Wet Bank Holiday Monday

Day 411...

So today turned out to be your stereotypical bank holiday Monday - wet!

But that didn't stop us at all and we had another very productive day. Once we had collected the weekly grocery shop we decided to take up a little more carpet...we are basically left with a square of carpet in each room that will be having new flooring this week, just enough for us to live with for the next couple of days. It did mean another trip to our local recycling centre to get rid of another car full of carpet!

Then after lunch we decided to give the living room a little touch up of paint. When we realised that the paint we had was the right colour but a different finish we decided that rather than just 'touch up' we would re-do the whole room. Now it's a pretty decent size room so it took us all afternoon but we were really pleased to get it all done and give the room a whole refresh ahead of the new wood floor being laid.

And that was really it for today - grocery shop, carpet, recycling centre and painting - while outside it decided to rain pretty much all of the day. Fair to say I think we made the best of the day!

Take care.
xx

 

Sunday Drama

Day 410...

Well I am writing this quite late again today as we have had another busy.

After a steady start to the day we set about moving a couple of pieces of furniture out of the living room. One was a six shelf bookcase...full of books...so we had to empty it, then move it and then restack the shelves. We had to then do the same with a large cupboard that was full of DVD's. But both pieces are now in their temporary home and a little more space has been created.

We then had a trip to our local recycling centre to dispose of all the carpet that we had took up yesterday. We now have an empty car to fill with yet more carpet!

After a spot of late lunch we watched a brilliant video by Dr John Lee talking all about the pandemic, our reaction to it and explaining in plain english the errors that have been made and what should have happened. I urge you to seek out this short film and give it a watch.

We then took a walk out over the fields to get a breath of fresh air and have a break from furniture moving. We took a slightly different route to normal and managed 2.74 miles in 55 minutes.

But once back home we set to taking up more carpet in our bedroom and the living room. We have gone around the edge of the rooms to get rid of carpet, underlay and the horrid carpet grippers while leaving some carpet for us to live with over the next couple of days before the new wood floor goes down.

Before we knew it it was almost 8pm and we were covered in dust. So we decided take out was in order and we sent Molls and her fella off to pick up some kebabs while Simon and I got changed out of our dusty clothes!

And then the drama ensued...while eating my chicken and steak kebab I took my first bite and found myself choking! With a combination of me making myself cough and Simon giving me a good slap on the back as well as trying the heimlich manoeuvre I was able to get rid of the blockage. It's the first time I can remember choking like that and it was a scary experience. I didn't eat much after that and now have quite a raw throat that has left me with a gravelly voice!

So the rest of my evening will be spent with a vodka and tonic, dark chocolate and watching RuPauls Drag Race Down Under!

Take care.

xx

Saturday Shuffle

Day 409...

So having reached the weekend we find ourselves with plenty to do ahead of happenings next week!

But first we had a trip to the post office as Simon had sold another Shadowman poster via his website. Then we popped over to a local window company to chat with one of their sales guys about our new windows and more importantly our new front door. We have a non-standard size door that had been proving a little tricky to sort a replacement for but having visited the showroom we now have a solution and can move ahead with getting the windows and door sorted.

Then this afternoon we started to clear three of our rooms ahead of new wood flooring going down next week. We needed to make the rooms as accessible as possible and move as much furniture out of the rooms as we could.

One of the rooms was particularly challenging as it is a mezzanine floor, that we call the gallery, which is where Simon works. All the furniture was built in situ so removing it meant lowering them over  a balustrade to the room below! Thank goodness we had Molly and her fella on hand to help us! How we get it back up is a question for a week's time...eek!!

But it was an afternoon well spent with the gallery area being completely cleared including the carpet and a good amount of items getting moved out of the living room. We still have more furniture to move and the carpet to clear from the living room as well as our bedroom so it's a good job it's a long weekend!

Well a productive day was rounded out with the making of keto pizza, a few nibbles, strawberries, chocolate and wine.

Take care.

xx

 

It's the Weekend!

Day 408...

And we have reached the last day of the working week and for me it was a full day in work...I know...shocker!

The day started with a little drama as one of our staff had had their car broken into overnight. Thankfully there was no damage and apart from the inconvenience of a few phone calls and being late into work there was no real upset.

My work day was another pretty standard day of admin, emails and banking. As it's the end of the week we always look forward to what we have planned for the upcoming week so that we can make sure we have the right equipment and resources for whatever activities we have planned. My job is then to compose an email to parents to let them know what we will be doing for the week, I then use this information to create posts on our Facebook page, our website and the online learning journals for all our children. 

And with thanks to the husband of one of my staff we managed to get fixed a piece of our furniture that had been broken a couple of days earlier. All our furniture has to be on wheels as we need to move it in and out of our building each day into an outdoor storage container and a couple of days ago one set of wheels had broken away. Thankfully a few drill holes later and some new screws and all was fixed and working again.

On my way home I decided to nip into a local supermarket to pick up a few bits and pieces for the weekend...and I remembered why I normally avoid a Friday afternoon! Not only was the store busier than I would prefer...I like to be in and out...but there was also more traffic than normal. Oh well I will remember to avoid a late Friday afternoon in future.

With shopping unpacked and a coffee poured I jumped online to do a little more birthday shopping as well as a little card shopping, and then Simon finished worked and made me our now traditional Friday night Martini...or I should say Vodkatini as it was tonight. The last few Fridays we have enjoyed a little tipple while watching The Falcon & The Winter Soldier but as last week was the last episode we had nothing to watch so it was enjoyed as an aperitif  as I prepped dinner and Simon did a little more digital artwork.

And there we have a Friday and we are ready for the weekend...and it is an extra long weekend as not only do we have a bank holiday on Monday but I also have an inset day at pre-school on Tuesday and as we have already worked the hours it will be a day off in lieu.

Take care out there.
xx

Day 407

Day 407...

Another day of two halves with the morning spent in work and the afternoon at home.

My morning was, once again, pretty standard stuff with emails, admin and banking to contend with. On my way home at lunchtime I stopped by my hairdresser to get a 'patch test'...something that all hairdressers seem to be doing following this last lockdown. I have had my hair coloured and bleached for about 25 years but it is now industry standard for clients to have skin tests to ensure there is no allergic reaction after not being able to have had our hair coloured for at least five months! I cannot wait for two weeks time so that I can go back to my usual super short crop as well as getting my blonde back.

Once home, and after a spot of lunch, I spent most of the afternoon trying to get on top of my online birthday shopping. I have made good progress and have placed a few different orders. Not only do I have Simon and Molly to think about but I also have a few friends with birthdays in May; it is a very busy birthday month! 

I have also placed a butchers order for delivery next week and managed to move our upcoming dentist appointment as it was now clashing with our new flooring being installed. So although I haven't physically moved much this afternoon I have managed to get quite a lot of things done...thank goodness for the power of the internet!

And some good news today...I got the results back from my mammogram that I had a couple of weeks ago and everything is 'normal' - phew!

Take care out there.
xx

Day 406

Day 406...

Well I suppose I'd better write a blog post...been one of those days when time seems to have just disappeared.

My morning was spent in work with the usual bits and bobs of admin and banking. When I arrived home at lunchtime Simon and I took a walk out, battling the wind, and managed 1.8 miles in 36 minutes. 

The afternoon was then split between getting caught up with the ironing, which didn't take me too long, and then some online retail shopping. I have a number of birthdays coming up in May...most notably Simon and Molly...and I thought I really ought to do some shopping!

Well suffice to say, fueled by at least two coffees, the time flew by and I'm not really sure whether it was productive or not! I am probably too indecisive and had way too many tabs open while trying to figure out what I wanted to buy. I did in the end get a few things bought and hopefully have a better idea of what else I'd like to buy, so at least I've made a start!

So before I knew it the afternoon was over and Simon had finished work. Although before we could stop for the day we had a few sales from Simon's website to organise. Just recently Simon had created some artwork for a game called Shadowman, that he had worked on back in the 1990's, and had some prints produced that he now has for sale via his website. On checking his email earlier today he'd discovered that three posters had been sold and so we needed to organise getting them posted, all off to the US.

But once that was done that was our day...I just need to refresh my glass of wine and find some chocolate!

Take care out there.
xx

Day 405...Tuesday

Day 405...

And we have another Tuesday and another day of two halves.

My morning was spent in work and was the usual mix of admin, emails and banking along with some prep work for a new starter in a couple of weeks time. A pretty standard, but productive, morning.

Once home it was straight back out the door to go on a walk with Simon as he had not long started his lunch break; we did our usual 1.89 miles in about 38 minutes.

After reheating some leftover keto pizza for my lunch I decided to check my emails which meant I had the necessary details to be able to process the wages for pre-school before I headed out the door once more. 

I then picked my dad up to take him to the barbers as his car is still out of action. Although I've now realised that Simon had his hair cut last week, my dad this week, Ethan is next week but I've got to wait until the week after...that doesn't seem right!! While my dad had his hair cut I did a little grocery shopping for him and filled my car with petrol and timed it perfectly to pick up my dad with his refreshed hair!

Back home I did a little pre-school work to organise a few folders ready for processing tomorrow. I also had a couple of emails back from two different window companies and am now trying to figure out what each of them are offering and which is the best option for us. I have one more company coming out to give us a quote next week and hopefully we might get to have a look around a showroom at the weekend to give us a better idea of what we can do.

As I was sat at my laptop I could hear my neighbour outside and she was sounding rather jolly... I looked outside and she waved madly at me with a glass of champagne in her hand...her daughter had given birth to a little girl this afternoon and so she was, quite rightly, celebrating! She was so happy and it was lovely to spend a few minutes with her letting her share her news. 

At the end of the working day it was time for a little home workout before settling down for some Netflix and chill!!

Take care.
xx