The Final Furlong

beanielou

Wishing you a happy healthy & positive new year x

Sun_Addict

I keep fairy lights up all year round, not just for Christmas 😁

savingholmes

Happy New Year Dottles. I vote for keeping your lights up. I'm going to take my xmas tree down - but we have 3 other sets of lights that I am leaving up. I was also given 3 sets of garden lights (at my request) for xmas - that we are planning to put up in the garden all year round. I am going to wait for the snow and ice to ease off first though!!

Dottles1

Well the tree and decorations are down but I have kept some lights entwined around the mantel and they loo fab.  Ive been quite productive today.  I made some pizza bases from an old cookery book had some for a very late lunch and froze 4 others for another day.  I made the tomato sauce and topped them with ingredients that I had in such as sun dried tomatoes, grilled peppers and some cherry tomatoes at the bottom of the fridge.  They were delicious !!
I woe up with a start this morning and jumped out of bed convinced it was Monday and that I had slept in.  The really nice part was climbing back into a warm bed and snuggling up again once I realised my mistake.  Silly old fool that I am
 So it's back to work tomorrow.  I cleaned my office when I finished in December but I have stored some stuff in there over the break s I'll need to take that out this evening as I have a 9:00 start in the morning.  I'm not long forward to being completely back online but needs must.
It's getting a bit chilly so I'm off to put the heating on and make a coffee.
Enjoy your evening all
Dottles x 

savingholmes

Hope tomorrow goes smoothly for you. I need to clear my desk ready for re-starting tomorrow. Probably should find and charge my work phone too or I won't be able to log on LOL.

Dottles1

wouldn't that be a shame if you weren't able to log on Savingholmes?   Still, it has to be done.
Yesterday was hectic with quite a few internet problems causing Zoom to crash, freeze or just have no sound but I managed to get around them all in different ways.  Everybody logged on that was supposed to which just goes to show how we are all becoming used to working virtually.  I do feel for those parents having to home school their children whilst working from home and hope that employers are being sympathetic to the issue.  It doesn't help that the government are so wishy washy in making decisions.  I totally agree that a national lockdown is necessary but to say on TV on Sunday morning that children should return to school to then announce a national lockdown on Monday evening is ridiculous.  
OK rant over.  GD4 is coming over late this afternoon after she finishes her online lessons and we are going to have a "picky tea" which consists of a selection of Christmas items that need using up from the freezer.  We'll also take Tilly for a walk and do some of my large jigsaw that I started last week and haven't got very far with but mostly we will just hang out and catch up..  Both her parents work from home so it will be a change from hanging out in her bedroom and we are good pals.
I also need to consider buying some fresh fruit and vegetables as I used up the last yesterday.  Last night's evening meal was roasted carrots and brussels (with garlic and vegetable sausages and I  put some bendy carrots, a lone parsnip, red onion, a couple of potatoes and a little dried sage in the slow cooker and added a tin of butter beans that has been hanging around for a while once it was cooked.  That made 2 meals for the freezer out of bits and bobs.  I have my meal plans for the next 2 weeks sorted so just need to see what I need in for this week as I want to try to only go to the shop once a week and shop in the village if possible.  I quite enjoy being creative with ingredients when I have the time. 
I slept until 9:00 this morning, unheard of in this house so I'd better make a start ot nothing will get done but perhaps a coffee first ;0
Speak soon friends, take care 
Dottles x

Dottles1

I've had a very relaxing day.  Popped over to deliver doorstep presents to friend P as it is her birthday today.  It started to sleet so I didn't stay long but it felt a bit weird talking to her from outside her garden whilst she stood on the step.  Still she seems to have had a good day.
I had to work for an hour this afternoon but other than the day has been mine.  I tried out my new window vac which does a surprisingly good job.  I've never been that great and cleaning windows but they seem to be streak free so I'm impressed.
Tilly and I have just returned from our daily walk, now that we can only go out to exercise once a day I try to wait until I have plenty of time to maximise it.  To be honest I don't think Tilly cares if she goes out once or twice a day and sometimes, when the weather is bad, I think she would elect for not at all.
Today's evening meal is butterbean stew and broccoli and is in the oven now so I'm taking the opportunity to catch up on here.  
Tomorrow is another busy work day but I seem to be managing to organise my days better now so that I only work 3 days per week, well so far anyway.  I'm just waiting for one more person to confirm whether they will be working online or waiting until lockdown is over.  I'm probably going to lose some money but not too much and I have enough behind me to keep me going for a couple of months if necessary so I'm not worried.  I wonder where that woman who was constantly anxious about not being able to cope financially has gone??  It just goes to show how budgeting has given me a greater feeling of being in control.  It is so good to know that you have most things covered and couldn't have imagined feeling this way even way even 12 months ago.
I bought some fruit and veg and a couple of ingredients for some recipes I want to make and spent a total of £23 for the week.  I'm going to try to shop a little later each week so that eventually I'll gain a week's groceries.  It should be easy enough to do at this time of year when there is still plenty in the cupboards and freezer and may make me be more creative in my cooking.
Right I'm off to catch up n a couple of diaries before my food is ready.
"See" you all tomorrow.
Dottles x

beanielou

Good idea to shop later every week.
Every 7 weeks you will get a free week.
I will join you in that 

savingholmes

I am glad you are feeling more under control budget wise. Hope that there aren't too many affects on your business from the lockdown

Dottles1

Thanks Savingholmes, fingers crossed here but I'm sure it will be ok.  I feel very fortunate that I have been able to work right through the pandemic so far.
I know Beanie, such a simple thing but can make quite a saving.  I know that I could always scrape another meal out of what I have in when I do my next supermarket shop.  Good luck and let me know how you get on.
Good night all
Dottles x