Autumnal Walks and Neolithic Stones...

Yesterday, I took a lovely stroll across the countryside with one of my closest friends, Domi. Domi and I have known each other since primary school so there's something very special about our friendship. She's seen me at my worst, comforted me through the sad times, berated me during the silly times, and stuck beside me for all of the fun times. There's never a dull moment with her and we both enjoy being outdoors around nature.

The Isle of Wight has some of the loveliest walks you could imagine. The air is so fresh and you cannot help but feel rejuvenated when you trek through the forests, listening to the sound of copper leaves crunching beneath your boots.

I've always been a country girl and I find walking extremely soothing. On this particular occasion, our aim was to reach the Long Stone in Mottistone, which is on the south-west coast of the Isle of Wight.

The only thing about undertaking walking adventures with me is that I tend to stray off the path sometimes...and this has varying degrees of success. For example Domi was not too thrilled by the fact that—after I'd taken something of a detour from the path—she was faced with no other alternative than to slide down this hill.

The lovely thing about walks around the Isle of Wight is that you can have a panoramic view of forests and bracken one side of you, whilst also having stunning views of the sea on the other side.

Of course, as is the usual way, Domi and I decided to do some outdoor yoga exercises. I have to say, doing yoga in jeans is very unforgiving and I don't recommend it! However, I was able to do a few simple positions.

When we were finished with the yoga, we attempted to do a few jumping photos. Our timing was off - and I can't work out whether my photographer for this was either good or terrible as a result! Either way, Domi and I had a good laugh at our attempts to take some 'cool' photos.

We eventually reached our destination for this particular adventure: Mottistone Long Stone. The walks up to the Long Stone are fantastic and there's something rather mysterious about this Neothilic stone. No one exactly knows what it was for or how it was used—but we do know that it's the oldest stone recorded on the Isle of Wight. The Long Stone sort of reminds me of the Isle of Wight's equivelant to Stone Henge and I think it's quite special that we have something which is 6,000 years old so close our homes.

According to legends, St. Catherine and the Devil once had a contest to see who would have control over the Isle of Wight. The tallest segment of the Long Stone, which stands impressively at over 4 metres high, was said to have been thrown with great stamina by St. Catherine all the way from the eastern Down. In contrast, the Devil's stone, which measured just 2.9 metres high, fell short and he subsequently lost. As a result, the two stones came to rest in their current positions, with St. Catherine's standing regal and proud above the Devil's meagre stone. It is said that this is symbolic of goodness triumphing over evil.

Sadly, the area surrounding the stone has been damaged over the years and it's thought that the stone was moved from its original resting place during the Saxon times.

People believe the stone was used for gatherings during the Saxon period. Apparently, the Saxon word for meeting was 'moot' so many people think that the village of Mottistone's name was actually derived from the term 'meeting stone'.

The Long Stone is said to have been built on a ley line, which apparently means it has special energies surrounding it. Being around a ley line is meant to be uplifting and very positive—so I had a touch of the Long Stone to see if I could feel any energy pulsing from it.

Of course, whilst we out and about around the Long Stone, we also couldn't resist basking in all of the autumnal beauty surrounding us—and having a little fun with all of the fallen leaves!

Thank-you, as ever, to all of the wonderful people who have taken the time to read this post. May your day be as magical as mine was yesterday.

Seasonal Frights and Terrifying Bumps in the Night: Thorpe Park - Fright Nights

Last Sunday, on what has become something of an annual tradition, I took a trip with a few friends to experience Thorpe Park's famous Fright Nights for the fourth year running. Although this meant another early morning and a long journey, I was extremely excited by the prospect of facing two new horror mazes: Containment and The Big Top.

(Fright Night selfie - I am the diddy one on the right)

Since none of the horror mazes opened until 3pm, we spent the morning going on as many different rollercoaster rides as possible. My friends weren't particularly keen on the water rides but I managed to get them on the Rumba Rapids, as you can see below!

 

(Marie, Jason, Rob, Em and I posing for the camera - our boat got stuck in a very convenient place!)

As soon as 3pm hit, we lined up and mentally prepared ourselves for Containment—which was one of Thorpe Park's newest horror mazes. The premise of Containment is that you and your group have to race against the clock to solve various puzzles which are locked in four different rooms. If you solve all of the puzzles, you stop the virus from spreading and are 'cured'. It's not quite that simple, though, as you are joined by live actors throughout the maze—and they do not want you to crack the codes!

The actors in Containment were just brilliant, especially the crazy dentist who immediately picked out my friend, Em, and sent her to the corner of the room. As we got into deciphering numbers, the dentist was soon dragging me off to his 'chair' for an inspection because I was "doing too well" at cracking the codes. Sadly, he got to us before we could finish inputting the numbers.

 Em sporting her 'Outbreak' band after her dentist ordeal

Containment was a good maze on the whole but I would have liked things to be hammed up more. For example, when we didn't finish cracking the code in the final room, it would have been awesome if red lights and alarms had gone off—and we'd been ushered into a 'decontamination' room. The maze needed something extra at the end as it was a little anti-climactic when we were immediately released.

However, we did like the fact that the 'Outbreak' bands meant that other actors around the park were more likely to single us out and pick on us! We'd paid extra money to go in Containment and the added interactions made it worth it!

NB: Containment is limited capacity. We had to book a slot and pay in advance—but this is fairly simple to add on to your ticket if you're paying online! 

After Containment, we queued up for The Big Top. At first, upon entering, I have to say my expectations were not particularly high for this horror maze. After watching several families leave the first tent laughing, I can't say that I thought it was going to be particularly frightening. The Big Top is deceptively clever though and there are a few excellent twists and hidden scares lurking within the abandoned carnival!  I really enjoyed this maze...and the final tent definitely had me running anxiously towards the exit! Deliciously disorientating and disturbing, The Big Top far exceeded expectations!

Unfortunately, being clumsy and only 4 ft 9 in height, I did manage to do myself an injury whilst running out of The Big Top. During the final section of the maze, I managed to face-plant a plastic door sheet which bruised my nose and forehead. It's not really a proper Fright Night until I've done something graceless...but at least I didn't lose a shoe this year! (There's something very wrong about having to approach a chainsaw-wielding maniac to collect your shoe from them...)

Since The Blair Witch Project didn't open until 7pm, we decided to head for Cabin in the Woods next. Although I've experienced this maze twice before, I still think Cabin in the Woods is one of the scariest horror mazes at Thorpe Park. There's something quite terrifying about being told that whichever door you choose will determine what fate you face within the maze. I also like the fact that there are several different doors and rooms to choose from—as it keeps the maze interesting. This year, to my credit, I only hid behind my companions a few times during the jumpiest parts...

As soon as it was dark enough, we queued for 'The Blair Witch Project' horror maze. This maze, unlike any of the others, is set outside in a small pocket of woodland. As with every other maze, there are live actors who are ready to jump out and terrify anyone who dares trek through the pathways and creepy cabins! There's one or two surprises along the way and this maze is definitely a favourite. Although it was only given a 'two' on the scare-factor scale, it actually seemed more realistic to me than any of the other horror mazes. It's easy to believe that horrors are close by when you're stumbling through the forest in the dark—and my overactive imagination had a field day!

Sadly, I was too ill to enjoy My Bloody Valentine this year and couldn't manage the 60 minute long queue. Whilst my friends endured all the terrors which lurked within that scare maze, Marie and I found a nice stone area to perch ourselves on whilst I recovered. The hour we spent waiting went quickly, with highlights which included a group of men stopping by to call us 'beautiful'—and, of course, a mini-trek to get Marie some much-needed coffee. 

Although I didn't experience it this year, I've been told that My Bloody Valentine was extremely impressive—particularly for my friend, Em, who was singled out and separated from everyone else in her group. She was forced down terrifying tunnels and had to endure the maze completely on her own. (Inevitably, at some point during our annual trips, Em finds herself targeted by live actors—usually because she has a tendency to laugh, dance or sing at them when nervous!)

I wish I could have joined my friends for more frights last Sunday but I was just in too much pain to attempt the Saw Horror Maze. This time, when my friends disappeared into the crowd of people queueing, I went on a mission to find some paracetamol. Although this was not the most successful mission I have ever undertaken, the staff were extremely helpful and did their absolute best to make me feel comfortable. It's the little touches, with friendly and caring members of staff, which make all the difference. I have to offer a heartfelt thank-you to the kind members of staff at Thorpe Park for being so supportive.

Overall, I couldn't fault the staff or actors at Thorpe Park. The actors in each maze stayed in character, playing their part with a terrifying menace, and the rollercoasters at Thorpe Park never fail to impress. We were also really lucky and didn't experience any long queues this year, which meant that we had time to fully enjoy all of our favourite rides.

If I could put one item down on the wish list, though, it would be that Thorpe Park's restaurants and fast food chains included more menu choices for celiacs. I enjoyed the jacket potato from 'Peckish' but it would have been nice if other food places within the park had also had celiac-friendly options.

On the whole, I would definitely recommend Thorpe Park's Fright Nights to anyone over the age of thirteen who wants a chillingly spooky Halloween treat! The money spent is well worth it. Another excellent year, Thorpe Park. Well done.

(Also, a big thanks to my friend, Rob, who kindly allowed me to use the pictures he'd taken of Thorpe Park for this blog.)

Homemade Gluten and Dairy Free Apple Crumble

It's late afternoon over here and the sun is lost behind a mass of thick charcoal clouds which deliver a menacing promise of more rain. It's on these rainy days that I feel inspired to enter the kitchen to create something warm and homely to line my stomach. There are very few things which I enjoy more than cooking tasty treats with my mum on a damp, blustery day—and I hope you find this recipe just as fun (and tasty) to try!

This recipe is perfect for anyone who has celiac disease and wants a warming treat on a winter's evening. The added benefit is that it's also suitable for vegans.

Ingredients: 

Serves 4

For the topping: 

6oz gluten free plain white flour (I used Dove's Gluten Free Plain White Flour)
1oz ground oats (I ground up Juvela's Gluten Free Rolled Oats but any gluten free oats are good)
1oz ground almonds
3oz dairy free sunflower spread (Pure Sunflower Spread works well)
4oz unrefined muscovado sugar

For the filling:

2 medium/large sized cooking apples
1 tbsp of water
2oz of muscovado sugar or honey


Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Place flour and sugar into a bowl with ground oats and almonds.
3. Rub in the margarine lightly with your fingertips, until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
4. Peel and slice apples into a saucepan, adding water and a little sugar (depending on personal preference—I like my apples tart so I added 1oz).
5. Stew apples on a medium heat before spooning onto the bottom of a baking dish.
6. Place the mixture on top of the stewed apple, spreading across evenly until all of the fruit filling is covered.
7. Put in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the crumble is crisp and the apple is hot.

The End of Summer

I must apologise to you guys for the delay in updating. There's just been so much going on recently that I've been a little overwhelmed, to be perfectly honest! Unfortunately, this summer—alongside gifting the UK with an abnormally rainy August—has dealt a fair whack of bad news to the household. I've handled the problems but there were a few hairy moments along the way—and I was definitely forced to follow the advice I gave out in these blogs!

The good news is that I should have some fun and interesting blogs coming up! I've got lots of exciting trips planned and I'll update you on those over the next few months, as I embark on a variety of interesting new adventures!

I'm also going to continue posting more self-help articles. I always feel like I'm preaching a little bit with those—but I only post things which have positively helped me or friends. I know there’s always going to be things on my blog that people don’t agree with, for whatever reason, because everyone has their own beliefs and thoughts, but hopefully there will be some helpful tips here.

I see life as an empty book where we can write our beliefs and make our own choices—and sometimes we might find a spark of an idea which resonates so strongly within us that we are compelled to ‘magpie’ it, as we create our own life story. There’s so much potential in all of us and each fresh chapter brings with it exciting new experiences for us to try. It is never too late to scribble out old ideas and start again on a fresh blank page.

Since being diagnosed with coeliac disease, I have been on a mission to find delicious gluten-free food and will be adding a few gluten-free recipes to the blog, too. Truthfully, the first few months felt like a prison sentence had been issued (and anyone who says gluten-free bread tastes nice is definitely lying) but things do get easier as your body adjusts to the different tastes.

Note: If anyone has recently been diagnosed and would like extra support, I'm happy to post up advice and helpful tips. Whether you have coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, you don't have to suffer alone!

I've also been dipping into the gaming world again recently. My days of playing Dota 2 on Steam are few and far between now but I've loved indulging in spending more time on the X-Box 360, especially on RPG games (Mass Effect is my newest love since finishing Dragon Age). I can’t pretend to be amazing at any of the games but I definitely enjoy them.

For a while, I've been toying over whether or not to upload some poetry that I've been working on—but I might leave that for now. I've spent the last few months, in between working lots, editing a novel. I’ll probably never submit it to a publishing house (I'm shy when it comes to sharing prose or poetry work—and struggle even with close friends) but I'm proud of myself for sticking with this story. The demon writer’s block has caused so many face-palming moments that I never dreamed I'd get this far. On the bright side, I can tick this off the bucket list for 2015 now!

Anyway, I hope you're having a wonderful Sunday! I'm off to sit by the bay and watch the last rays of summer glisten over the sloshing salty sea waves. Have a lovely weekend!

If you'd like to, feel free to follow me on Twitter (@Alexagirl07).

F. x

Picking up the Pen: A Little Slice of Honesty

Sometimes I look around at the world and I wonder if everyone would find life much simpler if they just said exactly how they felt or spoke out honestly. Would more arguments be avoided or would more be created? I can't help but think that the world would be a better place if people just spoke their mind—because most of the time it is possible to speak honestly whilst still being kind.

Maybe if we were truthful always then there would be less of a need to involve third parties, too, because we would have said our piece straight away and could then move on. For the last few weeks, I've tried on repeated occasions to be honest about feelings but I've repeatedly made the rookie mistake of trying to designate a convenient time to do it. Essentially, I think I've been too well-mannered and timid about saying anything straight up, just in case I accidentally offend. After all, no matter how well-meaning you are, there is—of course—always the chance that the person you're speaking to is not going to respond positively to what is being said.

My main concern is always that I don’t want to hurt someone or cause them discomfort. Lately, I've been beating myself up over past situations where I've meant well—and had good intentions—but have unwittingly caused other people pain. Ironically, perhaps, from being too honest about things which would have better been left unsaid.

As a general rule of thumb, if something is troubling you personally then it's best to get it off your chest. If you sit and wallow on the thoughts then the feelings just grow and cause you more trouble. Everyone is different but I think a straight up approach saves pain and reduces the chance of things becoming rocky at a later date. Over the last week, I have been realising increasingly that every moment is precious―and I'd much rather spend my time being open, living in the moment, rather than wallowing or brooding over issues. I can't say that this is the best approach to life for everyone but it's certainly one that seems to work best for me.

Stay true to yourself and stand up for what you believe to be right in your heart. If you're doing that, you can always hold your head up high―whatever the outcome.

 
“If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

F x

An Overdue Update: How Do You Achieve What You Want In Life?

It's been a long time since I've written and I'm going to keep this relatively short. A lot has been going on in my life recently and I've been working very hard on my fiction writing! The novel I've been writing is nearing completion and I'm feeling more than a little excited about the fact that my characters are coming alive on the page—and are finally getting their stories told. Sometimes it's really nice to escape into that fantasy world and delve into scenarios that you almost wish you could see happen in real life.

The fact that I'm almost finished with this novel has led me to re-evaluate the things I would like to receive in life, though. For the most part, I can honestly say that I've achieved a lot of dreams which I wished for—and life is falling into place pretty perfectly. There's still a couple of aspects which I'd like to achieve and a few projects which I'd like to complete though—and it's made me think a lot about people's success stories.

I'm a curious cat and I'd like to know what you do to achieve the things you want in life? How do you go about reaching your goals? What kind of mindset do you have? I've found recently that the things I want often seem to come to me when I've let go of the situation completely and have stopped despairing over how everything can be achieved. Is positivity the key to your success or do you set yourself small tasks and work your way up to receiving your big goal? What is the secret to any dreams you've achieved over the last few years? You don't have to share your success stories with me but take a moment to consider them. Perhaps there's a pattern which might be the key towards unlocking your future desires.

Whatever you do, have faith and stay positive. You can achieve everything and anything in the world if you put your mind to it—and I have absolute faith that one day your dreams will manifest in a way which is even more wonderful than you first imagined.

“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.”
~Napoleon Hill

Have a wonderful day. x

Turning the Tables: A Stage Review

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending Origins Theatre Company’s production of Turning The Tables. In a one night only sell-out show, six fifteen-minute plays were performed to an eager audience inside The Sail Loft of the Bargeman’s Rest pub in Newport.

The plays performed showcased the top six winning and highly commended entries of Origins Theatre Company’s “From Page to Stage” play-writing competition—and the quality of writing was clearly very high.

The audience were treated to a unique format and setting, which saw the action taking place down a central aisle in a ‘traverse theatre’ layout.

The audience were also joined by several of the writers behind the mastermind plays, who watched their work come alive onstage for the very first time.

Deliciously dark and devilishly funny, Turning The Tables contained all the traditional elements of a black comedy play—but with a plethora of brilliant plot twists and turns added along the way.

Paul Gwinnett and Robbie Gwinnett offered up a great performance as father and son in the first play, Gunpoint. The play began with a dishevelled Roy (played by Paul Gwinnett) pelting down the aisle to escape his gun-wielding son (Robbie Gwinnett), who decided that his father should pay the ultimate price for walking out on the family.  In a hilarious twist, the father decided to ask for a do-over of his death scene so that he could avoid dying to clichéd phrases.

The second play of the evening, Sway, opened with Milo (Reuben Loake) attempting to hang himself whilst on-off girlfriend, Greta (played by Eleanor Jane Spicer), antagonised and mocked him.  Whilst Kitty (Emilly Scott-Denness) stormed onto stage, begging the duo to stop their games, Greta’s taunts took a darker turn as she tried to convince Milo to commit suicide and become a “legend”. 

Eleanor Jane Spicer shone out, providing a fantastic portrayal of the bitter and goading Greta. Reuben, as Milo, was equally excellent when he snapped and “turned the tables” on Greta in a deadly finale. The play was gripping from start-to-finish, with a rollercoaster of emotions impressively displayed by all three actors.

A personal highlight was the third play, Home Truths, which focused upon a nervous son (Robbie Gwinnett) attempting to “come out” to his parents.  Maureen Sullivan was excellent as the gossipy and loquacious Moira, who repeatedly foiled her son’s attempts to share his news.  In an amusing final scene, when the truth was finally revealed, the father (Paul Gwinnett) divulged that he had a few skeletons—or dresses—of his own in his closet.

Kevin Wilson and Amelia Havard were brilliant in A Valued Employee as the battle between employer and former employee began. Kevin Wilson presented a calm and stoical Mr. Trace, which was perfectly offset against the emotional whirlwind that was the unhinged Natalie (Amelia Havard). Alongside dramatic arguments and failed seductions, the audience enjoyed some light-hearted comedy as it was revealed that the Natalie’s prescribed medication was, in fact, a packet of Tic Tacs.

In Venus Retrograde, a love affair between two work colleagues turned sour as true colours and feelings were exposed. Fiona Gwinnett and Suzi Chilton, as Helen and Becky, gave convincing performances whilst discussing Jake’s (played by Reuben Loake) betrayal and seduction of the new girl at work. Likewise, the tension and sniping between smooth-talking Jake and cruelly spurned Helen (Fiona Gwinnett) was fantastic.  As the play progressed, it soon became clear that revenge was a dish best served cold—in the form of a dodgy prawn sandwich.

The final play for the evening, Brushstrokes, was a delicious blend of drama, deception and manipulation—with the perfect sprinkling of comedy added for good measure.  As the play opened, three art models (played by Robbie Gwinnett, Marie Hickman and Michael Mullin) delivered a series of passionate monologues which revealed how the painter, Benedict St. John, had manipulated pivotal moments in their lives. Referring to one another initially by the title of their paintings, the “Girl Sipping Tea”, “Boy Juggling Oranges” and “Boy in Trunks” each took turns describing their relationship with Benedict and the subsequent events leading up to his death. 

In particular, Marie Hickman stood out as the stunning model, Isabel (“Girl Sipping Tea”), who fell for the Lothario painter and grieved over his death. Funny moments included manly poses from Michael Mullin and some skilled orange juggling from Robbie Gwinnett.

All six plays, which were expertly directed by Eltjo De Vries for Origins Theatre Company, were greeted with a warm reception by the audience.  

If you’d like to be kept up-to-date with Origins Theatre Company’s latest plays and projects, head over to their Facebook page now.