Thursday

 Good morning, everyone.  After a typically April day yesterday of heavy showers and sunshine - not at the same time, the sun is shining this morning and it's a lovely start to the day.  I feel happy!

After what I said yesterday, poor Beth tested and there was still the slightest faint red line showing.  Not that it means much because there's no legal requirement to stay in, etc, but it matters to Alex.  However, she's definitely on the up again although it will take a while for her to feel 100% again, I think.  I've invited her over for lunch on Sunday but we will see how she feels nearer the time.

Personal training went really well.  Things are definitely up to where they were again after half a year of considerable ups and down what with the calf injuries and Covid and so on.  Lindsey works in five week blocks and we discussed how to move things on when the new block starts next week.  Exciting.
Must remember to pay later on today.

The evening was spent in swapping emails.  Dave and Anna are probably going up to Dad's to have a final go through things before a final clear out at some point in the next month or so and they have decided they'd rather like the dining table and chairs (G Plan, great condition and really rather nice, albeit quite old) but they don't have anywhere to store it until them move so I've offered my living room.  I can live with mess for a month and I'm so pleased they are taking it.

Today starts with that extra tuition session and after that I'm not entirely sure.  I might do a bit of window shopping and I certainly must do some housework.  I'm expecting Dave and Anna round with some cardboard boxes at some point too - they are going in the front bedroom!!

Well, the sun is still shining so fingers crossed . . . have a lovely day, everyone.  xx

Wednesday

 Good morning, everyone!  It's just getting light and it's cloudy but the ground is dry so fingers crossed. 

Yesterday was very pleasant.  I drove over to the spa after breakfast and it was much busier than when we went a fortnight (I think it was a fortnight) ago.  Then I remembered it was the Easter break and wondered how many were teachers (or school staff generally), enjoying an Easter treat.  You can tell the hotel stayers and the spa day people because they are given robes and slippers.  I 'just' get a towel - a nice big one, mind, so no complaints.

I managed to get a chair although all the loungers were in use.  That was OK, I prefer reading sitting up anyway.  There may have been a lot of people there but there was plenty of space in the pool and I had two lovely swims with a bubble in between and what with that and a nice long reading session, it was early afternoon by the time I left.  What a nice way to spend a Tuesday morning!

The rest of the day was pottering sort of stuff but everything's a bit of a mess so that's top of the list today.  Next on the list is prepping tuition as I'm doing an extra session tomorrow morning.  Then ironing!

Personal training is later than usual today (and next week).  I'm not looking forward to driving through the rush hour so will need to leave extra time, I guess.

And that's it really.  Very routine and normal and not terribly interesting but that is Real Life, isn't it?  Have a great day yourself and stay safe and well.  xx

Tuesday

 Good morning, one and all.  Welcome to terrific Tuesday!  Yes, it's still raining but we did have some sunshine yesterday between rainy times, the clouds are quite high this morning and it is so much milder.  All good.

The best news (for me) is that Beth's lateral flow test showed only the very faintest red line yesterday so she will probably be proper negative today.  She's still feeling rough but at least she can share the house with Alex again.  She's restricted herself to her bedroom and the bathroom only so it's all been very boring for her.
Fingers crossed for both a negative today and that she starts picking up physically and mentally again.

I did my bit of shopping yesterday, managing to get everything on my list.  Given the witterings about oil (is it just corn oil?), I was a bit naughty and bought an un-needed bottle of vegetable oil (what I always use normally) for the store cupboard.  I use so little oil, I'm now well supplied for the rest of the decade, I suspect!
Maybe that was silly, I don't know.

Circuits was great.  For the fist time in a month, I felt back to full strength and managed everything all the way through.  Balance is back again, not that it is ever amazing but it was better, and so was stamina!  Cheers.

Then I went to tuition where we worked areas of triangles and parallelograms and fascinating stuff like that, followed by some algebra and some comprehension.
And yes, we had a good time!

Today is my typically nothing-in-the-diary day so I'm probably going to have a swim this morning and get on with housework this afternoon.  Nice.
Is it raining your way too?  What plans do you have for today?  Have a happy one and stay safe.  xx

Monday

Morning, everyone.  It's much milder here this morning and wet too.  Oh, well, good for the garden, I am sure.

Yesterday passed pretty much as planned really.  I didn't do all that much really and it was jolly cold outside.

I was sad to see that the frosts have nipped at the new growth on my little fig, even though it's supposed to be pretty hardy and was by the house.  All the new little leaves are shrivelled and wrinkled and they were so fresh and strong the other day.  I just hope it will fight back and send up new growth to replace them. 
I've just taken this photo and, to be fair, it looks a lot better than it did yesterday so fingers crossed!

 Nothing else seems to have suffered all that much really!  (fingers crossed)

I had a short chat with Beth in the afternoon.  Not long because she started feeling a bit giddy and tired but it was nice to see her.  Generally, she's getting better but she is still positive and won't be back at work this week.  Alex remains negative, thank goodness.  Maybe he will escape this.

When I woke today, I felt the frisson of excitement I always get at the start of a school holiday.  It's six and a half years down the retirement track now and still I get that sense of excitement and freedom on the first day of a holiday.  It's such a nice feeling, I hope it never dies!

I start with tuition - in the holidays I see my student at eight thirty instead of after school.  It works for all of us and frees the rest of the day up for holiday jollification (for them) and the usual stuff (for me)!  Only four more sessions, I think, now - or is it five?  Not many anyway.

Then I plan to do a small shop.  There's not much I need, just a few bits and bobs including fresh stuff, so it shouldn't take too long or be too costly.

Later on there's the usual Monday circuits with Lindsey.  I'm looking forward to that very much.  After that, there's some ironing, just a little bit, and some other housework before I chill with my Kindle and get started on my next cross stitch.
Time to stop and get ready for the day ahead.  Do you have warmer weather and rain this morning?  Stay well and have a super day.  xx

Sunday

 Morning, everyone.  This will be a short one as there really isn't much to write about.  We have another hard frost this morning but the sun is shining brightly and it all looks lovely!

I didn't do much yesterday except potter in the house.  It was a bit too cold for sitting out but Beeb indicates that the temperatures will be picking up again very soon so that's great.

Beth and I have planned an online chat this afternoon but that depends on whether she is awake and weather her cough allows her to talk much or not.  She's definitely over the worst, I hope, but remains poorly.  She's going to test today but I can't see it being negative yet.  Alex, thankfully, remains negative.
Thank you all very much for your concern for her and kind wishes.  They are much appreciated.

Well - I have a dishwasher to empty and some ironing to put away, not to mention the day's meals to prepare and various Facebook duties to perform so I will close this now.  Have a super Sunday, stay warm and enjoy the sunshine (I'm hoping you have sunshine).

Saturday

 Good morning.
It will be a miracle if I get this up this morning.  My connection is really flaky right now and things keep timing out.  I suppose they think early Saturday morning is a good time to make adjustments, etc.  Well, it isn't - not for me.   :-)

Anyway - another frost this morning but no snow.  Yesterday was weird.  Plenty of sunshine, a very cold breeze and brief snow showers now and again, even when the temperature was way above zero according to the car thermometer.
At the moment, the sun is shining and it looks lovely but I'm staying this side of the windows for a while.

Not all yesterday's plans happened.
I went to SW and it was a really good meeting.  We had some new members and a few who had been away unwell were back, we had a target and several achievement awards so it was a happy time.
(and I lost some of the holiday/covid gain so happy me!)

Then I popped to Morrisons to get a few bits and bobs for Beth and Alex (I think they tend to be top-up shoppers) and I saw they had some ox cheeks so I got some for me which are currently slow cooking and smelling fantastic.
I took the stuff round and stayed to have a chat with Alex (Beth was asleep) and a cuddle with Freddie, the most affectionate of the cats.

I didn't go swimming - I felt very weary and decided not to push it.  This weariness is a right pain.  It's not bad and it's not all the time but it's definitely a thing and I'm taking the line that I will plan but I will be sensible and not push things particularly strongly.  The other after effects have pretty much gone now so I can live with it until my energy levels are more consistent.

My lovely cleaner came, worked her magic and left and I pretty much chilled for the rest of the day.

Beth seems to be on the turn.  She's had a rougher time than I did, I think, with a fever for several days plus nausea, cramps and various other unpleasant things.  The fever has now broken so she should pick up a but over the weekend.  I do hope she doesn't even think about getting back to work on Monday though.  I know she works from home but even so, she won't be anywhere near well enough.
Alex remains clear!

Today there's nothing in the diary which is good because I think I will sleep quite a lot on and off.  I just hope my internet connection stays on (it seems OK right now after a lot of ons and offs), fingers crossed.
So I will do a bit of ironing, a bit of washing, a bit of kitchen stuff and then I will chill.

How are you today - well, I hope.  Have a great day.  xx

Friday

 Morning, everyone.  Winter has definitely returned as Mother Nature plays an April Fool on us all.  It's turned biting cold again and, after the tiny bit of snow we had yesterday, it's snowing again now.  Just a tiny but but I can just imagine the excitement in homes around here as the kids plan snowmen and snowballing at playtime on the last day of term.  What a shame they will be disappointed.  The forecast is for some lovely sunshine but cold and back below zero tonight.  Brrrrr . . .

Friday went as expected.  After a really nice chat with Chris and some breakfast, I set off for Greenwoods and had a thoroughly satisfying time.  Two good swims, two relaxes in the jacuzzi, time in the sauna and a good long reading time on a lounger.  Some of the time the place was totally empty (apart from me).  I pitched my tent along the long side so here's a photo through the window to the outside area, empty because it was flippin' cold!

When I got home, I showered, washed my hair properly, etc, and then got into my bed things which felt highly decadent for just late afternoon.

And we had snow yesterday too.  OK, we had one rather pretty and very short snow shower of the 'blink and you might miss it' variety but more than we've had all winter.

See what I mean . . .

The chat/executors' meeting with John went well.  We sorted out a number of things connected with the estate and, really, it's just a question of letting things work through the system, we think.  While it would be nice to have everything done and dusted, there's no rush.

And the evening finished off with me being pinged.  It told me I'd been in contact with someone with Covid on the 26th - FIVE days ago!!  How efficient.
It was Beth, of course - but five days . . . how many people could I have infected in five days, had I caught it but been asymptomatic?

Today starts with Slimming World And Alex has asked me to get a few more things (he remains well but is not going out and about right now) and then there's nothing in the diary so I might go back to Greenwoods and have another swim after dinner.  It is so nice to be feeling more energetic again.  Before then, though, I have a house to tidy up before the lovely cleaner arrives, bless her.

I think today is going to be really pleasant, despite the cold, and I hope your Friday is too.   Stay warm.  xx