Two Years

If you've been following this blog for a while, you'll know all about my fluctuating relationship with the man I like to call Mr T. A few weeks ago, we celebrated our second anniversary, and I'm happy to say that those months of uncertainty and confusion are over. 

Every anniversary should be a milestone in a relationship, but for us, this one was particularly special. Last year, for our first anniversary, we didn't celebrate. I still wasn't 100% sure if our relationship was working, and he confused the hell out of me with everything he did. Whereas a year on, we've never been this solid, and I've never been this sure that we really are in a great place. 

He took me to Strada (anyone who knows me, knows I love a good Italian!), where he'd asked for a bottle of Prosecco to wait for us on our table - treats like that don't come often, I was very surprised! 

Another surprise was his outfit choice - he wore a waistcoat and I almost died from cuteness overload. I think we've found my weakness... 

Now I'm not gonna lie, I wouldn't even be writing this post if he hadn't reminded me to take pictures! So I forgot to take a picture of the starter. I had the Tricolore (a mozzarella, avocado and tomato salad), which was really good, and Mr. T had the bruschetta. 

For the main course, Mr T. ordered the Saltimbocca (I couldn't tell you what it was, but the bite I had was good!), and  I had the Chicken Puccia. I thought it was just the Parma-wrapped chicken with cheese and pesto, but it came served as a burger which actually made it even tastier (the fries were also amazing). 

We shared the chocolate fondant for dessert, and left the restaurant very full, a little tipsy, and extremely satisfied! 

I don't know where we'll be in the next two years, but I'm glad we've made it to this point of contentness. <3 

#DearMe: International Women's Day

Dear Me,

Stop being so hard on yourself. School is supposed to be one of the best times in your life, and it will get better, I promise. You think that you're unimportant, that you're just a "floater" with no real set friendship group. But you have no idea how close you'll grow to people you never expected to. Even now, 6 years after you left school, you're still just as close to some of those people as you were then.

You think that looks are the most important thing, that you're not as pretty as the other girls in class because you don't wear makeup everyday and the boys never float in your direction. And there's so many things that are wrong with that. You don't need makeup to define your beauty, and you definitely don't need boys' approval for that either.

Stop obsessing over the way you look. Everybody is so different, and that's what makes it interesting. You may not have the straightest nose, and your boobs may not have come in yet (give it a few years, trust me, they'll get there!), but you have just as much beauty as everyone else. The girl in your class with the figure you want? She probably wants your hair, it's lovely. Everybody wants something that they don't have themselves, it's in our nature.

The years of being independent will help you to grow so much more than if you spend your time chasing boys. And just between you and me, the two long term relationships you'll have in the next few years are way more intimate than a string of secondary school "boyfriends" that last a week each.

Be more confident in yourself. You're such a timid girl, and there's really no reason for it. If you get the wrong answer in class, so what? Don't let that stop you from putting your hand up again. If you meet new people, introduce yourself, I'm sure they feel just as awkward as you do. Open up to people more, life is so much more fun when you let people in. A little confidence can go such a long way, and it'll come to you soon.

Some of the best years are about to come for you. Stay positive, trust me, life has a funny way of working itself out. Just maybe don't get that bob you've always wanted... it's not the best idea you've had!

x