Friday Five!

We are supposed to do a family holiday together for my parents 50th next year and I don’t know if I can do it.    
 

As much as I love my family and we are prettty close, we can barely make it through a week straight on holiday together with no buffers. I feel like that's normal hahaha after the week is when things start to decline as we all get in each other's spaces TOO much.

Horne section as in Alex Horne?? nice!

Fingers crossed on the medical stuff!

Yeah, it was originally booked for March 2020. Really good show, great musicians and comedy.

I was bummed I had to cancel seeing Rachel Parris, her show was originally May 2020 and rescheduled to last Saturday and I definitely couldn't do two shows in 3 days. I'm still recovering from Monday. We'd had a lot of comedy shows booked when the pandemic hit, and Jon Richardson was rescheduled for 2023!

Yeah, it was originally booked for March 2020. Really good show, great musicians and comedy.

I was bummed I had to cancel seeing Rachel Parris, her show was originally May 2020 and rescheduled to last Saturday and I definitely couldn't do two shows in 3 days. I'm still recovering from Monday. We'd had a lot of comedy shows booked when the pandemic hit, and Jon Richardson was rescheduled for 2023!

I miss live stand-up comedy so much...

I miss live stand-up comedy so much...

We saw Ricky Garvais two weeks ago.  Brilliant!

Happy Friday!

1.) Weekend 2 of Christmas Carols. Just about thawed out from last weekend's playing in the snow! 

2.) Optician's appointment tomorrow. The excitement never ends around here! 

3.) FIL's birthday today, so having a tiny gathering tonight for him

4.) Tired.Not sleeping well at all for some reason.

5.) Some good work opportunities next year. It's actually feeling on the up at work, which for so long wasn't.   

Friday again.  Already.  Seriously, how?!

PB, my husband has got to the stage where his arms are too short for his mobile,  but he can't visit an optician unless we separate for a few weeks.  He's really starting to struggle.  (At least I got a fresh prescription for me a month before the pandemic started.)

Also, I sing (and play) Christmas carols year-round.  Well, the not-complex ones.  Some are trickier than others.  You don't have to limit yourself just because others only want them now.

1.  I'm not able to keep my hope from bubbling over anymore... last week, my husband asked his manager if there was any chance of staying in his current role beyond the secondment, which is expected to end before the end of the month.  His manager, at least, was enthusiastic about keeping him.  So now it's down to whether his primary role manager will let him stay (I think).  But there is a chance!

2.  We made the best cottage pie for dinner last night.  It was the best thing we've eaten since last week.  (I don't actually remember my meals beyond a day or two, but we do eat a lot of tasty things.)

3.  I've never had an advent calendar.  Ever.

4.  This year, I decided I would treat myself to an advent calendar, and I researched which ones were the best offerings... Based on an article that ranked them, I landed on Hotel Chocolat.  But when I got to their website, the reviews of the advent calendars from their actual customers were rather disappointing.  So I ended up spending £26 on a variety of mix-and-match selectors and a dark chocolate sampler box, which all got very good reviews (and were more to our taste).  My order arrives tomorrow.  Still no advent calendar, but my husband is excited to see what I picked.  He said, "I must've spent £1000 buying chocolates from them for gifts for other people over the years, but I don't think I've ever had some, myself."  Accidental gift for him!  Yay!

5.  I was just thinking about how it's already December and this year I don't feel so down despite the short short days, etc.  I mean, we're a couple of weeks from the solstice and we'll start our solar correction, already!  (And I realized just how down I did feel last year!  The difference is not being separated from my husband/isolated.  I really really hope he gets to keep this role permanently, or they somehow let him work from home indefinitely.)

PB, my husband has got to the stage where his arms are too short for his mobile,  but he can't visit an optician unless we separate for a few weeks.  He's really starting to struggle.  At least I got a fresh prescription for me a month before the pandemic started.

Have him order a pair of magnifying glasses online. I got a bunch of them from ebay and keep them everywhere for reading small print! 
They're not prescription obviously but you can choose your magnification according to your needs.

Have him order a pair of magnifying glasses online. I got a bunch of them from ebay and keep them everywhere for reading small print! 
They're not prescription obviously but you can choose your magnification according to your needs.

He should.  A few years ago, he found a pair of reading glasses and was disappointed to learn that they were helpful (this revelation made him feel old and mortal).  I'm not sure why he hasn't just ordered some.  You can get them rather cheap, so he could sample a few different strengths to find his "prescription".

He should.  A few years ago, he found a pair of reading glasses and was disappointed to learn that they were helpful (this revelation made him feel old and mortal).  I'm not sure why he hasn't just ordered some.  You can get them rather cheap, so he could sample a few different strengths to find his "prescription".

That's exactly what I did. I got a discount for multiples and think it worked out about £3.50 per pair. Then I bought more of the ones I preferred.

1.  been a long-feeling week, but at least we found out about our pay deal at work for next year.  It's not a huge increase, but I'm grateful for anything.
2.  this should really be a Friday Five for *next* week, but i'll be so busy I wont have time to post, probably!  One of my favourite bands (Ian Prowse & Amsterdam) are playing Glasgow on Friday night, and then playing in Liverpool the following night... we're going to both gigs, so  i've got a lot to do to prepare Jimmy & Becky for going to the hound-sitters and getting myself into woo-hoo party mode!
3.  If you like your music heart-felt, celtic-tinged, politically to the left, with belted-out vocals... check Ian Prowse out, as well as his 2 bands Pele and Amsterdam.
4.  Pioneer Woman is so grating... i need to change the channel.
5.  OH made a slow-cooker brisket on Tuesday and I've been eating brisket burritos for the last 3 days... it's finally gone!  Looking forward to having something different for tea tonight... just not sure what yet.

He should.  A few years ago, he found a pair of reading glasses and was disappointed to learn that they were helpful (this revelation made him feel old and mortal).  I'm not sure why he hasn't just ordered some.  You can get them rather cheap, so he could sample a few different strengths to find his "prescription".

I buy my reading glassed from Poundland, usually 5 or 6 at a time.  I leave them spread around the house anywhere I might need them, and one in each coat or backpack and several in the car.  There's also a stack of two or three next to every computer as well. 

Definitely do magnifiers from Poundland!  I bet you can order them on eBay or I can post some to you. 

1.  Met an expat in London and I’m loaded on tequila waiting for my train to depart. 

2.  Kittens are LOADS of fun and becoming great friends. They are definitely enjoying having a sibling and not being only cats.

3.  Christmas is only 3 weeks away.  Need to get cracking and get presents sorted.

4.  Bought our kitchen and appliances this week. Less than budgeted but still a chunk of change. Always fun when you have to split a purchase over credit cards (for protection) and pay them off immediately before paying the rest. <sarcasm>

5.  Have the kids on my own tomorrow while my husband helps a friend erect a shed. Plan to get a Christmas tree and maybe go see a movie. Tequila tonight may make tomorrow painful.  Whoopsies!

Definitely do magnifiers from Poundland!  I bet you can order them on eBay or I can post some to you. 

1.  Met an expat in London and I’m loaded on tequila waiting for my train to depart. 

2.  Kittens are LOADS of fun and becoming great friends. They are definitely enjoying having a sibling and not being only cats.

3.  Christmas is only 3 weeks away.  Need to get cracking and get presents sorted.

4.  Bought our kitchen and appliances this week. Less than budgeted but still a chunk of change. Always fun when you have to split a purchase over credit cards (for protection) and pay them off immediately before paying the rest. <sarcasm>

5.  Have the kids on my own tomorrow while my husband helps a friend erect a shed. Plan to get a Christmas tree and maybe go see a movie. Tequila tonight may make tomorrow painful.  Whoopsies!

I'm just really impressed with your dexterity after all that tequila!

Happy Friday!

1.) Had the day off work. Made a dairy free pumpkin spice cake with a rum glaze this morning and homemade eggnog.

2.) Currently doing some recording 

3.) Loads of Christmas gigs this weekend, very busy! 

4.) Hubby off for his booster right now 

5.) Making burgers for dinner. Been craving them! 

I fear they are setting us up for a 4th Lockdown. <sigh>

1.  Off to meet another UKYer tonight (writeshawnna). Hopefully not as much tequila tonight.  Off for BBQ!

2.  Christmas at Kew tomorrow and Dinner with Santa on Sunday.

3.  Next door is away for a month so we get to park in their driveway!

4.  Building is going well, foundations are down and bricks going up.

5.  Kittens are the BEST KITTENS EVER. I shall add loads of photos!