4 Saturdays to Christmas!!

So back to the normal start of the week - working Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and overtime on Wednesday. I never have the time or energy to do anything other than work!

Thursday was 'walk with Lynn' day and it was a beautiful blue sky morning. 

Bitterly cold but so lovely to be out in the fresh air.

We walked to the River Brue and then up on to the top of Wearyall Hill...

....where from the top you can see our house.

A close up!

Friday was booked in weeks ago, a day trip to London with Sophie and turns out to be the one day the tube workers were on strike. Thankfully Sophie is quite confident getting around London, so I left it up to her to organise our day and our first London Bus journey!!

First stop and my birthday treat from Sophie, breakfast at Eataly Went halves on the most delicious apricot and pistachio cream croissants. Could have come home with the whole of the Italian food hall upstairs. Delicious!!

We then wandered around Spitafields Market, then over Tower Bridge, 

along the river to Borough Market for lunch.

We then got the bus, as there was the tube strike on, to Covent Garden, had a mooch then walked to Piccadilly Circus.

Highlight, the lights! Regent Street, Oxford Street, Carnaby Street and we ended walking back to Paddington Station as the buses were super crowded and weren't letting anyone board the bus!! As a result, we spotted the Love Actually Tree, which we'd have missed if we'd got the bus!!

So a fab day with Sophie, certainly got our steps in!! Soaked up all the festive feels, bought a few treats and am ready to get Christmassy now. We're so lucky to be able to easily catch a train to London, just for the day and for me to meet up with Sophie.

It was bitterly cold, showers and a tube strike. Not the best conditions but we worked around it 

and had a fantastic day. Think this photo sums it up really!

We certainly added to the memory bank...

...had super company....

....got plenty of steps under our belt.....

....and soaked up all the festive feels xx

To round off the week, I've spent the morning in Wells with my sister. We met up for a festive mooch and of course coffee and the yummiest cinnamon buns from Loaf Bakehouse. I'm planning on a lazy afternoon at home, before work begins again tomorrow!! Can't believe it's only four weeks until Christmas. I do feel a little more organised, certainly looking forward to dripping in a little Christmas from December the first xx

5 Saturdays to Christmas!!!

I honestly don't know where the time is going, Christmas is creeping up rather quickly. I have tried to get festively organised this week and no better way to start, than a trip to Bath.

I had Tuesday off as holiday, so headed over to Bath for the day. It was lovely and quiet to begin with and enough of a festive feel in some of the shops to get you in the mood. 

I wasn't going to buy anything, just look!!! But I came home with a few things to decorate, a few things for me and a few things as gifts. Trying to buy only lovely things!

I did get to try out one of these delicious buns! I follow them on Instagram and drool daily at their wonderful bakes, so it was one of my first stops - breakfast!!

Wednesday, I took myself off to my happy place and spent a lovely couple of hours wandering around the woods. It is just a calming, peaceful place and I feel all the daily stresses evaporate whilst I'm there.

I did stumble upon a few Fly Agarics, always a pleasure and plenty of other finds too.

Had a catch up day at home on Thursday, getting myself organised, writing copious lists, finding all the Christmas cards I've been squirreling away, taking stock of what gifts I've bought, what I still need to get. What store cupboard treats I've already bought. Saves the mad rush in the big Christmas shop, if all the store cupboards bits are already bought!!

I did take myself off out, once around the block just to get some fresh air and met this curious cow on my travels. This time last year we were in lockdown and all you were allowed to do was go for walks. I miss the slower pace lockdown brought and enjoyed just walking, no other 'must do's' in the background!!

I caught it just right when I got home, went upstairs to initially try and capture the pink sky but witnessed the fabulous starlings flying across the Tor on their way to roost. An incredible sight.

Yesterday (Friday) I ventured up to Ivythorn Woods where the beech trees were just showing off! Beautiful crisp autumnal leaves to march through and such a bonus, so close to home.

So today is Saturday, my last day before a 4 day stint at work. I've had the laziest of starts, sat here catching up, drinking coffee. Haven't walked yet as it's grey and miserable out, so have decided today is the day to start writing my Christmas cards. I've laid them all out and they can stay out until done, as Sam isn't here needing his spot at the kitchen table. I love sending cards but I do feel they hang over me until I get started and then once done, it's a big job ticked off.

Got a busy week ahead, work, walk with a friend, London, coffee and catch up with my sister...

....so lots to look forward to. Best get those cards written!!

Happy birthday to meeeee!

51!!!

And we get to celebrate 'out out' this year, no lockdown!!

I said no presents this year, just a little effort to get us all together xx

And that's what we did!

So the beginning of the week was pretty standard. Worked the Sunday and Monday, then on the Tuesday got given time to put up the display in the work canteen, that I'd prepped at home on the previous Saturday.

Wednesday I popped over to Wells, forgetting it was market day. It's always so busy, so I popped in to the Bishop's Palace for a little calm. I've realised, as a result of lockdown, I no longer enjoy the hustle and bustle like I used to. I enjoy my own company, I enjoy walking where there aren't the crowds...

....trying to find quiet spots!

The poppies were on display in the gardens...

...perfect placement for quiet reflection.

On Thursday it was 'walk with Lynn day'. 

It's her birthday the day before mine, so we factored a coffee and cake into our walk. 

I think we deserved it, after the few hills we encountered.

Then I came home to messages from a poorly Sophie "I'm not feeling very well, can I come home?" So it was off to Castle Cary train station to collect and bring home one poorly Sophie.

She spent Friday on the sofa recharging! 

I spent the day doing the food shop, baking brownies, quick walk but a quiet day. 

Then yesterday (Saturday) feeling better, we bused it into Bristol. 

We were originally going to meet in Bristol, me getting the bus, Sophie getting the train but with her coming home early, we got to bus it in together.....

....as we had tickets to see Heather's.

We bought these tickets over two years ago now and the show had been rescheduled a couple of times, ending up on the day before my birthday, perfect timing!! And it was fantastic!

So we made the most of the day. 

We lucked out with the weather and enjoyed a day out in Bristol

Sophie treated me to coffee and cake for breakfast, we went halves!! Then we used my Tesco vouchers and went to Prezzo for lunch, finishing off with a family meal altogether at the Hat Bistro, Greek restaurant.

We bused it in to Bristol in the morning, so that Sam could get the train from Cardiff and Jeff could drive in after work and we could all enjoy a family meal together. Initially expecting Sophie to train it back to Reading, Sam to meet up with friends in Bristol, making his own way back to Cardiff and Jeff and I going home, just the two of us. But instead, they both decided to come home, so we have a full house for my actual birthday.....

....today!

Which is a lovely treat and the perfect birthday present!

I've got the day off, so a lazy morning. Jeff went for a run but has to pop up to school for the Remembrance Service. Sophie and I enjoyed cake for breakfast - a Tiramisu Panettone and jolly nice it was too and Sam.... Sam is yet to be seen, will probably spend most of the day sleeping. Might be encouraged to get up by the smell of bacon for lunch!! But do you know what, it's just lovely to have everyone home, the perfect present xx

Reading Week

Pinch and a punch....

...hello November!

November!?! How is it already November???

It's a birthday month in our house, Sophie's then mine, so the birthday bunting is up!

And on Tuesday my birthday girl came home.

It's reading week, so Sophie came home for a few days.

We had a lovely day out in Bristol on the Wednesday, a bit of shopping, lunch.....

....and a trip to the theatre, to see White Christmas.

And we had the best view. No one came and sat in the seats in front of us, until someone annoyingly moved seats in the interval. But we had the best view for the cheaper seats. It was wonderful, so many great dance routines and fabulous singing. Very true to the film and certainly got me feeling a little more festive as we go into the next few weeks.

Thursday was birthday day and my baby turned 22!!

The scene had been set, presents wrapped and ready. 

I was making cakes at 8am before we went out for the day

We decided to head over to the Newt and have a wander around the deer park.

 Had delicious homemade crumpets for breakfast and brought home cinnamon buns for lunch

Some fungi finds....

...and of course the deer!

We waited until Jeff came home from work to open up the presents....

... and facetime'd the boy!

Lovely to see him but makes you miss them more when they're not with you too xx

So on Friday I took Sophie back to Reading, via Ikea and the big Sainsbury's. Did the obligatory food shop, had an Ikea breakfast and then dropped Sophie back at her Hall's.

So today Saturday, I'm having a lazy'ish day at home. I've been tasked with doing a display at work, for the 12 days of Christmas. I'm just setting the scene for the managers to add their bits. So I've spent the day prepping - making presents, cutting out lettering,  tying bows etc I have been given time on Tuesday to get it all up on the wall before the Regional Manager visits on Friday!!

So another busy week but a lovely one, getting to spend some time with Sophie. I love them dearly but they both needed to go off and be independent. It's lovely when you do see them. You look forward to them coming home and spending some real quality time together. They enjoy it, appreciate their home comforts more and what we do for them. A win, win all round!