Life Update: After The Storm Comes A Rainbow!

So a few weeks ago I shared this post: Sometimes The Struggle Is Real! Life had become somewhat overwhelming for a number of reasons and I wrote the post as a way of clearing my head and sharing what was going on with us.

That was a few weeks ago and opening this page to start this post I am in a much better place. Thankfully. Things haven't slowed down but things have become more manageable.

In fact we have spent the weekend singing, dancing and celebrating at Brighton Pride with my Mum, two Aunts and sister. It was an amazing weekend and wandering down Brighton pier I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. I am surrounded by love and support and when things are tough I know my tribe are there for me.

My wonderful wife is the leader of the tribe, the brightest colour in my rainbow and the best support I could ever ask for.

In the last few weeks I have organised and run a conference for the growing sales team I am part of managing - 32 people at last count! We have launched new content in subjects I haven't had time to get up to speed on but have supported. I have been to different team meetings, met lots of new people and joined in with wider company activities in a away to get myself up to speed with things as quick as possible. The new normal is still a away off but I am working towards it.

And then home and Annabelle. Part of my struggle was because I was missing having time with Annabelle but in the last few weeks I feel like this has started to change, culminating with this weekend and today. This weekend I was able to get plenty of Annabelle time even though there were others that she spent time with. She was on top form and an absolute joy to be around. Today I had the day off and it felt so good - although she had a two hour nap which then left be tidying instead of spending time with her I was still able to enjoy her company, and catch up on Bisbee hugs. I guess naps are necessary sadly!

Annabelle has also been sleeping better so I am less tired. It's amazing what sleep can do for you. I always knew it but having the recent evidence has been eye-opining - or eye closing :)

I honestly don't think we could have handled Pride a few weeks ago. With the amount of house projects and stuff going on in life I think we would have felt too exhausted. However Laura really stepped it up and in the last week we had one of our bathrooms finished, the conservatory/playroom is almost completed - including a newly painted wall courtesy of Laura and the last bits will be down to us instead of workmen which is a really nice feeling.

It meant that the timing of Pride was a great celebration, a celebration of how far my Mum has come in accepting our relationship, a great celebration of being a rainbow family and a great celebration that love is really all you need.

We stayed in Worthing, a 20 minute drive from Brighton. we arrived on Friday, after a three hour drive from Birmingham and three hours of my Mum and Aunt Janette entertaining and feeding Annabelle. My Auntie Karen and sister arrived shortly after and we dined on fish and chips before catching up and bed.

Saturday was a fairly early start so we could get to Brighton, get parked and get to the parade route. We were able to find a spot and spread out on the curb so we could feed Annabelle before the parade arrived. It also meant we could rest our legs from the walk down. Much needed as we then spent two hours enjoying the parade.

After the parade we strolled towards Brighton pier and enjoyed the atmosphere, Annabelle loved watching the sea and we enjoyed the time with people special to us. Powered by doughnuts we made it back to the car and then the house for an evening of games and snacks.

On Sunday we explored Worthing and enjoy the beach front and another meal of fish and chips before heading back to Birmingham.

I don't know if it was the sea air, the rainbows everywhere we looked or just the outpouring of love but Brighton certainly brightened how I am feeling.

Onwards and upwards!

Pride - Questions Answered!

Have you heard of 30 days of Pride? 

In case you missed that June is Pride month you will have seen plenty of rainbows appearing all over the place to remind you. From brands avatars going rainbow to shops putting out 'Pride' ranges, companies decorating their windows with Pride decor to employees sporting rainbow lanyards you should have spotted a rainbow or two.

Well everyday is Pride in our house and we do what we can to to show how proud we are to be part of LGBT community as often as we can. It's a big part of why we share our lives online, we want to show our lives are normal. That love is possible whoever you are. That families are not exclusively for heterosexual couples. That we exist every month not just in Pride month. 

However for Pride month we decided to record a quick video answering the questions being shared on Instagram over this month. 

Check the video out here. 

Brighton Pride 2017 The Highlights!

Brighton Pride was awesome.

As the busy work week starts to make the weekend seem like a while ago we wanted to share our weekend highlights and explain why we love Brighton Pride so much!

1) Being hosted by the Florida Keys and Key West at the Pride 2017 Festival at Preston Park. We met the KBC PR team at the VIP entrance, received our wristbands and were whisked inside for an unforgettable experience. On arrival we passed by Moroccan style tents filled with comfy chairs to sit and relax in and at the end of the area was a food stand servicing delicious Mediterranean style food. The easy access to Preston Park's main area was an added benefit, rather than pushing through the crowds we could stroll in and out as we pleased. We were over the moon.

It wasn't until we were fed and watered (much needed after a stroll up from the Parade) that we even noticed the Grandstand seating that we were able to watch the acts perform from.

Having the opportunity to find out about the Florida Keys and Key West was also great. I for one didn't know that the area has 10 state parks, including a Coral Reef! Here's some other interesting facts we found out about the subtropical islands:

• It's super LGBT+ friendly and over a quarter of the residents identify as gay or lesbian
• The island chains motto is 'One Human Family' recognition that everyone is created equal
• The average temperature is 25.5 degrees C
• There is pretty much no bad time to visit although April was the suggested 'best time'
• The New Years Eve celebration include a drag queen being lowered in a bright red shoe
• If you are road tripping to the area you will cross 42 bridges
• The area has stunning sunrises and sunsets
• It's only 90 miles from Cuba
• It's famous for snorkelling, fishing, weddings, arts and culture, food and drink 
• The area do something called Voluntourism; you can dedicate part of your holiday to volunteering with reef restoration, beach clear ups, helping local wildlife etc
• If you are looking for a beautiful holiday destination, with pretty much guaranteed sunshine and plenty to do then this place should be on your to-do list!

It's fair to say that the Florida Keys team made us feel very welcome, hopefully one day we'll be able to check out the place ourselves - it's certainly on the to do list!

2) The Vibe. I know that sounds cliche but from the moment you arrive in Brighton and see the rainbow flags flying we relax. The entire city, from the smallest of cafes to the biggest of stores embraces Pride. The atmosphere is one of celebration and unity, expect random hugs, people talking to you like you've been friends forever, to be pulled in on random photos and to embrace and accept every type of person. The mixing pot is as real as it can get in Brighton but especially on Pride weekend.

3) The Parade. Like every good Pride the parade is worth watching. The music, the vibrancy, the costumes, we love it all. From the moment the first float appears to the last person walking off we are filled with a sense of Pride. The importance of seeing people just like us will never get boring. The standout of this parade was the services - Ambulance, Police and Fire. With their vehicles in rainbow colours and the teams dancing behind we felt incredible grateful for their service but also their presence - equality in all jobs is so important!

4) Being so close to the beach. Pride can be intense. The crowds are massive, the areas in and around the city centre can be packed and if it's hot - as it was - moving around can be tiring. We took the Pride bus down to the beach to have a bit of respite. You can't say that about many Prides! Once we hit the beach and saw the sea everything calmed down. With the warm sun setting it was a moment to reflect and relax together. We then met up with friends and listened to music while eating fish and chips and watching the occasional naked person attempt a sobering dip in the sea!

5) The Preston Park Experience, as we had managed to secure VIP tickets for our friends Charlotte and Hannah to join us the day was a great girly hang out. We also had Bella from Diva magazine join us as we toured everything the park had to offer. As well as seeing Years and Years and Louisa Johnson perform we visited stands to check out what they were doing for Pride. WKD were there making cocktails, National Trust were there, Barefoot wine were giving out wine and very cool sunglasses, Diva were giving away free mags and there were a whole host of weird and wonderful things to see including a 'feel wood feel good' stand where you got to touch a tree! Then there was the dance tents - Diva World, Men & Bears and the Urban tent, oh and our fav the Cabaret tent.

Exploring the park was great, getting back to the VIP tent was greater - especially when pushing through all the port-a-loo queues! (Thanks again to KBC PR!)

Sad that it's all over for another year but bring on Manchester Pride at the end of August!

#LoveHappensHere

Have you heard it's London Pride on Saturday the 8th of July? If you are in London you may have started to see things turns a lovely shade of rainbow.....

The Metro paper:

The taxis, the tube signs, the buildings and the police lapels - the rainbow is everywhere and nothing makes me happier. 

We went to our first London Pride in 2009 and loved it. The parade, the music, the sheer joy that filled the streets  - it was amazing.

In fact we have now been 4 times and you can read all about them here. 2013 was a particular highlight, the theme was Love and Marriage and we attended dressed as Princesses. Every good fairy-tale ends in a happily ever after and this was our last Pride before getting married on Pride weekend 2014 so it seemed fitting.

This years theme is 'Love Happens Here', this is the what the theme is about:

In 2017 London will host its largest and most vibrant Pride ever.

Marking 50 years since Parliament first voted to legalise homosexuality in the UK, Pride in London will be marching with a message of hope, acceptance, activism and love.

We have come a long way in 50 years, yet we face daily reminders that the global battle for true equality is far from over, and rights hard won can be threatened, attacked and taken away.

As we continue to battle discrimination at home and abroad, London will send a defiant message to those who wish the LGBT+ community harm. We will take a defiant stand against hate, but also importantly, celebrate who we are.

When we stand together we are a powerful and positive symbol of acceptance, support and friendship.

This summer join us to celebrate love in all its forms, and to be part of a movement that symbolises everything rich, colourful, vibrant and courageous in our community.

We will reject hate and we will say, proudly, Love Happens Here.

Laura and I fell in love in London and so I took the opportunity to create our own Love Happens Here pin;

We are also great advocates for companies who openly support LGBT+ staff and Pride is a great showcase for some of those companies. We were proud to see Barclays, our bank of choice, as a leading sponsor, I know some of the clients I work with will be joining the parade and to top things off Tesco will be there again. Tesco have been part of the Pride parade for years, not just in London but across the country. We have seen them in Manchester, Brighton and London but not only are they present but they have a support network (@OutAtTesco). They are clearly true supporters of teh LGBT+ community.

If you want details of the parade on the 8th check here and take our advice - get in early.

Sadly we won't be able to make the parade this year due to other commitments but Tesco kindly sent us our own Bursting With Pride kit. We will be wearing the T-shirt with Pride and toasting the day with the Smirnoff provided.

We will have to wait to Manchester Pride to see our first parade of the year, followed closely by Brighton.

While this post is full of joy, excitement and pride I thought I would take a moment to reflect on why Pride is important to me. It's fair to say that over the years the reasons have changed. When we first attended a Pride equal marriage was still being fought for, around the world equal marriage was still a rarity. We felt we needed to be visible to add our voice to the fight. To protest for our rights. Thankfully that is no longer the case.

But the fight for equal rights is still not over. While there has been a positive shift in mindset towards acceptance there are still places where being gay is not okay. In very recent politics the Conservative party negotiating with the DUP raised the very real issue that our rights are not completely safe. The DUP fundamentally disagrees with equal marriage, could our marriage rights have been lost to keep the Conservatives in power?!

Pride to us is about being visible, in being supportive and being supported. It's about being around people who are just like us. In showing people that's it okay to be just like us.

It's also a celebration. A celebration of love. A celebration on just how far we as a community have come but also how far society has come.

So if you are in London, or heading to London and want to join the party do, you won't regret it. You might even walk away with a new friend.

P.S. if you fancy celebrating Pride with a cocktail this is our recipe of choice (here) which we discovered thanks to Barefoot wines

PRIDE: Are gay rights still relevant?

It's Pride season again and we are prepped and ready!

We are lucky that Birmingham hosts one of the first UK Prides so we don't have to travel far to celebrate. With outfits ready and the sun shining we headed into town and took our place along the parade route.

We were photographed by quite a few people - Bisbee is quite the star- and one of the photos even appeared in a national paper here!

In preparation for Pride we watched MILK - have you seen it?

We had been meaning to watch it since we visited the Castro while in San Francisco and while the rainbow covered area was a great place to visit I had very little idea about it's significance. I had no idea that the streets we were walking on were the scenes of such momentous and historical relevance. In all honesty I had very little of who Harvey Milk was or why he is such a worshiped figure in the LBGT community.

The film was a documentary, educational and informative while bringing Harvey Milk to life. On finishing the film we both sat in silence, it resonated. The fact that we had been to the locations resonated. The fact that the issues highlighted in the film seemed so out of date yet still occur in parts of the world today, resonated.

The fact that Milk made political history in 1977 by becoming the first openly gay man in politics and was supported by Mayor George Moscone has had more of a baring on my life and other LGBT lives than I ever knew.

We are lucky enough to live in a part of the world where the response to 'i'm gay' is usually 'so what?' and having seen the film I will never EVER take that for granted.

While LGBT in the UK and USA are no longer persecuted or deemed 'sick' it is amazing that there are still headlines like this in today's paper:

From Daily Mail 11/11/2015

Or that in countries like Australia marriage equality is STILL to happen and there are still headlines like this:

From Daily Mail 11/11/2015

It is evidence that while we are a world away from what Harvey Milk fought for - stopping a law being implemented that would lead to the firing of gay teachers and anyone who supported them (he won by 75%) we are not far away enough. How was it only 2 years ago that gay marriage was made legal?

The other point that really stuck with me was the line that Milk kept saying 'show them that they know one of us' - what he was referring to was LGBT individuals coming out and showing family and friends that we are one of you, we are the same. We are no different. Being gay shouldn't define you, it is part of you but it is not all of you. It is something that I completely agree with. I am gay but so what?

'Burst down those closet doors once and for all and stand up and start to fight' - Harvey Milk

Some of Briggs arguments - shown in the film - were that having gay teachers in schools would allows them to recruit children to be gay! However it was the Anita Bryant part of the film that I found shocking - her arguments were based in religion. I found it shocking because the it wasn't that long ago in the news that 'The Mormon church ban children of gay parents'. The main line being ' In their new policy manual, the church also said that Mormon same-sex couples will be considered apostates (The term apostasy is used by sociologists to mean renunciation and criticism of, or opposition to, a person's former religion) under new church guidelines. '

It proves that while the social battle is being won and the LGBT community is more accepted than ever before there is still a way to go especially when it comes to religion and in parts of the world where Harvey Milk's points still resonate.

Manchester Pride 2015 - We LOVED it!

I think Manchester Pride might be my favourite Pride of this year.

That's a big starting statement I understand but I have to say based on key elements listed below Manchester scored top marks on all:

• Parade length (not too long or too short)
• Atmosphere - happy, upbeat, friendly, party-like
• Accessibility - easy to get to, park and find a viewing point
• Giveaways - freebies (bracelets, flags, Nando's vouchers - you know anything really)
• Celeb spotting 

Add to this that we had Bisbee and her puppy bf Otis and his owners Sam & Sara with us and it led to a great day.

We arrived in Manchester at 11.30 and found a car parking space easily - a huge relief! We then strolled in the direction of the parade and somehow ended up coming across the area where all the floats were setting up. What was even better was that in the centre of all the chaos was a pub serving sausage and bacon baps, a perfect place for us to sit, relax and get our breakfast before the parade started.

With my love and Bisbee with her......love????

Other than queuing for the loo with bees, fairies, cupcakes and a whole lot of other dressed up people the morning was fairly subdued. As it approached 12.30 we left our hideout and heading for the parade route and managed to get a perfect viewing position. Close enough to the start that all the participants were excited but far enough in that we had space to move and the puppies had space to roam.

As the parade got into full flow Otis was spooked by the loud drums and the girls had to take him home - sad times although thankfully plenty of hugs had him back on form later in the day. Bisbee on the other hand courted the attention and as with Brighton Pride had to out in front.

The music never stopped, which we loved, and the parade was a good mix of local charities and corporate brands. We appreciated the sweets from Tesco, the rainbow bracelets from Wickes and a lot of other brands, the free 1/2 a chicken vouchers from Nando's (still love Nando's) and the tail from O2 came in handy when entertaining Bisbee.

The parade itself was almost an hour and a half long but for us the highlights were:

1) Sharon Needles appearing on the RuPaul float - Laura is a HUGE fan
2) Sir Ian McKellan jumping out his car to meet people
3) Any float with bubbles as Bisbee loved chasing them
4) The Coronation Street float with Shayne Ward (combining two loves of my Mum in one photo
     opp), Kym Marsh and other cast members.
5) The free sunglasses that were given out - Pride seems to save us buying any sunglasses!

Once the parade had passed we were able to get back to the car park and head off on our road trip without too much hassle although we had to figure out how to get out of the one way system they were enforcing. But not before this happened:


We have both said that we would love to the whole Manchester Pride weekend at some point, certainly the friendliness of the people made us sad to leave. We will be back - hopefully next year!

Our First Year Anniversary Part 2 - Pride London and Lots of Yummy Food!

Nothing like writing about our anniversary two months after the fact, right?

I previously posted about our amazing time at The Book of Mormon, and about how we were in that Youtube video celebrating marriage equality across the USA, both from that weekend. Well, onto Saturday!

We woke up early and went to breakfast with our friend Dave, who we stayed with that weekend in London. Nothing like a proper fry up to set you up for an awesome day!

Then we headed off to watch the Pride London parade at Trafalgar Square, like we do every year.
In our gay lady outfits of course!

The weather was stunning and we enjoyed getting a nice bit of colour while waiting for the parade, though I ended up with a sunglasses tan - never the best look.

The parade was fantastic as usual, very colourful and so much fun. But, this year there were so many miners associations, perhaps after the movie 'Pride' from last year, that the Parade went on for AGES - after two hours, we gave up and started wandering around.

We got to quickly meet a few friends before heading to get changed for our big anniversary dinner at Bob Bob Ricard. That will be such a photo-heavy post that I will leave it for another time!

Sneaky preview

Sunday morning we met with our friends Sara and Sam who were in town for a concert, and we had a lovely brunch in Soho, which we followed up with cupcakes from the Hummingbird Bakery. YUM. And they gave us a beautiful present, a book of a question per day for a year of marriage, and some pretty tea towels (covering paper and cotton wedding traditions!!). So unexpected, they are just the sweetest ever.

We then headed out of town to go to a sunny pub lunch celebration with Sarah's family, who also gave us some stunning wedding presents, engraved to commemorate the occasion! The food was delicious, and we got to pick up our Bisbee girl too.



Anniversary goodies!

What a fantastic anniversary celebration! The first year went quickly and easily, and I couldn't be happier to be married to my one true love.