Sunday

 Morning, everyone.  It's kind of dull here at the moment but the clouds look quite high so it might end up pleasant.  Yesterday was dull but dry with a bit of sun breaking through now and again so maybe today will be similar.  I'll see what the Beeb weather page says in a little while.

Yesterday was, as almost always, really nice.  After a pleasantly slow start to the day, I drove down to Tower Gardens to meet up with some people from out Slimming World group for a sociable walk.  It was nothing heavy - while I wasn't the youngest there, nor was I the oldest and, when we chatted about it, we're most of us pretty much the same sort of age.
We strolled along the river into town, taking the same route as I took when I went to see the knife angel some weeks ago, if you remember.  That's no longer there now.  We stopped off at the café beside the lake (I say lake, it's more like a very big pond really) for refreshments - I had a very welcome coffee - and then strolled round the lake and back to the car park.  It really was a stroll, perhaps a bit too slow for me, but that's absolutely fine, and it was a couple of hours in total which was just perfect.
I think David is planning to planning to make this an ongoing thing, possibly once a fortnight, if people are interested.  I certainly will be and I think others will too.

Then I came home and got on with other homey sort of things before settling down with my knitting later on.  I've finished that cardigan now and, despite earlier reservations about the pattern, it has all come together really well.  Yes, there are a few mistakes, I know that, but they don't matter and you can't tell.  It's very chunky, very snuggly and just exactly what I wanted which was something to put on when it gets a bit chilly, something to snuffle into of an evening.
Perhaps I could have kept to the smaller size but I did want it roomy so I don't regret undoing and reknitting.  I'm still not totally sure about the pockets, or the way they work out on the hem, but they're certainly a bit different.
I took a few photos although it doesn't look particularly right on a hanger - it's too chunky and 'unshaped'.  However, you can get the idea.  The camera makes the stripes seem more pronounced than they really are, I think.

Before I start the next big project, I am using some of the spare yarn to make some wrist warmers - basically fingerless gloves.  It's a nice pattern, grows quickly and will make nice little Christmas stocking filler type gifts - not that they'd go into stockings but you know what I mean.

Strictly was great - I am now having great difficulty deciding where my three votes should go.  Do you watch, this - which is your favourite couple?  Mine is Rose and Giovanni.

On to today and there's a blank page in my diary so I will carry on with the gentle clearing, tidying, planning, prepping, etc.  Get myself set up for the coming week.  Nice.
Take care, stay warm, dry and well.  Happy Sunday to us all.  xx

Saturday

 Good morning.  It's a milder start to the day here compared with the last few days but the sky looks a bit uncommitted right now.  Fingers crossed that it stays dry at last,

Yesterday was another good day.  Slimming World was good and it's always nice to see everyone.  Doing the weighing, I always get to speak to everyone, whether they stay or not, which I really enjoy.

Then, after SW and breakfast, I set off to enjoy a few more shops.  I didn't get all that much but I did find a twelve-pack of J2O Glitterberry which Alex always loves and asks for at Christmas so they are now tucked away.  I found four little trees (see below) and have a good nosey round the yarn and fabric with no intention of buying (and I didn't - the halo is shining brightly).
I enjoyed myself very much.

I've realised there are two more shops that have Christmas stuff - B&Q and what used to be Wyvale, so that's another nosey round for another day.

Personal Training with Lindsey was good fun, as usual.  We always have a lot of laughs.

I've decided how I'm going to decorate the Christmas cake.  I've had three little Christmas figures that I think I bought at a craft fair,  made from Fimo, for absolutely ages, maybe a couple of decades even, and never used them on a cake.  When I was in Hobbycraft yesterday, I found four little Christmas trees and had an idea.
So this is what I will do (after marzipanning and icing the cake).

It'll be sort of like this.  Then around the front edge, from tree to tree, I will use coloured icing for holly leaves and berries in a sort of wreath and in the space in front of the figures I will put a cake topper that says 'Merry Christmas' or something similar.  A good, old-fashioned decoration, just like my mum used to make when we were very little and definitely NOT arty.
Now I wonder if I can work out how to make the sort of icing that you can shape into spikes like snow - not that snow ever settles in spikes, but you know what I mean.  I know it's not the roll out icing.  Must look at Google.

Today is a quiet day.  I don't think there's any NEED to go out but one of my SW friends has organised a walk in the morning so I think I will go along to that unless the weather is vile.

Then there's ironing (when isn't there?) and I ought to change the bedding too.
I want to sit and do some general and specific planning for the weeks ahead.
In the evening, there's Strictly and knitting.
So quiet but nice.

Do you have any plans to go out or is it an indoorsy sort of day for you?
xx

Friday

 Good morning.  My goodness, it felt so cold yesterday.  It wasn't helped by quite a strong wind blowing and quite a lot of drizzle.  The wind has vanished now so the frost has returned and it might be quite a nice, sunny day.  We will see!

Yesterday worked out really well.  Chris and I had a lovely old chat, catching up on everything.  
Val and I both felt it was too cold and too damp to brave Cressing Temple so she came over to me with her crocheting and the two of us managed to fill three hours very happily indeed.  During Lockdown, we Zoomed once a week but we've reduced that to once a month now which is what we did before Lockdown, so there's always plenty to say and lots to hear.  It was all so lovely.
 We have agreed that next month will be a festive one and we will share the lunch load, Val doing one and me doing the other course.  That will be nice.

Then I sorted out some washing and made a list of all the Christmas related stuff to do in the house, ranging from 'Christmas Tree Day with Beth and Alex' to 'change bedding' and 'cushions out'.  I felt all sort of Advent-ish and cheery.

I also started thinking about my advent music.  Regular readers will know that through December, I post a link to a favourite piece of Advent music, usually from YouTube.  Favourites remain favourites, so there will be plenty of repeats, but I need to start making a list!!

Today starts with Slimming World, goes on through a visit to B&M, Hobbycraft and TKMaxx (then I think I have 'done' them all) and finishes with personal training with Lindsey while the cleaners work their weekly magic.  It's downstairs this week and it's all fairly tidy after yesterday so there's not much clutter-clearing to do.

The knitting is progressing so well.  It's chunky, of course, so grows speedily, and now we have the longer dark evening, I get loads done after dinner each evening.  There's just a little bit more sleeve and then it's the sewing up.  Fingers crossed that it all works OK.

Well, better stop rambling.  Time is passing and I need to be at SW by around 8:40-ish - there's plenty of time but there won't be if I keep waffling in here.
Have a lovely day, everyone, and stay nice and warm.  Are you making any early Christmas arrangements or plans?

Thursday

 Good morning, everyone.  Thursday already - this week seems to have flown along.  It's a dull old start to the day, unlike yesterday which was sunny and frosty.  Maybe it will cheer up later on.  I do hope so.

I thought this entry wanted a bit of brightening up so here's Door Stop Robin.   :-)

I got a fair amount done yesterday.  It started with the weekly shop, at Morrisons this week.  Definitely more expensive than Aldi but Aldi doesn't do Cointreau (for feeding the cake, promise) and Morrisons does.  I also got some Christmas Crackers for The Day.  Every year I say I won't bother and every year I get some.  They just makes the dinner table look more festive.

Once that was all away, I got on with housework stuff.  More washing = more ironing.  Thart's a task for later on today.

In the afternoon, I decided to tackle THAT drawer.  You know - the one everyone has that contains batteries, old keys, Allen keys, radiator keys, keys to the meter cupboards, tools, etc.
Oh, my word, what a mess it was,  I had no idea there were so many keys in there and the annoying thing is that apart from a few, I have no idea what they lock or used to lock so really don't want to throw any away, just in case.  I wish I'd labelled them properly first time round.
It took a while but it's now all neat and tidy with everything sorted out and in bags.  At least now I know what's in there.

Encouraged by this, I tackled the tea towel and general wiping cloths drawer and that's now much more organised too.

The bathroom cupboard will just have to wait!

Today is a sociable day.  Chris is coming over for our weekly coffee and natter so I've done a bit of tidying up.  There's lots to talk about after missing last week.  And then either Val is coming over for lunch or I'm going to Val's and then on with her to Cressing Temple for lunch.  We'll decide which in a little while - it's too early yet.
And there's that ironing - again!  Ah, well, it keeps me out of trouble.

Have a great day, everyone, and stay warm and dry.  xx  

Wednesday

 Morning, everyone.   Well, I was very wrong about no frost yesterday morning - as dawn broke, it got colder and colder and we did have the first frost of the season.  Sunshine and frost is so beautiful, isn't it?
And the sunshine lasted all day - a lovely, colourful autumnal day.
It's frosty again this morning.  It's what I remember most as a child - bonfire night in the back garden with cold fingers and toes from the frosty weather and Mum's sausages and jacket potatoes to warm us up.

Well, my plans went a bit awry yesterday.  I'd planned to do an early shop and be home in time for breakfast (which I have at eleven, usually) and then I would have time to wash my hair before Sharon arrived.  I got a message from her saying someone had to cancel (the dreaded Covid - lucky for Sharon that she found out before the appointment really) so could she do me earlier.
No problem, I just swapped shopping and hair appointment round, Sharon came and worked her usual magic on my aging locks and then I set off for the Riverside precinct.

I had a lovely time wandering around HomeSense and was sorely tempted.  I did succumb to a few things.  One was a owly Christmas mug - well, I say 'mug' but it's half a litre capacity so will be brilliant for soups, etc.  I think it's rather nice.  I also treated myself to a snow globe - a musical one too!  They really do seem to be a thing at present and this one is not too lavish - just a little winter scene with not a Santa or a deer in sight.  The last thing was a clementine spice reed diffuser which should last all through December.

Then I tackled Matalan and ooops!  Actually I'm really pleased with what I got.
First of all, I fell hard for some bedding.  It's more winter than specifically Christmas which is nice because I can start using it at the beginning of December.  It's not garish in any way and I  really, really like it . . .

The reverse pattern (the shadows are the other side.

And this is the front.

For a double duvet cover and two pillow cases, it was remarkably cheap so it would be unlikely to last long, should I use it all the time, but just for a couple of winter months each year, it's fine.  
I washed and ironed it when I got home and discovered that there was about a three inch gap along one of the seams.  Nothing a needle and thread didn't solve and, at the price I paid, I can't complain.

Here's the photo of it on the web site.  I just really like it.

Then I got some tops.
I need some longer tops to wear with my leggings and jeggings so my bum is covered and these should do the trick.  I've tried them on and all three are just right.  Happy!

They also had a very, very cute robin door-stop.  I usually use an owl one but he can share the responsibility with robin now.
All in all, I thought that was a very successful outing.  Or unsuccessful, depending on point of view!

Back home again, I got out the ironing board and iron and now I have an empty ironing basket.  It's just a shame there's another load waiting to be washed today but that's life!

Today ought to be Personal Training but we have rescheduled it for Friday afternoon instead.  That means I have a totally free day so, as tomorrow is rather busy, I will do my weekly food shop today instead of tomorrow.
There's housework to get on with and I'd really like to sort out the cupboard in the bathroom, if possible.
Are you sorting anything out today?  :-)

Tuesday

 Good morning, everyone!   Brrrr, it's cold out.  Not frosty cold, I think, but chilly, all the same, much cooler than yesterday morning.

Yesterday was lovely.  It's so nice to feel 100% again and circuit training wasn't nearly as 'hard' as I thought it might be after a week off.  Yes, I'm a bit achey this morning, but it's the right kind of ache.

Tuition, also, was very enjoyable.  What a difference an hour makes though.  Last week it was daylight when I walked home but yesterday it was definitely twilighty.  It won't be long before it's dark by the time we finish.  They only live down the road so it's not a problem, just something to realise!

Flippin' time change though - I was wide awake at three this morning.  Two days ago it would have been four - early enough but not a total nuisance.  Three, however, is no joke!  I guess I will be having a snooze this afternoon to make up!

I thought I had a totally free day today but thank goodness I checked the diary because the lovely Sharon is coming at half past one to do my hair.  What a nice surprise.  Good timing too because the next one will be middle of December, perfect for Christmas.

Apart from that, there's nothing so I'm going to have a meander around one of our shopping precincts this morning.  Window shopping mostly, but we will see.  Now Halloween is out of the way, there might be more Christmas stuff to enjoy looking at.

So that's today.  A nice, quiet, easy sort of day with pleasant stuff.  What nice things do you have planned today?  xx

Monday

 Good morning, everyone, and welcome to November.  Pinch and punch, white rabbits and no returns!  There - that should cover the traditional bit.

In years gone by, our cul de sac used to be a hotbed of Halloween jollification with lots of young children and enthusiastic parents.  I always opted out - being a teacher at the local school, word would get round and I'd have a lot of little visitors - but they had a good system going anyway.  A pumpkin outside meant callers were welcome!
Nowadays, the children have grown up, the parents have stayed and it's generally very peaceful.  I tend to turn on the telly, connect my hearing aide via the mini loop system and I'm oblivious to external noises, whether they be door bells or fireworks.

Yesterday was very pleasant with Beth and Alex over for lunch.  Beth brought some sewing and I had my knitting and it was peaceful and lovely.

Today . . . look!

Ridiculous, isn't it?  November 1st and I have just picked these from the remaining tomato plants in the garden.
Admittedly, I held off picking until this morning so I could say I picked them in November, but even so.  I can't ever remember tomatoes in November before.

Today is the usual Monday stuff.  Some washing and drying (and it's sunny so outside drying is on the cards), circuit training at Lindsey's and tuition after school.  All very pleasant and satisfying stuff.
I will also take some time to plan a few meals for this week and generally get things a bit organised.

Well, the coffee is made and I need to do my Facebook admin duties so I will say goodbye for now.  I hope you day goes really well and that the sun shines on you.  xx