November loves...

 

Wow, how is this year almost over? It seems crazy that it is the 1st of December, a month that always flies by! I enjoyed November despite catching Covid again - it may be the case that my body can't actually rid itself of it - joy, oh joy!  Anyway, on to fun things from last month.....

Festive baking: I'm not a fan of Halloween, so as soon as that's over, I get very festive! I don't eat Christmas cake or pudding, however I make them every year because I love the smell and my family loves both. I just haven't made the marzipan or iced the cake yet because I don't want them to dry out, so that will be done in mid-December. I don't know if it's an Irish tradition or just a family tradition, but we make a wish while stirring the pudding and some were done virtually again this year because not everybody was around when I was making it. I've never been a fan of dried fruit, but the smell of these traditional foods is right up there for me! Christmas cookies with my niece and nephew next, then mince pies and mulled wine - none of which I'll consume! Strange, but true!

Festive decorating: Of course all of this baking got me in the mood for decorating, so the tree is up and the whole house is lit up with sparkly lights and festive touches everywhere. I've also got 90% of my shopping done and wrapped. One of my brothers called me a Christmas nutter..... and he'd be right!

I don't have any standout beauty products to mention, as I've been pretty consistent with my routine for a while now, however I switch up my fragrances a lot and post my #fragranceoftheday on Instagram, in case you're a fellow fragrance addict (saved in my highlights).

TV/Film:

Joyride (Sky): We saw the trailer for this months ago in the cinema and then it appeared to only show for around a week in our local branch, and we missed it. However, it's now on Sky and absolutely worth watching if you like some Irish humour. It's based around a woman who has just given birth and is about to leave and give her baby away, but things take a turn when a teenage boy hops into the driver's seat of a taxi after a row with his father, and they set off on a "joy ride". The teenager was at a fundraising event for the hospice that cared for his mother, who died recently, and he spotted his father stealing the money, so he gets it back, hops into the taxi and drives away. Over the course of the film, they help each other come to terms with their new circumstances and form a firm friendship, with a few bumps along the way. The boy's father catches up with them, gets the money back, makes threats etc, but there are also moments of hilarity and overall, it's a very heartwarming film, with Oscar winner Olivia Coleman in the lead role.

The Good Nurse (Netflix): I didn't know anything about this story before hearing Eddie Redmayne talking about it on the Graham Norton show. He plays a serial killer nurse, and. Jessica Chastain plays the nurse who works alongside him. They form a good friendship, so she is shocked when she twigs something that may have caused the death of a patient, which opens up a can of worms. The acting is excellent and I watched parts with bated breath. It is a true story - maybe not one you'll want to watch if you're about to go into hospital for a procedure (or are nervous about hospitals in general), but a great film, especially when you see how the clues stack up.

Spirited (cinema but also on Apple TV, I think!): We hadn't taken my niece out on her own since before the pandemic, so we promised her a trip where she could choose what we did. Her choice was a Christmas film with pick & mix sweets (bleugh), shopping and Five Guys. We saw Spirited the day after it was released and really enjoyed it. It's a musical based on the classic story of A Christmas Carol, starring Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds and Octavia Spencer. It's funny, uplifting and festive... you know that will make me happy (not just my niece, who is as big a Christmas nut as I am!)

I'm A Celebrity (TV): I didn't watch this the last two years when it was in Wales - I was too ill the first year and really, the idea of looking at a dull and drab castle instead of the Australian jungle just didn't appeal! I really enjoyed it this year and from within the first week, both my husband & I said that we wanted either Owen or Jill to win, so for them to be the final two made it even better. I enjoyed the nightly dose of laughter and watching something that couldn't be further from my own reality!

World Cup: Finally, despite Ireland not being there (they haven't been in the World Cup since 2002!!) and hating everything about Qatar and FIFA, plus I'm very disappointed with David Beckham promoting it - I guess money talks, I'm loving watching the matches. There are always surprise results, and early exits, which keeps the teams on their toes, and is part of why I love it. I'm looking forward to (hopefully) some penalty shootouts (always fun when it isn't your team), and some great matches ahead.

I'd love to hear what you loved in November? Are you excited for the festive season?

Thanks for reading!

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All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated. Anything marked with a * has been kindly gifted, without obligation. I don't do sponsored posts. Opinion is always my own. Affiliate links may be used.