2018-08-28 06:56
When we were researching places and sites to visit during our trip to Calgary earlier this year, several suggestions came up again and again. One of those suggestions was to go to Calgary T… Read More
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Country Mouse Claire Blog
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Lifestyle blogger enjoying all that London has to offer in the way of fun, food, and culture. Also fond of cats, books, holidays and cakes!
2018-08-20 16:35
One of my favourite things about blogging is getting to go along to press shows for a little sneak peek at what’s on the horizon. Whether it’s fabulous fashion, fresh loo… Read More
2018-08-18 07:32
We’ve been going to Las Vegas for several years now. We fell for the glitz and glamour of the place hook, line and sinker when we visited as part of our honeymoon, and we tend to get… Read More
2018-08-15 10:14
Friends, bloggers, countrymen (and women). I’ve been blogging for a long time. No, seriously, a long time. I first started posting here in 2005. I’ve lived through at lea… Read More
2018-07-30 17:47
The post Banff Hot Springs…the World’s First National Park appeared first on Country Mouse Claire Read More
2018-07-20 17:39
The post Banff appeared first on Country Mouse Claire Read More
2018-07-14 11:38
I feel like such a bad English teacher right now. I LOVE reading but there’s something about reports season that just makes me shy away from reading anything more challenging than a q… Read More
2018-07-11 11:32
And just like that it’s the summer holidays. I’ve had such a lovely start to the break. A lovely send off from the school I’m leaving, a Friday staying as still as humanly… Read More
2018-06-10 08:36
I’ve always adored Germany. Having spent nearly five years of my life there earlier in my life, it’s a country I love to learn about, visit and explore. So last year I was… Read More
2018-06-07 08:49
Life with four cats is never dull. Life with four cats as different as our quartet is definitely never dull. I thought I’d do some quick catch up posts on the fab four… Read More
2018-05-30 08:05
I’ve always been fascinated by books, TV shows, or films which show what happens behind the scenes. I’ve also always enjoyed reading books about etiquette, manners, and correct… Read More
2018-05-23 08:53
Not #goals, you understand. I am rarely, if ever, #goals. But as we look towards the summer months of June, July and August, it feels like a great time to focus on a few areas. As a teacher… Read More
2018-05-20 15:30
It is a truth universally acknowledged that when there’s cheese around, I’d love to have a slice (if you’re the same, please do check out my guide to some of London’… Read More
2018-05-17 08:50
Just a few of those moments that are making me happy, right now. Fresh bedsheets. That burst of scent as you slip beneath the covers. Hearing from a dear friend. A text, a call, a let… Read More
2018-05-13 08:09
I love the many random invites that pop up in my inbox on a pretty regular basis. Some are straightforward. Some are delightful. Some are confusing. And just once in a while you get one tha… Read More
2018-05-10 08:30
Ah, Abba The Museum. I have been an enormous Abba fan for almost as long as I can remember. The first cassette ever bought for me was their Greatest Hits (spoiler: this was not their greate… Read More
2018-05-07 08:16
Me to me, after finishing this book. Happy teacher! Every so often a book sweeps across teacher instagram and it feels like about half of my friends are reading it. It’s pictured on d… Read More
2018-03-30 16:48
I've been blogging here for a long time. This blog has been a part of most of my adult life, from the misadventures of my twenties to turning thirty to loving my thirties to now ambling towa… Read More
2018-03-30 15:48
I’ve been blogging here for a long time. This blog has been a part of most of my adult life, from the misadventures of my twenties to turning thirty to loving my thirties to now ambli… Read More
2018-01-01 08:00
Happy New Year!I hope you had a lovely evening celebrating Hogmanay, whether it was a giant party, out and about, an early night, or like me with snacks, bubbles, cats and happiness. It's 20… Read More
2017-12-29 08:00
This review is becoming something of a yearly tradition....you can find the reviews for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 , 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 201… Read More
2017-12-27 12:37
Hello, hello, hello…to quote Ru Paul. How are you all? As the post title says, it has been too long since I sat down to write something here, and I’ve missed it. I’ve bee… Read More
2017-12-27 12:37
Hello, hello, hello...to quote Ru Paul. How are you all? As the post title says, it has been too long since I sat down to write something here, and I've missed it. I've been writing this blo… Read More
2017-11-15 20:51
Oh helloes, hoomans.It is I, Poppet-cat. It has bin proper long since I did type a message fur you all, but I have managed to sneak up to the pooter while Clur is messing around wiv some wra… Read More
2017-11-05 19:52
I love the differences that each season brings.In the winter a sort of hush seems to descend, as the world gets a little quieter, a little more private. Home calls in a whisper and it's… Read More
2017-10-27 08:54
When we were planning our visit to Norway, Bergen was high on our list of places to visit. The second largest city in Norway is a beautiful place and filled with history, culture, and exciti… Read More
2017-10-16 15:51
All pictures taken from Zeal and Heart's gorgeous archive.There are words which conjure up a feeling.Words which inspire.Words which are a call to action.For me, right now, in this season, t… Read More
2017-09-20 05:00
I don't have any holidays on the horizon at the moment, for the first time in a longtime. With various other areas of life demanding attention, it's not the time to be booking a holiday. Fri… Read More
2017-09-15 07:00
In the interests of sheer good fun, let's play a game.This is a meme that used to do the rounds on facebook and myspace (yes, myspace!) back in the day, as well as being featured on this her… Read More
2017-09-08 05:00
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness...as soon as the calendar moves over to September I'm ready for all things autumn. One thing I like to do in each season is make a list of things I'll… Read More
2017-09-06 05:00
On our Italian trip this spring, our final destination was Venice.While I'd been excited to see Rome and was mad for Florence, I didn't really know what to expect of Venice. Perhaps I'd seen… Read More
2017-09-04 05:00
This time of year always feels a little busy, a little dizzy, a little up-and-down. The start of a new school year always feels like the real new year, the new start of things, and the shift… Read More
2017-08-30 05:00
Whenever I'm on a break from school I try to make it into town for lunches, coffees and drinks with my friends who work in the city. It always feels quite fun to be out in the city amongst t… Read More
2017-08-28 05:00
...And what a summer it has been. It feels like a heartbeat away that we were toasting the end of the summer term with fizz and fun at school, and now September is knocking on the door… Read More
2017-08-25 05:00
So, it's #internationalcatday, and I'm delighted to be joining in with the RSPCA's campaign to salute those felines who are #morethancat. Part of the challenge was to construct a dating prof… Read More
2017-08-23 05:00
I'm loving having the chance to write up so many of our travels over this summer break. I've been so lucky with the sheer amount of places I've been able to visit in the past months and it's… Read More
2017-08-21 05:00
Way back in February (it's been such a travel-heavy twelve months I'm going to be writing up our trips for a good long while - get comfy ;)), Matthew and I decided to take a quick daytrip so… Read More
2017-08-18 07:24
I am fat.I've been fat for a long time. First plump, then overweight, then obese, then very obese, then morbidly obese. Not a pretty term, but medical terms aren't coined for beauty, are the… Read More
2017-08-16 05:00
Happy Anniversary Matthew!Thank you for three wonderful years of marriage and a whopping nine years together. Would you have believed those two kids up there would have started dating… Read More
2017-08-14 05:00
I have been reading Connie's blog for a couple of years now, and more recently have become friends with her through the most wonderful of mediums...as members of PIZZA CLUB (the other two me… Read More
2017-08-11 05:00
Hello, it's me.The person still writing up posts on trips that were over a year ago.But they were awesome, and I like looking back and writing 'em up, so enjoy, my lovelies!Our Las Vega… Read More
2017-08-09 05:00
Jemma, the girl genius behind Dorkface and the loveliness that is The Girl Gang over on social media, is a multi-coloured ray of sunshine. Filled to the brim with humour and creativity, both… Read More
2017-08-07 11:59
Florence's famous cathedral, or Duomo, is such a beautiful building. Topped with a Renaissance dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, it has long been a symbol of Florence and of Florentine… Read More
2017-08-04 06:00
The summer break from school is always a time when I try to get things a little more organised, whether it's catching up on blogging, seeing friends and family, sorting out the hundreds of l… Read More
2017-08-02 05:00
I came late to the travel party. Growing up we rarely had the opportunity to take family holidays, and a few nights under canvas, a daytrip here or there, or a good day on the hill, was the… Read More
2017-07-28 05:00
It's been an odd few months in my blogging life. Going from having so much time to write to being back to a full-time job, along with a fair amount of time away on holidays, had me feeling a… Read More
2017-07-26 06:00
Last month I was lucky enough to be offered two tickets to Taste of London. I've been before and love the chance to explore some of the city's most exciting eats, so I found a lovely friend… Read More
2017-07-02 16:48
Few summer smells as lovely as a BBQ at work...Waaaaay back at the end of May, before June kicked my butt (everyone who is a teacher or who knows a teacher will tell you, June and September… Read More
2017-06-20 05:00
I love travel, wherever it takes me. Whether it's near or far, I love getting out of town and exploring, taking in new sights, or revisiting a favourite spot.A couple of months ago it was th… Read More
2017-06-15 07:00
One of the great treats of living in London is how close we are to such a wide variety of destinations. While I enjoy flying off to places further afield, it's also delicious to hop on a pla… Read More
2017-06-14 05:00
The gorgeous weather we are currently enjoying is both making me look forward to our adventures in Northern Europe next month and think back fondly to our time in Italy earlier in the the ye… Read More
2017-06-13 05:00
I love a good page-turner.The kind of book you look forward to, that keeps you gripped during your commute, that makes you long for bedtime and a chance to tuck into another chapter or two.M… Read More
2017-06-12 05:00
Ello hoomans!It has bin a whiles, so I thoughted I would write oo all a little letter ere on Clur's bloggy-thing. She are busy at the moment with reportehs for the itzens and getting fi… Read More
2017-06-09 05:00
Picture snaffled from the official website. Because as we all know, we don't take pictures at the theatre!The Girls is a show that I remember wanting to see when it opened, but always seemed… Read More
2017-06-07 07:00
When we were planning our visit to New York this year, we knew we definitely wanted to pay our respects at the 9/11 memorial fountains, and to visit the viewing deck at the&nb&hell…Read More
2017-06-06 05:00
May into June is always a busy time in a teacher's schedule, but I'm trying to make sure I still read a little each day. Commuting 90-plus minutes each workday and my no-screens-at-bedtime r… Read More
2017-06-05 05:00
Oh yes, it's back - a quick round up of a few of the things that are making me happy right now. 1. Instagram StoriesInasmuch as Instagram proper can drive me a little nuts with the algorithm… Read More
2017-06-02 07:00
One thing London is not short of is places to eat. The city is crowded with cuisines from every corner of the world, at a multitude of price points, with about a thousand different service s… Read More
2017-06-01 07:14
Our Italy trip feels simultaneously like it was yesterday, and a lifetime ago. Do you ever get that feeling? It was a glorious blur of culture, sunshine, history, gelato, wine and churches… Read More
2017-05-30 07:00
On our first full day in New York, we headed over to the Pier 83 on the west side of Manhattan Island, to take a Circle Line Ferry tour. We took the Best of NYC tour, which takes i… Read More
2017-05-27 07:00
Earlier this month I wrote about the awesome Trek America event I went along to, ceelbrating the debut of their VR films of various National Parks. It was absolutely amazing, and left me ful… Read More
2017-05-24 07:00
When deciding on how to travel from New York to Boston on our latest USA trip, we had several options. We could fly, drive, take a bus, or take the train. As neither of us had taken a train… Read More
2017-05-21 12:49
One of the things I love about blogging is the community I get to be a part of. Like any group, there can be infighting, catty moments and jealousy, but in the main I find myself small enoug… Read More
2017-05-10 07:00
While in Florence, one of the places we were determined to visit was Santa Maria Novella, the beautiful basilica in the heart of the city, a stone's throw from the train station and our hot… Read More
2017-05-06 07:00
At the end of April I was invited along by the team at Trek America to attend a US-themed event to celebrate the launch of their 360 experiences - amazing VR films where you can view so… Read More
2017-05-04 07:00
Last week I was very kindly invited along to a wine tasting with the team at Divino in Vino. The older I get, the more inquisitive I get about wine, its history and provenance, the flavours… Read More
2017-05-01 11:01
Another month, another travel link up! I've been loving all the pictures from Traverse (and kicking myself for not getting tickets - 2018 here I come!) and have been doing a tonne of holiday… Read More
2017-04-30 07:00
There are a few stores which I visit which simply make me happy. Beautiful clothes, pretty homewares, lovely gifts, fabulous scents and pampering items, interesting books - all of these are… Read More
2017-04-26 07:00
Every city has its iconic monument, building or structure.The Eiffel Tower.The London Eye.The Empire State Building.In Toronto there are many beautiful buildings, but none are more… Read More
2017-04-22 08:00
We spent so much of our time in Italy on the go. As it was our first trip we were so keen to see and experience as much as we possibly could, and we walked for miles, hopped on and off… Read More
2017-04-18 09:09
It is a truth universally acknowledged that I love me a trip to The Diner. In a city jampacked with food options, it's my frequent go-to for tasty comfort food and fun cocktails - from burge… Read More
2017-04-14 07:00
One of my favourite things about the close of the year is the excitement of the year to come - the shows to await, the albums to look for, and best of all (for a bookworm like me), the books… Read More
2017-04-10 18:10
Last year, when I was away from teaching for a while I got really into posting my Happy Mondays each week (inspired by the lovely round ups of good bloggy friends like Katy, Jasmin, Charlie… Read More
2017-04-06 07:00
While I love being a lifestyle blogger, I like to read blogs of a million different types. From books to food to fashion to travel there are so many awesome people writing great things, taki… Read More
2017-04-05 19:02
A few moments ago I was having a scroll through instagram, embracing a little downtime after doing a metric tonne of laundry and ironing a bundle of things too. As I sat down for a little br… Read More
2017-04-04 15:29
At the start of each month I love checking in on the #travellinkup and seeing if the theme is one that works for me, my blog, and my travels. And this month, the theme could not be a better… Read More
2017-04-01 07:00
You know how some writers just chime with you?How when you read their poetry, or prose, or journalism, and you feel you could be kindred spirits, so close to the nerve their writing goes? Th… Read More
2017-03-25 08:00
When I travel, I have been lucky enough to stay in a diverse range of hotels, homes, hostels and accommodations. From gorgeous suites to shared dorms, plush rooms to campsites, quaint B &&hell…Read More
2017-03-21 17:06
I had to illustrate a post called Plates with a picture of some of my own pretty plates, right? These beauties are from West Elm, John Lewis, Monsoon, Laura Ashley, Marks & Spencer and o… Read More
2017-03-06 06:00
I'm back! And ready for the first Happy Monday of 2017. Inspired by the lovely Katy and Jasmin, these erstwhile roundups focus on the good things, big and small, that make it all worthwhile… Read More
2017-03-01 08:00
I have a soft spot for fairy tales. I think in the mystical, the fantastical, the other-worldly, stories can inhabit a special, revealing place, and I love getting swept up by a narrative th… Read More
2017-02-28 08:00
They say a picture tells a thousand words.In that case, brace yourselves for 2,400 words.The High Line is one of the places in New York that Matthew and I knew we had to go when w… Read More
2017-02-26 08:00
Last Saturday I had a unique problem. Not an actual problem, you understand, but very much a food-blogger-hungry-girl problem.As I cruised through Instagram stories (do please &hell…Read More
2017-02-21 08:00
I love when I get the chance to do this series. There are so many great bloggers out there, people sharing great ideas, great words, great images, and I love having the chance and the platfo… Read More
2017-02-19 08:00
One of the true delights of blogging has been the many wonderful people I've met. Inspiring people, clever people, funny people; amazing writers, photographers and wits; dear friends and kin… Read More
2017-02-17 08:00
I love finding little spots in town that are great for lunch. In this busy, bustling city, it's so great to find somewhere where you can pull up a chair and enjoy a delicious meal on a lunch… Read More
2017-02-14 08:00
Whatever your personal feelings about Valentines, February 14th is all about the love.How fitting, then, that my blogging calendar has me writing about something I truly love today (I love m… Read More
2017-02-12 17:40
Last month, I was lucky enough to spend a day out having adventures with the lovely Emma. We brunched at Big Easy then we spent an enjoyable afternoon exploring some of the wonderful mu… Read More
2017-02-04 08:00
A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to get to hang out with the lovely Emma and do some exploring here in town. Once we settled on a date, we quickly formulated a plan - brunch at the B… Read More
2017-01-31 08:00
Happy end of January, all. Hasn't this month felt long? Even though I like January, this has felt like a long old month. Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's the dark, maybe it's the political… Read More
2017-01-19 08:00
A photo posted by Claire Roper (@cmclaire) on Dec 24, 2016 at 2:05pm PSTOn Christmas Eve I had the unexpected treat of having Matthew around. As he usually works over the Christmas and New Y… Read More
2017-01-17 08:00
I love the January chill.I love the January lull.After the November darkening, as the nights draw in, and the fun and brightness of the Christmas season, I love this little portion of the ye… Read More
2017-01-15 08:00
Oh helloes hoomans!I were finking the other days, between grooming my booful fur and having a sits, that is has bin a whiles since I did write a letters on this ere blog and share some picat… Read More
2017-01-11 08:00
I've always loved these kinds of posts, but have never got around to doing my own. My innate nosiness means I'm always intrigued to see which items people tote around for their average day i… Read More
2017-01-07 09:23
One of the coolest things about blogging is the community you get to be part of, a community filled with inspiring writers, talented photographers, creative folk by the bucketful and so many… Read More
2017-01-03 08:00
I have been everywhere on the new year's resolutions scale.There have been years where I haven't set any.There have been years where I've set a simple, single goal (pay off my credit cards i… Read More
2016-12-28 10:37
This review is becoming something of a yearly tradition....you can find the reviews for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 , 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and… Read More
2016-12-22 11:57
I am something of a sleep fan (as are our cats, hence their inclusion in the header image!).In our modern world there are so many things which can detract from a good night's rest - noisy ci… Read More
2016-12-19 08:00
It's Monday, it's the start of the week, which means it's time for a lovely, positive start to the week. Katy and Jasmin inspired me with their cheery posts each wee… Read More
2016-12-18 14:42
I love music. I always have. From down-home country to soaring gospel, cheesy pop to gritty rock, I have time for the joy that music brings.So it seemed natural for me to put together a list… Read More
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