Wonderful Wednesday #49

I'm sort of a little bit in LOVE with ^that^ photo, aren't you?  It's a bit blurry, took quick as a flash with very little imagination and i am sure anyone with half a photographic mind would have something to say about the composition - and probably the fact that it's of my feet.  Again.  But you know what?  I love the colours:  oxblood and navy; ditsy Spring florals worn with inky blue tights that could have been almost covering my bra, if i'd let them.  And the snow!  Let's just CHAT about that for a second shall we?!  
I can't HELP but love the snow.  You can tell i don't drive or have to commute to work OR have a garden by my extreme and over-enthusiasm for anything vaguely resembling just a few flakes of snow.  Whenever it snows, or there is just the tiniest hint of it, my heart gets all of a flutter!  This was more hail + sleet but it stuck - even for just a few hours.  For a few small hours our sweet little city was covered in a white velveteen blanket of white.  We'll pretend i was tucked up nicely inside with a blanket and a hot drink and not that i sort of got stranded in town after my morning bike ride and some grocery shopping and had to walk/ice skate/push said bike home shall we?  
But enough of my WITTERING!  Let us remember why we are actually here:  to celebrate the special little things so far this week, that  #wonderfulwednesday stuff!
*    Spotify.  I know i know its not exactly a REVOLUTION  anymore since everyone in the world uses it, but well it's just been the best this week.  I'm currently off work for next ten or so days (i know:  Bliss!) and unlike my odd three or four days off in a row in and around Christmas, i promised myself i'd keep some kind of routine going.  You know what it's like over Christmas:  I doubt i got up before 10am any day.  There was always a late breakfast, a late lunch - a late night and not enough fresh air.  This week i have been up by 8:30, a big floral mug of Lady Grey brewing whilst i do my stretches and press-ups (more on that later) and then sitting eating a big bowl of porridge with Spotify accompanying me all of the way.  I don't like being in the flat alone in the quiet and unless there is something on I want to watch, i rarely watch the television.  My 'Mellow Pop Gold' playlist has been the best thing ever!
*  STRETCHING. Okay so it's not exactly rocket-science but i sort of made it a bit of personal goal after my birthday in December, to learn a little bit more about improving my upper body strength.  It's not a crazy diet/type health kick since we eat quite healthy already BUT i have become all too aware that i often work the bottom half of me without putting much thought into it.  I walk to work, spend all the live long day running up and down two flights of stairs AND i ride my bike for an hour or two on my days off - come rain or shine.  I'm pleased with my subtle changes:  just ten minutes each morning where i lay out my yoga mat, do my stretches; fifteen to twenty press-ups and a little swinging about with my dumb-bells - all in the time it takes for my tea to be ready for milk.  I've stuck to it religiously so far and so i'm proud.  Don't worry though, i shan't be giving up my Walnut Whips any time soon.
*  Soup and oatcakes.  Just, the BOMB.  And the only thing to warm me right through after the weeks freezing and icy morning bike rides.  A warming soup concocted from leftover odds and ends:  parsnips, carrots, potatoes, celery and leeks.  Served with toasted seeds and three or four oatcakes.  So yummy.  I often feel as if i could live off soup - there are so many flavour combinations.  Well, soup and porridge.  What can i say, i'm a cheap date?!
*  Plans.  I'm not sure if it's the time of year or just the weather but i've been getting excited about PLANS to visit Paris for the very first time this April with one of my very dearest friends.  She currently lives in Oz and turned 30 last year.  What with me turning thirty recently too, it felt like a nice thing to do by way of celebrating a little milestone and spending some time away in a beautiful city.  
*  Gold Sharpie pens.  Silly but TRUE!  Those things just make my writing seem magical!  I have quite a few friends birthdays in January and whilst i normally reserve a metallic Sharpie for my Christmas cards; i decided to keep on using them. I've written my rotas down from work in my pretty new diary, copied over addresses into my new Liberty print address book and i may or may not have doodled a liiiittle golden crown on my wrist at my desk this afternoon…
*  Sweet potato wedges.  I don't know if you are like me, but in our house there are certain things i can cook better:  spaghetti Bolognese, baked eggs or say banana bread.  Yet the Mr makes a mean roast chicken, the very best lasagne or amazing tarts, crumbles or bread.  And until Tuesday night, he made the very BEST sweet potato wedges.  That was until i found a recipe that combines smoked paprika and ground cinnamon and sweet potato wedges.  It's safe to say that crown is now 100% mine all MINE! If you fancy baking your way to sweet potato wedge heaven, simply chop two sweet potatoes into chunky wedges, drizzle generously with olive oil and add a teaspoon each of smoked or regular paprika and a  teaspoon of ground cinnamon.  Use your hands to mix the wedges and spices and bake in the oven on 200 degrees for 40-50 minutes.  The cinnamon adds a lovely sweetness which marries deliciously with the sweetness already in the sweet potato and the paprika counteracts that with a great fat smack of spice.  We've been living on eating them dunked in lemon-ey houmous or with extra chilli and a big dollop of creme fraiche and coriander.  Yum, so yum!
*  Genius IDEAS!  Ok brace yourself, i am not saying this one will change your mind or anything!  I recently decided to store all of my headscarves, hair bobbles and soft fabric turbans and headbands in a sweet little printed box i got full of lush goodies (and may or may not have been topping up here and there…er always!)  last Christmas.  Not only does it save space and keeps our bursting-at-the-seams office-come-spare room tidy, it means my hair is forever smelling of my favourite smells.   *  *  *   Now it's your TURN!  Don't forget to share what's been making your week much more manageable in the comments below.  You can also tag your #wonderfulwednesday photos on instagram or give me a little tweet too.  I'm @sallytangle on both.
I shall be BACK this week with something other than a Wonderful Wednesday post you'll be pleased to hear.  Whilst i love them, i am all to aware that this little spot has not been given the time it deserves lately due to to Christmas and one thing or another.  I hope you'll HANG on in there as i've got no excuses since I'm dilly dallying about off work for a little while now.  Apart from some writing projects and loose ends to tidy up AND a lovely trip up north for some spaniel cuddles and parental visiting; I am free as a bird!  
How ARE you all?