This week my Word of the Week is: Treats!! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

I have had a quiet week, it feels like it has been the little pocket of peace before the Christmas madness starts. Bring it on, I am ready for it, well as long as I don't come down with the cold that Becky has been suffering with over the past week. Eek! Poor Becky hasn't been well. She got sent home from work so I know she wasn't being dramatic. You have to be at deaths door before they will lose a staff member for a shift. I think the nose bleed swung it for her, she had been blowing her nose lots and the heat in the home irritated her nose. Considering she works in health care she doesn't do well with the sight of blood. Bless her! She thought it was a treat to be sent home and to be quarantining in her room. She has been able to sleep, doze, scroll on TikTok and have meals and drinks brought to her. It's just a normal, bad cold, she was tested for other things at work so there's nothing to worry about.

Stu and I went out early in the week to finish off the Christmas shopping. We had a lovely day despite it raining all day, we didn't get that wet as we were in and out of the shops all afternoon. All the gifts have been bought and a few extra gifts for people. We stopped off for lunch and treated ourselves to a fancy hot chocolate, purely just to warm up and use their toilets. It's rubbish that in Scunthorpe town centre there are no public toilets to use on a Monday. The indoor market is closed on a Monday so you can't use theirs and the one's at the other end of the high street are rarely open and are a trek away. Ugh!

Last week I watched the new episodes of Stranger Things and because they were so good I watched them again and saw all the things I missed first time around. I love how much Will was smiling, Karen Wheeler was a hero, Robin is comedy gold and poor Dustin, he is in such a mood but I guess he entitled to be as he's been through so much. The rest of my week has been spent watching all the Christmas movies and no, I've not had enough yet and I still have so many to watch!

Stu has been having a great time at work. Everyone was given an advent calendar and they have a little game going where if you do/sell certain things your name goes in the daily draw to win a big prize. I thought it would be bottles or wine or boxes of chocolates but no there's Ninja food mixer things, Nintendo Switch's and fancy hair straighteners. It's non-workwear every day and the company are putting on lunch for everyone every Friday in December. What a treat!

Ellie is counting down the days until her Christmas break! She has 6 more college days until she finishes for the year and she's looking forward to the time off. College is great but the buses are not! All this week they've been late and it's no fun standing in the cold waiting for them. She is looking forward to next week when one day my dad will be giving her a lift to college as he is heading to town. Nothing beats a car ride when you’re used to dealing with packed buses!

How has your week been? I hope you have had a one. I am of course linking up with Anne who blogs at Raisie Bay to join in with her Word of the Week linky!

What I have loved this week! Week 49. #FridayFavourites

Hello there and happy Friday! I hope you have all had a good week. Mine has been pretty quiet but in a nice way, just pottering around and doing little bits to get ready for Christmas. Usually by this point I’m starting to flap about something ridiculous like running out of wrapping paper or forgetting who I’ve already bought gifts for but everything feels surprisingly calm this year. It’s a Christmas miracle. I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea to share what I have been loving over the past week.

All the Christmas movies!

I have watched so many over the last week! I’ve gone through a whole run of the cheesy Hallmark style ones: Jingle Bell Heist, Champagne Problems, My Secret Santa and Love Hard. Then I balanced it out with a few classics because it’s not December if you haven’t had a little cry at The Holiday or muttered hot, hot, hot chocolate along with The Polar Express, there was also Love Actually and The Grinch! The wild card of the week was A Christmas Karen on Amazon. I clicked on it not expecting much but it was so bad that it was good. It’s a parody of A Christmas Carol, except the Scrooge character is an entitled middle aged woman who thinks she runs the world. It was so silly but so funny.

Advent Calendars!

This is one of my favourite little rituals in December. I love that moment when I get all my jobs done and then treat myself to a little bit of chocolate. This year I’ve got a Terry’s Chocolate Orange advent calendar, it's my favourite chocolate ever! Someone told me the other day that advent calendars are just for kids. No, absolutely not! If anything adults need advent calendars more than kids, they're already overflowing with magic and excitement, we are the ones who need that daily boost to get through the Christmas chaos!

More gift buying!

I think and don’t quote me on this because things can change in a heartbeat but I think I’m finally done with the Christmas shopping. Presents, stocking fillers, selection boxes and random little bits I absolutely did not need to buy but threw into the basket anyway. I only have a couple of gifts left that need ordering online and those will be sent straight to the people they’re for which means wrapping is next! I picked up wrapping paper, gift tags and some fancy ribbon yesterday so I don't have any excuses anymore, the wrapping is a job for next week!

My eldest feeling better!

Poor Becky has had a bit of a rough week. She came down with a cold over the weekend and has been feeling pretty rubbish. She’s been keeping herself upstairs for most of the week, partly to rest and partly to avoid spreading her germs. I appreciate that very much because I do not have time to be sick right now. She’s pretty sure she caught it from work. She works in a care home and unless you’re basically on your last breath calling in sick feels forbidden! She was fine until two hours into her shift on Tuesday when blowing her nose non-stop combined with the heat in the home triggered a nosebleed. Bless her, she does not handle blood well, she went dizzy, pale and the nurse on duty took one look at her and told her to go home, which she did. Once she got outside and had some fresh air, the nosebleed stopped and she tucked herself straight into bed when she got home. I’ve been doing room service all week, taking her meals medicine and drinks upstairs and apart from her quick dashes to the bathroom or bringing her plates down occasionally, I’ve barely seen her. She is over the worst now, feels better in herself but is left with a nasty cough. Phew!

Putting dates in the diary.

I’ve finally sat down with my calendar and pencilled in the main things for the next couple of weeks. Nothing too wild, just the essentials. There’s the big frozen food shop with my dad where we stock up on the turkey, party food, and whatever else jumps into the trolley, I’ve also got a meal out with friends booked, which I’m really looking forward to and a family visit day planned to drop off presents. That’s it. That’s all I’m allowing. Every December I end up overbooking myself and then wondering why I feel worn out and run down later in the month, not this year. I’m keeping things simple and calm.

What have you loved over the past week?

365 Days Of Gratitude. In November I was grateful for...

November was a wonderful month, it had my blogs birthday, my birthday which was brilliant and a family trip to the York Christmas Markets. I had a lot to be grateful for! Even with the cold weather we've had I have been so grateful that I have been able to keep warm.

I did notice mid-month that I had messed the numbers up somewhere in the year. I was a day behind. Oops. lol I think I've fixed it but I guess we'll find out at the end of the year. I will either have an extra day or be a day short. lol

I have seen many people on social media list something every day that they are grateful for and thought I would join in. I did this for the whole of the last couple of years and it has really made me realise that even on the bad day's I have something to be grateful for.

Day 303 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a lovely night away with family, staying in a hotel.

Day 304 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful to be back home! Hotels are nice but home comforts are better!

Day 305 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a nice tea with Stu. Steak, chips, peas, mushrooms, tomato and onion rings!

Day 306 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that the girls made it home safe after their night out in town and were quiet when they came in.

Day 307 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that things are getting back to normal after having everyone off work and college last week!

Day 308 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a piece of cake that I hid from my family.

Day 309 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that the fireworks have stopped! I hate fireworks and it seemed like tonight there was a lot more than previous years.

Day 310 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I was grateful that it was so warm today. I had washing out on the line and the back door open. What a treat!

Day 311 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for Stranger Things! It's such a great show. I am rewatching it with Becky.

Day 312 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a walk out with Ellie. We got a sandwich and a hot chocolate.

Day 313 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for an afternoon on my laptop playing The Sims!

Day 314 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for Argos starting their Black Friday deals early. Ellie is getting a new mobile phone for Christmas and I'd planned to get her one but the newer model of it was the same price so she'll have a really fancy phone come Christmas day!

Day 315 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for Christmas music! I have given in and started listening!

Day 316 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Ellie remembered her appointment with the hearing loss lady at college, I forgot to remind her about it this morning.

Day 317 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that the people Ellie had a meeting with were lovely! They were extra smiley and nice which really puts you at ease.

Day 318 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that I didn't have to go out in the rain! It has been awful out there, all day!

Day 319 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that I was woken up early by a delivery because I had all my jobs done by 10am and I have spent the rest of the day catching up on TV shows and doing my own thing!

Day 320 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Stu came Christmas shopping with me to help carry the bags.

Day 322 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that my family have kept me right, I've been convinced it was Wednesday all day!

Day 323 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for friends who have sent me early birthday presents! I feel very loved!

Day 324 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a lovely evening out in Hull! Went to the light switch on, out for tea and now catching up on I'm a Celeb.

Day 325 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for all the birthday wishes! I've had a fab day and I am ready for bed after being to York today!

Day 326 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a day doing hardly anything! I needed a rest day after a couple of busy days!

Day 327 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for help putting all the Christmas decorations up!

Day 328 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Stu has done all of the cooking today. It's nice to have a day off.

Day 329 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a meal out! My first Christmas dinner of the year. I have another one planned for in a few weeks before the real one on Christmas Day!

Day 330 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that the boiler man came and did the yearly gas safety check, all was good!

Day 331 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful I got to watch all the new episodes of Stranger Things in peace!

Day 332 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful I got to spend some time with my dad. It seems ages since we last sat down and had a catch up. We've both been busy over the last few weeks.

Day 333 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful I got the freezer defrosted! Now I'm ready to fill it with all the Christmas food!

Day 334 of #365DaysOfGratitude 

Today I am grateful for a lazy Sunday! Been in pj's all day, don't worry I did change them after being in the shower.

What were you grateful for in November?

My Christmas decorations - 2025

I said in my post "Things I am not doing in December" that I wasn't going to over do the Christmas decorations this year. Over the last few years our decorations have got more and more, streamers on the ceiling, every wall filled with some sort of hanging decoration and every surface covered, it looked like Christmas had exploded in our house This year I said no, we were keeping it simple and only decorating the living room and I have stuck to it and I must say it looks pretty darn good!

I did get a few new bits but not loads and they all came from Temu. Temu is dangerous, you go on there just for a look and suddenly your basket has 27 items in it and somehow it's all still under £20. I have found them to be really good for decorations, they are so cheap, cheerful and surprisingly well made! I expected things to fall apart in my hands but everything I bought feels like it’s going to last a good few years and if it doesn’t it was so cheap that it's not a great loss. They have now been mixed in the our old faithful's, decorations that we've had for years which I will never part with.

This year I fancied something different for the tree, something very sweet shop at Christmas so I went with a candy cane and red bauble theme and the whole thing cost me about £15. 

I already had the red tinsel tucked away but considering I once paid £15 for one set of Harry Potter baubles, I’m calling this a win! It all matches without being too grown up and screams Christmas! The tree doesn’t have lights and before anyone gasps, listen to me. Lights look lovely but I cannot deal with them flashing and blinking, they give me migraines and the way they flicker in the corner of my eye gives me a headache so this year it’s no lights. Just tinsel, baubles, sweets and candy cane.

This snowman has been with us forever. I got him when Becky was a baby so he’s about 21 years old now. He’s lived in three houses with us, survived the moves, Christmas clear outs and curious toddlers. I can’t even remember where he originally came from. I think my dad gave him to us but who knows. He just sort of appeared one year and has stuck around like part of the family. I can’t imagine decorating without him.

At the top of this post you’ll have seen the new Merry Christmas sign it was one of my Temu finds. It’s made of felt so it will last years without fraying or turning weird like cheap plastic sometimes does. I’m quite proud of that one and then I got two wooden Christmas tree ornaments. Again about £2 each. When I ordered them I fully expected them to arrive the size of a postage stamp because some things always look bigger online but they turned up a really good size! They’re simple but lovely and exactly what I wanted.

The shelves are a bit of a mish-mash of things, some old and some new. I don’t do that fancy thing where everything matches. My shelves look like Christmas walked past, sneezed and left a sprinkle of memories behind.

The gingerbread man is a good few years old, we did have two but one went missing. I think Ellie took it when she was younger as she loved them so much. I do love a Christmas gonk, they’re like the unofficial mascots of Christmas now. Every year they multiply and before you know it you have a whole gonk family watching you. The glass looking ornament in the middle is one of the last things that my great Aunty Jean gave me, the last time I saw her. She was one of my favourite people ever so it is something that I treasure. I always think of her when I put it up and it brings a nice sort of happiness. The pretty, wooden things at the front are new and I think they are so cute! The other shelf is even more mish-mashed but I love these little things, the gonks and of course the snow globe, that is Becky's. She is The Grinch mad!

This felt Christmas tree has been part of our family since the girls were little. One morning, many Christmases ago the Elf on the Shelf magically made it appear. The girls were tiny and the look on their little faces could have lit the whole house up. We still laugh about it now. The decorations on it attach with Velcro, so every time someone walks past, they end up rearranging them, even now! The “Santa OMG I Know Him” sign is another Temu buy and it’s one of my favourites this year. I did have to explain it to my dad though because he’s never seen Elf. Eesh!

There is the garland right along the fireplace, a couple of Jack Skellington ornaments which I don't know how we ended up with two. I think Becky bought one thinking Ellie would love it without realising that I had already bought one and then there are more gonks, I told you I love gonks. hehehe

So that's the grand tour of my little festive living room this year. It might not be as over the top as past Decembers but it feels cosy and us which is all I ever really want at Christmas anyway.

Have you got any new Christmas decorations this year?

Things I’m not doing in December!

This is the month of twinkly lights, festive chaos and a never ending queue of to-do's. I’ve made a bold decision. I’m saying no to things which will bring me stress, to things I don't really enjoy doing or will cost too much money.

Here are the things that I am not doing this month:

I’m not braving the shops on the weekends!

I love the thrill of a good Christmas bargain but the thought of elbowing my way through crowded aisles while someone’s toddler throws a tantrum over a glittery unicorn, no thank you! December is crazy in town and this year I’m staying at home! I don't see the point of getting stressed when online shopping is available. I still shop locally and support small businesses and will shop during the week but not on a weekend!

I’m not overcommitting to festive events!

December can feel like a never ending string of social gatherings and events to go to but I am not going to go to everything. I did a lot of my festive things last month so I am going to say thank you for asking but no. I’m only going to the things I actually want to go to, the ones that bring that warm, happy glow rather than that why did I agree to this dread!

I’m not wrapping gifts at midnight because I forgot!

Last minute gift wrapping is not happening this year! If the gifts aren’t wrapped by the time they are needed I am not worrying, they can go in a gift bag or just as they are! I have actually been saving gift bags up to reuse. hehehe

I’m not buying fancy food we all pretend to like!

You know those Christmas nibbles that only ever get eaten on Christmas Day because we feel weirdly guilty throwing them out. The weird cheese nobody remembers buying, the posh crisps that taste like disappointment and the tin of biscuits where everyone just wants the chocolate ones. If it’s not going to be eaten, it’s not going in the trolley!

I’m not sending Christmas cards out of obligation.

I love a handwritten note but I send out Christmas cards just because I think I have to. There is the cards to buy and all of the stamps, have you seen the price of stamps! Eesh! My Christmas cheer will be shown digitally this year with funny messages, memes and maybe even a GIF or two!

I’m not baking lots!

Well not more than a couple of times this month. Pinterest makes it look easy: gingerbread, cookies, cranberry bread, chocolate dipped pretzels, cakes that looks like reindeers! Nope, it's not happening! I will be picking a couple of tried and tested recipes and that's all you're getting from me.

I’m not overdoing Christmas decorations!

This year I’ve made a very sensible, very grown up decision! I am not turning my house into a Santa’s Grotto this year! I love Christmas I really do but somewhere along the way decorating for Christmas has got too much! I’m decorating just enough to feel festive but without going over the top!

I’m not stressing about the perfect Christmas!

Instagram will try to tell me that I need Pinterest worthy decorations, a perfectly styled tree, a feast that could win awards and matching outfits for everyone in the family. This year I’m letting go. My tree will not be perfect, dinner might include a shop bought shortcut or three and the only thing we will have matching is our Christmas Eve pj's. Perfection is overrated!

I’m not comparing my December to anyone else’s!

Scrolling through social media is dangerous at this time of year. Someone’s house is sparkling like a winter wonderland and someone else has homemade mince pies arranged like art. This year I’m doing my own thing. My December doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s to be wonderful!

I’m not overthinking New Year’s resolutions!

Then comes the New Year’s resolutions. I’ll think about goals when I feel like it, in my own time and not because a calendar says I must.

What are you not doing in December?

Our weekly meal plan! 1st - 7th December! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday and first of December! I could do with the next couple of weeks to go very slowly as I still have so much to do for Christmas! I am sure it will all get done, I'm not worrying yet.

Last weeks meal plan was a bit hit and miss. Some of the meals were made and eaten, some were not! I ended up not getting the food shopping delivery until Saturday so that put pay to the meat free sloppy joes and the home made fish fingers as I wasn't going out just to buy the ingredients. I did have a lovely meal out during the week! I think my favourite meal ever is turkey with all of the trimmings. I know that’s a bit predictable for this time of year but I can’t help myself. Give me turkey, stuffing, gravy, potatoes and even Brussels sprouts and I'm a happy person!

This week we are back on the Gousto meals as the freezer is just about empty apart from frozen chips, pasties and a whole heap of vegetables. I must get it defrosted this week as my dad is taking me shopping for all the frozen stuff for Christmas next week! Eek! 

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Gousto meal - Oven Baked Sausage & Cauliflower Mac 'N' Cheese!

This one’s a brand new recipe for us. My lot love anything involving sausages and mac ’n’ cheese so I’m confident they’ll wolf it down. I had a peek at the ingredients and it looks very cheesy, a bit too cheesy for my liking. I’ll probably make myself something else.

Tuesday - Gousto meal - Warming Red Pepper Soup With Cheesy Garlic Ciabatta.

Soup season is here and I’m embracing it. There’s something so cosy about a big bowl of soup on a cold evening.

Wednesday - Gousto - Creamy Chicken Thigh, Leek & Carrot Pie!

This sounds lovely but I think it needs mashed potato on the side. A pie by itself always feels like it’s missing something.

Thursday - Sausage and bean pasties with chips.

These are freezer pasties, nothing fancy but I’ll balance it out with homemade chips so it feels like I at least tried.

Friday - Pizza!

A fail safe Friday plan. Everyone will be happy including me because there’s basically no washing up.

Saturday - Gousto meal - Hoisin Pork Burger With Black Sesame Chips!

We've had this before and it is so good plus it's a proper Saturday night tea. Burgers in buns with chips!

Sunday - Sausage, mashed potato and baked beans.

Nice and easy and my family love this meal. I might even make some Yorkshire Puddings to go with it!

What are you eating this week?

A photo every day for a year! 23rd - 29th November! Week 48 of #Project365

Happy last day of November! Can you believe how fast this month has gone? I hope December slows down a little as I want to enjoy every moment and I feel like I have so much to do even though I keep saying I am not going over the top this year.

I've had one of those weeks where nothing huge has happened but looking back it was a great one. The decorations are up, the house feels cosy, I’ve eaten good food and watched even better TV. It's been nice to have that calm before the madness of December kicks in!

We had the quietest weekend and today is going to be no different. Today is all about watching Christmas movies, eating nice food and doing nothing productive, just how Sunday's should be!

Now for a photo every day!

327/365 - 23rd November

The Christmas decorations went up! The big moment finally arrived and it was an all afternoon job with changing the living room around to make way for the tree and giving everywhere a good clean. How does behind the sofa get so dusty. Eesh! Everything now looks so festive and I stuck to my word about not going over the top with the decorations.

328/365 - 24th November

My new favourite thing, a heated cushion! It was meant to be a gift for someone else and now I’ve stolen it. I’ll rebuy but the fact that I even considered keeping it tells you how good it is and the best bit is that it's USB powered. So simple! It’s kept me warm all week without having to put the heating on when I am the only one at home. Well done to B&M for selling things I never knew I needed.

329/365 - 25th November

I had a lovely early Christmas lunch out and finished it off with a glass of Baileys! Tis the season. Baileys is one of those drinks I never touch outside of November and December and every year I think Why? This stuff is amazing but it stays a seasonal treat, maybe that’s what makes it feel so special.

330/365 - 26th November

The weather was in such a mood this week. On this day it looked gorgeous out, bright sunshine and blue sky but it was so cold and then the next day it was suddenly warm! About 12C which felt like a mini heatwave after the day before. At one point it felt warmer outside than in the house.

331/365 - 27th November

New Stranger Things episodes!! I planned my whole week around Thursday so I could sit and watch all the new episodes in one go. They were brilliant. I went through every emotion possible while watching: screaming at the TV, hiding behind my hands like a five year old, gasping like I’d never seen a twist before and laughing out loud, mostly at Dustin. Four episodes and not a single dull moment! I can't wait for more next month!

332/365 - 28th November

I love this time of year for the hedgerows. Everything looks a bit bare but then you get the gorgeous pop of red berries growing everywhere.

333/365 - 29th November

I spent yesterday afternoon exactly how I wish every day could be, wrapped up in a blanket with a hot chocolate, my heated cushion (yes, it’s still glued to me) and How The Grinch Stole Christmas on the TV.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

This week my Word of the Week is: Celebrating!! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

What a week, well week and a couple of days since I wrote my last Word of the Week post. Everything that I wrote about last week went to plan apart from putting the Christmas decorations up on Saturday! After the early start on Friday, being in York all day, walking for miles and having a lateish night after going to the pub for a few drinks My body took one look at me, laughed and said, not today love! I needed a day of rest!

Today I am going to share all the little things I have been celebrating over the last week, there's been a lovely mix of silly wins, proper moments and me patting myself on the back for things other people probably would see as silly but I don't care. I'm happy.

I had such a lovely birthday. I felt really special. Thank you to everyone who sent me birthday wishes and gifts you’re all amazing and I appreciate it more than you know. My family went out of their way to make sure the day was full of smiles and nice moments. I did wake up early which is never good, especially when I’ve spent the entire night listening to both Stu and Ellie snoring like a pair of farm animals. I can survive one snorer but when there was two of them, it felt like torture! I told them the next morning that one of them is sleeping elsewhere next time. Ellie can have her own room in the hotel and take her snoring with her. Thankfully breakfast made up for it. We were at a Holiday Inn and the breakfasts can be a bit hit and miss. Sometimes it feels like you’re in a race trying to get a slice of toast while children sneeze on the sausages and grown adults push in but not this time! It was calm, peaceful and actually very nice. We went down as soon as they started serving and I've realised that is the time to get the best breakfast!

Our train to York ran late and we got some money back on our tickets because of the delay, it wasn't much but it did make me happier about having to stand in the cold. I wasn't stressing, I think I was just glad to get on the train out of the cold and there was no rush as I knew we'd get to York well before the Christmas markets opened. We arrived at York and you can read all about my favourite things in the blog post I published earlier in the week. We walked around, took loads of photos, got lost at least twice and soaked up all the Christmassy feelings. On the way home we arrived at the bus stop just as the bus pulled in and it was so nice to sit down, my poor feet were throbbing! The bus had charging points which I needed after taking so many photos and it was a double decker so we got to see all the little towns and villages on the way home, well we could until it got dark! We got home, changed and went straight back out to the pub for a few drinks and a game of bingo! It's been a while since our local pub had the bingo on so it was a real treat and I only went and won the first game. It was just for a line and I only got a free drink but a win is a win!

Saturday we were good for nothing. We needed that lazy day, I don't even remember what I did but I know it was nice to do nothing! Sunday was busy putting the decorations up and I was so pleased with how they turned out. I hadn't planned to have everything matching but somehow I did, all reds and greens!

This week has been good. Nothing huge or majorly exciting just lots of little wins and that’s what I’ve been celebrating. When I haven’t been out and about, I’ve been pottering around the house doing those tiny jobs that feel way more satisfying than they should. I celebrated emptying the dirty washing basket and then I went wild and put all the clean clothes away too. I’ve also been doing the usual getting ready for Christmas bits: making lists, planning things, organising, all that stuff that makes you feel like you’ve got your life together. I had a get together with friends having our annual Christmas meal. Prawn cocktail, turkey with all the trimmings and Christmas pudding and brandy sauce. It was a fantastic way to start the build up to Christmas! We also had the yearly gas safety check which was a surprise. I had about 20 minutes notice that the man was arriving, thank goodness the cupboard under the stairs has been kept tidy! I sorted it in July (I only know because it was in one of my grateful posts. lol) and usually by now it would be chaos again but everything was where it should be.

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good week. I am of course linking up with Anne who blogs at Raisie Bay to join in with her Word of the Week linky!

What I have loved this week! Week 48. #FridayFavourites

Hello there and happy Friday! I hope you have all had a good week and for those across the pond from me a wonderful Thanksgiving! I’m here with a little roundup of the things I’ve loved over the past week or so. I say week or so because time feels like jelly at the moment. Between my birthday, a wander around York Christmas Market, an early Christmas meal out and festive chaos, I feel like I’ve lived a whole month in about nine days but it's all the good stuff. Of course I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea to share what I have been loving.

A good heart check up!

My eldest Becky had a check on her heart last week. The short story is Becky and her sister Ellie were both born with holes in their hearts which needed surgery to fix sixteen years ago. They're fit and well now. It was just a routine appointment but not for me, it was the first one that Becky went to without me by her side, it had to happen one day. The appointment was with the same specialist we’ve known for years. Becky didn't remember him but he remembered her sister. hehehe It's not often you get siblings with identical heart issues. Anyway, the good news is her repaired hole is still perfectly patched, the not so ideal news is that the valves that leak a little have started leaking a little more but the doctor was very calm and said that while she will need more surgery eventually, it’s nothing urgent, nothing dramatic and nothing that needs dealing with now. Her next check is in two years!! I’m taking that as a good sign and to be fair knowing Becky’s update actually helps me brace myself for Ellie’s next appointment because chances are she’ll get similar news.

This pie!

Last year at the York Christmas Market I treated myself to a Paddington Pork Pie. Yes, Paddington and no bears were harmed in the making of the pie it was just marmalade flavoured. hehehe I’d been daydreaming about that pie all year so of course the very moment I spotted the stall again and I got my pie, took it home and stretched it out over three days. It was as good as I remembered. I immediately wished I’d bought ten. One day I’ll learn!

My birthday!

Ahh! My birthday, I’m still smiling about it, it was wonderful! We kicked things off in Hull for the Christmas light switch on and then went for an all you can eat place where I absolutely demolished the dessert section. We stayed in a hotel that night which felt like a tiny holiday and then the next morning we headed to York Christmas Market. It was busy, sparkly and full of delicious smells and things to buy. I wasn't ready to end it there and we headed off to our local pub! It was such a lovely few days and I felt spoiled with gifts, calls and messages.

All the big gifts are bought for Christmas!

I have of course been Christmas shopping, gift buying mostly and now all the expensive gifts are bought! Phew! The relief is unreal. Everything else now is the fun little bits: stocking fillers, treats and random things I pick up because whoever I buy for will love that! I did a big online order the other day so I’m feeling quite smug and organised. It won’t last but I’m enjoying it while I can.

Ghost Seaglass picture!

York is obsessed with ghosts. The place is ancient, creaky and full of stories and some say it is the most haunted city in Europe. You can’t walk five seconds without bumping into something ghost themed. So when I spotted the cutest little ghost seaglass art on a stall I was smitten. It’s adorable, it’s quirky and it matches the horse artwork I bought in the summer. 

Stranger Things!

The new episodes have been released and I watched them all yesterday, there was only 4. Hmmf. The next lot are being released next month. I planned my week so I had yesterday afternoon free. hehehe

A heated cushion!

I had a heated seat cover, I actually got it last year for my birthday and it saw me through last winter but it stopped working last week. Luckily I had bought someone a heated cushion for Christmas which came in very useful as it has been so cold, it’s been a lifesaver! I know I’ll have to buy another because technically this one is someone’s gift but needs must! I could put the heating on all day, but when I’m home alone it feels a bit silly heating the entire house just for little old me.

Putting the Christmas decorations up!

I thought I was going to put the decorations up on Saturday but after doing York the day before my legs said: absolutely not, so Sunday became decoration day instead. We had a proper clean of the living room, rearranged the furniture a bit and then up went the tree. I bought new decorations this year and the whole thing has ended up looking so put together even though I didn’t really plan a theme. I’ll do a blog post with all the photos soon.

An early Christmas lunch.

End of November means one thing, the annual Christmas meal with friends. We went mid-week and it was lovely. Three full courses: prawn cocktail, turkey with all the trimmings and then Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. We ended up sitting there eating and talking for four hours like we had nowhere else in the world to be.

What have you loved over the past week?