The Final Furlong

Dottles1

Afternoon all
That's me finished for the week, yipee !1
I'm going to take Tilly for a walk when I finish this and then I will make a big pan of curry to last me 2 evenings, one with rice and and one with sweet potato wedges and naan.  I'm so looking forward to this weekend.  I did manage to get a few jobs done around the house yesterday but I'm going to make a list of things to do in the next 2 weeks so that I feel up to date with things.  It is looking las though work will be quite light in Christmas week so I may be able to finish earlier than I had planned which would be fab.
So here we are sitting in tier 3.  No surprises there,  fully expected it but it means that not a lot will change.  It actually looks a though the whole of the north is in tier 3 but it is what it is I suppose.  I'm not sure how I feel about the 5 day break over Christmas.  I can see that it will be good for people to see family and relatives over the holiday but I do wonder what impact it will have on the infection rate.  I haven't decided what I will be doing yet as  so will sort it this weekend now that we know what the rules are.  I think I will still be limiting the number of people I will be in contact with, I'm just looking forward to a relaxing couple of weeks.  I was just thinking that if I was still at work in the college I would now be facing over a hundred assignments to mark over the next few weeks as well as teaching so no regrets there then.
I am also going to make a list (I love a list) of who I have left to buy presents for as I am creeping towards the end and also to begin wrapping so that it doesn't become a huge chore in the last few days.
On top of that there is December budget to complete and an invoice to compile and send.  I may do that done this evening to get it out of the way. 
I hope you all have fun whatever you are doing this weekend.
Keep safe my friends
Dottles x

Dottles1

Evening All
I had a good weekend with planned walk with friend P going ahead and managing to get finished as the rain started.  I researched the path that a couple told us about last week but we took a wrong turn !!!!!! we were gassing so much and ended up at a farm with warning signs to keep out (I'm guessing they're fed up with being bothered by people like us).  After retracing our steps for a bit we eventually found the right path and made our way for an al fresco coffee and a it and a chat.  P's husband sent us a chocolate bar each out of his tin which was very welcome at this point.  We got back to the cars having walked over 19,500 steps.  Tilly thoroughly enjoyed the exercise and promptly spent the afternoon asleep.
I managed to get most of my Christmas shopping done online and only have a few bits to get now so next weekend will be about wrapping and putting up some decorations and I have booked GD4 to help with the tree.  I still have 2 birthdays to get through yet but I'm all bought up for those, I just need to buy the cards.
Today has been incredibly busy with work but I managed to reconcile that November budget and pay myself for December and collect my "click and collect" shopping.  I have included a few seasonal items and will top up nearer the time but need to get some fresh veg on Tuesday.  I've heard today that my local farm shop is closed due to Covid so no farm fresh eggs for me this week.
I have a quieter day tomorrow and should be finished by 2pm so will hopefully get some housework done and some specific items that I'm looking for.
I'm off for an early night I tink so speak soon all
Good nnight
Dottles x

Dottles1

Another busy day but a good one (apart from cancelling the wrong client but that's all sorted out now).  I can really feel Christmas creeping closer now, probably due to booking up work in advance  so I'm always a week ahead of myself if you know what I mean.  I'm loving the frosty mornings and evenings and have had lot's of parcels arriving.  I think I know what I'm buying for the few last people I was struggling with and will be using my gift card so very MSE.  DD2 is making me a wreath for the front door with greenery she has foraged from around where she lives.  I'm so impressed with her handiwork , she has made a lovely one and a garland for herself despite never having shown an interest in crafting before.  She definitely doesn't get that skill from me, all my attempts in the past have been dreadful.  I remember making some small Xmas trees from holly stuck into shaped oasis but the holly kept falling out and my kids have never let me forget it.  I have to say there were comparisons made when she sent me pictures, you'd think they would let me forget after 25 years but no !!  Children can be so cruel.
I've had a call to say that my new blinds will be ready to fit on Friday so DS is being roped in again to remove the old ones.  The company have pulled out all the stops to get all orders fitted before Christmas, excellent service and pleasant to deal with.  I thanked the woman on the phone and said how grateful I was for this and she seemed taken aback.  I wonder if we have got out of the habit of thanking people for what we see as their job.  Did anyone else always thank the bus driver when they were younger ?  I rarely use buses these days but I still say thank you on the odd occasion that I do, it is ingrained in me now.
I have an easy day tomorrow, starting at 11:00 and finishing at 5:00 so Tilly and I will get out for our morning jaunt early on and still have time for a coffee when we get back (that's me not Tilly).
I realised last night that it was Dec 1st and rushed out to buy a mince pie.  I have a rule that I only eat them in December and the first week of January as otherwise they stop being special.  I'm the same with hot cross buns at Easter time.  Anyway I enjoyed my first for the year with a dollop of extra thick cream and it was gorgeous.  I dare not keep too many in as I will eat them and have to replace them for Christmas.  That said, I thin I should have a couple in for after putting up the tree and wrapping presents at the weekend, it would just be so wrong not to.  Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.
See you all tomorrow, keep safe all.
Dottles x

savingholmes

Impressive number of steps. Great work going so well. Nice to be getting blinds sorted too. A lot of positives

Dottles1

Yes lots of positives Savingholmes and I'm grateful at a time when many are struggling.
It's been a festive sort of weekend.  Friday dawned with torrential rain which didn't let up all day.  The garden is a quagmire and Tilly tiptoes through it wen she goes out.  Because of this my walk with friend P was moved to Saturday which was bright if chilly bit a great day for walking.  P brought the flask of coffee this time and mince pies for a festive treat so we sat amongst gardens looking out over the golf course to enjoy them.   We also walked around the old cemetery looking at old grave inscriptions.  Grave yards are great places to observe wildlife too.
In the afternoon GD4 came over t help me put up the tree and decorations; it's a little early for me but after the year we've all had it's nice to have a bit of sparkle.  So I'm sitting here with lots of fairy lights and candles lit feeling cosy and ready to watch the film Peter Rabbit a bit later.  I will put dinner in the over for when it's finished and make a large cup of coffee to watch with.
I went out and more or less finished my Christmas shopping this morning;  I just need to get something for my brother and his partner but thin I might do them a hamper of some sort.  I had planned to do some wrapping today but I forgot to but any wrapping paper but I do have a role left from last year so will use that up and buy some more tomorrow.  I am trying to do a bit at a time this year rather than having to do it all at once at the last minute.
Covid infection rates in my area appear to be reducing so I'm hoping that we will come out of tier 3 when the government review the tiers in a couple f weeks.  Mind you, I expect we will all be back in there after the Christmas break in restrictions
I've been binge watching "The Fall" lately and am gripped.  I'm into series 3 so not many more to go but have "The Undoing" up next, has anyone seen it and is it worth watching?  I also bought the Radio Times to see what's on over the holiday but really because it takes me back to when my children were young and they used to plan their viewing.  Those were the days before Netflix when the Christmas film was eagerly awaited and watched by the whole family, happy days.
Well I'm off to catch up on some diaries on here before doing some veg prep.
Speak soon my friends
Dottles x

savingholmes

Glad you were able to spend time with others. Our new neighbours moved in during lockdown - so met one of them for the first time today after a parcel wrongly delivered to them. These are weird times.

Dottles1

I know Savingholmes, we have had new neighbours move in over the road during lockdown and I haven't met them yet.  It just doesn't feel ok to go over to introduce yourself right now does it?
A very busy day was had yesterday but today had a few changes and so I had a quiet one today.  That said I went to get my eyebrows and nails done and am now sporting sparkly red (think Dorothy's shoes in Wizard of Oz) nails.  Very Christmassy !  
I've also had a spate of PA surveys lately and have now banked almost £32.  I was hoping for £50 by Christmas but we'll see, there is still time I suppose and if not it will get me off to a good start for January.
I'm off to meet DD2 tomorrow to deliver her 40th birthday presents so have an early start.  I am taking Tilly and we are going to meet for a walk and a coffee.  It will be good to see her even under the current restrictions.
Jobs still to do consist of cards to write and send, present for my brother and partner, plan meals for Xmas and New Year and present wrapping though I have done a couple.  It's GD3's 20th birthday on Sunday so I'll be popping over to deliver her presents and attempting to persuade her to come outside for a bit and have another walk and coffee planned for Saturday with friend P.  Here's hoping the rain stays away, I can cope with cold as I can wrap up but rain is no fun in the winter.
I've been looking at regular savings accounts but the interest rates are no that good at present so will keep looking for now.  I want to overhaul my finances again in the new year and redouble my efforts as I think one or two things have slipped a little.  I like to review things on an annual basis to make sure I keep on top of things.
I'm off to bed for an early night as I want to be out of the house by 7:30 in the morning, Tilly won't like that, she likes a lie in
goodnight all
Dottles x

savingholmes

Good that you are still getting to celebrate birthdays with wider family. All our birthdays fell at the wrong time this year... 

Dottles1

I had a fabulous time with DD2 on Wednesday.  We met and walked in the park, it's not the same but I'm grateful to have seen her in the flesh and hopefully it will be different next year.  I'm really beginning to miss human contact now but hey ho we need to stay safe and it won't last forever.
My IT is playing up again, I can't make calls on my phone so am relying on WhatsApp to speak to clients.  Zoom links don't seem to be reaching others and so again I've relied on WhatsApp.  I have internet but don't seem to have mobile network,; I've messaged DS to see if he is having problems as he's on the same network as me.  It's so frustrating and make everything I need to do take so much longer.  Still, I'm good at putting on my "no problem" face when really I'm paddling like a duck underneath.
I've seen a recipe for cranberry tart with toffee sauce on Sarah Raven's website so I'm going to try that over the holiday.  I'll have to invite DS over to help me eat it as I don't think it would stay around for long.  Does anyone else experience treats calling to you from the fridge ?
Tilly and I are going off for a walk in a few minutes as I don't have any clients until 1pm.  We're off to get some steps in and a bit of fresh aie in our lungs.  It's really quite cold here so I think the woolly hat will be making it's first appearance of the year.
Stay safe and keep warm all
Dottles x

beanielou

Glad that you had a good time with your DD. X