A Life Full of Meaning

23/06/2026

Work Day, New Shelving & A Sweet Chilli Dinner Experiment | Daily Vlog | Tue 16 June (2026)
Tuesday was a fairly ordinary day, with me working while Glenn headed out to buy some shelving for our new storage unit. It's one of those jobs that isn't particularly exciting, but it will make life much more organised once everything is in place.
In the evening, I decided to get a little creative in the kitchen. I had a bottle of sweet chilli sauce that was slightly past its best-before date, so rather than waste it, I turned it into a cooking sauce for dinner. Thankfully, it worked out really well and made for a tasty meal.
The only slight downside was that it turned out rather sweeter than expected!

22/06/2026

DIY at Mum's, World Cup Football & Sticky Mango Chicken | Daily Vlog | Mon 15 June (2026)
Monday is often my favourite day for catching up and getting organised. It was very much a pottering sort of day, with a few jobs around the flat and the usual bits of admin that always seem to need doing.
In the afternoon, we headed over to Mum's flat in Kingsbridge. Glenn got stuck into a few DIY jobs. When we got back to the flat, I settled down to watch the World Cup match between Spain and Cape Verde. I wasn't expecting to become quite so invested in it, but it had me completely riveted from start to finish.
Tonight's dinner was sticky spicy mango chicken, which turned out really well and made a delicious end to the day. After a busy couple of weeks of travelling and family visits, it felt good to be back in our usual routine, enjoying the simple pleasures of home life.

21/06/2026

Family Time, Fairground Fun & A Fabulous Upcycled Jacket | Weekend Vlog | 13–14 June 2026

Saturday 13 June
After our European adventure, it was lovely to spend some time catching up with family. We headed over to Banbury to see the twins and I couldn't believe how much they have grown. They are at such a fun age now, full of energy and excitement.
We wandered into Banbury town centre where a fair was taking place. The girls were thrilled by all the sights and sounds. They enjoyed a ride on the teacups, tried their luck at hook-a-duck and were delighted to win a prize. Of course, no trip to the fair would be complete without an ice cream, which went down very well on a warm afternoon.
Later, we headed back to Northampton where we spent a relaxing evening watching one of the World Cup matches on television. After so much travelling over the previous week, it was nice to enjoy a quieter evening with family.

Sunday 14 June
Today was all about squeezing in a few more family visits before making the journey back to Devon.
Our first stop was to see Naomi for a quick catch-up before we met Beth, Leo and Emily at the bowling alley. It was lovely spending some time together and seeing the grandchildren before heading home. Family visits always seem to go far too quickly.
By late morning we were on the road and beginning the journey back to Totnes. The drive took around four hours and, although it's always nice to get away, there is something comforting about arriving home and settling back into familiar surroundings.
Once back, we discovered a very exciting parcel waiting for me. My upcycled jacket, created by screen printer Dorota Bojanowska, had arrived. It is completely unique and absolutely fabulous. I love the creativity behind giving an old garment a new lease of life, and this jacket feels like a real piece of wearable art. I have a feeling it is going to become a favourite item in my wardrobe.

21/06/2026

Ep 446 | The Milk Shed, Family Time & Kitchen Experiments | Weekly Vlog | 20 June (2026)

Family Time, Fairground Fun & A Fabulou...

20/06/2026

Well, this was a surprise! Turning hard-boiled eggs into chocolate mousse - don't forget to watch the vlog on Sunday to see what happened.

19/06/2026

A Bonus Day in Northampton & Helping with Flower Deliveries | Daily Vlog | Fri 12 June (2026)

Friday felt like a bit of a bonus day. We had expected to be spending it driving home, but thanks to making such good progress on our journey the day before, we found ourselves with an unexpected extra day in Northampton.
We spent the day pottering around and catching up with family. One of the highlights was popping into The Secret Garden Florist to see Beth. She has been incredibly busy, and it was lovely to spend a little time with her and see what she had been working on.
Before long, we found ourselves helping out with a flower delivery to one of the pretty Northamptonshire villages nearby. It turned into a lovely excuse for a drive through the countryside on a beautiful sunny day.

18/06/2026

Changing Our Plans, Crossing Home & Meeting a New Puppy | Daily Vlog | Thu 11 June (2026)

Today was supposed to be our final overnight stop before heading home.
We left Annecy early, planning to drive towards Calais and find a hotel somewhere a couple of hours away from the Channel Tunnel. However, the journey went much more smoothly than expected. The roads were clear, we made excellent progress, and before long, we started wondering whether we really needed to stop at all.
After a bit of discussion, we decided to keep going. Instead of spending another night in a hotel, we changed our Channel crossing to an earlier evening departure and continued our journey home.
It turned out to be the right decision. Before we knew it, we were back in England and heading towards Northampton.
Rather than going all the way back to Devon, we stayed overnight with Deb. It was lovely to catch up after our travels, and there was an added bonus — meeting her new puppy for the first time. Needless to say, the puppy stole the show and received plenty of fuss and attention.
After several days, four countries, countless miles and some wonderful adventures, it felt good to be back on familiar soil.

17/06/2026

Our journey to Lake Como gave us a bit of everything – sunshine, rain, dramatic skies and stunning scenery.

No matter what the weather was doing, the views were incredible. Mountains, lakes and beautiful little towns around every corner.

Lake Como really is one of those places that takes your breath away.

17/06/2026

Mont Blanc Tunnel, Stunning Mountain Views & Exploring Annecy | Daily Vlog | Wed 10 June (2026)

Today we said goodbye to Como and set off for Annecy.
The drive was absolutely stunning, with incredible mountain views for much of the journey. One of the highlights was travelling through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, which carries you beneath the Alps from Italy into France. It felt quite surreal knowing there was so much mountain above us.
We arrived in Annecy in the early afternoon and wasted no time heading out to explore. The town is every bit as beautiful as its reputation suggests, with charming streets, colourful buildings and canals winding through the centre. It is easy to see why it is often called the "Venice of the Alps."
After wandering around the city, we stopped for dinner before treating ourselves to an ice cream. It was a lovely way to spend the evening, soaking up the atmosphere and watching the world go by.
By the end of the day, however, I had definitely reached my limit. After all the walking and exploring, my feet were aching, and I was more than ready to put them up and rest.

16/06/2026

Crossing into Italy, Amazing Apartment & Storms Over Lake Como | Daily Vlog | Tue 9 June (2026)

After yesterday's marathon drive, today felt much more manageable, with around four and a half hours on the road as we travelled from Rhine Falls in Switzerland to Como in Italy.
The route itself was fascinating, weaving in and out of Germany and Switzerland before finally crossing into Italy. It is amazing how quickly the scenery, architecture and atmosphere can change as you move between countries.
Tonight we swapped hotels for an apartment, and what a find it was! Harry had discovered it on Booking.com, and it turned out to be absolutely fantastic. It was spacious, comfortable and a real treat after a couple of nights on the road.
Once we had settled in, we headed out to explore both the town and the lake. Como is every bit as beautiful as people say, with its elegant buildings and stunning mountain backdrop.
As evening arrived, nature put on its own spectacular show. A dramatic storm rolled across the lake, with flashes of lightning illuminating the sky. From the comfort of our balcony, we watched it unfold, enjoying a front-row seat to one of the most memorable evenings of the trip so far.