Antics and ramblings of a twenty something

  Hello,  Today I thought I'd recount a trip I took with Jack, a couple of days ago.  Jack has been feeling quite unwell and having blood tests to try and find the cause, so it isn't often both of us have the energy to go and do something outside our town together at the moment. Tuesday was wonderful as it was one of those rare days that we both felt well enough to venture out and we decided on visiting Chester. After calling at Wrexham for a quarter of an hour and not really feeling we could see much due to lots of hills which I struggle to walk up, we redirected and called into the beautiful city known for its clock tower, Roman Walls and listed buildings.  We wondered around for a while, finding a market near to where we parked that we hadn't been in before. There were so many stalls selling delicious looking food, cakes, gifts, flowers, even champagne! It all looked amazing and was undercover, with an amazing atmosphere. We were initially drawn in by the life-size Tardi

 Hello,  Two blogs in two days Molly?! I hear you proclaim,  I know, doesn't write for six months and then writes two posts... Like buses really.  I love blogging and sometimes when life gets busy it's so easy to forget about the joys of writing. I've recently been taking courses in literature and I've been really delving into creative writing for the first time in the past few months. I realised recently how much blogging helps with finding my own narrative voice and just finished a course on BBC Maestro an online learning platform where industry experts guide you in their field. It was incredibly informing and was called  Writing Children's Picture Books  with Julia Donaldson. In that time I have read dozens of picture books, marvelled at the prose and craft and enjoyed the beautiful illustrations that you find everywhere in children's literature. I'm now learning about Writing Love Stories with Jojo Moyes and Writing Poetry with Carol Ann Duffy and I'

 Hello, I hope whoever reading this is well, happy and having a lovely day.  The sun is out here and although it definitely feels way  too cold to be sure Winter isn't over and Spring is truly here, we are nearly at the end of April.  Today as I walked into town, I felt the warm sun on my face and felt so excited for warmer days. I recently started gardening a few weeks ago and today potted up my Christmas Rose's to bloom in December and some Crocus bulbs alongside my Iris, Forget-me-nots, and Lobelia. I love the feeling of being in the sunshine, my hands in the soil and watching something so small, growing and flourishing through the seasons.  Jack and I recently moved to a pretty Cheshire town, not far from our parents and to have a little yard with a washing line that pulls out, pots with plants and a mini greenhouse is wonderful.  I realise I haven't caught the blog up since last September and I feel like I need to update an old friend. I have been feeling quite poorly

 Today I'm writing this a little worse for wear whilst recovering from Covid. It's the first time in a few days I haven't been sleeping and as I finished this wonderful book a few days ago, I really wanted to try and muster my thoughts on it whilst it's still fresh in my mind.  - a few hours after I wrote these lines I slept for quite a few hours and struggled to concentrate properly so continued this post later -  In recent months I've really been drawn to nature writing. My love of nature writing really started back in 2021 when on a trip to the Scottish Highlands with Jack, I picked up Lucy Jones's 'Losing Eden' about the importance of nature and protecting it. Whilst good nature writing can make you feel overwhelmed at the climate crisis it can also make you feel overwhelming gratitude at the wonderful planet we have been born into and everything that nature provides. There isn't such thing as humans AND nature, we ARE nature and as is becoming i

 Hello, Gosh it has been a long time since I wrote a blog post. According to the tracker that tells me when I last posted, it has been two whole years since I wrote a book review on the little separate blog space I created and then forgot about. I thought it may be less confusing for me just to use this blog - Antics And Ramblings Of a Twenty Something - for all posts again (at least until I am a lot less rusty). So much has happened since I last wrote, reader. I moved to a new city, I have moved homes twice, I got engaged, I got married, I've stayed in hosptial three times and been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. I have a new job. I have lost loved ones and I have been to beaches, forests, cities. I have made new friends here and Jack has had two new jobs. So much has changed. I have grown. I have missed writing.  I am currently not feeling very well whilst starting treatment for EGPA Vasculitus and whilst waiting to start other treatment.  I find myself wanting to talk or t

 Hiya! I hope that whoever reading this is well and has had the best day so far 💘. I thought I would sit down and scribble tonight as it's nice to regularly write and it's been quite a while... How are you doing?! The past month or so has been lovely... We went to Devon for a few days with my family. Seeing Toruay, Totnes and Darmouth in beautiful sunshine was so so needed. Being able to walk on the beaches and eat inside cafės just felt so surreal and amazing, we wanted the holiday to go on forever.  Day to day, we have been trying new vegan/vegetarian recipes including tofu and leafy greens, working and trying to go on gentle walks whenever possible. Whilst everyone is resuming a little more normality thanks to the vaccine, I have to say it has made us feel pretty ill and so as soon as we have felt well we really have been enjoying taking my parents' dog out for strolls, and generally soaking up the English sunshine that has made an appearance. That's not to say we a

 Hello,  How are you doing today? I hope anyone reading this is really well and perhaps curled up somewhere with a book... I have a cup of chamomile tea in hand and a wooly jumper on whilst writing this as it definitely has gone a bit cooler recently. The warm sunny days a few days ago are very much a welcome surprise as we creep closer into May. May is a month I feel very excited about. Mainly because it is the month my Jack turns 25! But also because with it brings the promise of warmer days, and hopefully slowly towards restrictions ending.  I feel prompted to write about this weekend as slowly but surely it has begun to feel ever-so-slightly more 'normal' and I think it's nice to be able to recognise this in the present and look back on these trips in days to come.  I feel very thankful that this weekend has involved seeing my parents, it was nice to be able to see each other outside more casually. On Saturday we went to a farmer's market and it was wonderful to see