Day 889

Day 889...

The day started very grey, overcast and a touch cooler than of late but we still ventured out over the fields and did our usual 1.9 miles in 37 minutes once again.

I then had the Lidl shop to contend with. And despite the main road between home and Lidl being closed it wasn't as much of an inconvenience as I'd feared.

Whilst I'd been out Simon had found a couple of really interesting articles to read. So with a coffee in hand I took the time to read them; one was about the decisions taken surrounding the pandemic and the way those decisions were enacted and confirmed that they hadn't taken the full affects of lockdown into account. It also highlighted just how appalling the use of fear tactics were which are still evident to this day as witnessed by myself whilst at Lidl; an older man wearing a mask and rubber gardening gloves...if you are that concerned then why on earth are you out mingling with all of us unclean people?!! The other article was looking at the best way to exercise to make the most of the effort that you put in; basically making sure you maintain good form and work until you are exhausted.

After lunch I spent a good length of time online bringing together my ideas for my upcoming tattoo in a couple of weeks. I know what I want I just need to find the images that I'm happiest with to pass onto my tattooist. Still a little more work to be done but my eyes were beginning to cross so I decided to leave it alone and finish it probably tomorrow.

I also managed a little 3d print clean up as Simon is powering through getting more and more pieces printed.

Printed piece with our clean-up tool of choice

Removing the edge that is not needed

I then squeezed in a little jigsaw time before heading down the gym for an abs and glutes workout.

And all that is left to do today is to watch this weeks episode of She-Hulk and see how this Marvel series is going to pan out!

See you all tomorrow.
xx

Day 882 & Day 883

Day 882...Thursday

Well the day started very grey again and just before we stepped out the door it started to rain. But it didn't stop us and thankfully it didn't last too long but we still stuck to our new route following the pavements and managed another 2.2 miles in 39 minutes. We even bumped into a couple of old friends who were out walking their dog and had got caught in the rain. 

My morning job was to nip down to Lidl to stock up on a few bits and bobs, and in hindsight I was glad I decided to go down today as there was a water leak along the main road which now means the road is closed until early next week! 

The remainder of my Thursday was split between grabbing a coffee outside when the sunshine came out, starting my next jigsaw (sorting the edge pieces) and a lot of online stuff.

I managed to 'chat' online with a local jewellers to make an appointment with them to look at some of the jewellery we'd found at my dads house. I tried to book my car in for a service but couldn't quite manage it so have requested a call back (which I am still waiting for) and then it was time to book a hotel.

We are going to see Molly and Dan at the end of September and so needed to get a hotel booked for a few nights. I'd looked around to see if I could find somewhere different to our usual hotel but after much searching I realised that there are many good reasons why we go back to the same place each time; great location, breakfast included, always clean and tidy, lovely staff and free electric car charging! Having looked at various dates we'd settled on a longer stay than normal so that it would tie in with Molly's non-working days, plus we will get a longer break away from home too.

I also spent a considerable amount of time online acting as admin and technical support for my podcast co-host, and very good friend Michelle, who is out in Walt Disney World at the moment. Facebook had decided to lock her out of her account which meant she was unable to post to our podcast page and message friends who she was due to be meeting. Thankfully I was able to get in touch with her friends and provide them with alternate ways to get in touch and between us we managed to get her back online, although not as fully online as she could have been. Technology is great when it works but when it doesn't it is a pain in the bum!

After a forty five minute session down the gym where I focused on abs and legs it was time for a spot of dinner before settling down to watch the latest Marvel series; She Hulk! And I really enjoyed it, it was well acted, a little bit goofy and simply fun to watch. Fingers crossed the series carries on in that way.

Day 883...Friday

So having run out of time yesterday to write my blog we now have two days for the price of one.

This morning we were back to blue skies and sunshine, although it was not as warm as it has been of late. This meant we could get back to our usual walk over the fields and our hilly 1.9 mile walk completed in 35 minutes.

I was then off out to the jewellers to see what we could do with the jewellery we had found. As most of it didn't hold any sentimental value we have simply been able to cash it in along with confirming that some of the items we have are just costume pieces that I think we will ultimately sell via Ebay. I do have a couple of pieces of jewellery that belonged to my mum that are in need of repair and I was in two minds as to what to do with them. I don't want to part with them but they are not really my style but then Simon came up with a great suggestion; could they be made into a bespoke piece that could incorporate my love of Disney? Chatting to the jewellers and the answer is yes. I now need to think about what that would look like before making another appointment to sort a design. They were also able to confirm that one of my dads gold chains could be made into bracelets relatively easily and I simply need to work out the sizing.

When my dad had passed Molly had asked if she could have two gold bracelets that he used to wear as keepsakes but having looked far and wide we have not been able to find them. So instead Molly is going to have the gold chain that he always wore instead. She has measured up and we are going to have it made into a bracelet and an anklet for her instead.

The remainder of the day saw me catching up with a few jobs around the house; a little cleaning and even some gardening...well okay weeding! And in doing some cleaning around I found the missing piece from my last jigsaw it had somehow worked its way under the stairs!

I did also make a start on my latest jigsaw by getting the outside edge completed.

It was then time for the final workout of the week by paying a visit to our gym and 'throwing' some weights around.

And that was Friday, I need to stop typing now as we have Drag Race Canada to watch.

See you tomorrow.
xx

Day 875

Day 875...

Thursday started as our mornings do with an early morning walk, we had 1.9 miles completed in just over 35 minutes and were back home before 8.45am. It was yet another beautiful start to the day and the sun was already feeling pretty hot.

But before the day reached its hottest temperatures I had a couple of jobs that I wanted to get done. First it was down to Lidl for a few bits and pieces; I was very excited to see a range of Japanese influenced products in the freezer section and just had to pick up some lemon & ginger ice-cream. Ethan is a big fan of Japanese foods so I can see me making a special trip down to try a few things.

Back home and it was laundry and ironing time before things got too warm. Whilst it is great to take advantage of the lovely weather for drying the laundry ironing is not so much fun! But it didn't take me long and so I was able to sit outside, in the shade, with a coffee and my Low Carb, High Fat Food Revolution book that I am re-reading at the moment.

Just before lunch I had a delivery...I thought I would treat myself to a few Funko Pop Vinyl figures because they were on offer and just way too adorable not to.

These have been released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World and involve one of my most favourite rides; the PeopleMover or to give it it's full (current) title, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. There is a fourth in the set with Stitch in a carriage and this has proven a little harder to come by, especially at a reasonable price. But at lunchtime Simon decided to order one for me from Amazon even though it was a tad more expensive than it should really have been. Posting about the set on the Disney Dream Girls Family page on Facebook one of our members explained that the Stitch version had been exclusive to the Funko store and that was probably why it had been tricky to track down.

After lunch I had an online doctors appointment. This was a follow-up to see if there was anything that could be done to help with some of my menopause symptoms. Unfortunately because I've had breast cancer I'm unable to take the standard HRT drugs but we had tried another type that is actually for blood pressure but has been shown to help some women...but not me.

About ten days ago after suffering from some side effects associated with the medication I decided to stop taking them and over the course of the last few days things seem to be a bit better. Now since my last check-in with the doc I have started having cold showers (now at 3 minutes at least once a day), I've increased my twice (sometimes three) workouts a week up to five and I have stopped drinking red wine (which has been the hardest thing and I only used to have a small glass each evening!). Simon and I are also getting out most days for a minimum of a two mile walk and are using that time to chat and connect should we feel the need to. It is also now two and a half months since I retired and I think that is having a more profound effect on me than I perhaps always credit. I think not having the stresses of work and all the noise that goes along with it has given me the space, mentally, to be better able to cope with things. Which in turn means that the menopause symptoms that I have been experiencing have been easier to cope with, and haven't felt as all consuming as they have in the past.

One thing the doc did recommend was to check my calcium intake level as one of the problems for women having gone through the menopause is the risk of Osteoporosis. I am hoping that my low carb way of eating along with getting plenty of exercise with a focus on weight training will all go towards healthy muscles to help protect my bones and my balance. But taking a supplement to boost those levels is not something that I mind doing so I did manage to find some online and get them ordered.

A little later than normal Simon and I decided to get our fourth workout of the week done. Simon was on the exercise bike while I was focused on body weight exercises and those targeting my abs.

Simon then played taxi service for Ethan as he'd been to the pub after work and the first bus back's route finished in the town next to where we are, so a couple of miles away. So we said we would pick him up rather than waiting for the later bus that would bring him all the way home.

And that was Thursday, see you all tomorrow.
xx

Day 867 & Day 868

Day 867...Wednesday

And the day started with another two minute and thirty second cold shower followed by our early morning walk of 1.9 miles in 36 minutes. The clouds were rather grey but there was a hint that the sun was trying to get out and my weather app told me that there was only a 13% chance of rain...suffice to say we experienced the 13%. Just as we stepped out the door it began to rain so I quickly grabbed my lightweight rain coat and Simon grabbed the umbrella. Thankfully within about ten minutes the rain had stopped and although it was a little cooler than yesterday it was actually lovely and refreshing.

First job of the day was to head out to Lidl for a little catch-up shop, all those fresh things to keep us going over the next few days.

Once back home I had a relatively quiet day. I had a few odd jobs around the house to do, a little laptop work and a little internet distraction! I have been eyeing up some Funko Pop Vinyl figures that I had seen in Forbidden Planet in Nottingham and thought I would look online to compare prices. Now I'm not normally a Funko collector, we have a few odd ones that have been received as gifts but this particular set had caught my eye. It's a set to mark the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World and involves one of my all time favourite attractions; the People Mover. There are four in the set and they feature Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Stitch each sat in their own People Mover carriage. Although it looks like the Stitch one maybe a little hard to find at a reasonable price but I think the other three should be quite reasonable. I am still in two minds but they would go rather lovely in our new study/craft room!

Mid-afternoon I hooked up with my good friend, and podcast co-host, Michelle to record an episode of the Disney Dream Girls podcast. We chatted about the new Magic Band + that has just been released in Walt Disney World as well as looking at the Halloween foodie offerings. Would you believe that Halloween starts mid-August in Walt Disney World and as Michelle will be visiting in a few days time she has booked an evening at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party! While it's great that more people can get to experience Halloween Disney style I still think August is just a tad early!

I was able to make a little more progress on my latest jigsaw before we headed down our gym. This was our second weights workout of the week and it was another warm and muggy evening that just seemed to sap the strength out of you. In fact I did most of my exercises outside of the garage in attempt to feel a little cooler although it didn't give me any extra energy!

Although my second cold shower of two minutes and thirty seconds was actually quite pleasant!

Day 868...Thursday

It was a lovely morning with blue skies and clear views for miles around as we completed our usual walk of 1.9 miles in a sprightly 36 minutes, our pace has definitely improved over the last few walks.

I wasn't really sure what I had planned today but knew that I had a couple of boring online jobs so got them out of the way first thing. It was then onto the ever so exciting (sarcasm here!) ironing before I decided to defrost the freezer! I know I am just living the dream! 

Although defrosting the freezer would have been easier if I'd actually switched it off. To be fair I thought I had as we have a plug that is clearly marked 'Fridge' (it's a combined fridge and freezer) and I dutifully switched it off. What I didn't do was actually check to see if it had actually switched off, it was only part way through defrosting that I heard a noise from the fridge, opened the door and saw that the light came on. I then looked at the oven which is plugged into the same socket as the fridge and lo and behold that was off! So somehow or other we have managed to label up the wrong plug. I did start to make a little more progress with it switched off and Simon lent me his heat gun to help speed things up! But as it had been quite some time since it was last defrosted I didn't manage to get it as fully defrosted as I would have liked but as it had taken up most of the morning I decided to call it a day and attempt the remainder another day.

After a spot of lunch it was time to catch up on a few more jobs. All not very exciting just those need to get done things. I spent a few minutes chatting with one of my elderly neighbours who is a 'tour de force'. She is in her very late eighties and lives alone having been widowed 28 years ago but she is active and gets herself out and about in her car and shows no sign of letting up. She is a gleaming example of how to embrace life and carry on whatever is thrown your way.

I did manage a little more jigsaw today and was able to grab a little time outside in the sunshine with a coffee before rounding the day out with another session down our gym. Tonight it was body weight exercises with a focus on legs and tummy!

Well, I best sign off and see you all tomorrow.
xx

p.s. I even managed to get those Funko figures ordered...well all but the Stitch one so I now have a mission to track one down.

Day 861

Day 861...

We were back to a bit of a grey and overcast start to the day so we ventured out with an umbrella under our arm just in case. As it was we completed our 1.9 mile walk in 37 minutes and stayed dry the whole way round. We did comment that we are back to typical British Summer weather after the searing heat of last week!

My morning saw a few general jobs around the house get done, a trip to Lidl and a little preparation ahead of podcast recording this afternoon. As Michelle is now on her summer break (the plus side of working in education) it does mean that we can record at any point in the day rather than having to find the time at the end of a working day.

So just after lunch Michelle and I got together online to record a show for release this coming weekend as well as a show for our Patreon supporters. An hour and a half later and both shows were done; we spoke about some Disney history, looked forward to Michelle's upcoming trip to Walt Disney World as well as look at some items in the Disney news.

I then decided to have another re-organise of my kitchen. I have a lovely red Kitchen Aid mixer that sits on the counter top but very rarely gets used...baking cakes is a rarity in this house...and so I decided it needed a new place to live. I'd found space in one of the cupboards which had the knock-on effect of finding new homes for the existing inhabitants of the aforementioned cupboard. Well suffice to say two and a half hours later I had cleaned inside and out five kitchen cupboards and re-organised where all the contents lived in a vague hope that everything is in a much better and logical place!

At the end of the day I headed down our gym to complete some body weight exercises along with some light weights as well. Today I found a routine targeting the triceps and so I thought I'd give it a go...we shall see how I feel this time tomorrow! After my workout I needed a shower and so thought I would have my second cold shower of the day and my first two minute one! And it wasn't that bad!!

And that is it for this Thursday, I shall see you tomorrow.
xx

Day 854

Day 854...

Well after the glorious weather that we've been experiencing these past few days today was grey and first thing it was a tad wet. But it didn't stop us getting out for our early morning walk of 1.9 miles, which was done in 36 minutes.

The rain was that very fine rain, that often gets referred to as wet rain because you end up being way wetter than you think you should be. But I still went out in my shorts and after the initial feeling of very damp legs I quickly got over it and didn't really notice it for the majority of the walk.

Over the last few days our view when we get to the highest point has looked like this...

...but today it looked like this...

Last night after writing my blog I was determined to get the remaining few pieces of my jigsaw completed, which I did...kind of...

...a lovely Dumbo inspired jigsaw but can you spot why it's not complete?

Yep, we have a missing piece! Now this jigsaw was bought brand new and arrived in cellophane so there should be no reason for a missing piece and in fact I think it may have something to do with the wind! I had the jigsaw set up in our living room in front of some french doors that we had open because of the high temperatures. On Tuesday it had also been quite windy and when I returned home from volunteering at pre-school I noticed that some of the pieces that I'd sorted were strewn across the living room floor...the wind had been up to tricks. As I sorted them back to where they should be I remarked, rather flippantly, to Simon that 'if I end up missing pieces they'll be under the sofa'! Now I did actually find one piece under the sofa but this piece has eluded me and despite searching today I have still not found it!!

But back to today and this morning, without planning to, I found myself cleaning the oven. Not very exciting but one of those jobs that was a little overdue so having the time I decided it was due a thorough clean. Although I may have been a little over zealous in my efforts as I have inadvertently wiped away the decals that indicate what each knob does! Whoops! I obviously don't know my own strength!

The remainder of the day was spent catching up on some more laptop focused jobs. I had a couple of payments to make, a little pre-school committee work to do and then a little online shopping. Online shopping that turned into much more shopping than I'd anticipated. Not only did I purchase some clothing items that I needed but also some towels, a couple of kitchen storage tubs, a new chopping board, a vanity mirror and some new wall lights for our bedroom!!

Oh and I also managed to get Simon and I booked in for our next tattoos, although we will have to wait until early September.

And then as is the norm for a Thursday night it was time to head down our gym for a weights workout. Simon was able to push himself a little further tonight managing a slightly heavier weight and even a few sets of pull-ups.

And that was Thursday...I will see you tomorrow.
xx

Day 847 & Day 848

Day 847...Thursday

And once more we were up and about heading off over the fields for our early morning walk of 1.9 miles in 38 minutes. Tuesday to Friday we tend to stick to a shorter walk so that we are home in time for Simon to start work.

My first task of the day was to head down to Lidl and re-stock on a few fresh items. Once I was home and everything put away I decided to have a weights workout.

Ordinarily our workouts tend to fall at the end of the day but with Simon still unable to use the weights I decided to try my workout earlier in the day. I was interested to see how I found it as we are now intermittent fasting and not having our first meal of the day until lunchtime. I'd tried a few weeks back to have a small session after our morning walk but I didn't feel great doing it and ended up cutting it short. But today the workout fell around 11am and actually worked pretty well. I was really pleased with how I felt and was able to get all the sets in that I would have normally done at the end of the day. And because our gym is in the garage, and because we haven't been using it as often as we would do normally, I also had to contend with a fair few spiders and so ended up hoovering in between sets!!

After lunch I had some paperwork to file, some emails to respond to and postage to buy. While clearing out my dads house I'd come across a souvenir brochure to mark the opening of the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum at Stewart Park in Middlesbrough. The brochure was stamped 1978 and I think must have belonged to my grandma. My family originates from Middlesbrough and I spent lots of my childhood visiting the area and have memories of visiting Stewart Park and a vague memory of visiting the museum (although I suspect as a child I was probably not very interested in a museum about an explorer!). Anyway I had emailed the museum to see whether or not it was something they would like for their records. It turned out that they did not have a copy of the brochure and would be very grateful if I would like to donate it, which I have dutifully done. It was a lovely keepsake that would have meant a lot to my grandma but now needs to be somewhere where it will be appreciated.

Then in a moment of madness I decided to do a little gardening...I know what was I thinking?! Although to be fair my idea of gardening was to wash down the garden furniture as it was looking a tad dirty and then to chop back a bit more of the pineapple broom plant that each year seems to takeover one corner of our garden. It is a lovely plant but needs to be kept under control!

At the end of the day we had a local electrician visit to give us a quote for a few jobs that we need doing. I'd been holding out for a friend's partner to visit but he was proving to be rather elusive to track down and so on our morning walks we'd seen a company hard at work at one of our neighbours property. I liked the fact that they were working at 8am, looked smart and had vans well equipped with all the necessary electrical stuff...so I dropped them an email. They responded that day and were able to pop out this evening to have a look and see whether they could help us out. We now await their quote.

Day 848...Friday

It was a little cooler this morning which was rather pleasant and we got another 1.9 miles in 38 minutes done before 8.45am.

I had no real plans for the day and so wasn't sure what was in store for me. I had a couple of household tasks that I wanted to get done and those seemed to lead into the format of the day.

I hoovered through, I dusted, I put on three lots of laundry, I stopped for coffee (obviously), I made lists of things I need to sort and look-up and then I decided to write a shopping list which had a bigger effect than I'd intended.

Upon looking in cupboards to see what needed to be added to the list I inadvertently had a bit of a clear out. I decided that the first cupboard I opened needed sorting, so I pulled everything out which meant that the cupboard now needed cleaning. I then decided to put everything back differently and move things around...the knock-on effect of this was that the majority of my day was then spent emptying, cleaning and re-organising cupboards...five of them to be exact! It wasn't what I'd intended to do today but I felt very accomplished by the end of it all.

And I think this is what I am discovering now that I am no longer working. I'm not having to fit jobs in around my working hours when I didn't have the energy or the desire to do them, now I can simply do things as and when I feel like it and because I'm in the mood to do them. I can split my day into chunks of time so that I get to do a mix of things or not...I can do what I want, when I want and how I want and it is so refreshing and freeing. 

And in that vain I spent the end of my day in the garden, with a coffee, soaking up the sunshine that had been a little elusive until later this afternoon.

See you tomorrow.
xx

Day 839 & Day 840

Day 839...Wednesday

The day started with our usual early morning walk and another 1.9 miles in 38 minutes.

My morning was then taken up with a visit to the hairdressers. It was time for a change so out with my blonde and in with a lovely dark purple.

I was home just in time for lunch. We have been making lunch our first meal of the day for a few weeks now and seem to have adapted to it really easily. We start the day with a coffee before we have our walk and then lunch has become our breakfast. It is so much nicer eating our first meal of the day at lunchtime as it is no longer something that is rushed to facilitate getting out of the door at a certain time but can be enjoyed and savoured.

The afternoon saw yet more cleaning and tidying around. Having sorted the vast majority of paperwork over the last few days I just had a few bits left lying around that needed new homes before I could start cleaning. And as Molly and Dan will be using the room as their bedroom when they visit at the weekend it needed to be done before then.

The day was then finished with a workout and while Simon stuck to the exercise bike because of his broken wrist I headed out to our gym and moved a few weights around.

Day 840...Thursday

And yet again we started the day with another 1.9 mile walk in 39 minutes. It is so great to be out and about in the fresh air so early in the morning and really starts the day off with great positivity. We are blessed to live so close to open countryside and to be able to experience it on a daily basis.

Next up for me was a trip to Lidl, I needed to re-stock on some fresh bits and pieces as well as make sure I'd got some extras in for the weekend...as we have visitors!

Back home and armed with coffee I braced myself for the task of cancelling my dads Sky (broadband) account! After my dad had died the broadband account was in credit and so we had left the service running but transferred it into my name. This meant that whenever my brother or I were at my dads house we could access the internet should we need to. This turned out to be the right thing to do as my brother was able to work from there a few times while we waited on things to happen. But now that the house is about to go up for sale, and the credit has run out, we needed to get the account cancelled.

Well suffice to say it wasn't as easy as it could have been. The online account hadn't been set up correctly but once I'd sorted that myself I was able to pay an outstanding small balance but it still wouldn't let me cancel. The online chat option wouldn't let me cancel as it couldn't identify me! I then found an email address and started to compose an email to them and all the while trying to call them. I was cut off at least three times, had weird voice prompts that made no sense and scolded me for not answering questions that hadn't been asked. But finally I found a different number to try and after about 20 minutes I spoke to the lovely Stuart who had been in a similar situation to me when his dad had died a couple of years ago and we were able to get the account cancelled...sort of. Basically it takes them two weeks to cancel it all and then there maybe a small amount to pay but I won't know that until it happens which means me having to remember to check the online account on a semi-regular basis! Argh!

With perfect timing I put the phone down and deleted the email I'd been writing just as Simon broke for lunch.

Over the course of the afternoon I enjoyed a coffee outside in the sunshine, did all the ironing, cleaned the bathroom, caught up with the laundry and did a little online retail therapy. I've ordered some new shorts that I should be able to collect tomorrow along with some gym gear and protein bars which should arrive in the next few days.

I then had a lovely phone call from my good friend, and podcast co-host, Michelle. We have agreed to hook up tomorrow to record a show and so the remainder of the afternoon was spent doing a little research in preparation. I did sit outside in the sunshine for a short time while I used my phone for some online research, but it didn't last long as the sun was too hot and too bright for my poor phone!

And as Simon finished work for the day we opted for another walk, this time of 2.8 miles in 56 minutes. Because we tend to walk very similar routes each day we have noticed that some of the walkways at crucial points, like crossing over stiles, have become a tad overgrown with nasty nettles, brambles and thistles. So Simon now carries with him a small pair of pocket secateurs so that he can clear the way of any nasty bits to make our life, and hopefully that of other walkers, a little more pleasant!

And with that I will see you all tomorrow.
xx

Four Days for the Price of One - Day 830 - Day 833

I'm not sure where the time has gone this week but it has been difficult to find the time to write these blog posts so in the end I am writing up four days in one go...

Day 830...Monday

So the day started, as is our new normal, with an early morning walk; however we only managed 1.3 miles in 23 minutes as rain stopped play. We'd not got our waterproofs with us so we made the sensible decision to head for home when the precipitation started!

Our morning was then taken up with what we referred to as 'Kondoing the wardrobes'. When we revamped our bedroom the other year we adopted the Marie Kondo approach to tidying and we have adopted it ever since. It is a great way to ensure that you only hold onto those items that you genuinely need or love. Since it had been a while since our new wardrobes had been fitted it was time to re-evaluate the storage and assess whether it was working and whether we were actually making use of its contents. We did pretty well and only filled two bags with clothes for our local charity clothes bank.

So after a spot of lunch we hopped in the car and dropped off the clothes, stopped by my dads house to drop off a couple of bits and then had a quick tour around our local Lidl.

Back home and after a coffee and a quiet hour we decided that the weather was more conducive to walking and headed out completing 2.3 miles in 47 minutes.

Day 831...Tuesday

The weather played nice this morning and so our usual morning walk of 1.9 miles in 38 minutes was much enjoyed although at the top of the hill it did feeler a little cooler than of late with a strong wind that I described as bracing.

Then my day took on the theme for much of this week...gardening. Now I am not a gardener at all, my mum used to love gardening however I have not inherited that love, but my task this week was my dads garden. As we are about to sell the house both the front and back gardens were in need of a lot of taming if we wanted to make them look presentable. The morning was focused on the front garden and by lunchtime I'd done a pretty decent job and the whole plot looked a lot smarter.

I came home for some lunch with Simon before heading back to my dads to start on the back garden...a much bigger garden and a much bigger task ahead. It was heavily overgrown and full of weeds and other bits that shouldn't have been there.

By the end of the afternoon progress had been made, although I'd literally just scratched the surface.

I could just start to feel my muscles beginning to ache but that didn't stop me squeezing in a weights workout to round out the day!

Day 832...Wednesday

Thankfully the weather was much better this morning than had been forecast yesterday which meant we could take our usual 1.9 mile walk in a steady 38 minutes, despite my achy body. Why does gardening have such an impact on the body, no wonder it's not my favourite pastime!

So we had a repeat of yesterday today with a morning and afternoon spent at my dad's house gardening. It did rain a little mid way through the afternoon but I was able to occupy myself with other little jobs inside the house. The focus of this week is to get the house looking presentable for estate agent photos next week, so lots of moving things around and storing them out of site.

After a shower and a coffee we decided to head out for another walk in lieu of our usual exercise session. Simon is a little restricted as to what he can do with his arm in cast so walking is proving to be a great alternative; we took a different route to normal in an attempt to find a less hilly route. It was a little less hilly but there's just no way to avoid an incline or two where we are; but another walk of just over 2 miles in 44 minutes was achieved.

I was very glad to finally stop, put my feet up and watch this weeks episode of Ms Marvel.

Day 833...Thursday

And despite my achy muscles we started the day with our usual 1.9 mile walk in 37 minutes.

I was then straight out the door to my dads house to carry on with the gardening although today I had a little company as I was joined by my brother and nephew and by the time I left at lunchtime the back garden was looking pretty good and a whole lot better than when I'd started on Tuesday!

So for the first time in a few days I was able to spend the afternoon at home, although there was no rest for me!

Lunch and a shower out the way it was time to get some research done ahead of podcast recording later in the afternoon. We were talking about the upcoming Epcot Food & Wine festival as all the details of the various food booths have just been released. And as my podcast co-host, Michelle, will be visiting during the festival I had the task of picking some tasty treats for her to try!

We had the most efficient podcast recording session ever as in under an hour we'd not only recorded a show to be released this weekend but also a show for our Patreon supporters. But we had good reason to be efficient as at 5pm UK time tickets for next years Star Wars Celebration in London went on sale and I needed to be poised and ready.

Just before 5pm I clicked on the buy tickets option and found myself on a queue holding page, as 5pm ticked over I was put into the queue and told I had over an hour to wait! Well I was convinced at that point that any chance of getting tickets was looking doubtful, but as I sat and watched the screen the wait time went down surprisingly quickly. Within 20 minutes I was choosing my tickets; the most expensive Jedi Master tickets were all sold out which was fine as we didn't want those as we were after the 4-day tickets and the four day tickets is what we got! A much more cost effective buy than the individual tickets and so by 5.29pm I had our confirmation that we are going to Celebration next April!!

But by 6pm I was starting to see a lot of disappointed fans who'd not been able to secure the 4-day ticket and could only buy the more expensive single day options. It certainly isn't a cheap hobby being a Star Wars fan and I feel exceptionally lucky that we've been able to secure (and been able to afford) the tickets and a hotel. London 2023 here we come!

Phew - the end of Thursday and hopefully a slightly quieter and less garden focused day ahead tomorrow.

See you all then...hopefully!
xx

Day 826 & Day 827

Day 826...Thursday

And another early morning walk to start the day in the glorious sunshine and clear blue skies. Two miles completed in 38 minutes.

And while Simon started his working day I nipped down the road to our local Lidl to stock up on some fresh bits and pieces. Having got all that I needed and everything put away I thought I would take a few minutes with a coffee to sit outside and read a book. I think I lasted five minutes before I gave it up as a bad job; neighbours were all out and about chit chatting away and then the electric saw started...mood killed!

Typically though within a few minutes of retreating indoors to start a different task it all went quiet! Most of my day was spent online chasing a few things as well as re-organising a stack of paperwork. I am moving things from one place to another and using that as an excuse to go through and get rid of all the old stuff. And clearly I don't do that often enough going by the dates on some of the things I came across!

But I also did get a little reading time in as well throughout the day.

Late afternoon I popped to my dad's house to meet up with my brother. He had a friend stop by who manages a charity shop and she was able to take away a good amount of stuff that neither of us want or need and will now go and be of use to someone else.

I was there a little longer than expected and didn't get back home till late, hence why no published blog post!

Day 827...Friday

And we started with another walk over the fields and although it was rather grey and a tad cooler we still managed 1.9 miles in 38 minutes.

I'd had a rubbish nights sleep last night as my brain kept drifting off to all the stuff that we need to get done at my dads house; more stuff to sort, garden to weed and tidy, whole house needs a clean to make it presentable for estate agent photos and then figure out what items I can Ebay or take to an auction house. And having to co-ordinate all of that with my brother and never mind that Simon is unable to help with his broken wrist!

Consequently my morning was spent looking at the three estate agents who have valued the house and putting together a list of pros and cons so that my brother and I could make a decision as to which one we felt happiest using.

Yesterday had also been the day for the inquest into my dads death. We had decided not to attend either in person or virtually. I think both my brother and I had been satisfied with the report received from the coroner and didn't feel hearing it spoken out loud would make much difference. This morning I received a phone call from the registrar's office wanting to double check details so that they could issue the official death certificate. So although I have not received any official word around the inquest this at least tells me that a judgement was made and that the case is now closed. Finally we can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel and be in a position to get some closure.

By the end of the afternoon my brother and I were in agreement as to which estate agent to use (Ewemove won out for their personalised approach so fingers crossed we've made the right decision!) and we now have a date in the diary for having photos taken of the house. This does mean that we have a focus over the next week to get things tidy, presentable and the garden tamed!

Over the course of the day I managed to find a little time for reading some more of my current book; I am trying to find time to indulge in the things that previously I would not have been able to, after all that's what this retirement malarkey is supposed to be all about! I also made more progress on sorting out my filing system!! And more old paperwork headed the way of the shredder.

I was able to have a lovely conversation with my good friend, and podcast co-host, Michelle as she made her way home from work. It was great to keep her company while we chatted about life and our plans for recording a couple of podcast shows next week.

And that was pretty much my day today.

See you again...hopefully tomorrow if I find the time to post!
xx

Day 819 & Day 820

I thought I would join another couple of days together...

Day 819...Thursday

The day started with our early morning walk and we stuck to the same hilly route as has become the norm and we completed 2.3 miles in 46 mins.

With the day underway I spent the majority of the morning at my dads house as we had an estate agent visiting to value the property. We have one more agent valuing the property next week but I have to say I was very impressed with Ewemove, especially as their valuation was more to my liking! But I was more impressed with their approach and their customer service focus. Next weeks agent will have to do a lot to impress me!

I took the time while at my dads to go through some more stuff! We have lots still to go through and as I have said before it is a matter of deciding what we want to keep, what can be donated to charity and what needs to be sold on to find a home where they will be appreciated. Today I went through all my mum's Christmas decorations to see if there was anything that would work with my decorations or anything that I wanted to keep for sentimental reasons. I was hoping to find some old baubles from way back but I couldn't find any at all so I can only assume that over the years my mum had gradually thrown them away or, as most of them would have been glass, they had simply broken.

I did discover an interesting collection of very old records although I don't think Max Bygraves and Val Doonican are my 'cup of tea', in fact I think these probably belonged to my grandma and grandad!

I made sure I was back home by lunchtime as this is when Simon and I now have the first meal of our day and I have to say I am loving this way of starting the day and not eating till later. Plus I still get to have my favourite meal; 'breakfast' - sausage, bacon and mushrooms followed by what we call a sweet omelette (eggs, cream, cinnamon, cloves and a little dark (74%) chocolate!!) with a few raspberries on the side.

I then inadvertently hoovered the garage...I'd gone into the garage to get some weedkiller out and to put the car back but in doing so I'd had to move a ladder which meant I saw all the cobwebs gathering around our gym equipment. And that became my motivating factor to get everywhere hoovered...I lost count of the number of spiders I managed to suck up!

As the weather forecast for Friday was looking rather toasty I decided that I really ought to get the pile of ironing sorted in the slightly cooler weather of today. It was still a hot day today but not to the extreme that the weather was forecast for tomorrow.

With the ironing done I did manage a short while outside in the sunshine with a coffee although it didn't last long as I was beginning to melt. I then managed some online research as I am still trying to figure out what some of the bits and pieces are that we have at my dads; not necessarily the value of the items but more the history and description of them to discover what they actually are.

In lieu of our usual Thursday gym workout as this has been curtailed because of Simon's broken wrist we decided to go for a walk instead. We completed the same walk as this morning although it took us a couple of minutes longer which I think was due to the heat.

Day 820...Friday

Well the weather forecast was correct for a change and we have had another, very hot and sticky day today. In fact as we headed out for our morning walk I did remark to Simon it was like being on holiday as it's not very often here in the UK it's suitable to be out in short, shorts and a sleeveless top at 8.00am! 

It was a glorious morning and we were rather glad that the walk was rather hilly as it meant there was a lovely refreshing breeze the higher we got. Another 2.3 miles in 47 minutes done.

It was then time to head down to my local Lidl for some fresh items. I'd hoped that I could have avoided a shop until next week but the fridge had other ideas. Although I must remember not to shop on a Friday as it would appear that a lot of our older generation still stick to Friday as grocery shopping day!

My day has then been filled with trying to keep cool as we hit temperatures of 31C along with more internet research. It's a slow and painful job but I do feel like I'm making progress and I think that once we have a valuation for the house that we are happy with it will be a motivating factor to make decisions about what we 'do' with everything.

I had hoped to be recording a podcast later this afternoon with my co-host Michelle but we decided it was simply too hot and have decided to leave recording till next week.

Simon and I had hoped to go out for another evening walk today but it was simply too hot, instead we opted for dinner and feet up. 

And there we have the end of the week, let's see what tomorrow shall bring.
xx

Day 812

Day 812...

Our day started, as is the norm at the moment, with an early morning walk. We completed 2.4 miles in 44 minutes and were back home before 9am.

After a quick tidy and clean around I was out the door to nip to Lidl for a few bits and pieces; I always try and coincide my Lidl shop with their weekly release of vouchers just in case there's anything I can make use of!!

My day then consisted of a few household tasks broken up with more cataloguing of items from my mum and dads house. It is taking me much longer than I'd initially thought as trying to research what the items are is so time consuming. I am getting there but there is still much more to do.

Half way through the day I received a call from our local coroners office to advise me that we now have a date for the inquest into my dad's death. Thankfully because the evidence is all straight forward we have been able to go for a 'fast track inquest' which means that in a couple of weeks time we will be able to draw a line and bring some closure to my dads passing.

Yesterday evening in lieu of our normal gym session we had instead opted for taking an evening walk, and while the walk itself was fine it had triggered Simon's hayfever for the first time proper this year. He was left with very sore and irritated eyes which resulted in one of his contact lenses 'getting lost' in his eye...thankfully he was able to retrieve it after numerous attempts but it left his eye feeling even worse. So tonight we decided against a walk and instead Simon gave the exercise bike a try; he wasn't sure how it would feel with one arm in a cast but he managed exactly what he would have done normally. While Simon cycled I focused on some body-weight exercises instead.

And I think that is where I will leave it for today, see you tomorrow.
xx

Day 805

Day 805...

And we have a Thursday...a Thursday...that's a bank holiday...hence the need to keep reminding myself that today was Thursday!

It's the start of the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations hence the bank holiday on a Thursday and another one tomorrow. Although the jubilee won't really affect us as we will simply enjoy the days and do whatever we feel like doing.

And this morning that involved starting the day with a walk in the sunshine. We did the same walk as yesterday morning heading out over the fields on a hilly 1.9 mile walk in 38 minutes. Loving this way to start the day and delaying breakfast until lunchtime is suiting both Simon and I.

Our day has been a very chilled out sort of day; we nipped out for a spot of grocery shopping, we took the car 'for a coffee'...well we had the coffee after Simon had made use of the jet wash at the garage adjacent to the Starbucks, we hoovered and cleaned the interior of the car once we were home and the garage also had a clean. As the garage doubles as our gym we do try and keep it as clean as possible so that it makes for a nicer workout environment.

Towards the end of the afternoon Simon jumped on the exercise bike while I completed my set of planks for the day along with a few more floor exercises. I am trying to get back into the routine of completing planks, sit-ups, push-ups etc most days. These are the exercises that I used to do when I first went low carb and I am hoping to get back into making them part of my daily routine as much as possible.

See you tomorrow.
xx

Day 798

Day 798...

We have had a Thursday and it has been my penultimate last day in work.

And as is the norm it was just a half day in work. I spent the morning updating some documents and just keeping on top of emails and phone calls.

At lunchtime I was all set to walk home as Simon needed the car today as he had a hair appointment. I quickly messaged Simon to say I was setting off for home and he then had the brainwave to pick me up; he was just about to leave for his hair appointment but he knew that I wanted to go to the Asda in the same town so it made sense to pick me up along the way. So while Simon was at the barbers I nipped into Asda to pick up a few bits and pieces, two jobs done for the price of one!

The remainder of the afternoon was fairly quiet as I'd just got a few personal things to sort through before we finished the day with a session down 'our gym'.

All in all a quiet sort of day, and not really very much to report. So I shall see you tomorrow for my last official day in work!
xx

 

Day 791

Day 791...

Another day working from home, although my first job this morning was to nip out to our local Lidl for a quick top-up shop before the day got too busy.

But once home my working day was all about updating contact information; emailing, completing online forms and just figuring out who exactly I needed to contact. A few emails are now awaiting replies but I was pretty happy with all that I managed to get completed today. 

I was also able to do a little work in my new capacity as committee chairperson. The committee is a vital component of pre-school as it is a registered charity and cannot function without one. I have decided to remain connected with the pre-school via this voluntary position and today I had a couple of emails to issue to my other committee members.

At lunchtime we walked out over the fields and completed a steady two miles in 38 minutes. It was a gorgeous day filled with sunshine and warmth. This afternoon I was able to indulge in a coffee outside while I topped up my vitamin D supplies!

The day was rounded out with a weights workout down 'our gym' although I wasn't feeling the greatest but I did manage most of my workout although it wasn't one of my better sessions.

But onwards and upwards and I will see you tomorrow.
xx

Day 785

Day 785...

So today has been Molly's birthday and it is the first birthday she has not been at home for but not to worry she is coming home for the weekend tomorrow and as Simon's birthday is on Monday we will be having a bit of a celebratory weekend.

My day started with getting to grips with my new sports/smart watch thingy! Simon had bought himself one to track fitness, pulse, steps etc and I was feeling left out so when I arrived home yesterday he had surprised me with a lovely pink version.

So as I was not in work today I was able to arrange my day into an order that fitted best with what I wanted and needed to do. Once my new watch was working I headed off to Lidl for my weekly top-up shop as well as buying a few extra treats ready for the weekend.

Back home and it was time to get on with a little work. I am in the process of going through all the documentation that has been created over my time with pre-school and having a good clear out of now redundant items.

Lunchtime saw Simon and I take a walk over the fields completing 1.9 miles in 39 minutes. The afternoon saw me carrying on with more pre-school work as well as sorting through some more paperwork relating to my dads estate. 

Late afternoon I was at my dads house as we are having to have it valued so that the estate can be settled, and ultimately the house will be sold. I think that is going to be a very strange experience as it was the only house I ever knew growing up as we had lived there since it was built in the very early 1970's, and we moved in when I was about three years old.

The day was then rounded out with an AGM meeting of the pre-school committee. We needed to swear in a new committee which means that as I am stepping down from my paid role of manager I will be taking on the volunteer role of Chairperson!!

And that was Thursday and I will see you tomorrow.
xx

Day 778

Day 778...

After yesterday's Star Wars Day it meant that today was, of course, Revenge of the Fifth (aka Sith!).

But whatever the day it was another full and busy day in work for me. I spent the day covering for a member of staff who is off at the moment and so have found myself back in full working mode after a few weeks where I had started to take a step back in readiness for finishing at the end of the month.

The trip home involved a quick detour to our local Lidl to pick up some fresh essentials before arriving home to a freshly brewed coffee and a couple of letters from the solicitors. Finally things are starting to move forwards with the winding up of my dads estate and while it is still slow going it was good to get some official paperwork through!

I then had to go and rescue a parcel that had been mis-delivered. The wonderful company that is now called Evri (previously Hermes) are living up to their reputation of being ever so unreliable! Thankfully this parcel was addressed correctly and it just so happened that the house it was delivered to recognised my surname. Although the house is across the main road from where we live the person that now lives there had children that went to the same school as my children and we had been acquainted over the years. They recognised my name and reached out via Facebook! Had they not have done that then goodness knows what would have happened to my parcel!

By the end of the day we had time for a quick gym session before settling down for the evening.

See you tomorrow,
xx

Day 771

Day 771...

Another post being written late in the day and another day without much to tell.

I was in work this morning with yet more transitioning of my job role over to others. The afternoon was spent at home with a short journey out to my local Lidl for some essential fresh supplies.

Back home and I found myself catching up with some work bits as well as sending a few emails in relation to my dad's estate. I then managed to find a short amount of time to move some jigsaw pieces around!

After Simon had finished for the day we headed down the gym, aka our garage, for a weights workout. I will admit to not really being in the mood but I got on and did my workout although it was the coldest I've been in a while; in fact the gloves were back out!

Short and sweet and I'll see you tomorrow.
xx
 

Day 764

Day 764...

Today turned out to be quite productive even with an unexpected trip to Ikea.

First job of the day was to get the ironing pile out of the way which didn't take too long at all. Next it was a trip to Lidl to get re-stocked on some fresh items and take advantage of some of their weekly vouchers.

On the way home I stopped by my dad's house to make sure all was well and see whether there was any post, which there wasn't. I took the opportunity to bring home his digital photo frame which we are hoping to use on Monday as a way to remember him at the gathering we are having to celebrate his life. I had another look around hoping to find some missing pieces of jewellery but to no avail, although I did get distracted looking through a box of very old photos. There is some wonderful moments of history in those photos as they are of my grandparents when they were younger and I am thankful to my grandma for writing names and dates on them all.

Back home and with the shopping put away I decided to see if I could get the new TV set up. I'd just got it out the box when Simon joined me and between us we had it in place and logged into all our various streaming apps in a matter of minutes.

After lunch I decided to embark on making up the set of drawers that we'd bought yesterday from Ikea. I'd got all the various bolts and screws laid out and began taking the different pieces of wood out of the packaging, I got to the very last piece and discovered that one corner was severely damaged! 

Oops, damaged piece!

So there was only one thing for it and off to Ikea I went. Armed with the damaged piece and my receipt it was a relatively straight forward process to get the piece swapped over. Although it did mean that the staff had to open a new package and then try and figure out which panel needed replacing. As it was a side panel we couldn't figure out whether it was the right or left side so I was given both sides to take home and just told to take back the piece I don't need when I next visit Ikea!

By the time I got home I was in need of a coffee and thankfully Simon had put a pot on that was freshly brewed as I walked in the door. Refreshed with coffee I then started the building of the set of drawers that I'd started about an hour and a half earlier! But by the time Simon had finished work it was almost complete and Simon joined me as I was assembling the drawers and so between us we got the job done...

Completed drawers

And with that it was time for a quick gym workout before settling down for the evening.

See you all tomorrow.
xx

Day 757

Day 757...

Another day that saw a good amount of 'stuff' get done!

First job of the day was to pop to the funeral home to collect the jewellery that my dad was wearing when he passed away. There were only a couple of pieces to collect which included my mum's wedding ring that he used to wear on a chain so I was very happy to get them back. Although there are a few pieces of jewellery that we haven't managed to find yet but that I know he used to wear and I also know would mean a lot to Molly if we could find them.

On the way home I stopped at our local Lidl to pick up a few essentials. Good job I did as I also have an Asda shop to collect tomorrow and yet again there are quite a few items that I cannot get but thankfully I had the sense to pick them up from Lidl instead.

Once home it was podcast recording time with my co-host Michelle. We recorded two shows; this coming Sunday's Disney Dream Girls and a special show just for our Patreon supporters. We talked about Disneyland Paris as Michelle is off over there next week, some news items, some Easter food treats and ticket prices and reservations.

I finished recording just as Simon was about to break for lunch and so we decided to pop out for a lunchtime walk completing 2.5 miles in 48 minutes. After a spot of lunch I then headed to my dad's house to see if I could find any jewellery pieces and check on the post. No jewellery found but I have had a look through some other bits and bobs as I try to get clear in my head those items that we may want to keep, those that can be sold and those that will be thrown away.

Back home once again and I had the pleasure of the ironing pile to attack...whoop! Actually it wasn't as bad as I thought it was and was dealt with relatively quickly. In fact I even found a spare few minutes to sit outside with a coffee and enjoy a spot of late afternoon sunshine. Although between the rather large bumble bee buzzing around and the wood pigeons that like to swoop on and off the fence next to where I was sat it wasn't the most relaxing of times!

The day was rounded out with a trip to our gym. But now I think I need to put my feet up and have a cuppa!

See you tomorrow.
xx