Returning to the UK in the middle of a spell of very cold weather was a rude awakening. It took quite a while to get the house warmed up. We spent Sunday at home just chilling, unpacking, opening mail and having a very lazy day. I caught up with a bit of blogging. I'd taken my laptop on holiday, but didn't use it once, so I could really have left it at home.
We seemed to miss the worst of the weather whilst away, although I don't think London was badly affected with snow in any case. Just ice and cold temperatures. A few of my plants had got too cold and were badly affected, especially the ones in the shed. I'm not sure if they'll recover. I just didn't think about how it might affect them.
We didn't have much fresh food in the house when we got back, but we managed with what we had in the cupboards until I did the weekly shop on Monday. OH had bought bread and milk at the petrol station on the way home and I didn't want to venture out in the cold weather, so we just made do on Sunday.
I wasn't due to work until the end of the week, so I was looking forward to a free week, doing exactly as I pleased. I'd done a bit of sewing whilst away, on my hexi quilt. I'd put the needles and scissors in OH's bike box which went in the hold, so was able to take my sewing with me. I had worked on a couple of star blocks when I got the chance and I was looking forward to doing more when I got home.
OH lit a fire on Sunday afternoon, to keep warming up the house and we sat by it watching TV in the evening. We binge watched the 4 part series Archie, about Cary Grant. It was good. We also caught up on one episode of The Traitors.
On Monday, I was up late after not getting to sleep until the early hours. I had a slow start to the morning, making sure to contact LB and wish her a Happy Birthday. She was busy going back to Uni this week, so we weren't able to meet up with her.
I then ventured out of town to do the weekly shop. It was so quiet out and about. I guess no one has any money to spend after Xmas. I just got the basic essentials that we needed, so it was a slightly less expensive shop than it had been in the weeks leading up to Xmas. I did go to my favourite Charity shop, but my heart wasn't really in it. I spent £6 on a couple of items, so that now leaves me with a maximum of £19 left to spend on thrifting for the rest of the month, as I'm trying to be very strict and spend no more than £25 per month.
After supper, I got a message from work asking me to work on Tuesday. I agreed to work from 5 till closing, as I have been scheduled for only my basic contracted hours this week, so any extra hours are a bonus. I was happy to just go to work when required and then stay home for the rest of the time this week, save for doing the odd run or gym class/session. I had still got lots of washing and putting away to do from the holiday, so that kept me occupied.
I went back to my usual gym class on Tuesday morning, which was good. I also did a few small tasks around the house and did some more laundry, before getting ready and heading off to work in the evening. I had to catch a bus to work, as OH needed the car and the bus I needed didn't come, so I caught another one and walked part of the way, which at least extended my steps for the day. Work was okay and passed quickly, as I was kept very busy all night, even though it was quite quiet compared to before Xmas.
On Wednesday morning, I had a lie in before getting up and eventually going for a run. Since losing 2 and a half stone, I've regained a stone, so I'd really like to shift it, or some of it again and running did seem to help a lot towards the end of my previous weight loss journey. I've been way too relaxed about my calorie intake in the last six months and as a consequence, I've paid the price by gaining some weight back. I'm not going back to calorie counting though, as I'm over it, but I do need to exercise a bit more restraint in relation to my eating habits and see where it takes me.
On Thursday, I decided to skip the gym and have a day where I could dress in normal (i.e. non gym) clothes. I put on a dress I'd not worn for ages and some boots and tried to get some steps in by walking into town and doing a few errands. There were a few things that I needed to buy. I decided, after reading around the subject of metabollism, to start eating a couple of brazil nuts and some nori seaweed every day, so I picked up both on my travels. The seaweed will also help with my hypothyroidism. I intend to crush it up and scatter it on my salads at lunchtime and poached eggs on weekends.
By the time I got home I'd walked 7,000 plus steps, which was good and spent way too much money, which wasn't good. It was mostly on regularly used essentials that I needed, or that were on offer or subject to coupons I had, so it wasn't money wasted at all. I've stocked up on a few things and shouldn't need to buy them again for a while. I'd also decided that the dress I was wearing could be donated once washed. It harked back to a different time of my life and wasn't that flattering, so it was time to let go. Sometimes you just need to give things a final chance before making a decision.
On Friday, I was due at work for 1.30pm, so I got up and went for a run in the morning. I listened to an old music playlist whilst running, which I made to get me through a difficult time. It felt strange listening to it a few years later and realising that I'm in a much better place now.
I got a bit side tracked whilst getting ready for work, by an ASOS sample sale that had just dropped and I spent £14 on 4 items. I may do a small haul when they arrive. I probably should unsubscribe to the site to prevent me spending money on it this year, but I do enjoy a scroll through and I try to be very selective. We'll see when the items arrive, whether they were good value or not and fit well.
Work was OK. I kept myself busy enough. It was nice not to work late though and be home in time for supper. Whilst at work, I received a text about a college course I'd applied for, which seemed to suggest that it might be running soon. I was invited to attend an open day next week about it. I'm hoping it's not another time wasting scenario, which the last enrollment day was.
On Saturday morning, I had another lie in and a leisurely breakfast. The free gym sessions I normally attend re-start next Saturday, so I'm looking forward to going back to them. I was due at work for 4pm, so I just pottered around the house for most of the day, doing small jobs such as laundry, sewing repairs, tidying things away, etc. I'm still not fully back into the swing of things since our holiday and am definitely lacking motivation at the moment.
Work was good. I enjoyed it because I was working my favourite job. OH and I watched a movie when I got in from work, which was a nice end to the week. I'm hoping that my energy and motivation levels pick up next week as I get further into January.
How's your January going?
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