Something To Smile About

I'm a natural born worrier. I worry about everything. The typical stuff like money, studying and health, and then the non-typical stuff like, oh, everything else. I worry about toys left behind on the pavement, I worry about children dropping their ice cream cones seconds after getting them, you name it I probably worry about it.

With all this worrying it can be hard to stop and think about all the nice things in the world. So, with that in mind, I've decided to do a weekly blog post about things that made me smile lately. Most of them are tiny little things, but it's good to appreciate all the small things (alright Blink-182). #mindfulness

1. This wall art in Athlone IT. In the graphic design campus the walls are decorated beautifully, it's so refreshing to see and it brightened up my day.

2. Midterm break. A loooong week off of chilling and sleeping. I've been so exhausted lately and it's nice to be able to have a proper sleep in my quiet bedroom at home.

3. Winning a Bellamianta tan and Sleek makeup from ChemCo chemist in Sligo. Yay!

4. Coming home to warmth, love and a tidy room. Having dinner with my family, a heart to heart with my mum and the fact my brother is staying with me and Laurence this weekend.

5. An evening walk along Strandhill beach and hot chocolates with my boyfriend. Spending time connecting with each other helps lessen the stress of adjusting to living together!

What made you smile this week? Let me know!

Ch-ch-changes

Yesterday was a big day for me. I moved out for the first time, and moved in with my boyfriend.

I said goodbye to my dad and my brother the night before, and my brother started playing that Beatles song 'She's Leaving Home' which nearly set off the waterworks, but I managed to reign it in. My mum and I set off in the morning for Athlone, with our little green Hyundai Getz almost as weighed down with boxes as I am after a Chinese takeaway. We laughed and chatted the whole way there, and stopped halfway through at McDonald's for obligatory hash browns and coffee. I was half excited and half filled with dread, because for all the excitement of unpacking with my mum I knew she'd soon have to go and we'd have to say our goodbyes.

My mum was such a fantastic help through the whole moving process, I dunno what we would've done without her. I'd have probably ended up moving in with just a toothbrush and a pillow! I managed to sneak nearly everything I wanted to bring in the car. It was like car Tetris trying to get everything to fit, but we did it (well, I say we, really it was my mum).

The next big hurdle was trying to get everything from two cars (ours and Laurence's) up 4 flights of stairs. Our apartment block doesn't have a lift so there was some serious manouevering required. Thankfully Laurence asked Shane, a friend of ours (who happens to be really strong) if he would mind helping us lift some boxes and he obliged. He was a fantastic help and we had all the boxes up within a couple of hours. He even unblocked the gutters for us! The lads sat down playing a video game - typical boy, the first thing Laurence unpacked was his PS4 - while we cleaned, unpacked and then went to Mr Price and Tesco to get a few last minute bits we didn't have.

I tried to hold it together while I said goodbye to mum, but it was incredibly hard. I didn't want to start crying because I knew I'd set her off crying and it'd make it even tougher! Laurence and I waved her goodbye and then went back up to say goodbye to Shane a.k.a kick him out. Laurence left me in the apartment for a few minutes while he waved Shane off. I decided to read my mum's blog post while I had a few moments to myself. Poor Laurence walked back into the apartment to find me crying my eyes out in front of a bowl of half-eaten cold spaghetti hoops. All the emotions I'd built up had finally culminated and the floodgates were open. We had a little cuddle as I sobbed onto his shoulder and got snot and makeup and tears all over his shirt (#sexy), and then he started crying because I was crying.

Last night was such a weird night. Our first night living together. We went to Lidl to get bin bags and kitchen roll (exciting) and then made our first dinner in the new house. I lit a scented candle and we enjoyed our food with a glass of wine, making a toast to a new chapter.

I was so emotionally exhausted I didn't want to do anything else so we just snuggled up on the sofa, watched half of a shite film on Netflix (it was called Before We Go - don't watch it - Chris Evans I'm ashamed of you), and got drunk off the gorgeous bottle of wine my mum gave us as part of a fab housewarming hamper.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit homesick and I miss my family like crazy already. It's like a piece of me has been taken out and I'm wandering around trying to feel normal again. I sat at the table this morning eating my breakfast on my own as Laurence is at work, and I felt very lonely.

I'll miss talking to my mum every night before she went to sleep, sitting on her bed and having a gossip or a bitching session or just a laugh. I'll miss her coming into my room to wake me up so we could go shopping. I'll miss cooking dinner for her and dancing in the kitchen. But I know it will get easier, because hopefully my family will come to stay - we have a spare room, ooh get us - and I can sit at the table at night with them having a cup of tea and a chitchat. I can go shopping in Athlone with my mum and give her a tour of the town. And I can cook her dinner yet again, except this time in a different kitchen with a much smaller fridge and a niggling worry about how much electricity the oven uses.

Despite everything, Laurence and I are so happy we're together and already we've made this apartment feel like a home. And despite all the boxes and bags around us and checking the Pinergy electricity meter every few minutes - I could get used to this.

Great Food & Baby Goats

If you know me, or have read my blog, you'll know that eating is one of my favourite things to do. I love finding new places to have a nice meal. One place that definitely fulfills that expectation is Wild Atlantic Food in Ransboro, Sligo. Wild Atlantic Food is run by Elena, who used to have a stall in Strandhill People's Market selling yummy vegan and gluten free cakes. She recently opened up her own café so I was excited to go along and try it. Elena offers loads of options for vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters alike in her chilled out café. I love how peaceful the place is, although it is a bit out of the way it's nice to have lunch somewhere quiet and relaxing!

Elena's daughter was our waitress and she went through the menu with us. The options that day were a BLT, lentil turmeric soup, chickpea curry or a caprese foccaccia sandwich. I chose the soup and Laurence went for the foccaccia. Our food came out quickly and was so fresh and piping hot. My soup was seasoned beautifully and the portion size was great. It was served with a slab of foccaccia bread. Laurence's sandwich was filled with avocado, tomato, leaves and even vegan cheese! I couldn't believe it, I've never seen a place offer vegan cheese. The side salad was dressed with a gorgeous citrus-y balsamic drizzle and everything was so yummy. The one thing I will say is the foccaccia sandwich was a little bit small, I could've eaten two of them! However I thought the whole menu was excellent value for the quality and taste of the food. Elena herself came out to greet us and offered us an orange and ginger smoothie on the house, which was also delicious.

We didn't realise until we heard the waitress tell another customer that they did all day breakfast, so we also ordered a vegan pancake for dessert, which was absolutely wonderful. Sweet, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside and served with berries and maple syrup - yum. I might also add, the coffee served there is great and they even serve almond milk! I would've liked to see the breakfast menu as we didn't know what else was available for all day breakfast but that's just a minor point.

As we were eating we noticed some animals outside beside the café. We decided we'd just have to go out and pay them a visit and it turns out when you go to the side of the building there's the animal farm and a sheltered area for children's parties, which is absolutely gorgeous. I heard Elena tell a customer they did homemade pizza for kids' parties which sounds fab and such a different idea. The children can eat outside and look at all the cute animals, such a lovely idea and something different!

We spent ages talking to the baby goats, sheep, bunnies, quails, pigs and chickens. I could've stayed there all day, it was so cute! We even saw some wild rabbits hopping across the fields. I highly recommend you go and visit Wild Atlantic Food - it's not just lunch, it's an experience! Give them a visit here on Facebook.