I’ve missed the past few BEDN posts, I’ve tried playing catchup but failed on it so today is a new day!

Today’s prompt is to write about your hometown. I’m a Belfast girl born and bred and even though it can get a bit of negative press at times I am proud to say that’s where I come from. It’s a fascinating city steeped in history and culture but also benefits from being on the coast. That’s something I struggle with now I live so far inland. Having the coast on your doorstep gives a sense of freedom and reminds me that there is a whole world out there waiting to be explored.

Belfast is a divided yet united city. Yes there is the issue of religious divides but that divide is growing smaller with each new generation. I grew up in one of the high conflict areas that is often on the news but as a little kid I wasn’t really aware of the Troubles; seeing a soldier crouched behind my garden wall was perfectly normal. Our house was right on a peaceline and we knew as kids that once stones started being thrown over from the other side we had to come in. It was a strange time to live but it was our normality. A few years ago I brought some English friends over for a visit to show them the murals where I grew up. We then got a taxi into town but when the taxi driver realised my friends hadn’t seen the Shankill yet (a highly Loyalist area of the city) he removed the badge of his taxi from the window as it was a catholic taxi firm and gave my friends a guided tour.

The 30 years of the Troubles really pulled the city apart but everyone has worked so hard to build it up to the wonderful city it is today. World leaders have visited and we have hosted the MTV EMA awards. When I talk to my parents and they think back to how things were during the height of the Troubles they said they could never have imagined that it would be the city it is today. Our long term goal is to move back there, one day we will!

Yes there are some muppets who are determined to halt the peace process but they are in the minority. It really is a gem of a city and when you think of visiting Ireland, don’t just think of going to Dublin, take a wee trip up to Belfast too!

I haven’t got many photos to hand that show off the city well so all of these have been pinched from google! 

I can't wait to catch up on everyone else's posts about their hometown.

Thankfully my cake buddy in crime and co-organiser Kathryn had been on the phone to me and said the pub had the fire lit which I was very happy to hear! Eventually I arrived at the Cow and Calf and was so glad to sit down with a cup of tea! 

With the fire blazing and the rain pouring outside we gathered together to enjoy some tea (or wine!) and cake. Some of our regular members were there along with three new members and we all tucked into the cake available with gusto. The hot caramel sauce was also a welcome addition to have with the cakes. I can't remember who said they made the sauce but it was so moreish!

Diane kindly brought some indoor sparklers to light and place on her cake which was a perfect way to start off the evening. It took us a while to figure out how to light them but it was a great way to start the event off! 

A lot of us went down the apple route with our cakes for the evening but they all looked and tasted so different.

I really enjoyed Wednesday's event and I haven't laughed that much in a long time but we had a nice number there, it was easy to talk to everyone and all in all it was just a lovely night. If you haven't been before and live local to Otley/Ilkley please come along to one of our events, we really are a friendly bunch or check out your local club. Joining the CCC is one of the best things I've done!

PS. Thanks to Kathryn for letting me use her photos!

This post is a day late oops! I did have my list jotted down on a piece of paper but I left it at work and forgot to bring it home with me last night.

So – lists… I’m always making lists and at the moment the wedding to do list keeps growing but for now the wedding side of the brain is being switched off!

One list I do enjoy adding to is my baking to do list which includes all the skills and bakes I want to master in baking and sugarcraft.

At the moment this is my top 10 Baking and Sugarcraft List:

So that’s my list – what sort of lists do you like to make?

Stress – we all deal with it in different ways. Depending on how stressed I feel causes me to react in a variety of ways. Sometimes I scream and shout (it’s the Irish in me, I can’t help it!), other times I just need a good cry to get it out of my system but often getting into the kitchen is the best way for me to de-stress. Absorbing myself in a recipe or kneading some bread dough allows me to remove myself from the situation and then when I think about it later I often wonder why I was getting so stressed out in the first place!

Now wedding planning has taken me to a whole new level of stress that at times I am struggling to deal with. Choosing the venue was one big headache especially as the one I had my heart set on turned out to be a wedding factory and I felt so disappointed. Then there is the issue of the guest list and my top table. Himself’s parents are divorced but if they bring a plus one to the wedding does that mean that two people we have never met get to sit at our top table? Everything else I feel fairly laid back about but that one issue is stressing me big time! Every time it crops up I just need to push it to the back of my mind and think we have lots of time to plan, I’ll worry about it closer to the date.

Right, need to switch off about that now, I can feel myself starting to worry about it again!

How do you deal with stress? I think the main advice I stick to is to talk about it or write it down. Don’t let it eat at you otherwise you will end up as one big ball of tension!

These BEDN topics certainly are pushing me to write about topics I would never have considered sharing on the blog!

Bonfire Night – would you believe I had never been to a bonfire until I came to England for uni? We don’t celebrate it in Ireland and have fireworks on Halloween instead.

My first bonfire night experience was at the Halls I lived in during my first year of uni. Himself and I had only just started dating so he decided I needed to experience my first bonfire night and I loved it although I couldn’t believe how big the bonfire was, it was massive!!! I also tasted pie and peas for the first and last time (really not a fan – sorry!)

Fast forward a few years and we have moved in together. Our house had some wasteland at the back so Himself thought it was the perfect place to host our very own Bonfire Night Extravaganza! Over the course of 3 years it became an annual tradition, next door would remove their fence panels so the two back gardens became one, we used an old metal drum for the bonfire and made a trip down to a fireworks supplier to get some good fireworks. None of this supermarket stuff for us, Himself loved to put on a great display.

When we moved last year our new house had a smaller garden and houses directly behind so it wasn’t safe or practical to host our annual Bonfire Night Extravaganza. We did miss it last year but as bonfire night rolls around we are glad that we took advantage of our location and did it when we could. Hopefully in years to come when we move again we will be able to buy somewhere with lots of land and once again start hosting a bonfire night event.

Here are a few photos from over the years…