A photo every day for a year! 25th Feb - 3rd March. Week 9 of #Project365

I have had quite a quiet week with Ellie at school and Stu and Becky at work. It has been nice to have a bit of normal with no building work being done, no DIY and everyone out of the house apart from Becky sleeping after her night shifts. The first day Stu went back to work after his holidays it got to late afternoon and I felt a little lost with no one to talk to. 

I have spent my week getting the house back in order and that's about it. I did have some time out with Becky yesterday. We went to see my dad and then went out for a pub lunch. We don't have much planned for the weekend apart from getting everything put back in Ellie's bedroom now that her shelves have been put up.

Now for a photo every day!

56/365 - 25th February

Burgers for tea and eaten in front of the TV watching Saturday night takeaway. I do love a Saturday night when we're all at home.

57/365 - 26th February

Can you believe we still have sweets left from Christmas. I thought everything was eaten until I found a tub of Heroes in the cupboard under the stairs. The kids were happy.

58/365 - 27th February

A Gu Dessert. I don't buy them often as they are so expensive but when they're on offer I sometimes treat us to them. I got the last one, it was meant to be for one of the kids but they weren't quick enough. They haven't noticed.

59/365 - 28th February

Stu got around to moving Ellie's TV to the other side of the room, she doesn't know if she likes it where it is now but tough luck, it's staying there.

60/365 - 1st March

A chip butty for lunch. In hindsight Becky and I could have got one to share as the portions were huge. We don't usually get this much on an evening.

61/365 - 2nd March

The filters online are getting out of control. I found this one on TikTok and it looks nothing like me! No wonder kids and teenagers have issues about how they look when this is shown as the ideal! 

62/365 - 3rd March

Becky and I went out for lunch. Of course I had Scampi, chips and peas. It's my go to meal at any pub.

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

This week my Word of the Week is:

A fortnight ago Ellie was off school for half term and she kept me busy, last week we had builders in doing some work, Stu was decorating Ellie's bedroom and Stu and I had an unplanned night out. By Friday we were sick of all of the chaos in the house and wanted to make the most of Stu being off work so we took ourselves off to the pub for a meal. 

This week has been all about getting to normal and it has been lovely getting back into some sort of a routine. The weather hasn't been great, it's not been that cold. I am sat here with the windows open but it has been wet. We've had that misty rain which doesn't look bad but does seem to get you soaked. I keep getting annoyed thinking that if it wasn't raining I could get a ton of washing dried as it's quite bright and breezy.

I say we've got back to normal but Ellie's bedroom still isn't finished. Stu ran out of time to get everything done. He still has to put a couple of shelves up so we still have a box or two of Ellie's things in our bedroom. Ellie loves her new room though. We took inspiration from the builders putting insulated boards on the living room wall and put some thinner boards up on Ellie's bedroom walls. They have already made such a difference to how warm her room is. She slept without one of her duvets and the window open the other night as she was so warm and it wasn't a particularly warm night.

I am slowly getting the house back to normal after the chaos of the last couple of weeks. We are still waiting for the builders to come back and finish the living room wall, I just want to get it painted but there's no point until the window has been boxed in.

On Tuesday Stu went back to work so it was my first day home alone in a while, Becky doesn't count. hehehe She was in bed sleeping after a night shift. It got to about 2pm and I was bored. lol I always think I like being alone but after having 2 weeks with people it takes some getting used to again.

On Wednesday I discovered that Sky had updated and ITVX was there so I could finally start rewatching The 100 so that has given me something to do. It was on E4 years ago but then I think Amazon got it so I've never rewatched it until now. Set 97 years after a nuclear apocalypse, on-board a dying space station running out of air. One hundred juvenile delinquents are sent back to Earth to see if it is habitable. On the ground they will be tested by the Earth, the secrets it hides and, most of all, themselves.

Ellie's new normal at school is doing mock exam papers. She only has a few months until her GCSE's start so it's all about exams at the moment. One day last week she had a full day doing photography, finishing off coursework and practicing for the GCSE exam. It's all practical work and there's no exam so the teacher is trying to teach them what they need to do to tick all of the boxes to get a pass.

We don't have much planned for the weekend, in fact all we have planned is to watch Saturday night TV. We do like Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and Starstruck. They are a couple of shows that we all watch together.

I hope you have all had a good 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 and have on my private Facebook account every day and I thought I would share here too.

I did this for the whole of last year and it has really made me realise that even on the bad day's I have something to be grateful for.

Day 32 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for Disney+. I watched the new Black Panther film this afternoon. It was good, not as good as the first one but I enjoyed it.

Day 33 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Ellie filled in the application form for college right. She did it at school and I was worried about what course she had gone for. She picked the right one, Electrical Engineering. She got an email today inviting her for the interview and for us to fill in the forms to officially enroll! My baby is growing up!

Day 34 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for getting washing out on the line. It was so warm here today, well warm compared to the weather we've had lately.

Day 35 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for spending some time in the kitchen with Ellie. She did her Biscoff Brownie thing that she got for Christmas and I made some chocolate chip cookies.

Day 36 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Happy Valley had a good ending. Not the one I was expecting but it was still good.

Day 37 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Stu cooked tea. It's becoming a regular thing on a Monday which I am happy about.

Day 38 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for having a lovely day with Becky. It's been nice to spend some quality time with her.

Day 39 of #365DaysOfGratitude 

Today I am grateful that the new recipe I tried turned out well. This pea and ham soup might look like a melted Shrek but it was amazing! Ellie said she wasn't going to eat it, she doesn't like peas but once she had tried it she couldn't get enough!

Day 40 of #365DaysOfGratitude 

Today I am grateful that I had another day of getting the washing out on the line.

Day 41 of #365DaysOfGratitude 

Today I am grateful that it's now half term! I'd like to say we're having lie in's and lazy days next week but we have plans. Shopping, cinema, sorting the garden and a few jobs around the house.

Day 42 of #365DaysOfGratitude 

Today I am grateful for a night in front of the TV with my family watching The Masked Singer and The Brit Awards.

Day 43 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a nice, relaxed Sunday.

Day 44 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Ellie has finally got her own bank account. It's one of those things we've been meaning to set up for ages but life got in the way and then Barclays messed us around. The young man in my bank was very helpful and got it all done within half an hour.

Day 45 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a nice meal with Stu. Roasted Mushroom Arancini Hearts and garlic bread for starters, Vegan Wellington, creamy mash and Chantenay Carrots with Yuzu & Lime for the main and Belgian Chocolate Raspberry Hearts for dessert. I also got some unexpected flowers and chocolates.

Day 46 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a day of getting jobs done around the house. The kitchen cupboards have been well and truly decluttered and sorted.

Day 47 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that despite B&Q messing me about I have got some wallpaper ordered for Ellie's bedroom. I should be here by Monday. Phew!

Day 48 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a quiet day. This half term has been a busy one.

Day 49 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for Saturday night TV. Gutted the Masked Singer is finished but Ant & Dec are back on next weekend!

Day 50 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Ellie made me watch the musical Hamilton! It was so good!

Day 51 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that the building work is just about done in the living room. Phew!

Day 52 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for pancakes! hehehe

Day 53 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Becky is on nightshift for a few nights so Ellie can sleep in her bed while Stu is decorating her bedroom.

Day 54 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Ellie had a good hospital appointment, it was just a check on her hearing aids. She has one more appointment next year and that's it, she'll only have to go back if she has any problems with her ears or the hearing aid.

Day 55 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a night out with Stu (just to the local pub), a nice meal, one too many drinks and singing until my throat is sore.

Day 56 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that the decorating in Ellie's bedroom is nearly done. It should be all back to normal by this time tomorrow.

Day 57 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a little lie in this morning. It was nice not to have to set an alarm.

Day 58 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a delicious sausage casserole for tea. There's leftovers for lunch tomorrow too.

Day 59 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a normal day. Stu is back at work after a week off, there's been no DIY happening and I have just had a day pottering around the house. 

What were you grateful in February?

(Ad - Gifted) Rock ‘n’ Roll Nanny by Sally Arnold - Book Review!

I love reading but tend not to make time for it. Last year I think I read 6 books and this year I want to double that so it works out one book a month and so far I am on track.

I have just started a new book. Rock ‘n’ Roll Nanny by Sally Arnold. A nanny for the Jaggers to the worlds first female rock tour manager for Lynyrd Skynyrd to running charity events with Princes Diana & Elton John - read the life story of Sally Arnold the rock 'n' roll nanny who fell into an adventurous life most of us can only dream of. 

From Rock and Roll legends to ministers of state this literary journey brings in some of the most iconic and formidable characters of our age by a formidable, trailblazing woman who has lived through myriad incredible moments in time. From The Who and The Jaggers to the Royals and State leaders, Sally has seen it all and worked with massive household names. From her time with the fated American rock band Lynyrd Skynyd, through to Classic FM and all round the networks of Charity Projects, Comic Relief and numerous other high profile events with the likes of Princess Diana, the stories are vivid and eye opening.

Sally was the first woman in the UK to get a tattoo over her mastectomy scar having battled breast cancer. Sally was the first female tour manager for The Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel, The Who and Lynard Skynard. Sally really is the epitome of a true, strong, independent, trailblazing woman.

Find out what really happens in the places where cameras don’t go! Capture a unique awareness of the real journeys that paved the way for some of the most inspiring figures and groundbreaking thinkers and performers of our time, from the perspective of a Norland Nurse. Rock’n’Roll Nanny is a must read for fans and believers alike and provides immeasurable insight, unseen images, photographs and thoughts into some of the most prolific people of our time.

I love reading about real people which is why I probably don't find much time to read books as I tend to read blogs and read about people's lives but this book is all about an amazing woman and it is well worth a read. What a life she has had and I'm not even half way through. She went from a quiet life, being raised on a farm in Wiltshire, trained as a Norland Nurse and then got a job as nanny to Mick and Bianca Jagger’s daughter and her life changed.

What are you reading at the moment?

I was sent the book Rock ‘n’ Roll Nanny by Sally Arnold free of charge in exchange for this blog post.