Weekend Friday Favourites

I’m hoping the sun says hello muy pronto. I haven’t seen it since last Sunday and a week of grey skies leaves you feeling somewhat blah. That’s one reason why I stopped wearing grey. It’s a colour that just makes me feel uninspired, unmotivated and nah. Everything grey that is apart from grey cats, dogs or any other grey animals, just saying.

I hope you’re having a great weekend! Not that I like to start with negativity, days of grey skies have that effect and ending with a positive is always better, so this week’s Weekend Friday Favourites. Things that have been making me smile or caught my eye the last few weeks as I missed lasted weeks edition.

Urban Outfitters Solar Powered Maneki Neko Lucky Cat

I often cut through Urban Outfitters to Sephora and while most of it’s over priced and I rarely buy anything, I like to look around the skincare and accessories departments just to see what’s there. The moment I saw this cute lucky cat, it was leaving with me! It’s now in the south easterly corner of my ‘office’ letting it work it’s magic. Feng Shui, magic or not it’s cute and it makes me smile waving its paw. And yes, I’m wearing cat ears headband and a clay mask. 

Primark Pig Phone Stand

Primark‘s a shop I don’t get. I see people come out with bags, I can’t find anything in there. If you’ve got kids I can see how you leave with bags, the woman’s department however I don’t get it’s appeal apart from the price. There are plenty other shops much the same price and better quality. That said occasionally I pop into to see the hype. I was looking for new cat blankets. The boys have had theirs for years and need replacing. I’ve been unable to find pet blankets I like so I though I’d see about baby blankets in the baby department. I found 3 warm, snuggley cream bee motif blankies for them and also this piggy phone stand. Only €2 and perfect for when you don’t want to place or hold your phone at a desk, table or counter supported against something trying to prop it up. It also slightly alleviates neck soreness or feeling of *rounded shoulders (have to remember posture too!). It also makes it easier holding the phone at face level with the pig in-between your fingers or gripping it with the phone cradling in your palm or between pinky finger and thumb. No more achy hands or it taking flying lessons.

*I wonder if in 20-30 years the world will be a world of hunchbacks from bad posture due to smart phones.

AJ and D

Just because!

Both like to sit especially AJ on the pile of recycling I’m waiting until it’s built up a bit more for the punto verde, local recycling centre. They have beds, blankets in preferred sleeping areas, but prefer old rucksacks. 

2 of Diesel’s favourite things, sunshine and blankets. After food of course! 

Reverse Sunset View

Sunset view taken from Labryinth de Horta

Cute Elephant Graffiti

I may have squealed out aloud as to how cute this is cycling past the zoo. It just needs a little tail and it’s complete.

Official Spartan Race Beast Finish Photo

The photographer only took one and thankfully I wasn’t blinking. Anyways, proof I ran the Beast and didn’t just roll around in some mud and nick someones else’s medal. Peace/victory signs as nearly always I don’t know what to do with my hands in photos.

Up Up Down Down Squats

These burn legs, bum, balance, the whole lower body and I love doing them. Start from a kneeling position, lunge either leg forward until you’re in a low squat position and then lunge back to knees. The trick is to try to keep the squat low and it’s burns! I also alternate the leading leg after say 5 leading with right and then 5 leading with left or each squat. Sometimes I do them prisoner style hands behind my head or I offset them with a sandbag on one shoulder. Alternatively you can start standing, lunge back to knees then stand up again. I like to keep the squat low for an extra challenge! If you’ve got bad knees skip them and it’s nicer to do them on a mat, if your gym lets you use mats without a towel, which few don’t  or at least mine doesn’t, so you have to tough out the knees!

Internet Finds

Planet Earth II‘s coming next month to the BBC! The original series was breathtaking and 10 years later the trailer for Plant Earth II looks double breathtaking, thanks to advances in filming technology and understanding of nature.

Instagram Husband. I giggled so much as this Instagram husband/boyfriend parody.

Conan meets a spider monkey and coyote puppy.

Sky Ladder, The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang, I’m looking forward to watching Netflix’s documentary about Cai Guo-Qiang, the artist who paints with gun powder and his most ambitious project, a 1/2 kilometre fire ladder up in the sky!

Nat Geo’s Around The World In 24 hours.

Why cats lick plastic and other odd behaviours explained.

The hero who stays in Syria to care for it’s abandoned cats. care2.com

Racoon (the dog)  didn’t think he’d ever have a loving family, luckily he was wrong! care2.com

What’s been making you smile recently? Have a great weekend!