Emma-Lou - Look At You!

I happened upon this by accident wandering through the TC;  Waterstones had a display stand by the door, I picked it up thinking 'Gosh that looks like a miserable read'. Somebody saw me eyeing it up and told me it was a must read, that it was a uplifting read about this chap coming through depression told with honest humour.  I always take a personal in person recommendation; I haven't got the heart to trample on their enthusiasm.  Every decent book I've ever read I've pushed hard on all my friends!  One of the reasons I started my book club, was so I could lord it over my friends and loved ones with my reading list!   From the off, reading this book, you completely 100% engage with the depression and panic of Matt Haig.  It weighs heavy on him, it's horrible and (worryingly) it came out of nowhere.  He was young, in a decent relationship, living it up in Ibiza, seemingly having the time of his life.  He doesn't report a troubled childhood, abuse, b

Lovely Steph Ledigo ( @LedigoPR )  asked me along to a launch  event last week for Serenity Storm Essentials ( @Serenity_Storm_ ) .  It was more like a mini workshop looking into essential oils and doTERRA .  Now as it goes I know a bit about essential oils.  My MIL swears by them, and has over the years made me up potions.  These were for driving test angst (actually that isn't a good advert for them, as it took me five goes to pass!) and other emotional type of worries.  In pregnancy, she cooked me up a remedy for hey fever and that worked as well as any antihistamine I ever took. In fact, I've never had hey fever since!  I wonder if the medicated stuff sort of suppressed my natural repellent  to pollen and having a break taking alternative medicines helped build natural defences.  Anyhow, I don't claim any know how, so won't preach on.  I arrived late (bloody M60) to Ashton's Village Hotel, so crept into a talk that had already started. About 8 seconds in, t

New academic year, new start, September it is, getting organised, making promises of never forgetting a permission slip, making a donation in time to the PTA, not having any late tickets.  Spending evenings packing school bags neatly by the door.... feeling smug as you pass the school office, they haven't got one on you, you're ahead with the milk money  Not this year....  Thing is you can't keep it up, it's not real life, come October things begin to slip, the pleats aren't as sharp, the school bags left in the car overnight, ham sandwiches creep back in over couscous salad, half the lids missing from your Tupperware!  Feelings of failure creeps in, #BadMa syndrome... screaming at your children "So help me God, if you haven't got your shoes on in 30 seconds....". So yes, a new leaf being turned, but not as you think.  I'm starting September as I finished in July - badly organised!  The thing is, in my frantic late way, I keep it t