Friday 31 December 2021

New Year's Eve

 Morning, everyone.  More mild, more dull . . . it looks as if it's been dry overnight but it's breezy and some of the plastic waste bags are blowing around the cul de sac.  I usually fasten mine to the waste food bin but they're not collecting that this week so I popped them beside Chris' (I asked) because it is a more sheltered corner the other side.

Well - New Year's Eve, the last day of 2021.  It's been a funny old year, hasn't it.  Plenty of ups and downs for us all, some national or even world wide and some very personal and difficult things.  I'm not going to be too reflective in here, you may be relieved to read, but being positive has sometimes been an act of will, not a natural response.


Yesterday, I got through Festive Blast OK although I did feel some twinges later on.  Nothing like before though so I'm calling that a win!  The last one is today but it clashes with the SW meeting so I can't be there, sadly.  I have enjoyed this week's exercises, even though I've had to miss two of them. 
Circuits starts again on Monday so that's very good.

Because it was fairly mild, I sorted out the last remaining 'black hole in the chest freezer - the fast freeze area.  It had been rather full because Dave and Anna had sort of borrowed the space to keep some of their super-reduced joints of meat.
However, Dave took most of it just before Christmas and it still looked puzzlingly full so I explored and, lo and behold, I found, under the bags of ice, a rolled pork joint, a gammon joint and a rolled turkey breast joint that I thought I had used up quite a while ago - obviously not.  They are now in the right bag and I'm pretty pleased as they are things I can do when I have guests.

I also updated my chest freezer audit.  It was so much easier than the last time when it was such a terrible mess; it was just a case of lifting each bag out, checking and amending the contents and then putting the bags back.  No rubbish to throw away, no 'why on earth did I freeze that' moments this time.
I didn't finish though - I have the beef and lamb bag to do and then the top three trays of the upright freezer, the one with the ready meals, etc.  I might get that done today but more likely tomorrow and ongoing as the turkey leftovers are added.

What is really helpful is that when I do get round to defrosting the freezer, apart from Dave and Anna's remaining stuff and some ice, everything is in baskets that I can just lift out.
It's supposed to be getting colder again next week - that would be an ideal time.  Then everything out there would be just as I want it to be.

I really had totally forgotten about yesterday's Twelve Days gift.  If I had remembered, I might not have bought those slipper socks last week and, actually, that would have been a pity because they are quite a different type and I can use both.  Also, of course, they will be washed regularly so it's nice to have at least one pair on, one in the wash and one in the drawer sort of thing.
Anyway, here they are - three pairs of trainer style fluffy socks with non slip pads underneath.  They're warm and comfy and safe in the kitchen and also might work well as bed socks, should we get any really cold nights.


In the evening I watched the old 'Bernstein conducts West Side Story' on YouTube.  I thought the quality would be terrible but actually, apart from that irritating lag between lips and sounds that you often get in the older clips, it was fine and I enjoyed it very much indeed.

Today, being New Year's Eve, sees Beth and Alex round again for what I have to try to remember is a New Year's Eve dinner, not a Christmas dinner.  It is, of course, that not-particularly-extra-small turkey which is sitting in the fridge waiting for action.  I'll take it out about an hour before oven time to get to room temperature and, being a Kellybronze, it isn't stuffed; I just toss an onion and some citrus in the cavity for flavour.  Pretty much everything else is ready to start cooking at the appointed time.

I'd worked out the timetable and then Beth and I agreed that we would have it an hour later so I will re-write them.  Being off work this week, Beth has stuffed a lot of extra things into her days and I think she's pretty tired.  Not a problem, we can eat at three just as easily as at two.  It just means that we may not want anything later on.  That's no problem either as I am sure Alex will take all the unused stuff home with him.

Apart from the meal, we plan to play board and card games again as we all enjoy them very much.  It should be a very pleasant time.

Well, when I next 'see' you all, it will be a new year.  What will it bring, I wonder.  What will change, what will stay the same, who will come, who will go?
Have a lovely day - are you seeing family, staying home, going out?  Whatever plans you have, be happy and be safe.  xx





26 comments:

  1. Enjoy your evening, Joy - sounds like you will. We're out to my best friend's house again (they're very good to us and we enjoy spending Christmas and NYE with them). Well, that's assuming all our lateral flow tests are negative this morning! xx

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    1. Fingers crossed that they are.
      Have a wonderful time.
      xx

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  2. It sounds like you have planned a lovely evening. Will you stay awake to see in the New Year? X

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    1. Probably not, Jules. Beth and Alex might but the chances of me staying awake are minimal.
      xx

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  3. Sorting out the chest freezer is on my todo list. I am having a quiet NYE getting ready for bed early, watching the TV a glass of non alchoholic wine and going to bed when I have had enough!! Happy New year, xx from Val P.S a couple of Dreamies for Poppy.

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    1. Thank you, Val and Poppy. The same back to you and have a lovely evening. xx

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  4. It's now pouring with rain here, so my plans to walk to the bottle bank, venture to the garage and get the bin back from where the bin-men have abandoned it in the drive way, will have to wait a while.
    I look forward to reading your blog posts in 2022

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    1. We had rain earlier but the sun is shining now which is very pleasant indeed.

      Ditto re your blog too, Sue and thank you.
      xx

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  5. Enjoy your family NYE!

    Happy New Year and thank you for your blog, which I'm looking forward to in 2022! xx

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    1. Thanks, Annabeth, have a lovely evening yourself too.
      xx

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  6. Have a lovely evening Joy and we'll 'see you' back here in 2022. x

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    1. You will, indeed, Cherie, and I will be visiting yours as well. Have a wonderful time this evening with your friends.
      xx

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  7. I watched the Bernstein documentary as well - just as good as I'd remembered. Did you watch the Great British Sewing Bee?

    Have a lovely time today with Beth and Alex. xx

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    1. It was super, wasn't it? No, I didn't watch Sewing Bee - I have it on record though and am looking forward to it. Last week's was so good. I'm also enjoying the Christmas Uni Challenges this week.
      Have a great day.
      xx

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  8. Happy New Year Enjoy your new year and thank you so much for your blog , really enjoy reading it .

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    1. Thank you, Jane, I'm really glad.
      The same to you. xx

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  9. We played board games with our daughter in the quiet gap between Christmas and New Year and thoroughly enjoyed it too.
    Have a very happy and peaceful New Year Joy and we will catch up again in a few hours in 2022 x

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    1. Your week sounds lovely. See you :-)
      xx

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  10. Enjoy your evening. No plans here. Quiet night.

    Thank you for all you have shared this year--the good and the sad. Life is like a roller coaster. We just have hang on--and not scream (not particularly fond of roller coasters myself). :) Hope 2022 is a good year for you and the family.

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    1. Thanks, Mary. Yes, it has been a roller coaster and yes, we've definitely had to hold on tight at time but all these things make us stronger, I hope.

      Same to you. xx

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  11. Sounds as if you will have a lovely evening. All will be quiet here, though I think perhaps a movie is in order along with popcorn.

    Happy New Year.

    God bless.

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    1. That also sounds lovely and I hope you enjoyed it. xx

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  12. No plans for tonight - I doubt I will still be awake when the new year rolls in. We used to have a New Year's Day brunch at son and DIl's house but since they moved out west that has gone by the wayside. Tomorrow I plan to "sweep out the old year and welcome in the new" with some serious housecleaning. This is a Scottish tradition but here all it will entail is emptying all the waste baskets, changing the bed linen and sweeping corners that don't normally see the light of day!

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    1. I wasn't. I crashed out really early as I'd had a stupid o'clock waking on New Year's Eve.
      I rather like that tradition - and your interpretation sounds pretty good to me!
      xx

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  13. Happy New Year. It's certainly been a year, hasn't it? I've been crying a lot lately. I am determined that with the new year, although I'll allow myself to greive, I will try to start to appreciate more of the good again. I am starting a 365 photo challenge using my phone with a theme of Things That Make Me Smile. I feel it will make me at least look for things each day that bring me joy

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    1. It's OK to cry. It just hits sometimes, doesn't it. However, it means that those who have died meant such a lot to us - I guess I wouldn't have it any other way.
      I love your photo challenge. Mine is the AYWMC course but I'm struggling with the second chapter - how stupid is that!! I have a feeling I will be in the corner wearing the dunce's cap!
      xx

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