One week tomorrow, Kyle and I pick up the keys for our new place out in the Peak District. We're not quite ready to hop up onto the property ladder just yet, but since we've got a couple of years of paying off debts and saving to do, we figured we may as well do it with a view. Our new cottage is picture perfect. I've always wanted a home this adorable, but I definitely didn't think it would be something that would happen any time soon. It's a little bit scary, and it'll definitely test my anxious nature as so much will change, but I'm really looking forward to living in such a beautiful property (even if it is covered in really dated red carpets - rug donations are very welcome).

Apologies for the picture quality, this one is stolen from rightmove

So not only will I be moving into my first proper house, but I've also had somewhat of a promotion. It's only a temporary position, but it's more change - and in a time where I could probably do with things running smoothly and not changing dramatically. Luckily for me, the short term change in job also means a short term pay increase, which will be very useful to assist in the moving period. It may take a couple of months to really make the place our own, but I can't wait to get there. 

Fingers crossed we'll manage to at least stretch to a few bottles of mulled wine and some twinkly fairy lights for the festive season. I can't wait to get a handful of friends round to show off our beautiful love nest, and take lots of photographs of Hope Valley in the snow. Let's just hope that the snowy season starts once we've moved in safely!

Keep checking in for more about our big move, peace and love.

Update // #1

It's been almost a year and a half since I last posted so as you can imagine, it's tricky to know where to start in terms of an update. For my own peace of mind, and another new beginning, I'll write a short introduction to my life as it stands currently.

Since finishing my degree a couple of summers ago I've had my head in the clouds, desperately searching for direction. I work in admin - there's really no need to go further than that, as that's how little I care. In all honesty, it's not a bad position and I'm paid reasonably well, it's just not what I want to be doing. The reason I don't search harder for a new job is that right now I need to focus on earning and saving as I am riddled with debt and have huge plans for the next few years. Plus I work with a bunch of absolute sweethearts.

I rent a flat with my best friend, boyfriend and three bunnies. Sophie and I have had the place for over a year now, and Kyle has been with us a little over 6 months. It's nothing fancy, but when it's clean, it's pretty lovely. Sophie is currently living in Italy, wrestling with children and learning the lingo which means rent is high and money is even tighter at the minute, but it's been quite therapeutic acting like a real grown up with the better half - even if I have probably been driving him a little mad.

I feel that one of the only ways I've ever known how to keep myself relatively sane is to write, so I'm going to attempt to put my hand back to blogging, with a little encouragement from loved ones, as ever. For now, I make no promises about what's to be expected - we'll take it as it comes.

The Second City

A city break to Birmingham this weekend was exactly what the doctor ordered. Stressed out of my mind over lack of funds for the festive period, it was a complete treat to be whisked away to a new city and spoilt like a princess. Best first date ever.

Motivation Zero

Working a mindless office job in your early twenties is not for the faint of heart. Not because it is in any way taxing or difficult, but because the sensation of all future prospects of the dream career you had your heart set on during university slipping through your fingers is pretty bleak. With the new letters in your name still glistening like brand new, wet paint, the nine-to-five (or six-to-two, sigh) is the anti-award for all of the effort you put into that dissertation. Remember the late nights, the last minute panic attacks? Remember how it would all be worth it, just as soon as you finished the course and dived straight into the arms of your first choice vocation? At which point did I sign up for the unspecified number of months in a crap job which just about covers my extortionate rent?

- Classy Girls 2013

Today has been a bit of a break down in terms of my plans for the future. I work with some of the most brilliant, inspiring and motivational girls that I've ever met, but occasionally their productivity has the complete adverse affect on me and brings me down. They all have grand ideas in motion for their careers and dreams while I seem to be stuck at square one, applying for internships & work experience in a field that is seemingly impossible to wedge your foot into the door of. After hours of moping, a little playing with my brand new baby bunny and a mug of mulled wine with my muses I have decided to get stuck into getting one of my many projects back in action. Classy Girls is a blogzine ran by myself and two of my best friends Sophie Gallagher and Amy Jayne Chessman (of disguisedbyzebras) which we set up around a year ago but had to put to one side due to university commitments. Now we've all settled into our terribly boring jobs-for-the-sake-of-money we have plenty of time and energy to invest into it, so check it out and keep an eye out for the updates, changes and new posts that will be flooding in, in the near future. Also check out the stuff we put up last year, there are a couple of decent reads there too.

This evening I'll be polishing up the article which I've sampled here to get the ball rolling. Welcome back to the internet Natasha.

Official graduate

After a short period of more blog neglect I have come back as an official by-the-book English graduate. On the 15th November 2013, my fellow classmates and I braved the stage for all of about 4 seconds to shake a couple of hands and enjoy a short round of applause in celebration of passing our degrees. The whole day was a ridiculous concept of spending outrageous amounts of money on a silly costume and having ten thousand of exactly the same photograph taken, but I had so much fun.

My parents came up late morning with a classy bottle of champagne which we opened once we were all dolled up. After finally being given the perfect excuse to spend money on new foundation, good tights and one hell of a beautiful pair of shoes, I transformed myself into the perfect young lady complete with well painted nails and false eyelashes. I'm not exactly the most girly girl in the whole world, but when the mood strikes, it's nice to act like a princess. Once we'd arrived in town we found Sophie and our families were introduced for the first time, which was pretty adorable. Mr & Mrs Franek meet Mr & Mrs Gallagher. One step closer to our big day. We then started on the queueing to get our robes et al. It was crazy bumping into people that I'd met over the past three years, from new friends that I only met this year, to people I'd come across in my first couple of weeks then barely seen over the rest of the course.

The ceremony itself took place in Sheffield City Hall, which is quite beautiful inside. I've been once before for a Joan Baez show, but it wasn't how I remembered. A string quartet played as we entered and formalities were made, before the parade of Humanities graduates began their route across the stage. Again, it was really strange watching people graduate, thosee I had made friends with, met on the odd night out, work with now and even a girl who had hated me briefly over an ex. It wasn't particularly exciting, but still a pretty big occasion. Whether I do another degree in the future or not, this will always be my first. Flicking through the program sent a little shiver down my spine as I glanced over names of those who didn't come along. A shame, but perhaps for the best, the day was emotional and nostalgic enough without being further reminded how much my life has changed in the past month or so.

A meal at Cafe Rouge with my family, followed more photographs, catch ups and cuddles with my friends. We got another bottle of champagne and ate like royalty before hitting The Frog and Parrot for more post graduation fun. Sophie came along to join the family, and I introduced them all to Jack, a new friend. Everybody got along swimmingly and I really had a moment of, my life is pretty damn fantastic. After I'd returned my parents back to the flat and they headed home, I re-joined Sophie, Jack and Liam and we all drank a little too much at the Great Gatsby. Lots of dancing and giggles masked the very small amount of drama and I had the most wonderful evening with my closest friends and family.

Two days after graduation I worked my last shift at The Punchbowl, my pub job that I've had through the last two years of university. I drank behind the bar, finally fulfilled my dream of jumping over the bar, and gave away free drinks - it was the perfect end to an excellent run at an excellent pub. I'll be having farewell drinks with the locals on the 30th so I didn't get too emotional, but the combination of these two major happenings really has sent me into an "end of an era" overdrive. I just have to try my very hardest to embrace it.

ps. Thank you to my new bloglovin followers - I'm back on the game now, I'm sure of it.