Folk Radio UK

 Today I am not at work.  Work recently has been an unending onslaught of change, to-do lists that don't get done and customers already starting to crack under christmas' knuckly grip.  Like anyone whose job gets a bit on top of them, the days when you don't have to go in are glorious.  I am currently reclining on my sofa, tea is sitting with me as are biscuits.  If I didn't have to take the bins out I wouldn't even be contemplating getting dressed.  I intend to read, write a bit and watch some films.  All the things I promise myself I will do on days off but always end up feeling guilty about.  I always think I should be out at the shops providing items for my man, or scrubbing under the sofa, or painting the ceiling.  But, apart from the bins, I'm going to do none of those things.

It is rather wonderful then that I have discovered the perfect website to provide the soundtrack to all my whimsical doing nothing-ness.  Folk Radio UK is a Bristol based station pouring gloriousness all over my ears.  I love the radio, but apart from BBC 6 Music I find it very difficult to find stations that play music I want to hear.  The last time I listened to Radio 1 was probably the weekend Blur beat Oasis to number one.  I wrote the other day about feeling lost in Topshop amongst the young and the backcombed, I feel a hundred times more disillusioned when I have to endure any popular music at the moment.  To me Rhianna is a girl who could sing the sweetest love song and still make it sound like pornography, Katy Perry, I'm sure is a cartoon character and RnB is just about owning lots of things and having sex with stuff now isn't it?  It's all a bit "dirrrrrrrty" and a bit cringy.

Folk Radio UK is therefore my haven.  I have been listening for an hour now and only heard one song I have heard before, everything else is new to my ears and everything is EXCELLENT. I already have a rather long list of CDs  my life is now incomplete without. I'm very excited about ploughing through the mixes provided on the site. The Lost in The Meadow mix sounds lovely  and just what I need on a day where I haven't heard from the sun in a while.  Folk, tea, biscuits and the ability to relax make for a perfect day.  What more do you need on a grey Thursday afternoon when you have promised not to do much?  To have already put the bins out, that's what.  I'll go and sort the rubbish and let you tune in.  

GIVEAWAY TIME!

N-Night

 It's getting a bit cold isn't it? If you are anything like me you are turning your mind to nesting.  I shall be stocking up on scented candles, flavoured hot beverages and thinking about getting some new bedroom furniture.  The kingdom of duvet is where I shall be living for the next few months so it only seems right.

If you ARE like me then you are clearly very lucky, which is the perfect attribute for winning my new competition.  The lovely folks at CSN Stores are giving away a whopping £25 to one of my readers to spend on any of thier UK websites.  Why not get yourself a little something, or even better, sort out that tricky Christmas present.

As before, all you need to do is leave me a comment on this here post and your name will enter the bowler hat of destiny to hopefully be drawn at random.  Competition will close at midnight on Saturday 27th November (Saturday night/Sunday morning (one of you was bound to ask)).

Good luck!

STEF NEEDS YOU! (pointy finger)

 Hands up if you like gorgeous girls!

Hands up if you like retro glamour!

Hands up if you like a red head!

Wow, that's alot of hands! Well why not take those hands, and more precisely your finger (any one), and vote for my friend Stef in the Pinuplifestyle.com calender competition.

You may remember Stef from a previous blog post, she was one of the reasons why I had had a particularly nice day. Now it's time to return the favor and let her have a nice day too! So please take two seconds to vote (you don't need to sign up to anything) and make a gorgeous red head (and a strangely washed out ginger one) very happy  :)

 

Here are some things you might like to know about Stef before making your vote:

Films she likes: Gilda, Some Like it Hot, Ghostbusters and Clint Eastwood ones

Music she likes: The Beatles, Muse, Michael Jackson, The Postal Service

She likes sundry things such as: High heels, seamed stockings, corsets and Simon's face

 GET VOTING!!


Photos by Ian Malone

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Well after all the loveliness yesterday I come spreading more Joy!  The wonderful people at CSN Stores are offering one of my readers £15 to spend on any of thier UK Websites.  CSN stores sell everything you need for each room of your house! From wardrobes to lighting to my personal favorite BAKEWARE!

 I have my eye on one of these babies:

But YOU can spend your £15 on whatever you like.  To enter, just comment on this post and tell me what you would spend your voucher on! (Don't worry, you can change your mind later!).  Entry closes next Friday (8th October) and a winner will be picked at random! Anyone can enter, so tell your friends!

Good Luck! x

Why I'm having a particularly lovely day

Cat by Cat

As you can all see this blog of mine is called Bitter Lemon and started from a rather frustrated place. But today I have had a simply lovely day, and as someone who suffers from pitiful downs and panicking panics I thought it was worth celebrating.

Now we all know the Internet loves a good list, so here is why I'm having the whimsiest day of loveliness:

* I had a substantial lie-in that went on for just the right amount of time. I got up today at 10.30, which is the perfect time: you have languished in the land of nod and fed on sleep until you are just full, but not too full to feel bloated and head heavy.

* The lie-in followed a horrible dream where Martin had left me. The relief I felt when I woke up to hear him pottering about was glorious.

* Having already tidied the kitchen and living room last night, I was greeted by the best sight to morning eyes - neatness in the two most inviting rooms.

* I had perfect, 4 and a half minute boiled eggs for breakfast.

* I wrote three letters which I went on to post on the same day they were written. They now won't rattle about in my bag for a week getting tatty and bruised.  They slipped into the post box in pristine condition. I also posted back my lovefilm DVD (Frost/Nixon) in record time.

* I decided to cook my hard-working fiance a meal that any 1950s housewife would be proud of. So out came Gizzi Erskine's book and her recipe for "Proper Beef Stew".

* I walked to the shops in the sunshine,with Stephen Fry in my ears. I went round possibly the bleakest Asda in the country and left with cheeks devoid of tears. Not bursting into tears wasn't the only first on this shopping trip, I also managed to buy EVERYTHING that I needed to make my beef stew.

* I only had to wait about 5 minutes for the bus home. This is always a delight, I wasn't even bothered that, having only a £2 coin on me, I over paid for my journey by 55p. I like to think the bus driver fished this out for himself and bought himself something nice.

* I switched on my computer in the afternoon sunshine, poured myself some very lovely coffee and got cracking on my Green and Blacks Cherry Chocolate bar. My broadband kicked in in super fast time and I was whizzing around the Internet before I knew it.

* I browsed my two new favorite shopping sites The Literary Gift Company and Folksy where I made a start on Christmas and treated myself to a Border Terrier badge:

Designed by Forever Foxed

This badge will have to do until I can get the real thing.

* I spoke to Stef, who looks like this:

Stef photographed by Ian Malone

and is one of the best people I know.

* I downloaded 'A Larum' which is a simply brilliant folk album by Johnny Flynn, and thanks to the power of the facebook status update have added more music to my Itunes wishlist.

* With 'A Larum' playing in the background I lustily prepared stew for my lover like any good folk wench would.

* Martin came home early.

These are all wonderful things. But surely the best thing is still to come: the stew should be ready in time for Only Connect. It's almost like I timed it that way.

Top photo by Cat_mcpie (wonderful photos, especially of London)
Stef photo by Ian Malone (www.malonesworld.com)
Border Terrier badge by Forever Foxed