I was 9 years old.

I was sat on the floor with the rest of my class having an eye test at school.

It was my turn.

The optician or nurse or whoever it was (I was 9, I wasn't really paying attention) asked me to read the bottom line.

I couldn't.

She asked me to read the next line up.

I couldn't.

She asked me to start from the top and work my way down (cue sniggers from the rest of my class).

My parents were called and told to make an immediate appointment at the opticians where I was told that I shouldn't be left to cross the road alone as my eyesight was so bad.

20 something (ahem) years ago, the glasses choices were as bad as my eyesight.

I spent many years resembling a younger version of Deirdre Barlow. Here is a snapshot of my teenage years. (My other half can't quite believe I am sharing this publicly).

Thankfully when I was old enough to pay for my own glasses, my choices were much more on trend!

That didn't mean I wasn't subject to years of taunts of "four eyes" "penfold" and "speccy". It certainly meant I saw certain people differently. 

So when my 9 year old asked for glasses, my heart sank a little bit. Was she struggling? Was she getting headaches? She insisted that she needed them so I took her to the opticians for a check up.

As it happens, her eyesight was perfectly fine. She just thought it was cool to wear glasses. How times have changed?

I have lived with my glasses for 25 years and whilst I may joke that I am "blind as a bat", I am lucky enough to be able to go to the optician and get glasses that suit me (well in recent years anyway). My glasses mean that I can see the expressions on my girls faces, I can see to type this blog post and I can see to cross the road. That is not the case for lots of people across the world. 

80 per cent of all blindness could be prevented or cured. That’s over 31 million people, most of whom live in the poorest countries in the world who go blind unnecessarily. And with poverty being both a cause and effect of blindness, a cycle is created that can be hard for communities to break out of.

SightSavers can break this cycle with straightforward operations costing £8-£28 or annual doses of antibiotics costing 7p-35p per person. 

If you’re moved to give someone their sight please visit www.sightsavers.org.uk/donate.

Thank you for reading (and hopefully not laughing too much at my photo!!)

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I *may* have mentioned that we are getting married this year, so honeymoon destinations are currently on my radar.

When I say radar, I *may* actually mean that I am becoming a honeymoon obsessed crazy person .... but shhhh that is strictly between us. 

I have always dreamt of Italy, for me it is the perfect honeymoon destination. There is no disputing that Italy is considered as one of the most romantic places in the world. It has picturesque landscapes, it is seeped history and art, and I am reliably informed that the food and wine is divine, which makes me just want to get lost in the warmth and passion of Italy’s culture. 

Am I rambling? Yes I am rambling ...... I just got lost in the daydream again.

I may have also got a little lost in Pinterest too after seeing this fabulous competition on Love Chic Living with Cunard 

I hope this Pinterest board epitomises the romance and honest beauty of Tuscany in Italy and if we do or don't decide on this as our destination ...... maybe I will just decorate our new marital bedroom with Tuscany inspiration.

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We're forever blowing bubbles, pretty bubbles everywhere ..... well almost.

The weather this week has meant that we have been outside and enjoying the sunshine. So while big sister was at school, we have been out in the woods chasing bubbles.

The little one frequently asks for the "bobble" mixture and has taken to trying to catch them back on the stick after she has blown them.

The only problem with today's country kids link up is that she told me to stop taking her picture! So aside from chasing bubbles, I actually ended up chasing her!

 Can you spot her???

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So what does a girl wear to Royal Ascot?

Until a couple of years ago, Ladies Day at Royal Ascot was a big feature in my social calendar, from planning my outfit to organising coaches (or indeed limosines) for a group of friends to indulge in a champagne induced day of fun. For me, it is always about the hat or fascinator and I tend to select that before anything else!

The first year we went, we spent more time concentrating on keeping our fascinators straight than the action at Royal Ascot but amazingly we had consistent wins on the races and consequently keep our glasses charged all day long. 

We made ourselves comfortable in one of the champagne "tents" ..... although one friend got a little too comfortable and ended up falling over the picket fence surrounding the tent. We found the main stands were a little crowded and the picket fence gave us no end of amusement. (As much as I would love to share a picture of this, I promised that I would never share it!).

Unfortunately for me, I haven't been for the past couple of years but with Royal Ascot starting next week, I can't help but look around for the "perfect" outfit and if I were going this year, this would be my choice.

So my top tips for enjoying Royal Ascot this year are:

• Get an outfit that you feel comfortable AND fabulous in.
• Check the length of your skirt .... they are very strict on this in recent years.
• It is all about the hat, so choose wisely.
• Have a spare pair of shoes because your feet will be aching by the end of the day, unless you want to walk home bare feet.
• Don't lean on any picket fences.
• Have fun!

Disclosure:  This post is in association with Betfair.

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