All you need is love

I'm not in the best of moods today. I'm hungover, I'm tired and I'm 'in the bad books' with the boyfriend.

Realising I couldn't hole up in my little flat today and feel sorry for myself because I needed to go shopping did not help.

People getting in my way, a rude, ungrateful old woman on the bus and overheated shops weren't doing my mood any favours either.

You can hazard a guess at my feelings when one shop worker kept referring to me as 'dear' too. I should add he was young and saying it to me the way you might say 'you alright dear?' to an old lady in the street if they were struggling!

However, something happened today which brought tears to my eyes, put a huge smile on my face and reminded me of how lovely life and people can be.

I was queuing up and to be honest getting a bit impatient having to wait (I warned you I was in a bad mood today!) 

"Can you just ice it with three three o please?...Bit random I know."

Being nosey I started listening in when the guy in front of me made his request to the shop assistant. 

And of course I started thinking how odd it was to get a small chocolate tablet iced with some numbers. What could it be? Some code with a loved one? Or a football or sporting reference with his mates? 

The young female shop assistant quipped "What's that your house number or something?" 

Looking sheepish the guy laughed "That obvious is it?" 

Both shop girl and I looked confused. 

At this the guy started to elaborate and my heart and ice maiden mood started to melt. 

"Yeah it is our house number, our new house actually. I've just been and completed on it today."

Aw what a nice little gift for your girlfriend/boyfriend. 

"My girlfriend doesn't know we've got it"

What? How? Surely he means she didn't know it was going to complete today or something.

"Yeah when we saw it she was just like 'I want this one' and I've managed to keep it all a surprise from her."

Aw... Shopgirl and I oohed and aahed how sweet this was. What a surprise!! Nice guy.

"Actually we're going out tonight for dinner where I'm going to tell her."

Aw...

"And I'm actually going to propose to her tonight."

Oh. My. God. What a man. What a lucky girl. 

"Yeah the place we're going to eat is somewhere I used to work actually and where we first met, she came in and I served her." 

Eyes now welled up, my face was beaming with the biggest smile and both me and the shop assistant cooed over him, saying what a romantic guy, what an amazing boyfriend.

At that he took his small chocolate gift and the shopgirl said she hoped his girlfriend said yes. How couldn't she?

"Good luck!" we shouted after him as he left. 

Wow. What an incredible evening for this couple, an out of this world surprise for this girl and a lovely lovely new life ahead for them both. 

I had to stop myself Facebooking and Tweeting this experience immediately. I walked out smiling and with a bit of a bounce in my step. Nothing like some human kindness and a bit of romance to brighten your day. 

So as I sit on my sofa still feeling the effects of last night's boozing I hope said couple have a wonderful night and thank them for cheering up this moaning moody madam! 

Bookworm: Love...From Both Sides, by Nick Spalding

This brief piece of fiction opens with the phrase "Oh God, her breath smells like the gates of Hell have opened." From then onwards this book didn't fail to keep me laughing.

The story focusses on the love lives of Laura and Jamie describing a host of dating disasters and terrible tales from both the male and the female perspective.

We hear what sorts of issues men get themselves into via Jamie's blog entries and women's worries from Laura's diary entries, addressed to her Mum.

Although this book was very short (one of a selection of short comical life experience offerings from the author) it never felt things were rushed. Stories were told in such a way you couldn't help but relate, laugh and picture the scenes/characters being described in front of you.

Just as the fictional tale started to feel it was going down 'cheesy' territory, Spalding brings it back and has you sniggering again.

Good parts
Makes you laugh throughout
Likable main characters
You want to carry on reading more funny tales after it ends

Not so great bits
Perhaps a tad too short
Said to be based on real dating experiences of the writer's friends and family, but some parts feel a tad far fetched.

Enjoyed whilst flying on my holiday and then hungrily consumed on my first morning on the beach, this was an ideal easy read. Really recommend if you need a bit of a giggle.

I'm planning to download all the others now!

Bookworm: Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

Wow.

I have literally just finished this book on my lunchbreak and thank goodness I read it whilst in a public place, I've had to hold myself together as it is!

If like me you love books that get your emotions going you will love this book.

I'd seen Me Before You previously on the shelf in shops and on my Recommended List on my Kindle. To be honest with you, I thought it looked like a predictable chick lit offering and disregarded it.

A friend at work was part way through reading it recently and recommended it to me. Thank goodness she did and I decided to give it a go.

I've found I couldn't put this book down and on seeing how close I was to finishing it this morning on my commute in, I've been impatient to get on my break to carry on reading! In fact I think I've now finished this fictional tale before my friend who suggested I try it!

The story focusses on Louisa Clark, she's a pretty ordinary girl who is very set in her ways, unadventurous and not very ambitious. She's been in a relationship for seven years with with a boyfriend she's just 'comfortable' with.

Louisa is the forgotten one in her family and holds a dark secret, which you wouldn't expect.

Moyes is great at building her characters and I could picture each of them - the Traynors, Katrina, Patrick, Louisa's parents and even the area they all live in.

I don't want to give anything away but Louisa ends up working for the Traynor family and has to care for Will, a quadraplegic since a fateful accident when he was younger.

Whatever you're thinking, don't. Throughout I kept second guessing what was going to happen next and how people were going to act. Yes granted there is one obvious storyline you will guess as a reader but any other expectations I had were squashed.

A mix of laugh, tears and hope this book covers it all. Dare I say it, it may be the next PS I Love You.

Moyes does not offer a feel good predictable read as you'd expect from the cover and blurb.

Good points
Strong likeable characters
Good storyline, lots of twists
Not what you expect
Don't want to put it down

Not so wonderful
From the outset one part is pretty obvious in this story
Getting to the end - I didn't want to finish
It will make you sad!

As you've probably gathered by now yes I would recommend this, yes I'm a soppy mess and yes I will be looking into what else this author has to offer.

Valentines Day

Lingering kisses and romantic wishes
Breakfast in bed, offers to do the dishes

Long lines of loving words as cards are exchanged
Excitement over what surprise plans have been arranged

Dining out, eating in
Champagne corks popping, glasses chinking

Watching loved up films on TV or at the cinema
Everywhere you look, themed gifts wherever you are

Everything red or covered in hearts
Flowers, teddy bears, underwear, it must look the part

Girls dressed in red, guys frantically rushing round for gifts
Wanting to impress and make sure the day's a hit

Or longingly watching the letterbox and doormat
Waiting for a card, ooh...what was that?

Surrounded by reminders you're on your own
Couples affectionate around you, you wish you'd stayed home

Constant announcements of love all day
If someone's desperately in love you hope they'll stay away

As people gush over their planned meals out and already what they've done
You're thinking ahead to your flat, alone and with your meal for one

Memories of lost loves and previous years
You make jokes about the day instead, you won't waste any tears

Whatever Valentine's may mean to you
I wish you a good day and know there's definitely people out there that love you

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