My Life - Review of 2011

I've been reading back through and noticed I'd done a review of 2009, so thought I'd re-do another review but of 2011.

2011 has been a crazy, happy year filled with so many unbelievable, life changing memories which will live with me forever and ever. I've felt emotions, both good and bad, which I never realised could be felt. 2011 has been by far, one of the best and happiest years of my life. I'm going to learn from 2011 and make sure that from now on, every year follows on to be even better.

January 2011


This is a bit hazy. It's 12 months ago!! I mainly concentrated on working, working and more working. Saving up as much money as possible for Australia. I worked on a horrible Notts County Campaign which was bloody freezing and was sooo happy when it was over!

February 2011


I turned 24! One of my first birthday's in a long time without any tears! I went for a lovely meal at Zizzi's with my closest friends. Nothing else exciting really happened, just lots more work and lots more saving.

March 2011


Had my 2nd op for my endo. Wasn't in as much pain as last time, but still struggled with the anaesthetic. Had to have around a week off work this time. Still working hard, these months are not very exciting!! Neil was diagnosed with cancer :-(

April 2011


My last few weeks at home before I jet off to Australia. Sold my little car! Cried like a baby on my last day at work, but had a lovely meal at Tonic. Also had a fab meal and night out with my friends - again, cried like a baby! Di's dad passed away :-( Arrived in Sydney, Australia.

May 2011


Spent a whole month in Sydney, Australia having an amazing time, meeting so many new people. Spent most of the time in the 'famous four', me, AnnMarie, Iben and Rach. Started seeing a guy who went to Europe for 4 weeks. Working for a big bank in the City.

June 2011


Another amazing month in Sydney. Stopped seeing the guy who went very strange on me. Still excited being in Sydney and still having an amazing time :-)

July 2011


Getting a bit fed up now of being in Sydney and working. Spending too much money and not saving enough! Needed to start looking for some farm work. Also getting bored of working for the Bank as my boss is turning into a big bitch and hates me!!! Life's starting to feel a bit shitty again...

August 2011


Took a few days off work sick and went to Port Macquarie with Iben and Kate. Made a decision I would stick out the work for another week and then quit - it's all getting too much. Quit work and went on a road trip for 14 days with Iben from Sydney to Adelaide. Met up with an old friend in Adelaide and had a lovely time. Me and Iben fort like cat and dog, but tried to get on most of the time! Managed to find a job for my 2nd work visa working in the Northern Territory!!!

September 2011


Embarked on my journey to the Northern Territory. Flew from Adelaide to Alice Springs. Then took a Grey Hound Coach up to Dunmarra where I was met by Flick. This is where another crazy 3 months of adventures started :-)

October 2011


Having a bit of a crazy time at the station. Love every minute of it ;-) Things get pretty wild with the young lads there haha, but I'm young, free and single and just want a good time.

November 2011


The famous VRD night for Melbourne Cup. A night that I will NEVER forget, but one that will never be mentioned, well, it will be mentioned, but not the antics that happened, haha! Had another okay month but starting to get a bit fed up of being at the station and want to move onto my next adventure. It seems as if I get 3 month blues!

December 2011


I said goodbye to everyone at the station :-( Tried so hard to hold back the tears as they Grey Hound Coach drove away with me on it, leaving the station for good. Probably to never return. My new adventure starts here. I'm scared, frightened and unsure of being in the unknown. I have no job to go to and only loose plans up until Christmas. I spend 3 bewildering days in Darwin, a week in Bali, a week in Sydney and a week at Christmas in the Gold Coast with a family I met at the Station. During my time in Sydney, I got offered another job at another station in Queensland. The New Year marks another new adventure :-)

Laperoscopy

It's been just over 48 hours since my diagnostic laperoscopy to see whether my endometriosis had come back, It hasn't, but that doesn't explain the pain I've been getting. They think I have IBS, so have given me some tablets to try out.

I'm in quite a lot of pain and my belly button looks disfigured!! Really, yucky, bloody and quite oozy (too much information, sorry!) I need to keep an eye on it to check it doesn't get infected.

Whilst I'm recovering in bed, I'll try schedule some more posts, but tbh, at the moment my mind is blank. I haven't brought any new products really as I'm saving for Oz and don't have anything exciting to tell. Hmm...

Laura xx

The Body Shop Vitamin E Oil

With my Body Shop Groupon Vouchers, I picked up one of their Vitamin E Oils as after reading their website, it had really good reviews.

 

I suffer from normal/dry skin on my face (after my course of roaccutane) and have to moisturise every day and night, otherwise I get horrible dry patches and my skin feels taught.

I've been using this for over 2 weeks now, just in the evening. When I first tried it, I was overwhelmed by the lovely smell. It is just gorgeous; a mix of all the beautiful oils that are in this little glass bottle.

I was very surprised to find that it contained lots of other oils and ingredients alongside the vitamin e oil, although smelling it, I realised it couldn't just be pure vitamin e oil as I have a bottle of this from Holland and Barrett and it does not smell as good as this!

You need to use a few drops to cover your face, so I think the 15ml bottle will last quite a while. When applying the product, it applied really well without much bother or need to really rub it in. I was very impressed that it didn't leave my skin feeling too greasy and it sank into my skin quite quickly without any residue.

 

What I liked most about this product was how my skin felt in the morning. It was super, super soft and felt very moisturised. I don't get that from my regular moisturiser, even though it's for dry skin.

I tried successfully and unsuccessfully to use the product under my makeup! After spending the day at a spa, I used a tiny amount on my cheeks as my skin felt very dry. I left it around 5 minutes of soak in and my foundation went on with ease and I did not find a greasy residue was left. This morning after a hot shower (too hot!) my face was blotchy and dry. I used too much and have ended up with minimal foundation and blusher on all day today; it just slid off my face, or wiped off throughout the day. So the key is if I'm using it in the morning, to only use a small amount! Will serve me right.

The vitamin e oil can be purchased for £10, which I feel is a decent amount for a very good and lovely smelling product.

Laura x

Freedom

Sometimes in life, you have to make your own decisions and choices, stand on your own two feet and if mistakes are made, you learn from them.

 

During my short 24 years, I have spent far too long listening to other people's decisions and not following my heart, or head. Instead, I'll follow other people's choices and decisions and I'll let them decide on my future. It's because I'm scared, scared to make the wrong decision and to be told "I told you so". Even now though, now that I'm starting to make decisions on my own, people are trying to make choices for me. They tell me Australia is not what I should be doing right now, that I'm just running away from everything, leaving my debts behind and trying to escape my normal 9-5 life. I tell them that I'm 24 and that I just want to live my life, the life I have missed out on since I was 16! My ex has ran off and left me with all these debts which I've been struggling to pay for the last 4 years, he's living a new life with his two children and girlfriend and I'm sick of not being able to start a new life too. Selfish? Yes. But sometimes in life I think you have to be a little selfish. I understand and admit that some of these debts are my fault, some of these mistakes and choices I've made have been wrong, but I'm learning and paying for that.

 

For now, I just want to live my life. I want to be as free as a bird, as light as a feather, laugh like a hyena and smile like I don't have a care in the world. I want to explore places that I've never been before, sunbathe on a hot Australian beach; meet people from all around the world, from different cultures, to share our experiences. I want to be able to look back on my life and be content. I want to know that I've done what I've done because I wanted to, not because my parents forced me, my aunt and uncle disagreed, my friend's protested. I just want people to be happy for me, to support me and to let me be free.

 

Laura x

Adele 21

I have completely fell in love with this album. It is pure perfection (apart from track 2 which I dislike!)

Adele is absolutely fantastic.

I have found this Radio 1 Live Lounge Special of her singing live. WOW!

Health Update

Today I went to the hospital to see my consultant (well, one of his Dr's!) She didn't really know what to do or say (I usually find they don't) and brought the registrar in.

She's suggested another op and some more tablets to take 3 times a day. Joy.

They poked and prodded me a lot which has caused me pain today, taken blood (urgghh), weighed me, made me pee in a bottle(!!!!), took a swab from my nose and told me I had a high temperature (are you surprised after all that?!)

I go in for my laperoscopy on 23rd March. They will be concentrating on looking for endometriosis on the right hand side as this is where I'm getting the pain.

My plan before I go in for my lap:

• Buy lots of nice magazines to read

• Buy lots of nice, yummy food which is easy to eat (ice cream!!! And lots of biscuits and chocolate)

• Have lots of pain killers at hand

• Wash my bedding so it's all nice when I come home from hospital

• Make sure I have a large supply of loose fitting pjs

• Ensure my mum is at hand to boss her around

• Hot water bottles at the ready

I haven't told my parents yet... Last time they were not good about it all. My dad asked why my friend couldn't take me to hospital and pick me up again and they didn't even remember the day that I was having my op, so I never reminded them. It's a bit different now I'm living with them though! I'm really worried about how they'll react. I know that sounds stupid, but they'll either not care, or be completely over the top because of the lack of interest they gave me last time.

Anyway, my mother thinks I'm off to see my consultant tomorrow (privately, but managed to get in on the NHS today!?) so hopefully she'll ask me how I got on and I'll just say "oh, they're giving me another lap again" and all will be okay.

I was very, very ill after I had my last one and needed 2 weeks of bed rest :-( I had to be put on two lots of antibiotics in the end as they think I got an infection.

Oh well. At least I'll be all ready, fit and well for Australia.

Laura x

Marchlands

After watching, loving and adoring Marchlands (ITV, Thursday night at 9pm) I have had to Google a few of the characters who I think are lovely! I've become a little obsessed on flicking through Google going, ooohh and ahhh. I need to get a life.

Here they are:

Jamie Thomas King

Elliot Cowan

Jodie Whittaker - My girl crush!