Summer is almost here! I know that I really shouldn’t be a fan seeing as I’m a milky white redhead at heart and fond of all that is goth and gloomy, but I just can’t help it. Things are always just so much better when the sun is out, aren’t they? Plus it’s easier to stay motivated about keeping fit when the sun is shining and pretty much BECKONING you out to take long leisurely walks in the woods.
We’re busy making summer plans here at Guillotine Towers and inspired by this lovely post on Love Audrey’s blog (which you should check out as it’s ace and very inspiring if you want to live gracefully but are a bit of a slob at heart), I’ve made a list of my own!
1. Finish the Ripper Book! We’re almost there, everyone! We’re off to Cumbria and the Lake District for two whole weeks at the start of August, which will be brilliant because it means lots of time spent tramping about outdoors and also no internet at our cottage so I can crack on with finishing this book! Hurray!
2. Go fossil hunting! I used to love looking for fossils at Robin Hood’s Bay when I was a child so I’m keen to take the boys to do this too. We’re currently in the throes of trying to book a camping spot in Dorset for a weekend over the summer so that we can go fossil hunting, paddling and eat cream teas in the sunshine.
3. Bake macarons! I really enjoy baking but have yet to dare to even TRY to attempt to make macarons, which is weird as I really love them. I’m planning a trip to the mega huge Lakeland shop when we go to the Lake District so that I can buy macaron making supplies!
4. Have more barbecues! In a fit of unusual enthusiasm, we bought a barbecue a few months ago and have only used it maybe four or five times since. This is a bit tragic really so I’m determined to get more use out of it over the summer.
5. Go swimming once a week! I love swimming but rarely go as I feel self conscious and I also have a raging shark phobia going on, which can be problematic in big pools. No seriously. However, this is kind of ridiculous really so I’m going to make an effort to go swimming at least once a week starting next week. It’ll be easier while we’re in Cumbria as the place we’re staying at has an indoor pool (which is usually pretty deserted!) so I can go every day then! Yipee!
6. Visit Raby Castle! I haven’t been to Raby since I was a little girl so I’m looking forward to doing a day trip there when we’re in Cumbria. I’d like to go to Alnwick again as well but have been assured by my husband (who does all the driving so fair enough) that there’s no chance as it’s too far away. Boo hissss.
7. Spend a day in Edinburgh! However, on the other hand, he HAS agreed to drive us all up to Edinburgh for the day again. I can’t WAIT. Have you seen the pictures emerging from the new Mary, Queen of Scots exhibition there? Well, I’m going to see that in August, as well as paying a long wished for visit to Holyroodhouse and maybe doing a spot of shopping as I will be SHOP DEPRIVED by then after a week or so in Cumbria. Good lord.
8. Take the boys to the Tower of London! I’ve wanted to do this for ages and I think that year might be the one.
9. Start writing the sequel to Minette! I kind of have to do this as I promised that I would and Minette has been pretty popular! I’m hoping that I’ll finish From Whitechapel while I’m away and then take a short break to recover before cracking on with Madame in mid August sometime. I’m off to Paris in October to do some research for this as well, which will be fun.
10. Dye my hair blue! I’ve had pink hair off and on since 1998! This is a very very long time and I’m getting a bit bored with it now. Who knew that it was possible to get bored of pink hair? I know. Anyway, blue and brown are the only hair colours that I have never had and, well, there’s not much competition between them as far as I’m concerned!
11. Buy a new summer signature scent! I love perfume but haven’t bought a new one for ages, which is a bit unlike me. I’m currently hankering after another bottle of Tom Ford Black Orchid for evenings and the new Marc Jacobs Honey scent for day time.
12. Get a tattoo! Would you believe that I don’t have a single tattoo? Apparently this confuses people a bit due to my hair and overall demeanour. Needless to say their minds are then COMPLETELY blown when I point out that I not only don’t have a tattoo but I also have absolutely NOTHING pierced. No, not even my ears. I think this needs to change.
13. Make sushi! As with the macarons, I bloody love vegetarian sushi but have never managed to attempt it at home despite stockpiling recipe books over the years. This is going to change this summer. Oh yes it is.
14. Go for more picnics! We’re really into our daily long walks in the beautiful local woods and nature reserves (especially this one and Conham River Park) and I’ve started thinking that maybe we should start taking a picnic with us and basically having our dinner there too. I love picnics anyway – why does food always taste so much better outdoors? Is there some weirdy scientific reason for this?
15. Hire a boat! We love boats and being near or out on the water so Monsieur Guillotine and I have been thinking for a while about hiring some sort of boat – possibly just a speedboat on Lake Windermere when we’re up in Cumbria or possibly even a whole narrow boat for a weekend so that I can pretend to be Mr Toad or something, although I’m slightly nervous about this.
Other plans for this summer include visits to Buckingham Palace, the Banqueting House, lots of lovely food (while still losing weight on my diet – erk), a day trip to York, a weekend in Spitalfields with one of my best friends and hopefully a visit to Blenheim Palace. It’s going to be a brilliant summer – if a bit shattering!
So there we have it. What are your plans for this summer?
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‘Frothy, light hearted, gorgeous. The perfect summer read.’ Minette, my novel of 17th century posh doom and intrigue is now £2.02 from Amazon UK and $2.99 from Amazon US.
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