All animals are equal?

It's always a pleasure to rediscover the joy in something as it's even better the second time around. This is certainly the case with George Orwell's Animal Farm. I first studied this as a student of fourteen, many moons ago. I had pretty much forgotten everything about it, bar the fact that it was a cracking story about revolutionary animals. The reason I've become reacquainted with this classic allegory is because it is a new text that I am teaching to my older students. My English department has changed exam boards this year, which means a host of new literature texts to choose from (yay!). Since this forms part of a GCSE qualification, I have to make sure that I'm up to speed on every aspect of the novella. This is where the joy comes in; my in depth research has woken me to its sheer brilliance. I'd forgotten what a wonderfully woven satire it was and how cleverly Orwell ridiculed totalitarianism and communism through it. The shenanigans of the pigs (so brilliantly named), as they go about betraying their own revolutionary principles, makes for fantastic reading. It also paves the way to teach youngsters the importance of democracy and integrity (as well as riotous activities like recreating the Battle of the Cowshed!). Last but not least, Orwell is responsible for crafting some of the most famous quotes, derived from literature. I certainly hope my students enjoy studying it as much as I enjoy teaching it.

 

A jewel of an idea...

'Row of hooks' and 'beautiful' don't usually go in the same sentence but this piece from Sass and Belle nails it. The item was  a present from my sister and the perfect opportunity came to finally put this up. I redecorated my bedroom recently and didn't fancy putting nails into the pristine, painted walls. I got round it by attaching the  hooks to the side of my wardrobe instead. It's pretty, practical and in the perfect place for me. I've accumulated so much jewellery that a humble box just doesn't cut it anymore! 

Why not peruse their website? They've got so many stunning ways to store and display your jewels.

All about the base...

There are certain products that I'm reluctant to change, simply because getting them right is a pain/labour of love. Switching to a new foundation is definitely up there because finding the right shade is a holy grail type mission. I decided to wave goodbye to my powder foundation and go back to a liquid after many, many years. I have skin that gets a sheen as the day goes on so I wanted something that worked on this. More importantly, I wanted something that didn't clog pores or exacerbate my problem areas. I decided to go with Clinique and so began the painstaking journey! I initially got given a sample pot in Beige (Stay Matte range) and that was far too light for my skin tone. I then tried Sand which gave me an instant light tan (not the effect I was after). Not to be defeated, I went back to the counter and declared that a shade between these two would be perfect. There was nothing suitable in this range, so the helpful assistant suggested Fresh Honey in the Anti-Blemish Solutions range. If something has 'anti' and 'blemish' in the title I'm all over it! This was the best fit so my voyage of discovery was over. I'm happy to say that I've stuck with this shade and if it copes with most situations, conditions and time frames, I'll be a loyal customer (until the next change!).

Guess who's back...

After a month abroad, I'm back in the blog bosom and keen to update you all. I survived without the internet and social media (a conscious choice) for all that time and am none the worse for it. I must say, it does you good to disconnect yourself every so often. It certainly forced me to immerse myself more in my surroundings and soak up the local customs and traditions. Instead of sharing snaps of the scenery or what I wore, I thought I'd do a more practical post. Here is my Go To List - items that I used repeatedly during my time abroad:

A thousand apologies for the poor picture quality. It looked a lot better on my phone that it does here! I'll try my best to guide you through the items.
1. Some magazines and books (in my opinion, still the best way of passing the time).
2. Burt's Bee's lip balm to keep my smackers nourished in the intense heat.
3. Organic Rose Hip oil and Geranium & Orange hand cream (Neal's Yard) to tackle dry patches and dry hands.
4. Nuun hydration tablets (they're dissolved in water and helped me stay hydrated when my energy was being sapped by the sun and heat). Thanks to my big sis for bringing these into my world.
5. Prada sunglasses
6. Citronella incense sticks (a natural mosquito repellent).
7. My Ipod
8. Almond milk powder (just add water to magically turn into milk! I'm unable to have cow's milk and this was my way of ensuring that I was covered if no other kind was available, which it wasn't).
9. Pure organic Argan Oil for my hair.
10. Aloe Vera gel for rough skin and mosquito bites.
11. A hair styling bun ring (I kept my hair up 100% of the time).
12. A cross body bag from Mango (a fabulously practical present from a good friend).

Holiday reading...

     I am a week into the glorious summer break and now wrestling with suitcases and packing. As ever, it's a David vs Goliath type battle as I try to condense a mountain of items to fit the airline requirements. I am going on a month-long vacation abroad with my family and as usual, I am taking plenty of reading matter.

     In my trove of literature I have the much talked about 'The Girl on the Train' by Paula Hawkins; John Green's 'Paper Towns' (because I surprised myself by enjoying 'The Fault in Our Stars'); the intriguingly titled 'The Hundred-Year-Old Man who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared' by Jonas Jonasson and Harper Lee's 'To Kill A Mockingbird' (not pictured) and 'Go Set a Watchman'.
     The eagle-eyed among you would have spotted two DVD box sets. I am using the time away to catch-up on series that I neglected during term time. I discovered Supernatural and Arrow way after everyone else so will be playing catch-up until the series come to their respective ends (perish the thought!). I will be packing season 2 of Arrow and season 8 of SPN.
     I don't know about you but I find un-cracked book spines and pristine box-sets irresistible. I can't wait to crack and unwrap!