Popped out with a friend last week to go charity shopping and to get some bits from Savers. As with most quick shops we headed to Waterloo Road (South Shore). It’s got real heart and soul and off the main beaten track. I noticed a panda bear just sat on the pavement, outside a closed charity store. The cutie had been left abandoned and I so wanted to adopt him, but then considered my conscience, since this little fella could be a heartfelt donation.

So, having parked up, I headed into Savers to find Danielle who was shopping for aftershave for her fiancé’s birthday (Gee) one of the funniest people and friends, I have ever come across. We chose a good cologne and on leaving the shop, guess what!! The panda had been moved to outside Savers. I knew he was a keeper. He is called ‘Robert the Panda’ and is now in the cellar waiting for a delicate wash, before taking pride of place on the top of the wardrobe, with my other adopted bears. The last being a little blue thing I discovered on the roadside somewhere remote, near The Lake District.

Most of my own private possessions are not things I have gone out of my way to intentionally buy. They sort of found me. As long as we have some kind of nest or den. Stuff does find its way to us all, eventually. You should slow down for long enough to spot the gifts.

I have been making a new range of wax melts today. I have enough already. But. Without wax, my life is missing something. I have brought back Sea Spray as it’s just to fresh and invigorating. Also, Winter Ice. I cannot live without that crisp cold scent about the place. It is sort of amaretto combined with citrus and musk.

Then I have a brand-new scent name Baby Berries. It smells like the chewy sweets named Chewits. Fruity and rich, think hot Ribena. Like with all new scents, it takes me some time to adjust to the new additions. So next weekend Belleva will be red fruits in the hallways.

I don’t think about selling wax melts when I craft. I do it for myself and if a guest wants to make a purchase, they’re welcome. But I do often feel lazy as I know they would sell if I reawakened my South Shore Soap website. Thing is, it costs more to post them than it does to buy them. It’s so expensive to pass that on to customers. Plus, I must drive to the post office, since the one at South Shore closed, after it was robbed, a few months ago.

It’s not so much finding the time but more so losing my car park space when Blackpool is busy.

You may know I went on a short diet with Tracy (my friend and neighbour). We have been close friends for a few years now. More like sisters really as we both love to have intellectual debates about life in general and also, we craft. I often turn to her for advice and vice versa. We don’t see a lot of one another, but we email, text etc. and if something went wrong, we would support one another.

 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan is a balanced and nutritional diet and I worked out during my time with the diet, I was probably getting more nutrition than when I was grabbing at food on the go. This put me into a better routine and has made me think about what I am eating. It does work. Tracy is a fab mentor and Danielle (my friend and Housekeeper at Belleva) is on her way to losing 2 stone in just a few weeks and she looks fantastic. Her skin and hair are vibrant, and she feels really energized. Tracy offers this diet programme to all the UK, since it can be delivered to your door. It is actually cheaper to buy the diet from The North too. Something else beneficial to consider.

I have been booked up for Easter at Belleva. Had a variation of guests. When they arrive, you sort of stand back and let them get a feel for the house. And during the night you experience their energy as they sleep. I can always sense if something is wrong. More so with the house. So, I work karmically on balance using Zen and Angels. It does not matter how we manifest balance, provided it comes with kindness and good intention.

That’s why its important to relinquish ego and a need for validation – because eventually the truth is at the door, where we become transparent with our intentions.

I have decided with the hotel, life will come to me organically. To live as I do and not worry about how I am perceived. To focus on clarity and my own authentic self. I walk around in my pyjama’s most days and am always making something with herbs or botanicals, like tea or candles. The guests often arrive fired up for a mad weekend, as after all, Blackpool is hardly a rural pretty village trip away for a cream tea and ornate bench. It is a prom with alley ways and full of adventure. The shore is beautiful. The golden sands, Irish Sea, and the nostalgic Piers. You can take what you want from it. And as summer approaches it is going to get wilder. But when you live amongst it, it all sorts of goes above your head. That is unless, you enjoy drama.

I think a lot of hoteliers are consumed with seeing their rankings amidst others ‘close by’ on booking sites and TripAdvisor etc., but if you clear your cookies and refresh your page. Better still sign into the web with another email address and do the same. You will no longer see your hotel amongst others on the street. What you were seeing is your own algorithms. In actual fact with booking.com the first few pages are North Shore, since North Shore establishments are often most sought after. South Shore is quieter and easily accessible, nearer to the Pleasure Beach and Sandcastle Water Park. But streets should not let algorithms send rivalry to their minds as it is an illusion. Algorithms are not real feelings, you silly people!

I don’t worry about any of it. I am launching a new business for my kids and staff from within the entirety of Blackpool itself. I am proud of how far I have come. I hope Dad is too. I feel totally gutted for the thousands of start up businesses that didn’t get to open or are now gone. My advice is keep moving, keep trying your best and don’t take anything personally. Be detached. And if you live and work on the same street, trust few. Less is More.

My kids are my focus. I want the best for them, both emotionally and health wise. We (the working and/or lower class) have all been through so much. To put up with a stupid and exaggerated war is just the icing on a very badly made cake that will crumble to nothing. If you cannot bake with love and eat with a healthy commitment, then stay out of the kitchen. Personally, not enough women are in higher places of decisive action on a global scale, but then if this could change, what is saying the ones that did make decisions would be very nice either? Watch out for Beehive’s folks. There’ s one on every street or corner.

I need to get on that beach more. It’s free for all of us. There is no high ranking in the hands of nature. We can all walk free.

Getting back to wax melts. Here’s some tips. If your wax is too soft on setting. Pop the trays in the freezer for ten minutes. It sets the melts perfectly. And you can speed up the cooling process by putting the wax and jug in ice water, then add your fragrance or oil at 65 degrees. I heat mine to 90 degrees. I use the microwave. I pour at 55 degrees, but remember as you pour, the wax is still cooling so don’t dither around too much. I scrape up all the shavings and any broken melts to use for my own burners, as really, it doesn’t matter. I actually feel-good using leftovers and often discover new scent combinations this way, and colours. We can create with mismatches.

Yesterday my friend Elaine from ‘The Arthington’ came over to say hello. Informing me some holiday flats over the road were having a yard sale for MacMillan Nurses. I grabbed a few quid and went over. There was another panda for sale 5 quid. I only had 3. I felt I should find something to buy. I then discovered a tweed bottle door stop. Ironically enough, I could not find mine that morning. And I was pretty pissed about it, since I had nothing to prop the lounge door open for guests to make themselves at home. So now, low and behold I have a new door stop. That was thanks to Elaine, really.

Well, that’s my Sunday. There is lots more but my nails are quite long and I struggle typing with as much ease. Prefer having talons though. That’s it!!

Just looking forward to planting up my planter out the front. Been painting stones too … yup, this place is full of projects right now. And thanks to Janet Alleyne for all the love and gifts. To you and yours, Goddess.

Happy Easter.

Tiffany. X

sharing music soon. As usual. Jazz.

To learn more about  1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan E: tracythecambridgelady@gmail.com