A photo every day for a year! 29th March - 4th April Week 14 of #Project365

Happy Sunday and Happy Easter! We don't really celebrate Easter in my family but we do enjoy the chocolate eggs and I have been telling the girls all week that they can't have their eggs until today so I quite expect them to be devoured by tea time. I will take my time with mine, chocolate always tastes better in egg form!

I hope you have all had a good week. Mine has had its ups and downs. I felt like I was starting with a cold at the beginning of the week but felt better by Tuesday afternoon. It must have been the adrenaline of getting my first tattoo that scared the cold away. lol Everyone is home over the weekend, which has been nice. It doesn't happen often so I make the most of it. We had homemade pizza last night and just watched TV but it was good to be together because Becky has a busy couple of weeks coming up with breaks away, concerts and seeing a show.

Now for a photo every day!

88/365 29th March

I started watching The Pitt which is on HBO MAX! I have been limiting myself to just 2 episodes a day at the most, as I don't want to rush through it. It's so good but so stressful to watch. Not everyone gets to live. Eek! The first season is 15 episodes and each episode covers one hour of a single ER shift, so it feels like it's happening in real time and you are right there with them!

89/365 30th March

Chicken soup for lunch. I wasn't feeling great, so I wanted something comforting and chicken soup was it. I had it in my Halloween mug that Stu said I wouldn't use as soon as October was over, he was so wrong. It is the perfect size for soup and chicken soup just makes everything feel a little bit better.

90/365 31st March

Just a little tattoo that I got, I did write a whole blog post about it yesterday and how it came about. Everything I have ever said about tattoos, I take it all back!

91/365 1st April

My dad went shopping and saw the cheap veg being sold in all the supermarkets and came home with a box full. I had my pick and he took some to my brother too. I chopped lots, cooked it and popped it in the freezer. It will be great for using in the future.

92/365 2nd April

The dandelions are taking over the back garden again. It's fine, I know they are weeds but I like them. They are a cheery flower and I even like them when they turn white into the puffballs.

93/365 3rd April

Good Friday can only mean one thing: fish and chips from the chip shop! It’s one of those little traditions over Easter that we do stick to but to be honest a chippy tea is a regular Friday thing here. I learned from last year and ordered half an hour before we actually wanted them because I know how busy it gets on Good Friday.

94/365 4th April

Homemade pizza for tea and I could make the dough from scratch but I buy it ready made. This is a new one for us so it better be good! I could have taken a picture of the pizzas made but I wanted to take a photo of the dough so I remember which one to buy in the future or not. lol

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

This week my Word of the Week is:

Remember at the start of the year when I wrote a blog post all about Ellie getting her tattoo, how I didn't really approve of or like tattoos. I take it all back.

It all started on Friday evening. Becky's "friend" was talking about a tattoo she was getting this week. She was booked in to get, I think her 7th. Becky started saying she wanted to get one and would if I would. Becky had already come up with her tattoo idea months ago, a simple duck. She is crazy about ducks, so for her it doesn't seem that mad. It sounded like a good idea at the time and I didn't think much else about it until Sunday. I was in two minds about it. A tattoo is so permanent.

I thought about getting a Harry Potter one or a Wrestling related one but I wanted something more personal and with the help of Google Gemini AI, I came up with this.

I wanted something which meant something to me and the heart beat lines made me think of what my girls went through with their heart defects but it still wasn't right. I still wasn't convinced about the tattoo and forgot about the idea. I left it and then on Tuesday morning I had a clever idea. One heart was pretty but I wanted two hearts, one for each of my girls. I went back to Gemini and had it changed in a couple of minutes. This was perfect and exactly what I wanted but still wasn't 100% I would go through with the tattoo. I didn't even know if they could fit us in.

Becky and I were there before Becky's "friend" and her friends Nanna who was also getting a tattoo and as I know the tattoo people, I went in for a chat and asked about if they could do a tattoo for Becky and me and how much they would cost. I think we got a bargain price and surprisingly, the nerves didn't kick in. The designs were printed out, consent forms were signed and we were good to go!

The person doing the tattoo was so lovely, she was chatty and really put me at ease. She is just one of those people who has a calming personality. I joked and said I could do with one of her to follow me around in life to keep me from stressing about everything. I chose to go first, as I think if I saw anyone else get a tattoo that day I would have chickened out.

I didn't know what to expect with the pain from a tattoo but what I felt was not what I expected. I imagined lots of pin pricks but it felt more like someone scraping something sharp on my wrist. Like a cat scratching you but more than just one scratch. It was done in about 5 minutes. It took longer for the cleaning before and after. 

I expected a lot of pain afterwards but there has been none. I have been putting the aftercare cream on 3 times a day, it's nothing fancy, it's just the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula that the tattooist recommended.

Becky was panicking when it came to her time to get her tattoo but she went through with it and didn't chicken out like I thought she was going to do. She was surprised about the pain, or lack of it. 

I know getting yourself permanently marked is not something to be proud of but I am feeling pretty pleased with myself. I don't think I will rush to get another one but at the same time I am thinking about another one. I am glad I got this one. I saw my brother shortly after getting my tattoo and he thought it was hilarious. We turned back into kids, him saying wait till dad finds out, you'll be grounded, you can't just wipe it off. Me saying what's dad going to do, he can't ground me. My dad did find out and he was less than impressed but the best argument was that I have gone 46 years without a tattoo, why one now? I don't know why one now but it's there now and I love it!

It wasn't something I really discussed with Stu, so when he rang on his lunch break, I told him and he didn't believe me. I sent him a photo of mine and Becky's tattoo and him and his friend at work discussed them and came up with the idea they were just images stolen off Google. Eesh! I sent him another photo of my arm in front of my face and he was a little more convinced but still thought we were winding him up. It was only when he got home and saw them for himself that he knew it was true.

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 and her Word of the Week linky!

What I have loved this week! Week 14. #FridayFavourites

Happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a good week. Mine has been a fun one with some interesting things happening! As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea to share the things that I have loved over the past week.

A late night out!

My youngest, Ellie, was heading out with her friends, so Becky, my eldest and I thought we’d make the most of it and go out ourselves, have a meal with Becky's "friend" and then meet up with Ellie later and all get the last bus home like sensible people. That did not happen. We ended up going to a nightclub and bumped into more people that we know. There was lots of singing and dancing to all the cheesy pop songs. I felt very proud of myself for being sensible with my drinks. I had a few glasses of wine and some shots and then mostly soft drinks. I woke up the next day feeling absolutely fine with no regrets, no headache. I was just a bit tired after not getting the taxi home until the early hours.

Sweetcorn!

All my seeds seem to be growing well apart from the melons so far. My sweetcorn is doing the best! I am determined to grow some this year. A couple of years ago, I was doing really well with it and then we had a little break away on the hottest weekend of the year and they died and then last year I just couldn't get them to grow, so hopefully this year is the year I get a crop!

The clocks changing!

I was very sensible and went to bed early on Saturday night and woke up when the clock said 10am, which felt like a little lie in, so I didn't feel the loss of the hour. It's not getting dark until coming on for 8pm now, which I am loving. It would be nicer if mother nature could get the memo that it's spring and warm up a little but I will take the lighter nights for now!

Lambs in the field!

This one makes me happy every single year without fail! Spring is really here as there are lambs in the field.

The Pitt!

We finally got HBO Max on our TV over the weekend and I jumped straight into watching The Pitt! I love it!! I was expecting something like Grey's Anatomy but it is nothing like that apart from other than the hospital setting. It is filled with tension all the way through. I've found myself crying a few times and saying what? She can't die. I saw someone on Grey's Anatomy go through the same thing and be OK. I am trying not to rush through it as so far we only have as far as the first episode of season two but at least that means there are still plenty of episodes to come.

A tattoo!

I have a whole blog post about it tomorrow but I did something wild for me and got a little tattoo on my wrist. This is a sneak peak straight after I got it done and it was still wrapped in the plastic stuff.

Getting the hang of the bin situation!

This sounds like such a boring one but it has been a big part of our week. Our rubbish collection changed and suddenly we’ve gone from a simple system to having multiple bins for different things. I did write about it on Saturday. We now have three bins in the kitchen and three big ones outside and it feels like a challenge to pick the right bin. I’d stand there holding an empty yoghurt pot thinking," Where do you go? It feels like a tricky question and it is because it needs washing out before I put it in the bin. lol Things have been put in the wrong bin and fished back out but I think I’m getting the hang of it now. My family are doing well too and if they get stuck they just leave their rubbish on the side and then I go into the kitchen and sort it out.

What have you loved over the past week?

365 Days Of Gratitude. In March 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 years and it has really made me realise that even on bad days I have something to be grateful for.

March went by so quickly and it feels like this year is flying over. We did a lot of little jobs around the house, a lot of admin, the weather is feeling more spring like and it's almost time to eat our Easter eggs. hehehe

Day 60 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful a long lie in this morning. I stayed up late watching the wrestling!

Day 61 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that the slow cooker did all of the cooking today. Beef Mince & Veggie Stew!

Day 62 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Facebook is working on my phone because it's not working on my laptop. Eesh. Checked online and it's down. Phew!

Day 63 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that I got the printer working eventually! I am totally blaming Stu for unplugging it when he was painting the dining room. It might have taken me 2 hours but I feel pretty proud of myself!

Day 64 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for an extra mouth to feed tonight because of course I made too much for tea!

Day 65 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for my blanket! It was cold again today! Crazy to think yesterday I was outside in a t-shirt but today I had my big coat back on!

Day 66 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful I got some furniture built without throwing the whole lot across the room! The instructions were not great and there was a lot of pieces!

Day 67 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a quiet Sunday watching the F1 racing and a couple of films.

Day 68 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful Stu has the patience of a saint! All day I seem to have been asking him to do little jobs only he can do, well some of them I could have done but didn't want to. Like go in the garage and find the sandpaper. It's scary in there. lol

Day 69 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful I got the wood around the fireplace painted. It's still not dry, the room stinks and everything is all over the place but it looks fantastic!!!

Day 70 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that I could get the living room sorted out and everything put back in it's place! The painting I did yesterday took about 24 hours to dry!

Day 71 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a simple tea! Fish fingers, chips and baked beans!

Day 72 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for takeaway pizza for tea and there's leftovers for tomorrow too!

Day 73 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a very long windowsill in the kitchen where I can put all my newly planted seeds!

Day 74 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a lovely Mother's Day! I was spoilt rotten by my girls with gifts, cards and a takeaway for tea!

Day 75 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful the paint on Ellie's desk dried quickly outside! Now all the furniture in the living room matches!

Day 76 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for Yorkshire Pudding wraps! I made them myself and they went down well.

Day 77 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for sunshine and blue skies! It was such a gorgeous day!

Day 78 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that I could have the windows open all day!

Day 79 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful Stu didn't want any tea after having a big lunch so Ellie and I got to order McDonald's. hehehe I even got Becky a cheeseburger to have before she goes to bed after work in the morning.

Day 80 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a Lamb Burger With Minty Mayo And Wedges for tea! It was a Gousto meal and was good! Ellie wouldn't eat it because it's lamb, I think she was just imagining eating all the cute lambs from the fields.

Day 81 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that I could watch lots of football. Sunday is becoming a day for sport.

Day 82 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a shiny, new wheelie bin! The new way to recycle is going to take some getting used to though.

Day 83 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful my youngest bought sponges for washing the pots. Half an hour later my dad popped around with a bag full, I thought he had forgotten I had asked.

Day 84 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful my seeds have started to grow.

Day 85 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that HBO Max is now on Sky TV!! I will be watching The Pitt over the weekend!

Day 86 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a fun night out in town. I haven't laughed so much in ages.

Day 87 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a quiet day of not doing much at all. I needed it.

Day 88 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful Becky has Amazon Prime so she could order a couple of things that I need.

Day 89 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a nice time with my family tonight. Didn't do anything special, it was nice just to eat together and watch TV.

Day 90 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful my dad brought me a load of veg! He got it cheap from town! I think I am going to have to cook up some casseroles or stews!

What were you grateful for in March?

The Wednesday Hodgepodge #49

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. March is rolling on out of here. Sum up your March in ten words or less.

Home improvements, admin, sunshine, feeling organised and ready for spring!

2. Are you afraid of heights? When was the last time you found yourself dealing with a height, and did it make you nervous?

Yes I am afraid of heights!! Even standing on a chair to change a light bulb panics me. That’s basically an extreme sport in my world! Recently I had to change a light bulb or else I would have been sitting here in the dark. I made my own little safety system using another chair for balance as well as the one to stand on. It was very health and safety approved in my head. If my family could have seen me they would have laughed. They think being scared of heights is just silly.

3. What's a word you struggle to spell on a regular basis, and sometimes need to double check before writing it down? Use the word in a sentence that tells us something about your April calendar.

I’ve got quite a few words I need to double-check. My spelling is a bit hit and miss and I rely on spell check far more than I should admit. Here's a sentence with 4 of my problem words. I'll let you guess what they are. Hehehe

As the calendar rolls around to a new month, I definitely want some warmer temperatures. Don't disappoint me April!!

4. Love 'em or hate 'em, with Easter comes the sweet treat known as Peeps. So... do you love 'em or hate 'em? Speaking of peeps, what's your favorite way to have chicken?

I have never tried Peeps!! They are not a big thing over here in England. You can get them from specialist sweet shops but they are always overpriced because they are not easy to get. I do want to try them though, just so I can form my own opinion.

We eat a lot of chicken. Right now I would say my favourite way to have chicken is in a McChicken Sandwich from McDonalds but if you asked me on a Sunday it would be a roast dinner, on a weeknight it would be in a curry or during the day it would be cream of chicken soup. Chicken is such a great meat that suits every mood and occasion.

5. This week's Hodgepodge lands on the first day of April, which happens to be National Poetry Month. Do you like poetry? Share a favorite line or two from one of your favorite poems. What makes this one a favorite?

I don't really have an opinion about poetry. I don't love it but I don't hate it either. The one that always comes to mind for me is a poem called Somewhere, Someplace, Today. It’s about heart defects and I shared it years ago here on my blog. Both of my girls have had heart issues, including open-heart surgery, so this one hits hard! These are the last lines.

Somewhere, some place, each year,

More than 40,000 families will see,

What it means when something’s wrong,

They’ll face a CHD.

Today for just a moment,

Stop, remember, reflect,

Make time to tell someone you know,

“I’ve been changed by a heart defect.”

6. Insert your own random thought here.

The clocks changed here early Sunday morning and so far I have been fine with the time change. I went to bed early Saturday night and felt pretty good about the time when I woke up and looked at my phone it was 10am. If felt like I had beat the system and had a little lie in. Becky was very happy about the change as she worked an hour less for her night shift, it makes up for late last year when she had to work an extra hour when the clocks changed. Now Becky actually gets to see some daylight. During the winter months she came home from work when it wasn't quite light, slept and then woke up and it was dark again. That little bit of daylight really helps her feel more awake. 

My April goals & plans!

I’m carrying on with my monthly goals and plans because writing things down really gives me that little kick up the bum to actually get things done. I always feel more motivated when I have a list to look at instead of just thinking I should probably do that at some point. When it’s written down it feels more official, like I’ve made a little promise to myself.

In March, I did really well with my goals. I felt like I got loads done. A few things even got sorted that weren’t even on the list to start with. I replaced the broken washing basket, I also got a new hoover which felt exciting. There’s something about a new hoover that makes me want to clean everything all the time. Even the random bits of life admin that popped up got sorted. Last month’s goals were mostly ticked off too and I completed every single one apart from having a date night with Stu! We ended up spending money on the house instead of going out and doing something fun. Hmmf. It was proper grown-up behaviour. I am not complaining though, because it is nice to have a nice house. The kitchen got sorted, which felt amazing. I decluttered the cupboards and gave them all a really good clean, I listened to plenty of audiobooks which made me very happy and I also painted the fireplace and all around it which turned out to be much more work than I expected. Someone said I should have shown a before and after photo, so there is one below. I tried a few new breakfast meals, which were fun, I planted some seeds, I watched more than four movies that were new to me and I actually started my Lego. Hooray!

This month I want to:

Paint the doors in the living room!

Since Stu decorated the dining room, I have started noticing that the living room doors could really do with a lick of paint too. As soon as one room looks nice, suddenly everything around it starts looking a bit tired. I know, I know it was only a couple of weeks ago that I said I was done with home improvements for a while but once you start you begin spotting all the little things that could be improved. It’s a slippery slope. hehehe The doors aren’t terrible but they are looking a bit worn and scuffed, so a fresh coat of paint would make a big difference. I did briefly think about painting the walls as well, but they still look pretty good from the last time they were done.

Use the washing line!

Now it is starting to get warmer outside, it is time to stop using the tumble dryer as much and make more of an effort to use the washing line. It will save a little bit of money on the electricity bill and it will keep me busy hanging the clothes on the line. I have got a little lazy over winter and the tumble dryer has been far too easy to use. So, if the weather is good, I am making a point of hanging the washing outside instead of taking the lazy option.

Wash the cushion covers and curtains in the living room!

Washing the curtains and cushion covers in the living room doesn’t get done as often as it probably should and now I can get things out on the washing line. That means they will be done without the worry of shrinking things in the tumble dryer. The cushion covers and curtains in the living room are definitely due a good wash. Once they are clean, the whole room will feel fresher and look brighter.

Have a family day out!

Ellie is off college for two weeks for the Easter holidays and hopefully Stu can get some time off work too. I want us to have a proper family day out somewhere. Becky has her set days off work so we will work around her. I have no idea where to go but I would like it to be somewhere we haven’t been before.

Read more audiobooks!

Last month I listened to a fantastic mix of audiobooks and they were all completely different from each other. I listened to Skin by Liam Brown which was intense and quite unsettling at times. Then there was What Does it Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella which was much more emotional but also surprisingly funny considering it deals with illness. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig was another one I finished and that one really makes you think about life choices and all the different paths we could take. The Surrogate Mother by Freida McFadden which was a proper twisty drama and finally, Swept Away by Beth O'Leary which I didn't love but I enjoyed it.

Watch four more movies that are new to me!

Last month I watched a few films that I hadn’t seen before and it was a really good mix: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy was one I had been meaning to watch for ages and I’m so glad I finally did. I loved it. It was sweet, funny and a little bit sad at times too. It felt a bit like catching up with an old friend you haven’t seen for years. I also watched A Minecraft Movie which was fun even though it was a bit silly in places. Then there was F1. Since getting back into Formula One I felt like I had to watch it and I’m glad I did because the racing scenes were brilliant and it had a good story too. Finally, I watched The Long Walk which turned out to be much darker than I expected. The tension really builds and I probably shouldn’t have watched it right before bed though, because it left me feeling a bit on edge.

Get my little greenhouses out of the garage!

I love my little greenhouses. They’re just the plastic-covered ones, not proper glass ones but they work just as well. I would say better because, in the winter, they just get moved into the garage and not damaged by the weather. They’ve been in the spider-infested garage over winter, so it’s time to give them a clean and get them set up again. At the moment, my seeds are growing on the kitchen windowsill but once the weather warms up they will move outside into the greenhouses and I’ll start planting even more.

Do some baking!

Finally, I want to do a bit of baking this month because I have quite a few baking supplies that need using up. It won’t be anything fancy. I’m thinking scones, cupcakes and maybe a carrot cake or two because carrot cake is my favourite cake.

What do you have planned for April?

Our weekly meal plan! 30th March - 5th April #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Ours was a good one. Becky was very happy about the clocks changing as she had one less hour at work (she works nights) and it felt like I had a lie in as I had an early night and by the time I got up, my phone was saying 10am. hehehe I am ready for a new week and a new month! I know I keep saying it but this year is whizzing by. How is it almost April already?

Last week's meal plan went well until we got to the weekend and then none of the meals happened. We went a bit off track. Oops. It's fine, Saturdays meal has been bumped to today. Last week I was most excited to try the Cheeseburger' Rice Bake With Saucy Relish but it was just OK, it's not something I would rush to make again. Our favourite meal was the Swedish-Style Pork Meatballs With Mash And Peas! Stu walked in and said the sauce for the meatballs didn't look that good, so I made him taste it and he was pleasantly surprised, it was delicious!

I have a few things on this week and Ellie starts her Easter break from college. Stu had hoped the buses would be running their Sunday service on Friday, with it being Good Friday and hoped for a day off work but no, our buses are running their normal service. Hmmf.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Gousto meal - Peanut Satay Chicken Burger With Sesame Chips And Lime Slaw!

This one was meant to happen on Saturday but got pushed back. A fusion-style dish featuring pan-fried chicken coated in a rich, creamy peanut satay sauce, served on a soft brioche bun. It’s topped with zesty lime slaw for a bit of crunch and comes with crispy sesame chips on the side.

Tuesday - Gousto meal - Lamb Mince & Buttery Tatties With Minty Peas!

Juicy lamb mince with carrots and thyme served with a side of buttery tatties and fresh minty peas. Yum! This sounds like comfort food at its best. My family are really starting to enjoy lamb and it has been nice to find new ways to use it.

Wednesday - Gousto meal - Creamy Chicken Korma With Sesame Seed Chips!

Chicken breast in a rich spiced sauce served with crispy homemade black sesame seed chips. This one sounds nice and mild, which suits us perfectly. I don't like anything too spicy.

Thursday - Gosuto meal - Sweet 'N' Smoky BBQ Chicken Fajitas!

These sweet 'n' smoky BBQ fajitas are filled with chicken, cheddar cheese, sour cream and vegetables. All wrapped up in soft tortillas. I will probably overfill them and them they will be messy to eat but that is part of the fun of fajitas.

Friday - Chip shop!

It has been a few weeks since we last ordered food from the chip shop. No cooking, no fuss and the biggest drama is deciding what we fancy.

Saturday - Home made pizza!

It has been a while since we made our own pizzas. I will buy the bases ready-made and we can add our own toppings. I will be going for BBQ sauce, smoky sausage, onions, mushroom and a little sprinkling of cheese.

Sunday - A help yourself evening!

Or leftover pizza if we didn't eat it all. We always seem to make too much which isn't a bad thing as it means no cooking the next day!

What are you eating this week?

A photo every day for a year! 22nd - 28th March Week 13 of #Project365

Happy Sunday! I hope you have all had a good week! I've had a quiet one which has been nice but I don't feel like it has been a productive one. I have done the usual housework but not much else apart from dying my hair twice, which I will come to in a moment. The weather was all over the place, very spring looking with sunshine and blue skies but cold as well. On Wednesday I had the heating on and a blanket over me as it was so cold. It feels like we've had all the weather this week. Wind, rain, hail, sunshine and a bit more wind! We don't have much planned for today apart from watching TV and relaxing.

Now for a photo every day!

81/365 22nd March

Sunday was the Tyne-Wear derby! Newcastle v Sunderland and it did not go well for Newcastle. They lost 2-1. I've noticed something with the team. They always do so well in the first half and then they have their little half-time break and then it seems to go downhill. I am sure they go off to the changing room and fill themselves up with Greggs pasties. lol

82/365 23rd March

Our new wheelie bin was delivered. Hooray! It's twice the size of our old one and I think it will be needed now that all our recycling will go into it! As of writing this, we are still waiting for our old one to be collected.

83/365 24th March

I decided to dye my hair. It was the time when I needed to bleach it and that all went well. I then decided to try a new colour: Carnation Pink. I bought it by mistake thinking it was Flamingo Pink and it turns out they are two very different colours. Anyway, I put it on and it did not go on well, it was patchy and I just didn't like the colour, so I just put a Pillarbox Red on over the top and all was good. I don't often have hair disasters. This was one but at least it was fixable.

84/365 25th March

See those little white dots on the ground, those are hailstones! I thought it had hailed earlier in the day but by the time I looked out of the window, it had stopped. This time I caught it and while taking a photo I suffered getting those little balls of ice down the back of my jumper! Brr!

85/365 26th March

Getting the Easter Eggs was easy, a lot easier than I thought it would be. I ordered them with the food shopping but didn't expect them all to be delivered. Every other year there is at least one missing or substituted. Well done Tesco!

86/365 27th March

I had a night out and I just love the toilets in a bar. They are always so much nicer than anywhere else! The décor is always so colourful and fun!

87/365 28th March

I had a lazy day after a late night. I spent most of it watching Friends on TV. It is such an easy show to watch as I have seen it all so many times before and most of the episodes I know word for word.

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

This week my Word of the Week is:

This week my mind has been on our bins. I know how boring!! Apparently we’re getting simpler, smarter recycling where I live. That’s what they’re calling it anyway. I’m sure it will be simpler eventually but at this moment in time it just feels like a lot of faffing about and trying to remember the new rules. Oh! and to top it all, they are changing the days the bins will be collected, add in the bank holidays and it's going to be chaos for the next few weeks!

Right now we have 3 wheelie bins. Garden waste, recycling and general waste and two boxes. One for cans and one for glass bottles or jars. From the start of April, the boxes are going and all the recycling goes into our new, bigger red bin, food waste goes in the garden bin and the general waste is used for everything else. It sounds simple when it is written down but it's a lot to get my head around.

Our new bigger red recycling bin was delivered on Monday and I thought ahead. I ordered some of the sticky numbers weeks ago to put on it. Of course, I couldn't find them. I looked everywhere but came across them eventually. I wanted our house number on because now everyone's red bins are the same. I don't want to get mixed up.

I think we have been short changed. My dad's cousin, who lives in Hartlepool, was given an outside caddy for food waste and a smaller indoor one. They were also provided with liners to put in their wheelie bins. We get none of that. I bought an indoor caddy to make life a little easier. Going outside after every meal to scrape the plates does not sound like fun. I guess you can tell I am not happy about the food bin situation. We don't have that much food waste, which is probably a good thing but we still have some and I can just imagine how it's going to stink in the summer. I know it will knock me sick every time I open the wheelie bin. Our council is helpful. They suggested freezing food waste. lol Especially for smelly items like raw meat or fish. They say you can store the waste in a container in your freezer then transfer it directly into the outdoor bin on collection day. I can just imagine it. Stu is getting ready for work, goes into the freezer and picks the wrong tub and takes a tub of food waste for lunch. lol

It just seems to be making more work for me. The garden/food wheelie bin will need washing out every week in the summer. What happens if a hosepipe ban kicks in? I did think about getting the biodegradable wheelie bin liners but as far as I can see online, our council is saying no to them. Ugh! I suppose it could be worse. If we did have a food caddy I can just imagine it blowing away down the street.

Now I have to train my family in how to use the bins. The old recycling bin was emptied earlier in the week, so now all recycling goes into the big red bin and this week we are starting to use the indoor food caddy. Becky stood in front of me the other day with a handful of things, trying to figure out what was going in which bin. I know we will get used to it eventually but until then, keep me in your thoughts because I predict me getting shouty with my family when they put things in the wrong bins.

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!