Oh my gosh, you guys, July was absolutely packed to the brim with stuff. We’ve somehow managed to book ourselves up with so many things over the summer and we’ve got no sign of slowing down just yet. And because we’ve had a crazy full calendar, it’s made for a pretty joyful July. So we all know what time it is… it’s time for another gratitude list!
Make & Mend Festival – July saw the return of one of the most creative events in the Teesside calendar. Make & Mend Festival came back with a bang for 2022 with loads of amazing workshops, lots of incredibly crafty sellers and amazing weather. It was a fabulous day and I loved every single thing we got up to. We tried stained glass, raku and abstract embroidery, and I’m not sure I could pick a favourite! Although I’ve taken the techniques I learned in abstract embroidery with me and I’m itching to do more!
Seeing Lady Gaga in London – those who know me know that I am a massive Lady Gaga fan. Not only do I love her music, I also love her as a person, and I’d been waiting for what felt like ages for her London show date to come around. And when it finally did, it was everything I could’ve wanted. She was just unbelievable and I don’t think I stopped dancing! I loved every second – despite being in severe pain with my back and the awful journey back to our hotel – and I want to do it all over again.
My doctors listening to me – this might seem like a weird one, but I’m grateful that my doctors listened to me in July. I’ve been suffering from chronic back pain flare ups for the past three years. They usually come out of nowhere and last for a couple of months at a time. As I’m writing this, I’m on my way out of the most recent one, but the difference this time is that it’s affecting my right hip and leg. And when I tell you it was agony at the start, I mean it – I’m talking about spending the morning before work crying on the floor, struggling to get down the stairs, and having to crawl to bed if I got up in the night. Usually when I ring the doctors, I just get prescribed pain killers, but this time, they kicked it up a gear. I’ve had a physio assessment and blood tests, and I’m currently waiting for a scan referral. Hopefully I’ll finally get to the bottom of what’s wrong!
BorrowMyDoggy – I was told about BorrowMyDoggy a year or so ago, and we joined to see about looking after someone’s dog while we were both working from home. We were instantly introduced to Red the cockapoo who we looked after a few days a week for a year. Sadly, in July, he came for the day for the last time as his owners were moving away. While we were heartbroken and very sad that we wouldn’t see his daft little face anymore, we were so grateful to have found BorrowMyDoggy. It’s a great app if you want a furry friend in your life, but without committing to have them 24/7 365.
A spa morning at Rockliffe Hall – I don’t often treat myself to a spa trip, but every time I go to the spa, I’m reminded of why I love them so much. We had a gorgeous morning at Rockliffe Hall and we’re both itching to get back. I actually hadn’t swim in a pool for at least 13 years before this trip, but all my body issues seemed to melt away as I did gentle laps and enjoyed the hydrotherapy pool. We also had lunch in Nu Sana upstairs from the spa, which was gorgeous and such a treat. It was honestly lush and I’d highly recommend it!
And there’s just a little snapshot of my July! I hope yours was equally as lovely and that you’ve been enjoying August so far. Let me know what you were grateful for.
