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

This week my Word of the Week is:

Over the last month, Stu and I have made a lot of improvements around our home. It all started with him painting the dining room, putting some new shelves up and me getting a new sideboard for the living room. Since then, it has all snowballed, one job has just led to another. The girls keep coming in and look around suspiciously to see what has changed or what has been added to our house.

On Saturday I spent a good few hours putting another little sideboard together. You would think smaller would mean simpler to put together but no! There were so many fiddly bits and the instructions were not great. Well, to my eyes they weren't. Ellie said she had no issues understanding them. It would have been much easier with an electric screwdriver but Stu's wasn't charged and I had no idea how to charge it. I battled on and resulted in a sore hand but a very nice looking sideboard/bookshelf. I felt very pleased with myself for putting it together and getting a bargain. I saw it on the Wilkos website for £42 but actually bought it from Temu for £29.53!

On Monday my new washing basket arrived. I feel like I am getting old because I got excited about a laundry basket. lol The old one was round so this being rectangular seems to fit better into the kitchen. My family complained that it was smaller, they're never happy! It turns out it must be around the same size as they've not been able to fill it yet. hehehe

Another improvement in the house has been the vacuum situation. Our Dyson vacuum cleaners have served us really well over the years. I was actually sent a couple to review back in 2017 and they’ve been absolutely amazing but all good things must come to an end. The upright one wasn’t quite as powerful as it used to be. It still worked but it definitely felt like it was losing a bit of its oomph, so I decided it was time to get a new one. I went with a Russell Hobbs cylinder vacuum. It's not quite as fancy as the Dyson but it does the job! I didn't even realise Russell Hobbs made vacuums but the kitchen appliances we've had from that brand have always been reliable!

Next up came me painting the fireplace and all the wood around it. It was an easy job apart from waiting for the paint to dry! That took way longer than I thought it would. I took a tip from my brother and wore latex gloves, so I wouldn't get paint all over my hands, which in theory is great but I covered my hands before the paint even touched a brush when I was getting the lid off without the gloves on. Oops. I bought 2 tins of the black paint and it turns out I only needed one, so I have decided to sand Ellie's computer desk down and paint it. She is not overjoyed about it but I said at least I will be able to take it outside and it should dry quicker. After that, all the furniture in the living room will match!

When the paint was dry I rearranged all my shelves again. I love all my trinkets, Funko Pop Characters and knick-knacks. I felt like a child again when I used to play with my doll's house, rearranging the furniture. I've said now that nothing will be moved unless I am dusting or until Christmas when I put the decorations up. hehehe

I think the home improvements are done for now. Now it's time to focus on the garden since my compost was delivered. It was much later in the week than I expected, so I haven't got any planting done yet. That might be a job for today!

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good 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 11. #FridayFavourites

Happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a good week whatever you’ve been up to. Mine has been a bit of a mixed bag of random little things, good food, funny moments and the usual family fun. As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea to share the things that I have loved over the past week.

A weekend of sport!

For someone who isn't a big fan of sport, I sure watched a lot over the weekend. First up was the football and a couple of FA Cup matches. I hadn't planned on watching either but found myself in front of the TV shouting like I was a life-long supporter. I was rooting for Wrexham to beat Chelsea. I'm not a Wrexham supporter but Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) owns the team and I just love the whole underdog story surrounding them. They lost and then Newcastle were playing, which is my family’s team. I was feeling hopeful at first but they lost too. Ugh! It was not a good day for football. Sunday was all about catching up with Formula 1 and there was no disappointment as I don't have a favourite yet. I like about 10 of the drivers but I don't mind who wins. We had to wait until the afternoon to watch the replay as it was live too early in the morning from Australia but it was worth the wait! We then spent the rest of the weekend sending each other TikToks and memes about F1 drivers, funny race moments and random clips from interviews. I love it!

A dinosaur top!

This was a top I found again when I sorted my wardrobe at the start of the year. I was looking for something else but came across this dinosaur top and decided it needed to be worn straight away! I wore it when I went to visit my dad and it got a reaction. My little nephew absolutely loved it but my dad was not impressed. He looked at me with confusion and said something along the lines of me looking like a children’s TV presenter. Dinosaur tops are not quite his idea of grown-up clothing but I found it hilarious. Life is far too short to only wear serious clothes.

Sherbet Dips!

My eldest daughter Becky is an adult. A full-grown adult with her own money and responsibilities but every now and then she still does things that remind me she still sometimes has the mind of a child. This week she bought a box of 48 Sherbet Dips. She saw them and it unlocked some deep childhood memory and she decided she needed them. The good news is that they tasted exactly like she remembered them. Phew!

A Minecraft Movie!

I finally got around to watching the Minecraft movie this week and it was so much fun. I started watching expecting something silly but I ended up laughing out loud far more than I thought I would. My girls have played Minecraft on and off since they were really young and despite hearing about the game for years, I somehow never properly thought about the name. It only clicked while watching the film. First you mine, then you craft! Minecraft! I felt a bit silly for not realising it sooner.

A weird lunch!

My dad got me onto this and at first I thought he was mad! Tea cakes with marmalade and Wensleydale and cranberry cheese on top. It sounds a weird combo that shouldn't work but it's really good! Wensleydale cheese is something I usually only buy at Christmas but now it seems to be making it onto the shopping list most weeks.

My fella!

He does have the patience of a saint. On Monday his day off work, I felt like such a nag. I kept saying "can you just do this, can you do that? Can you find this and move that. I seemed to be following him around the house adding to his to-do list. I was very needy and had him doing all sorts of random little jobs and he just kept saying yes every single time. If it had been the other way round, I’m pretty sure by early evening I would have snapped and said that’s enough. do it yourself! Most of the things I was asking him to do were jobs he’s much better at than me anyway. Things like changing the shower curtain, finding the sandpaper in the garage, carrying an overfilled basket of clean washing upstairs and hanging some pictures on the wall.

Painting!

Midweek I got around to sanding down the fireplace and giving it a fresh coat of paint. The sanding wasn't too bad, neither was the painting but it took forever to dry. Well, not forever, but around 24 hours, which was longer than I wanted. It was definitely worth the wait though. I think it looks fantastic and it finally matches the rest of the room properly.

Reese's Bunnies!

I love this time of year when all the Easter chocolate appears in the shops and suddenly my willpower disappears. This week I discovered mini Reese’s Bunnies and they might be my new favourite Easter chocolate. I have eaten a couple of bags this week but in my defence, there are only about eight in each bag which really isn’t very many when you think about it. Now I’m on a mission to see if there are bigger bags available somewhere because the small ones don’t last long enough

What have you loved over the past week?

Mother’s Day with mixed feelings!

Mother’s Day is coming up this Sunday and every year I have this weird mix of feelings about it. It’s always been a bit of a strange one for me. For some people, it’s all flowers, breakfast in bed, the perfect card and those cheesy my mum is my best friend photos on social media and for others it’s complicated, emotional or just a day they’d rather skip completely. For me, I am somewhere in the middle.

I don’t have a mum to celebrate with any more and even when I did, we didn't have the best relationship. She wasn’t the kind of mum who was always there or who gave hugs and reassurances when I needed them. I learnt a lot about what not to do from her. Towards the end of her life she made choices I didn't agree with and there was no relationship at all. I’m OK with that now but I wasn’t OK with it for a long time. I used to be that person who would block emails from every company sending out Mother’s Day reminders. It used to feel like a punch in the gut, a reminder of what I didn’t have. It took me a while to figure out that Mother’s Day doesn’t have to look like a Hallmark card to have meaning. Now it’s about the life I’ve built, the girls I’ve raised and the woman I’ve grown into along the way. That to me is the best gift ever!

Being a mum is something you can’t really prepare for. You can read all the books, watch all the videos, take every piece of advice and still nothing really prepares you for it. One minute it’s just you and the next you’re responsible for a whole human being who relies on you for everything. Mother’s Day always makes me think back to those early days: the endless nappies, the feeding schedules and the kind of tired where you lose track of the days. I poured so much of myself into being a mum back then, often without even realising and looking back I feel proud of that.

Not having a great relationship with my own mum meant I didn’t have a clear example to follow. I didn’t have anyone to ring up and ask Is this normal? Or what would you do? Most of my mothering came from instinct, trial and error and a promise to myself that I’d do things differently where I could. Mother’s Day makes me think about that a lot. It’s not about comparing myself to other mums or feeling like I’m falling short. It’s about knowing that I showed up even when it was hard. I listened, I learned and I apologised when I got it wrong.

Mother’s Day changes as the kids grow. When the girls were little it was all about the handmade cards, messy scribbles and sticky fingerprints. Now it’s less about the crafts and more about conversations, a hug, a text, a shared laugh and sometimes just being together is enough and I love that.

I’d be lying if I said Mother’s Day was always easy. There’s a mix of emotions, and sometimes the sadness sneaks in when I least expect it. Not because I want to celebrate my own mum but because grief has a way of just turning up. Social media doesn’t help either. Every scroll is full of captions about mums being their kids everything. Over the years I’ve learnt to step back from that and just focus on my girls and me. Mother’s Day has taken on a whole new meaning thanks to my girls. I love the small indulgences, the extra attention, the cups of tea brought to me without me having to ask and the silly little treats that make the day feel special. It makes me think about how I mother my girls the best I can, even when it’s hard.

Mother’s Day is all about the family I’ve built, the lessons I’ve learned and the strength I didn’t know I had until I needed it. It’s not about my past. It’s about my present. It’s about being a mum who shows up, keeps learning and loves her girls!

The Wednesday Hodgepodge #46

I hope you are all having a good week. It's Wednesday, which means it's time to join in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce who blogs at From This Side of the Pond! Each week there are 6 questions, we answer and then link up. Simple!

1. Are you a naturally trusting person? Is trust built on logic or 'gut instinct'? Does everyone deserve a second chance? Elaborate.

I wouldn’t say I’m naturally trusting these days. I probably used to be when I was younger as I just assumed people were decent and honest but life has a way of teaching you those lessons over time. After being burned a few times, I’ve put my guard up a bit. I’m friendly but I don’t hand out trust straight away. For me, trust is something that grows in time and is earned. I like to watch how people behave, how they treat others and whether their actions match their words.

Trust is both a mix of gut instinct and logic for me. Sometimes I meet someone and something just feels a bit off and I can’t quite explain why. I’ve learned it’s usually worth listening to that feeling. Other times it’s more about paying attention to patterns. If someone is kind, reliable and consistent, trust slowly builds without even realising it.

When it comes to second chances, I think it depends on the situation. People do make mistakes and sometimes they do learn from them but I don’t think everyone deserves endless chances either. If someone keeps doing the same thing over and over at some point, you have to say enough is enough.

2. 'Beware the Ides of March'...March 15th on the ancient Roman calendar, these words were made famous by William Shakespeare in his play Julius Caesar. Caesar was assassinated on March 15th 44 B.C. Have you read any Shakespeare? If so, do you have a favorite? Have you ever been to Rome?

I’ve read a bit of Shakespeare but only at school. The one my class read was A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Parts of it were fun but I struggled to understand the language. I do remember being a bit jealous that the other class got to read Romeo and Juliet which I always liked better. Around that time Baz Luhrmann was just releasing his movie version with Leonardo DiCaprio so everyone was talking about it and it made the story feel extra exciting.

I’ve never been to Rome but it’s definitely one of those places I’d love to visit. It just seems like one of those cities where everywhere you turn there’s something amazing to see.

3. Do you like a Caesar salad? If given the choice between a garden/house salad or Caesar which do you order? Anchovies or no? What's your favorite salad dressing?

Caesar salad has never really tempted me. I’ll always go for a simple garden/house salad instead. Just lettuce, cucumber, tomato, maybe a bit of onion. That’s all I need but definitely no anchovies! When it comes to dressing, I’m a Salad Cream fan. Is it just a UK thing? It's sort of like mayonnaise but not as thick, it's a little tangy, a little sweet and just right for a salad!

4. Where do you typically work (or blog if that's easier) at home? Do you have a dedicated home office space? Are you happy with that space?

Most of my blogging happens in my armchair in the living room. It’s where I’m most comfortable and where I seem to get the most done. I can sit here with my laptop on my knee, watching the TV and have a drink and snacks nearby, then I just get on with writing. I even wrote a whole blog post about my armchair at the start of the year. I don’t have a home office space. I know lots of people have lovely desks and beautiful offices but the living room is good enough for me and I like being in the middle of the house rather than tucked away somewhere else.

5. Snow drops, daffodils, lenten roses, crocus, hyacinth, or early tulips...what's your favorite early Spring flower?

It has to be Daffodils! The minute I start seeing daffodils popping up in gardens, parks and along the roadsides, it feels like spring is properly starting. They’re so bright and such a cheerful flower! After months of grey skies and bare gardens, they are something we need to see at this time of year. Most weeks I always buy a bunch or two to have in the house. They are only £1 a bunch, so it feels like a really inexpensive treat! They’re a simple little thing that make a room feel a bit happier.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

As I am writing this I am watching the replay of the F1 Australian Grand Prix, I wasn't getting up at 4am to watch it live. I stopped watching it in the early 2000's and only got back into is because my youngest has started watching over the last year. Over the past week I have been playing catch up learning all about the teams and cars! Watching the race reminded me how much I love it, the roaring engines, the speed and all the drama. My youngest says I'm not allowed to like George Russell but he is my favourite at the moment. I was so stressed watching him trying to overtake Charles Leclerc. Eek!

Share our Lives - Grocery List Frequent Buys!

It’s that time of the month again to share some of my life and join in with the other Share Our Lives bloggers. This month the prompt is: Grocery List Frequent Buys!

Grocery shopping happens every week here. I usually do one big food shop and get it delivered and then nip to the local shop for bread and milk and the farm shop for fruit and veg just to get some steps in! Most weeks I get Gousto boxes delivered, which cover three or four of our evening meals each week. It’s such a game changer because I don’t have to think about grocery shopping for those meals and it introduces us to some recipes we might never try otherwise.

I tend to do online orders because it's just easier and get the food shop delivered. When I order online I always go through my list of favourites and most bought items and end up adding the same things each week. There are certain items that are just non-negotiable in our house. They go on the list week in, week out, rain or shine and these are those things:

Milk!

We go through about 12 pints a week and sometimes more if we're into having hot chocolate, milkshakes or smoothies that week!

Bread!

I buy a thick sliced loaf for toast and a medium sliced loaf for everything else. In the warmer months we I usually buy two loaves of medium sliced bread as we seem to eat more.

Cheese!

Cheese is something I buy every week without fail. Sliced cheese for snacking, grated mozzarella, a block of Red Leicester and maybe some cheddar too. I don’t eat a ton of cheese myself but my family more than make up for it.

Yoghurts!

I like to mix things up here so the flavours vary week by week, they’re usually something fruity. Everyone in the house has their favourites and it’s one of those items that disappears quickly if I don’t make sure there’s enough.

Fresh Fruit!

Apples, oranges, bananas, grapes and whatever else is on offer. In the summer, strawberries and melon make regular appearances.

Vegetables!

Carrots, onions, potatoes and mushrooms make it onto my list every week. We also stock up on tinned peas and sweetcorn most weeks. Depending on the season, I might add in salad leaves, tomatoes or even fresh corn on the cob. I like to have the basics for cooking but I also enjoy throwing in a few extras when they’re in season.

Brunch bars!

Stu takes brunch bars to work as a snack so I always grab a box of Belvita bars and a couple of packets of Cadbury Brunch Bars. They’re a lifesaver for mornings when there isn’t time for anything else or for when someone just wants a sweet treat.

Sliced ham!

We go through so much ham in this house. It’s perfect for sandwiches, quick snacks or even thrown into omelettes. My girls call it thinking food as they will stand looking into the fridge, eating ham while thinking about what to eat.

Chocolate chip muffins!

These are a breakfast food in our house. We all reach for them when toast or cereal isn’t hitting the spot. They’re a little reminder that breakfast doesn’t always have to be serious.

Juice of some sort!

We all drink diluted juice here, usually blackcurrant or orange. I’ll often buy a couple of cartons of fresh orange or apple juice too. It’s nice to have options.

Pasta sauce!

My eldest has some sort of pasta dish after work most mornings (she works night shifts) so it’s easier for her to cook something quick when she gets in. I usually bulk buy the pasta so that doesn’t go on the list each week but pasta sauce does. She goes through a couple of jars a week and it’s one of those items I never forget because running out would be the end of the world for her.

A meal deal!

On the day when I get the food shop delivered, I always treat myself to a meal deal. It’s usually a sandwich, a snack, and a drink for about £4. I like to think of it as a little treat and a reward for bringing the food shop in.

Depending on the time of year I’ll also add a few extra bits to the weekly food shop. In the summer it will be fresh berries, salad things and ice cream. In the winter there's tins of soup and hot chocolate added to the list.

What things do you buy every week with your grocery shop?

I am linking up with:

Adrienne from Mom Life with Adrienne.

Dara from Not In Jersey.

Jen from Show me & Sweet tea.

Joanne from Slices of Life.

Our weekly meal plan! 9th - 15th March!! #MealPlanningMonday

How was your weekend? Ours was good. Everyone was home but it was a quiet one. I pottered around the house for most of it, waiting for parcels and having a spring-clean. I always feel so motivated at this time of year when the sun has been shining. I say it has been shining because it was pretty dull and grey over the weekend but at least it didn't rain!

Last week's meal plan went pretty well. We swapped around a couple of meals but everything was eaten! Our favourite meal of the week was of course the Crispy Chicken Katsu Curry Burritos! I love meals like that where you take something you already enjoy and put a slightly different twist on it. They were easy to make and almost everyone enjoyed them. Becky decided to have garlic chicken in her wraps, so Stu, Ellie and myself quite happily ate her portion. Hehehe

This week is going to be a week of ticking things off my monthly to-do list! I am going to sand all the wood on and around the fireplace and hopefully get that painted, make a start on planting seeds and if I have time, I will start a Lego set that I have.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Gousto meal - Smoky Hunters Chicken With Sweet Potato Mash & Greens!

We had this at the start of the year and really enjoyed it so it's back on the menu again. It is chicken smothered in a smoky BBQ sauce with plenty of cheese on top. Served with sweet potato mash and garlicky greens.

Tuesday - Gousto meal - Marmite & Peanut Butter Pork Udon!

I'll caramelise pork mince in Marmite until crispy while making a Marmite and peanut butter satay sauce. Spinach and udon noodles will be mixed in and topped with crushed peanuts for a bit of crunch. It's funny half the family hates peanut butter and half hates Marmite but we seem to really love these sorts of dishes and they always go down so well.

Wednesday - Gousto meal - Red Wine Fable Mushroom Ragù Tortiglioni!

A hearty pasta dish with a rich tomato ragu made from Fable mushrooms, carrots and shallots. The pasta is finished with Pangrattato, crispy garlicky breadcrumbs sprinkled on top. (Yes I had to Google what Pangrattato is.)

Thursday - Fish fingers, home made chips and baked beans!

Easy to make and enjoyed by everyone. The fish fingers will just be out of the freezer. There's nothing fancy about this meal unless you count my homemade chips. I have been told they are pretty good!

Friday - Pizza!

This might be homemade, out of the freezer or ordered in. It really depends on how the week has gone!

Saturday - Gousto meal - Sage & Onion Pork Stuffing Yorkshire Pudding Wrap!

I am so excited to try this one! The Yorkshire Pudding Wrap is filled with sage and onion stuffing balls, roasted vegetables and spinach, then covered in plenty of onion gravy.

Sunday - A help yourself evening!

Sunday is usually a lazy day for us all, so everyone can just help themselves to whatever they fancy. I know I won't be cooking as it's Mother's Day and it's my day off from all of the cooking! 

What are you eating this week?

A photo every day for a year! 1st - 7th March Week 10 of #Project365

Happy Sunday, again! This week seems to have flown by for me and a lot of what has taken up my time is admin! Ugh! It was my Word of the Week yesterday and my photos prove it. lol. I don't know why I'm surprised, because it seems to be around this time every year that a lot of admin needs doing. Emails, forms to fill in, printing things, checking things, waiting for replies and chasing up things I sent days ago! Double ugh! At least it's the weekend so I can have a break from it.

Yesterday was a busy day of just pottering around waiting for parcels. As of writing this yesterday morning, I was waiting for parcels from I think every delivery service going: DPD, Royal Mail, Evri, DHL and Amazon. Most of it was just practical things for the house and garden. I have seeds and compost arriving as I’m determined to get a bit more organised with the garden this year. I also ordered some paint for a little project, a new washing basket because the old one has seen better days and a few other bits and bobs that I probably didn’t need but added to the basket anyway,

Hopefully, today stays dry because Stu is wanting to cut the grass in the back garden. It has suddenly started growing again over the last couple of weeks and it’s getting quite long. He will finally get to try out the lawnmower that my dad gave us late last year. It’s one of those that has a box on the back which collects all the cut grass. Our old mower didn’t have that, which meant raking everything up afterwards, so this should make the job a lot quicker.

Now for a photo every day!

60/365 1st March

I love this time of year for sunsets. During the winter they seem to happen in the middle of the afternoon but once we get into March they usually happen when I am in the kitchen making tea so I can run out and snap a photo when I see a pretty sky!

61/365 2nd March

It was a warm but dull day on Monday and no one had their washing out on the line so Stu decided to have an hour of burning cardboard and papers that we really should shred but why go to the effort when the fire does the trick. The fire pit is something he made about four years ago using an old drum from a washing machine. It’s one of those things that turned out to be really useful. It works perfectly for little garden fires and has held up really well over the years.

62/365 3rd March

I have spent a lot of time this week waiting for emails. It reminded me of that old saying: a watched pot never boils. The same applies to email inboxes. The more you stare at them, the longer everything seems to take and the second you stop looking the email turns up.

63/365 4th March

I had a battle with the printer. Stu unplugged it when he painted the dining room and it was a nightmare getting it working again. For some reason printers and I have never really got along.

64/365 5th March

We got the leaflet about the bins! It's all change, with the recycling boxes not being used, we're getting a bigger recycling bin, food waste will go in the garden bin and our collection day has changed too. It felt like a lot of information to take in all at once.

65/365 6th March

I love that all the daffodils are popping up all over the place. They are very impressive on the walk to my dad's. One side of the grass verge is full of them.

66/365 7th March

Lots of parcels arrived, more than I thought because some were for Becky! I can't even complain as I know she ordered my Mother's Day presents and those could be them.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

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

This week my Word of the Week is:

My week has been filled with admin and I am so done with it. There have been bits and bobs that needed sorting and it has been a constant flow all week. Nothing scary or stressful just lots of things!

I found myself more than once sat looking at my email inbox waiting for messages to come through. Refresh, refresh and refresh again and nothing until I walk away find myself busy doing something else and when I come back to my laptop the message I have been waiting for has been sat there an hour! Grr!

The start of a new month had the usual bills to pay. We tend to pay most of them ourselves instead of setting up direct debits. I know, I know it would probably make life easier with the direct debits but we like being in control of what goes out and when. It does mean that the first few days of the month are basically just me logging into account after account ticking things off. It’s not hard, it’s just a repetitive process. I did it all on Sunday because I didn’t have much else on my to-do list and it was nice not to rush. While I was in the paying mood I even went hunting online for our new council tax bill. It’s due to be sent out any day now and I couldn’t wait to see how much it had gone up. I braced myself but thankfully it wasn’t too bad. Ours has only gone up by £8 a month. Not amazing but in the grand scheme of things it could have been worse.

Then there was Sky TV to deal with. Stu got an email saying our package was going up in price. He was ready to march into battle, they’d previously said we were in a 24 month contract and the bill wouldn’t go up, so he was all fired up to complain. I reminded him about something I’d discovered a while ago. We’re going to be getting Disney Plus included with the package come April and with the price rise, we’ll actually end up saving money because we can cancel my Disney+ subscription which is now £14.99 a month. Eesh!

I got a message at the start of the week saying we needed to prove that Ellie is in full time education. In the two and a half years she’s been in college, I’ve only ever had to prove it when she first started. So I was a bit surprised. I contacted the college and they were so quick getting back to me. They gave me options about where I wanted the proof sent. My email, Ellie’s email, by post or Ellie could pick it up from reception. I replied joking that the only option they didn’t offer was carrier pigeon. After all that it turns out the proof wasn’t needed anyway. Someone somewhere had made a mistake and it had already been verified that Ellie was in education. So I sent the proof anyway. I felt petty but they asked for it so they were getting it.

Then there was the online weekly food shop. Usually I leave it until the evening before delivery, grab a slot and put everything into the basket in one go. This week I decided to be organised. I started the order on Monday afternoon. I added everything I could think of and thought I was done. No! Every single day my family asked me to add something. It went on all week, by the night before delivery I’d been in and out of that basket about 20 times. Next week I am going back to doing it the night before. Being organised is overrated!

Midweek I had a full on battle with the printer. Not even to print something, it was just to use the scanner. When Stu painted the dining room he unplugged the printer and didn’t plug it back in. So first I had to find the cable, eventually I found it hidden away in a bag of cables, I am still not sure it was the right one but it worked. Then came the joy of reconnecting it to the Wi-Fi, an hour passed before it was even switched on and connected. Getting it linked to my laptop was a whole other saga! 2 hours it took before I was finally ready to scan. There were five pages to scan and of course the fifth and most important page was missing. I had to go through every single folder where we keep paperwork. They're supposed to be organised, they are not! In hindsight I should have just taken photos of the documents on my phone. That would have been more than enough to send and would have saved me a lot of time.

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good 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 10. #FridayFavourites

Happy Friday! I hope you have all had a good week! I've had a week of it with life admin to do. It's something I don't enjoy but this week was extra tedious waiting around for emails to be sent to me and fighting with our printer. Anyway, on to the good stuff. As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea to share the things that I have loved over the past week.

A lazy Sunday!

I stayed up way past my bedtime on Saturday night watching a live wrestling event. Usually the start times are 1am but it started early at midnight. I said I was only going to stay up and watch the first couple of matches. Half way through the 3rd, I dragged myself away from the TV and took myself to bed. On Sunday morning I had a lovely lie-in, I didn't get up until almost 11am. I stayed in my PJ's all day, only changing them for bed and watching the wrestling I didn't see the night before. I would like to start a petition to have a new month start on a Sunday every month. I know, I know it wouldn’t work, but just imagine! The 1st on a Sunday does make life so much easier. I got to sort all the bills without having to rush and it was a nice treat!

The new F1 season!

This is something I never thought I’d say a year ago: I’m actually excited about the new Formula 1 season! My youngest Ellie got me into it slowly over the last year, talking about drivers, team colours, cars and all the drama that comes with it and now I know who drives for which team and can even hold a basic conversation about the races. The season officially starts today and while I won’t be watching all the races live I’m definitely keeping an eye on the highlights. Ellie, bless her, is planning to get up at 6 or 7am to watch some races throughout the season but the Australian Grand Prix has a nightmare start at 4am here in the UK. She’ll have to catch up later but it's nice to have something new to share with her.

Revels!

I’ve rediscovered an old favourite this week: Revels. I hadn’t eaten them for a good couple of years but now I’ve had a bag and a half in a week and I'm not even sorry. For anyone who hasn’t indulged in these, Revels are a bag of surprises. They’re all milk chocolate-coated but inside there’s a mix of centres: caramel, raisin, orange creme, coffee creme and a Malteser-style crunchy malt one. Most of them look the same from the outside, so you never quite know what you’re going to get. The orange ones are my favourite.

Seeds!

I’ve finally ordered my seeds for the year and they should be arriving any day now. I almost bought them from town but they seemed so expensive compared to what I could find online. I used Seeds to Suit. I’ve gone for all the usuals: sweetcorn, sunflowers, tomatoes, strawberries and a bunch of random flower seeds just to keep things colourful but this year I’m getting a little adventurous and I’m trying melons and onions for the first time. Melons might be pushing it but fingers crossed and the onions because we go through so many in this house that it just makes sense to grow them ourselves rather than buying them week after week. I just need to get my hands on some compost and then the planting can begin.

The girls have been shopping!

Mother’s Day is next weekend here in the UK, and my girls have been shopping for gifts for me. Bless them! It’s so funny to watch how they shop. Ellie, my youngest hates online shopping. She prefers wandering around the shops and sends me multiple photos asking, "Do you like this, or this, or this?” She hasn’t told me what she’s actually bought but she admitted a couple of the photos were decoys to throw me off track. Becky, my eldest, loves online shopping. She gave me a website to look at and asked me to pick out a few things I liked. I already had a few things in mind so it was so easy for her to shop. Now she’s panicking that things might not arrive in time while Ellie is gloating, saying "You should have just shopped in town!"

The old/new sideboard.

Last week, I shared a photo of our new sideboard in the living room. I was planning to take the old one to the tip, but Stu had a better idea. He was going to paint it and put it in our bedroom. I love it when he comes up with these ideas because he is really good at DIY and upcycling things.

He sanded it down, painted it and even used leftover vinyl from when he painted my dressing table for the top. I love it! It looks like a proper piece of furniture and it’s now in our bedroom., we have a sort of matching set now.

Setting the printer up!

Linking our printer to my laptop wasn't on my to-do list this week but it happened. I had to use the scanner on it and for some life admin, it wasn't fun getting it working but I got there in the end thanks to my helpful friend ChatGPT. I've not used the printer since the summer but now I'm connected, there's no stopping me. I am printing out to-do lists, recipes and I am waiting for some photo card to be delivered so I can print out some photos.

Strawberries!

It seems ages since we had strawberries in the fridge to snack on or have for dessert after tea but Stu called in the shop one evening after work and there was a tub in the reduced section, so he picked them up for me. I had them with cream during the week and they were good, so good that I added more to the weekly online food shop. I forgot how much I love strawberries.

What have you loved over the past week?

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

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

I know February is a short month but it did seem to fly over! It seemed to be gone in half the time that January did. Anyway, we had a good month with Valentine's and Pancake day, Stu and Ellie had a week off work and college, we did lots of work around the house and I am whizzing through my audiobooks!

Day 32 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for painted nails! It's been a couple of weeks since I last did them.

Day 33 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Stu sorted the big pile of clean washing! All that's left to do is put mine away and that's a job for tomorrow.

Day 34 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful to spend time with Becky! It seems ages since we had a full day together.

Day 36 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for hot chocolate with lots of cream on top!

Day 37 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a good deal from the chip shop! 4 battered sausages, 2 large chips, a big tub of baked beans and a big tub of gravy, all for £12! I hope the chip shop keeps that deal for a while, it was enough to feed 4 of us!

Day 38 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful Dry January is over! It's been nice to have a break from the alcohol but a glass or two of wine at the end of the week is good!

Day 39 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a day in front of the TV.

Day 40 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a mostly dry day and the lighter nights! Tonight I noticed it was still not dark at 5pm.

Day 41 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Ellie went in the spider infested garage to get a new light bulb, I wasn't going in there.

Day 42 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Ellie has finished college for half term and Stu only has a couple more days at work until he's off for a week.

Day 43 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a little treat from my self! Dewberry body spray and shower gel from The Body Shop. It has taken me right back to the 90s. I still love it!!

Day 44 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful to spend time with my dad and brother. Had lunch and a catch up with them.

Day 45 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a lovely Valentine's Day with Stu! We went out paint shopping, had lunch and then I came home to a surprise bunch of flowers and a card from him!

Day 46 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Becky told me when her parcel was delivered because the Amazon didn't even bother knocking, they just threw it under the back gate!

Day 47 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful to have all my family home. Stu on holiday from work, Becky on her day off and Ellie on half term.

Day 48 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for lots and lots of pancakes!

Day 49 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for the amazing nurse who changed my contraceptive implant. She had it done in no time. It's sore now but I'll be fine in a couple of days!

Day 50 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that all the painting in the dining room is done, I think! Stu said he might have to go over a couple of bits tomorrow when it's fully dry but the thick of it is done!

Day 51 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for lunch at my dad's. He fed us that well that we didn't want much for tea!

Day 52 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a night out with Stu! We had a nice meal and a few drinks.

Day 53 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful to get washing out on the line! It was such a lovely day here today!

Day 54 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Stu did some more painting, this time in the bathroom. No change to the colour, he just freshened it up a bit!

Day 55 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for audiobooks! I am onto my 10th book of the year already!

Day 56 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a big pan of Bolognese which will do tomorrows tea too!

Day 57 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for fresh flowers! Chrysanthemums and daffodils!

Day 58 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for new things to watch on TV. I had Bridgerton and Ellie had some F1 show.

Day 58 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for music to motivate me while I was doing the housework!

What were you grateful for in February?