Picture THIS...

I've cracked it. No, really, I have. I've finally taken a good photograph. Honestly, no one's more surprised than me.

If I was the insecure-about-my-photography-skills type, I'd be REALLY insecure. When I take a pic, I don't stop to stage it. I click the button at whatever is being presented to me. There's no thought about the background, the lighting, the shadow... no thought at all. I just snap. I'm not a professional, I've no exhibition coming up, it's simply my way of recording my memories.

Seriously with number 7?

I'm comfy with this, by the way. The only time I realised anyone had a critique was when my sister commented under an Insta post of mine. It was a collection of 'My most iconic photos from 2023 and she wrote, 'Seriously with number 7?' To be clear, number 7 was a photo taken in the middle of the night, on a train travelling through Canada. It was iconic because I'd had a cool experience on that train, seeing the towns flash by and watching the most beautiful scenery as the sun set and then rose, whilst I remained cosy in my cabin. That's what I remember when I see number 7. Of course to the outside world and my sister, it's simply a black space with two dots of green (my phone reflected in the mirror) and the nightlight over the door. Surely the fault lies with her own limitations? Hmm. Either way, whenever I take an iffy photo now, my partner says, 'Seriously with number 7?' Bantz.

But now? Now, there'll be no more 'seriously with number 7' snark. Oh no. I've absolutely NAILED a photo. It was last week and I'd cooked my brekkie. I don't photograph my food for anyone else, fyi. I do it so that when I can't think what I want to eat, I can scroll back through my phone and remember recent hits. That's why I snapped this particular pic. I didn't do anything to the lighting, I didn't deliberate on where the food should be placed, I didn't stop to think. It was only once I'd taken it, I saw how magnificent it was. It could be in a food magazine, honestly. Now, when people say, 'Seriously with number 7?' I can only assume they mean they're flabbergasted with how amazing the picture is. 

After all this build up, it's only right that I share the wealth. Scroll down to the Food and Drink section and see what you think. Let's hope I've not built it up too much. If necessary, do a direct comparison with number 7. See? Yeah, you get it.

Imagine if I hired Vanessa Feltz to spray
me with my own self-confidence though 

Writing News 
It's all so SATISFYING right now. Honestly, I'd love to bottle this feeling. That way, in twelve month's time, I can spray it all over myself when I'm in the 'everything I write is shit' phase. But back to now. It's going well. My random thoughts that I'd turned into bullet points, have now been grouped into chapters. I'm currently going through each plot line and checking it rises and falls throughout the narrative. I've also been having conversations with people. Now's the time to sound out some of my ideas before they become entrenched. It's all so wonderfully enjoyable and I wish it came this easily for the rest of the process.

Culture

I know everyone's excited about The Celebrity Traitors, and fair play to them, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. We're currently in the final throws of TheTraitors Ireland and it's been brilliant. On the RTE player, the Irish version of Traitors is my fave. The format remains the same, but I love how tailored the tasks are -  to the Irish language, traditions and folklore. Siobhan McSweeney is a fabulous host, and makes the character truly her own. I just can't begin to get excited about Celebrity Traitors until this one is over.

In other Culture news, I've also binged Ludwig (clever fun), Bookish (more clever fun), and I read A Room Above a Shop (achingly beautiful with a deep core of sadness.)

Food and Drink

After my ponderous intro at the top, this is where the magic is. Take a look at it. Soak it up. When the time comes, that photo should used on the front of my order of service. I'm still in shock that I took that pic, and that my random-ingredients-in-a-bowl-breakfast could look so good.

Enough of my photography skills, though. Here's what it actually is.

• A spray of olive oil (or fat of your choice)
• Two apples, cut into chunks
• A handful of stoned cherries, halved.
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• A shake of cinnamon
• Pomegranate seeds
• A handful of oats
• A drizzle of sweetness (I used date syrup, but honey would work. Hey, so would chocolate sauce. Whatever you've got.)
• A splodge of Greek yogurt

The recipe isn't really a recipe. It's a bung everything in a pan and stir it around until it's softened kind of situation. Oh, except I add the oats when the apples and cherries are soft so they can help coat them with moisture. That's about it. The upshot? The house smells like autumn and you've got a tasty, filling breakfast to start your day.

Out and About

This week included a Wednesday brunch, a writing group sesh, a mani/pedi, and beers with a mate. How cool is that? I got to chat at length with a range of different people in a range of different  settings. If variety is the spice of life, the past week was pretty spicy indeed.

The week ahead is shaping up to be busy AF. I've got a bunch of things to cram in before I abscond again. Yep, I've got a break coming up. This one is substantial, and packing for it feels like an overwhelming task. Never fear, it'll get done and I'll be off. Next week I'll be back here with... something. I'll work it out by then. So see you here, this time next week? Yes? Yes? Excellent.

Have a lovely week, folks.