Saturday, 09-12-23: Blogmas 9

Morning, everyone.  Welcome to Saturday!  I have no idea what the weather is actually doing right now as I haven't taken a look, but the BBC says it is raining and could be raining all morning and into the afternoon.  Drat!

Today's Body Shop Advent calendar gift is a wee bottle of shampoo, shea for very dry hair prone to breakage.

It past times, I used Body Shop shampoo and conditioner a lot.  They were very good products, reasonably priced and, for someone with very long and dry hair with split ends (didn't bother the hairdresser much in those days), it helped a lot.  As life got busier and I didn't have time to go into town much, I started using products I could get locally.

So this is a blast from the past.  I have pretty normal hair now and it is short, but I don't need to wash it more than around every five days or so.  I'll give this a go and see what effect it has.  

Did you know (it says on the little box) that for centuries, African women have used shea butter to protect their skin from the dry winds that blow from the Sahara?  No, nor did I.

I won't be using this shampoo on my skin, mind you!  😉

Yesterday morning was hectic.

I set off for Slimming World as usual and thoroughly enjoyed the session.  Despite all the recent shenanigans - wine tasting, afternoon teas, friends round, etc, etc, etc, I am still in target range - just!  Phew.

Then I did just a little bit of shopping at Morrisons, not much but it still seemed to cost an arm and a leg.

Once home, the cleaners had just finished so I unpacked as they departed and then I snatched a bit of fruit and set out to be mamma Santa.  First to Julia's to pick up her gifts, then on to Beths for ditto and then to Linda's to pick up her gifts and to drop off hers from me, B and J.

Then back to B to drop off hers and then to J for ditto.

There was a complication.  Isn't there always?  Beth has done something to her back, some sort of inflammation similar to mine a few months back, if you remember, but quite evidently much worse; she's prone to back issues anyway.  After a bit of hassle, she managed to speak to a GP on the phone earlier (after she had said if they couldn't do anything she would be going to A&E, whereupon they found they could let her speak to someone) and they gave her some meds - strong painkillers and anti inflammatory things.
Alex was going to go into town to pick the meds up so, ont he way back, I picked Alex up as I dropped Beth's gifts off, we stopped off at Julia's and then went into town.

To cut a long story a bit shorted, we had to wait a while because the prescription had only just been send from surgery to the pharmacy but that was OK and Beth had her meds quite a bit earlier.

So all that took well into the afternoon.

The evening was a delight - a four way chat on Messenger with drinks, a cracker and gifts to open while we caught up on life in general.  Such a lovely time.

I have an empty diary this weekend.  I'm so pleased because I feel pretty weary and intend to chill somewhat.  I need to write some lists of things to do next week and when I can fit them in or they won't get done and time is running short now.

Are you finding this as Christmas approaches?  xx

I absolutely love today's song and have done ever since Glad appeared  at Spring Harvest more years ago than I care to remember.  They sang a few songs and were such a hit - standing ovations galore - that they did a special concert the next day.
The harmonies are amazing and send shivers up and down my spine at times.
Did I say - I love acapella singing?  

'In the First Light' sung by Glad.

( A little extra, not specifically Christmas - a sort of potted history of acapella in ten minutes.  I enjoyed it.)