Deep in a duvet!

It snowed. I caught a cold. Couldn't do a thing for about a week, but I took some pictures of the snow. This is probably the coldest December I've seen in a long time. We still have frozen icicles in our back garden.

Something to brighten up the snowy weekend

Snow is here, and early. Glorious but just too cold to want to go outside. So here's something to remind you of sun and warmth.
*I took some great pictures last week, they were sort of end~of~autumn~beginning~of~winter ish. I'll upload them soon.

Smells like Christmas

Probably the main reason I love winter - and why sometimes I say it's my favourite season of the year although really it isn't* - is because of the Christmas adverts. There is something about most of them that makes me all warm and fuzzy, and usually leaves me feeling really lazy and wanting to snuggle and cuddle up deep in a duvet and never venture outside ever again, especially the ones that show snow. They make me ludicrously happy. Christmas movies make me feel this way too. Unfortunately up to date I haven't seen one to put on my favourite list. I usually have a favourite list for every year, but hey, it's still November, so I still wait for one. Although I'd like to say all the Co-op TV ads are great, mainly because of the use of Gabriella Cilmi's song (I don't like her but this song is her best)

Since I don't have a favourite Christmas ad yet, I'm going to post the ad I currently hate the most. It's not a Christmas ad but I seem to notice it all the time these days.



First of all, whoever is doing the voice over for this? Bad. Bad. Badly dubbed. There's the original French version somewhere on YouTube, I couldn't be bothered to find it.

Second of all, if the yogurt was sour why did she keep buying and eating it? I mean really who would put up with yogurt that made you pull such a face?

Finally, pleasure makes you beautiful? How exactly? I mean really, how? The girl's face is still the same before and after, and she isn't unfortunate looking before and after either, so what was the point of that line?

Yes, I have too much time on my hands. Slagging off TV adverts just happens to be one of the activities that I fill this time with.

*It shares the top spot with other seasons which usually change depending on the year I have.

Girl feels funny, sees Dr, or maybe not

I'm a hypochondriac. Every little symptom sends me in a panic. I imagine big life threatening things. Yet I'm not one to book an appointment with my GP just like that. I usually like to know what exactly is the problem. Get down to the nitty gritty. So I google, mostly.

And it's horrifying.

Google search results make you feel like you have a life threatening disease. You click on an article and see that although the symptoms you have may be for a particular illness, they could also be for X, Y and Z. And what do I do? I click and click. I want to learn, I tell myself. I want to be aware. Then I end up tossing and turning in bed in worry and fear. I still don't pick up the phone though, because if I'm honest I know deep down it really is nothing. I guess I'm one of those people who has to worry to feel alive? Do I make sense? I need to worry to feel like I'm doing something about a situation, as if worrying in itself ever gets anything done.

When the oft little and meaningless symptom is over, I'm back to my usual self. Hooray, death is not imminent after all, I shall live to conquer the world! I then forget about the whole thing and get on with life.

Having had enough of being unkind to myself, I decided I was going control this urge to use google as a medical consultant. I made a considerable effort this summer only for a cold sore to strike last week. Of course I've had one a zillion times in the past, mostly when I'm menstruating and going through a considerable amount of stress simultaneously, but I couldn't help myself. I was miserable so I went online looking for remedies when I know fully well that there are no remedies for this bitch, just your usual 'i got rid of it faster' vague anecdotes. There was the ice~on~sore trick, the keep~it~moisturised trick and even the apply~toothpaste~on~it trick - yes really, I mean the things that people 'try and test'. So which was it? I wanted to get rid of the thing as soon as possible. I failed at trying all of the above and because of that I now have the slowest healing cold sore ever since I can remember getting one when I was a child. Argh. I want my eerm...time wasted on the internet back? A case of too much tampering?

Google you've been great, but I've learnt my lesson now. I will be reaching for that phone next time - not because of a cold sore of course, but for other mildly important things, I'd rather be accused of wasting the doctor's time than endure prolonged and needless pain.

Go on, share your little foibles!