Monday 31 October 2022

Week 43 One Daily Positive and Project 365

My migraine continued into the week. It made a few days really difficult for me with travelling and entertaining and being entertained. We had Wednesday afternoon, Thursday evening, all day Friday and Saturday morning to ourselves before I go back to work on Monday. I'll need a week off to tidy and recover.

294 Saturday Off to the Forest of Dean to visit my mum, niece and her children affectionately known as the Things. On our way home we called in to visit child 1.


295 Sunday Peter stayed at home to catch up with the housework. I dropped child 3 and his girlfriend at his dads house to catch up with family there. I went to Monmouth for coffee and shopping and dropped off Halloween gifts with my friends twins. We called into see child 2, his wife and our grandchild who was happily sitting in a puddle of mud in the garden and child 3 got to hose them down before we could have cuddles.


296 Monday Down to Bath to visit MIL for the day. Child 2 and co joined us for lunch and a walk round the shops. Child 3 bought grandchild noisy toys grrrrrrr.


297 Tuesday Off into Birmingham for the day shopping. Put the bunting away, child 3 wouldn't let us wear our hats.


298 Wednesday Took child 3 and his girlfriend to the airport, they're back to Dubalin for another 10 days to visit her family and a trip up to the north to visit our other grandchild.


299 Thursday Off into Gloucester to take child 1 out for the day with DIL and grandchild.

Child 2 and 1.


300 Friday A day of rest, pjs, tv and some tidying around as well as putting up the Halloween decorations for a party on Sunday. Friend round for chips and wine, although I drank tea again as my head is still hurting.

3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms cleaned


On the blog this week:

Family, friends and a fun fortnight


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Friday 28 October 2022

Family, friends and a fun fortnight.

We see our eldest grandchild and their parents on a regular basis and our grandchild in Northern Ireland as often as we can, but it is rare these days to get any of them together in groups, let alone all 5 kids with their families/partners. The last time we managed all 7 of us together was in 2017 in a car park in Cheltenham for this photo.

This week however we've had child 3 and his girlfriend staying with us from Australia and child 2, his wife and their child have joined in where they can, as well as visits to see parents, grandparents and friends popping in to say hi.

It's been hectic, full on, I've had a migraine, the house is a mess, but I've loved every minute of it and can't wait till we can get together again in small groups. Incidentally that will be next weekend in Northern Ireland for our 2nd grandchild's first birthday with his parents child 4 and wife, with child 2, his wife and their child coming over also.

But first we have Halloween to do with child 2, his wife and their child this weekend.

Child 1 and 2.


Making the Aussie visitors Child 3 and his girlfriend 3a feel at home.


Child 1 and 3.


Child 3 and 3a with Nanna.

The Things. 1, 2, 3 & 4.


Child 3 and grandchild made this mess.

Even the dog didn't escape the chaos, however according to our 3 year old grandchild, the cat has 'gone to the pub'

Back on his home turf.



28th-30th October 2022 Post Comment Love

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.

It's been a long two weeks full of family and adventure and I've loved every minute of it, although I am looking forward to going back to work on Monday.

How do you do Halloween? In our daughters care home they have decorations up throughout the house, it has upset one member of staff who is extremely religious, but is it fair on the residents in their own home? Although I would debate that there is little if any awareness of what Halloween is from any of them. As parents we think it's great that child 1 benefits from such a diverse range of staff to experience a wide range of cultures delivered through festivals, celebrations, cooking etc.

We're having a little party on Sunday for our grandchild and the neighbours children. Just decorations, costumes, treats and dress up.

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.

PoCoLo

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Monday 24 October 2022

Week 42 One Daily Positive and Project 365

It's been along week with family visits and adventures. I really enjoyed going up to St Andrews to watch Birmingham City play football in the week. It's got me in the mood for going more often. I'll stick to weekend games though. Mid week is busy with city centre traffic, parking and we didn't get home till nearly midnight. I developed a migraine on Friday from the late nights as well as my head bump on Sunday.

287 Saturday We walked the dog into town for coffee. In the afternoon I helped the neighbour out in her shop and sorted and made some Halloween decorations.


288 Sunday I bumped my head on the fireplace, while cleaning, it really hurt. Did some general tidying around to prepare for child 3's visit with his girlfriend.

I love fresh bedding.


289 Monday Went swimming before work. Peter dropped a piece of wood on his iPad smashing the screen, but to our amazement it still worked so we were able to retrieve everything for a back up.


290 Tuesday Cycled to work. Popped round neighbours in the evening and home to do our ironing. 

Can't wait till Peter finishes his shed so I can reclaim my space under the bike cover.


291 Wednesday A long day at work. Hubby collected child 3 and girlfriend from the airport. We went up to Birmingham to watch the football, stopping for dinner on the way, home at midnight.


292 Thursday Another long day. Child 2, his wife and grandchild visited in the evening.




293 Friday No swimming today, up too late. Home to chips and wine with my friend. I drank tea as I had the start of a migraine.

Just going to have to accept the house is a mess.


On the blog this week:

I'm happy where I am in life.

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Friday 21 October 2022

21st-23rd October Post Comment Love

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.

My son and his girlfriend have come over from Australia for a visit. We visited them over the summer holidays, so it's only been a few weeks since we last saw them compared to a gap of 3 years when covid hit. We're hoping to go back to see them next summer also. 

According to google our grandchildren are our middle sons 'niblings' and this will be the first time they've met. One grandchild is 3, the other is 1 next month. We'll be super busy over the next few days ferrying them around various family members. hopefully there will be some time just to chill also.

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.

PoCoLo

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Thursday 20 October 2022

I'm happy where I am in life.

I started posting a photo a day in 2014 and a One Daily Positive. with the aim of looking on the brighter side of life and to encourage me to get out the house and do things when we moved from South Africa to Dubai. A comment was left the other day about how I start off by moaning and complaining then end with a positive about what I've been doing to change things around.

Well for the first time since 2011 we have full control over our lives. I'll not add the word 'again' because prior to moving abroad we had 5 kids at home and a whole load of complications with extended family life, that did dictate our finances and where we could live, imposed on us. 

It's now our choice what we spend our money on, who we see, where we live and what we do with our time. It's calm, uneventful and in a good way, boring.

I was asked at work today by a teacher to say what I was striving to be. What I was aiming for and where in life I wanted to be.

I replied with 'just here' I've done everything and more that I could possibly dream of doing. No, seriously I have no desire to travel, holiday? yes. I have no desire to climb the work ladder or advance my career. I love my job as a Teaching Assistant and in the moments where I think I'm a little bored or I get frustrated because I can see glaring errors, I just remember I've got nothing to prove to anyone, anymore. Not even to myself.

When we lived abroad I was a house wife or a home executive. It said so on my visa. I'd meet people and when they found out I couldn't do anything to enhance their career, they'd just move on to the next person. It used to upset me that I felt I had no value and I spent a lot of time saying 'I used to be a .........' But not anymore.

The only constrictions we have on our lives these days is my job as a Teaching Assistant. Monday to Friday 8.30am till 3pm, term time only. It pays for all the extras like tomorrow nights football match. A trip to Belfast next month and a weekend away in Manchester for the Rugby League World Cup Final.

I do miss have a house full of family, I even miss all the running around, but not the bickering and arguing from having a house full of kids. I miss the opportunities for travel, but I don't miss the actual travel. We can have just as many adventures, just closer to home, our home where we chose to be, not what is dictated.

And the home we chose? It's the one we lived in before we went abroad.

Saturday 15 October 2022

Week 41 - One Daily Positive and Project 365

I really must go back to writing these posts daily as I forget by the end of the week.

I've been meaning to watch Hocus Pocus on Netflix but it kept suggesting I watch Jeffrey Dahmer. Although I know the story well (I do have an interest in serial killers) I still found it a fascinating, morbid watch. It kept me glued to the TV all week. 

I've been reading more and I had to pay the capital gain tax on the sale of the flat, which wasn't as bad as I'd predicted. 

280 Saturday I had a pj day other than going for a food shop mid afternoon, having stayed in bed till 1pm, straight back into my pjs.


281 Sunday We collected our 3 year old grandchild and took them to visit their Great Gran and a trip to the Pumpkin Patch and meet up with Great Aunty and 2 of their dads cousins, we rode on the rides, drank coffee, had a pub lunch and dropped grandchild off at 7pm and we were home by 9pm. We were absolutely exhausted but loved every minute of it and can't wait to do it again. It was the first time we'd been out for more than a local walk with our grandchild without their mum or dad.


282 Monday Back to work via the swimming pool and an hours walk with the dog and a visit to the local park with the neighbour and her children.


283 Tuesday Cycled to work and back.


284 Wednesday Cycled to work and back, paid the Capital gains Tax due from the sale of the flat. I didn't know it had to be paid within 60 days of money transferring. I just assumed it would be paid in the 22/23 tax year.


285 Thursday After work I went to the nail bar and evening spent doing the washing, dog walking, visiting the local youth club and blogging.

I couldn't decide which colour I wanted so went for one on each hand.


286 Friday Swimming on the way to work, home to start preparing for child 3s visit from Australia next week. I ended up having a 90 minute nap and did some blogging instead. No chips and wine as friend was busy.


On the blog this week:

My clothes haul for 2022 and why I'm avoiding fast fashion.

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Friday 14 October 2022

14th-16th October 2022. Post Comment Love

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

I made a commitment at the start of the year to only buy clothes I actually needed. I'm getting bored with my wardrobe now but I think I've done quite well so far. What do you think?

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

PoCoLo

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Thursday 13 October 2022

Fast Fashion and new clothes are not for me anymore.

I've committed myself to only buying clothes in 2022 that I actually need.

I am fortunate that I have a wardrobe full of day to day clothes and another wardrobe full of dresses. Having not been working and then living in Dubai, I shopped, a lot. I was in the malls almost everyday as it was too hot to be outside and I'd browse the clothes shops and just pick up the odd item of clothing here and there.

It's October and this year I have purchased the following:

March A pair of black trousers for work £22.  A pair of winter boots £30.

July A pair of black shoes £32.99 a bra £15 and a replacement black fleece £12.99

September 2 pairs of fingerless gloves £18

October A waterproof and warm coat, combined £25


All bought in the sales and after careful consideration as to their longevity and versatility.

I bought the winter boots as I didn't own any other than walking boots and wellingtons that weren't suitable for work. I bought the black shoes because I only owned sandals, heels, trainers and canvas shoes, not suitable for the wet weather and walking in.


I bought the black trousers as I only owned jeans and 3/4 length trousers and shorts.

The bra because 2 of mine finally gave in and broke beyond repair. 

The fingerless gloves because I have chill blains and whilst I do have several pair of gloves I'm not able to write with them on whilst I'm in work.


The winter coat was purchased because whilst I have a waterproof jacket and a warm winter coat, I didn't have one that was combined and I was getting drenched through riding my bike and walking to and from work.

I regret buying the black fleece as I do have two other fleeces I could've worn they just weren't black and I do like to coordinate my clothing. I also recently bought a hat for halloween.

I would like another pair or two of proper trousers for work, but I'm discovering everything is either denim or leggings, neither of which I can wear to work anyway, but I can team my 3/4 lengths trousers with the boots I bought back in March.

I doubt I'll ever need to buy a handbag or a purse ever again and I've found a good cobblers where I've had a zip in a bag and a pair of sandals repaired already.

As I'm wearing clothes out, I'm donating to the local youth club for their sustainable fashion projects. I've also got a pile of clothes put by for wearing as pjs, for gardening, when cleaning etc so the best clothes, stay better for longer.

I'm getting bored wearing the same things over and over, but I'm also getting a lot of satisfaction from not wasting money on clothes, the latest fashion, when due to relocating, a change in climate and covid over the previous years that no one has seen me in these clothes before and I haven't been wearing a lot of them due to the weather having been much warmer abroad, so there is a lot of life left in them anyway.

I was just going to do this for 2022, but I've decided to carry it on for the foreseeable future and only buy new clothes when I no longer have clothes that are still in good condition to be wearing out. I'm also going to make sure any new clothes I buy are sourced from charity shops and dress agencies before I go to the stores.

Sunday 9 October 2022

Week 40 One Daily Positive and Project 365

Where is the time going?

I had so many plans for autumn and now it's here, I don't know if I can actually be bothered making a new wreath for the front door and all the other decorations I usually do, it's only me that appreciates it.

Seeing as I have the same hours in everyday as Beyonce has has according to Mollie-Mae I thought I should put it to the test. Although I work 30 hours a week and spend roughly 4 hours a week commuting, Peter is at home and can do the housework, which is minimal as well as cooking most evenings as he usually does. I just don't want to be doing too much other stuff in the week, we're content watching the TV and just being in. On the weekends, we tend to do more though.

273 Saturday An early start to the Forest of Dean for coffee with mum, a quick visit to see ex MIL for her birthday, a visit to see the Things and off to my mates for the night for curry and wine and put the world to rights.

The lesser spotted Thing 4.


274 Sunday A visit with an old school friend, we reconnected in 2011 after 20 odd years when she visited us in South Africa, but the last time we met up was for Peter's 60th birthday, which was 5 years ago now.


275 Monday After work a visit to Kidderminster to the eye hospital. Covid tests still negative, nose still blocked and a chesty cough, so wore a mask in work.


276 Tuesday Cycled to work and evening spent waking and ironing and watching TV. Getting some ideas for Halloween.


277 Wednesday Swam before work and evening spent on a video call for child 1's care review. Peter's birthday presents ready.


278 Thursday Peter's birthday. I cycled to work and home to see child 2, his wife and our grandchild. A late night, exhausted but happy. The play mobile used to belong to their Uncles.


279 Friday Swam before work, a quick tidy round after yesterday and chips and wine with friend. I posted my first Christmas Card. It's an annual ritual to wind my friend up. It works every year, she forgets I do it.


It appears I decided to do nothing different from usual anyone this week.

On the blog this week:

You can be anything you want to be


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Friday 7 October 2022

Post Comment Love - 7th-9th October 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'd also love it if you could RT us on Twitter when we tag you to help us reach a wider audience.

This week I decided to test if I had the same hours in everyday as Beyonce has according to Molly-Mae. I do, but I don't have the desire, determination and will power to actually follow anything through. I also can't sing. I did the same as I do most weeks and do you know what? I'm actually quite happy with that, although I do appreciate how privileged I am to be in this position.

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

PoCoLo

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Thursday 6 October 2022

Why I can't be Beyonce

A question was raised in English last week about whether we can be anything we want to be as according to Molly-Mae we all have the same 24 hours in a day as Beyonce has.

Seeing as I have the same hours in everyday as Beyonce, I thought I should put it to the test. Although I work 30 hours a week and spend roughly 4 hours a week commuting, Peter is at home and can do the housework, which is minimal as well as cooking most evenings as he usually does. I just don't want to be doing too much other stuff in the week, we're content watching the TV and just being in. On the weekends, we tend to do more though.

I woke at 3.30am on Thursday morning. I sat and drank tea and played on my phone for an hour as I do most mornings before getting ready for work, just not this early.

I come home from work and drink tea and sit on my phone for a while before we watch some quiz shows, have dinner and get everything ready for work in the mornings.

The dog will be walked, there will TV and a bath, then off to bed around 9pm.

We don't tend to do much else, although on weekends we do go out more for longer and further a field to spend time with family and friends.

Despite having all this free time and the luxury of not having to work if I choose not to, I still don't want to be Beyonce. 

For starters I can't sing, I've already travelled extensively and have lived abroad, our finances are in order for me to retire alongside Peter.

So in my mind we've already achieved Beyonce status. We've worked hard, for that's what she has done, regardless of what she does, we've raised a family, but for me at a much younger age.

We can all achieve what we want, we just have different goals and starting points, but it comes with hard work and determination and a few lucky breaks a long the way.

It starts with education and the reality is this start isn't the same for everyone. We also don't all have the same ability when it comes to learning and we don't all have the same access. I struggle with exams, if my life was judged by what I achieved aged 16-18 then I wouldn't have had half the life I've had.

To be a singer, dancer, actor there has to be a talent. I have no talent.

To be a Doctor there has to be a level of educational ability I don't have.

There has to be a lot fo hard work, there are sacrifices to be made maybe with having a family, where and how one lives.

If I had a talent to sing or act I'd still need to put in a lot of work and need a few lucky breaks along the way. I would have needed the finances to support this, a family that was happy to make sacrifices with their time for lifts, equipment and time with the ability to support all this plus possible other siblings, a roof over everyones head, a reliable car, spare money.

There is enough time in the day for everyone to achieve anything but they still need the skills, the determination, the finances to do and be anything they want to be.

I have the ability at 51 to write that book, to go back to university and study. I have the time for it also. I have the time to invest in social media to be a top earning influencer if I so desired, other than the fact I don't have a USP.

I can be anything I want to be. I just can't sing so I'll never be Beyonce. I don't have a USP and I'm not prepared to open myself up to potential ridicule of being trolled like Molly-Mae.

I have down times, like everyone else but in general I'm happy just being me and don't want or need any further validation. I also don't want the hard work, the extra effort everything and anything else would take me.

I might write that book one day though.

But for now I know I'm privileged, I've had a good start in and during life. I actually don't want to be anything else other than what I've already worked hard in and made sacrifices for along the way.

You can be anything you want to be, but you have to work for it and if you're anything is just managing to get up in the mornings or you're working several jobs to put a roof over your head than that is good enough.

Week 39 One Daily Positive and Project 365.

Days and weeks are just merging these days. Nothing exciting happening other than going to work in the day and evenings spent with reading, watching TV, the odd bit of washing or housework and early nights.

Can certainly feel the change in weather, darker mornings and a chilly nip in the air.

266 Saturday TV collected mid morning for repairs and we went out for a coffee and a food shop. Afternoon spent in front of TV, doing the washing and running the hoover round before child 2 with wife and grandchild arrived early evening.

Looked up from reading to discover grandchild had been replaced by the dog.


267 Sunday Off to the 3 Counties Autumn Show. I took grandchild on the heater skelter, got a few bumps on the way down.


268 Monday Eye appointment at the Retina clinic for scans in Bromsgrove. Christmas is out at Webbs of Wychbold.


269 Tuesday Cycled to work.


270 Wednesday Swam before work. Anyone else have to put everything together so they don't forget anything?


271 Thursday Cycled to work, decorated cakes for bake sale in school. Visited the local youth club to check in on some students, then popped into see neighbours mum for half an hour.


272 Friday Swam before work, no chips and wine as friend was feeling under the weather. Night view.


On the blog this week:

My English Autumn Garden


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