Thursday

 Good morning.  It's another cold one with a frost and a mistiness to the air, just like the Bonfire Nights I remember from my childhood.  Those were the days when firework danger was not really recognised and me and my brother sat for hours with our collection of fireworks on the table, writing out the order list for Dad for the evening while Mum concocted toffee apples, sausage rolls and cake.

It was a beautiful day round here yesterday.  Well to wall sunshine all day which was cheerful, even if it wasn't all that warm.

The chat with Val was great and we've set a date and time for next week.  Everyone her end is well although, as a head teacher, her daughter is worked off her feet right now.  However, she is, like her mum, very grounded, sensible, practical and hard working so I guess it could be worse.  Val helps where she can.

Lindsey changed the time of my personal training to later in the afternoon which actually suits me better although it's not a time she can usually make.  It might be the last time I go to that house because now we are in Lockdown, of course, and Lindsey and family are supposed to be moving house some time this month.  Whether that will actually happen is in the lap of the gods, of course.  There's many a slip in moving house and Covid 19 is just one of them.  We will see.
She's not moving far, thankfully, so personal training will continue.

This week it went really well, much to my relief.  A fortnight ago, at training, I felt very lethargic and lacking in stamina and asked to stop before the end of the session.  I felt a right wimp!  The following week, last week, I cancelled because I wasn't well, so maybe I had been incubating something the week before.
All I can say now is that is wasn't The Virus.  Phew
So I was glad this week's session went well.

Next week we are back on line, using my small collection of equipment.  I have a step, a big balance ball, some weights, resistance bands and a wobble board and Lindsey will put together a programme using those instead of he studio equipment.  

Today is quite busy.  After a chat with Chris at ten, I will scuttle down to the garage and start moving stuff around.  It's not a complicated job as everything is organised and pretty tidy.  The aim is to make space for the two shelving units Beth and I plan to put together this afternoon - or rather, to clear the space where they are going to go so we can carry them down and put them straight there.  All the things still on the ground can then go onto the shelves apart from a few items that are going to stay on the ground - the big bag holding the Christmas tree and three stacking boxes with the other Christmas stuff in them.

It's really nice to start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

I must remember to weigh this afternoon as it's the first SW lockdown Zoom meeting early this evening.  They've got their act together very quickly this time.  Last time, I weighed  at the usual optimum (or maybe I mean minimum) time - first thing, after the loo and before coffee with nowt on.  This time I'm being realistic and my weigh ins will be half way through the afternoon, dressed and with shoes on, just like it would be at f2f group.

So that's today.  Busy but very pleasant.  Hopefully, your day will be a good one too, whatever you have planned.
Keep well and be safe.  xx

Wednesday

 Good morning.  It has turned pretty cold - we have the first frost of the season this morning.  The roofs look pretty and sparkly but, again, I'm thankful for reliable heating, warm bed covers and general levels of comfort.

The web chat with Dad was successful this time.  He was using the laptop again and goodness knows what he changed but it worked fine this time.  The sound quality wasn't great his end, he said, so I've ordered him a webcam for his PC.  The speakers are a lot better so I'm hoping that will make a big difference.  It was so good to see him and have a chat and I'm really glad he agreed that a weekly chat would be really nice.

At some point the shelving arrived.  I missed the delivery so they were left outside and I had to heave them in.  At least, I had to heave three packs in, where there should have been four so I spent a bit of time wondering if I had muddled up my orders.  I had been told they were being delivered on Thursday so Tuesday seemed remarkably early.  Actually, a few extra sets of shelves wouldn't be such a disaster; they would get used, one way or another.

So I decided not to follow up straight away and it is just as well I did because in the evening a note fluttered through the door and, lo and behold, there was the missing pack.  I didn't see the delivery driver but I can imagine his face when he realised he'd failed to deliver something and needed to go back!

At the moment, they are just sitting in the living room but Beth's coming round on Thursday to assemble at least two sets and get them down into the garage so I will need to do a bit more moving things out of the way before then.

Today seems a bit busier.  I have a Zoom chat with Val organised for ten thirty and, given we have missed a few month of chat, there will be plenty to talk about.

And then there's personal training with Lindsey.  Next week and ongoing from that it's all back online, of course, so I will make the most of this one.

Apart from that, I'll see if I have the energy to do the garage prep today and I want to make some nice bean and veg soup for me and Beth for tomorrow - I like to make this the day before as the flavours develop nicely.

So that's today;  what is your day looking like?  xx

Tuesday

 Good morning.  This is very late for me, half past eight.  After a late night chatting to Dave and Anna and a fair helping of the wine they brought with them, I slept like a log!  It was nice although it won't have done my Slimming World plans any good whatsoever!

Everything went well yesterday.
I decided to pop over to Morrisons in hopes that they had put out some Christmas produce out and they had.  I got wrapping paper, gift tags, streaky bacon for the pigs in blankets and what I really wanted, marzipan and royal icing.
Once home, I made the pigs and they are not in the freezer and ticked off my list!  Whatever happens, they won't be wasted.

It was a lovely evening.  We ate and drank and chatted and it was great.  It will be a while until the next time now but it's something to look forward to.

The only thing in the diary today is another attempt at a chat with Dad.  It turns out that he has a webcam and has connected it to his desktop so fingers are crossed that this time it might work OK.

Have a good day and be safe.  xx

Monday

 Good morning.  It was a damp and sometimes blustery weekend around here, not the sort of weather for being outside much.  I stayed inside in the warm and got stuff sorted and organised.  I just wonder how things could get so cluttered when I've been trying not to.  Just life, I guess.

Over the weekend I got an email from the company providing my shelving to say they had a problem with the corner shelving which wouldn't be available until the new year so they were cancelling my order and invited me to reorder the 'side' units again, if I wanted.  They also offered me a discount on a corner unit when it did become available.  When I checked my bank account, the refund had already been paid in.  Now that's what I call good service.  Disappointing, but nevertheless good service.
So I went into Amazon and ordered the side shelving which should arrive this week.  It makes me even more grateful for my Bubble-Mate, Beth, as it really is a job for two and I'd struggle to get them up on my own.

Yesterday afternoon, Beth came over to pick up a couple of parcels (she used to have things delivered to mine while she was doing Kitty Stitches and the habit hasn't gone away) and a couple of packs of strips for paper chains that I thought she might like to do with a little friend of hers, bought on Saturday before I knew about the second lockdown.  While we were chatting over a cuppa, another friend arrived to give Beth her Christmas present as she was worried that she wouldn't be able to get it to Beth because of Lockdown.  M couldn't come in, of course, but she and Beth had a good chat on the doorstep before we had a look at the hamper.  A most generous and thoughtful gift, it was, packed with goodies, some wrapped and some not.  The nots will be used when wanted while the wrapped ones are still here, ready to go under the Christmas Tree as soon as it is up and decorated.  I benefited too as one item was some vegan friendly stuffing which I can use for Beth at The Meal as well as a jar of nice drinking chocolate and some vegan marshmallows, to be used on Christmas Tree Day.  Beth isn't vegan but she is vegetarian.

One more thing - I got the Christmas edition of the BBC Good Food magazine and I think I've found my Christmas pudding recipe.  If you've got this, look at p45, with the clementine 'twister' (not the chocolate though).  I may see one I like better  but, if not, this is The One.  I will adapt by using different dried fruits and a citrus liqueur instead of rum but that's just me; I always seem to change something!

Jeff is round this afternoon, weather permitting and then, in the evening, Dave and Anna are round for a meal.  I know it is bending the rules somewhat but they are pretty much isolating for health reasons so I'm comfortable with them coming over - and we won't see each other until nearly Christmas, if indeed we are then allowed to, so it may be rule bending but . . .
They are comfortable about coming here too, I need to add.  If they weren't, they wouldn't.

The rest of the day will be the same old.  This decluttering is taking some time as I'm doing it very slowly in hopes that I won't have to do it again for years.  
Fingers crossed.

Good luck with your preparations for Lockdown.  Stay safe and well and be happy.  xx

(while typing this, the clouds parted and the sun is trying to break through.  Fingers crossed)

Sunday

 Good morning!  Well, we all saw it coming, didn't we?  Another lockdown, starting Thursday and lasting four weeks. 

I've checked the rules and, thankfully, Beth and I can continue to 'bubble' as we are both single person households and, when Alex returns, it can continue as I am a single person household.  We are both very relieved about this.  For some reason, no-one is being told to 'shield' this time although I suppose that might change and sensible folk who are vulnerable will do so anyway, one hopes.

Ann, Dad's neighbour, has specifically assured him that they will continue to look out for him, make sure he has all he needs and be a first port of call should there be any problems.  That is a huge relief to me.  There are some very good people about.

Moving on - yesterday was a quiet day most of the time.  The chat with Chris was lovely; we had a lot to catch up on one way and another so there were no silences!!
In the afternoon, I popped out and did just a bit of Christmas shopping.
Then I saw the announcement and decided to go to Morrisons to get a few bits and bobs - a few cartons of long life milk, a few bags of frozen veg - that sort of thing.  Not panic buying, not huge amounts, just being sensible, and I'm pretty sure I can manage for a month, only needing to buy fresh stuff - fruit, veg, eggs, that sort of thing.

Today I was hoping Beth would come round for a cuppa this afternoon but now she may not be able to which is a shame.  I will spend the day quietly sorting stuff out, I have some bedding to wash, dry and iron and I didn't finish watching Strictly last night.  There's plenty to do, even though it is raining.

Take care, everyone, stay safe and well.  We will got through this.  xx

Saturday

 . . . and the last day of October, incredibly.  I know everyone is saying it but this year . . . it seems to have gone so quickly and yet, at the same time, it feels as if it has been going on for ever.  Very strange.

Thankfully, the rain held off yesterday, although there was some very light drizzle in the air, so I was able to go from house to garage, still organising things and putting stuff into some sort of order.  It's going well.

In the afternoon, a couple of parcels arrived for Beth so I took them over, stayed for a chat and then did my shopping in Aldi which is close by.  I managed to get a few Christmas pressies there so was pleased with that.

Beth and I both decided that this year we will start getting the Christmas stuff out and up early.  We need the bright lights and shiny glow.  One of our traditions is Christmas Tree Day.  It started when Alex was little.  They came round to mine, we had party food (and wine), put up and decorated the tree and then watched Christmas movies.  Alex has outgrown that now but neither Beth nor I have, so it will probably be the first weekend in December rather than the last weekend before Christmas.  Alex will still be at uni so that works well.
I'll probably do it in stages.  The tree first and then the other stuff as and when I feel like it.  It will be nice to have some cheer.

The rest of the day was relaxing and watching recorded stuff on telly - very nice.

Despite the very dull day, there was still some colour in the garden which cheered me up no end.  Here's a few photos.

Today is more of the same really.  I have a chat with Chris scheduled for ten which I MUST remember this time.  I've written it down on a post it and stuck it on the monitor.  Apart from that, I'll do some more clearing and then snuggle down with the Kindle, the knitting and the TV.  The weather forecast is not good, especially for the afternoon so I expect I will be glad to chill and draw the curtains early.

I'm not going to bother with the 'no trick or treat' sign I usually put on the door.  I doubt there will be many out this evening, what with the weather and the virus.  It's all organised round here anyway, not random calling.

Stay warm and dry today and have a happy day.  xx

Friday

 Good morning.  Looking out, it's dry but the sky is shrouded in cloud, although the forecast doesn't predict rain, unlike tomorrow and Sunday when it's expected to pour!  Oh, well, I'm planning an easy and unchallenging weekend anyway.

I goofed up a bit yesterday - I was so busy getting the washing sorted, dried, ironed, etc, I totally forgot the chat with Chris.  We've rescheduled for tomorrow morning but I did feel a right idiot!  Thankfully, Chris was OK about it but even so . . .
Ooops.

It was such a horrible, wet day that I decided to cheer myself up by looking for ways to decorate the Christmas cake.  I found some and have put them into a photocollage.  What do you think?  Which ones do you like?

The blue and white star one is perhaps a bit too similar to last year's but still nice.  And whatever pattern I choose, I'm not sure whether to make it red/green coloured or keep it white with sparkly glitted stuff on.

Dentist was fine.  Just a check up but I have one filling, one crown and one (another) implant in the near future.  The crown is for a tooth that lost its filling right at the start of lockdown and, as it didn't hurt in the slightest, I had no grounds for requesting treatment.  The filling is just a filling - not nice but necessary.  The other is a choice between a plate (no way, no, no, no - I've had more than enough of that), a gap (affecting chewing) and an implant (which should sort it out for good). 
I now have three appointments for December, one for the current implant treatment and two for the above work, plus one they will send regarding the new implant work and am hoping against hope that any forthcoming lockdown will allow dentists to keep working.
For someone with a bit of a 'thing' about dental work, I seem to be putting myself through it rather but the inside of my mouth is horrible right now so it's a balance thing.  One is, possibly, worse than the other.
And thank heavens for lump sums and AVCs.

Apart from the dentist, I spent the day gently pottering about, sorting, clearing and tidying.  The kitchen is now looking significantly better, so much so that the cleaners will get a shock, I think.  There's some more cupboards to sort out in there before I tackle the living room.  My last major sort out was five years ago, after retiring and I reckon that if I haven't used something between then and now, I need to seriously consider whether it is worth keeping.  Probably not.
Doing this does seem to be helping.  Organising and retaining some control over the small things.

The pottery bags are now empty and everything is in boxes ready for taking out to the garage.  It was sad but, at the moment, there is absolutely no point having them sitting around, taking up space.  It will be simple enough to get it all back together again as and when needed.

Today there is nothing in the diary but I will need to do a bit of a shop at some point, probably when the cleaners come.  I like to stay out of their way as much as possible anyway and it does make sense in the current situation too.

Before then, I have a bedroom to sort out and cupboards to go through, boxes to take out and put on shelves.  I'm also aware that the allotment really does need a good fortnight of work but one bite at a time.  House first, then allotment.  There has to be a fine spell coming at some point.

Have a good day, be safe and stay well.  xx