So, I thought I’d start a new series on the blog this week to share a little more of my life beyond the kitchen.
I’m aiming to post these updates weekly, although some weeks I’ll mostly read and write, which might not be the most thrilling for everyone! 😀
Before I begin: Happy 4th of July to all my American friends!
This week I received my final degree results.
To be honest, I felt numb for a while after finishing. The last few weeks at university were difficult—the staff attitude and how we were treated left me relieved when it was over. Once everything was sorted, I simply wanted to move on and focus on the things I love: developing recipes and sharing them with you.
In the end, I was pleased with my result: I achieved a 2.1. Mostly I feel relieved, because it means I’m done with that chapter and can look forward to the next things without dealing with them anymore.
Settling back into blogging has been effortless. The first couple of days I kept thinking, “Shouldn’t I be doing something else?” but it felt wonderful to relax, finally read a book, keep a clean house again and spend time in the kitchen. I’ve been back to blogging for a month and it already feels like I never left—I’m really enjoying it. 🙂
Here’s what else I’ve been up to:
I’ve started using a proper blog planner.
I’ve tried getting organised for ages but used to scribble notes on scraps of paper or rely on my memory, which didn’t work well. I found a free printable planner from Home School Creations that suits my needs and lets me record goals and plans for the blog without spending a lot on a fancy planner.
I also started playing Two Dots. It’s incredibly addictive and sometimes maddening — has anyone else tried it?
On the food front, I’ve discovered Ryvita is only truly palatable with pickle, whereas Kallo rice cakes are tasty on their own.
The reason for the plain food is that I’m currently on bed rest while doctors run tests for ongoing stomach problems. For the past two weeks I’ve had persistent bloating and a stabbing pain higher up in my abdomen. Eating normal-sized meals triggers severe pain and leaves me doubled over, and I’ve been unusually tired and falling asleep often.
Because of this, I’m having blood tests and other checks to find out what’s causing it. In the meantime I need to eat small, plain meals frequently to keep my symptoms manageable.
I’d be upset if it turned out to be gluten intolerance or something similar—I’m a big fan of bread, pasta and chips, and although there are alternatives, adjusting would be tough.
Another frustrating side effect has been giving up coffee temporarily to rest my stomach. I haven’t had coffee in almost a week and I’m still dealing with withdrawal headaches. I’m hoping to be able to drink it again soon!
If anyone’s experienced similar symptoms, I’d love to hear what you discovered.
Despite the bed rest, I couldn’t resist making Strawberry Rolls from shop-bought puff pastry—unfortunately I haven’t been able to eat them yet.
Being confined to bed has had one good side: I’ve read a lot. I love a good thriller and have been working through Stuart MacBride’s DS Logan McRae series. I’m finishing the last book, Close To The Bone, and I know I’ll feel a bit lost when I reach the end.
Any reading recommendations are very welcome.
Here are a couple of things I made this week:
3-Ingredient Healthy Vanilla Banana Milkshake
30-Minute Strawberry Rolls with Sweet Glaze
That’s it for this week. I hope you enjoyed this peek into my life — I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to.
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