My May Goals.

Hello May!

So just to throw this out there: is anyone else planning their great escape for when we are finally liberated from lockdown? Well, I’m definitely not planning a lavish holiday abroad any time soon. But, I can’t wait to experience the simplest of joys again: a trip to the cinema, a fresh brew of oat latte at my favourite independent coffee houses and just seeing friends beyond the panes of static screens! *Sigh* — boy, that sounds like a dream, huh?

I’m still trying to get my head around April and that I’ve been working from home for over eight weeks now. It has definitely been a wild couple of months! And somehow, here we are in a new month, nearing the start of summer and what should be an effervescent wedding season for close friends and family is now a distant hope. My diary is pretty bare, except for Zoom team meetings and lots of baking. 

I don’t think I achieved a single thing from my April plans – and I had so much planned months in advance. Italy was on the cards for last month. I had plans to explore Florence — the last big city in Italy that I haven’t yet had the chance to see. I should have seen Hamilton with a group of friends — now, I’ll preface this with: it would have been my fifth time seeing the production in London, so I’m not missing out — but I had been looking forward to taking my friends (all of them Hamilton newbies) and sharing in their delight of the entire EXPERIENCE that is Hamilton. It was my best friend’s birthday at the end of April and this was the first time in many years, as far as I can remember, that we weren’t able to celebrate together.

It’s a lot of ‘should haves’ but I’m getting by. Thankfully, I am healthy, my family is healthy and I’ll cope with communicating with loved ones via social media for the time being too.

So, I wanted to share some of the small things that will be bringing me joy this month, and hopefully, you can share a few with me in the comments too!

i.

My May Goals.

1. Having a nice space to rest in. Despite not being able to visit Italy, I still took my booked annual leave to break away from the ‘Work From Home’ routine. Sometimes, a staycation is a perfect remedy for a busy mind. I managed to use this period to finally redecorate my bedroom. I’d never taken the time to decorate my room since I moved back from London, and this was the perfect opportunity to do a bit of DIY to the walls, splash on a new coat of paint, rearrange the furniture and declutter. The room now feels bright, fresh and airy. It’s nice to be able to enjoy my bedroom since I appear to spend half my day in there now. I’ve now promised my mum to help her redecorate the living room, and with a few bank holidays coming up, it would be the perfect time to take on the task.
2. Baking *heart eyes*! I’ve always been an avid baker; it’s not so much the delicious final product, rather, the joy that goes into creating. I love playing around with recipes, adding my own take to it and experimenting with flavours. Last week I made a courgette, pistachio & lime cake, and it was delish! A recipe will be coming soon. I want to try making some sourdough bread this month, the fermentation process of the starter takes a week, so it gives me ample time to source some flour as my local supermarket always seems to be out when I go! Be sure to check out my go-to chocolate cake recipe though!
3. Books, books and books! Need I say more? If I got paid for every word that I read in a day, I swear, I would be a billionaire. I simply cannot go to bed without reading at least a chapter. I’m currently reading: Pride and Prejudice. A classic … and yet, the first time I’ve read it.
   
   I know, I know! Unacceptable.
   
   I mean I’m not going to try to make excuses … I know the story; I’m 99% sure we had assignments on it at school for GCSE English, and we definitely watched the TV series during lessons … I just never got around to reading the actual book beyond the scope of SparksNotes. No time like the present.
4. Netflix is the saviour that is getting me through the lockdown. I’m currently binging Gilmore girls. What a gem of a show! I would definitely recommend this show if you haven’t seen it already. Relatable. Quirky. Witty. The perfect recipe for success in my opinion. There are seven whole seasons and I can’t wait to see the journey Lorelai, Rory and Emily go on! (Side note, I may or may not have binged the entire series of Avatar over the weekend — *points accusing finger towards brother.*)
5. Piano. I swear, my playing has improved so much more in the last few months. I hate it when my teachers are right! Practice does make perfect, *side eye*. I’m currently working on memorising and smoothing out the details for Clair de Lune. A classic. Follow me on Instagram if you’d like to follow the occasional stories of my progress.
6. Blog design. I’m sure that every time my regular readers have visited this blog it looks different to the last time. I could apologise … but it wouldn’t be sincere … I’m a coding fiend. I think it’s a real struggle when you know how to code and you are hit with an inspiration that just needs to be tested out. I’m finally happy with how this blog looks. There are a few bits to fine-tuning to be done — most likely when I use a block that needs to be modified to fit in with the theme but I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. I’ve also got a special project underworks (don’t worry, not for this blog) and I can’t wait for it to be ready to launch!

ii.

So, dalgona coffee… there isn’t a single blog that I’ve been on nor Instagram story that I’ve seen over the past month that hasn’t featured this new craze. (Okay …. so I exaggerate …. but seriously! So. Many. Posts.) Granted, I was not immune and curiosity bit me in the ass so I tried this fluffy, whipped (the science behind this still confuses me — where are the chemists at?) coffee delight and —

It wasn’t for me.

As a creature of habit, I’ve gone back to my favourite summer drink that is equally refreshing, minus the caffeine, sweet (that’s a given when it comes to me) and pink! What more could you want? Falooda is a South Asian cold drink/dessert that I’ve grown up with and am addicted to.

You can really go all out with this dessert with rose jelly, vanilla ice cream and vermicelli (for a traditional falooda). But I’ve taken out these bells and whistles (and addition sugar & calories) and pared it down to the rose milk that is equally delicious!

Falooda (Rose Milk) Recipe

iii.

blogs I’ve read over the past week

• Five Recipes to Fall Back On @WhatOliviaDid – if there’s ever a time for cooking and baking, it’s now. I look forward to trialling out a few of these recipes that Olivia put together.
• Low Waste Habits in a Lockdown @AConsideredLife – we’re trying to be mindful of our food waste and household items with four adults living at home and this post has some great tips on how to maintain low waste habits.
• Favourite Bathtime Beauty Treats @WishWishWish – may or may not have been the reason for the most recent SpaceNK purchases I made.
• Little Things in Lockdown Vol. 2 @EvieJayne – it’s nice to read about what others are up to in this trying period, definitely agree with some of Evie’s Netflix recommendations!
• This Effortless Outfit Always Looks Good @LeFashion – sometimes it’s not about adding to your closet but finding inspiration on how to pair existing clothes in your wardrobe to create a new look #slowfashion.

What are the little things you’re finding joy in at the moment?

see you in the next post.

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