Life behind the SQUARES with Sarah Anderson
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Breakfast with Santa in Leigh on sea, Essex
Each person attending will require a ticket and the experience includes a savoury bun or sweet treat elf-endorsed sugary breakfast plate (or lunch box) at our eatery. Included in the ticket price is a chocolate themed (of course) reusable gift, a NICE list certificate, activity sheet with colouring, and of course your private photo opportunity with the big man himself in our fully decked out, cosy Christmas grotto. You can take as many of your own photos as you want.
During your session the shop will also be closed to the general public, but open to you, so if you wish to use your hour to stock up on last minute gifts or to get those bits and bobs to add to Christmas Eve boxes, we will have the tills on and be ready to serve.
This would be an amazing opportunity to relight the magic in older children who are on the cusp of believing - we had overwhelmingly positive feedback last year, with everyone who attended telling us he encompassed everything you'd imagine the real Santa to do so... real beard included! He has the voice, the glasses, even the twinkle of fairy lights in his eyes (this might be a reflection of the decor in the shop, but still 👀🤣)
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Self Care
That alone time will vary from week to week. Some days I'll drive my car to the beach and sit and scroll, or read a book, with a coffee or tea in hand and maybe a sneaky choccy slice from our own selection. Some days it might be sitting in silence and just enjoying the peace in the breeze and listening to the waves crashing on the shore. Other days I plan to visit restaurants I used to love and sit and enjoy a meal on my own - something I used to really enjoy before everything got too busy. Maybe a swim at our local sports centre? Who knows. I'm looking forward to seeing what mini adventures I can enjoy in my own company. -
Business Plan
What did help was the willingness to adapt, to change and adjust accordingly, and to essentially "wing it" through.
All I know is that, right now, we are doing what we want and need to do for the current circumstances we exist in. The most we do for the future is make plans for the days and weeks ahead: booking events; ordering ingredients; making, baking and creating; taking it day by day. Knowing that one day it could all come to a halt, or it could soar, we won't know until we get there.
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Life beyond…. Do you believe?
I can't say I was an avid over thinker when it comes to life beyond the grave a couple of years ago - I like to believe there's a sunshiney, warm, happy place for us all to go to once we're done here because that would just be the dream wouldn't it... meeting up with lost loved ones on the other side. I know that's what I would like to be the case, I'm not sure what I actually believe though. -
Sorry not sorry to talk Santa in July!
Sorry not sorry to talk Santa in July! Returning for a second year, we have the actual Santa coming all the way from the North Pole to our humble... -
Why I set up my business.... Part 1
I craved the freedom and flexibility of being my own boss...
I signed a 5-year lease to a factory unit in Southend in November 2017, and officially moved in there the following January. The relief was amazing. We had our home back, we could expand now however we wanted, and I could share the load with others. It wasn't solely on my shoulders anymore... or so I thought!
I never expected what followed - in both the best and worst ways!
