The end of a naughty streak

What with entertaining visitors, my birthday and just my general enthusiasm about being off the best-behaviour-wagon for a while, today was another shocker for the healthy eating efforts. Whilst I have been fairly good at boycotting brunches as much as possible in the past, over the past few weeks it has been tricky to opt out of all the plans that other people are making, and so this Sunday was set aside as the final day of excessive eating and any drinking between now and our trip back to the UK in a months time.

            In preparation for brunch I spent a good hour and a half in the gym this morning, listening to back to back episodes of The Archers (my latest podcast obsession) whilst riding bikes and running up hills as fast as I could manage.

Once I was nearly dead, it was time for a quick shower and change, and then we made our way to Raffles for a great big brunch / lunch with some of the guys.

            We did pretty well at bidding farewell to our naughty-eating habits, making the most out of all the amazing food on offer, but I am pleased to say that when everyone else jumped in a taxi and made their way to the next place for more drinks Nick and I headed home for swim, a cup of tea, and to get cracking on our wedding planning.

After five months of not really talking about the wedding at all, we’re finally starting to make a few firm plans ready for our trip back in July when we’re going to need to have made a pretty hefty dent in most of the jobs. Readings have now been chosen, along with hymns and music for the church. It was a very productive day for us, and thankfully we decided to have a little wedding planning session just in the nick of time, while drinking a glass of bubbles was entirely acceptable and not against any healthy living rules! 

Saturday birthday treats

I made Nick come with me to the ballet last Christmas, because Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake was touring, and I thought it might be a good introduction to the ballet, being a bit more modern and expressive in terms of the story telling. I was wrong, Nick not only didn’t really understand it, but the bits that he did understand, he didn’t like. I assumed that this was a sign that we had tried out the ballet, and we had decided that we didn’t need to go again. Ballet trips would be things that I do with my mamu and my friends, but not my Nick.

Enjoying the ballet in my new birthday top!

You can imagine my surprise when one of my birthday boxes ended up containing tickets to the St Petersburg Ballet’s version of Swan Lake this Saturday! He might not like the ballet, but he does apparently like me quite a bit, so Saturday was set aside as a day to take another shot at ballet appreciation.

As another day off our healthy eating plan, we decided to sandwich the ballet performance between two incredible meals – pizza for lunch (mmm, carbs!) and afternoon tea for dinner. The treats certainly helped power Nick through to the end of the performance, but I think it’s fair to say that this was the most expensive nap that Nick had ever willingly paid for.

That said, from the 10 minutes or so that he stayed awake for, Nick announced that the traditional ballet is much more up his street. He’s said it now – tickets will be booked for more performance as soon as I hear that they are coming to town!

ONE MORE YEAR TO GO!

29. I have just turned 29. This not only means that I must be a bit old now really, but it also means that it’s just one year until I turn 30. This isn’t a panic about hitting the big 3-0 and being old. This is a panic because of the realisation that I am not only one year away from the deadline on my 30-Before-30 List, and I have not yet finished it!

            To recap, the challenge was set when I turned 25, and it’s supposed to be completed by the time I turn 30 next year. There’s currently seven more challenges to complete – two are in the process of being completed, but that still leaves five to get booked in and arranged. So, the pressure really is on now then! 

I must be getting old!

I have never really been very big on celebrating my birthday, but since living out here with NB, we have set ourselves a nice little tradition of starting every birthday a proper breakfast before work, which we never usually do, and a little gift exchange. It makes birthdays a lot more fun to wake up to!

Birthday bundle! 

As I get the day off work for my birthday, I opted for a breakfast in bed – croissants and fresh coffee was therefore delivered right to my lazy body, along with an impressive stash of presents from home. Nothing came to me in the mail for my birthday this year, so it’s a good thing that Nick was back at home last month, and that he remembered to gather up some treats for me!

            Whilst scoffing my breakfast I made my way through my lovely presents, which included a beautiful top from my parents, a delicious smelling candle from KB, a very sweet little milk jug from Nick’s parents, and a stash of great books, tickets to the ballet and a beautiful gold and blue bracelet from the lovely Nick.

            Sadly Nick then had to leave me to go to work, so I dragged myself out of bed to hit the gym before going to meet Liv and Georgie for lunch at my favourite PS Café. From there I rushed back to the flat to get my nails done at my local nail bar, and then somehow it was already time to get myself all dolled up to go and meet Nick for drinks and dinner. 

Wedding magazine and cocktails - I'll be ok! 

I knew that I was going to be a bit early for drinks, so I picked up a cheeky little wedding magazine on my way, and then headed to City Lights for a drink while I waiting for Nick arrive. 

Happy Martini Day!

Once a year, on 23rd May, Nick and I celebrate Martini Day. We don't really have an anniversary, so until we're married and have a date set in stone, Martini Day celebrates the time that Nick flew back to London to surprise me for my birthday, and as we totally forgot about it this year while we were in Phuket, we decided to tack it onto my birthday celebrations. We drank our way through a great selection of cocktails whilst we watch the sun set over Singapore, and then once it was perfectly dark and the world was lit up with lights, we took the five minute stroll over to East8, another favourite restaurant of mine, for a light and relatively quick dinner to round out my lovely day. 

It was a very low key and relaxed start to the day, ending with me being fast asleep by around 10:30, and it was perfect!

Flowers from my lovely ladies

I very nearly missed the doorbell when it rang just as I got out of the shower following over an hour sweating it out at the gym, but I am very pleased that I threw on some clothes and rang down to answer the door.      

These lovely flowers were waiting for me from my gorgeous girls back in London! Thank you ladies! xx