This is what you call procrastination

My head is creaking again. Or rather my brain is.

It's not painful or bothersome just puzzling.

It's been a day of bits and pieces, lots of little different things. 

Friday - I think

I began this on Wednesday, and I can't remember what I was talking about. Yesterday was Zac's for breakfast, a lovely walk in the sunshine with Husband, some confusion over having a grandchild for a while and going to a play at school, as opposed to a school play - quickly resolved when play was cancelled - according to Daughter "the theatre co broke down." I know how they feel.

My attempts to finish my Christmas shopping came to a very confused end, with emails flying back and for between me and a small business artist. Mixed-up addresses, change of plans, wrong payments, etc*, I thought I'd finally resolved it last night but overnight came up with a better scheme so will email artist again. She will block me next year I'm sure. *Not all my fault!

I have an article to write by Wednesday, a monologue to write by Tuesday, and a prayer to perfect by Sunday. Plus finish shopping. And I thought I was organised this year.

Apples on the tip

Dynamite!

It wasn't that hard. 

On the menu we had three cheese and tarragon mushrooms,

followed by bouillabaisse,

and finished off, a bit later, with cream sponge.

It was the fish soup that was marked as a challenge, and it wasn't. Unfortunately the fishmonger doesn't get fresh mussels on Mondays so I had to omit those, which was a shame as they're Husband's favourite, but I didn't think of it being a Monday when I planned the menu.

I hadn't thought about a cake either but at the last minute decided I'd make a quick sponge.

The day itself was damp and grey and the shower too heavy to get out for a walk. Or rather we mistimed it. So it was a quiet day. In the evening we watched Netflix's House of Dynamite. Well, that was terrifying. An unidentified nuclear missile is heading for Chicago, and the film's about the protocols that swing into action. And it's down to the President, in the last few minutes to decide whether to retaliate before the missile strikes or wait and see. The fact that they're not sure who has launched it, or if it were deliberate, or anything really is rather worrying. The thought that it could be Trump rather than Idris Elba making that decision - and I think we all know what he'd do - now that's terrifying.

* * * * *

Only seven of us in exercise this morning. It seems there is a virus rampant among the community. It's held in a church that runs a foodbank, and Monday evenings they get surplus from M&S. Any goods which can't be used in foodbank get left out for anyone to take. This morning there were literally buckets of bunches of flowers. I took two for me and four more bunches for my Zac's ladies.

A touch of Spring on another gloomy day.

A challenge

Lovely tea party, not too much food left-over, and a good game of You Think You Know Your Family.

Church Sunday morning and I was honoured to be asked to help hand out communion. We have bits of bread (gluten-free also provided) on plates and individual little shot glasses of red juice.

Then a blustery walk with Elder Son, GrandSon3, and Theo, to Three Cliffs beach.

Husband's birthday today.

I am cooking a meal for him tonight. A new recipe, level of difficulty labelled as 'A challenge', has me ridiculously stressed. I keep telling myself I'm not a beginner cook and I don't see how this recipe can be that difficult anyway. So we'll see. Watch this space.

Buy one and get one for twice the price

Husband's birthday on Monday so we're having a birthday tea party today. That could mean only one thing: an early morning visit to M&S in Mumbles to stock up on party food.

You've got to hand it to M&S: they've got their marketing schemes sussed.

"Buy 4 for 3!"
"Buy 3 for £8!"
"Buy one of these, one of those, and one of the ones in the pick wrapping, and you'll save money!"

Obviously I have to buy the number they suggest in order to save money. But then one of the items I pick up is short date so is cheaper anyway. Thus I have to buy it, plus something to replace it in the offer. I pick up 4 for 3 then discover two of them are in a different price range, so a different offer. You need a degree in complicated problems to work it out.

So I've ended up with enough to feed a small army. (And a thankful heart that we can afford this sort of luxury.)

Another problem with getting to Mumbles early is that half the places, such as the library, aren't open until 10. And midway through my shopping I slapped my forehead and exclaimed, "Candlesticks!"

We're beginning our look at Advent in Zac's on Tuesday so I needed four candles and receptacles. I wandered around the local hardware store reluctant to ask at the counter for "four candles." (Fans of old British comedy will understand.)

Eventually found a little Advent thingy in a charity shop.

* * * * *

Last night it was the tree light-up ceremony at church. Children from the local school were singing in the hall beforehand. I was a bit late getting there and the place was jam-packed. The children sang all the favourite Christmas songs and were very good. Then we all went outside to see the tree.

I got an added bonus. A toddler was getting bored. She wandered over to me, I held out my hand, she took it, and I led her into the little room behind the hall, and we drew on the blackboard. She was very smiley and happy with that. As was I getting to play with a little little one.

The moment you walk into a room

You walk into a room. Someone immediately stops talking and glances warily at you. Not suspicious at all, is it?

So, yesterday, after serving breakfast in Zac's - numbers up to twenty this week - I headed off to Rough Edges to meet Kathryn and Richard so we could continue clearing it out. Another volunteer turned up uninvited and made it a little awkward for us all.

So it was a bit of a frustrating day. But we got through quite a lot - although not as much as we would have, had the other volunteer not turned up!

Tonight it's Christmas lights switch on at church when a local junior school choir is coming to sing. I'm trying to work out how to cook dinner so I only leave the veg for Husband to do while I'm out. I think it will work . . .

Other people's posts

AC's post today reminded me of when we had magazines in waiting rooms. It was one of the joys of life, that little added pleasure, being able to flick through and check out how the other half lives in the celebrity magazines. Our dentist always had golfing mags, and occasionally up-market fashion mags. Not my cup of tea. And at £500 and up for a handbag just as well.

I think the doctors' surgery stopped first. Something about unhealthy spread of germs. But now no-one has magazines; we're all expected to read our phones. I don't have anything interesting on my phone apart from a couple of children's games. 

Janice's blog has a post about waking up dead - no, waking up alive when you're supposed to be dead. This is one of my fears and the reason I think I would prefer burning to burying. At least it would be quicker. Janice cites lots of examples so I am definitely demanding a bell in my coffin when I go.

Debra's blog, well, what can I say? Don't visit if easily offended! I was so shocked I had to read on to the end . . .

* * * * *

It's so exciting: parcels keep arriving! It's just like Christmas! Because I can't remember what I've ordered or when it's due every delivery is a thrill!

Curled up on the sofa yesterday and watched Nonnas on Netflix. Aw, lovely and comforting. What to watch today, that is the question.

* * * * *

I made a lovely curry, lamb and spinach (with added parsnips because I had some), and what do I get? Complaints.

Just because I make the dish a bit dirty. 

Husband did say it was a very good curry but his grumbles outweighed his compliments!

Postscript

Conclave was my film of choice. Imagine being gripped for two hours by the process of electing a new pope! I thought it went a bit haywire towards the end, unnecessary extras, but overall very good, and fascinating to see the process.

She tried

Thank you for the lovely suggestions for my tombstone. I think the most appropriate would be, "Well, she tried."

Emptied the Christmas shelf this morning, the bit at the top of the wardrobe that I use to store wrapping paper etc. Turns out my mum was green before being green was a thing. I imagine most of our families were. I was told to unwrap presents carefully so she could save and re-use the paper; now I'm doing the same thing. I have a box and a bag full of pieces of paper most of which is inevitably the wrong shape or size or torn in the wrong place to be useable*.

Plus a Christmas elf, DIY cracker kits, and a bag full of bags. Who actually buys gift bags? I don't think I've ever bought one; I always have plenty in my cupboard to reuse - and they don't even get creased like paper.

Also found the strangely-shaped neck rest with three bits. Can't remember how it was supposed to go but pretty sure it wasn't the way Husband modelled it.

And enough unused Christmas cards, I hope, to avoid having to buy any this year. I plan to use some of my recharge time to get those written, and finish my present shopping. Watched Bridget Jones' Baby yesterday afternoon. I must have seen it before but it was a silly enough way to relax.

* Google tells me usable is the preferred spelling but both are acceptable.