Chunking out January, one piece at a time

3/52

My Instagram weekly round-up is on a Wednesday and I always check in here, on a Sunday!!
Sorry for any confusion.  You get a slice of both weeks in one square!

We have had so much rain here in Somerset. Any fleeting moments of dry, nice skies, no grey, are to be celebrated fully. It's felt a long month. Mainly because it's been wet and I can't get out much. I always have a chunk of time off in January that feels a little wasted if the weather isn't great. In past years I've done some decorating. Could've of done some now but haven't had the motivation!! 

I've spent a chunk of my time de-cluttering my wardrobe, meeting friends for coffee and going to the local cinema. My second film of the year, Song Sung Blue. It surprised me that the cinema was so full, but I guess everyone one else was thinking the same ....what do you do on a wet Wednesday afternoon in Wells?!!!

I've finally got my hands on the Lenzetto spray for my HRT. It is such a nice change from the faff of the gel and patches. Still have symptoms, but can still up my dose if necessary. Fingers crossed this works and things start to settle down.

A BIG surprise this week, which was definitely not on my radar, was getting Benson Boone tickets. He was absolutely amazing when we saw him in London in November. He'd had to cancel a show in Birmingham just days before our show and had promised to reschedule. It popped up on my FB page that he'd confirmed a new date, so I messaged my friend who should have been going, just to say 'good news'! Didn't think anything more of it, refreshed my Instagram feed and there was Benson, announcing the new date with a ticket link in his bio!!! It hadn't even crossed my mind that there would be extra tickets. After phone calls to Sophie and a frenzied 10 minutes, I got tickets!!! So we head to Birmingham on Mother's Day, super excited!!

I'm hoping the ticket God's will be kind tomorrow, when the Harry Styles tickets go on sale!!!

I finished my first book of the year 'The Seven Husbands of Hugo Evelyn' and started my next 'You and me on vacation'. I am determined to read more this year. I have plenty of reading material to choose from. Sophie passes down books she's read, plus I have my kindle, so no excuses.

I hate recommending books as everyone is so different, same goes for holiday recommendations, what suits one person may not suit someone else!! I have similar reading tastes to Sophie, and for me, I need something pretty easy to follow (menopause brain to blame there!) so I read what she passes my way. 

By Friday I was ready to head to the charity shop and drop off my de-cluttering!!

And then made the most of a window of dry weather. I looked at the weather radar, saw a clear patch and headed over to Ham Wall for a burst of fresh air. The paths and gravel tracks, although scattered generously with puddles

But it is so calm and peaceful over there, so good for the soul.

I did take these photo's. Annoyingly the kingfisher alluded me. I did spot it, but is was too fast and fleeting for me to capture. Next time!!

Friday night was Traitors final night. I've persuaded Jeff to watch this series with me and I'm pleased to say he stuck it out to the end. I love it. It's just good old family tv. Two very deserved winners!

Yesterday was a Gallery day, my final Saturday for this exhibition.

It all comes down on Monday morning, gets a refresh of paint before the next exhibition, and my longer stint resumes after February half term.

So here we are, another Sunday morning. So far it's dry, but not for much longer. Today I am booking the final two parts of our Summer trip. I've been doing some research the past few days and just need to get it booked now. Then I can run through the whole itinerary, remind myself what we have booked and then I can start to delve into the resorts and islands a little deeper and plan out some ideas of things to do, places to see.... The ferry schedules will be released soon, so we can get that all booked up and we have to book a car for Ithaca, as public transport there is very limited. You need some thing sunny to look forward to on these miserable, grey January days.

Half way through January!!

I hate January!! 

I always feel January is a bit of a marathon, an endurance test!! 

But we're two weeks through!

Mock exams are done!!

I ended my stint with a 3 hour (with an extra 45mins) Philosophy exam.

We were the last ones standing. Just me, a boy, and an empty exam hall.

My exams are done until April, so I have a bit more time at home. 

This is what I come home to....a daily scene!

The plate has now reached the worktop, rather than being left on the kitchen table, but still hasn't quite jumped into the sink and washed itself!! I keep explaining to Sam that he is no longer a visitor but is living here, for the foreseeable, and that means doing the washing up!!! Hasn't quite computed yet!!

Wednesday was a lovely morning. Frustratingly, I had a doctor's appointment, so a walk was off the cards. It was still pretty on my walk into town. I had a HRT follow up. Another change of treatment to get my symptoms under control. I will get there eventually!!!

I spent my afternoon over in Wells, at my local little cinema watching Hamnet, my first film of the year. It's a fabulous place, £5 for a ticket with a free coffee/tea and a biscuit. So I try and use it when I can. 

I spent a very wet Thursday embarking on my de-cluttering mission! I have so many clothes but end up wearing the same things day in, day out. So I want to really go through everything and really analyse what I wear. If I haven't worn something in a year, get rid! I have a box of duplicates. Being short, I often find it hard to find trousers in particular, in the right size/length, so if I really like something, I buy a duplicate pair ready for when the original wears out. So rather than these being hung up, I've made a list and boxed them up, so it's easier to see what I have. So far I've gone through my shorts, trousers and skirts (which I never wear, but have just in case I have an occasion where I might have to wear one!!) Next week I'll tackle my jumpers, tops, jackets etc. The charity shop is going to love me x

What a gift of a morning x

My day started off with an impromptu walk on Friday.  

I had no plans to walk, as I had a coffee date in the diary but when you wake up to a morning like this, you squeeze it in!! I had to stop en-route to take this capture. Simply stunning.

A quick hour around Ham Wall before meeting up with my friend.

The light was perfect.

And the views stunning.

My first Scarlet Elf Cup spot of the year.

And as always, the friendliest of robins.

Saturday was a Gallery day.

The Student Exhibition.

I have one more Saturday next week and then that's me done until the next exhibition, which starts after February half term. I wish more people came to see it. It really is a fabulous celebration of student work and worthy of being seen.

This week has been full of drama on the music front, well, if you are a Harry Styles fan! He has been teasing/dripping out his new album/tour hints. I will try, being the operative word, to get tickets when the pre-sale goes live. I think it will be a hard ask, but if it's meant to be, it will happen. Sophie and I saw him live in 2023 at Cardiff Stadium. Rumour has it, it'll just be at Wembley, so will be highly sought after. I just hope tickets go on sale before I'm back in the gallery, so I can sit at my computer and waste a morning watching the queue crawl to nothing!! I must be positive!!

Today (Sunday) is grey, damp and miserable!  If we get dry weather during the week ahead, I will get out and walk. If it's wet, my de-cluttering mission will continue. I need to spend some time researching/booking the last two destinations of our summer trip. I've booked 90% of the trip, just two short town stops to get done! I've been loving Amanda & Alan's Greek Job on the island of Corfu. It makes me excited for the summer. We are ending our Ionian adventure on the island of Corfu. The island where we first holidayed together and where we will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. I have so much love for the island of Corfu. I'd happily be there now, instead of a grey, damp, miserable day in the UK! 24 weeks away and counting!!

What a week, exams, PV, gallery...

HOLA! Week one of January done!!!

I made the most of my Monday morning. 

It was my only chunk of free time this week.

Sam was supposed to come with me but an extra hour in bed was more appealing. 

So I went solo! Parked up at the YHA and headed out for some fresh air.

Relishing in the the odd nod to Spring and new growth.

It's a lovely walk....

....just me!!

I didn't see another soul for the duration of my walk.

The forecast for the weeks ahead are wet. 

I have loved these clear blue sky days. 

It makes such a difference to my general well being and happiness.

This is my favourite tree.

Is that odd, having a favourite tree?

It is the perfect shape and stands proudly, on it's own, in the middle of the field.

And this is a feature I have found on my phone, that can change the style of an image 

(pic from above) There are a few to choose from, I think they're cool, just a bit of fun. I needed to disguise a gallery pic (see below) and as a result discovered this fancy feature!! 

Simple observations, like the light on this leaf, make me happy x

I took this photo back in late November. It was on the pavement outside Snails Deli in Cardiff. This week the words have really resonated with me. Over the Christmas period we had some extremely sad family news. My cousins' 27 year old daughter passed away, I won't go into the details but such a sad end to a young life. And earlier this week I was told that a work colleague had a terminal health diagnosis. Both upset me greatly. Both made me take a deep breath and want to shout 'Live life to the full!' at the top of my voice. Take every day and see the joy, be happy, seek out the positives, however small. None of us know what is around the corner, what we might have to endure, so when life is just plodding along, find the small moments of joy, the things that make you happy. Walk past people, say hello, smile, just gesture kindness. Make the most of a blue sky morning. Tell someone they look nice today or hold a door open, help someone with an everyday task, just small gestures of kindness and positivity make a huge difference to another person or how it can make you feel.

I was working in the gallery yesterday and another teacher messaged me to say she was on her way back to school and passing by Starbucks, would I like a coffee. That small, but incredibly thoughtful gesture made my day. 

I have been in school, back to work, all week. It's been a shock to the system. The positive, my week has whizzed by. I have been invigilating U6 mock exams. I do the additional support exams, so end up with the students who use laptops, have additional time, rest breaks etc. 

In-between the exam sessions and during any free time, I have been helping out in the gallery...

 .....preparing for the student exhibition.

Outside, looking in.

It was the Private View on Friday evening and then I was in all day yesterday hosting the exhibition to the general public. I love this exhibition. Unfortunately the work can not be photographed or shared on social media, hence the blurred and enhanced images, as it is current exam work. It's such a shame as the art work is brilliant, so you need to pop in and see it in the flesh, if you are local!!

One thing I am going to try and do, in addition to my monthly round-up, is a weekly best nine! 

I have a plan/idea to showcase my year in one square!!! 

So every Wednesday evening, I am going to do a weekly round-up of images that reflect my week. As always, you can see these in real time over on my Instagram account. It's currently set to private, so if you do wish to pop over and have a nosey, you just need to request to follow and then I can approve your request to access my account.

So, today I am doing nothing!! 

I have two more full days of exams next week, then my current exam stint is done, until the main exam season starting in April. I am in for the next two Saturdays, hosting the student exhibition and then return after February half term for the next exhibition run of four weeks.

So I have a bit of free time ahead. I am hoping we get some dry days to get out walking. I have lots of people to catch up with over coffee. There are a few films I'd like to see. I want/need to have a good de-clutter at home and then take any good stuff to the charity shop and lastly, I want to find a pocket or two of time, to read my book. I'm currently reading 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo', by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It's a great book but I've only been managing a chapter a night, as I've been so tired!!

Wishing any readers here, a great week xx

January beginnings

We start the year with the first full moon, a supermoon, the Wolf Moon.

It was incredible, watching it appear from behind the Tor. It literally took just over a minute to be fully visible and it was so big and so bright. Amazing!!

The day started off beautifully clear and bright. 

I took myself off, over to Coombe Hill woods.

It was so peaceful and calm.

That is something I want to do more of this year, get back to my walking.

If it's dry and I've nothing on, I want to get out and walk!!

Sometimes the thought of it is too much but once I am out, actually walking, it feels great to be out in the fresh air. I do prefer to walk on my own, at my own pace, taking photo's as and when I like. I must be stronger at carving out time just for me and not waste hours scrolling through social media!!

I have been using my time off to get organised.

Starting the year off with a tidy desk. Remove the clutter!!

I've also been LOVING the Traitors.

It's such a good show and I've managed to persuade Jeff to watch it with me this series. I love the fact that everyone has to watch in real time and that it's something to talk about afterwards. Although I do wish they didn't leave the episode on a cliff-hanger and we have to wait days to find out what happens! 

Daffs are back in the shops. Best £1 spent in January.

Something so simple.....

....brings me so much joy!

The weather these past few days has been dry and cold. Perfect winter weather!

This was the sky this morning!

So tomorrow marks the return to work.

Sam returns today. He came back from Bristol late Friday evening and is back in today 2 - finish. Jeff is back in tomorrow morning, a six week term ahead. And, I start back on Monday afternoon, invigilating an A'Level mock Politics exam. The Student exhibition opens this week, with the Private View on Friday evening and then I'm in for the following three Saturdays.

I'm spending today organising our next trip away, during the Easter break. We've had the flights booked for ages but haven't got round to sorting out our accommodation. It's slightly tricky as we fly out on Maundy Thursday, straight into the Easter festivities and we have no idea what public transport will be running, so getting around could be a little tricky. I like to spend January plotting and planning out our adventures. Gives me something to look forward to. 

Our Summer trip is 90% booked, just two places left to book and then we have our October adventure to organise. The flights have been booked but that's it, so I can start to research that. We most probably, won't be going anywhere at Christmas this year, as Jeff breaks up a little later, so I will turn my attention to 2027! We already have our Summer destination figured out, so I can start looking!!!