Mrs Birks Blogs

Looking back over this blog, I find it VERY difficult to believe that I have never written about Harry Potter before.  In fact, I did start writing a post last year but looking back it only contained one sentence, so no wonder I didn't post it! Anyway, the daughter and I are HUGE fans of Harry Potter.  I couldn't wait until she was old enough to 'get into' Potter and now she is like a walking encyclopedia.  We have loads of the books - original, illustrated and Kindle in Motion version, plus house colours (Ravenclaw) and an American Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  I have a Hogwarts and Slytherin 'goblet' from the original WB store and we were given the original Lego Hogwarts and Hagrid's Hut.  As I write this, I'm in my Hogwarts hoodie and I'm being to see how obsessed we seem... But before this turns into a list of stuff, this post is all about indulging in your Potter addiction by visiting some of the best Potter attractions.  Now h...

So my poor, neglected blog is 2 years old and what a lot has changed in the past year!  My resolution to write one post a month has gone completely out of the window but it doesn't mean I've stopped loving my blog.  I just haven't had a lot of time to update it.                                             Happy Birthday Mrs Birks Blogs...not 6 yet! Back in February, I wrote about a book called Create Your Amazing Year 2014 (read about it here)  which had been helpful in making some changes to my general routines and I was feeling happier.  Later that month, as part of making changes, I went for a job interview and after a thorough grilling, I got a new job to start later in the year.  No biggy you might be thinking but it wasn't just a new job, it also meant a new house, new school for my daughter and a new daily commute into Cambridge. Instantly...

As soon as the school holiday arrived, we jetted off for sunny Spain - just as the UK was experiencing a heat wave!  Nevermind, we had an air conditioned apartment and a pool at hand, so it made the heat very enjoyable rather than a little bit torturous if we'd still been a home. Unfortunately, we forgot to ask anyone to water our garden, but that is another story... Whilst on holiday, I love to read.  I love reading at anytime but with two children, there never seems enough hours in the day and I'm always too shattered by bed time to even contemplate opening a book.  I used to read loads of books on holiday, in fact my husband and I would always try and out-do each other with who could read the most books the quickest (I've always been the slower reader but I maintain that this is because I get so engrossed in the plot).  This year I managed to read three books, although one I had started months ago so perhaps doesn't count.  Anyway, I'm goin...