Oh yes.

Don’t mess with the moose while she’s building.

One of my favourite Björk songs. I have it on repeat as the melody is just so beautiful.

This is a win people! I managed to make a Poäng stool. 🥳 It took me a few attempts as I made it then realised I’d forgotten to put the board in - you know, the bit you rest your feet on (🤔🙃) so I had to back track and rectify the sitch. And hooray, I have a foot stool. I’m not the biggest fan of these IKEA DIY picture books. My brain doesn’t work like that. I have to spend hours trying to figure them out but I’d rather be Mary Poppins, snapping my fingers and singing to inanimate objects which then start to build themselves. 🎶

Next for the Poäng chair. Wish me luck.

Happy sunny Monday! Here’s a super duper shiny song to help you shake away all the cobwebs. Love this!!

Happy Leap Year!! An auspicious day to pick up the keys to our new abode. We’re in. Let’s start building. 🤔🥳💃🏾🕺🏽

IKEA is a blessing and a curse. Good design. Environmentally friendly products. SO much to choose from. And therin lies the problem. FIVE HOURS LATER I leave IKEA making ‘buh buh’ sounds. I’m pooped (though I still manage to eat a donut in the carpark). I realise that I went too far. I stayed too long. All those shinies were just too much for me.

I’ve realised the way to approach IKEA is in stages. Today’s stage was mostly about the kitchen. I’d forgotten that starting a house from scratch takes time. My brain has been consumed with whether I really need a potato masher (no) and a box to put my smelly cheese in (yes!). I live simply but buying all the utensils to make a kitchen workable is a mission. Now thankfully it’s almost complete.

I never thought I could get so excited about turquoise plates made of tempered glass. This time last year the idea of buying plates seemed proposterous. And here I am with the passing of time, making a nest, celebrating colourful plates and how useful they’re going to be.

Moving forward, Friday’s stage will be the bed and mattress. Then there are desks, dining chairs, office chairs, tables, etc etc. It’s exciting. I love it. I’m grateful to finally have the designs of my choosing in my very own hoose. Yay!

Have you got any IKEA stories?

After three weeks of looking for a home, we have a winner! 🥳🥳🥳 Glasgow West End. City life is here! So much choice. So many tastes. So many cakes! I’m in love with it all. I’m in love with the bold colours in these rooms too. They make me feel like an urban mermaid. 🧜‍♀️

Kothel on Crow Road makes me immediately cooler when I hang out there for coffee, cake (and sometimes even lasagne). The staff are elegant, the ambience vibrant and the decor a mix of industrial rustic. I love it here. I love how many amazing cafes I now have locally. Yay! ☕️🍰☕️

First night out dancing in Glasgow. Through the heavenly winds to the club I fly. Take me train to the club where I move and shake. I love the build up to a night out. Haven’t danced to this genre before. Girl DJ. I’m excited. Let’s go!!

How much custard is too much custard? This is my second custard slice in 24 hours. This dessert is my new fantasy. It’s like a fairytale dreamland in my mouth. I added a lil white chocolate and cherry cupcake into the mix too. Both delish. Both gone. Byeeeeee.

It’s the experiences you think you don’t want that really gee you up and make you feel amazing. I knew I had to get out the car and experience this wild weather, I knew my face would sting from the hail but I got out anyway and had a sheer blast of Scotland’s pure nature. Woo!

Glasgow style.

Jelly Beans. How many flavours have you tried?
Awesome exchange at the shops just now which led to the staff directing me to a new set of Jelly Bean flavours. Fruitier. Zingier. They pack a punch. The Jelly Bean fan club is growing. I don’t ever want them out my life again. 🤣

Deep pink are my fav (cherry) followed closely by light blue (Island punch) but then white (coconut) are yum too plus the pink (cotton candy) are scrum. Aarrgghh it’s hard being a kid and having to choose a favourite! 😍 (oh god. I’ve just had a buttered popcorn).

There’s a US candy section in the little supermarket down the road from my flat. Got excited when I saw these. It’s been a loooong time since I had them. They’re just as lush and fun as they used to be.

Challenge = Not to devour them all in one go.

Had a fab dance. First one in ages. Done so many 10km walks round the city but no freestyle steps. Or booty shakes. I realised how important they are. Freedom of expression to move exactly how I want in a safe space. So I whirled, twirled, bounced and smiled. Oh my. The beats.😻

Loving this liquid drum and base track right now. Very sweet.

Just had cool experiences with two different cats on my urban walk. One was like a posh silver pom pom Japanese manga cat with huge eyes who flitted about like a butterfly. The other meowed once and did a crap in front of me. 😸😻

Cake for breakfast?
Yes please.

This is for all the cupcake lovers out there. Just ate myself a salted caramel chocolate cupcake. Note the oozing caramel within. This is special people. And it wasn’t the only thing I bought home. 😉 I’m seeing a flat today across the road from the bakery. Oh yes/dear.🧁🎊

Thanks George (@ Macs in Glasgow). You’re my guardian angel. You’ve helped me to walk after giving my winter boots an orthotic raise - best craftsmanship ever. Woo! It’s the difference between me having a good day or a really tough one. Now I’m bouncing round Glasgow. Yay!

Keys!

A sweet lady was feeding a big flock of pigeons. When she’d finished a bus drove by, the pigeons got spooked and the result was an amazing upward procession of pigeons taking flight. Amazing.