Week 51 One Daily Positive and Project 365

So what is irritating me this week? 

People who don't agree with me that Die Hard is the ultimate Christmas movie and.......

Several mouth ulcers, the car still in the garage, Jeremy Clarkson, not being to get Gluten Free food without a hassle when we're out and about, the rain, when Christmas Day actually is, the dog getting old, people pushing in and endless comments from a staff member at Daughters care home about us not having her home for Christmas.

Other than that, we've had a great week with family and friends.

350 Saturday Off to Gloucester to visit child 1 who hasn't been well. Not happy with the reception we got from a member of staff who keeps suggesting we have daughter home on weekends, like the other residents do and hints that it's a shame the staff have to work Christmas because daughter is the only one left in the home. In the afternoon/evening I met friends at the 3 Counties Show ground to go ice skating and see the lights, it was flipping freezing but we had a good time.

351 Sunday Woke at 2am till 4am with the school alarm going off, then slept in till 10am. Stayed in bed all morning, got up at 2pm, dressed and walked Bob in the rain to get a coffee, home to watch the end of the football, popped in at the neighbours, then cooked a roast dinner and made a gluten free carrot cake. Watched TV, bath and bed.

352 Monday Had my covid booster, prepared dinner in the slow cooker, took Bob over the common, rest of the day spent in the attic rooms and general tidying, hoovering and I gave the dog a bath. Evening spent baking cakes and sitting in front of the TV.

Bob has had a swollen back paw and leg, it's not causing him any problems.

353 Tuesday Off into Worcester for the morning, boiler serviced, which I'd thought was yesterday. Walked the dog. In the evening we went to visit friends.

FaceTime with grandson and his dog.

 354 Wednesday Off to the Forest of Dean to see the Things and afternoon/evening spent with friends.

My friends 10 year old son drew me some pictures to illustrate a story I'm writing for the Grandchildren.

355 Thursday Drove down to Bristol to collect Mother in law for Christmas, called in to see grandchild on our way home. Met a friend half way home to swop Christmas gifts and a quick catch up. 

Watched Love Actually.

356 Friday We visited child 1 in Gloucester and took her out for a couple of hours, then home to walk Bob and watch TV for the evening.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Week 50 One Daily Positive and Project 365

I started feeling a bit headachy on Friday evening, it was on and off on Saturday, despite taking my preventative meds and kicked in like a red hot poker blow to the side of my head. I've been prescribed medication to take orally that is usually given through a drip when I've needed hospital intervention. An IV works within an hour and the following day is spent in a bit of a haze. The tablet form took 2 hours to take effect and during that time I lay down on the floor in the lounge sort of feeling like I wasn't part of my body and not convinced it would work. Woke on Monday expecting to have the migraine back, but I just had a feeling all day that my migraine was in a little bubble inside my head and when I coughed or sneezed it felt like the bubble would burst. But fingers crossed, so far it's not come back.

The car is STILL in the garage. The local dealers can't fix it, so they've called Citroen in to help. There is another car in with the same problem so we're hoping it won't cost us anything and it'll be covered as a recall.

343 Saturday Surveyor for extension came to take measurements and draw up plans. I did several loads of washing having stripped and changed 3 beds and tidied up the pots in the garden. Walked Bob to the retail park late afternoon and did some tidying in the attic rooms. needless to say it's been a cold day.

Christmas Gift from a student

344 Sunday Woke up to snow, I spent the morning in the attic rooms and have lots of stuff for donation and the recycling bin. We walked into town mid afternoon for coffee, then home to a roast dinner. Migraine kicked in and new meds taken which wiped me out for a couple of hours.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

345 Monday Off to Cadbury World with work for the day. Still felt a bit funny after the migraine. Home from work, cooked a fish pie for tea, a cake for school tomorrow and did some more tidying in the attic rooms.

346 Tuesday Home from work and a long dog walk, half way up the Malvern Hills, evening spent sorting out the attic rooms some more.

347 Wednesday A long day in work and a few upsets, it's certainly eventful working in a school and as a Teaching Assistant I never get time to get bored, but I do end up filling in a lot of online forms and sending emails. Home via the nail bar, popped into Morrisons and spent more time in the attic rooms sorting through stuff.

Whamageddon - twice in one evening.

348 Thursday Peter dropped Bob with me at the school gates at the end of the day and he went home, I walked Bob home via town and a coffee stop. Evening spent in the 1 attic room that's finally sorted, reading, writing letters and drinking tea.

Got to love a fully working overlocker, they can be very temperamental.

349 Friday Last day of school and finished at midday and straight to the pub with a colleague.There is a Teaching Assistant meal out tonight, but I was only invited last minute, wouldn't want to go anyway, but that's not the point. Took Bob for a walk and we had Chinese for dinner.

Sunset in Malvern.

On the blog this week: Nothing written this week, not in a blog post anyway.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Week 49 One Daily Positive and Project 365

The car is still off the road, needs a Citroen technician to visit the dealership next week to sort the issue, it's a known problem and they have 2 vehicles in with the same issue. We have a courtesy car so no rush or hassle to us.

I posted a photo last week of a toilet. It's the BMA (British Medical Association) room in work. Basically it's a bathroom for people to use who would not be able to access a standard toilet cubicle. It has a shower and a changing table. It also has a ceiling hoist that I use only once a week to assist a student out of their chair to enable them to lie down for an hour. That one day they have lessons all day, they cannot stay in their chair for that length of time, they would be in incredible pain that would impact on their learning. The rest of the week, lessons are either morning or afternoon. They would stay in school longer to socialise and study with friends, but understandably they don't want to be spending an hour a day in the toilets, would you? Well, I asked if we could at least have a lid for the toilet, just for aesthetics but the response was 'it can't have a lid on it because it may prevent future students using the toilet' Future students are currently unknown. The most annoying thing about all of this is, that the 2 students that use this room, don't actually use the toilet. So an email has been sent to request to use a different room, with a hoist of any description, that would allow for friends to join the student for an hour a day in which they could also eat and study in, instead of trying to find somewhere different to eat every day and/or study.

336 Saturday I went to watch Thing 1 play football, then visited my ex MIL to drop off cards and a gift, then to see our grandchild, before collecting mum and returning home via a quick visit with child 1 in Gloucester.

337 Sunday Off to Worcester to the Christmas markets for the day.

338 Monday We set off early to Eastbourne, stopping on route to visit family in Brighton and Seaford. A lovely hotel, dinner and an early night.

339 Tuesday An early morning walk along Eastbourne sea front then after breakfast we went to my Uncles funeral, dropping mum off at my sisters in the evening and seeing our niece for the first time since June 2020.

340 Wednesday After work I walked Bob to the retail park for a coffee and back home. I bought a poly tunnel to try to protect the bougainvillea from the frost.

341 Thursday My student went home early after a) discovering the room we usually eat in was in use and there was no where else suitable that provided pricey and b) the hoist hadn't been clicked back into place so there was no charge and they couldn't spend time out their chair. After work we drove to Swindon Designer Outlet Village and I spent my Christmas money from my mum on a pair of boots.

342 Friday Peter dropped Bob with me after work and we walked home via the coffee shop in town. Evening spent watching the football and blogging.

Christmas flowers from a friend.

On the blog this week:

Preparing the garden for winter

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Post Comment Love 9th-11th December 2022

 

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I. 

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week and all we ask is that you leave a comment on either mine or Stephanie's post which you linked up through and at least one other post.

We had our first frost this week and had a quick sort of the garden and purchased a poly tunnel to protect some delicate plants. hope I'm not too late.

We were in Eastbourne at the start of the week for my Uncles funeral and came away with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers from my Aunt to remember my Uncle by.

We'd also love it if you could RT us on Twitter when we tag you to help us reach a wider audience.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts from last week and this, sharing and commenting over the weekend.

Want to find out more about Post Comment Love #PoCoLo? 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Preparing the garden for winter

I'm a bit late with this as we seem to be doing something every weekend and it's tricky to do too much after work as I don't get home till 4pm most days and it's dark within half an hour.

We bought some Bougainvillea shrubs in the spring and planted them as a hedge row. We had them everywhere in Dubai and South Africa and they look really pretty. 

The garden in Dubai.

However, in the UK they must be protected from frost and ideally brought inside or placed in a heated green house for winter. We don't have a green house or the space inside, so I popped into B&Q on the way home today and bought a poly tunnel for £19 and covered the ground underneath with hay. There's only one thing that can happen. We'll find out in the spring.

The bay tree has been covered and the rest of the plants will be put in the cold frame or the plastic green house.

There's nothing else left to do in the garden as we've put all the plants in pots while we have building work done and once that's finished, early Spring, we'll be redesigning the garden.

Temps aren't rising above 5c for the next week or so and there is snow forecast middle of next week, so hopefully I've done enough for now.

Week 48 One Daily Positive and Project 365

The bed bug bites are doing my head in, the itching is waking me up. 

The garden is bothering me because I can't just get on with it as it's dark by the time I get home and weekends tend to be spent doing things outside the house, although this week there was a lot of cleaning on Saturday and Sunday.

The car went in for repairs, a new adblue tank is needed at the cost of £538. I contacted Citroen to ask why it was a product recall when there are so many issues/complaints online. I'm still waiting for a reply.

329 Saturday A lie in and morning spent putting up the Christmas decorations, had a bath around 3pm then popped out to buy Sunday dinner. We made an Amazon order for the last of the gifts.

I sorted the ornaments we've collected over the years, from our travels around the world.

330 Sunday A pj day and I cleaned the conservatory, lounge and dining room. Afternoon spent in the craft room wrapping gifts, then sat in the dining room to start addressing the Christmas cards. 

331 Monday A lie in as I had a GP appointment at 9am. After work I walked the dog and tidied the airing cupboard to make room for everything. Did some blogging after tea and finished the Christmas cards.

332 Tuesday Work and back via the shops. I saw one of the Teachers from school out walking his dogs and thought he reminded me of someone my son used to play football with (2014) I later confirmed it was him.

333 Wednesday Into work and lift. I wrote addresses on the Christmas cards, cleaned our bedroom and ensuite, cooked dinner and did some blogging. Car in for repairs. Christmas lights outside up.

334 Thursday Cycled to work and back via the GP at 8.40am. Evening spent in the attic sorting through and recycling my old teaching and study fields. 

Advent calendars ready for the morning.

335 Friday Got a lift to work and back, Peter collected the car. Evening spent with friend with chips and wine (tea for me) Car still not ready, now a problem with the dash board, so who knows if we needed a new tank or not. Peter collected a courtesy car for the weekend.

I'll tell you about #toiletgate next week.

On the blog this week:

Are you Christmas ready?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Post Comment Love - 2nd-4th December 2022

 

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I. 

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week and all we ask is that you leave a comment on either mine or Stephanie's post which you linked up through and at least one other post.

We're in full swing here for Christmas, but sadly it's being put on hold over the weekend as we travel South to my Uncle's funeral.

Temperatures have now dropped into single figures and next week will see our first frost. I'm going to have to get my arse into gear and get the garden sorted asap.

We'd also love it if you could RT us on Twitter when we tag you to help us reach a wider audience.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts from last week and this, sharing and commenting over the weekend.

Want to find out more about Post Comment Love #PoCoLo? 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

We're Christmas ready, are you?

The tree is up, the lights are outside, the Christmas cards are written and presents bought and wrapped.

Next weekend I'll start the process of delivering to family and friends.

We've been to the German Market in Birmingham and off to Worcester this weekend.

I'm off to the Malvern Light Show with friends soon and I'm sure there will be someone who I can go and visit santa with, with Bob.

Peter's mum is joining us for Christmas and we'll have visits from our grandchild.

We don't go over board with food over the Christmas period, but there will be plenty of chocolate. The advent calendars have been started.

I do miss Dubai at this time of year and it is strange to have Christmas in the winter rather than in sunlight and on the beach or in a pool. The Bullring in Birmingham did a good job though.

Feel free to take a look at our Christmas's in South Africa, Dubai and the UK.

How are your plans for Christmas going?

Week 47 One Daily Positive and Project 365

We had a fab weekend at the Rugby League World Cup Final, but we were badly bitten by bed bugs and have both been itching all week. The hotel offered us a free upgrade and breakfast for our next stay but we've declined, as I'm sure you would.

We also had a bonus of listening to Heather Small perform live at the end of the match.

The adblue sensor on the car has gone, so we've been limping around with only a handful of miles to spare before the vehicle won't start. It's booked in the garage next week.

My head hasn't been any better, not the full on migraine but a dull nagging pain behind my right eye, the same one they've discovered a freckle behind after I complained of blurred vision in it.

I've been asked a few times and even challenged about how I can function when I have migraine attacks. I just about function. The pain is non stop, but I just can't go to my bed and pop some pills as my migraines last up to 72 hours, I get a small time of respite and then they kick back in. It is constant pain. I can't just take to my bed and do nothing because nothing doesn't help.

322 Saturday Drove up to Manchester and afternoon and evening spent at Old Trafford watching the Rugby.

323 Sunday The hotel was a disaster so we left by 8am had a coffee and wandered around Manchester before driving home via Ikea in Birmingham.

324 Monday Home from work then up to Gloucester Hospital till 2am with my niece to look after mum who had been taken ill. My Uncle died in the morning so it was a long and difficult day. Discovered we'd both been bitten by bed bugs.

325 Tuesday Part of our relocation to the UK involved either moving house or having an extension built as well as modernising the house. We decided to stay put, sold the flat and the money has paid for the new kitchen and tonight we signed the paperwork for the new extension which will commence in the spring.

We had hours of entertainment with the dog getting stuck behind doors.

326 Wednesday I finished the ironing, put everything away and tidied. The food shop was delivered and notes written up for A level English Literature. 

The new quality street wrappers are boring and dull.

327 Thursday Home from work, early tea and I got the Christmas decorations down from the attic, ready to go up over the weekend. We watched the football and I did some blogging. 

I got the Christmas decorations out the attic.

328 Friday We went to Birmingham to do some Christmas shopping, visit the German markets and see the lights. The evening was spent blogging.

The Floozy in the Jacuzzi.

On the blog this week:

Weekend in Manchester for the Rugby

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Post Comment Love 25-27th November 2022

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I. 

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week and all we ask is that you leave a comment on either mine or Stephanie's post which you linked up through and at least one other post.

Sorry I've not been around to share and comment over the past two weeks, but we've had a lot going on with various family and health issues.

Today is a Staff Well Being day so I'm off work and we're heading to Birmingham for the day to finish the Christmas shopping and see the lights and the weekend is being spent in pjs, putting up the Christmas decorations and watching TV and eating chocolate so I'll have plenty of time to catch up with everyone.

I desperately need to get out in the garden and sort out the bougainvillea that I've planted as a hedge row. The roots need protecting from the frost and ideally the plants should be brought inside, but we just don't have the room for them, so fingers crossed they'll be ok.

We also need to dismantle the old shed now the new one is in place and we need to sort the bike shelter and gardening stuff out in their new home.

I've also started writing the Christmas cards and will need to find some time to do all the Christmas wrapping. I tend to work better with a deadline.

We had a fab weekend at the Rugby League World Cup despite getting bitten by bed bugs during our stay at The Britannia Hotel in Manchester.

We'd also love it if you could RT us on Twitter when we tag you to help us reach a wider audience.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts from last week and this, sharing and commenting over the weekend.

Want to find out more about Post Comment Love #PoCoLo? 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

The Rugby League World Cup Final and Heather Small

We love attending sporting events and have traveled far and wide to attend events such as the Rugby 7's in Hong Kong and I went to the Olympics in 1992 in Barcelona as well as events where we've lived. From football at Birmingham City and other grounds to FA cup finals and England Games at Wembley. There's been the golf in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and South Africa and cricket, rugby and football in South Africa at The Wanderers, Centurion and Ellis Park. Peter recently attended the opening game at the new Allianz Stadium in Sydney. I've worked on the European Golf Tour in the UAE and the UK and volunteered at the Commonwealth Games and for a few years I worked for the English Football Association.

We spent the weekend in Manchester to go to Old Trafford to the Rugby League World Cup Final.

The atmosphere was great, the game was 50/50 although Australia won both the women's and the men game.

The crowd were definitely behind Samoa although they did beat England in the semi finals.

We arrived at Old Trafford at the end of the Women's final.

Australian Women's team presentation

In our seats, we couldn't see the outside.

Rugby League Kevin Sinfield at half time who has been raising funds by running 300 miles in 7 days for his friend Rob Burrow who has Motor Neurone disease.

Interruption to the match from a streaker.

Men's Presentation.

 Samoan Team.

England Mens Wheelchair Rugby League winners.

Leaving the ground was a bit treacherous as we were funnelled into a narrow space towards the tram.

It took about an hour to get on a tram.

At one point I yelled at the crowd behind to stop pushing as we balanced on the station platform edge.

We had a fab weekend, it's not cheap to attend a sporting event, but it's something we both love doing together.

And a bonus concert from Heather Small