Sunday 5 November 2023

Family time and a birthday girl in the house!!!


A nice treat on our return from our travels....Sam!
Sam had the weekend off work, so decided to come home for a few days.


We went to the woods last Sunday morning together.


Always lovely company and......


.....he's a good fungi spotter!!


It was just nice to be home x


Although I left Jeff to do Halloween. 
Not that he did anything!! The treats in the bowl were as full as when I left them!


I was away when the new month arrived, so had to grab a late photo


I popped up to Shropshire to meet old school friends. We've been meaning to all get together again, although Emma's plans changed last minute and she couldn't make it. I think it's been since 2019 that we all got together, before Covid put a stop to things. I drove up to Hereford and then Mel drove us across to Ludlow, where we met up for a mooch, lunch, coffee and lots of chat!!! We went to Sixth Form there and I haven't been back in 35 yrs!!!


Mel's mum kindly put me up for the night, was just like old times. We ate out in Cleobury, where I lived from age 11 until Uni days, when my mum and dad moved away. Which is partly why I never really went back, as they no longer lived there. It hasn't really changed. We were looking back at our childhoods, compared to today and all the phones/social media/influencer focus. We had such good, innocent, happy, un-pressured childhoods. We would spend all day at school together, walk home, phone each other (in the hallway with a timer!!), do homework, have tea, then meet up, walk, play records, chat, go home, then repeat!!! So very different to today and the constant messaging, videoing, no off switch, pressure etc.


Anyway, a lovely couple of days away!
Came home and had been asked to do the Christmas display back at Sainsbury's. More a case of setting the scene, with some Christmas silhouettes, which can be added to,   with any info. Was nice to be asked back and feel my previous efforts had been appreciated and missed!!


And then at home it was time to pack away Halloween and set the scene for the Birthday Girl!


Sophie went out with friends on the Friday evening, so didn't come home until her actual birthday yesterday (Saturday). We then had to wait for Jeff to come home from work, before we could open pressies etc


It's nice they want to come home!
24 years old!!!
Where, oh where, have the years gone?


Of course I made a cake!!


And the best bit.........she brought Sam home with her too. 
That's two weekends on the trot, we've had the joys of his company. I'm seeing it as en early birthday present, having us all together. No one will be here for my actual birthday, so I'm calling it in now!! Will enjoy our time together, until we get together again for Christmas in six weeks time.

I start work on Monday. Am feeling nervous! It'll be fine, just need to actually start. At least these are mock exams, so a little 'wobble' room. I have done invigilation before but it was 7 years ago now!! I'm hoping it'll be fine. Still not sure it will be enough money to fund the nice things but I don't want to go back to Sainsbury's, not even as a Christmas temp, although I've already been asked!! I want to enjoy this Christmas, especially as Sam doesn't have to work this year too. We all have 2 full weeks off this year to enjoy. Before Sainsbury's I had my own business and Not on the High Street always started the Sale before Christmas, so you'd always have loads of orders to get packed and sent between Christmas and New Year. When I was teaching, you always finished late, was always exhausted, so this Christmas is the first in years, we can all properly relax and enjoy the time off together xxx 

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