Reflections on 2014

So,in common with many of you, as I write this I am thinking about the goals which I set myself in 2014 and whether I managed to achieve them. The things which made me happy, the things which made me proud, the things I would rather forget…

Much is made of the new year, new start, many people use the coming new year as a chance to change something which they are unhappy about in their personal or professional lives. They seek the comfort of the new year, knowing that this means I new start. A fresh slate. A sense of  beginning again.

I thoroughly endorse this. I too overindulge over the festive period. I like the idea of new goals and challenges although I strongly dislike the new years resolutions! If something needs to be changed, don’t feel you have to wait until new year to change it. Similarly, I have friends who actively look for something in their lives to change, when perhaps something more general, such as a goal of a more active and healthy new year, would suffice.

Looking back on my 2014, on the whole I am satisfied. It was the year I finally achieved qualified Solicitor status (Attorney for U.S readers) after many years of hard graft. I also was successful in securing post qualifying employment with my firm, qualifying into their property department.

I travelled to Dubai and  Bordeaux, I caught up with an old university friend whilst out in the UAE and made new friends too. I also started this blog, which has been an aim of mine for some time. Admittedly, it started life as a budget fashion blog but has become more a lifestyle platform overtime.

Towards the end of 2014, I left the law firm with whom I trained and took up a position with another local firm. I was very nervous about leaving but I am pleased to say that I left on good terms with my former employer and made what I know will be lasting friendships with many of my former colleagues.

Over the Christmas period I have set my goals for the year ahead, I thought I would share them with you all.

They are:

• To continue to progress in my career
• To make it onto the UK property ladder (finally!)
• To enjoy my 30th year (!!!)
• To continue to attend the gym regularly and to take on new challenges, I would like to do a 5K run, body permitting
• To continue to eat as much unprocessed, grain free food as possible, adopting the Paleo diet wherever I can. (Incidentally, those who are also interested may like to check out the delightful http://www.againstallgrain.com)
• To take every opportunity to meet new people, embrace life and enjoy it!
• To travel abroad at least once this year.

I have also set myself some equestrian goals, see my previous post for details!

 

I would love to hear what your goals are for 2015 and I wish you all a happy new year!

 

Sophie xxx

 

Equestrian Exploits… update

Loyal readers will know that early this year I began horse riding again, after a loooong break. A break of well over a decade in fact.  I read the blog of Amanda Shirtcliffe, a thoroughly inspirational para- rider, and I decided to try again.

So, how have I got on?

I am pleased to report that I am loving it. My only regret is staying away from it for so long. I have made some great new friends, I am gaining confidence in riding a number of larger horses as well as the ponies I generally favour. I have a “favourite” a beautiful Haflinger mare called Tizzy who is just lively enough to keep me busy but not so lively I feel unsafe (so far!!). If I only had more time, and far far more money, I would be very tempted to loan her.

I am sufficiently smitten with all things equestrian to have invested in:

A Champion Jockey Skull Cap & Silk (Hat)

Some Dublin Riverboots (which double as great walking boots!)

A body protector…

and numerous pairs of jodhpurs.

I would thoroughly recommend the following saddlers/ suppliers of all things equestrian…

Townfields Saddlers; my local saddlers in Allesley, Coventry. They are extremely helpful, very friendly and knowledgeable. They have experienced staff who can fit hats and body protectors. Their website is also excellent and they have a good clearance room too!!

http://www.townfields.com/

Equestrian clearance. For those items which don’t require fittings, such as jods, I would highly recommend them!

http://www.equestrian.com/c/clearance/

Other places you where you can find budget equestrian garms include:

• Amazon
• Rideaway
• Robinson Equestrian
• Sports Direct

I couldn’t write this without briefly mentioning the lovely Moor Farm Stables in Corley Moor. Helpful, friendly and professional. http://www.moorfarmstables.co.uk

So, now that I am a fully fledged member of the horse mad club once more, I need to start thinking about setting myself an equestrian goal for 2015. I have so far come up with:

• Gain confidence around more horses on the ground
• Gain confidence riding on the road and on country hacks
• Conquer my fear of jumps (little ones!)

Check back in 2015 for updates!

 

Sophie xx

Does internet dating work?

This is something of a plea. My experience of online dating has not been good. In fact, this is the understatement of the century. It was awful. Absolutely awful. It has put me off completely. But, with so many friends already married or with children, how does one meet someone? Where are the men hiding?

I would be interested to hear from people who have tried internet dating, and also how people meet their partners…

Sophie xxx

Horsing around!

I am delighted to say that I am still horse riding. faithful readers will know that I rode as a child, but that I had hardly done so in recent years. I have mainly been concentrating on flat work, and I have ridden all sorts of ponies and horses in recent weeks, my favourite being a lovely little Haflinger.

We have a fun day coming up at the stables, I will report back on how we get on…

Sophie xx

The Power Of Positivity?

So, we’ve all heard it. We are told: #pma. Positive Mental Attitude.  “Think positive”. “Don’t be so negative”.

Does it work?? I am naturally of a cautious and rather negative mind set. I don’t easily let go, and unfortunately, my experience of life is that it can sometimes be intolerably cruel. I am definitely not where I want to be in life. The Law was career I chose because it would give me security, financially, or so I thought. It had a designated career path, it was a respected profession.  Well, it is respected. There is a career path but I have fought long and hard to get there.

At nearly 30, I still live at home, I am single. I don’t have a huge amount to show for my twenties, if I am honest. Although, I am unsure where I really saw my life going, when I look back, I am definitely responsible for not “seizing the day” in the past, and this I think is part of the reason why I find myself where I am now…

 

A new job, a promotion, is definitely a positive step in the right direction. Leaving my colleagues, many of whom have become friends was a wrench. I am enjoying the challenges of the new role, and meeting and working with new people.

So, that’s where I am… I am not unhappy but I am at times lonely. Many friends are married, have children or live far away. I have for the past couple of months, been making a positive effort to be positive!! It can be really difficult. I am surprised how difficult. I would be interested to hear from anyone who is currently exercising the positive thinking behaviour and who has found it to be successful, as well as those who are not!

Over the next few weeks I will be reporting back on this, and the challenges I have faced in keeping it up…

 

Lots of love Sophie xx

The Delights of Dubai…

Back in June I spent a week in Dubai with a friend, visiting another friend from University who has made her life there. I was so excited having heard many great things, and I must say it did not disappoint.

We flew with Emirates, Economy from Birmingham UK. The flight was pleasant, the free drinks and excellent customer service helped! I really can’t praise Emirates and their service enough. From booking, to their social media and customer service, their ground and air crew. All were excellent and so very helpful.

We stayed in the Media One hotel which is based in Dubai’s media city home to the various TV and radio stations including CNN.

Whilst in Dubai we delighted in experiencing the traditional expat brunch at the Atlantis. A true delight and so much alcohol! other must dos include the Mall of Emirates, Dubai Mall, a visit to the Palm, a desert safari, the Burj Al Arab, Al Qasr Hotel… the list goes on and on…

While I appreciate that Dubai is not for everyone, it was certainly the luxury break I needed!

The view of Media City at sunset from our hotel pool. 🙂

Morning view from the hotel room, media city in the foreground, with beautiful Palm Jumeirah in the background.

Lovely display of shoes at the Level Shoe District in Dubai Mall. If you, like me, love shoes it is well worth a visit!

 

 

 

 

 

The Jetty Lounge, Royal Mirage hotel.

 

Night time skyline view at Royal Mirage, Jetty Lounge.

Dubai Fountains… musical and amazing.

 

So in short, ladies and gents , I would recommend Dubai for a lovely luxury break. In fact, I wouldn’t say no to living there, just for a while….

 

Lots of love

 

Sophie xx

Hello again….!

After what has been an utter age, I am BACK! So, what have I been up to…

well my biggest news is that I have a new job. Still law, still property, but new firm, new work, new challenges. Very excited to see how this unfolds 🙂

I have also been keeping up with the horse riding, a so far I am still enjoying this. We have a stables fun day coming up which promises to be a lot of fun.

 

I am going to try to be better at updating the blog, sharing my thoughts, feelings, outfits and recipes with you!

 

Lots of love Sophie xx

Equestrian exploits part 2

After my first time back in the saddle, I was, as you will know if you have ever ridden, rather sore. My memory had erased the pain that it would cause to my back, legs and bottom. It was most definitely ouchy ouchy. Not the ideal scenario when you have a seven hour flight to Dubai. Definitely bad planning on my part.

The soreness however did not put me off. My next lesson was on a lovely little Haflinger pony called Tizzy. She is absolutely lovely, stands at 14.2hh and is very pretty. Somewhat of a Barbie pony, she is a Palomino, one of my favourite of the horsey colours! Since my first lesson on her I have increased in confidence, hacking out and cantering in the school. I still pull a little in canter, my fear is not going away, but I have managed pole work lessons and even a little jump. She is a lovely lovely pony with a good nature. She is not skittish, but is just excited enough not to be a dull ride. If I could buy a pony, it would be one like her. Hopefully I will be able to post a picture or two of her on here soon.

Encouraged by my recent equestrian exploits with Tizzy I decided to purchase a new hat. I went to our local saddler, Townfields in Allesley near Coventry. They were extremely helpful and professional and I left with a lighter wallet and new hat and silk.  Good work Townfields!!

http://www.townfields.com

 

Primark for work!

As a lawyer I have to dress smartly for work, and as I work in the high street my budget is rather tight. Primark and H&M are my work saviours. This new coral coloured jacket appeared in Primark a few weeks ago, and I knew I had to have it. No longer being court based I am free to dress in brighter colours than previously, so I am doing my best to embrace it!

I paired the jacket with H&M slim leg trousers, Aldo embellished pumps and a white H&M top. Hope you like xx

Back in the saddle…

So, back in June I blogged about the fact that I had ridden horses/ ponies as a child, and how I had decided to try again. I had a few minor, although nasty injuries in my teens and I finally packed the riding in in my early twenties. It was happening upon the blog of Amanda Shirtcliffe, a rather inspirational para rider, which made me start thinking about horses again. Once the idea was in my head, I knew I had to give it a try.

( Amanda’s blog is well worth checking out http://www.pararider.co.uk)

So, with a friend who had never ridden I headed to my local stables, Moor Farm in Corley near Coventry.  http://www.moorfarmstables.co.uk

Our instructor Michele was friendly and I felt instantly at home as soon as I was back in the saddle! My mount for the first lesson was a lovely dark bay cob called Oscar. At 16hh he was considerably larger that the horses and ponies I had generally ridden in my youth. The lesson was going well and I was feeling smug about all the things I had remembered when unfortunately Oscar, who suffers a little with sweet itch, was bitten by a horse fly, at which point he gave a little buck and charged off round the school with me in a bouncy canter! I survived, he calmed down and I continued with the lesson. Lesson learnt, don’t be smug! The lesson was absolutely a great idea, and I have been going fortnightly since. I think it will take a while to get my confidence back, but it is a fun and rewarding hobby as well as being good general exercise!

Check back for more equestrian updates soon!

 

Sophie xx