Semolina in my soul

If you told me aged 15-19 that one day I'd be working in my own pizza kitchen I'd fully believe I'd be living the dream. Not to say that's not true-but god, semolina gets EVERYWHERE. And I mean everywhere. But here I am approaching the end of the summer already and I think it's fair to say it's the closest to being abroad that this summer could've brought me.

Things that make it like a different country down here;

• The weather is better*

If you exclude the extreme wind and rain a few weeks back that killed the pubs' pontoon and sounded like our caravan would be joining Dorothy on the was to Kansas. Maybe the weather just seems a little bit nicer when you have views like this to look at rather than Crawley High Street. 

*We don't talk about Boardmasters either. My dreams of seeing Jax Jones are delayed yet again, one day I might get to this damn Cornish festival! 

• It's basically a different language

Either everyone is posh as or fully country. I feel like I can really relate to this scene in Hot Fuzz now. 

• They use water transport as a direct way to get about

Legit, pack your paddle board, kayak and dingy to get about. You'll need it. Or in my case- a giant inflatable flamingo.

What's been going on other wise? Apart from making a few hundred pizzas a week (and having nightmares about that damn oven and cheese) we went into Falmouth the other week for a jolly and have a fiesta with the Mariachi band. They've been a favourite of Craig's since they became his Glastonbury 2014's highlight. I'm sure it was a great night....something I realised is that Drunk Becca isn't as good at the whole "no cheesy chips and burger sauce" thing....

We had our village Regatta in the middle of August. It was a great day, all I saw all day was the pizza oven, but with a good team (and a couple of Rattlers) it made it a great day and night. Most successful for the pub so far! 

We've also got a new boat for the pub so been heading out into the passage with that, been camping, paddleboarding and as my leg is getting better I'm hopefully gonna try some surfing again soon.  

Saying hello to Helford

What's new! 

Well for starters my leg is finally getting back to normal (apart from my new pirate inspired scar). Had my cast off at the end of June and had the grand reveal of a beautiful yeti-inspired limb. But every day my leg is getting better, I have almost mastered stairs. My hobble is now a walk, but my fast walk is now a hobble...but it's all baby steps (if you pardon the pun).






June and July have seen reunions and hangs with a few old friends! My girl Petra, who I met on Koh Rong, has been in town. So we've been chilling, driving, BBQing and getting Trollied (but not how me normally do, this time it involved Aldi, a lack of wheelchair and an actual trolley). Me, Petra and Sean went to NASS a couple weekends ago. Its a BMX/Skate/Drum'n'Bass festival in Bristol and let's just say a lot has changed since my last festival...mostly me getting older. I must have missed the memo where fishnet shorts and the neon thongs combo became a thing...


Another reunion was with my old shipmate, the drunken sailor- Big Gay Will! From the dawn, to Cambodia, to the snooty fox and wherever next!

And most recently having Kirstyn come down from Glasgow, spontaneously, for the weekend! We had lunch with Nan and Grandad so she had a proper English culture exchange and witnessed a proper "Stannard goodbye" and the Nan-At-The-Window Wave. I decided to show her the sights if Crawley High Street on a Friday night and Jubilee Oak in its full glory- then a sunny Saturday in Brighton.



And as much as I hate to say it I have had a good time living back at home- surprisingly I have a tan to prove it! Its been great having catch ups with the fans, BBQ's, babysitting, dogsitting, getting drunk phone calls from mum etcetc

But alas, for now I have moved down to the West Coast for the summer and can now add the title "Pizza Chef" to my resume as I spend the next 8 weeks with my bicycle and paddleboard exploring Helford and Falmouth,  eating some pasties, and enjoying a rattler (or two).

Home, Sweet Home.

December 18th saw a shock and a very messy bedroom to the family household as I decided to make the pilgrimage back to the UK for the Christmas season!

A quick nip up to the ever-so-sunny Blackpool, Glasgow and down the Coast to Cornwall. A smooth flight over to Poland and now awaiting my flight to my next adventure. Hitting the Alps for Round 2. 2019 style!

Highlight include;

• The big family reunion! And having some decent food, and a fridge full of it! 
• And coffee and cocktail catch ups with everyone from the past few years I haven't seen. 
• Dancing the evening away to Madness in Brighton. Family bonding over some ciders and ska.
• Christmas and New Year. Even the quiet ones are never really that quiet in my family.
• Going to Blackpool and hitting the arcades, missing out on the infamous illuminations, apparently switched off for my arrival and the closed piers. 
• Spending a few nights with my Scottish family, (massive shout out for putting me up K.B, Gwen, David and Jenna. And helping me out with my Veganuary). Getting pished, almost getting knocked out by Jenna when she was flossing through the Panto, eating a whole tube of salt and vinegar pringles (okay, that's not a highlight for sure haha) 
• Condiment Chaos in Cornwall
• My bus driver getting knocked out on the way home.
• Reuniting with Karma from Koh Rong in Warsaw. Making the most of the cheap alcohol and pretending to speak wayyy more languages than I do.
• Having to evacuate my train and rejoin a new one.

A few snaps from this time, and my last trip through Thailand.

being normal at madness

snowboard squad 2016

80's night with drunk juliette

-11 at the somber Birkenau

cheers to getting pished

apparently not the eiffel tower

head first into scottish culture with some dragon soop

did someone say "flaming absynth"?

catch ups with lucy lou