The Best Is Yet To Come

slm6002

So chilly this evening so the heating has been put on for a while, along with the water too.  Hopefully both will heat up.

Turned out to be a NSD today as I made it to the bank and back without needing to put petrol in the car.  No doubt the light will ping on tomorrow, but it should get me to work and back first.  Mileage deadline is tomorrow so managed to squeeze claim form in and will get the money back in the Dec pay.

Took my lunch to work, and didnt realise quite how much spaghetti there was there.  I was very full and didnt even finish it all.

slm6002

A very wet miserable morning out there today.  Hopefully my office will be nice and warm when I get to work.  Just under 2 1/2 weeks now until the end of term.  Tonight is club and we will be there a little longer tonight.  Ideally we need to eat before we leave but that rarely happens.

The house is a mess.  Not even best friend would be allowed in at the moment.  3 weeks until uncle arrives and house needs to be very clean.  I am normally out of energy by the evening.  I have been having Thursday afternoons off for the past few weeks, but will depend on my how workload is today before I decide.  DD1 could do some bits but I will not hold my breath!

slm6002

Up bright and early, wrestling cats into cat baskets against their will.  Vets trip for annual check up and jabs all done and dusted before 9am. We had a lovely lady today, much nicer than the previous one.

I think we are mainly going to be indoors this weekend,  and other than the small band concert and DS transporting to and from work, I have no plans that need me to leave the house.

I finally managed to clean the kitchen and living room last night when I got home.  I feel much more in control now.  I met with my best friend in the afternoon and had a great chat.  I felt I had some energy to tackle the cleaning a little more.  DD1 had made a start too which helped.  The dishwasher does need reloading but DD2 needs to unload it first.  Will be waking her very soon.

Jobs for this weekend:
* Bathrooms
* My room
* Wrapping gifts
* Writing cards
* Washing
* Christmas shopping list and meal plan
* This weeks shopping list and meal plan
* Band concert
* Club paperwork
* Cat baskets back into the loft

Ok I better make a start

slm6002

Well I haven't managed to cross much off my list, but I have found time to relax with the family.  It is so windy and wet around here.  At about 6pm last night I thought it would be a good idea to pop the bins in the garage so they don't fall over and spill all of my recycling everywhere.  I looked and felt like I had stood under a very cold shower by the time I had manoeuvred them all.  Not so windy this morning but we do have a flood warning now. Thankfully we are near the top of the hill so should be ok.  We have beef and ale stew in the slow cooker ready for a lovely warm comforting dinner later on.

Got up to take DS to work but he is ill so dosed him up with medicine instead and made him call the lady.  I am sure she will be thrilled that he left it until last minute to call in, but he was fine yesterday.  Will get him to help put the cat baskets in the loft as he is tall enough with just the step to reach whereas I need the ladder out (once he is feeling better).

Washing is in full swing, 2 loads down, probably another 2 to go, although DD's haven't bought theirs down so who knows.  DD1 starts her new job tomorrow so needs to make her lunch and pack her bag before she goes out for her Christmas meal with friends tonight.  BF is currently here and looks like he will be for a little while yet, so nothing is likely to be done yet.

I did amend the online shop with some basics that we will need, although no meal plan has been made as yet.  I imagine that I will amend this order a few more times before the deadline.  I am trying not to over buy this year so we don't have food hanging around long after.  For instance cheese,  we have a cheese board and in the past have bought all sorts, but the reality is we like cheddar, wensleydale with apricots and brie.  That is all that really gets eaten with maybe a nibble of the others.  We buy a small mouldy cheese but no one really likes it and it just takes up room in the fridge.  So this year,  we will have just the 3 cheeses.  I am also only buying the crackers that we like as there are never enough Hovis digestive type ones and then we get left with others that we done like.  Why has it never occurred to me before lol.

Not sure if I mentioned that one of my gifts I ordered was damaged in the post.  Rather than post out again they have refunded me.  So today I need to go out of my way to go and get another.  Thought I was finished but guess not.  We will head there after the concert I think as they are open until 4.30 today and then it will be all sorted.  I can then get them wrapped and ready to hand out, and the big box that is taking up room can go.

Ok I am going to get DD2 moving as she needs to start thinking about getting ready for the band concert.  It is the beginners band and junior band today so nothing too taxing for her.  I think we get a mince pie and drink with the ticket price so should be fun.  Next week is the big band that she is also part of which is mainly adults and the music played is much more advanced.  This will be a very good concert. 

Right I must get going as sat for too long again

slm6002

Hello, chilly sitting here although just popped the heating on so hoping my hands stop feeling like ice soon.

I had a half day today as the boiler man was coming to have a look at why things have been a little strange.  He took 10 min to look and tell me that all is fine at the moment.  It could be that something is on its way out, but as it was working perfectly when he tried he didn't feel it needed changing as yet.  He also said that he wouldn't charge me for the visit as he was in the area anyway.  He is a great boiler man and because of it he has had several of my work friends use him on my recommendation.

As I was home (and alone as all 3 children were at work / school / college) I made the most of it and wrapped all of the presents.  I think I have less than a handful to still wrap and they are not for the children so it doesn't matter if they see those.  It was a mammoth task.  DD2 has many more gifts than the other 2 but hers are cheaper so it all works out budget wise.

DD1 started her new job today.  So far so good.  Everyone keep their fingers crossed this is the job for the foreseeable future, and she can get a bit of stability rather than changing direction each month.  Once home she has had lots to say, and they have said it could help get her onto the  job she would like ideally.  They will pay for some of the training of it too if she decides that is what she would like to do.

slm6002

This evening I  looked out into the garden and saw something white in the corner moving.  Turns out it was a little white dog.  Thankfully it had a collar and lead and only lived down the road.  The owners were very grateful when DD's took him back.  The owners had been looking for him for hours.

No money spent today, mainly as I have been at work all day.  Lots achieved though which was good as only 1 1/2 weeks left to get everything on my list sorted.

DD1 had another good day at her new job.  It sounds like the group of them are a very fun bunch.  She has also managed to get a car share tomorrow so feels less anxious about the drive there in busy rush hour traffic.

I am considering joining the local WI and using some of my Christmas and birthday money that I will get (no one ever knows what to buy me).  They seem to be a fairly young group compared to the one that I used to be part of.   It means that way I will get out and about once a month, but not be tied in to something every week,  get to do some craft evenings as well as other experiences.  I might go along in January and see what it is like.  I may also look at the surrounding village WI's as well just so I can find the best one for me.

slm6002

Well another day done.  All home apart from DS who is at his after college club playing games.  He will come home on the train later.  Heating is back on as the house just doesn't seem to be holding the heat at the moment.  Hands are like ice again.

Had to buy some potatoes today for dinner.  Jackets with various fillings - what ever is in the fridge / cupboard.  Doing an extra one so I can have it reheated at work tomorrow.  Christmas jumper day with staff bringing in food donations for the local food bank, rather than actual cash.  I wrapped the box earlier and hopefully we can fill it.  Bought some fruit juice and biscuits for my donation, while I was at the supermarket.  Left them in the car so I don't forget in the morning.  

Got some paperwork to do this evening for various things and would like to finish the wrapping up of the remaining items so I can pop the wrapping bits back up in the loft.  The loft is in need of a big clear out / organisation.  I think I will chose this for the summer holidays project for next year.  I don't think we will be able to afford the loft improvements (as I need to save for the boiler at the moment) but clearing and sorting is a must.  That is 1 job, then the boiler, and maybe the garage door that is rotting away as we speak.

Lots to think about for next year.  Money, projects and goals.

dawnybabes

My WI is a young one so we do lots of different things, some in the week and some at weekends 

slm6002

Thank you @dawnybabes, as the children are ok to be home alone for a few hours at night now while I go out, I am thinking why not.  I am kind of thinking maybe I wait until the new programme is out and see if I like the idea of it.

This evening has been quite productive as I have got the paperwork completed.  I still need to write the Christmas cards and wrap 3 presents before the rest of the bits can go in the loft.  There are only a few cards so may see if I can get those done before bed so I can put them in the post in the morning.

dawnybabes

You can pay as a visitor for a couple of meetings - I went along to two different ones before I found ‘my people’