September has always been quite the reflective month. Perhaps due to the connotation with new school years, or simply due to the clear changes in the weather. This month has taught me progress and healing may not always be linear; and that there may still be triggers or thoughts that can resurface certain thoughts or experiences at a given time. Having said all of this however, September has involved some really fun days out, as well as the return to some old hobbies.
Days Out & Activities:
- Blackpool Zoo – We’re back with the zoo visits this month as we took a road trip to Blackpool. Now, I’ll start by admitting I think I’ve been once before (as a child), but have no current recollection of any of it! So for us, it felt like we were both visiting for the first time. I love the fact that no matter which UK zoo you choose to visit, they each have something that stands out, or something they do ‘better’ than the others. For me, at Blackpool, that was the number of animal talks they hold throughout the day. We were fortunate, as well, to visit on a day which coincided with the tiger feedings – meaning we witnessed one of their beautiful tigers tear apart their meal of deer. It was incredible to see their sheer strength as they pulled the carcass clean in half from the pulley system! A little less ‘disturbing’ for some would be the sea lions training demonstration which saw the keepers showcasing the intelligence of these wonderful creatures! We watched as they performed little tricks, caught balls and hoops, and wowed everyone with their leaps out of water. Some other notable highlights were the various species of bird they house – including the Stanley Crane, and my personal favourite, the macaw!
- Warrington – Another animal encounter we had this month was at a smaller ‘zoo’ located in Walton Park in Warrington. With the likes of more domesticated animals – such as rabbits, alpacas, sheep and donkeys etc – this free entry zoo was the perfect place to wander round during a trip to Warrington. We stopped for a picnic in the nearby grounds, before heading down the road to the Moore Reserve where we hiked through the trails to find multiple bird hides. This day was certainly an unexpected gem!
- Writer’s Workshop – Making an active effort to work towards that first manuscript draft, I attended a writer’s workshop which aims to aid the development of becoming an ‘author’. It was a great insight into the world of publishing, and we had a few short activities of character development within a small group too. I met up with an internet friend this day as well, and we walked around a museum and park, before making our way to the workshop together. Sometimes social media can be positive! It was such a lovely, wholesome day, and I left feeling pretty motivated to continue with my manuscript!
- Concert – We visited the beautiful Bridgewater Hall in Manchester to watch Freya Ridings perform live. This venue was such the perfect backdrop for her tour. A night listening to incredible musical talent and vocal ability. It was my first time seeing Freya, and just… wow! The supporting band, Amber Run, were really good too. All in all an incredible evening! And one I left feeling inspired to connect once more to my musical hobbies.
Hobbies and Interests:
- Musical Instruments – Now the flute has been my instrument of choice since secondary school. It was there where I joined the school orchestra, and continued onto the sixth form one too. Though I will admit, as an adult, it’s been very hit and miss as to when my motivation to practice or play the instrument strikes! So when I found this passion peak slightly this month, I took to the showtunes and soundtrack scores! It really is such a beautiful instrument, and I wish I made a more conscious effort to play more of it!
- Puzzle Books – I’m a huge lover of quizzes, puzzles and mysteries – anything that involes solving something! – but I find the majority of these need to be played either on a device or with multiple people at a venue. That’s until I cycled back to physical puzzle books. The one I’m currently in the midst of is a Murder Mystery one which sees me solving a case via various logic puzzles (varying on difficulty too). This has been a welcomed addition for the evenings I want to switch off from the world, but without resorting to my phone. I’ve made a mental note to find more of these!
Physical and Virtual Media:
- Games – Paradise Paws on Google Play.
- Books – Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean.
- TV – Ludwig on BBC iPlayer.
- Film – Good Will Hunting on Netflix.
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