Saturday 31 August 2013

{Smitten Saturday}








Yesterday evening Bex from The Olive Dragonfly & I went to Cup Tea Lounge in Glasgow City Centre (71 Renfield Street). It was the first time I'd been and I was suitably impressed. The interior of the tea lounge is gorgeous - very opulent - and the staff were lovely.


We had a smoked salmon sharing platter to share which was supposed to come with melba toast, but we swapped it for toasted flat breads and this was washed down with a delicious apple & ginger mojito. We also had a dessert - Tea, Cake & a Biscuit. Peach custard (in the teacup) with a peach shortbread and a mini peach Victoria sponge, served with ice cream. All for £9 each as part of an Itison deal. 

I'll definitely be going back.

What are you smitten with this week?

P.S. I have no idea what's happened to the layout of my photos - but for quickness I'm going ahead and publishing this post even though it looks a bit of a mess! I'll sort it later :-)

Thursday 29 August 2013

{Guest Post}


I'm not even going to introduce this guest post, as he's written his own wee intro. Read on...

I read and enjoyed @Glasgow_Mummy ‘s blog post called Do you have a TV in your bedroom?

It reminded me of the type of blog post I used to do, and when @Glasgow_Mummy offered me the chance to do a response / guest post, I jumped at the chance.

You see, long ago in a galaxy far, far away, I used to blog.

I used to blog a lot.

I’d talk about relationships, and marital problems, and dating dilemmas, and fatherhood issues, and rant about all manner of things.

You might have read it.

It was called The Life of a Single Man.

I’m @Single_Man_75
Or I used to be.

I haven’t been @Single_Man_75 since early April now.  A lot of things prompted me to lose that identity and nowadays I reside on Twitter under a less anonymous account.  If you want to look me up, I’m @therock7507 and my name is Gary.

So I figure I need to respond to Sarah’s post.  She started by asking if we have TVs in our bedroom.

So do I?

Yes I do.  I always have, from when I was a child.  I can’t recall when I got one, but it probably dated from when I got my first computer, maybe aged 8.  For a long time all I did was play computer games on it and nothing else, but as I became a teenager then I started watching TV up in my room.
I blame this for the slow development of my social skills.
In fact I still have a severe lack of social skills, as those who have met me will attest. (I disagree!!)
I used to watch a hell of a lot of TV in my room as a teenager.  In fact, I barely went out.
So it seemed natural to have a TV in my room when I moved out to go to University and later to move in with the woman who became my wife.  She had also had a TV in her room for a long time and we regularly watched TV.
It wasn’t a good marriage, as some of you who read my blogs on the subject may remember.  Like Sarah says, having a TV in the bedroom can hinder communication in a relationship, and I’d certainly subscribe to that view.

TV often became the only thing we’d do in the bedroom.

Yes you read that right.  And the things you’re thinking right now, they’re right too.

So when my kids have been growing up, I’ve steadfastly refused to allow them to have TVs in their bedroom.  I just won’t do it.

I still have a TV in my bedroom but the only time its on is when the kids come into bed with me in a morning.

In relationships I’ve had since my divorce, I’ve found that the women involved don’t like the TV and so we’ve never lay there and watched it.

In short, we’ve found other things to do in the bedroom.

Yes you read that right.  And the things you’re thinking right now, they’re right too.

Sarah also asks about laptops and tablet devices.  I have both.  The tablet is a new thing and comes via my work, but I can’t imagine life without it.  I’m almost permanently attached to it.
But I agree with Sarah about laptops – during the worst times of my marriage, going on the laptop became, for her more than me but definitely for both of us, an escape route.  It meant we didn’t have to spend time together and, in doing so, we drifted apart.

The same is true of Sarah’s next point about going to bed alone.  When my then wife was using the laptop, usually on Facebook, she would stay up late to chat to friends (and the person who she eventually cheated on me with) – and I’d go to bed alone, resenting this.

Its not the same as going to bed on an argument, which is something I’ve never done (as I can’t leave an argument alone until I know its over and done with), but I take the point.
Most of these mistakes were mistakes in my marriage, and I haven’t repeated them in subsequent relationships thankfully.

@Glasgow_Mummy is right – grass is greener where you water it.  Simple gestures make a huge difference.  I remember my ex wife very rarely did any little gestures, either gifts or little verbal encouragers, or physical contact.  That says more about her than it does me, and says a lot about the state of our marriage for nine years, and looking back now I can see how poor our relationship was – but back then it was all I knew, and its only subsequent relationships that have taught me this.

I started off this guest post thinking I’d be able to put a man’s perspective on these things and that that perspective might be opposite, but its really not.  If anything my experiences have shown that Sarah has it bang on.

I’ve enjoyed writing this guest post though.

I miss blogging.

My blog is gone, almost certainly never to return.

It ran its course. It told the story of my love life, from marital split and divorce, to dating again, horror stories and success stories, casual sex and one night stands, and the stories of my unusual relationships...and in the end I ran out of things to say about love and relationships.

I had plenty of other things to say, and I still do, but the blog and my Twitter ID needed a complete rebrand and I couldn’t be @Single_Man_75 any more.

So I stopped.

Just like that.

I’m still here though.

Look me up if you want... @therock7507

I don’t talk about love or relationships any more.  Maybe that’s because I’m happy and content and in a loving relationship, without doubt the best one I’ve ever been in.  I’ve been with my girlfriend now since mid January and we love each other immensely.  Its a long distance relationship so has its share of problems that are related to distance, but in every other aspect its now very healthy and strong – though its gone through some difficult patches while we have both adjusted to being in a long term relationship again after both being hurt in the past.

I guess its impossible to reach my grand old age without having some emotional baggage.

I could write several blogs about that, and getting used to being in a relationship again.

Maybe some day I will.

For now, I miss her when she’s not around, and feel genuinely sad when I say goodbye to her.  I never tire of talking to her and both of us are constantly doing little simple gestures to and for each other.

I’m in love again, and this time its for real.

And not once has the TV been on in the bedroom.  

There’s no time for TV in the bedroom these days.

Till next time...

Wednesday 28 August 2013

{What I Wore Wednesday}


This week I've had a couple of nights out!

First up was a work night out at the weekend:


Animal print dress from Wallis

I had my hair done at Kano and they put it up for me :-)

The team had dinner at Burger Meats Bun and it was really yum. I can highly recommend it - we all loved the various chicken wings and different types of fries that we had to accompany our burgers. I loved that the burgers were served in paper and there weren't any plates. There were also rolls of kitchen roll on each table rather than napkins! There was a relaxed vibe and I'll definitely go back.

Then last night was date night, and this is what I wore:


Sequin jumper from Warehouse
Grey skinny jeans from Tu at Sainsbury's

Coral blazer from Wallis

We had cocktails at Hummingbird followed by dinner at The Butchershop Bar and Grill. The restaurant runs an offer on a Tuesday... Burger vs Steak Frites and you can choose from the house burger or dry-aged rump steak. 2 steaks or burgers with fries and a bottle of house wine for £30. Not bad! Again, I'd highly recommend it.

Head on over to Transatlantic Blonde's blog to see who else is joining in with What I Wore this week.



Monday 26 August 2013

{Smitten Saturday}

I'm so late with this week's Smitten Saturday post, so apologies!! I need to plan these better in advance!

Anyway, very quick post to share these uber cute girls wellie boots from Tu at Sainsburys. They have 25% off until the end of today too!! Wish they came in my size!!!

Friday 23 August 2013

{Do you have a TV in your bedroom?}

I've been having this discussion with a few of my friends this past week or so, with the jist being that we all feel that technology has a negative impact on relationships.

TV in the bedroom, yay or nay?
I grew up with no television in my bedroom (I vaguely remember about age 15 I had a black & white tune-in TV but it was rubbish and I didn't have it long). I was in my early 20s when I first had a TV in my bedroom but I was living on my own with my husband's parents (boyfriend at the time, and he was living elsewhere in Scotland!) and so it made sense to have a separate TV that I could watch.
When I then moved in with my husband (by which point he was my fiance) we continued to have a TV in the bedroom, but now looking back I think it was a bad decision and it had a definite negative impact on us. We watched far too much television and chose to sit in silence rather than communicating with each other.

At the moment I have a TV in my bedroom, mainly to keep the kids occupied whilst I get ready in the morning. When I move to my new house, there are going to be new rules and no televisions in bedrooms is one of them.

Laptop computers & tablet devices
I've never owned a laptop computer or a tablet device and I'm not sure that I ever will. I guess I'm quite old school in that respect.

My husband spent a lot of time on his laptop computer, and again, it meant that we weren't communicating with each other.

If I want to do something on the computer, I sit at my desk. If the kids want to play a computer game, we sit all together at the desk to play.

For a while I was letting my eldest play with my iPhone on the odd occasion, but I could see that he was becoming obsessed with it and as such he now doesn't get it at all.

Anyway, all this chat got me thinking about all the other things that I should have done differently in my marriage.

Don't go to bed alone
More often than not, my husband and I went to bed at different times. I struggled to stay up late and he was always up until the small hours working. Or if he did come to bed, I'd fall asleep and he'd stay up watching TV in our room.

I think we probably should have compromised and met somewhere in the middle.


Speaking of meeting in the middle, we had a gigantic super king bed. Yes, we're both tall - but I'm not sure we needed so much space. I could stretch my arms out in bed and I wouldn't be able to reach my husband. Surely that's not right? I'm never buying a super king bed again.

Never go to sleep on an argument - really?
I've never been one for arguments, but for some reason my husband would want to have important discussions at some crazy hour before he went to sleep. I was always too tired and really struggled to focus and get my point across. I definitely think that it's better to wait until the morning and yes, go to sleep on an argument.

The grass is greener where you water it
Everyone should know that relationships are hard work. The more you put in, the more you get out.


One of my pet hates was my husband swearing at me. It was the only thing I asked him not to do and it was the one thing he kept on doing. I don't think you should be calling your other half names, throwing things at them or swearing. Treat someone how you'd like to be treated in return.

There's also something to be said about small gestures. It's so nice to get a simple compliment, or a nice cup of tea made for you...and it doesn't cost a thing! Not saying there's anything wrong with flowers etc but you don't need to even go that far to make someone know they're special.

It's good to talk
Communication was one of our major downfalls. I think if there's something you want, then you should ask for it. There's no point letting things fester and build up into bigger deals than they originally were. It'll just make you angrier/upset. My downfall is that I'm fairly crap at talking about my feelings and prefer to communicate in writing.




Having fun
I think it's important to have fun things that you do as a couple. It became a habit that we would stay in, every night, even if we didn't have the children. I think I'd forgotten how to have a laugh.

Equally, I think it's key to have your own hobbies and interests outside of your relationship. I've always been one for trying new classes or activities, but when the kids came along I stopped doing all these things and I do regret that.

What do you think? Does technology have a negative impact on relationships?

Thursday 22 August 2013

{Change}


In just a week, everything seems to be clicking into place!

At the end of July I sold my house... I had no firm plans on where I was going to go (other than my friend Kath's house for a week or two!)... and things were a tiny bit stressful.

I started packing because I had just 6 weeks to vacate and I shared my tips for moving house here.

I had been viewing houses, seen a few I liked, but they were selling soooo quickly it was unreal.

And then I found a house that ticked nearly all the boxes... There was one other note of interest, but luckily for me they weren't in a position to make an offer... so I made an offer, which was declined... I increased it, but again it was rejected... and finally, after much deliberation, I increased my offer one last time and it was accepted!!!

Yippee - I have a house! It needs a bit of work, but it's ideal and I'm over the moon.

I'm already planning how I will decorate over on my Pinterest board 'For the Home'!! So exciting!!

I think the move is going to be emotional, and there have been tears shed already - there's still another 5 weeks to go before I actually have to move! 



I sold the corner suite that was in the living room and I cried when it was taken away. I don't think I realised just how many bad memories I had associated with the sofa and it was relief in a way to get rid of it. 

I'm looking forward to a fresh start... new house, new beginnings!


Wednesday 21 August 2013

{Weekend in Durham}

This post was supposed to be my Sunday Roundup, but I've been so busy I totally forgot about it until now... and it's Wednesday. Oops!!

At the weekend my sister (@the_grey_house) and I headed off on the train from Glasgow to Durham for the night for the wedding of Peter & Jenn. 
On the train! 


We stayed at Gadds Town House - a boutique hotel that was right opposite the church.

I loved the interior of the hotel... reminded me a bit of Malmaison. 

Scrubbed up and ready to rock n'roll. I was doing a reading at the ceremony and was a tad nervous! Thankfully it went well!!

The morning after... feeling a little dishevelled. My sister & I got a bit carried away at the ceilidh and I ended up on the concrete floor and managed to hurt my side. Whoops! :-(

On all the tables were charity shop vases filled with flowers. The guests were asked to take a vase of their choice home with them as a wedding favour. This was the jug that I picked.

The hotel room had a velvet curtain hiding the glass shower allowing the guest(s) in the room to peep in! We also had a bath at the bottom of the bed!! Would highly recommend it for a weekend away with someone special... perhaps not your sibling!


Unfortunately we didn't get much of an opportunity to explore Durham, but the town was really pretty and I'd definitely like to go back. It was only 3 hours on the train, and it was a direct route too with no changeovers. Ideal!

Back to Glasgow after a lovely day - absolutely knackered!

Sunday 18 August 2013

{Kapow!}

Last weekend was my son's 4th birthday party and at his request for a Batman party, we asked the organisers to plan the activities round the theme of Superheroes.

Here are a couple of the pics:

I had initially ordered a Batman dress for the party, but it didn't arrive in time. Last minute dash to Sainsbury's and I managed to purchase this fab Superman T-shirt from the boys section (it's age 12 years!) for a bargain price of £4.50!

My son in his batman outfit...

with little sister as Robin!!

Auntie Ali came to Glasgow for the day!!

And then just after the party, the dress arrived! (Excuse the laundry piles in the background!!)

Saturday 17 August 2013

{Smitten Saturday}

Glasgow Mummy

This weekend I was at my friends Jenn & Peter's wedding in Durham. I met Jenn 13 years ago when we worked at a summer camp in America together as part of BUNAC. They're such a lovely couple - congratulations guys!

Anyway, there was a guest at the wedding who was wearing a fabulous outfit... a puffy floral print skirt teamed with a bright vest and a neon blazer.

My sister (@the_grey_house) has this fab coral blazer from TopShop which I love. I've worn it once before and it's a really versatile piece. Ali wears it all the time...


And so when I spotted this blazer in Wallis today I just had to buy it:


Plus, at the moment, the blazer is reduced from £40 to £32! Bonus!

The reason I was in Wallis was because of this recent post by Bex at The Olive Dragonfly...and I got a little carried away with their promotional discounts and ended up buying these items too... oops!!



What are you smitten with right now? 

Leave me a comment below or join in the chat on my Facebook page






Tuesday 13 August 2013

{Guest Post: Fun Summer Recipes}


We all want the best for our little ones, including a healthy diet. Feeding them a variety of different foods can be very difficult when you have financial restraints, work commitments, and many other factors to consider. Sometimes, by our own admission, we are guilty of whipping up ‘something quick’.  Looking for some summer inspiration to keep them full of goodness and recipes they will enjoy joining in with? Look no further. Cooking is a skill for life so introduce it to your little ones with these creative culinary delights.

Fruit Ice Pops

These are perfect for hot days and ensure your little ones aren’t getting any of those icky additives the shop-bought ices may contain. You can also make these up any fruit that is close to spoiling.

You will need:
  •        Ice Lolly Moulds
  •        Diced fruit
  •         A blender or masher

1. Chop up the fruit of your choice. Strawberries and watermelon work well together, as do peaches and mango. Then, add them to a blender.
2. Blend the fruit until smooth, and then pour the thick liquid into your lolly moulds.
3. Freeze them for 6-8 hours, or until fully frozen, then enjoy!


Banana Bagels

Whether you take these on a picnic, or serve them as a treat breakfast, banana bagels are a perfect way to give your kids the fuel they need while tasting delicious.

You will need:

  •        One bagel per child
  •        Peanut butter or Nutella
  •        Banana slices

1.  Cut each bagel in half as you would cut a bread bun and toast it until warm and slightly crispy.
2. Spread each half with your peanut butter or chocolate spread, then add 6-8 banana slices. Serve open, or put both halves back together if desired. Simple!


Rainbow Salad

A delicious salad filled with a rainbow of colour to get your child the nutrition they need in the most colourful 
form possible!

You will need:
  •        Shredded lettuce
  •         Grated beetroot (around 50g)
  •        Three grated carrots
  •        Sweetcorn 
  •         2 red peppers, one cut into strips and one diced
  •        If desired, some lean bacon strips, cooked.

1. Each salad should be prepared separately for maximum effect, so pick a bowl for each child.
2. Following the principles of the ‘rainbow’, layer your ingredients in the bowl, starting with beetroot at the bottom, then lettuce, then sweetcorn, then carrot, followed by red peppers on top.
3. Top your salad with the bacon and serve!


About the Author
This article was written on behalf of Galt Toys. Galt Toys have been manufacturing toys for over 175 years, and know a thing or two about toys…and having fun!

Beauty with a Conscious

I volunteer most weeks with the Prince and Princess of Wales hospice, located in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, where I deliver a mindfulness m...