Sunday

Good morning and welcome to a lovely, sunny, frosty morning here in mid-Essex.  My head is muggy after yesterday's celebrations but the rest of me is surprisingly OK!

This was a real surprise around lunchtime yesterday.

I thought it felt rather chilly as I walked around town but the shops were well heated and the precinct was also warm enough while today's buses are enclosed and nothing like those old open back-doored buses of my youth (thank goodness).
So when I heard a clattering on the window, I looked up and got quite a shock.

Poor little strawberry plants!















While in town, I got some stuff for Dad's pantry and some clothes for me.  One of my monthly targets was to sort out a summer wardrobe for myself and I think I am getting there, albeit rather monotonously.  By that, I mean it'll be a lot of T shirts and jeans/trousers, but that's OK.  If I have one or two smarter outfits, it will be more than I used to have although, to be fair, I was mostly fairly smart anyway, for school purposes.

I went to the Craft Fair but, sadly, it hadn't been that well advertised so there wasn't a lot of selling going on.  I bought a present for a little friend from Beth's stall so that's sorted that out nicely.
We're now thinking about having some sort of open house round mine so Beth can set up her wares.

And then there was the family meal out.  It was lovely to get together again, albeit not everyone (and I don't mean just Mum) was there and the food (and drink) was lovely.  I had already decided to forget about Slimming World and thank goodness I did because there really was nothing I could have had. 
We ate and drank and laughed ourselves silly and towards the end Alex gave a delightful and impromptu speech about Mum that was just perfect and so right.  Sometimes that young man just amazes me.  Autistic he may be but he can be very empathic in his own way and yesterday he was spot on, bless him.

Some of the more energetic members of the family decided to carry on elsewhere.  Some of us lightweights decided enough was enough and the non-drinker among us, bless her, drove us home.  I hate to think how some heads and tums are feeling this morning but I think we will all agree that it was completely and utterly worth it.  And I must sort out some flowers for the non-drinker who not only drove us, she also put up with an gaggle of increasingly silly people as the wine went down!  You know how it is, I am sure.

Now it's back to reality again.  Today I shall walk to Morrisons at around ten to get some mince and then it's home, James, to make the components of a big cottage pie for tomorrow evening.  From the sublime to the cor-blimey after yesterday's feast, isn't it, but I make a good cottage pie so I am sure it will be eaten with relish.

I also have to pack and to make sure I have everything for five days away.  My home-sitter is ready to move in and guard the place for the week and I think everything is organised.

Thirdly, the paper recycling sack is not emptly again so I could set to and start dealing with my books again.  Whether I will or not is unsure but it's on the list anyway!  Or I could tackle the other pile of books beside my bed instead.  We will see!

Have a good day and stay warm.  xx