Not what I was expecting in my 60’s, new single life, back in home country and having to fully decorate and update my new home - wish I had the strength and energy of my youth 😀

Just this

At book club last night, one of our group just randomly told us they support Farage and he’s a gorgeous man - I had no words!

A very lazy day - stayed in bed reading with bacon butties, tea and biscuits - self care!

Best place to be tonight, at home, comfies on, glass of wine and good film - I’ll be in bed asleep before midnight - hope everyone has their best New Years Eve.

I remember seeing poster up in pharmacies and doctors surgeries in the countries I lived in growing up - the one particular image was smallpox - I was terrified of vaccines, but more so of catching anything

Because I simply don’t have enough to do.. I’m doing #WillowsChristmasAdvent

I’ve decided to start using the ‘Swedish death cleaning’ method to start getting rid of stuff that has been hanging around for years - it’s a lot harder than I thought, but asking myself the question ‘would I buy this again’ really helps decision making

Trundle round Ripon today

I’ve finished clearing the loft of the previous owners rubbish and removed a 5cm layer of old soot, then laid full insulation- it was the filthiest and sweatiest job I’ve ever had to do - I’ll never have to go up there again!

Hmm, can’t get into the loft space above the bathroom to replace the knackered loft insulation - I’m thinking I’ll have to get someone to take the ceiling down and do it from below - there isn’t enough space to get my body in and then turn around to come back out 😂

I took it upon myself to install an oven and its housing unit today. I’ve been using my air fryer since moving in, but for some things you just need an oven - and tonight it’s pizza! Excuse the old style kitchen - excuse the 80’s kitchen, that too will change in the near future.

I have to go in the loft today and hoover out the remainder of the soot from the loft (inherited when I purchased the house), then relay proper loft insulation, as I had to remove the piddling amount there was as it was compacted and filthy. Please send motivation my way.

Visited the old Rowntree Library and visited the Nestle Technology Centre today - it was nice to go back to where I worked 30 years ago - enjoying the free chocolate now

I’ve been politely asked to work from home as I’m Covid +, the only up side is the extra time in bed in the morning. I dislike working from home, no chit chat, gossip, no free warm office - and I miss my pc and three screens, it’s impossible to work with a laptop and an extra screen

I’ve been making regular trips to the dump with all the crap from the loft that I inherited when I moved in, on my last trip a chap was throwing away this gorgeous little sewing/box table - I’m now the new proud owner

Because everything seems such a shit show these days, I tend to live in my safe little bubble of life. One of my pleasures is sewing, in any shape or form - currently sewing over 700 of these together by hand for another quilt.

Well, I won’t be going in the loft, feeling rough today and did a Covid test, positive, bugger!

What I’d give for a body 20 years younger today, as I climb the ladder to do loft insulation- the joys of cleaning a sooty loft on a 1910 terrace

Love a viaduct

Emergency rescue team 👇👇👇👇👇

Seen in Soho

Due to condensing my working fortnight into 9 days, I have 5 x 4 day weeks coming up with all the bank holidays 😊

Love Yorkshire - gorgeous walk today

Got plants growing in my tiny back yard - no a patch on the space I had in France, but much easier to manage

Planted all the plants, can’t wait for the ivy, honeysuckle and climbing hydrangea to grow and cover the wall (and the trellis I’ll be fitting to the top of wall for more privacy). Now to build a raised bed in the sunny area of the years with clematis, more honeysuckle and other gorgeous climbers

Fab day, plant shopping at Reighton Nursery, fish ‘n’ chips for lunch, application made to come off a joint water supply (bonkers low water pressure) - now sat munching through sweeties and watching utter crap on the TV. Looking forward to planting all my new stuff tomorrow 🌱🪴🌱

Enjoyed my week of winter sun

I miss living in France the peace and quiet, slower pace of life, big skies, culture and so much more. The only thing that holds me back is doing it as a single person. I still have my 10 year Titre de Sejour, valid till 2031 - do I return when I retire?

I think I need to embrace solo travelling - need to be brave and go for it!

My next holiday will be on my own - remind me never to holiday with a friend who doesn’t want to explore and insists on sunbathing - I’m off out to see the sights xx

I’m on holiday with my mate - I forgot she does savage tanning, she is now lobster red - I hid in the shade and am a mild shade of milk

Out of office is in, holiday commences - going to catch some sunshine and warmth 🌞

Love church doors

Love the fact that I’ve condensed my working hours to 9 days over 2 weeks - every second Friday off is such a luxury!

Prepping and making granola and vegetarian pasties tonight - put a play list on and boogied around to some classic country music - sometimes you just need your guilty pleasure 🤠🤠🤠

We have these beautiful creatures visit us at work, outside the window in our woodland

Went to tidy up my sewing table -but 3 hours later I was up to my neck in rearranging all my storage - where did the day go 😂😂

That one shoe on the side of the motorway - how can you lose just one, particularly on a motorway where only vehicles are allowed

When your day runs away with you when you decide to tidy stuff up in one room and it extends throughout the house - now for an afternoon of sewing

You know you are old when you climb into bed before 9pm when you were up late the night before 😂

I’ve been knitting fingerless gloves to pass on as gifts - 3 pairs this week- knitting away quite happily doing the same patter. Ask me to sew them up, nah - they’ll just sit in an unfinished pile for weeks !

So pleased I changed to a 9 day fortnight at work - only 4 days of work this week - Friday off, long weekend- and I get that luxury every 2 weeks

After surviving the lurgy, my test today is the hairdresser - pampering

Venturing out tomorrow, going to book a holiday where there is winter sun and warmth

I feel almost human today, the lurgy is definitely on its way out - currently craving fresh fruit and vegetables, must be what the body needs

Never underestimate the dreadfulness of flu, it’s knocked me for six, day 5 and just managed to get out of bed to end up on the sofa - exhausted and still feel so poorly

How long does this lurgy last for - day 4 now, hoping for improvements, less aches, pains and coughing would be welcome

Best part of my weekend so far, when it’s time for the next dose of paracetamol to kill the aches / pains of this god awful flu/cold/covid - no idea which one it is