So that was Christmas

Christmas Day

Christmas has been wonderful – it was the first year Mr G and I did the grown up thing and hosted the celebrations. And in the true style of us we went out Christmas Eve with friends and didn’t prep the veg or lay the table *lesson 1 & 2. In the morning we had to clear a lot of unpacked boxes from the dining room (which is actually a second lounge the rest of the year) most of it is bags from the car and boxes of resources I no longer have a classroom to house. The upstairs is now a bit of a mess and will need to be tackled next year.

We collected the dining furniture Monday evening and I bought the tablecloth, seat cushions and placemats on Tuesday afternoon. We had already done the big Christmas food shop on Friday – which was a huge trolley full but actually the Christmas dinner was all allotment food apart from the Turkey. Mr G deserved 5 Michelin stars for his meal! He dug up parsnips and picked sprouts before we went out Christmas Eve,  we both prepared vegetables and then his Godchildren came for their presents and spent a few hours with us. They picked carrots in the garden and washed them at the sink. That was after they had played outside and lost a Sticky Ninja on the roof of our conservatory and one in next door’s tree!?

 Family came for dinner and we all had a massive feast, only managed half my plate, which meant last night (Boxing Day) I had another Christmas dinner. My mum came for tea and it was a lovely, happy day.

After 8pm Mr G and I finally relaxed and opened some of our presents, watched Christmas television and fell asleep.

Lessons for Cooking Christmas Dinner:

1) Set the table the night before

2) Prepare your veg the night before

3) Put the Turkey in as early as possible – 10 a.m was a little late!

4) After serving stick each plate in the microwave before adding hot gravy to keep it all warm for the table.

 

Boxing Day

We had the traditional Irish Coffee (which we couldn’t have Christmas morning as I was driving) and got up to open the rest of our presents. Later we went out to the pub to meet friends and then came home, had Christmas dinner #2 and spent the night listening to music and enjoying liquid gifts!

Today we have a friend coming up from London and then hope to meet up with more friends in town who we have not seen yet this Christmas.

I have finally *after 8 days, shifted my winter bug so I hope to visit my relatives over the weekend (who I didn’t get to see on Christmas Day) and then relax and enjoy time off work.

 

 

 

 

 

 I am delighted to come back and find that we have new followers, I had a ‘wish’ number for the end of the first year of the blog… I wonder if we will make it!

I have some writing deadlines for the end of the month and events and performances are booked to start again after the New Year. When I have finished celebrating Christmas and anniversaries I will probably have to chain myself to the offline laptop and get work out the way before I come back to blogging, feel free to leave comments I will pop in over the next few days and I hope to post the next instalment of the Goal Setting before the New Year.

 

Enjoy your celebrations

 

A Birthday Party for a very Special Lady!

My Gran is having a very special party today to celebrate her 90th!

We asked her what she wanted – my brothers and I are planning on taking her out for a day somewhere she wants to go. She has suggested BUNGEE JUMPING as something she has never done!

We are planning to put a clause in that prevents her from choosing an experience that will turn her grandkids and great grandkids grey!

What a woman!

Privileged to share some of her genes!

SOLC – Slice of Life Challenge – Two for the Price of One!

Two slices that is…

Grab yourself a coffee (or preferred beverage) and enjoy!

Last Tuesday I promised a slice all about the birthday celebrations – then I didn’t manage to post a slice at all… let’s step back to mid-August – there are many of us now wishing we could step back a few weeks and relive the summer…

I started celebrations on the Friday as I went to a Jazz Festival (my dad’s band ‘Broadband’ were playing) -it was a fantastic night with friends and afterwards I went to spend a bit of time with my Dad. I got home close to 1 a.m and crept to bed.

The next morning I expected to wake late – but I am still like a child with birthday excitement! I was awake at 5 a.m and in Blogland so as to not wake Mr G.

Then we shared a lovely birthday breakfast*. I treated myself to some cereal (chocolate pillows filled with hazelnut chocolate – I am such a big kid!) and croissants and coffee and some special ‘Gooey’ biscuits Mr G had bought!

Then I had a treasure hunt to find presents (told ‘ya… big kid!) it was the first birthday/ any celebration in our new house and I wanted to remember it! I had 8 clues text to my mobile. I had to ask for help on social media… who says it’s for networking?! Eventually I found them all – by this point a friend was over and I had to get ready for a family lunch.

My family lunch was amazing and I enjoyed a lovely meal out in good company! My bro and his partner managed to get there with my nephews… any excuse to play the birthday child! I loved sharing it with a 5 and 8 year old. All their needs met. Excited questions about presents answered eagerly!

I got home in time for a quick outfit change and went out to a local bar for birthday evening drinks with a few friends. We got home for 10ish (incredibly early) but I had been out for almost 10 hours and was exhausted. Our friend who came back with us had the superb idea of ordering a take-away, we finished the night off with a film and a curry. (Oh and some more drinks!)

My birthday continued on the Sunday with a birthday brunch of hash browns, potato waffles, eggs and beans, something there was no time or stomach room to have on my actual birthday.  Oh AND I got a cake with candles… Thanks Mr. G!

This past week I have been relaxing (offline for the Bank Holiday weekend – as Mr G had time off and has completely transformed the garden!) I have had family visit and helped babysit two incredibly cute nephews in their onesies!

Today is the first day I need to get back to ‘work’, organise my future. Which leads me to the banking fiasco of today!

Today… started early as I woke up with a hacking cough sometime just after 6AM and didn’t manage to get back to bed, let alone sleep. (I’ve had the cough for over 3 weeks and due to the PSA adverts got a little worried. Eventually had a Dr appointment last week, airways seem to be clear. So as long as it has gone in 3 weeks (now 2.5 weeks) I should be okay, if not at that point they will order a chest x-ray!) It isn’t as bad as it was – but when I start I can’t stop and lying down is the most likely thing to set it off!)

THE BANKING FIASCO

I decided to ACTION my two main tasks for the day – joining agencies for work this September and activating online banking (having forgotten to transfer bill payment money last week before the Bank Holiday weekend. Eek!)

And so begins my day – it is hard to imagine without an image of Calamity Jane! I am a real techno phobic deep down and am one of the rare species who prefer face to face contact in a local branch. Firstly, I discover I have online banking, last accessed 6 months ago. Of course I have to change all my details as I cannot recall usernames and passwords and all paperwork is still in a ‘I just moved house (this June) box’!

Secondly, I discover that I don’t have the right telephone number logged with them so they cannot verify who I am. I look up a landline number to contact (as I only have mobile access) and wait until after 8 a.m. I eat my last bowl of birthday cereal* and watch some TV.

I phone the bank. I confirm the changed details. I log into my account, online. I process the transaction – incorrectly at first, of course (see note about techno phobic), I try again. The transaction is successful – they will phone to verify.

The phone number is incorrect. I change it. That will take 3 days to process. (As will the financial transaction – the first payments are already going out and there is no overdraft facility!) I look up another alternative telephone contact and phone for assistance. I am told I don’t have telephone banking so they can’t help me. I set up telephone banking so I am never in this farcical scenario again. That will take another 5 days.

An hour later I have to walk into town (close to us) in baking sun (thank goodness we have a few more sunny days at the end of the school holiday to enjoy!) I queue at my bank and get served by a trainee so everything needs to happen twice and be confirmed (we all started somewhere) – but for some UNKNOWN reason my bank cannot transfer the money across to another account of mine in a different bank and so I have to walk the street with cash for all my bill money. Fortunately the banks are all close together and I don’t have far to walk… needless to say I prayed all the way!

I wait in an EXCEPTIONALLY long queue and EVENTUALLY transfer my HARD earned pay into our joint account to pay for Household bills! The total transaction time approx: 3 hours! And they say internet banking makes everything quicker – we will see next month when hopefully it will be up and running! I cannot set a debit as the monthly amount varies before any of you suggest such sensible solutions.

Now I have half a day to sort agencies for the Autumn – and to relax and enjoy the sunshine. We still have boxes to unpack and rooms to sort – but it is sunny and anybody who lives in the UK will tell you, when this happens – you get outside and enjoy it!

 Off to get a big coffee of my own now!

Can You Drown in a Sea of Bubblewrap?

Day 2 of full on speed packing.
The packing isn’t a problem, my concern over the deadline is.
I fear this more than a writing deadline.

I miss writing. Up until this last week I had spent 2013 writing everyday!
My house has got to take priority for a while, there are only so many hours in a day. And I really do have a lot to pack!
I have managed to read at least, I finished the novel I started in April! It was a long book and my second historical novel. I found it a challenge. Plus May was very busy with houses, work and managing lots of spinning plates with little time for reading.

I have also managed to catch up with articles about writing, as yesterday I packed the bookshelves into 12 boxes…
I am a bibliophile – I see that now. Last year I had a break through and learnt how to give books away without a broken heart. Now my rule is it has to fit on the bookshelf… 1 in 1 out… My mother’s system that she has relentlessly attempted to get me to follow over the past few years!

Off to spend the day packing boxes. Drudge!

Wish I was writing x

29/31 Slice of Life – Easter Slices

Had a lovely evening last night, out for a meal with work colleagues to celebrate the beginning of Easter. I felt comfortable and ended up staying for nearly 3 hours!

It was great coming home, emptying the boot of bags and bags and not having to cook when I got in.

It’s all about the small things!

 Today I am in holiday mode. I relaxed last night and started on the writing schedule before bed. This morning I treated myself to my refillable-not-acosta-coffee-cup- (they may be called Polar cups – mine featured heavily at the beginning of this blog – Backwaters to January if you’re interested) and special coffee mmmmmm mmmmmmmmm! 

I planned to boot the laptop up and get on with writing…

but there wasn’t time. I had planned to go and see my mum. For a while she was trying to book tickets for Symphony Hall as my Easter treat – but we decided we didn’t want to rush about and they only had expensive seats left. We cooked a stir fry lunch together instead and caught up!

I FINALLY posted a letter written for a dear friend that has now been in my car for 4 days, I was meaning to post it and then kept driving past the post boxes.

No excuse now I am a lady of leisure.

When work gets busy the 1^st people I don’t get to see are my family, which is foolish as they (along with Mr G) are the only ones who can pull me through the tough times! I enjoyed my time with Mum. I then went and braved the Good Friday Supermarket! Purchasing just Easter bits and gifts. I saw two friends in there too – was nice to catch up over our shopping trollies!

I had designated today as my writing day. It is now nearly half past 5! I guess tonight will be my writing time, I have several submissions to complete edits on and send. 

I need to make a few submissions today.

I have received confirmation emails for a writing workshop I am booked on for April (and then was invited on a skiing holiday! Typical!) and had my first camp email too. (I joined NaNoWriMo April Camp – see this post https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/im-going-camping/ – it’s not too late for you to join too!) I’m doing it in the hope of producing half a book manuscript. 

I put this on the backburner in February and owe it lots of word count!

I am also making a few holiday plans to keep my happiness ticking over. I hope you all enjoy your Easter weekends too.

I look forward to reading all about them.

 Happy Easter Slice

Wow, what a wild weekend!

Here we are well into February, I am pleased with what I have managed to squeeze into the past 48+hrs! I have managed to complete many hours of research for various writing projects, as well as lots of blogging and reading in Blogland. I have started to work my way through the 2 A4 pages of February things to check, list in my writing notebook. I have managed to clear out all my emails – 100’s of them, I have signed up for several writing newsletters, I have explored lots of writing websites and completed a few job searches.

I have taken part in Picture it & Write it challenges, creating some new poetry. I worked on my submission for WordPress Weekly and Daily challenges. I have raided several photo albums – hours saving online. I still need to look at the Christmas photographs that my partner told me to check on Friday night. I have ordered his birthday present (just need to make sure of a card), one step ahead of January already!

I have seen my family, including Patrick, who is back from travels in Europe and with us until Tuesday when he begins his homebound journey via a few places. I was entertained by my nephews and spent some time catching up with people I have not seen for a while.

I also managed some High Street chases – some financially positioned and some looking for warm clothes for my next cold venture. On top of all this I HAVE MANAGED to write as well. (So proud!)

I have done all the necessary paperwork for the job. I have written just shy of 2000 words on a new submission this evening. Draft 1 done. (Deadline in just over 3 weeks.)

Have a Fabulous February!

Snow Problem (Not that an Englishman’s favourite conversation is the weather!)

Really busy today, lots of pebbles, sand and water in the jar. The fountain is intended as my writing blog, but as I haven’t done any YET today, I am happy to ramble. Hope you’re happy to read!

Firstly the weather:
If you are this side of the pond you will not need to be told that the whole place is covered in a thick blanket of snow. Still we go to work – car wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. No ice by 11a.m… speaking of Ice I nearly did a good deed this morning (the Girl Guide inside never dies!)
There was a man parked out the front of my apartment trying his best to remove at least a foot of snow off his bonnet with NO GLOVES! Naked hands people! (No coat either.) Every attempt left him holding onto his wrist in agony and shaking his hand wildly like a wet fish, it was like watching myself trying to mend something technical, he repeated the same mistake three times.

I was going to call down and offer a dustpan… he got in his car and turned the windscreen wipers on – ICE!

I went away to get up thinking, who drives a car without an ice-scraper in the winter???

When I checked back in, he was warm and toasty in the car and his windows and sun roof were all snow free.
Heated window car people – they are the ones who drive around in winter without an ice scraper!

I was kind of glad I didn’t offer my dustpan.

Once I was finally up (trying to find paperwork for solicitors took an hour) I need to get more organised (TIPS PLEASE!) I went off in the snow to meet up with Patrick – Family over from USA, a fun morning then followed by work!

Now hot footing it to estate agents and eventually at some point tonight I hope to write.