On being married for 3 years...

The Boy and I celebrated our THREE YEAR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY this week.

Three years.

That went FAST.

We celebrated by playing to our strengths as a couple; by drinking and eating.

We headed in to Leeds separately, I always think it's fun to meet the person you're living with somewhere other than at home, it feels more like a date instead of asking a question about the next electricity bill at the start of a night out.

The Scarborough Taps was the rendezvous point and after a swift half we headed to the Malmaison Hotel bar which is possibly the most expensive place for a cocktail (£9?!) in Leeds.

After a tap water at the Malmaison we headed to Rare Steakhouse, the only place I've ever dined next to a stuffed lifesize cow called Sue I think? Rather distracting when you're eating a steak, but it's too bloody delicious to care much.

Anyway, here's a few pictures of our evening...

Yeah you are!

Happy Anniversary to The Baxters!

I've been to Kenya AGAIN

I know, I KNOW there are plenty of other places to visit in the world, so why did I head back to Kenya for a fifth time???

The answer is that I really wasn't expecting to go back again after I left in April. I'd had three amazing months there and had the time of my life, but I didn't think I'd be going back again.

One day I was bored and decided to check out flights to ANYWHERE in December (a hobby of mine) and I happened to notice that flights to Mombasa were cheap.

Super cheap. £250 return cheap.

So........ I booked it.

And you know what? It was easily the best trip I've had to Kenya so far...

I did so much in the space of two weeks, I was on such a high just being back there and soaking up every second of my trip. I drank far too much for one human being and I got a million mosquito bites but I didn't CARE.

This time I know I'll be going back there again. I love it too much to say I probably won't be going back there.

So we've fostered a cat...

I quite like cats, I don't know if I've mentioned that before...

I've really missed having a cat around the place ever since Catty was put to sleep back in March this year.

If it was up to me, I'd fill our house with cats. But it's not just my decision and we just weren't in the position to take a cat on forever, it seemed a big commitment at this stage of our lives.

So when we came across the cat fostering section of Leeds Feline Friends, a cat charity in Leeds, it seemed the perfect solution, we get a cat, the cat gets a home and the charity helps a cat but doesn't have to build a huge cat rescue centre they can't afford to run. Everyone wins!

We emailed them and a few days later had a home visit where we pretty much just chatted about cats for over an hour :) bonus!

A week later, Zuki arrived at our house:

She's 10 years old and has been living in a cattery for the last year after her previous owner lost his house. The poor thing lost her home and went from what I hope was a loving home to a strange small pen in a cattery surrounded by other miaowing cats. We're fostering her until a new owner wants to adopt her, but we'll probably have her for the rest of her life because there's a huge shortage of people who want to adopt older cats.

I personally love big, fat older cats. They're my weakness because they already have cat personalities and they're so stubborn that you know they won't change them. Zuki wakes up from her 18 hour catnap if we're talking too loudly and miaows at us in such a way you'd think she'd lived here forever. And we actually talk a little quieter. 

It makes me sad to think of Zuki living the rest of her days in a small unit with minimal human contact and not getting affection. I like to think we've helped one cat, but there are so many more that also need homes.

It's a nice feeling to know you're doing something to help, but to also know YOU get something out of it too :) A cuddly cat (that has very moody tendencies...) to come home to on a miserable weekday.

I think everyone should foster a cat Check out http://www.leedsfelinefriends.org.uk for details on how to foster a cat.

Is it worth going to Uni?

I was thinking the other day. I like thinking.

I thought about where I am in my current job and the Marketing skills I now have and where I've got them from.

Let me tell you, I didn't get the skills I have now from my University degree. Therefore I was wondering why should people really bother going to Uni these days?

Firstly, my degree (a 2.1 since you're asking) was in Childhood Studies. Yep. I'll just let that sink in for a second.

I chose to take that course because I really wanted a career working with children, then when I graduated I got offered the chance to teach in Uganda for a month which completely changed my attitude to working with children in the UK. I just couldn't bring myself to enter the system back here where people didn't necessarily appreciate what they had.

Did I tell you I've been to Uganda??!

So I ended up taking what I thought would be a fairly temporary position in the volunteer travel company I went to Uganda with. I started in a really low paid role, very admin heavy and gradually worked my way up over the next four years to manage the customer support team.

*Takes a bow, thank you very much*

When a Marketing job opportunity came up in the company, I thought about giving it a go. I was nervous as I had no real Marketing experience, but I knew the company and had taken on their social media in another department and helped out with re-writing the website, so I had some experience but knew none of the lingo or abbreviations that come in Marketing.

Anyway, I had an interview and no one else must have showed because they gave little ol' me the job! I'm just trying to be modest, I was easily the best applicant! HA!

They knew about my lack of experience, but they also knew about my passion for work, my energy and positivity - you don't learn those things at Uni.

Over the next few years in that position I learnt what I needed to know in Marketing and felt more confident every day. When the time was right I decided to leave and (you already know this) take a career break to Kenya.

So that's my story so far. I wouldn't say my degree itself taught me anything that I use in my current job... HOWEVER, here's my list of things leaving home for University has taught me:

* I'm more independent. Leaving home means growing up. I find it quite hard to believe you can be grown up while living with your parents under their roof. Sorry. I pay the bills. It's my name on the rental contract.

* I learnt to make friends. Uni isn't what I thought it would be. It was very clique-y and I didn't love it. But I learnt to choose good friends (one of which is now my husband) and for that I'm thankful.

* I learnt to get on with stuff. A lot of uni time is spent self-teaching. I'm not sure if I could justify the costs of Uni nowadays, especially now I know how much of it I taught myself. I want a refund!

So, if I had to do it all over again, I might make the choice to just start at the bottom of the ladder and work my way up, learning skills as I go. But then I enjoyed the University of life and all the fun that comes with it, I just can't get over how much it costs to go to Uni these days... kids, I feel for you but there IS life outside of Uni. Just choose your path and take every opportunity along the way.

Auntie Katie over and out.

How to save cash for travel - Part 1

1. Stop buying CRAP

Like this:



Oh yes, at first glance I'm like "want! want! want!" and could talk myself into buying it... then I think about what that cash could go towards if I was abroad... is it better to pay £100 for a table? or £100 on a week or more of accommodation, or a few excursions or a few slap up meals?

Exactly. Switch off the computer and stop buying crap you don't need.

Look around your house, I'll bet you already have everything you need for a comfortable home. Keep buying groceries of course, you still have to EAT after all.

Look at your wardrobe. When was the last time you wore that thing you keep meaning to throw out? When was the last time you bought something new?

Exactly. Why don't you bloody well WEAR that old thing and not buy that new dress you saw the other day and just have to have?

You'll easily save a couple of hundred quid over a month or so (if you're anything like me anyway) which will go towards a flight to a sunny destination - that's better than a new dress isn't it?

P.S. I'm more than happy if anyone wants to buy me that table as a gift, by the way.

Simple ways to de-stress your life

Hello!

You look a bit stressed - are you feeling stressed? Come sit down here, let me bake you some biscuits.

Better?

Life can be stressful. There are things that can stress you out that are out of your immediate control - coastal erosion... fuel price increases... canned laughter on sitcoms to name a few, that can leave you completely disillusioned with life... and then there are things that stress you out that you CAN change. Easily and for very little money.

(Most of these are materialistic things - I can't help when it comes to anything REALLY serious right now. Sorry).

1. Display accessories in an easy-to-view way. I'm talking about jewellery as someone who sees accessorising as a religion. Having recently started back in the shitty wonderful world of full-time employment and having to get out of the door by 8.05am looking halfway decent, I've tried to find ways of making this easier. So I've hung all my necklaces up on a over-the-door-hanger so I can just walk up and pick them out. Simple.

2. Colour code your wardrobe. There is some initial work involved in this one and it's probably not the most exciting thing you'll ever do in life, but once you maintain it, it's so helpful! Sure you don't need me to tell you how to do this.

3. Buy some drawer dividers. Honestly, these are probably the best things I've purchased recently. My make up drawer (yes, there's a whole drawer) was looking scary every time I opened it and I'd fling things about like a mad woman in the morning... until I got these! Now my essentials that I use every day are in one compartment... hair things like clips, bands and grips that would otherwise be lost in the Bermuda Triangle that used to be my drawer are now adorned and used and other less-used items are in another. Happy Katie.

4. Listen to music when you get home from work. Get that TV off, you! I can see you slobbing on the sofa clutching your remote. And I can see you're wearing a snuggie too. Yes you might have been sitting down ALL DAY at work and you want to sit down now, but having music on at home is scientifically proven (by me) to make you more likely to move around and feel happier and less stressed after a long day at the office.

Those are a good starting point for you. You don't have to thank me... but if you want to then get me some Cadbury's. Thanks!

Image from: http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/snuggleduststudios/product/love-is-nice-to-come-home-to-wall-sticker