'

Dress - Topshop

This dress is super summery. I have only worn it once before and that was on date night with the hubby. I felt so sorry for it, just hanging there, being all beautiful, so today it came out and saw the sunshine. I know you can't really see it in this picture (all my full-length piccies weren't great!) but this dress is knee length and floasty. I really wanted to get across the vibrance of the colours rather than the look of the dress itself. The cut and the detailing on this dress is incredible, and a steal at only £60. It's something you could wear to a summer wedding or some kind of evening event.

Necklace -  Marc Jacobs

Over accessorising this outfit seemed pretty pointless. The dress is so detailed that it really doesn't need much of anything. This necklace is really simple and effective. I bought it from Marc Jacobs a few months ago and it goes with everything. The centre is a little 'nut' with Marc Jacobs engraved all the way around.

I don't normally put full face photos on here (or anywhere for that matter!) But I am being brave! I thought this one was actually quite nice and shows off my new bright hair and HD brows (I'm still getting used to them!)

Talking of hair! I've recently had my hair dyed a really 'white' blonde. I have to work hard at maintaining it but I do truly love it. For those wondering, I use Provoke purple toning shampoo to keep the colour nice and light. You can buy the shampoo and Sainsburys and Boots. I think my hair is in a really boring style, I'm in the process of growing it and its at that really annoying in-between length. I am really loving the boho beach waves look at the minute. I'm really rubbish at doing plaits so I decided on twists instead, its not only really effective but really easy to do - great for the beach and by the pool.

Sandals - Kurt Geiger

Every outfit needs the right pair of shoes - and I just love these beauts from KG. They are made of plasticky, rubbery material (better known as jelly-shoes!) and have little gold studs embellishing them. Simple.


Have fun in the sun people - Keep it bright and happy.

Love till next time - L&L x x

Friday Fashion Fix #3

I know these posts have been a little few and far between but I am going to be making a conscious effort to make this a weekly thing from now on.

Apparently Summer is on its way. I'll believe it when I see it frankly. We have had about two minutes of sunshine in West Lancashire in the past 6 months. All in all, I find bad weather really depressing. The shops are starting to fill up with lots of lovely summer items and even though I am drawn to their vivid colours and light material it all seems a waste of money.

However, as we are going on holiday in a few weeks I thought I had better make some sort of effort in the way of summer apparel. Now, I'm not one for getting my legs out, or chest out, or anything out really since having Dee. I find my post-pregnancy body rather alarming. Yet, on a recent foray into the world of internet Topshop-ness I thought I would brave the elements and opt for some dresses and shorts.... I know, I know.... I'm crazy.

When my purchases arrived this morning in lovely spotty packaging I got rather excited. Put it this way, when my husband tried to stop me from retrieving my new purchases from the front door mat, I almost smashed him the face with my toast in hot pursuit.

I have got to say, all-in-all, I am very pleased with my internet shop. As a worshipper of the house of ASOS, I don't tend to stray too far into other branches of fashion on the web. I find it all a bit hazardous. I've come to know the sizes and fit on ASOS and I never really find a need to send anything back. Even though Topshop is a firm highstreet favourite of mine, I would rather go and physically see what am I buying and have a little try on. I have quite a strange body shape -  totally different sizes on top and bottom (too much up top and too little in the hip area), so sometimes I find it difficult to find dresses that fit properly and jumpsuits that don't bulge on my chest and sag around my bum. I find Topshop sizing very unpredictable. Sometimes I'm a size 8, sometimes a 12 dependent on what I am buying. So this online spree was also a little experiment. Anyway, I digress.

This weeks theme is  - Popping Prints.

I love bright colours. My friends would firmly disagree with this as more often than not, on a night out, I will wear an all black ensemble. Since having Dee I feel more comfortable in black -  it is a hider of many a wobbly bit. I also think black is understated and classy. Worn with the correct accessories I feel it can be make more of a statement than evens Josephs coat of many colours (what a trendsetter our Jo was, eh?)

I also love prints. Leopard, Zebra, Tiger.. the list goes on. Prints are everywhere at the minute, in every thinkable colour, its like Safari has gone to Mardi Gras. I love it.

Dress -  Topshop, Belt - Topshop

I love this dress. I got it from the 'Tall' range as I don't like things being too short. I absolutely love the print and colour on this dress. Even though it is a 't-shirt' material it has a real shine to it which is really lovely. I bought the belt about three years ago. I wear it with everything. 

Bracelet - Mango

I love accessories. Even though both my engagement and wedding rings are platinum I much prefer gold when it comes to my jewellery (or ghetto gold as I call it). Apologies for my really awful fake-tan hand in this photo - I've been testing some new tan and my hand have taken a real beating. This cuff is from Mango. I bought it when I went to Palma and I think I have worn it every day ever since. Its really comfortable to wear as I tend to find that most cuffs rub (for those wondering.. I mean fashion cuffs, not those of a Police or '50 Shades' variety!). 

Bag - Chanel,  Shoes - Office

This bag is a favourite thing in my wardrobe. Not only have I wanted the coveted Chanel for some years now, its also really special as it was my wedding present from my very lovely husband. This bag makes any outfit look and feel special. My shoes are a new purchase from Office. They are lovely and comfy and the suede and buckle features are lovely. These look great with dresses, trousers, skirts and jeans -  so they are super versatile for knocking about with Dee. 

A closer look!

As it was such a summery outfit I thought I would brave the elements and go outside. (Thanks to my husband for be-grudgingly taking this photo!)

So, thats it for another week fashion folk.

As always thanks for reading, any comments or thoughts are always lovely.

Love till next time -  L&L x x