Happy Hump day.

My Favourite day of the working week.

Halfway up and halfway down, which ever way you look at it.

The joy of managing your own workload is that you can plan when you want to be in the office, for me its the end of the week, I like to get all my assessments done, then have 2 days for finishing typing and doing all the other ' bits' that my job entails. This results in not being stressed over the weekend, so come Friday 5pm I know I am pretty much sorted.

Today was an out of county. What a beautiful day for a drive. Clear blue skies, the sun was shining and I had my new from no 1 son, CD blasting, Adele's '25', Love it.

Now its home to start the typing, then go pick up the boys, hubs on lates. No 1 is working over at The Zoo farm, so another nice drive up through the woods and then I get to sit and look at the animals whilst I wait for him, I take my book as often he gets distracted with the animals and comes out late. I don't get stressed I just read my book. Grabbing those little periods of time to do things that I love.

Home for an evening dog walk, don't think I'm going to hit 10k steps today as have been in my car and sat in a meeting, but hey, I know the scales wont be good tomorrow as I have eaten lots of nice foods that I really shouldn't have, but you have to live, I just need to work out how to balance what goes in with what goes out! I think that's the key for me, not focussing on what I cant have rather than I can have, I just have to burn it off, have been using the fitbit food tracker, watching calories as well as trying to be on the slimming world band wagon. It is and always will be a plan in action. 

Tonight will be knitting...

Life is simple, life is good,

and do you know what, I haven't been keeping tabs on my days left to work till I retire !

Living.

Apologies for the lack of blogging, my life is ticking along nicely and I don't feel I have much to blog about! I also apologise for not stop by your blogs, I have been in a gadget free mood, spending hours a day writing reports I feel the need not to be attached to the internet in my free hours. Saturdays and sunday mornings are my preferred slots as everyone else is in bed, but guess what , I have been sleeping later!!

woo hoo, hubs has been up before me and I'm now getting into the cup of tea in bed start to the day.

The past weekend was spent mooching around shops, getting to be a habit, junior wanted to go to the mall for more warhammer paints and we needed to buy a 50th Gift for a friend, we dropped no 1 son to meet his friends and no 2 and I hit the mall. I actually managed to find a new work top in M&S, my old tops are getting a bit jaded. That was my only blow out, we stuck to plan and I treated junior and I to a M&S meal deal for lunch, which we we ate in the car due to guess what, more blooming rain!

Hubs was not well on Saturday so the rest of the day was a quiet one, decided to hit 'my' craft room. Hard core sorting again. I have little crafting mojo, but I worked out what it was, my weight, I don't like anything I make due to my size, so have put making anything for me on hold for now, had a good fabric sort, lots of nice fabric which I wont touch until im the next size down. Sorted the yarn stash, again, found the gorgeous yarn my friend bought for my 50th, which she keeps asking what I have made with it, guilt took over, pulled it out and tried to find a simple pattern, its blooming lace weight, but its such a gorgeous yarn, 

chose a little sleeveless waterfall type cardigan, might just wear this on a summers evening.

Adrift

photo from her pattern page on ravelry, [copyright Joseph Feller] [link above and in my ravelry side bar]

Laceweight is really hard going with my eyes and I cant' take doing lace work with laceweight, this seemed the simple solution and something I may actually wear. This is my current favoured knit project and despite the teeny yarn am loving it, might take me a while.

Love the almost lace like effect by using a slighter larger needle, as usual I didn't swatch, might regret that, but have 2400m so hoping it will be enough. 

Sunday was more shopping, hubs and I decided to take a trip to a local farm shop, it was quite small when we got there and to be honest we didn't buy anything, but will definitely return when its BBQ season. As it was just the 2 of us we hit the mall again, camping season is almost upon us and we need to get a few things,. Well,what can I say, hubs took me to B&M , how come I have never been here before? got some fab food bargains a, new cake tins, laundry stuff and.....

My contribution to the van!

hubs got us a little electric heater, our first trip away is booked for easter, off to Bude for 2 nights,it may be cold, and after last years bad weather experience , we thought we would be a bit more prepared.

Then it was back home and movie night with the boys. Nothings special over the weekend but I thoroughly enjoyed it, this coming weekend I am determined to go for a long walk, forecast is not looking too bad, fingers crossed.

Back to work yesterday, still on track and not getting stressed, booked my car in as it had a recall and today I finally got up the courage and went and had my smear test done, blooming hate those things. But that's it now for 5 years, I love being over 50!

Birthday.

I've not been posting this past week or so, just living,

nothing special to write about just going about my daily life.

Last weekend was a busy one, we were invited to friends for a meal on the Saturday night and went out for Sunday lunch with some other friends, no wonder I am putting weight back on!

Thursday gone I celebrated my Birthday !
Junior was away with his friend for half term , [very quiet indeed] and hubs and I had booked my birthday and the Friday as holidays, we had originally planned to go away as a family. But junior had a better offer. When hubs asked what I wanted / wanted to do for my birthday, I declined gifts, just saying take me somewhere nice for the day.  So when the big day arrived this is what I got

a birthday card revealing a magical mystery tour! fabulous.

We set off after breakfast and headed south, but not our usual route, i declined to be told the destination, preferring to find out when we got there, I had to pack an overnight bag !

I was not disappointed hubs did good.

Our destination was The Masons Arms in Branscombe

what a fabulous place.

he even booked a four poster room

our view

an amazing fireplace in the bar .

interesting water feature.

After checking in and grabbing a  quick lunch, we set out to walk the beach as the sun was shining.

by the time we got to the big rock outcrop at the end the sky was looking like this

yup, it came in quick, a massive rain/hail shower

drenched we decided to head back.

The evening we had a lovely 3 course meal in the restaurant, totally spoilt and not diet friendly, hey its my birthday!

After a goods night sleep it was breakfast then check out, I could have stayed a few more days to be honest. But junior was due home Friday, so it was homeward bound.

Hubs took the scenic route, stopping first at Beer

We wandered the Town looking in the art galleries and walked the beach

 A cute little place, but quite desolate out of season

Then it was off to Lyme Regis

Another beach walk, hubs knows how to please me, a wander around town  then a final stop for coffee and cake before we headed home.

I had a lovely mini break, and I have to say it was one of my best birthdays ever. 

It was then home to share cake with my boys. x

Birthday celebrations continue tonight with one of my best friends and her hubby coming to us for dinner, hubs is cooking an Indian feast, and yes I'm being good some of it is slimming world recipes!

Tomorrow shall be a day of rest before finding Monday!

Not bad.

 Read it !

yep, I am a book a holic, when I start I have to finish.

It was better than I thought, actually quite enjoyed it, it ticked along nicely at a steady pace.

My only issue was 'The miniaturist'. The story of the family and the skeletons in its closest gets revealed as the story unfolds but very little is told of the miniaturist. For me the miniaturist is the story I wanted to hear. I was quite disappointed with the ending too. I want a 2nd book to answer my questions!!