Busy Girls Guide

Resolve to resolve - my New Year's resolution

2010-01-03T13:58:00.002+00:00

This year I simply resolve to resolve.

I'm not going to list a load of healthy, positive, success-oriented resolutions, which I will break within the first seven days of the new year.

No.

I'm simply going to resolve one thing. I will keep to what I promise to do.

In doing this, I make myself a rather large challenge. To actually define and decide on the right things for me. Not just a random list of things that 'should' be on my list for 2010, but a small, focussed selection of things that I actually want to do and therefore have half a chance of resolving.

Hmm... this is going to take some serious thought.

No time to dress... no time to impress

2009-12-05T16:18:00.003+00:00

It's been one heck of a month. The Busy Girls Guide has been going from strength to strength and I seem to have developed a real capacity for multi-tasking.

I am now capable of putting the washing on, filling and setting off the dishwasher, hoovering the downstairs, feeding the dogs, making tea and breakfast and replying to my most pressing emails - all before 9am.

I'm not, however, capable of getting dressed during this time. Something's got to give...

As if he was aware of the intensity of my household duties, Himself seemed to be helping me out. I was upstairs drying my hair this morning and I heard the hoover going on downstairs.

"Wow!" I thought, "He's actually doing some cleaning for me, bless him!"

I stood for a while, listening to the soothing sounds of someone else cleaning up. I even chastised myself slightly for feeling so annoyed that he never did anything - how he was proving me wrong.

I crept downstairs, cheerfully practising my "Wow! Thank you darling!" expression.

As I turned the corner, my "cheerful, grateful' smile, immediately dropped into a "how bl**dy typical" frown...

There he was, sat in the middle of the room, lovingly hoovering his computer.

I heard it on the grapevine...

2009-08-26T19:00:00.002+00:00

Yes, you heard it right BusyGirl.

BusyGirlsGuide.co.uk is coming back, bigger and better than ever. We'll be relaunching the new site at the beginning of October 2009... yey!

Although, that does although that does of course mean less lie-ins, coffee mornings and general lazing around for me...

Busy's good, don't get me wrong, but when I do get a chance to laze around, boy can I be a slob!

So, I'll be giving you the inside information on our progress over the next few weeks. If you'd like to be kept up to date with the new site launch, (and be available for all the fab giveaways and goodies we'll have ready for you) then simply sign up as a BusyGirl on the current site, or email us at readers@busygirlsguide.co.uk and we'll make sure you're one of the first to know!

Am off to make a cup of tea, and put my feet up, those few paragraphs have taken it out of me...

Eva x

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk - new site coming very soon! x

Pack it in

2009-03-29T18:06:00.002+00:00

Wow! So the sun came out for the first time in what has seemed like months (what I mean is the sun and some heat came out at the same time) and I burst into action.

Typical Busy Girls style I managed to walk the dogs, go for a bike ride, ride the dogs around the block with the bike, weed and tidy the garden, make a Sunday Roast with all the trimmings, write a business proposal that has been bugging me all week and hoover the whole house.

It's 6pm and I've done a couple of days' worth of activities in one!

What a difference the sunshine makes... xx

why so bloomin' miserable?

2009-01-12T17:05:00.003+00:00

As I did my weekly post office / chemist / milk purchase pootle around the local village this afternoon (I'm not eighty, just live like an eighty-year-old obviously), I couldn't help but notice how flippin' miserable everyone is.

The lady in front of me couldn't have cracked a smile should her life have depended on it... the corners of her lips were so down-turned that I nearly reached out and poked her face to see if it was stuck.

She may well have had a very bad day, but the poor man behind the counter didn't need to receive an onslaught of negative vibes just because she was unhappy!

So, to combat her negative ions, in a kind of crazy energy super-hero way, I bombarded the post office man with smiles, kindly looks, chuckles and giggles and wished him all the best.

Probably thought I was flirting with him... he was twice my age, plus some. Oh well!

Why not spread some happiness today Busy Girl? God knows no one else is bothering!

Ella xx

Very cunning...

2008-11-20T10:36:00.003+00:00

Popped into the Trafford Centre for lunch with a friend at the weekend. On my way out I thought I have a quick squizz around the shops (would be rude not to), and stopped off at my old favourite TopShop - next to HMV.

I was delighted to lay my hands on some lovely bits - a gorgeous cobalt blue tshirt dress (only £35), a stunning blue party dress (only £30?!) and a rich yellow t-shirt dress. I couldn't believe only ten minutes in and I'd found 3 perfect items.

It was then that the confusion set in... what does DP stand for? Dorothy... "why have they got Dorothy Perkins stuff in TopShop?", "I never go to Dorothy Perkins, it's too old fashioned?!?"

It was only then I realised that about a month ago, TopShop had moved to the other side of the Trafford Centre and Dorothy Perkins must have taken their old store on. More to the point, they had totally copied TopShop's store layout and branding.

Well - that's really opened my eyes. I was blind to Dotty P's before this (too old, too dull, etc) - I'd become a convert - purely by thinking I was in TopShop

So I guess I'm saying get yourself down to Dorothy Perkins Busy Girl!

Ella xxx

Give in or get up

2008-11-18T08:46:00.003+00:00

Somedays it's just so hard to get out of bed... I can honestly say that lying in bed on a cold winter's morning is so lovely, so comfy that I really can't tear myself away.

Yet I'm surrounded by people who need very little sleep - only 4 to 5 hours a night, some of them. I simply can't understand it - unless I have my full 8 hours I'm absolutely useless, yawning at 2pm and asleep in front of the TV at 8pm!

This morning really was a case of 'get up or give in'... could I get away with a day in bed? Not really. What would I say I'd been doing all day? I literally had to convince myself that getting up was the best option. How lazy?!

I haven't spent a whole say in bed since I was a University Fresher.

That's it you see. The truth is, too much of a good thing is bad for you, even lying in bed gets boring after a while.

Only 16 hours and I can do it all again...

Ella xxx

how can this be? am I really that feable?

2008-11-11T08:33:00.005+00:00

I've actually worked it out. In the last 3 months, I've had 2 year's worth of colds.

How can this be? Surely my body isn't so decrepit that it can keep on letting in the bugs? I've been necking echinacea like it's vintage Veuve (I wish, for £2 a bottle!) and have been chewing my Bassetts 'soft and chewy vitamins for me and you...' like I'm having a Friday night Haribo-fest and yet, yet, I'm still bloomin' ill!

Oh to live in a warm, bright and light country where I would never catch a cold...

... I should have been born in the wild plains of South Africa (the non-violent area of course), as a child playing in the never-ending heat and sunshine, with monkeys and tigers as my friends... I'd set up my beautiful home with billowing handmade silk sheets strewn around rustic huts surrounding my open air bedroom, with nothing but the sound of exotic birds and animals to keep me from my dreamy sleep each night...

But no. I live in the reality of South Manchester, in November.

Cold, wet, miserable and dark.

From now on, you can call me Jane... now where's Tarzan with my cup of tea?

Ella xxx

morning dew

2008-10-09T09:59:00.003+00:00

If you've ever had the misfortune of being woken up by the dog barking at 6am, then you may also have noticed how beautiful the sky can be at that time in the morning.

After feeling like I'd been hit with a shovel (in my book there's nothing worse than being woken from a deep sleep) I turned to face the window and saw a beautiful red glow from outside.

Not the usual hideous orange tinge that eminates from the street lights (why do they have orange?) but a pale pinky red haze of morning sun. It was so beautiful I decided then and there to get up, put on my cycling shorts and go for a very early morning cycle, to appreciate the beauty of the morning - how divine.

It seems that getting more sleep was a far more divine option. The next thing I knew it was 7.04am and my phone alarm was blaring out 'Bleeding Love' whilst I pulled a pillow over my head to try to drain out the beautiful (but irritatingly loud) Leona Lewis.

So much for my good intentions... maybe I'll cycle at 6am tomorrow - if it's another beautiful day of course...

BGG xx

Winter fashion's driving me wild

2008-10-08T08:21:00.004+00:00

Have you seen this season's fashion collections? Just one trip to the Trafford centre had me in a wild 'buy now!' panic - and I'd only walked through Selfridges...

Have the designers spent their summer at the 'excel yourself' boot camp and come back armed with panache and style? Everything this season is easy to wear, diverse enough for all shapes and sizes and in a fantastic selection of colours to suit all skin types - it's simply fantastic.

Chunky knits, pencil skirts, party dresses galore, lace, vintage, cashmere, stunning 'Marc Jacobs' and Dior style boots - and that's only TopShop!

I never thought I'd say this but I couldn't wait to get into my black polo necks, ponchos and woolly tights this year. After many a day of tripping into town in peep-toe sandals only for the skies to open and rain on my fashion parade, I was delighted to be able to pull on my chunky knee-high boots signal a 2 fingered salute to the impending rain.

I am Loving wearing big baggy jumper dresses. I can't Wait to find a stunning pair of black biker-style boots to wear with my new black poncho and I simply can't Contain myself until ski season.

I've taken winter by its woolly lapels - I'm loving it. Now, if the rain could just hold off long enough for me to wear my favourite suede boots, I'd be even more impressed.

BGG xxx

3 loads of washing, the dog, the bed & work

2008-05-19T10:21:00.002+00:00

Ever worked from home? I must say on a sunny day it is a rather welcome compared to the four grey walls of the office. The only problem I have is distractions...

The dog barks constantly all day, so I'm up & down putting him outside & then letting him back in.
My washing sits on the floor by the washing machine saying 'wash me & benefit from economical drying in the sun!' so I have to do it.
I need a cup of tea far more often than I would in the office (because the kettle's so near!)
I don't get dressed properly until 11.30am (because I don't have to!)

I love it, but in many ways it's really hard to work at home too.

A friend of mine, Emma Jones, has a very handy website www.enterprisenation.com which is all about how to work at home. Thought you might like this link to some great ideas on how to work at home... maybe this should be my new bible.

Now... where's that kettle?

Eva xxx www.busygirlsguide.co.uk

Call centre fury

2008-03-11T15:02:00.004+00:00

It's been a while Busy Girls, I've been, well, Busier than you could imagine.

I wondered when I'd ever have the time to blog again - in fact I've been thinking about it for a few days now, but coulnd't do it.

Something has just forced me to write...

Did you watch the channel 4 programme on call centres the other night about companies who have employed 'super centre representatives' skilled in handling the most difficult customers...?

Obviously BT missed it.

I'm on the phone as I write, simply trying to pay my BT phone bill.

I've been listening to a recorded voice giving me hundreds of useless options, for 15 whole minutes.

I just want to pay!!!

By the time the customer service girl gets on the phone, I'll want to shove the payment in ... (you get the picture).

British Telecommunications - is that an oxymoron?

I'm back

Eva xxx

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk - the ultimate lifestyle & city guide for busy women

Valentines Day - a commercial scam? Who cares?

2008-02-13T13:25:00.006+00:00

"You know it's a scam by shops who just want you to spend money" himself exclaimed last night after I reminded him again that it was Valentine's Day on Thursday.

"I know it is..." I replied dejectedly.

But that's not the point is it? We know that Tescos ads selling cheap pink bubbly, Thorntons ads selling heart-shaped truffles and Interflora ads selling stupidly overpriced flowers are all the spin created from such commercialism, but that's not the point.

The point is, us girls want to know that those boys care. We want to be showered with gifts (ok, maybe not showered - I had that once and it turned me right off "ugh! That's way too soppy, get off me!").

We just want evidence that our nearest and dearest can break from his macho-self for just one day and be a bit lovely.

Now, don't get me wrong - I don't wish to sit in an over-packed restaurant on Thursday night, full of couples-who-don't-get-on-but still-go-out-once-a-year, but a little gesture would be lovely.

Wonder how many blo**dy bouquets will be delivered to the office tomorrow... do I have to be present when the shreaking starts? Good grief.

Eva xxx

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk The ultimate guide for Busy Girls

Love is all around

2008-01-27T20:02:00.000+00:00

Oh god... it's nearly Valentine's day - you can tell because the Sunday mags are raving about the limited edition Marmite pots with 'I love you' written on them (love it!), the shops are full of heart-shaped Ferrero Rocher boxes (love them too!), and I keep getting emails about singles nights and romantic restaurant specials (don't love them).

As for my loving, well it's not happening this week - Himself is away for a week, so I'm home alone (well, me and the Dog).

One night in, and I'm lying on the bed, wearing a face mask with moisturiser thickly spread all over my feet, watching Wife Swap and eating bio-yoghurt straight from the super-sized tub.

You can tell Himself is in another country!

Although I miss him when he's away I do have a nice little time to myself you know, preening and cleaning, faffing and watching crappy TV... fabulous!

Eva xxx

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk - the ultimate lifestyle guide for busy girls

Miserable? Is it just January?

2008-01-21T22:13:00.000+00:00

We're all so damned miserable today. Fed up, annoyed, grumpy, let down, under challenged, demotivated, aggravated, just plain old rubbish.

I've chatted to five friends today who all feel the same. But you know, it's January 21st - it's the most miserable day of the year - fact.

It's raining like nobody's business in Manchester - so wet and cold that I ate frozen meatballs for dinner - with one-week-old curling lettuce leaves. I couldn't go out to shop - it's too wet out there! So I sat and ate frozen meatballs (well, heated up) with curly week-old lettuce and then, yep, felt even worse.

Now, I'm sat here sneezing. Not another cold, surely? I've just got rid of one.

Ohh.... I want to run away to Australia - I hear it's warm there today. Who's coming with me?

Eva xxx

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk - the ultimate lifestyle guide for busy girls

Chicken war

2008-01-11T08:51:00.000+00:00

Oh my goodness. We watched the Hugh Fearnsley Whittenstall programme on Wednesday, about how chickens are mass produced. If any of you watched it, I'm sure you're with me, it was quite shocking.

That's why I'm feeling so damned guilty this morning.

I'm watching Jamie Oliver on the BBC talking about his programme tonight, and wishing that I'd not been part of the mass-market chicken production.

I have bought 'normal' chicken, for quite a few years. I must admit that recently organic has featured more in my shopping trip, but when there's nothing but 'normal' chicken there, that's what I buy.

Not any more. I didn't realise, naively, how awful the treatment of chickens was. My friends have chickens at home and apparently they all have individual personalities - they even call to be let out in the morning and go quiet and calm as soon as the door to their hut is opened.

That's it. Can't bear it. Sometimes I wish I could be a veggie, because I do love my animals - but I end up struggling to find enough veggie meals to make.

Might give it a go again, why not? Save a life, do some good - makes sense to me.

Over to you...

Eva xxx

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk

Resolutions? Did I have any? I can't remember...

2008-01-09T17:27:00.000+00:00

Although this is a bit like a private diary, except hundreds of you Busy Girls are reading this, purely for your own benefit, and not mine, I'm going to be brutally honest about how my resolutions went.

Erm. Not the best.

1. No caffeine

9.07am 1st Jan - had a cup of tea.

2. No naughty words

I don't swear a lot, but I don't like it at all, so I'd hoped to give up completely.

Unfortunately, I watched 'half a ton Mom' on the TV and that was it - a naughty expletive came out (I think it was the part where her legs were black from not moving for 4 years that did it).

3. No chocolate

No chance. Managed about 4 hours and had a snickers for elevenses. Weak!!!

4. Exercise more

Got to the gym once last week. Once. That was it - I even cancelled a spinning class with my friend because it was 'too dark' (it was 5.30pm)

Please tell me it's not just me, and that you're all sporting, fit, healthy eating whizz kids. Please!

Off to make a herbal tea - does it count if I start again today?

Love Eva xx

more resolutions than ever - 2008 is a BIG year

2008-01-01T19:40:00.000+00:00

Wow.

I didn't realise quite how in need of improvement I was until today.

Resolutions? I've got loads stacked up, ready to break within days, or hours.

My resolutions don't stop at personal ones (1. eat healthily, 2. have breakfast every day, 3. look after myself more, 4. be less stressed, 5. be less argumentative, 6. drink less wine, the list goes on) No - I've made work resolutions, home resolutions, friend resolutions and even pet-care resolutions - there's so much to improve.

I'm beginning to wonder how I got to the end of 2007, being so inappropriate.

I've not told anyone all my resolutions of course, they'd think I was mad. When asked this morning what her resolutions were - my friend proudly said she didn't have any. Not a one.

Imagine being that perfect!

Here's to breaking the first one - oh the shame.

Eva xxx

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk - the lifestyle guide for Busy Girls, Manchester & Cheshire

From Busy Girl to Lazy Sloth in 4 easy steps

2007-12-29T16:53:00.000+00:00

Yep, I've transformed, completely.

I'm now known as Lazy Sloth Girl. I am the complete antithesis of The Busy Girl I was a mere 4 days ago.

Here's how I did it:

1. Ran round like crazy blue-bottomed fly until Christmas Eve
2. On Christmas Day, performed 360degree turnaround and did absolutely nothing, all day
3. On Boxing Day, started with a cold whilst doing absolutely nothing
4. On the 27th, found self still on sofa, having watched re-runs of Only Fools & Horses, The Bodyguard (twice), Hollyoaks Omnibus, the best & worst of X-Factor, and 5 episodes of River Cottage.

That's it... within 4 easy steps, I transformed myself. I don't remember what it was to rush around like a mad woman, I've forgotten how Busy I once was - all the rushing and doing seems like a distant (and very tiring) memory.

- The only problem is, although I can't be bothered to do anything, I am a bit bored, well very bored.

Roll on Busy times xx

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Want it, need it, buy it, forget it

2007-12-27T09:50:00.000+00:00

Sales.

I'm hooked, even though I don't want, need or even have any money for anything. I still want to go and have a look at the so claimed 'amazing discounts' and crazy buyer temptations this week.

Christmas was over in the blink of an eye and now, we're celebrating mass consumerism and materialism on a grand scale. Even if you don't have the money for it, you're sure to be suffering from a feeling of 'missing out' if you don't go and join in the sales.

Harvey Nichols sale was a real temptation for me - over 60% off The Must-Have items of this season. It was only when I realised that even 60% off meant that they were still out of reach, that I decided not to bother.

Maybe's it's a better idea to abstain. Stay at home, play games with your kids, or someone elses(!) and relax... remember that Christmas is about relaxation, family and fun - not bagging the latest Chloe at half price.

Ouch, it's hard though. I may have to lock my front door and lose the key. Prisoner in my own home!

Have a good one Busy Girls, love Eva xx

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk

Am I an addict?

2007-12-12T08:09:00.001+00:00

That's it. I've had enough of it. I can't stand it any more.

I can't get away from it, it's driving me mad.

I don't want to like it, I wish I hated it. I don't even know if I really like it.

Some (lucky) people have never encountered it, others (even luckier) don't ever want to.

I did and I'm regretting it.

What is it?

Facebook.

Once you step over to the dark side and get an account that's it. It's got you.

I've never had an addictive personality... I can cut a slice of chocolate cake and put the rest back into the fridge for tomorrow. I can pour a glass of wine and save the rest. I can even, and this is serious proof, I can even resist buying amazing shoes because I don't need them (sick I know, some serious willpower comes into play here).

But when it comes to Facebook, I'm a sucker. To test my resolve, I really tried to ignore it the other day. I promised myself I wouldn't go near it for three days (until Monday). Then, on Saturday morning, my phone flashed with 5 emails - all from old friends contacting me via Facebook.

"Don't do it!" my inner voice screamed "Leave it until Monday, you've not heard from them in ten years, what does three days matter, it'll wait!"... but no, I couldn't. I had to read their messages, I had to know... so I logged on, on a Saturday morning.

Give me strength.

Does anyone have a cure?

Eva xxx

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk - the local lifestyle guide for Busy Girls

Gerboas, gifts & groans - it must be Christmas

2007-12-10T11:40:00.000+00:00

Fact one: It's definitely Christmas.

The proof:

The News has gone peculiar. News programmes normally dedicated to hard hitting, miserable stories of death, misery, doom and gloom have been forfeited for X-Factor results, the Gerboa (haven't you heard? Breaking news on BBC, they've found a mouse with kangaroo legs and elephants' ears), how to make Christmas pudding & stories of who has the most lights on their roof.

The whole world has gone shopping - together. Homes are deserted. Drive ways are empty. And every time I try to go shopping I end up wanting to tear my hair out and scream. Yes, everyone is shopping, at once.

White wine is out of fashion. In favour of something a little warmer - I'm onto Mulled wine as if it's going out of fashion - stuff the Chablis, I want cinnamon & spices.

Everyone wants to tell us what to wear. I can't open a magazine without being told which sequined top to wear with wide legged black trousers and sparkly sandals to the Christmas Party. Yawn.

Fact two: I'm definitely panicking.

Proof:

I still only have two Christmas presents.

I don't have my tree up yet.

I hate turkey.

What am I going to do?

Shut up and go shopping I guess...

Eva xxx

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk - The lifestyle guide for Busy Girls

Is Christmas Nativity on its way out?

2007-12-04T07:08:00.000+00:00

There was nothing more prestigious at my Primary School. No greater accolade nor firm assurance that you'd be the coolest in the school for the whole of the next term.

Yep - there was nothing quite like getting the role of Mary in the Christmas Nativity.

I remember one year I had the fabulous job, wore the blue tunic and one of my Mum's tea-towels on my head and proudly rode down the 'aisle' on the back of James Johnson, who, God bless him, had drawn the short straw as the donkey.

So when I heard yesterday that only 6% of children claim to enjoy acting out the Christmas Nativity in schools now, and that many primary schools are dumping the traditional Christmas play in favour of more multi-cultural events, I was surprised at how sad I felt.

I'm not even religious. I don't really attend church unless I have to (weddings, funerals, christenings, etc) so I guess its a bit hypercritical. But, I just can't imagine my children in years to come never having the chance to fight for head-star, tussle for the role of Joseph, or cry over a part as a shepherd.

Those were the days...

Eva xxx

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk - The lifestyle city guide for Busy Girls

little white technology lies

2007-11-30T08:20:00.000+00:00

"I put it in the post last week!"
"Oh, goodness, my phone must be playing up again"
"I sent it yesterday - don't you have it yet?"

Sometimes, my phone plays up, it's true. Sometimes I post cheques and letters and they don't arrive. Sometimes I send emails and they bounce.

Believe me, I get really annoyed when this happens, because I did make the effort to send it, I did call when I said I would and I did take the time out to write the email.

But sometimes, and I can't believe I'm admitting this (but I'm sure it's good to be truthful, ouch) I pretend that my phone has gone on the blink, I turn off the computer even though I've not sent the email, and I find the letter I should have sent weeks ago, lurking in the bottom of my bag.

You see, the thing is, it's easy to lie nowadays, isn't it? Because technology, although quite incredible and utterly life-changing, can be totally unreliable too. And of course the Royal Mail strikes have ensured we can make up as many 'it's in the post' lies as we like, because even if it was, we know it wouldn't get there on time.

So, there you go, I've confessed. I'm a naughty girl, I sometimes tell tales about computers crashing, phones playing up and post not arriving.

Say it's not just me, surely?

I'm off to send the emails I meant to last night, post some letters and phone some people. I reckon I can redeem my ways!

Have a good day Busy Girls, a fabulous weekend and see you soon...

Eva xx

Buying myself Christmas presents

2007-11-23T07:20:00.000+00:00

I did it again.

Went to the Vivienne Westwood Shopping evening last night at their glorious store on Kings Street in Manchester. It was a lovely evening, well it always is when you combine Christmas shopping with pink champagne cocktails...

So there I was loving the store and thinking of who I could buy presents for, I was having a little personal celebration as it had been a miracle of an evening already... I parked right outside the store - what a find!

So I'm browsing the jewellery and accessories and suddenly I catch myself - I'm shopping - for myself.

Yep, I'm trying on, prodding, posing and outrageously toying with which ring and necklace suits me more.

I'd forgotten within two seconds that I'm supposed to be Christmas present shopping and have settled on a lovely Vivienne Westwood ring and keyring - pour moi.

The next minute I hear myself saying 'well, it is nearly Christmas, so why not?'

With this level of resolve it's not surprising I've spent up for Christmas already, on myself *chuckle*

Have a good day Busy Girl and enjoy your Christmas shopping this weekend - hope it's more successful than mine!

Eva xx

www.busygirlsguide.co.uk - lifestyle, shopping, fashion, health, food, reviews - for Busy Girls