Happiness is....

....a whole ten days off work. Bliss. I feel a bit of a skive considering we are so close to Christmas when I get another ten days off but I need the time to get my Christmas shopping done. Not that that is going entirely to plan. Despite a trip to Manchester and another to Chester, I have so far failed to find half the things I was looking to buy. I think I will have to revert to plan B if this afternoon's shopping trip is equally unsuccessful... the internet.
Failed shopping trips aside, my week off has been most pleasant, it's been good to relax. Voley came to stay at the weekend which was great- I'm hoping he returned home without any Barney inflicted injuries after being bulldozed by six stone of rather excitable puppy! We went to see Harry Potter on Saturday which didn't disappoint. It was dark and atmospheric but with moments of humour and I can't wait for the final part next year, it should be excellent. Could have done without the group of giggling teenage girls who went into raptures when Harry Potter stripped to his boxers though!
Sunday lunch was at my brother's pub and then we had a drive round the country lanes of Staffordshire before a short stroll around Bateswood Nature reserve.

Ducks in the gloom

Muscovy duck

I've been able to do a bit more walking whilst I've been off work. It's been a little nippy walking across the fields with Barney, the wind yesterday afternoon was like needles on my cheeks, but I love it. There's nothing better than being able to go out and not meet a single person..appeals to the hermit within!

Rain rain, go away

I know we badly needed rain, and I'm much happier now that the weather has cooled considerably, but did we really need to have the wettest week in some time whilst I am on annual leave? I had planned to go fruit picking so that I could make jam (there's nothing better than homemade strawberry jam spread on freshly home-baked bread, mmm), but the rain has not let up long enough to pick the fruit, and even if it did, all the strawberries have probably now turned to mush. Very annoying. So instead I am baking cakes...or trying to as, thwarted again, I don't appear to have all the necessary ingredients. I've made a lemon sponge and some almond slices, but the rest of my bake-a-thon will have to wait until tomorrow when I've done a spot of shopping!


I'm so enjoying not being at work this week though. It's been a hectic couple of months and my batteries needed recharging. My week so far has in general been fairly relaxed and I've been able to spend lots of time with Barney who is growing rapidly- I'll post some photos later- I really miss him when I'm at work. Retail therapy in Manchester went well; I came back with a number of successful purchases, without parting with much money (thanks to the gift cards courtesy of my Dad's American Express points!), which is my kind of shopping! Not much planned for the next couple of days, but Sunday and Monday will be spent in the company of my favouritest (yes, I know that isn't a word) friend, so I'm looking forward to that. Will have to wait until September then before I have any more time off- it's a hard life!!

I'm getting old

I ought to feel bad that I am having a week of relaxation whilst most of you have your nose to the grindstone, but I don't. Sorry. It was my birthday at the weekend afterall, so I think I deserve some time off. It's not easy turning 35...I am now closer to 40 than I am 30 which is all a little scary, though fortunately I still feel 21 (most of the time!) so can't grumble. Must find myself a husband at some point I guess, time is ticking on.

So what have I been doing with my time off work? Not too much which is good, sometimes it is nice to be able to mooch around and allow the batteries to recharge. Had my friends over to celebrate my birthday at the weekend- food, alcohol and sophisticated (?) company...what more could one ask for? Today has been retail therapy in Manchester with my mum, always a priority when I am on annual leave. Disappointingly I failed to come home with much but a pleasant day all the same. Yesterday I met up with Voley for an evening in Birmingham which was excellent- we went to a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner which was delicious though I made that age old mistake of having a starter (they are just so tempting) and then ended up not managing to finish my main course...diet starts tomorrow (especially after the huge chocolate tiffin biscuit I had today!).

The rest of the week I think will be devoted to a little decorating. I have been procrastinating over it for ages and now I have run out of excuses. The bathroom and a couple of windows need painting and then I need to put up some new curtain poles. Not my favourite pastime but I am looking forward to putting up my new curtains and having my new downstairs lights fitted. Other than that I have very little planned. Hopefully weekend will bring some entertainment.

Good weekend?

Mine's been fairly relaxing which I needed after a long fortnight at work. I've even managed to shift the nasty cold that decided to take up residence in my body this week.
Yesterday saw a parcel arrive for me...CDs this time, not books. So I spent the day listening to albums by The Sleeping Years, The Low Anthem and The National- all very good and made the task of doing my housework that little bit more enjoyable.
Today I've had a flying visit from Voley (did you know voles can fly?- well this one can). We had just enough time for lunch and a trouncing at scrabble (unfortunately this time I was on the receiving end...I have to let him win occasionally)- a short stay but a pleasure as always.
Tomorrow, I'm off shopping. I want some new curtains so I will be fabric hunting. I also want some new lights...and a new desk...and a new DVD recorder...oh, and a new kitchen. Sounds expensive so I think I might just go to the book shop instead.
Then, it's back to work again on Tuesday. Hope half my staff aren't off sick this week, I hate this time of year.

I feel so much better

Amazing what a little retail therapy can do. I like spending money. I don't like looking at my bank statement afterwards so much. Why do book shops have to have 3 for 2 offers?- they are just asking for trouble. I really don't need to buy any more books, I have more than enough unread ones to keep me going for at least a couple of years- there's just something strangely satisfying in seeing my bookcases fill up.
Bought a few other bits and pieces too so a fairly successful day. Was a little embarrassed though when a security tag failed to be properly deactivated on an item purchased from Boots and proceeded to set off the alarms in every shop I went into afterwards. The best of it was that none of the shop assistants batted an eyelid. So much for security.

Back to reality

Happy New Year! Hope you have had a good festive season. Mine has been good but it all seems to be over so fast- I don't know where December went. All the same, it has been good to have time off work and to be able to spend time with some of my favourite people! I've spent my last day of freedom today trawling through the remainder of the sales. I'm not one to battle through the crowds when the sales first start, I'm not that desperate for a bargain. Consequently, there is never much left by the time I reach the shops. Other than a few cut price books, I failed to find anything worth buying, my only bargain being a pack of mince pies for 10p.
Back to work in the morning, back to reality.

More retail therapy

Have had a whole day off work today- heaven. Went for some retail therapy with my mum (she is the only one who will put up with my incessant whinings of "does my bum look big in this") and spent too much money. Oh well.
Had to boost our energy by stopping off for a drink and slab of cake in Marks & Spencer. When the lady served my cake she pulled out of it what looked suspiciously like a long hair, dropped it on the floor and then proceeded to put the plate on our tray! I don't think she realised I was watching. When I asked her if she had just removed a hair from the piece of cake she just said "I think it might have been, or it could have been a fibre from the strawberry jam"- since when has strawberry jam contained four inch long fibres? Not impressed.