Blog anniversary and REPOST: Autumn Glory

Good Morning!

Perhaps it might be too soon to start digging into the archives of my blog, but whilst away on holiday in the blazing hot sun, there were times towards the end of the two weeks, that I started to miss London and the Autumn back here. You see, visually, Autumn is no doubt my most favorite season.

There is just something about the sight, the, the way the colourful leaves fall and gently blow in the wind. It just seems so relaxing and peaceful.


I am therefore doing a re-post of one of my older entries from September last year (which is by the way also when I started this blog - i.e it is now one year old. HURRAY!), because I feel that sometimes it's easier to let a previous post speak for itself instead, and this Season is just fantastic! Here is my old post, and I 've made a few additions.

WHY DO I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR?

The brilliant display of colours

I enjoy the happy medium between freezing and hot; cool

Soups - I could live on soups. and a crusty baguette

A nice cup of Chai while curled up with Bear and Sean on the sofa with our cosy blanket after a long day

being able to curl up in a warm sweater without boiling, and with a good book in one hand and a hot cup of chocolate in the other

the crisp mornings

Socks and slippers - a proper excuse to wear one of all my silly pairs of slippers/UGG-type shoes. As soon as the nights get colder and temperatures drop, I pull out my favourites including my comfy PJ's (Primark is great for those!), and matching slippers and socks. So cozy! :-)

Boots - You can never have enough pairs of boots. Soft, supple, go with anything, boots. And this year of course; my over-the knee boots!

The evenings that are chilly enough to light lots of candles everywhere (but not cold enough to put on the central heating).

Sleeping with the windows open and laying in some mornings with Bear, snuggling under a few duvets

Romance - for some reason, Autumn seem to remind me of blossoming love (new romance for the singletons), and getting a taste of that romantic bug, have a weekend break in a country side hotel with a log fire etc.

Wardrobe changes - fashion and clothing-wise, this season is also my most favourite one. I really enjoy bringing out the neutral colours; browns, blacks and greys, and then of course the layering. I LOVE layering. Boyfriend cardigans, light sweaters, scarves etc. Luv it all!

Hope you too are all having a lovely "I-love-Autumn-day" today

Hugs and Loves,

Catharina

The last of our holiday snaps

typical Portuguese town house

Bear after one too many glasses of local wine

Baba loves it when we go for drives (which reminds me that we MUST exchange our two seater for a four wheel drive asap)

Sean easily entertains himself

In our rented car

A handsome devil :-)

In the beautiful cobbled town centre

Sun lotion on the camera lens!

Lagos Marina

Our weekend in Vilamoura

Arrived after 4o mins drive at hotel where we were staying for a couple of nights

Slightly boozy lunch at Portugal's famous Nikki Beach

Playing in the hotel gardens

Sean enjoying the sandy beach

A mouth full of sand! lol

The beautiful beach was mostly all to ourselves

Kisses and cuddles

a little merry :-)

Gorgeous Hibiscus

outdoor four poster bed, great for chilling out

Peek a boo, Sean!

Tired after late nigh in the marina

Mum's make up brush is currently the favourite toy

Our first few days in the villa

Floating in the pool

Reading Stieg Larsson in the evening sun

Daddy introducing Sean to the swimming pool

Sun worshipper (with SPF 40! LOL)

Sean also has his own paddling pool that he enjoys splashing around in

Lunching on the terrace

Bear chatting with our Portuguese friend Joseph in the garden, as Sean looks on!

Bear in thoughtful mood having coffee at the local supermarket

A newly bathed baba

Another day in paradise

Mum and baby in a tired mood after a long day in the sun and swimming pool.

Holiday Time

We have arrived and will take some pictures in the next few days. Meantime here are some snaps from last year when we stayed at the same villa (before Sean's arrival!)

Stay tuned!

XOXO

The ground floor by the swimming pool has been turned in to a games room, with pool table, ping pong table, a fully functional juke box etc

Living room

Pool table in basement

One of the three (en-suite) bedrooms

Our private pool

Fully equipped kitchen

The front of our villa (not showing the lovely balconies from each bedroom)

My bucket list

flying in a hot air balloon is one of the many things on my bucket list

Good morning! Today, I'm nursing a slight hangover from last night, but there is nothing in the world that could dampen my high spirits and excitement from going on holiday in less than 24 hours! :-)

In the meantime, I've decided to share my "bucket list" with you. My “bucket list” (I was inspired after watching the Jack Nicholson movie of the same name), is an ongoing list to which I will be adding more as time passes, and hopefully I will be crossing more off the list (achieved), as and when.

Some goals are easily attainable, while others may seem somewhat unrealistic. Even so, I aspire to accomplish all of these things (and more!). A bucket list should reflect one's individual true passions, interests and desires, and not just be filled with stuff that other people talk and dream about unless it truly reflects your aspirations.

I find dreams and goals to be completely necessary, and something that all of us should have to keep us inspired, help push our individual limits and challenge ourselves on a daily basis. Here is my list:

§ Get married

§ Swim with dolphins

§ Study the gorillas in Rwanda

§ Travel on the Oriental (in Agatha Christy style) and/or on the Tran Siberian Express over central Asia etc

§ Rent a yacht (with a skipper and a chef) in the Caribbean

§ Live in London

§ Forgive

§ Go on an elephant ride in Thailand

§ Plant a tree

§ Grow my own vegetables/have a small green house

§ Own a grand piano

§ Go to the opera in Vienna

§ Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge

§ Meet a member of the Royal Family (preferably Harry or William)

§ Create and maintain a blog

§ Teach

§ Sleep under the stars as an adult

§ Own a tweed Chanel jacket

§ Visit a casino in Las Vegas and gamble

§ Rent a beach house in Venice Beach/Santa Monica

§ Visit the casino in Monte Carlo

§ Live overseas

§ Visit South Africa for safari

§ Visit Bora Bora (and hopefully get married there)

§ Go grape stomping at a vineyard

§ Rent a tandem in Amsterdam

§ Charter a private plane

§ Ride in a horse drawn carriage in Central Park, New York

§ Own a real set of pearls

§ Host a themed party

§ Dine in Cipriani London and New York

§ Give Sean a sibling

§ Visit Zanzibar

§ Take a nutrition course

§ Stay at the Ritz London

§ Stay at the Ritz, Paris

§ Visit the Mona Lisa in Louvre

§ Ride a gondola in Venice

§ Own a real Chanel bag

§ Go backstage at a concert

§ Go horseback riding on a beach

§ Take a sewing course

§ Visit Miami

§ Get involved with NSPCC (national society for the prevention cruelty to children) somehow

§ Stay at the worlds only 8*hotel, the Burj Al Arab in Dubai

§ See Bruce Springsteen live in concert

§ Get a tattoo of Cupid on the small of my back

§ Master a third language fluently

§ Go to a Forumla One race

§ Visit a Buddhist temple

§ Visit Loch Lomond in Scotland

§ Learn how to become an amazing cook

§ Go bar hopping somewhere in the deep South in America, listening to good live bands playing

§ Own a karaoke machine

§ Visit Ireland and have a pint of Guinness

§ Rent a castle in Scotland and celebrate New Years with mine and Bear’s immediate family

§ Stay in a light house (Wales)

§ Have a romantic champagne dinner on the beach under the stars in an exotic location

§ Create a home (our future house) with an inviting, joyous, comfortable, loving atmosphere as well as having a granny flat attached, for Mum to live there

§ donate blood

§ ride in a hot air balloon

§ go to Disney World (Florida) with Baby Bear

§ learn to play poker

§ Visit The Kentucky Derby, USA

Sat night, London town (slightly tipsy!)

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