hotel booked NYC, ok times up for sleepyheads and lots of happy faces

wahooooo we finally picked a hotel for our NYC trip and booked it today.....makes the whole thing feel a bit more real :)

I'm ready for the new year now, enough of the sleepiness and lazy days...come on already !

this time of year, you're forever bumping into people you haven't seen in ages.... I love that

new diary, new cookbook, getting ready for a new year

its a funny old week, the one that sits neatly between Christmas and New Years.... I'm never quite sure what to do with it, so I've decided to dedicate it to getting ready for a fresh new start....today I bought a new diary, its gleaming white pages eager for me to write in them

I bought a new cook book too.....full of super healthy, super yummy recipes...perfect for a new year

I'm kinda getting my head in the right space too..... thinking about what lessons I've learnt this year and my goals for the year to come

new shirt, indulgent reading and dinner with amazing friends

swapped a christmas present today and got myself a nice new shirt....love it

sometimes it feels so indulgent (but so good) to sneak into bed and get lost in a book for a few hours

we had friends over for dinner that we hardly ever get to hang out with.... our friendship is honest, true and I'm really grateful for it

bye for now, cruisy drive and smoked salmon

left Hossegor this morning, but was nice to know we'd be back in a week

cruisy drive up to St Malo...... you gotta love a drive that feels like it just slipped by

smoked salmon for dinner with salad..... nice to eat something light after a week of crazy spanish tapas and full on meals

best run ever, not the last snowboard trip and mmmm pizza

we only had a few hours boarding today as we had to drive back to Hossegor but it was awesome, and I loved it

felt good to be driving back knowing that we're only living 2 and a half hours away from the mountains, so it definitely won't be our last trip this season

mmmmmmmmm pizza at Cap'Pizza on the way home.....sooooooo good

great day boarding, giving presents and super fun sledging

wooohoooo amazing day on the mountain......found my favourite run ever.... called Batellero .... and literally had it to myself....amazing

giving presents was tonnes of fun this morning....everyone was super stoked

we went sledging after lunch......haven't laughed so hard in ages

kneepads, something clicked and bedtime zzz

Christmas eve...... snowboarding with my new knee pads.....wow....felt like falling into a duvet...so stoked right now

something clicked with my boarding today.....suddenly it all felt easier

I was beyond tired at dinner tonight..... every part of my body was aching and I couldn't keep my eyes open. Felt so good to fall into bed.

new snowboots, hot bath and a good stretch

wow, hard day on the slopes today ....but made better by a few things..... a new pair of snow boots, so warm and comfy

a hot bath full of bubbles that relaxed every single one of my aching muscles

a yoga stretch that felt amazing

winter elements, amazing tapas and I remember !

drove up to the mountains this morning.....not heaps of snow, but Jeff and I got late lift passes and headed up anyway..... sitting on the lift with howling wind, pouring icy rain... winter was throwing some of its elements around and it felt so good

we found the tapas bar that we loved last time we were there.....soooooooo yummy..... patatas bravas, croquettas, pork belly ....oh my goodness

even though it had been 3 years, I totally remembered how to snowboard...yahooooo

last day of work, moving back home and super yummy salad

last few little jobs today and then we said goodbye to work till after the holidays - that felt good

moved back into the apartment today, this place feels like home

I made a super yummy salad with the leftover goose..... asian salad with pomegranate, lime, cranberries and lots more yummy stuff

pink reflections, walking around the lake and wind in the bamboo

we woke this morning to see the most beautiful pink sky reflected in the lake...... it changed every few moments until the sun was shining bright and the sky had turned bright blue

finally, walking around my lake again. I can't say what it is but I feel like I have some sort of connection with that place, I feel happy and grounded when I'm there

the wind was blowing through bamboo in someone's garden, and it sounded amazing

honesty, warmth from the sun and bubble bath

honesty really does do wonders..... even if you're not sure if its the right option, it always is....always

we sat outside and had galettes for lunch, the sun was shining and it was super warm. I felt like I could stay there forever.

we were staying in a hotel tonight, so I treated myself to a bubble bath with a view of the lake :)

hot water, music takes me away and end of a drive

i'm forever getting funny looks when I ask for a cup of hot water, but I swear its the best drink there is...... so clean, and so warm and makes you feel sooooo good

on a long drive, with a bunch of people on the car, I love how good music can just transport you somewhere else, and take you to your own little bubble

felt good to pull into the driveway at home in Hossegor tonight

a new book, connection with an old friend and tugging heart

Nothing better than a new book

caught up with an amazing friend tonight who inspires me and has the amazing ability that only a true friend can have of reconnecting within a few minutes even though we haven't seen each other in months

my heart is heavy as I drive home, listening to music loud, wishing I could live in 3 places at once, so I could be there for each and every friend when it matters most. Makes me think how lucky I am to have these amazing people in my life.

winding down, wrapping gifts and girls night

its official....holidays are coming, I can feel it....... works starting to wind down and I love it

wrapping my last few gifts tonight........ I'm way more excited about giving gifts than getting them

dinner at El Tico with Ali...... bumped into Arls so we all had dinner together. Laughter, good food, good wine and great company

watching clouds go by, new stereo and great dinner with great friends

I had a moment this morning in yoga, when I was gazing out the window and found myself mesmerized by the clouds

phew..... new stereo..... such a relief to have music on my car journeys again !

a bunch of us went out for the most amazing thai meal tonight.....old friends that I love dearly and leave a smile on my face way beyond our dinner

coaching call,elf night and yummy homemade pizzas

a coaching call that was as confrontational as it was honest...... wow, it feels great to get some stuff out there and look at it from a new perspective

elf night...... its my new tradition..... we have to make homemade pizzas from scratch and watch elf a couple of weeks before xmas ...ok, so lets be honest, I'm way more excited about this than anyone else, but we all had a tonne of fun tonight so I'm thinking its a worthwhile tradition

kneading the dough, mixing the sauce, picking the toppings, watching the magic happen through the oven door.... I love making pizzas

beautiful night, leftovers and guilty pleasure tv

stomp, boat booked, beautiful light

went for a long stomp with Alex & Paul today..... good to be out in the fresh air

booked the boat for France today....on countdown now for all that mountain goodness

winter really knows how to shine doesn't it ....... another gorgeous evening with a magical light show

roast chicken & garlic mayo, xmas movies and shopping done

sometimes you crave something particular to eat and nothing else will do...... today it was a fresh baguette with hot roast chicken and homemade garlic mayo

holidays are coming...... wooopa....watched a couple of xmas movies today..... made me feel warm and fuzzy

done and dusted with the shopping..... that feels great :)

new balance, doing the right thing and good ol' pizza express

created a bit of balance today at work, new direction, new way of looking at things.....I'm excited

sometimes its important to step outside of your own bubble and do what's right, even if it isn't necessarily what you want to do

good ol' Pizza Express....always yummy, always consistent and always sending a phenomenal waft of garlic up the street to entice me in

yogi bear, sleep bubble, deep calm oil

what a calm day today has been........ starting with yoga with Jeff

tonight I transformed our bedroom into what I can only call a sleep bubble...... candles, soothing music and oil burning....it was a magical, calm, soothing place to be

I bought some oil from the body shop today called deep calm...it has chamomile & lavender in it and its just beautiful

jeffrey home=normal happy life, job done and a box arrives :)

:) it's a happy day when jeffrey comes home

a meeting I was dreading turned out to be a friendly face and a simple solution

a box arrived today full of our snowboard gear....wooooopa mountains here we come !!!

beating the sleep monster, a cool breeze in a hot yoga moment and linz'll fix it !

ha ha ha I beat you this morning, little sleep monster..... you wanted me to stay all snuggled up warm in bed, kept telling me it was cold out and dark....but I still got up and did my yoga

a cool breeze in a hot yoga moment felt like bliss this morning.....like the universe was watching and sent a waft of cool air my way

fixed the printer today at work...... nothing special, but I fixed it and it felt good

great navigation technique, 4od and a whole lotta love

life coaching has already taught me heaps, but today I realised that I've learnt some amazing navigation techniques to get me through my most trouble-some times

4od.... its a guilty pleasure..... after a long day at work with an early yoga start, I can sit back, relax, fub out and watch my favourite shows

love seems to intensify when we're apart, and burns brightly in my chest when we're about to be reunited

yoga class, smug risotto & jeffrey almost home

I love going to an early morning yoga class........ feels like you're one step ahead and you walk out taller, happier and calmer and pretty stoked you got out of bed

aha...nothing like the smugness of making a big dish of something delicious knowing that it will serve you well for the next couple of days..... today I made a pancetta, chesnut and pumkin risotto.

phew, just a couple more days till I get my man back

rainy day planning, glitter and early night

sometimes when its rainy and horrible outside, it gives me space to think and plan.... and thats exactly what I did today

glitter, glitter everywhere....sparkling and shining wherever I look....ha ha ha

early night, pj's on, snuggled in bed with a good book.....i'm happy

christmas shopping mission, super delicious dinner and super fun friends

managed to fit in a sneaky christmas shopping mission in this afternoon and cross a whole load of stuff off my list

went round to Jess and Wags for a super delicious dinner....yum yum yum

lots of laughs with good friends remembering good times

magical snow day, coaching call and baking cookies

wow..... a tonne of snow fell today so no way we could drive into work

spent all day in my new pj's and had a great coaching call with Lucy about being self aware and learning to give myself a break

baked a super yummy batch of chocolate cookies.... just seemed like the right thing to do on a day like today :)

new yoga workout, winter light & snowflakes

woooopa my new Tara Stiles dvd arrived in the post yesterday... so, this morning, I tested out the hour long routine....loved it, even if I felt pretty wobbly afterwards !

on my drive to work this morning, there was a beautiful yellow, white light....really amazing.... must be the reflection from the snow

at about 12pm, I had to make the executive decision to send us all home before we got snowed in.... I stopped off to say hello to the gorgeous cows and take some snaps of the winter wonderland :)

new hat, inspiring meeting & 3 courses of yumminess

new hat.... on a cold day.....

I had a great meeting today, full of inspiration, forward thinking and positive action

Sometimes, when its cold and dark outside, it just feels right to cook. So tonight, I made smoked salmon blinis, followed by lamb cutlets on a bed of green beans, courgette and flageolet beans, with crispy new potatoes and a roast garlic & creme fraiche sauce..... and fresh raspberries with a Grand Marnier & Vanilla cream

warm glow from the sun, warm fuzziness from my duvet and countdown

Even though it has been freeeeeeezing outside, today there was a warm glow from the sun that seemed to sneak though the car windows and keep my toasty

After a day in our super cold office (our heaters were turned off all weekend), it felt so good to arrive home at 4.30 and jump into bed to warm up

With all this cold weather, I've started a countdown till our snowboarding trip.....

Iynegar yoga, homemade loveliness, new pyjamas

ahhhh blissful Sunday morning yoga class..... its been forever since my last iyengar class, but it was as good as ever...... calming and energising at the same time....

we checked out a local artisans Christmas expo today....lots of beautiful handmade loveliness....

new pyjamas this weekend, perfect timing.... loving them

snow & christmas shopping, orange essential oil & birthday dinner smiles

thought I'd get a head start and do some Christmas shopping today...... I think the universe was listening..... just as I got into town it started bucketing down with snow.... everyone doing that terribly british thing of pretending it was a nuisance but secretly loving it

loving orange oil at the moment..... its uplifting, happy and fresh...... I bought 3 spare satsuma oils from the Body Shop today as I'm nervous I may run out !

Gordies 30th today..... we all went out for dinner.... lots of champagne, lots of laughter and lots of amazing friends that I've known forever but don't get to hang out with anywhere near enough

deadline hit, tone of voice, thai fish curry & chocolate cake

today was a full on crazy day at work..... felt like I was on some kind of gameshow, where every single thing that could possible get in the way of my goal did (I'm talking bomb scares, traffic wardens, broken printers and a ticking clock).... but.... by 5pm, the job was done, I could breathe easy and relaaaaaaaaaax

sometimes you can sense a change in a person just from their tone of voice.... tonight, someone I love sounded a lot like the happy-go-lucky, energized, positive person that I met 6 years ago

mmmmmmmmm Ali made THE most delicious thai fish curry with coconut rice..... followed by an unbelievably delicious chocolate cake..... the perfect end to such a crazy day

sshhhh it's a secret, zee avi, and yummy soup

wooopa.... can't tell you what (you'll find out soon enough) but I have a little secret that is making me grin from ear to ear

just discovered zee avi ..... wow, love her voice

pretty exciting times at the office..... we have a very small kitchen area, complete with microwave, which means on snowy days like today, its all about the soup :)

date night at green olive, puddles and love

date night tonight..... long overdue..... I love date nights, you spend all day with a smile on your face..... we went to the green olive, lush dinner and lovely company xxxx

ha ha ha Jeff though he knew a quicker route to the restaurant from the car park, and we ended up running in the pouring rain/sleet and both standing in an ankle deep freezing cold puddle. As you can imagine, we looked uber sophisticated as we arrived at the restaurant.... but hey, we were laughing a lot.

love makes me happy, and warm, and fuzzy, and blessed

amazing parents, a thank goodness moment and cold nights

my folks are beyond amazing..... they blow me away with their capacity to be wise parents, comforting best friends and inspiring mentors all at the same time

phew.... a moment that we feared could have held some bad news turned out to be nothing serious.... ha ha ha funny how your mind starts racing and inventing things before the facts are confirmed....

cold nights are all about cooking, reading books curled up in bed and snuggling... whilst hearing the wind and rain lashing against the windows

all amped up for work, snowboard trip booked, and an email from surf into yoga

great, positive, productive day at work....... happy days

wow, tonight we booked our snowboard trip for Christmas..... super excited about fun days in the mountains, bubble baths, yummy meals and good times ahead

woopa, got an email back about Hawaii surf/yoga camp today... I am soooo pumped on the trip... printed off some images of the camp today to keep me motivated through the cold winter days

breakfast with Gordie, sleepy afternoon and excited about the week

met up with Gordie for breakfast at El Tico..... gotta love lazy Sunday mornings

and after a lazy morning, what's better than a sleepy afternoon.... horrible weather, so what better way to spend it than snuggled up watching a movie with someone you love

after the excitement of Friday night, I feel like I've got an extra injection of motivation for work this week

being there, nap and making tortilla soup with Dad

friendship is about being there when it really matters and sharing good moments and bad.... after darkness there is always light

mmmmm had a great guilt-free nap today .... catch up on lost sleep from last night

Dad and I made mexican tortilla soup tonight.... the soup was delicious, but the 'making of' was even better x

honesty, an award and a great team, and moonlight on the ocean

honest discussions can be hard to swallow, but always positive in the end

wooohoooo we won an award tonight at the CIM awards...great night, lots of smiles, awesome team and very proud husband and wife

when I drove home at about 2am, the moon was so bright. By the time I pulled into the field, I could see the moon reflecting on the ocean.... amazing

afternoon rainbow, new lunchbox, major catch up

rainbows seem to be following me around at the moment.... everywhere I look I see them

new lunchbox.... bright green, and ready to be filled with yummy treats tomorrow

wowzers, a major blog catch up...feels good

super productive day, early mornings & early nights, happy texts

did a tonne of work today.....something great about crossing things off a list :)

early mornings and early nights are good for me.... they make me happy

lots of excited, stoked text messages today from an excited, stoked husband !

late dinner with friends, all at sea, done and dusted

late dinner with Alex & Paul..... yummy pasta, homemade garlic bread, rocket salad and then vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate sauce.... and a lot of laughs

Jamie Cullum sings a song called 'All at Sea'..... I love it....it conjures up all sorts of memories and thoughts

I love days when I feel like I've accomplished a lot..... like, if they were giving out superwoman badges, I might get one

morning sunshine, coaching call - releasing energy, one happy surfing family

getting up early in the winter has its perks....like today, when I got to witness some early morning sunshine and blue sky before it clouded over for the rest of the day

another great coaching call..... learning to release energy, good as well as bad..... it felt exhilarating

feeling really blessed to be a part of such an amazing surfing community.... we're all connected by our love and respect of the ocean, like one big, happy family

yum yum dinner, get outside, and planning adventures

salmon wrapped in prosciutto, roasted asparagus, sauteed potatoes and aioli...mmm mmmm mmmmmmm

sometimes, you just have to get outside and breathe in some fresh air

I like lists....in fact, I love lists.... but todays list, of adventures coming up in the next year was the best ever....

extreme declutter, backpacker moment, and true friendship

I took advantage of a husband free weekend, and had an almighty declutter day..... first at home, then at work.... it felt so good

Ali & I went out for an amazing thai meal tonight, then stopped in at the Blue Note to watch the Lloyd Yates Band..... I had a moment, in amongst the dancing, happy bodies where I felt like I was in my back packing days, carefree, living in the moment and surrounded by like minded people.... it was great

true friendship doesn't come around very often, but when it does, you have to grab it with both hands, and care for it..... it's not always sugar coated, but thats why its so good

little victory, french times, and relax

little victory today at work.... nothing huge, but a battle won none the less

mmmm, salade de chevre chaud tonight..... one of my favourite meals, a simple, happy childhood memory that never fails to bring a smile to my face

it's good to stop... and relax.... and breathe

imagination, amazing sky, squeaky clean face

ha ha ha imagination is an amazing thing..... this morning, whilst I was doing my yoga practice, I imagined that the warmth coming from the radiator was actually warmth from the sun and that I was on a tropical beach somewhere....... and, do you know what ? For that moment, I really was :)

driving home from work tonight was amazing, it had been a horrible, grey day and suddenly, as if the universe was reminding us of it's beauty, the sky exploded into a million shades of pink, orange, red and purple.

new face wash means squeaky clean face ...... I like that

yoga words, warm towels,piri piri chicken

so everyone knows the benefits that yoga has on your body.... but what really sunk in today, was the benefit it has on my mind.... the words that are spoken during yoga practice are affirming, empowering and beautiful

ahhhhhh there's nothing better than warm towels after a shower..... especially when the day outside is cold and wet....love it, even the smell of warmth as you bury your face in your towel

I made super delicious piri piri chicken tonight....it was goooood

healthy lunches, inspiration Tara Stiles, Rudyard Kipling

the thing about yoga is, it kinda sneaks up on your lifestyle and you find yourself adopting a yoga way of thinking.... this week, it's been all about making healthy lunches to take to work

been checking out Tara Stile's yoga channel recently...she's a real inspiration....and motivates me to keep on keeping on with my yoga and happy, calm, positive, grounded lifestyle

some words from the start of poem that inspires me every single day ....If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs

fairy lights, closeness & remember what is important (AI - RIP)

I have the most amazing fairy lights ...... they make our room warm and fuzzy and special

closeness is something to be cherished

the surfing world lost one of it's champions recently, a beautiful and young life lost.....tonight we remembered what is important in life

sunshine,bbbrrrr surf, snuggled up book reading

I LOVE winter sunshine.... there's something so invigorating about it..... we went for a stroll on the beach this morning and everyone (and his dog) was out enjoying the sun

bbbbbbrrrrr last surf in a summer suit today.... we managed to get a fun little surf in just before it got dark.... every duck dive makes me feel more alive

ok, so one of my guilty pleasures is getting out of the surf in the winter, and heading home, snuggling up in bed to read a book at about 5pm.... love it

cooking mission, yoga and great friends

supposed to have friends round tonight, but they couldn't find a babysitter so we took dinner to them.... yum yum lemongrass cod and coconut rice

yoga is so good for me, and so good for my soul

sometimes, when we hang out with Ali & Simon, I can't believe how blessed we are to be surrounded by such amazing friends

hawaii plan, switch the channel and fireworks

wow wow wow....too excited right now..... making a plan... just for me..... to go to Hawaii this winter for a yoga & surf retreat....

sometimes it is as simple as switching the channel..... Not sure why, but I was feeling kind grumpy this evening, and so, we decided to get outside and venture out in the cold to check out some fireworks.... two glasses of mulled wine later, I've forgotten my troubles and smiling again

fireworks and bonfires are just magical...happy faces, excited kids running around, and a warm fuzzy feeling inside

yoga challenge, sparkles in the champagne & happy day moving forwards

so today, I started my yoga challenge..... up at 6.30am every week day for 45 mins of bliss

day one....done !

we had champagne tonight, and when I looked at the cork it shimmered back at me

wow, sometimes a shift in energy makes such a huge difference.... it was a happy, productive day today

new perspective, wise Linzi and little things

life coaching is teaching me new things and helping me be more self aware and look at things with new perspective..... sometimes the answer is in the question

I'm not sure if the word wise is one that I would use to describe me, but I feel like I need to reconnect to a calmer, more grounded me, and today I took a step in that direction :)

little things can make me really happy, like a ray of sunshine, a nice cloud or a memory of a happy day

just be quiet, new chapter & movies

sometimes being quiet is all you need

feeling happy and strong about the new chapter I am embarking on.... taking steps to improve some things in my life that I have let slide a little

we went to the movies tonight with a bunch of old friends and then out for pizza. Good movie, good company and good times

big decision, pathway ahead and delicious dinner for 2

we had to make a pretty big call today... something that took a lot of guts and some serious thinking....but as soon as we had made the decision, I knew we'd done the right thing

the path ahead feels long but a bit clearer now

cold night, so I cooked up a super delicious pasta dish with sausage and fennel seeds....all washed down with a nice glass of red :)

long solo stomp, fresh air and simple balance

got all wrapped up and went for a super long stomp along the beach today by myself. Walked for about 3 hours, bumping into friends along the way. Perfect afternoon.

Fresh air - can't get enough of it !!

It's all about a simple balance for me..... and taking care of my needs...today proved it .... exercise, fresh air and spending time with people I love = happiness

walking together, grandma murder mysteries & an early night

it takes me a bit of persuading to get Jeff to come walking with me, but it is totally worth it. We had a super nice stomp across the beach and along the cliffpaths this morning.

ha ha ha sometimes I love a good murder mystery....such a grandma :)

early night snuggled up warm with a good book

l'horizon bubbles, a talk about friendship and an amazing dinner

great day today... we checked in to the L'Horizon Hotel at 3pm, and by 3.15 we were sitting in a jacuzzi watching the wild weather on the beach from the safety of our warm bubbles

an open, honest and frank discussion about friendship made me realise something pretty profound.... got to act on it now

the most amazing dinner....something really special about dressing up nice, and enjoying a beautiful dinner knowing all you have to do afterwards is cruise back to your room and relax

happy office, learning and crispy sunshine

our office is a happy place, with lots of work and lots of laughter

The past few weeks have been a real journey for me.... learning lots of lessons, and reaping the rewards when I'm being self aware enough to make good decisions. Learning is empowering.

Feel pretty lucky that its almost November and we're still in that lush crispy sunshine stage.

through leaves, vision board and a clearly defined role

inspired by my coaching call yesterday, I found my list of through leaves.... through leaves are those precious simple moments (like walking through leaves) that make you happy. So good to reconnect to them

had a good look at my vision board today, and I liked what I saw

we defined our roles clearly at work today, and it gave me a real sense of clarity

sunrises, it's coming, and ping pong in the ballroom

we're sleeping in my sisters old bedroom, and so we've been waking up to gorgeous sunrises and pink sky every morning

yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeee the cheque is in the mail....for real.....

caught up with some amazing friends tonight for dinner...they are house-sitting a huge old mansion and so after dinner we played ping pong in the ballroom

new journey, chores and soul

wow, started life coaching today..... really felt like the start of a journey...exciting times ahead

sunny arvo chores, sweeping the deck in the fresh autumn air

family time is so important and so good for the soul

sort out, laughter and blue planet

there's nothing like a good sort out to feel like you've accomplished something.... today I spent about 4 hours sorting out our shed, fighting with spiders, boxes and crazy amounts of festival stuff...but when I'd finished it felt soooooo good

laughter at home..... can't ask for more than that !

watched David Attenborough's Blue Planet tonight..... his voice is so soothing, the images so beautiful....takes me to another place that feels calm, zen and relaxed

lucky boat, yummy breakfast and cooking mission

we had a bumpy boat ride this morning but somehow I managed to not feel too green.... amazing. Just lay down, closed my eyes and before I knew it, we were home !

went out for a super delicious breakfast and felt great to be hanging out with my awesome family again

I love a challenge...so tonight, I cooked a roast dinner in 45 mins with the help of our new Jamie Oliver book..ha ha ha it was pretty funny, felt like I was on a gameshow..

driving in the right direction, love and crispy cold-ness

we're on a mission...again... and so it felt good to be on the road and driving back up to Jersey so we can kick some goals (and hang out with some awesome people !!)

love really does make the world go round

bbrrrrr crispiness in the air tonight....love it

fresh air, beautiful sunset and plans for the future

fresh air ! - never under estimate how amazing it makes you feel

we went to the beach tonight before dinner and watched the sunset, it was such a beautiful night

dropped into Christiaan & Alix's tonight and ended up having a couple of glasses of wine and making plans for the next few months. Feels good to be putting roots down...

porridge, big guys and being looked after

I have an icky cold right now, but porridge with cinnamon, ginger and golden syrup makes me feel HEAPS better :)

talking to the big guys at work.... pretty crazy stuff, feeling like a little grasshopper but excited for the journey

being looked after by my lovely husband when I'm sick

birthday, growing team and great advice

it was Christiaans birthday today so we all celebrated with a tonne of delicious mexican food that Alix had made. Good times with good friends, made me feel really blessed.

new member of staff...that makes FOUR of us !! wow wow wow...feels awesome to have him on board

got some great advice today, much appreciated

roasted garlic, neat piles of paper & a great bottle of rose

mmmmmm I made the yummiest dinner tonight that involved crazy amounts of roasted garlic.....soooo good

ahh there's something so fulfilling about looking at stacks of paper that you've filed and sorted !

we shared a bottle of super yummy rose tonight

blue sky thinking, tennis and autumn afternoon sunshine

back to yoga this morning, which felt great. I absolutely love the sky lights in the yoga studio.... I'm forever gazing up at them mid-pose.... blue sky thinking, breathe in, breathe out.... think positive

Jeff and I had the funnest time this afternoon, we played tennis against the 'fronton' wall... lots of laughs and super nice to be outside, exercising together :)

we spent the rest of the afternoon snuggled up on a rug on the beach at the lake, reading the sunday papers....lush.... makes me realise how important being outside in the fresh air is to me...even if you have to get rugged up to stay warm !!!

forest walk, my amazing mum and dad, and a whole lot of love xxx

Jeff and I went for an autumn forest stomp this afternoon..... it ended up with us getting a bit lost, but we had a lot of fun, felt like we could have walked and talked forever

sometimes my mum and dad just blow me away..... they truly are two of my best friends, and it never ceases to amaze me how much they love me and have faith in my dreams

feeling pretty blessed right now..... starting to feel like I'm back on track with the universe, and surrounded by love

haircut, friendship and dinner at 'le surfing'

its amazing how good a haircut can make you feel..... like a fresh start, time for new beginnings

today I spent a lot of time thinking about how lucky I am to have such awesome friends.... sometimes I get a bit sad because they are all scattered around the world, but I guess it means everywhere I go there's someone awesome to hang out with

dinner out tonight....felt good after a week of rest.... picked up a magazine with a great cover that made me realise how important fun is, and remembering what it is that makes you really happy

lovely words, bubble and bbc news

I bought some lavender oil today, and when I read the little leaflet about essential oils inside the box this sentence popped out at me ......'when you squeeze orange peel over a candle, hundreds of little stars are illuminated over the flame: this is essential oil of orange'......what lovely words

we've had an issue with some crazy noisy spanish neighbours for the past few weeks...but last night, we decided to change the channel. We imagined we were in a bubble, filled with love, and that the noise of them fighting just couldn't get through. Might sound a bit loopy, but it worked :)

ahhhhhh simple pleasures.... found a way to watch english tv on my laptop today.... and very much enjoyed the comfort of watching the BBC news

fresh air, good questions and togetherness

spent some time this morning running around doing chores in the fresh autumn air

good questions lead to good answers and if you're lucky, a new path

the feeling of togetherness has snuck up on me this week, it makes me smile

light & quiet, sunset and Jeff's laughter

we checked out a little house today..... don't know if we can afford to move just yet, but the zen combination of light & quiet blew us both away..... two key factors in a happy home

we sat quietly by the lake and watched the sunset together

the sound of my husbands laugh is one of my favourite things

long drive, clean & empty apartment and simple pleasures

a long drive with someone you love can turn out to be a happy two hour experience

we came home to a clean, empty apartment....it was bliss. Having people to stay is super fun, but getting back to normality can be pretty good too.

we celebrated with a bottle of wine, a take out pizza and a movie...simple pleasures

rainy day, junky tv and my awesome husband

When rainy days fall on Sundays, it seems only right to stay in your pj's and snuggle

living in France is awesome, but their TV is pretty bad......so itunes can save the day when you need a junky tv fix...... today was all about Ugly Betty :)

so happy that I have an awesome husband by my side when i'm feeling a little jumbled

thankful, deli and soup

today, I felt super grateful for my awesome family

we went to an amazing deli in San Seb today.... the kind of place I would love to live next door to

roasted butternut squash and bramley apple soup.....so full of autumn flavours and yumminess

rest, visualisation and picnic

today was a day of rest for everyone - it felt good, and much needed

we drove around in the afternoon sunlight looking at beautiful houses surrounded by pine trees.... it always helps to visualise your dreams

change of plan from dinner at home to an awesome little picnic by the lake eating fresh prawns & garlic mayo...yum yum yum

jet planes, tiki tour and dinner with Jeffrey

we watched the french version of the red arrows today.... they were practising over Biarritz... I felt like a little kid again, getting super excited by the fast jets, coloured smoke trails and the 'I wanna be a red arrrow' feeling

tiki-touring today made me realise that we live in a special place

late home, and pretty tired but we were treated to an awesome dinner date by Jeffs' folks....so we brushed our hair, jumped in the car and went to 'La Station' and had a really lovely evening together

good deeds, chocolate factory and beautiful red roses !

good deeds make you feel good.....simple

we visited a chocolate factory today.....mmmmmmm wow wow wow..... delicious tasting session at the end of the tour..... :)

I earned some major brownie points with my beautiful husband today.... he scored Mundaka 10ft today....whilst I took the folks on a tiki-tour.... but he came home with red roses..... totally worth it !

waking up refreshed, nature doing it's thing and a moment of quiet time

been feeling pretty tired recently, so when I woke up this morning super refreshed, I was pretty stoked

we drove up to the mountains today and got the little train up La Rhune..... nature really blows me away

amongst some of the chaos on the train I was able to sneak a few moments of quiet time just for me...... just zoning out and enjoying the ride :)

sleepy day, chores and chicken, lemon & mint risotto

sleepy day today....soooo tired after the weekend, so had a killer nap this morning ! gotta love naps :)

I love my weekly mission of working out what meals we're going to have, reading through all my recipe books and making my shopping list

mmmmmm chicken, lemon and mint risotto for dinner...... so good to have a healthy home cooked meal

french markets, home with my man and a new book

spent some time checking out the Sunday morning markets....I love french markets....so much beautiful food, and so many proud stall-holders

arrive back home with my man....... and pretty happy about it

new book....about the four agreements...interesting reading...going to learn something new I think :)

bus tour, Paris night and sleep time

we went on a bus tour of Paris today....not something we'd normally do, but it turned out to be awesome...checking out the beautiful city

our taxi driver took us to Trocadero on the way home, and we hopped out to get the best view of the Eiffel Tower. Something about the place, the music, the night, made me feel very proud to have roots in this awesome country

ahhhhh at last, after a long day, it felt great to snuggle into a comfy hotel bed and get some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's

Parisian lunchbreak, Jeff at last :) and family dinner

caught up with Patricia for lunch today in Paris, she took me to a great little restaurant in St Germain des Pres...

ahhhhhhh at long last, it's been a month, and I'm so happy to have my husband back :)

family dinner at a restaurant near our hotel....fun to catch up over a yummy meal and share a bottle of wine with Jeffo again

stomp, 'se faire confiance' and catch up dinner with friends

a morning walk around the lake, having a laugh and a catch up with Alix

my yoga teacher uses the phrase 'se faire confiance' whenever we do a balancing pose...it means trust yourself or believe in yourself.... I really like it

dinner with a bunch of good friends, none of whom knew each other before... good to bring people together :)

being strong, new friendship and forest mission

sometimes it only takes a few words of encouragement from someone you love to help you become a stronger person

I'm stoked that a new friendship has blossomed, good to have someone to chat to down here :)

went searching for sites today, so spent a bit of time cruising the forest tracks.... so beautiful !

different perspective, countdown and happy bird

this morning I walked around the lake....the wrong way..... well, the opposite way to how I've always walked and run around it.... turns out it's really worth checking things out from a different perspective from time to time....keep it fresh

woooopa finally we're into a serious countdown mode.... today is Tuesday, so only 3 more days till I see Jeffrey :)

loving my yoga class at the moment....today, right at the end of the class, when we were in savassana everything was silent apart from a little birdie outside tweeting to his hearts content

tweet tweet yoga bird

its ok to ask for help, planning Paris and my Dad

sometimes its ok to ask for help... in fact, its better than ok, its absolutely the right thing to do..... I felt an immense sense of relief today just from picking up the phone and making a call

so whats even more exciting about seeing Jeff again on Friday is that we'll be seeing each other in Paris !!! Spent some time planning hotels, flights and fun stuff to do today....

my Dad is amazing - don't need to say anymore than that really - he makes me feel very happy, and very grateful

skylight, not long now and new book

this morning at yoga, I noticed how beautiful the sky was. We were doing savasanna and as I looked up, it was all blue and fluffy clouds :)

wow, less than a week till I see Jeff again...this time has been harder than ever, we've been apart for a month and I'm seriously considering counting the hours now..... I get excited just thinking about being back together again

new book, new adventure..... I love hopping into bed early and starting a new book....

lazy day, pineapple man and amazing, grandma-like dinner

today was a super lazy day..... I'm not normally very good at it, but I must have needed one .... so I fubbed out at home, watched a couple of movies and just relaxed

at the supermarket this afternoon, there was something weird happening in the fruit section...... a man dressed all in white with a purple cape and beret, selling prunes.... and another man, who had a little tape player blasting out music, chopping pineapples.... very bizarre, very french but actually kinda funny

one of the things I don't like about being by myself, is that, inevitably, you don't bother to cook as much when you're alone. But every now and then, I bust out a recipe, go shopping and cook myself something really delicious... tonight, I made something I imagine Nany would serve me...... roast chicken, carrot puree, pommes noisettes and a red wine gravy.... so yummy, so comforting and really worth all that washing up

early morning rain, sneaky sneaky, and moules a la plancha

there is nothing better than waking up to the sound of light rain. This morning I got up, opened up the shutters and the balcony doors, and then got back into bed again. There is something amazing about feeling the fresh, cool air rush in, and the peaceful sound of rain

I snuck back into bed at some stage this afternoon for a sneaky sneaky nap

mmmm moules a la plancha for dinner....so good

cereal, well behaved car and great dinner with friends

mmmmm they have these cereals over here called Smacks....kinda like sugar puffs I guess. They reming me of staying with Nany & Papy when I was little. I bought some today and they brought a smile to my face.

my car very nearly ran out of petrol today - well it actually did, but somehow, with some kind words and a little faith, we (my car & I) managed to get to the petrol station. It made me grateful for the fact that it could have turned out into a mission, but thankfully, it didn't.

being alone sucks... and sometimes you get stuck in a bubble and forget to come out. Jeff has been away for 3 weeks now, but tonight, I invited some of our friends around for dinner. Although it would have been more fun if he was with us, we all had a great time and I felt like I had a night out of my bubble

lunchtime surf, listening and dream houses

wow, the surf was amazing today....... I had a sneaky lunchtime surf in the blazing sun...I love it here

sometimes being a good friend is more about listening than it is talking. I think I did ok today.

when I walk or run around the lake, I dream of living in one of the beautiful houses. I can never make up my mind which house I would pick, but the fun is in the visualisation..... imagining myself in there, with Jeff ......one day....

great meeting, power yoga and junk tv

wow, today was a great work day....had a fantastic meeting..... all our plans and dreams feel like they are slowly falling into place, and its actually going to happen..... feels kinda surreal

yoga class tonight, it was hot and stuffy, and I worked really hard......fun though

sometimes (but not very often..) I love to get wrapped up in a junky tv show.....tonight was one of those nights....desperate housewives

sore from running, happy logs and chocolate cake makes everyone happy

ran this morning..... and by the time I finished I was sore all over...from the yoga yesterday and the run today. But to be honest it felt really good, I love that feeling, makes me feel like I'm fit and active again.

someone has painted faces on a bunch of logs by 'La Station' restaurant, they look very content

dinner with elsie and her band of merry campers...... turns out chocolate cake makes everybody happy, so simple and sooooo delicious

yoga class, beach time and garlic bread

went to a new yoga class this morning.... was the only one there, so kinda got the whole class to myself...it was awesome !

hung out at the beach again today...got to make the most of the summer sun

mmmmm met up with Elsie and her happy campers tonight, and took some home-made garlic bread with piment d'espelette...yum yum yum

moving in, sun-baking and good times

a day of sorting out, unpacking and feeling right at home again

it was HOT today, so spent a fair amount of the day sunbaking, relaxing and reading my book

caught up with Garth & Jackson for dinner at the Cream and watched the Trestles comp live on the net...... super nice to catch up again, and feel pretty grateful for being able to slot straight back in to a fantastic group of friends every time we get back here

moving out, catch up with elsie and a lot of love

wooopa gave the keys back to the agency and did a little hop, skip and a jump to our apartment..... soooooo excited for quiet nights sleep

one of my great friends is down here on holidays so today we hung out at the beach, sunbaking and catching up.... it was nice :)

lots of love today..... thanks Jeffo x

early morning french mission, moving across the hall and accras

I love my morning routine here..... get up early (normally to a clear, calm sunny morning), go check the surf - surf if there is waves, if not the run round the lake or do some yoga.... then drop into the boulangerie for my baguette...happy french days

shuffling cases and bags across the hallway made me grateful for two things; one that I didn't have far to go, and two that this is my last shuffle in a while

went out for dinner with my folks and ate delicious accras de morue...mmmmm my favourite

raw ocean power, new coat and someone having faith in my dreams

ok, it's official, autumn, and the huge swell that comes with it, has arrived.... the surf this morning was HUGE, so I took my folks and some friends of ours on a little tiki-tour of all the spots. I love it when nature creates such perfection, makes me feel very small and very humble

so, with a new season, comes a new coat .... ha ha ha

when somebody sees your vision, and has genuine faith that you're going to achieve your goals, it blows you away a little, and makes you very grateful for that moment

woodsmoke, solid surf and a great salad

wow, day 2 of autumn..... in the surf this morning I could smell woodsmoke in the air.... I don't really know why I love that smell so much, maybe the excitement of a change of season, maybe childhood memories...but it makes me smile

the surf today had picked up heaps, and there were a few scary moments out there, but the buzz lasted all day

mmmmmm buffalo mozzarella marinated in olive oil, garlic and basil, with a rocket and strawberry salad...such a great combo :)

autumn's coming, cooking and a tonne of work complete

this morning was the first time you could sense autumn in the air.... I surfed early, it the air was crisp and cool and the sand felt cold under your feet

I love how, when everything is is chaotic and overwhelming, you can go into a kitchen, put the right ingredients together in the right way and create something amazing. It gives me a lot of pleasure to know that.

I have so much work to do at the moment, I'm totally stacked..... but today I made a pretty good dent in it, and I'm pretty happy about that.

yoga breathing, straight back and a nice message on a bottle

this morning I woke feeling pretty wired...not been sleeping much. So after a surf check, I went to the lake and did some yoga..... just breathing the good stuff in, and breathing the bad stuff out....amazing how good it makes you feel

wow...super excited today.... a package in the post... with a laptop stand, wireless mouse and wireless keyboard....at last !!!! I have a straight back and good posture at work !

I went to the pharmacy to see if I could get something to help me sleep, my mind has been racing every night and I've spent the past week not sleeping anywhere near as much as I normally do. It's been driving me crazy..... the lady gave me some natural sleeping tablets, and when I got home and checked them out, the little message on the bottle was a real surprise. Instead of the standard contraindications, how to take these pills, what to do if you overdose, they simply gave you some tips to sleeping well and living well (fresh air, exercise, spending time with people you love)..... best advice I've ever seen on a bottle of pills :)

time to de-jumble, universe chat and a dark, quiet room

still living out of a bag and feeling a bit all over the place.... made the decision that today was the day to de-jumble... feels good to have started the de-jumble process

Jeff and I had a chat today, it was full of hope and positivity.... and words passed on from someone who believes in us and believes in the universe

kind of a crazy weekend in Hossegor, busy busy busy, and noisy too.... so this afternoon I snuck across the hall to mum & dad's apartment, made the bed, closed the shutters and enjoyed a nap in a dark, quiet room

early solo surf, reading in the sunshine and chicken tortilla soup

mmmmm an early morning, fresh, full of sunshine surf..... simple pleasures

it was super hot today, and I knew I needed to rest, but really didn't feel like being stuck indoors, so I took my book and my towel down to the pool, and read for hours...

sometimes you just know that you're body (and soul) needs some extra special care...and thats when you make chicken tortilla soup

surfing makes everything better, structure at last and the perfect mojito

surfing really does make everything better....it's like you've known that forever, but each time you surf, you're reminded of it

finally settled into work down here and putting some structure in place.... what can I say...I'm a geek, a neat freak and love to feel in control of my own destiny (and desk)

my sisters' last night, we went to Chez Monette and it was proven, once again, that they make the best mojito's in town

chocolate crackle cakes, words of wisdom and the perfect park

mmmmm only in France would you be able to find gourmet chocolate crackle cakes.... they live in the boulangerie section of the supermarket.... yes, they're just cornflakes coated in chocolate, but these ones are sooooooo delicious !!

a reply to a simple 'help, i'm struggling' message made me smile today... turns out it doesn't matter where your friends are in the world, they'll always be there for you when you need them :)

the park in Hossegor is a very happy place, I hardly spend any time in there, but you can just sense it every time you drive past. It's always full of kids playing , waiting eagerly for their turn on the old-fashioned merry go round, parents queuing up in the sunshine at the little cabin to buy ice-creams, gaufres and crepes..... old men playing boules, families having picnics on multi-coloured rugs...... it makes me smile each time I go past

running sets me free, catch up and sunbeam

running gives me a sense of self, of freedom and happiness

after my useless day yesterday (no internet), I played catch up today...it felt good

I had to shoot into town to do some chores this afternoon, and was kinda in auto-pilot mode until I was walking back to the car down a narrow tree lined street and a warm sunbeam hit me and made me stop and appreciate it. Amazing what a sunbeam can do

a beach break, smell of home and a big storm

I had a crappy day at work today so at about 4.30pm, I bailed to the beach and just sat in the sunshine for a while watching the surf. It was like a little holiday.

Before we went for dinner I took a magazine down to the pool and relaxed down there for a while - a few deep breaths after a long, exasperating day. Then I got a whiff of it..... that amazing home smell.....pine trees, fresh air, sunshine, the smell of the ocean

on the cycle to dinner tonight we were checking out all the crazy clouds... then, about halfway through our (amazingly delicious - gambas a la plancha) meal, the storm hit... from calm to chaos in about 3 minutes..... we had to sit it out in the restaurant (with another bottle of rose, and a slice of moelleux au chocolat each) until we could cycle home

family, a little sign, and a warm, fuzzy movie

my sister and her fiance are on holiday down here at the moment, we've been hanging out a fair bit....going for dinners and fun cycling missions... it's been really nice

today I was in the cookware aisle of the supermarket, by myself, when suddenly a little kitchen timer started going off...bbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz not sure what it meant, but it felt like it was supposed to go off just as I walked past..... is the universe telling me its time to do something ? I love it when you get a little prod like that...

I watched 'Whip It' tonight, Drew Barrymores coming of age film about roller derby. It was a lot of fun, a great reminder to be yourself and follow your own dreams

pool on a hot day, perrier and lime and cycling adventures

wowzers it was sooooo hot today.... thank goodness we have a pool. Went to the beach for a while but was crazy hot so just came back home and chilled ...

Cycled into town for a Perrier and lime.... ahhh the simple pleasures

we cycled to Capbreton tonight to check out the Fete des Chipirons... fun little mission that ended up with an early night, yummy dinner (salad and croquetas) and a very content me

happy happy, chez monette and full circle

so happy I could sing a little song..... had a great day with a fair amount of fun chores, some greener festival news to celebrate, an amazing meeting, lots of sunshine and a very happy Linzi

took Nat & Dave to Chez Monette for dinner....cycle via the lake,mmmmmm mojitos and lots of yummy food...

moved across the hall to our old apartment, just for 2 wks whilst the Nat & Dave, and then Mum & Dad stay in the other one.... but felt kinda bizarre coming back here. Full circle really.... I bought this place when I was 22, and all I had in my head (and my heart) was 'I want to live here'.... then I carried on travelling, surfing, working for 8 years and now I'm back where I belong

home sweet home, salade de chevre & glass of rose and a sploosh

aahhh after a long drive and a hot day I arrived back home.... very happy to be here

I stopped off at Cap'Pizza (as is standard Jeff & Linz procedure after the drive down !) and got a salade de chevre to take home along with a chilled bottle of rose...yum

Before eating my dinner and falling into bed, I went for a quick, refreshing sploosh in the pool to wash the drive off... lush :)