I woke up this morning, swept the house, washed plates, and finally sat down with a cup of coffee and plantain. Before all of that though, I stood quietly by the window and let the morning sun touch my face for a bit, and it felt so good in that old-fashioned, grounding way. Now I am back in bed, warm and cozy, typing this out under the covers, and honestly that feels like a small luxury.
The photos you are seeing are not from this year. They were taken last year at Dean Castle Country Park on the 9th of November 2025, on our way to meet a friend and spend some time with her little one. If you have ever been there, you can picture it easily. Wide open paths, bare trees, soft cold air, and that calm feeling that comes just before winter truly settles in. It was one of those days where you want to be warm, comfortable, but still look put together without trying too hard.
Let us talk about winter style, because for me it always starts with warmth. I never compromise on being warm, no matter how nice an outfit looks. Jeans and black boots are my winter foundation, and they are pieces I rely on every single year. A good pair of jeans paired with solid black boots can carry you through the entire season if you style them right. Under this outfit, I wore a simple black long-sleeve top, and that single layer makes all the difference. It locks in warmth and allows me to enjoy being outside without constantly thinking about the cold.
This 3-button front pink jumper is from Primark, and yes, it’s already starting to pill and shed. Over here we call it a jumper, and I already knew this would happen because it is Primark. I genuinely do not care. I love the color, and sometimes that is enough. It looks nice, it feels soft, and it brings brightness into winter, which matters more than people admit. I might not be able to wear it after this winter, and that is fine. Clothes do not always have to last forever to be worth enjoying. I have paired this jumper with different jeans already, and each time it gives a slightly different mood while still keeping me warm.
Winter dressing does not mean dull colors only. Bright colors are important during the colder months, and pink especially has a way of lifting the mood when the days feel grey. Pink softens winter outfits and brings warmth without being loud. I find it makes everything feel more gentle and cheerful, even when the weather is not.
Now to the jeans, because denim always deserves its own moment. I styled these jeans first in this post on my blog, and if you remember that denim-on-denim look, you already know how versatile they are. The jeans are from Know Fashion Style, part of the Blue Loose Casual Pocket Button Up Round Neck Sleeveless Waisted Vest and Wide Leg Pants Denim Two Pieces Set. It is also available in black, which is good to know if you prefer darker tones. The material is cotton denim, the fit is regular with a high waist, wide-leg profile, and clean solid color finish. The details like the pockets and buttons give it structure while still keeping it casual. I am wearing a size that allows movement, warmth, and comfort, which is important in winter. Wide-leg jeans are especially great during colder months because they layer well and never feel restrictive.
The boots are one of my favorite parts of this outfit. My partner got them for me just before the peak of the cold months, and I have received so many compliments since. People really like them, especially the way I style them. They are Replay black lace-up boots with a slight wedge, and they are very warm. Sometimes they are so warm that I actually have to take them off. They feel solid, supportive, and well-made, and that is why investing in good winter shoes is always a smart decision. Winter is not the time to struggle with thin soles or uncomfortable footwear. A good boot will carry you through cold days, long walks, and busy weeks without stress.
Speaking of busy weeks, do you know I actually dress way cooler during the week. I just do not have the time to take photos because of work. Adult life really humbles you. I wish I could take photos of myself every day, but reality says otherwise, and that is fine. Style still exists even when the camera is not around.
Makeup-wise, I have learned to keep things simple. Powder is okay for me, and adding blush gives a softer, more subtle look that works well with winter outfits. It keeps the face fresh without looking heavy, and it matches the relaxed, practical approach I take with my clothes.
How is everyone doing lately. What colors of jumpers or sweaters are you loving this winter. Do you lean towards bright shades like pink, or do you prefer neutrals when the weather gets cold. Let me know, because I always enjoy hearing how everyone else styles their winter days.
I wasn’t even looking for myself, but then I saw them: a stunning pair of POSH by Poelman sneakers. They had that perfect mix—mostly white but with beautiful beige/nude details on the front and sharp black accents. Usually, I’m a size 40, but these were a size 39 and they fit like a glove! I’ve been wearing them non-stop since December 2025. Whether I’m at work or out taking photos (like that shot in the bird sanctuary everyone loved!), they are a total 10/10 for comfort. No pain, just pure support.
I even spilled coffee on them on my way to work recently (it happened after my photoshoot, thank goodness!), and they are still holding up strong. They are solid, stylish, and suit almost any outfit.
For my fellow fashion lovers and brands looking for quality, Poelman Brands is a Dutch powerhouse founded in 1997. They are known for their "POSH" and "PS Poelman" labels, which focus on young, trendy, and high-quality footwear.
Design: They mix European leather with trendy synthetic details.
Reputation: They are a favorite among influencers for their chunky, on-trend silhouettes that don’t sacrifice comfort.
I’ve been browsing their website and already have my eye on one or two more pairs. I only buy what I actually need, but when I'm ready for a refresh, this is definitely where I'm looking.
The 2015 Throwback
While I prep my new Friday wellness/fitness posts, I just had to jump on this 2015 trend blowing up on Instagram. Can we talk about the fact that 2015 was a decade ago? It honestly feels like yesterday.
I went back to look at my archives, and I have to give a huge shoutout to my photographer from back then. The quality is so crisp that when I posted these on my stories, some people didn't even believe they were old!
Looking back, I can really see how much my fashion sense translates to boundless representation. I’d love to hear what you think—how was my style back then? Which look do you think aged the best?
I’m doing great and I'm so happy to be back in this space with you all. Let’s catch up in the comments!
The Everyday Public Devices Quietly Spreading Disease Worldwide and How to Protect Yourself.
Most disease transmission does not come from dramatic moments. It comes from routine. From habits repeated so often that no one notices them anymore.
Medical and public health research consistently shows that human hands are the primary vehicle for global disease transmission, accounting for the majority of common infections, from colds and flu to gastrointestinal illness and skin infections. In public spaces, one contaminated hand can pass microbes onto surfaces that will be touched by hundreds or even thousands of others in a single day.
These devices and technologies are part of modern life. They are not the enemy. Unthinking use is the problem.
Below are 50 public devices, technologies, and shared surfaces with high disease transmission potential, each explained in everyday terms, with practical solutions that ordinary people can realistically apply.
1. ATM Keypads and Touch Screens
Used after handling cash, phones, or wiping sweat and noses. Rarely disinfected.
Solutions
Use tissue, disposable glove, or knuckle
Sanitize hands immediately after
Transmission path
Hands that cough, sneeze, or wipe noses touch the handle before you do.
Solutions
Use elbow or shoulder
Use tissue where possible
Clean hands after
3. Public Restroom Flush Handles and Buttons
Transmission path
Touched right after toilet use, often before handwashing.
Solutions
Use toilet paper to flush
Dispose immediately
Wash hands thoroughly
Dirty hands turn the tap on. Clean hands turn it off.
Solutions
Use paper towel to turn off tap
Sanitize hands afterward if needed
Pressed with contaminated hands before soap is applied.
Solutions
Use wrist or elbow
Sanitize hands after washing
Transmission path
Touched with damp hands, which transfer germs more easily.
Solutions
Use paper towels
Press with elbow
Transmission path
Hundreds of presses daily, especially in offices and hospitals.
Solutions
Use knuckle or key
Clean hands after
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| Photo by Msn |
This hits hard. Even if you aren't a football fan, what’s happening at AFCON right now is about so much more than a ball hitting a net; it’s about blood, memory, and the soul of a continent.
There is a man who always stands during the match when the Democratic Republic of the Congo plays. He remains perfectly still with his hands raised for the full 90 minutes.
Where no one knows me
It's not lonely
It's a necessary thing
It's a place I made up
Find out what I'm made of
The nights are stayed up
Counting stars and fighting sleep
Ready to lose my feet
Take me off to the place where one reviews life's mystery
Steady on down the line
Lose every sense of time
Take it all in and wake up that small part of me
Day to day I'm blind to see
And find how far
To go
There's a place I'm going
No one knows me
If I breathe real slowly
Let it out and let it in
They can be terrifying
To be slowly dying
Also clarifying
The end where we begin
Everybody got their way
We're just catching and releasing
What builds up throughout the day
It gets into your body
And it flows right through your blood
We can tell each other secrets
When we stood watching the sunset at Drumpellier Park, all that flashed through my mind were my years in Ukraine. I used to watch the sunset there and enjoy the peace and quiet that flowed, the freedom to enjoy nature in its simplest form. It was pure, neat, and calm.
Even though the story is still heavy, I plan to share what those last days in Ukraine felt like and the closure that telling my story might give. One day I will share it all, but for now, I will be thinking of the place I used to be, where no one knew me. It wasn’t lonely; it was necessary, and I loved it there.
Happy New Year, everyone! Welcome to 2026. This is officially my first travel post of the year, and I’m so excited to kick things off with a gem I found right here in Glasgow.
If you missed my New Year’s post, I hope your year is starting off with peace and clarity. For me, it started with a trip to Hogganfield Loch (also known as Hogganfield Park). It wasn't a hard decision to head there; it popped up while I was browsing maps for nature spots, and the photos and Google reviews looked so promising. After church, I grabbed my gear and headed out—and let me tell you, it was the best decision.
When I arrived, the first thing I noticed was how popular this place is! The car park was jam-packed. I had to circle around for a bit waiting for someone to leave, so keep that in mind if you're visiting on a weekend. There’s a cute little kiosk selling coffee and snacks, and honestly, business was booming today. Even though the sun was out, don't let those photos fool you—it was freezing.
Once I stepped onto the path, the cold really hit me. It was one of those crisp winter days where the sun shines but the air bites. The loch was nearly frozen over, though not thick enough to walk on. Before I took in the full view, I was drawn to the birds.
The variety of birds here is remarkable. The loch’s shallow waters and surrounding habitats attract a huge range of bird life throughout the year. In winter especially, you’ll see Whooper Swans, sometimes arriving all the way from Iceland, and Common Goldeneye Ducks bobbing on the water. There are also Great Crested Grebes, Goosanders, Tufted Ducks, Gadwall, Wigeon, Teal, and more mixing with the usual mallards and swans. In the grassland and marshy edges, warblers and buntings make themselves heard in the warmer months, and woodlands host tits, blackcaps, and willow warblers when spring and summer arrive. Over 150 bird species have been recorded here, including occasional rarities, so birdwatchers will find plenty to enjoy. I saw two people with professional cameras taking photos.
Picture this: Imagine yourself in the late summer of 1937, in the South of France. A group of artists and free spirits have gathered for a picnic in a secluded glade, their laughter echoing through the trees. Dresses are loosened in the heat, shoes are cast aside, and a couple share a playful kiss. In that sun-dappled moment, Lee Miller lifts her camera and captures something timeless. This snapshot will come to define the magic and recklessness of youth. That image is where Thomasson begins her story.
From here, the book unfolds like a conversation under the stars. Thomasson introduces us to the circle of friends around that table: the daring photographer Lee Miller, the impossibly brilliant but complex Pablo Picasso, the Surrealist icons Man Ray and Dora Maar, the poet Paul Éluard and his wife Nusch, and others like the dancer Ady Fidelin and artist Eileen Agar. Some names you might recognize, others you might not, but by the time you finish the book, you feel as though you’ve walked beside them through sunlit fields and shadowed war rooms alike.
What makes A Vast Horizon so compelling is Thomasson’s gift for bringing these lives to the page through the art they made, the poems they wrote, the letters they exchanged and the photographs that survived. She doesn’t just recount facts; she invites you into their world, showing how art and friendship and love were their anchors even as the specter of war loomed ever closer.
As the years move on, the carefree days of that Mediterranean summer give way to the harsh realities of the Second World War. Plans shift, loyalties are tested, and the very notion of freedom changes as Europe descends into turmoil. What I loved most was how these real people, rebels in their own way, struggled to hold onto creativity and connection in a time that sought to tear everything apart.
In a way, this book feels like a bedtime story told around a fire: it is vivid, it is alive with colour, and it lingers in your thoughts long after you’ve finished reading. I found myself turning pages late into the night simply because Thomasson writes with that rare combination of intimacy and sweep. You can almost hear the laughter of that summer picnic, feel the tension of the war years, and sense the resilience in the friendships that endured.
And that makes me think about today. What does it mean to seek freedom and creativity when the world feels heavy with uncertainty? How do we hold onto our friendships, our art, and our passions in times of upheaval? These are questions that stayed with me, echoing long after I closed the book.
Anna Thomasson herself is no stranger to exploring such rich human stories. Based in London, she came to this project with a deep grounding in biography and an eye for the details that make history feel personal. Her first book was widely acclaimed, and A Vast Horizon confirms her gift for bringing complex lives into clear, compelling focus.
If you love books that feel like journeys, that make history feel like a conversation, then A Vast Horizon is one to savour. It isn't just about art or war or friendship. It’s about how those forces shape the best and most vulnerable parts of ourselves.
Questions that linger:
What would you hold onto if your world were changing around you?
How do friendship and creativity sustain us in uncertain times?
Is a "safe" life worth living if it’s built on a lie?
Which of these figures do you think carried the greatest burden, and why?
These are the thoughts I’m still carrying with me. And I think that’s the mark of a book that truly matters.
Key Verse
“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).
Text —Isaiah 43:15-21
Message
God in His infinite mercy has brought us into another year. Praise the Lord! A new year brings us into a new realm of glory to experience more of God’s blessings. “Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. Every sunrise begins with new eyes,” says Richie Norton. A new year marks the beginning of another circle of our lives. We need to spend quality time praising and appreciating God for keeping us alive to see this day. We also need to reflect on our past life and plan for the days ahead of us in this year.
God has promised to do a new thing for youths and for you in particular this year. Begin the year with total devotion to His plan for your life to get the best from Him. Unfortunately, many youths will spend this day with immoral activities, all in the name of celebrating a New Year. As for you reading this piece, give your heart wholly to the Lord this year as only those devoted to Him can fully enjoy the new things He has promised. Happy New Year!