A long weekend in Llangennith

We went to the Gower last weekend with Jessie for a well-earned break. We had a lovely relaxing time and it was very difficult to go back to reality last week!

We arrived on the Friday afternoon and were greeted by blue skies and abundant sunshine. The Gower is a beautiful part of the world, and Llangennith is definitely a jewel in its crown.

We took Jessie for a quick walk after we'd checked in, then we stopped for a drink in the beer garden at the pub we were staying in. After we'd finished our drinks, we went inside to the pub's dog-friendly area to have our dinner. I'd been craving a burger all day, so that's exactly what I ordered and it didn't disappoint. 

On Saturday morning, we got up bright and early and went for breakfast. We ate in the dog-friendly area again so that Jessie could join us, and she very much enjoyed all the attention from our fellow diners and their dogs. 

After we'd finished our poached eggs on toast, we set off for the beach. The beach is a half hour walk from the pub so we had a nice warm-up before we got to the main attraction. Seeing Jessie bounding around in the soft sand at the entrance to the beach was one of my highlights of the whole weekend. 

The entrance and surrounding area were fairly busy, but as we walked along the beach it became more and more secluded. Jessie loved every second of it, and I loved seeing her so happy. We stopped for a few breaks to give her little legs a rest (and for me to take a hundred photos of her), then we turned around and walked back towards the entrance. 

After our long walk along the beach, we stopped for a drink and some cake at the diner nearby before walking back to the pub. It wouldn't have felt like a Saturday if we didn't partake in our traditional coffee and hot chocolate ritual! 

We spent a sunny afternoon in the beer garden when we got back to the pub. There were loads of dogs there with their humans, and they all looked as zonked as Jessie did after their long walks. 

After a couple of drinks, we headed back inside to our beloved dog-friendly area. I'd seen a few people eating pizza in the beer garden, so that's what I decided to order because I'm far too impressionable for my own good. 

Jessie was well and truly exhausted after our long walk, so she passed out into a deep slumber as soon as we got back to our room. She's the cutest dog in the world, particularly when she's sleepy. 

We went for our final breakfast on Sunday, then we took Jessie for another little walk before we packed up our things. Her little legs must still have been tired from the day before as she refused to walk very far! 

Once we'd checked out, we drove to my parents' house in Carmarthenshire. We spent a nice relaxing day with them which included eating my mother's Sunday dinner and watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and we stayed over on Sunday night to maximise our time with them. Their garden is amazing, particularly during the summer months, so I absolutely had to feature a photo of it on my blog. 

After a trip to Costa with my parents on Monday morning for another hot chocolate fix, we drove back to Penarth to blitz all our chores before going back to work on Tuesday. 

And, just like that, the weekend was over. Although it seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, we had such a great time and loved spending some quality time with Jessie and with each other. It's always lovely to catch up with my parents too, and it felt as if we fitted lots of nice things in to our long weekend. 

Hopefully we'll be back in the Gower with Jessie very soon... watch this space! 

5 reasons why I love having a dog

If you're a regular reader of my blog or a stalker of my social channels, you'll already know that I've got a beautiful corgi called Jessie who I love with all my heart.

Jessie turned 2 last week, so I thought it was the perfect time to blog about why I love having a dog. 

1. There's always someone waiting for you when you get home 

I love it that Jessie is always enthusiastically waiting for me when I get home, without fail. She's usually sitting on the windowsill eagerly awaiting my arrival, then her nose appears by the front door as soon as I open it the tiniest crack. She's always tail-waggingly delighted to see me whether I've been gone for ten hours or ten minutes, and I love knowing that I'll be seeing her beautiful little face after a long day. 

2. You absolutely have to leave the house to go for a walk, even when you don't feel like it 

When Jessie first barreled into our lives, I wasn't in a great place. I was off sick from work and some days I just wanted to hide under my duvet and stay there all day. However, having Jessie meant I had to force myself to get out of the house every day to take her for a walk. It did me the world of good, and I'll be forever grateful to her for pulling me out of that slump. Taking Jessie out for a walk is brilliant exercise, it gives us lots of fresh air, it makes us appreciate our beautiful surroundings and, best of all, it makes her super happy. 

3. She loves me unconditionally whatever I've done, whatever I look like and whatever I feel like 

I know Jessie will always love me even when I look terrible, when I'm grumpy, when I'm ill, when I've said and done silly things, or when I just feel rubbish about myself. She's never judgmental or two faced, and she loves me just the way I am. The phrase 'dogs are a man's (or woman's) best friend' makes perfect sense to me now that I've got a dog of my own, and Jessie is an integral part of our little family. 

4. She makes me smile every single day 

Jessie is unintentionally hilarious, and I'm sure all dog owners would say exactly the same thing about their fluffy companions. The more earnest and serious she tries to be, the more she makes me chuckle. She never fails to make me laugh and smile, whatever mood I'm in, and I'm so grateful to her for bringing so much joy and laughter into our lives. 

5. Unlimited cwtches 

I always said I wanted a cwtchy dog, and Jessie is exactly that. In the evenings after her walk, she loves nothing more than to snuggle up between us on the sofa and nuzzle her nose into my pyjamas. She's the fluffiest and most affectionate dog I've ever met, and she's the perfect size for sofa cwtches. I genuinely can't remember what life was like before she took over our lives (and our furniture). 

There are plenty more reasons why I love Jessie which I could talk about all day, but I thought I'd stick to my top five for this blog post!

Best of 2018

I always enjoy writing my 'best of' posts at the end of every year. In case you missed it twelve months ago, you can read last year's post here!

2018 had a difficult ending as we had some bad news just after getting back from New York. It's much easier to focus on the negatives when the chips are down, and these types of posts help to remind me that there were lots of good times to be thankful for in 2018.

You might notice that there's a definite 'food and Jessie' theme running throughout which pretty much sums up my day-to-day life. I'm perfectly fine with that.

I haven't been able to include every highlight which is always a good sign that it was a full and busy year, but here are some of my favourite moments from 2018.

Fake Christmas 

The annual Fake Christmas tradition with my university friends continued last January. Liz was my Secret Santa and I think you'll all agree that these gifts are perfect for me. 

Sunday lunch at the Vale Resort 

Neil's parents bought us a voucher for Sunday lunch at the Vale Resort for our third wedding anniversary, and we finally had the chance to redeem it last February. I blogged about it here. 

Went out for dinner with Sophie 

Sophie and I went to Penarth's Etc one evening in February for a nice dinner and cocktails. We left our husbands at home with the Playstation and takeaway pizza! 

Jessie's first snow

We had a crazy amount of snow at the beginning of March. Although she was extremely confused at first, Jessie loved it once her little legs had found their bearings.

Afternoon tea at Machynys Golf Club and Spa

I had a lovely week off before starting my new job last March. The week included a few days at my parents' house and afternoon tea and a manicure at Machynys with Nicola.

New job 

That leads me nicely on to one of my biggest highlights of 2018... starting my new job in March! I bought myself this 'celebration' necklace from Clogau as a treat to mark the occasion. 

Jessie's first birthday 

We celebrated Jessie's first birthday in April and she was spoilt rotten (even more so than usual). I blogged about it here.  

A weekend with my uni friends

I spent the weekend in Bristol with my university friends in April. We don't get to catch up very often so it was lovely to see everyone so soon after our Fake Christmas shenanigans.  

18 months all clear 

We had dinner at Viva Brazil in April to celebrate me being all clear at the 18 month mark. I had a procedure during the same week to get an irritating long-term eye problem sorted, hence the need for glasses in this photo! Horrible procedure, great result. 

Final support group meeting and lunch 

My support group sadly came to an end in 2018 due to funding cuts. The end of the group obviously wasn't something to celebrate, but we all had a lovely afternoon after our final meeting with a plastic jug of pink Prosecco... perils of eating out in Cardiff on a rugby day.  

Walt Disney World 

Neil and I spent an amazing fortnight in Florida's Walt Disney World in May. It's my favourite place in the world, and you can read a photographic summary of our trip here. 

My birthday 

We celebrated my birthday with lots of eating, shopping and more eating. I blogged about it here. 

Finished our major re-decorating project 

We finally finished re-decorating our house (for now), including a beautiful pink, grey and white makeover for our bedroom. I blogged about it here. 

Mad Hatter's afternoon tea with Sarah 

Sarah bought me a voucher for this amazing afternoon tea as a birthday gift, and we went together in August. I blogged about it here. 

Fourth wedding anniversary 

We celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary with a meal in Llanerch Vineyard and some lovely gifts. I blogged about it here. 

Afternoon tea with Liz and Abbie 

I went back to Pettigrew Tea Rooms in September after a long (for me) absence and had afternoon tea with Liz and baby Abbie. I blogged about it here. 

Afternoon tea in Portishead with Amy 

I visited Amy for the day in September and we had an absolutely MASSIVE afternoon tea in Portishead. 

Weekend with Sarah

Sarah came to visit for the weekend at the end of September. We drank Prosecco, went for a nice walk around Cardiff Bay, and had pancakes in Bill's for breakfast. 

Llangennith 

Neil and I took Jessie on her first holiday and spent a lovely few days in Llangennith, followed by a day at my parents' house. I blogged about it here. 

Visited Fee in Milton Keynes 

I spent a lovely weekend with Fee and Liz in October. The weekend was obviously structured around food... always the best way to structure a weekend. We did do a bit of walking to make up for it. 

Two years all clear 

We had a spectacular meal at Pier 64 in October to celebrate me being all clear at the two year mark. I blogged about it here. 

Christmas shopping trip in Bristol 

I went to Bristol for the day in November for the traditional Christmas shopping trip with my university friends. I blogged about it here. 

Afternoon tea with Jo 

I caught up with Jo for the first time in ages in November with yet another delicious afternoon tea in Pettigrew Tea Rooms. 

Weekend with Nicola 

Nicola came to stay for the weekend at the end of November. We did lots of shopping and had afternoon tea in Pettigrew Tea Rooms (I'm sensing a bit of a theme here). 

New York 

Neil and I spent a week in New York at the beginning of December and were completely and utterly wowed by all the Christmas lights. You can read a photographic summary of our trip here. 

Work Christmas party 

I went to my first work Christmas party with my new colleagues in December. We ate a lovely meal in Las Iguanas then went on to Rum & Fizz before finishing off the evening at Dirty Martini. 

Christmas 

No highlights post would be complete without mentioning Christmas at the end. I blogged about it here, along with a summary of our new year celebrations.

Have you published a 'best of 2018' post? Let me know if so, I'd love to read it! 

Why autumn is my favourite season

While everyone else was basking in June and July's heatwave, I secretly couldn't wait for autumn to arrive.

The house was unbearably hot, the office was unbearably hot, the great outdoors was unbearably hot. Everywhere and everything was unbearably hot and I longed for the day when it would be cool enough to wear my tights and boots again.

August came along and decided to be its usual frizz-inducing hot and rainy self, so I was delighted when autumn finally announced itself.

Here are just a few reasons why autumn is my favourite season...



1. Memories 

I don't think summer will ever feel the same for me after the events of two years ago. The summer of 2016 was riddled with tests and uncertainty, and every summer since has brought back vivid memories of that horrible time. Once October arrives and autumn is in full swing, I instantly feel a little better.



2. The cooler weather 

I absolutely adore dry autumnal days. Cold, crisp and sunny days are far more enjoyable than a sweltering hot day, in my humble heatwave-hating opinion.

3. Ugg boots 

Following on from the previous point, autumn provides the ideal weather for my beloved collection of Ugg boots. Dry and cold is the perfect combination for these comfy beauties!

4. Wearing all the layers

Wrapping myself up in a big coat, jumper, hat, scarf and gloves makes me inexplicably happy. I feel a little incomplete in the summer without all my cosy layers and accessories, and autumn's cooler weather also means I've got more items to colour-coordinate. What's not to love?



5. Pretty trees 

I love autumn leaves, whether they're still attached to trees or if they've fallen on the ground. They're beautifully instagrammable, they make me smile, and they can brighten up the dullest of days.

6. Jessie's favourite season 

Autumn is also Jessie's favourite season. The summer is too hot for her as she's got such a thick fur coat, and I felt so terrible for her during the heatwave. She couldn't go for long walks and couldn't even get particularly cool at home, so she's in her element at this time of year.

7. Catching up with friends

I always seem to cram most of my meet ups with friends who don't live locally into the autumn. I caught up with Sarah, Liz and Fee last month and have got another few outings planned for this month, including the annual Christmas shopping trip with my university friends (which generally involves more eating than shopping).



8. Candles 

I light candles all year round, but I love bringing out the autumnal and Christmassy scents once October arrives. Is there anything better than lighting a cinnamon-scented candle and curling up on the sofa in your pyjamas with a hot chocolate and a good book?



9. Hot chocolate 

Talking of hot chocolate... I know I drink a lot of it all year round, but it feels like an extra special treat when I drink it during the autumn months. I had to stay away from hot chocolate during the heatwave which made me even more grumpy!

10. Christmas! 

Once autumn is here, I can officially start my Christmas shopping. Once I've started my Christmas shopping, it's only a matter of time until I can start sneakily adding Christmas touches to the house and digging out my Christmas jumpers. And now that Halloween is over and November is here, it really is nearly Christmas!

What's your favourite season? Are there any other autumnal fans out there? 

A weekend away in the Gower

Last weekend, we took Jessie on her very first holiday. She stayed in my parents' house with us for one night last Christmas, but the three of us had never been on a proper holiday together until last weekend.

We'd been researching dog-friendly hotels in the Gower for a while, then one of our friends recommended the King's Head Inn in Llangennith which sounded perfect. The Gower is an ideal distance for a two night stay, and it also meant we could stay at my parents' house for the third night as they don't live too far from there.

We finished our packing on the Friday morning, then left for Llangennith at around 2pm. If I'm being completely honest, it probably took me longer to pack Jessie's things than to pack my own belongings. I bought a new backpack for her to mark the occasion which she seemed pretty excited about, even if that's not particularly evident in this photo.

It took us just over an hour to get to the King's Head Inn. We'd been allocated a spacious ground floor room, and the pub itself where we'd eat our breakfast and dinner was only a stone's throw away. 

We went out for a walk to explore our surroundings as soon as we'd unpacked. The clouds were beginning to gather and we were concerned that it might rain, so we were eager to do some exploring before the weather turned. We walked towards Rhossili for about half an hour but decided to turn back before catching a glimpse of the beach. We had the whole of Saturday to explore and didn't want to tire Jessie's little legs out too much on the first day. In true holiday style, we did make time for a family selfie before making our way back down the hill! 

We had a glass of wine and a beer in the pub's outdoor seating area before making our way back to our room to feed Jessie and to get ready for our evening meal. The pub had a dog-friendly eating area which meant we were able to take Jessie along with us for all our meals. We met dogs of all shapes and sizes in the pub over the two days and Jessie made lots of new friends. On the Friday evening, she even felt comfortable enough to steal another dog's chew when they took their eyes off it for five seconds. Naughty Jessie! 

It was forecast to rain pretty much all day on Saturday and, true to form, it was pouring down when we went for breakfast. We were trying to decide how to deal with the wet weather while we ate our breakfast, then we looked out of the window and realised it was brightening up. We thankfully didn't see another drop of rain all day, and we were pretty delighted that the forecast was wrong. 

After breakfast, we got ready to set off for a long walk. We decided to take a different route to the one we took on Friday afternoon for a change of scenery. We walked through the village to Hillend campsite, then on to Llangennith Beach from there. It was Jessie's first time at the beach and she loved it. She seemed fairly non-plussed about the sea, but she was definitely a very big fan of the sand and the shells.

We had a little paddle with Jessie in the sea and walked along the beach for quite a while, then we turned and walked back towards the campsite entrance. We stopped outside a little cafe for a hot drink and some toasted teacakes (and some treats for Jessie), then we walked back to the pub for an afternoon drink to reward ourselves for completing such a long walk. 

We then had a couple of hours to relax before heading back out for our evening meal. We met the usual crowd of dogs and their owners, but all the dogs and humans were noticeably much more tired than they'd been the night before after walking all day! Poor Jessie was completely zonked and was fast asleep within minutes of us getting back to our room. 

On Sunday morning, we had breakfast then drove to my parents' house after we'd checked out of our room. My brother happened to be staying for the weekend so it was great to be able to catch up with him too, and Jessie loved all the extra attention. My mother cooked a lovely Sunday lunch, then we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and evening interspersed with a couple of little walks for Jessie. She was very excited about seeing everyone but was clearly still exhausted from her exciting exertions the day before. 

We went for a hot chocolate and a cake in Costa with my parents on Monday morning before heading back to Penarth in the afternoon. We immediately threw ourselves back into reality and did all our unpacking, laundry and food shopping in record time ready to go back to work the following day. 

It was so lovely to spend a proper long weekend with Neil and to be able to take Jessie with us wherever we went, as well as having the opportunity to catch up with my parents and my brother. It's no secret that I love going on holiday (who doesn't)?, but there's always a tinge of sadness when we leave Jessie behind which is why this one was so enjoyable. We'll definitely be booking to go back to Llangennith at some point! 

Have you taken your dog on holiday recently? Let me know if you've got any recommendations!