This week got off to a very busy start, as I had quite a lot going on on Monday. I headed out a bit earlier to do the weekly shop. I can't honestly say that I kept it within budget, as most of the cost of the shop will be coming from next month's budget, as I ran out of money again before the end of the month. It's becoming the norm of late, but I just have to roll with it and hope that once Xmas is out of the way, things will calm down and I'll manage to stay in budget.
I was back home by 1.30pm, but then had to get ready and go out by 3pm. I was meeting a couple of friends for an early supper. I hadn't seen them since July, so there was quite a bit of news to catch up on. It was lovely to see them. We were all organised and exchanged Xmas cards, which saved us all on postage. I couldn't have a drink though, as I'd booked myself onto a 3 week dance course, that I was due to attend later that evening.
The course is a Jazz Solo/Charleston course, which is being taught over the next three Mondays. It wasn't very expensive at £28 for 3 classes. I've really missed doing dance and haven't done anything since before Lockdown, when all the classes I used to attend closed down. The solo classes never resumed, post Covid, so when I saw this course, being run by a different dance school, I jumped at the chance to go along. I thought that I would probably be the oldest person on the course, but there were quite a lot of mature students, which made me feel much less self conscious about my age this time around.
I was a few minutes late to the class, as I had to take 2 buses from the restaurant and just missed one as we left, so had to wait a while for another to come along. The class itself was really good though and the teacher was excellent and really broke the different steps down for ease. I really enjoyed it and was home by 9.15pm, glad to just chill for the rest of the evening.
On Tuesday, I had a bit of a lie in and read for an hour in bed before getting up and heading out to a class at the gym. The regular teacher was back from her holiday this week. I spent the remainder of the day trying to do some work on LB's pouffe, but I didn't really get very far. It's a bit trickier than I thought.
Wednesday, started with another lie in reading, before getting up, showering and heading down for breakfast. LB had already gone into work. The Panto has started and she's getting shifts again. I took myself out for a walk in the morning, but it wasn't as long as I normally take. I only did 6,000 steps, but it's better than nothing.
When I got back, the Budget was on the radio. I was relieved that nothing drastically affected us as a family, but we will be paying more tax in some areas, such as paying tax per mile for car journeys, as we have a hybrid car. Our mileage isn't high. We maybe use the car twice per week, most weeks, driving 40 miles or so in total per week, plus visits up north to family a few times per year. I do wonder if they are planning to bring this in for all cars eventually, if it is successful for electric/hybrid cars. It would probably take something like this to reduce traffic on the roads these days, which seems to get ridiculously busy.
I spent the afternoon doing some sewing. I didn't feel like continuing with the pouffe, I needed a break from it, so I got started on a new festive project that I had put aside to do if I got the time. I'll make a separate post about this. I also did a bit of work on another craft project using fabric scraps, that I've been doing over the last week, which I'll include in the same post.
In the evening, OH and I watched a great film on Netflix, called The Holdovers starring Paul Giamatti, in which he plays a boarding school teacher who is required to stay at school over the Xmas holidays, to look after students who can't go back home for Xmas. It was a film that came out last Xmas and I wanted to see it then, but didn't. It was great to catch it on Netflix this year and it made me feel a bit festive.
Talking of feeling festive, our local council are providing free film viewings for over 55's this Xmas at our local small independent cinema on Friday mornings. I've booked a ticket for a couple of films, one of which is a 1951 version of A Christmas Carol with Alistair Simms and the other a James Stewart film set in Budapest. It will be nice to go along and see a film and they throw in a free cup of tea and biscuit. Even better.
On Thursday, I went to the gym in the morning and then spent the afternoon working on the festive project again. In the evening, OH and I had arranged to go to our local mall, the main reason being for me to pick up an order from John Lewis. I bought a gift for LB's birthday in January in their Black Friday sale. (A sewing machine!)
We decided to have supper out and do a little Xmas shopping, as there was something I needed to get for LB that I could only get there. We then had a drink in the bar, before picking LB up from work at the theatre nearby. My Xmas shopping is now mostly all done, which is a relief. I just need to buy a bottle of wine for OH and that's it.
Friday, I was out all day. I started out attending a coffee morning at a cafe in an area where we used to live many years ago, in our first rented flat together. It was a bit of a trip down memory lane for me. The cafe is part of a community led project and is heavily subsidised. I was shocked when I was charged just £1 for a cup of tea. I don't think I've paid that little for a drink in a cafe in years. Anyway, the group I was meeting with were there in quite a large number and I got chatting to quite a few people and had a nice sociable couple of hours.
When I left, I decided to walk all the way home, which was probably 2-3 miles. I took a detour to a lovely little shopping street full of independent shops, where a flower market is held every Sunday. I stopped off to get a brie and cranberry bagel for lunch in one of the shops and then walked on to our local city farm, where I explored the gardens. I hadn't been here in years, since I did a gardening course there probably 15 years ago.
I visited a few charity shops en route and bought just one item that I actually needed, before eventually getting home at about 4.30pm, so I made a real day out of it. I enjoyed it. I need to get out more and make the most of what is on our doorstep here in London and it was nice to get to know new people a little.
When I got home, I spent the evening doing a bit more work on LB's pouffe and then did some financial reckoning, as it's near enough the end of the month and I don't intend spending anymore money between now and December 1st, if I can help it.
Saturday morning, I had to drag myself out of bed to go to the gym, as I'd slept really badly and was exhausted. OH came along, which helped to motivate me to go.
I spent the afternoon sewing. I finished the festive project, i.e. fabric paper chains, making another 9 links and stitching on all of the velcro, so it's now ready to hang. I also did a bit of work on LB's pouffe and also started another small project with some of the denim waistbands from the jeans I cut up. I'm trying hard to use as much of the jeans fabric and features as possible. This small project was to make a basket, possibly for threads and bits of scraps from sewing. It is being completely sewn by hand.
OH, meanwhile, spent the afternoon re-roofing, repairing and creosoting our little wood/coal shed. We've had this shed for over 20 years and it should now hopefully last a bit longer still. Here's a picture:
In the evening, OH got all of the Xmas decorations out of the loft and I went through and took out all the Xmas mugs, crockery, kitchen linens to put them straight to use. Putting up the decorations will have to wait until next week, once I've had a tidy around. It's exciting though.
On Sunday, we had a canine visitor again, next door's dog Toby came to stay for the day. OH went out to a cycle race, so it was just LB and I at home. I took Toby on a long walk, which I think we both enjoyed. I do miss having a dog and he's such a sweetie.
When we got back, I spent the rest of the afternoon finishing the thread/scrap basket. I added a few pockets to hold the sewing tools I use most. It will just help to keep everything tidy and together in one place. I intend to line it with a plastic bag that I will fill with chopped up scraps and then replace it with another bag when it's full. I'm pretty happy with the outcome, I think it's cute. Here's a couple of pictures:
I just need to hang a little pin/needle cushion to one of the belt loops or the button on the back and it's good to go. I'm hoping it will help keep the kitchen table a bit tidier, as I do most of my sewing there these days.
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