Hello, my lovelies!
It’s great to see you again for the Weekend Coffee Share. Come in, I’ll make us a cup of coffee though I can offer black tea or fresh mint tea or fresh ginger tea as well. The weather’s gorgeous, so let’s sit outside on the terrace in the overgrown, summery garden to enjoy some sunshine while we chat and sip our respective drinks.
If we were having coffee today, I’d tell you that despite my short goal list it’s been a somewhat stressful week. But I managed to hand in my final paper for course CCC502 on Monday and got 100% in it, so I passed the course with an average of 98% which I’m pretty damn proud of! I also finally received my certificate for having passed Tel Aviv University’s Emergence of the Modern Middle East Part I a month ago and I completed the final exam on Part II.
However, churning out four assignments last week plus the one on Monday has left me drained, so I took Tuesday off studying. Then my Wednesday got turned around and basically moved to Thursday, screwing my schedule somewhat and for some reason really throwing me for a loop. Plus, after work and teaching I helped a friend move to a different city, and when I got in at 9pm I didn’t really fancy opening my study material anymore. To make up for that I was up until 4am last night / this morning.
So if you see me topping up my black coffee with milk, that’s the reason why.
My meal plan is going really well. I’ve been doing it for two weeks today and although I’m still tempted to throw caution to the wind I have managed to lose a total of 4.5 kg (9.9lbs) so far. I’m learning new recipes, although I often just throw things together and hope for the best.
Here are some of the things I made this week, and I will share recipes later: Balsamic chicken with summer veggies, pork roll-up filled with celery, carrot, zucchini and mushroom with mushroom stir fry, and stuffed bell peppers.
If we were having coffee today, I’d tell you that I’m planning my trip to London. I’ll book everything next Friday (payday) but I’ll be in London for nine days in August. Well, I’ll be in the UK for nine days. I’ll be in Cardiff for a night visiting a dear friend from uni whom I last saw four years and a baby ago. And I’ll be taking a day trip to Brighton and Lewes as I’ve never been down there before. Oh, and my former course- and housemate will come and see me in London. I’m really excited to be going, plus I will be seeing Benedict Cumberbatch in Hamlet at the Barbican, so I’m really looking forward to the trip!
Do you have any plans for summer yet? Next to the trip to London, I’ll take a day trip to Amsterdam later in August and I might possibly be going to Hamburg with my gran to see The Lion King musical in September.
I also got myself a new YHA / Hostelling International card and plan on using it extensively on Weekend trips. If I can find cheap flights for €20 what’s to stop me spending a night in Rome or Moscow or Stockholm? I’ve been couped up too long and that’s not healthy for me. I am a traveller and I need to get back out there.
If we were having coffee today, I’d tell you that I am planning to redesign this blog over the summer. I’ll look into cheap self-hosting options, as I believe it’s now at a point where I can say it is being read and I can justify moving away from a free blog. I’m working on redesigning the header image as well to make it more like a brand and I’ve already got a massive list of mostly reading and college prep related posts I’m itching to write.
Speaking of writing, I have been really tempted to get a Midori Traveler’s Notebook, though I am not sure I can justify the expense. They do look great though, and with the amount of notes I take I carry an agenda and notebook with me anyway. But maybe that’s the romantic-at-heart travel journalist in me, who wants a leatherbound refillable notebook that ages with every trip and can speak of a life well travelled and all the notes taken on the road.
Have you seen the MTNs? Do you use it / would you use it? I like the set up of the inserts and how customizable it is!
Anyway, I need another coffee to keep me awake. How about you? Do you want a refill or head on out to one of the other Weekend Coffee Sharers? Check out Part Time Monster for the linky!
Anyway, that’s it from me. Same time, next week?
Study. Read. Write. 
Wow you do seem really busy, do sleep, it is so important when it comes to being healthy…
I have to get my coffee post ready myself, I am not sure what I’ll share.
As for my summer, the first two weeks of June will be spent in the South of France, and in August there’ll most likely be a trip to Austria.
Have fun in the UK, I haven’t been there in almost 5 years now…
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Hi Solveig 🙂 Well, I’m an insomniac, so trying to sleep doesn’t usually work that well. But I know what you mean. However, I am determined to get through this course as quickly as possible and at night I don’t have distractions. South of France and Austria sounds like a lovely summer vacation! I’ve not been to Austria since 1998 but I spent a few lovely summers in Flachau / Salzburger Land. I can’t wait to get back to the UK, though. Having lived in the North West for 6 years I do miss it and I try to go at least once a year for a few days. The last time I was there was last July, four days in London. 🙂
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My vacation has started great I am enjoying an impressive summer heat and a beautiful landscape 🙂
Do enjoy the UK.
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I’m sorry to hear you had a stressful week, but…yay…London trip! I hope you have a wonderful time. Congratulations on the results of your assignment. That is awesome news. Thanks for coffee. Have a great weekend 😀
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Thank you, Melissa! Yes, I can’t wait! London calling!! 🙂
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Congrats on your grades! Hopefully that makes the stress worth it.
I haven’t had a stuffed pepper in ages. That looks delicious!
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Thank you very much! Stuffed peppers are so good and easy to make. Plus, stuffing variations are nearly endless. They’ve become my “go-to” food, especially if more veg needs to be used up 🙂
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I have the travel bug too! But I’m seriously lacking funds, and sadly traveling anywhere from Canada is a long haul flight. However, I’m thinking about taking the train for a weekend trip to Ottawa or Montreal this summer.
And congrats on kicking butt at school!
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I love travelling. It’s been way too long, but my funds are very limited as well. The beauty of living in Germany is that we have 9 neighbouring countries within driving distance. And I’ve made it my goal to see them, as I’ve only been to some of them.
I love train travel and roadtrips, they’re my favourite forms of travel, especially when you can take in the scenery and fill up your notebook. And I’d love to see Canada properly one day (I spent an evening in Niagara Falls once but that was it).
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No definite plans yet but we’re hoping to have a trip away (probably camping) at the end of August. Before then I’m planning to make the most of my local beach and newly reclaimed weekends 🙂 Hope you have time to rest as the end of term approaches.
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Camping in August sounds lovely! I’ve spent the summers 2008 – 2012 camping, plus on and off for a total of 3 months in 2006/2007. No rest here, I’m afraid, there is no end of term as it’s by distance learning and continuous enrollment, so we keep going until we’re done. Enjoy having weekends to yourself again! Spending time at the beach sounds wonderful! 🙂
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I think that if you really want the MTN, you should treat yourself to it. We have to do little things for ourselves. I know I often wish I had done that for myself. I used to really want a nice leather blank journal for writing. I never splurged on it for myself and I still have that little bit of a desire to have one now, although it’s more practical for me to have a small inexpensive notebook with me (the grandsons get into everything, including whatever is in my purse or totebag). Then I used to want a Moleskine notebook and never got one for myself until a few years ago but now I feel like they are so special that I don’t want to use them! So splurge! YOU ARE WORTH IT!
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Hi Corina 🙂 I think I will actually get it. I’ve been eyeing it for months but didn’t buy it as a friend is bringing out her own line of leather-bound notebooks/agendas and wanted to send me one for review. But there have been a few production hiccups, so it might still be a while until I get mine. I totally understand where you’re coming from! There are a few notebooks that are too precious to be used, especially on the road. I’ll need to wait until after I’ve paid for London and a birthday present for my dad, but after that I’ll get one so I can break it in before my trip to London.It’ll be my reward for surviving my courses so far. 🙂
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Sounds like you have some great summer plans! We have a road trip planned for June/July–we’ll be spending more than a week on the road with two kids. Should be interesting, to say the least …
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Road trips are the best! I loved the drive to Austria as a kid, sing-alongs, stopping for quirky things and photo ops, finding secluded picnic areas, getting lunch from the market or having packed lunches… Road trips are still my favourite form of travel, there’s a reason I opt for overlanding whenever I can! Where will you be going?
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We’re going to Las Cruces, New Mexico–about 1,000 mile trip (1600 km). Through Missouri and Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, into New Mexico.
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Wow that sounds like an awesome trip with loads to see along the way! I’m hoping to someday travel the southern states, I did overland through the northern ones from L.A. to NYC once.
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Thanks for the fresh mint tea. I know what you mean by travel bug. I feel the itch too. I’ll be in London in July as well. Maybe you’ll come to the blogger meet up Sacha Black is organizing?
Have a good rest of the weekend.
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I’ve been stuck in one place for too long. There are still many places I want to check off my list! I’ll actually be in London 01.-09. August, not in July. I’ve not heard anything about a blogger meet-up, but I’d be interested. Can you tell me more? Have a great weekend! 🙂
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I meant to write August. I don’t know how July came out. Here’s the link to the invite: http://sachablack.co.uk/2015/05/07/first-possibly-annual-bloggers-bash-its-on/
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Oh thanks for the link! I’ll try to make it but I might still be at the airport at the time it starts! It’d be great to meet others, though!
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If we were having coffee, I’d tell you the only plans I had for this summer was to write the first 100,000 words for a series of books I’ve been wanting to write for decades. I’d also ak you to take photos on your trip to the UK and post them here.
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Thank you for having coffee with me, Lloyd! Writing 100,000 words is quite a challenge so I wish you good luck! I will definitely post some of the photos here, as I’m trying to integrate a bit more of my travel writing and photography after my travel-related A-Z Challenge.
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Summer runs for 92 days. That’s only 1,087 words a day. :o)
I need to write this goal down and tape it to a spot where I can’t miss it.
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That’s very true, but I often find as soon as I set myself a daily word count like that, life gets in the way 🙂
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That’s true. Life does get in the way. Then I’ll set the daily word count to 2,000 words a day and maybe it will average out. Thanks. :o)
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Awesome grades! You have every right to be proud. We make no large plans. Just lots of simple plans of time in the pool, fireside evenings – that sort of thing.
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I’m planning a London/Amsterdam trip too! Although mine is in November, so we won’t overlap.
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Congrats on the grades!
Glad you had what sounds like a more restful week than those you’ve been having, though you still sound really busy! Treat yourself to that notebook as a reward for all the hard work you’ve put in—sounds like you’ve earned it! 🙂
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Hi Connie! It sounds as if you’ve got quite a bit to celebrate lately. Congrats on completing your coursework with such high grades! 🙂 Have you been to London before? No major plans for the summer on this end beyond a short beach getaway. Hope you have a great week! 🙂
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Hi Shelah! Thank you! Yes, I’ve been to London before, several times in fact, but this will be my longest trip yet. I used to live at the other end of the country 🙂 I just love the city, and last year’s visit gave me a few ideas of where to go next and what to explore some more. A beach getaway sounds nice as well, but alas, I’m not a beach bum 🙂 I blame that on spending every rainy childhood summer on a tiny island in the North Sea.
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