Cardiff with my girl x

Another busy, busy week!

Spent the first two days in school, chaperoning the vaccination nurses.

I took my Christmas cards in with me and a few other bits and bobs to do, but I ended up doing crowd control and got to see a few people for a chat (whilst being paid!!)

Missed taking advantage of a wonderfully frosty morning on Wednesday. Was fighting off the beginnings of 'something' so sensibly listened to my body and rested up, instead of getting up and out early for a walk. 

It's only 4 weeks until Christmas, so everything now moves up a gear.

Late Wednesday morning, I met up with someone I've met through Instagram for a coffee and then caught up with jobs at home and packed for a few days away.

On Thursday, I headed up the M5 to Cribbs. I'd bought a pair of DM's back in May, ready in waiting to replace my old faithful's. I did crack open the box this week, but they made the most embarrassing squeaking noise when I walked. So, I had to go to a store to prove the squeak was not acceptable and got them changed!! Had a mooch whilst I was there, before heading on up to Cardiff.

Sophie was working until 4pm, so I headed over to Rhiwbina, a lovely, 'village feel' area of Cardiff. It's where she had hoped to be living! The lady who works at the Estate Agents, is actually someone I've been friends with, through Instagram for the past 12 years. We've never met, so I dropped in, with some mince pies, to say hello and meet in person!! Popped into the lovely Snail's Deli for a coffee and to kill a little more time. It is a lovely area, shame she had to pull out of the property she was hoping to buy.

I stay at Sophie's in her one bed flat. It's in a great location, it's just small, and four floors up!! so lots of stairs! As her sale has fallen through, we are looking to make a few adjustments to a few areas of her flat, make them more appealing and functional. When she moved in, she didn't have much money and I guess, we thought she wouldn't been there too long. So we spent Friday morning in Ikea, getting inspiration and measuring and costing out a few possible ideas, ready for my next visit in January.

We then headed into town late afternoon, to watch WICKED for good! 

We watched WICKED Part One this time last year, and re-watched it Thursday night, so we could seamlessly go into part two!

Saturday morning, we were up and out early, in town before the crowds built. 

There was a Rugby game on at the stadium, so we wanted to be in and out!

It's so easy from Sophie's to get into the centre of Cardiff, by bus or train.

We then spent the afternoon decorating Sophie's Christmas tree.

Every year I gift her a new decoration, so she can build up her collection.

She has a few basic bits, a few from our tree and then new additions each year.

And it looks lovely.

It does feel early but she'll take it all down in a couple of weeks, to bring it all back with her when she comes home for Christmas. 

And it has become a tradition. We have, for the past four years, spent this weekend together decorating her tree and spending a few festive days together.

I'm home now. I left mid morning, was back home to make Jeff lunch. 

He was up a ladder, putting up the Christmas lights, ready for December the first tomorrow! 

I feel a bit behind with my own preparations, but am too tired to do anything today. 

Tomorrow it is supposed to rain and be generally miserable, so I am going to make a start and set my Advent scene in the morning, clean the kitchen, and if time, maybe, put up my tree, even if I just manage to get the lights on. It does feel early but because we are going away for 5 days, I feel I need to get the main bit done before we go. Sam is in the thick of it, having to work through all the Christmas parties. Jeff is as busy as ever but on the homeward stretch! It is a slog for them both, but they will  finish on Friday and have four weeks off.

It's hard to believe that tomorrow is December the first!!