Big Changes...

Happy New Year.

Last year was full of highs and lows. 

I sadly lost my Mum in January and then in November her brother passed away.  Work is another big change.  Due to things that have occurred in the last few months I feel I can no longer work with the people I do. 

The good things to have come out of these are the love of my friends and family.  My cousins came to Mums funeral and for the first time I felt like I had bothers and sisters.  We are not a close family, however, I think the things that have happened this year have made us closer and I like that.  My friends have been such a support too and I have also been reminded who my true friends are.

There have been many highlights too, seeing Prince live, camping in Wales, holidays in Spain, a festival and the best one of all being present at the birth of my best friends little girl.

The plans for this year are to change jobs, things are in the pipeline for this which if come off means a complete career change and a lot lower salary.  But I hope with this change (fingers crossed) I will be happier and have a better work/life balance.  We are still working on the house, there is more to do than we first thought but we will get there.  I hope to have more time to do things that I would like to, hobbies, spending time with my hubby and friends, oh and blog! :)




 

Things to Do

I am trying to get things in the house organised.  My mate keeps threatening to call some man off the tv who does a de-cluttering show.  I think I have spoken on here about my hoarding problem!  Anyhow I have been on a bit of a roll (of me) and have made a start.

I had bags of clothes that I hoped to fit into but they have been in cases in my spare room for years!  I went though them with the thought of selling them on FB but know that they would just sit there again so I bit the bullet and took 7 bin bags to the charity shop.  I have kept a few items back to list on Ebay as they are more "named" clothes.  One case I gave to the charity shop and the other two to a friend who is moving to transfer her clothes in.  This has just made a small dent in the mountain of stuff I have but it is a biggish step for me. 

So for this week I have made a list of things I want to get done:

List all I have to sell on Ebay
Finish Little Table (first chalk painting project)
Ironing
Sort holiday paperwork out - book car park, travel insurance and cattery
Mend clothes
Sort paper work out and file
Take bag of jumpers to homeless shelter
Make soup
Continue sorting the spare room
Deep clean bathroom - sort toiletries out

So instead of sitting here in my pj's I better make a start.  I'll just have another brew first....

 

It's Been Awhile...

It's been over a year since my last post and some things have changed.

Sadly my Mum passed away in January.  She had been in hospital for several months which showed her strength as when she went in the doctors didn't expect her to survive the day she went in.  I will write more on another post about the excellent (and sometimes not so) care she received. 

But for now I want to start getting back into the habit of writing on here.  I have been reading blogs regularly so feel I am, in a way, still part of the "community". 

Our Day Off

It's very rare that me and my OH get a day off together as I work days Mon-Fri and he works nights Fri-Tue but for some reason his shifts this week have changed and as I now get flexi time at work we spent today together.

Weather wise it has been nice so two loads of washing were on the line first thing. The other day I wanted some chicken breasts but it worked out cheaper to get a reduced chicken and cut the breasts off.  So with the left over carcass which has alot of meat on it I put in the slow cooker with onions and carrots.

Where mum lives they are having a fair this coming weekend to raise money for their activities and trip out so I sorted out a load of books, dvd's and bric a brac which we dropped off today.  Mum was a bit down today but overall she is doing so well there and soon managed to get up walk unaided when it was lunch time!  We decided to treat ourselves to lunch out and got 2 meals for £10 in a pub in mums town.  I was impressed the food was piping hot and there was plenty of it, we would go back.  It is a market town and I remember as a child going shopping with mum.  Today we had the time to wander round and pick up a few bits and bobs.  They have a scoop shop.  I am not sure if the prices are much, if any, cheaper but I like the fact that I can just get the weight of things I need.  They really promote local shopping and the sign in the grocers said it had been trading for 60 years.  I recognised the lady serving from when mum shopped there over 30 years ago! Looking at their prices and they were far better than the supermarkets and some of the veg they sell was grown locally just a few miles from the shop.

When we got home another load of washing went on the line, buns were baked and a very spicy carrot and lentil soup made.  The chicken carcass strips and stock strained.  There is more chicken than I expected so think I'll make a chicken biryani and hopefully some soup too.

I could get use to this not going to work lark :)

My 40th

Above is what waited for me outside our home on the eve of my birthday.  Cards, a lovely planted box of plants and flowers.

 

The house decorated with banners.

I was told to book a couple of days off work but with no clue as to why.  On my birthday morning, opening my presents while having breakfast in bed.

These gorgous earrings from my OH, so lovely and what a surprise.

I was told to pack a bag, to include a swimming cozzie and wellies - kinky my mate said when I told her!

With the bag packed we set off.  Wearing my badge of course.

I had no idea where we were going and just took instructions from my OH.  We drove towards Harrogate so I thought I bet we are staying here but no we carried on.  It wasn't until I saw signs for Bolton Abbey I thought no, how could he have guessed, it must be somewhere else until his last instruction turn right and we pulled into the Devonshire Arms car park.  Now on my life list I want to visit a Michelin starred restuarnt.  I had googled the nearest one to us and it was this place.  I never spoke to anyone about it as I thought is is something to save for in the future.  My OH had listened to my waffling on about Michelin stars and choose here. 

 

 

 

The whole stay from start to finish was amazing.  We had lunch, walked in the grounds, swam, read and had the most incredible dinner.  I had pink champagne.  The food was fancy and we had things we hadn't even heard of.  It was the whole dinning experiance, from the way each course was served to all the different flavors and textures.  Even the cheese and biscuits were special.  Dessert was a cake.

 

 

Even though it was February it was a nice day, not like some of my birthdays when I was little when parties had to be cancelled due to snow (we lived two miles from a main road down a farm track so use to get snowed in). 



 





 

 

 

 

 

 



I felt like a princess and so lucky. I can honestly say I didn't stop smiling from the moment I woke up until I crashed out at the end of the day. 

Last Sunday...

I did the Race for Life.

I walked fast and it took me longer than I'd hoped but the atmosphere was incredible.  People joining together for a cause.  There were all ages and abilities there, as well as lots of dressed up dogs!  I find reading the messages people had on their backs very emotional.

I look like a beetroot!

In the afternoon I had a massage and facial that my friend had given me for my 40th.  I was so relaxed I fell asleep in the garden when I came home.  A great end to a great day.

 

Nights Out

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This week due to the good weather we had a couple of spontaneous nights out.

On Tuesday we went to the sea side after work. Had fish and chips, walked on the beach and finished with an icecream.

A couple of nights later we decided to go for a picnic.  We were already having soup and sandwiches for dinner so packed them into a bag and drove to Castle Howard.  We sat in the car, enjoying the view while munching on our butties. 

After we finished we walked round the lake.

A family of ducks had bedded down for the night in the middle of the path, we tried not to disturb them as we walked past.

 

 



Before heading back to the car as the sun was setting.

We really enjoyed just doing something different, rather than just sitting in and both evenings didn't cost much.