30 of my Favourite Things

Greetings from Vancouver, and I hope everyone’s in the festive spirit! Mom and I headed out to the grocery store at 7am this morning to beat the mad rush, but it was still chaos. Despite the tired hoards, we managed to pick up everything for Christmas day and eve (apart from chutney and Wensleydale cheese- no British food for me). I’m really looking forward to feasting over the next couple of days. 🙂

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m dedicating today to my birthday celebrations. My 30th birthday was on Monday and, although I wasn’t looking forward to it, I survived turning a year older. After all, I already have a bad back and my joints snap, so it’s just a number really…

Friday my colleagues (who were hungover from the Christmas party the evening before) gave me a Colin Cake [caterpillar cake], and I got a lovely card from my department. On Sunday, Lucy’s very kind Aunt Jane hosted a party for me. SO MUCH FOOD! We had a nice afternoon and I received some wonderful, generous gifts. It was also nice to spend time with everyone before I headed to Canada. On Monday, Lucy and I celebrated my birthday (and my first day off work) by going to Burford for lunch and then going to the garden centre. Nothing exciting, but it was perfect.

Tuesday was spent traveling and Wednesday my family had a little celebration for me. My brother, being inspired by the geology-themed cake I made for him, made me a cake! It’s peanut butter chocolate and based off of the cake from Matilda. Bless him, he tried really hard and had to go to three different stores to find piping bags. The top got a little smushed in transit, but it still tastes great.

I’ve been planning this post for a while; I wanted to list 30 of my favourite things as a reminder to myself that even though things aren’t going well at work and the daily grind is hard for everyone, there are always things to enjoy and be thankful for. Here is my ultimate “favourites list”. It’s not in any particular order, or exhaustive, and it’s quirky and random- just like me.

1. Lucy – my love. I don’t know what I’d do without her

   

2. My Fit Bit – It tells the time, and motivates me to be as healthy as I can. I’d highly recommend getting one!
3. CHOCOLATE
4. Sleeping. Possibly my most favourite pastime
5. CHICKEN. Anyone who knows me knows that I love chicken
6. CHRISTMAS! I think it’s worked out well that my birthday is a week from Christmas since I love the festive season so much.
7. Candles – I’m sensitive to a lot of scents but they make the house so warm and inviting
8. Dogs. All dogs really but some of my favourites are: Watson, Toby, Casey, and all dachshunds

   

9. My family, Lucy’s family, and my friends
10. Makeup – I love how it makes me feel and I enjoy experimenting with different colours and testing out products
11. You Tube – I spend a large portion of my free time watching other people (in a non creepy way). I also enjoy funny videos that pop into my feed as they really make my day.
12. Canada – My home and native land. I love the diverse landscapes (BC and PEI are my favourites), I love the funny mannerisms, I love our pride in hockey, moose, and beavers. I love Canadian snack food: poutine, tim bits, dill pickle chips, KD, snack crackers – all the things that are terrible for you that I miss living in England.

    

13. Baking – This blog came about because I love baking. I’ve had to cut down on the frequency due to weight gain and a new work schedule, but I still love baking when I get the chance. My favourite things to bake are: cupcakes, banana bread, and butter tarts.
14. Hot showers and baths. I like it just about boiling and only for about 15 minutes
15. Cute things – I know, such a broad category, but I love cute babies and animals and twee Christmas decorations
16. Orchids. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned my orchid obsession, but I have three orchids that are adopted from past Oxford students and they are my babies. Last week they were bursting with buds and ready to bloom again! Lucy is getting me a new orchid for my birthday 🙂
17. The history of Oxford. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to study at my dream university and live in one of the most wonderful cities for a person who loves British history.

    

    It’s a city of character and I always remind myself to look up when commuting to enjoy the dreaming spires.

18. Scarves. As mentioned in my gift guide post, I have a problem.
19. Leisurely walks. Unless I am late or running for the bus, I usually walk at a turtle’s pace. I love going for weekend walks with Lucy or if I’m in Canada, I like to walk on the dikes, in the local forests, and beach walks.
20. I suppose it would be weird if I didn’t include my research in this list since I’ve spent a good portion of my adult life working on it. I love the history of medicine and science, I love the history of 18th century (Georgian) England, and I love the history of recipe books. Even though I haven’t been able to continue my career as an academic for my day job, I still keep up my research as my passion.

    

21. Books, paleography, and manuscripts. I love to read, I love to collect books, and I love looking at handwriting styles. Whenever we go to museums or historic sites, my eye is always drawn to the manuscripts.
22. Movies. I am a film fiend and I’ll watch the same movies over and over again. Some of my favourites include: The Sword and the Stone, Notting Hill, Jurassic Park, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, The Emperor’s New Groove, Hook, and You’ve Got Mail.
23. Trash Telly – Apart from You Tube, my other way to unwind is watch terrible nonsense on T.V. For example: First Dates, Family Guy, GBBO, Seven Year Switch, Diners Drive Ins, and Dives
24. Warm windy days
25. Swimming
26. Bournemouth- A recent love, but I keep dreaming of going back
27. 80s Music. My favourite song is Betty Davis Eyes
28. The rolling hills and countryside of England
29. Gardening. I love being in the garden and the smell of soil. Spring bulbs are my favourite, but I also love lilac, peony, and just the different styles of gardens that exist, such as a veg patch, peaceful pond garden, or an ornamental rose garden.
30. SHOPPING- I love to buy things (most of us do)

A random post I know, but if you’ve stuck through to the end of this list, thanks for reading and I’d love to know what you’re favourite things are! I hope that in today’s uncertain, frightening, and depressing world we can all focus on the good things and the things that make us happy to help work together to make the world a more peaceful and enjoyable place.

Merry Christmas to all my readers and I wish you a holiday filled with your favourite things!

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