My lovely fiance brought me flowers a few days ago, as he arrived I could see he was trying to hide something so being a typical woman I spun around him for a look, hehe, I am such a spoil sport.

He got me a dozen gorgeous pink roses to make up for not being able to get me any on Valentines day. I wasn’t bothered he hadn’t got me any for valentines day because I don’t expect them — so that makes it all the sweeter.

It has also given me the chance to use the ‘Soil Balls’ I ordered several months ago but kept forgetting to use. They are really neat, I used some blue and clear ones and the fill the entire vase. I hope they last at least as long as the flowers

…make sure you know the people you are paying are good at their job.

I consider myself an average web designer, meaning that I understand HTML and CSS, can use Paint Shop Pro to create graphics and am capable of designing a basic website suitable for use on a personal blog or basic site — but when it comes to professional, more creative web design, or something that would be used for a business site, I’d definitely not be confident enough that I could pull something decent off.

Last year my other half’s boss asked me to design his website, I explained that I didn’t feel confident enough to do it, so he asked another friend instead who is actually qualified — he paid him £300 for the design and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw it, it looked like it took an hour at most and was easily something I could have done. It used deprecated code, was littered with spelling and grammar errors and didn’t even work correctly in all browsers — and most importantly looked average at best.

If you are going to use a web design company make sure you look for a trusted name in the web design field. A site that will create 100% original, unique and custom templates for professional sites is essential. Also make sure you can view their portfolio online to see the work they have previously done — it must be of a very high standard and well worth the money they are asking.

Now, let me introduce you to my boyfriend, other half, best friend and fiance - as he will always be referred to in this blog.

As I mentioned in my first post we met online back in 1999 in Dreamarena, the chat room on the sega dreamcast - we became friends over time and eventually met up one drunken night in 2003 and were almost immediately a couple. He lived 70 miles away from me and was the only one of us who could drive, he also worked 6 nights a week so for a while it was very difficult and over the first few years we almost broke up a few times because I couldn’t handle the long distance. Thankfully we stuck it out and things got easier.

We got engaged July 2007, after 4 years of being together. We weren’t and still aren’t in any rush to get married or have kids, we may be pushing 30 but we are big kids at heart ourselves.

I wouldn’t be without him. Not for less than a million pounds any way.