Lions, Tigers and Bears Oh My!

I hadn't expected it but my new year so far....and bearing in mind we're only 18 days in...has started with a totally random two weeks!

After a 10 day visit to Sussex, over Christmas and New Years, we got home on January 5th. On the 7th we travelled to Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne in Hertfordshire.

Paradise Wildlife Park replaced the notorious Broxbourne Zoo which had a terrible reputation for animal cruelty and being the worst zoo in England. These day's, things couldn't be any more different. The animals are very well looked after, incredibility happy and you can see the love between the keepers and the cats, farm yard, and all manner of exotic beasts!

Here kitty, kitty, kitty!

Mike's parents had bought Mike a "Shadow a Big Cat Keeper" gift voucher for Christmas 2012, but due to Mike's work schedule and the abundance of Birthdays, Weddings, Stag/Hen Do's we had (and very much wanted!!) to attend, which meant we had little time for day trips.

We were up by 5am... okay... I was up at 5 because I wanted to do my hair....on the train by 6 and arrived in Broxbourne by 8:30 where there was a Paradise Bus waiting at the train station, it cost a pound per person each way but it saved us having to get a wheelchair friendly taxi called in.

When we arrived Mike was given a t-shirt and certificate, he was most offended that he was named Mike Ellard instead of Garrick since I'd booked the appointment lol!

We met with our Keeper, Steve, who was brilliant. We spent 5 hours with him and he answered all our questions no matter how silly or simple they were! I only had a standard day ticket, which by the way are always on Groupon if you're looking for a discount, but when we came to feed a humongous tiger called Rocky, Steve let me have a go of feeding him! It made my day!

Mike and Rocky

Rock and I

Mike helped Steve clean and sort the cats' cages, hide goodies (of dead mice and chicks - I'm warning you in case you're a little squeamish!!) around their pens, stroke wolves and of course feed Rocky, who like me, was his favourite!

At midday in the park you can see the keepers go into the cheetahs enclosure whilst feeding them. There was a hairy moment when a cheetah called Martin, started to growl and hiss at the keepers! Luckily he was just being moody!

Some very brave keepers!

We saw so many beautiful animals at ParadiseWildlife Park, I would highly recommend, if you're feeling brave, to visit now, whilst the kids are in school and the weather is a tad damp, it meant we didn't have to fight for a good photography view, and when we went for lunch, we were served in seconds and didn't have to fight for a table, meaning we could eat quickly and get back out to the park.

Paradise is a great place for families, in the height of the Summer Holidays they have several playgrounds, face painting, a creepy crawlies house and much more. We were surprised to find out it costs 8k a day to keep the park open and they get no help from the government either!

With evenings dark by 4pm, we left at 3, taking the Paradise bus back to the train station and home before it got too crowded during rush hour. We were exhausted but unbelievably happy with our photos and would like to thank Mike's folks for the gift and all the staff at ParadiseWildlife Park, especially Steve, who made our day a special one!

For more information on the park see their website here or their Facebook fan page here 

....in the next blog Maroon 5, Birthday Parties and pregnant people!

L x

P.s. There are no bears in Paradise Wildlife Park... I just liked the title

And here's another cheeky pic of Rocky....

Does anyone else think Rocky looks like a real life
Rajah from Aladdin?

Silver Linings

So here we are, once again, at the end of another year! This time last New Year's Eve I was crazy, and I'm not talking: had a few too many wines whilst dancing to Auld Lang Syne with a pair of pink knickers on my head. I'm mean, rocking in my seat, bad thought's running through my brain, crying and pacing the room crazy.

 

This episode was caused by a medication called Gabapentin, which in extreme cases, causes manic episodes. After Tweeting my symptoms I found that many of my chronic pain suffering friends had, had the same issues. Annoyingly I was on 9 Gabapentin tablets a day, so it took until March/April for me to get the stuff out of my system. As a consequence I don't really remember November 2012 to March 2013, I feel as though I've been cheated out of 5 months!

I always try to see a silver lining to every dark cloud and having such bad mental health has made me grateful for "just" being in physical pain. I am in my usual winter relapse with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, but I much prefer the spasms and furious burning pains to mental anguish, I'm suddenly taking my fairly serious neurological condition with a pinch of salt. Although I have always been considerate and understanding in mental health issues, but now having experienced a minor breakdown I have a new respect for those in metal turmoil.

I've found I'm now more content with life in general and I'm coping with stress a lot better than I ever had - bonus.

Don't worry 2013 wasn't a bad year at all in the end. The highlight being the birth of my niece Abigail in January, followed by 12 days in New York with Mike and finally having work published in our local paper taking a shiny and bright bronze.

 

So what do I have planned for 2014? Well, I turn 30, finally leaving my weird and wonderful twenties behind. There is a huge possibility that Mikes work will be taking he and I to live Denver, Colorado..... yes the one in America! This being made doubly hard because my sister and her partner Dan are expecting a baby in June!

 

Niece or Nephew...coming soon! 

 

I plan on writing more for this blog, local papers and a few other projects on the horizon, you never know what opportunities will pop up. That's why I love the symbolism of New Years Eve and all the traditions of New Years day, time for new starts, new plans and the wonderment of new memories to be made.  

I'll be holding competitions and opening up this blog to new writers and projects, so keep your eyes peeled.

 

Anyway, I'll keep you no longer, have a wonderful NYE where ever you are and I wish you all a happy and healthy new year!

L x

Chocolate and Detox

So did you enjoy all the New York blogs? Or do you hate me now? If you missed any of the blogs please click the link’s below J

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6
Day 7	Day 8	Day 9	Day 10	Day 11	Day 12

If you haven’t already make sure you enter my Christmas Chocolate Competition - completely free entry and you can win the goodies below!

Christmas Chocolate Goodies!

Forever Living Dextox

After all the over indulgence in New York, I shamefully managed to gain 8lbs in weight - oops!

Every extra pound make my joints hurt even more than they already do, so I needed, not just to lose pounds but to recoup and gain some energy. As much as I loved New York I was exhausted!

Recently Mike became is distributer for a company called Forever Living. Forever are the largest grower, manufacturer and distributor of aloe vera and bee products in the world.

Mike asked if I would try the Clean 9 program, a 9 day detox using Aloe Vera juice as the base for weight loss and increasing energy.

So, I embarked on the detox and here is my honest review.

Day one and two, you take the Aloe Gel drink (it’s not that nice but palatable if you mix it with a fruit juice my choice was Cranberry or Blueberry) and  a combination of Bee Pollen and Garcinia Plus supplements. You forgo food apart from a one Forever Milkshake for the first two day. It is hard, I really missed food and during day one I was HUN.GR.REY!

On days three to nine you carry on taking the Aloe Gel, Bee Pollen and Garcinia but for breakfast and lunch you have a Forever Milkshake and you’re allowed a 600 calorie dinner in the evening. Weirdly by day three I wasn’t hungry but by dinner time but my grilled chicken and vegetables tasted divine!

Forever Living suggests you do at least 20 minutes a day of exercise. For me this wasn’t possible with the pain I’m in, so I just did my daily physiotherapy.

By day nine I’d lost 7lbs and 9inches from my body, including 3inches from my waist alone! I was chuffed to pieces!

Mike did the detox and lost 13lbs, his Dad lost a whole stone! And unlike other detox programs I’ve followed, I have not gained the weight back!

This detox is becoming so popular it was featured in the December Issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine (UK page 261)

Forever in Cosmo

Mike has kindly offered 1 Diary of Freedom reader to a Forever Living Clean 9 discount! The first person to contact me will get the detox for £85 (Our RRP is £119.24). Mike can take payment via paypal, bank transfer or cheque. If you do the detox I’d love to feature you on this blog in the near future!

I’ll be trying various Forever Living Products of the coming months (I will not recommend anything unless I’ve tried it or seen the benefits of them) so keep your eyes peels for future deals! Until then check out Mike's online store here: Feel Better! .

L xxx