Another mixed bag......

More delay in adding to this, probably as each thing isn't newsy enough for its own post and not many photos to pad things out, but actually when I think back quite a bit has been going on.

Eventually cleared all the washing from before and during our holiday, haven't done much of the ironing though as I'm very good at finding alternative employment, even to the point of completely defrosting the freezer rather than plug the iron in, did need it though, and Daughter, O and R arrived just as I'd started that job so understandably it took longer as I kept stopping to chat.

My niece and her new man had an engagement party which was noisy disco fun with lots of dancing. Hubby and I took Daughter and O so just the one car. Unfortunately many family members couldn't make it but it was lovely seeing the ones that could. My brother took this opportunity to tell me that he was now separated from his wife, he said that they have now settled into an amicable friendship. The next day I messaged them both with my support.

Hubby has had lots of SERV (blood runners) charity meetings. He has also bought both a new car and a new bike

Well he is getting his pension now so guess it's another late mid-life crisis hahaha. 

After picking up the car we had a lovely run out to Southwold for some lunch. 

I've had another craft day at Acorn Village. Each time we attend we add just £2 each to the kitty tin and this time we saw what to donate it to as the recent Storm Doris had done some irreparable damage to the cover of their polytunnel, hopefully our donation will get them a little nearer replacing it. 

We've had all our usual social stuff, eating out with friends, hubby ten pin bowling and I'm filling up the diary with future meet ups with friends too. At this rate we will never catch up with all the tv we've recorded! 

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Theatre: The Three Lions.....

Presented by Rosie Bowen for PBJ Management and Jenny Topper
By William Gaminara

A footballer, a prince and a prime minister walk into a hotel room…..
This hilarious new comedy offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of diplomacy in action, revealing what really went on between David Cameron, David Beckham and Prince William in a Swiss hotel the night before England’s bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In spite of missed planes, mistaken identities, misunderstandings and sartorial challenges, they are determined to bring the beautiful game home. But when things start to go disastrously and deliciously wrong, three heads may not be better than one!

As you can see they did a great job of casting look-alikes but they were also brilliant actors capturing the accents and tones of each voice and including all the little mannerisms that you don't actually realise these people have in real life until you see it on stage. The script was truly hilarious and we all laughed out loud all the way through.

The only misfortune to a very entertaining and uplifting evening was as I dropped off Trish just a few doors down from my house, I clipped the kerb but obviously at the wrong angle and limped my car up onto my drive and into my garage. Hubby went to have a look and says I've knocked the tyre off the wheel and now have a flat grrrr. Told you it was a stressy week!
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Can't forget today...

You'll be relieved to hear that one of the 'choosing' dilemmas is over. Saturday morning I shook hands on a car deal, I had finally made a choice and signed my name to the deal, although I have to admit that after two weeks of hubby and I trawling the internet for specs (making sure it will fit in the garage) and reviews (always good to get lots of driver's opinions) and traipsing round all the local dealers (have to spend time giving them a good poke around in all the right places) and test driving lots of cars (has to be done) and haggling with dealers lots and lots (has to be done too), that by Saturday morning I was so punch-drunk I would have bought just about anything just to make this recurring nightmare go away!

So today was the day for handing over my lovely and reliable red Peugeot that has done me very well for just over 10 years. I'd even got used to the very squeaky windscreen wipers! And in the pouring rain and wild wind I drove home my year old Citroen C3 Picasso. So far so good, even though the seat still needs a bit of fine adjustment and of course I need to get used to the extra controls that a newer car has directly on the steering column but hey all new things need to be played with!

Today is also special as it's little O's third birthday and they were all here this morning so he could unwrap all his presents, which he seemed to love (thank goodness). I made lunch of sandwiches with the crusts cut off and cut into small triangles and R set the table with the best plates and my fancy dishes and plates for the crackers, cheese, crisps and various dips and relishes. We followed that with birthday cake (made one last night) and O helped me put the candles on then sat back down quickly so I could carry it over lit for him to blow out. He so loves all the celebration of it :o)

And in the future, because of both events, I won't have to drag out the paperwork when someone needs to know "When did you buy this car?" Because it was on O's 3rd birthday of course!
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Choosing choosing choosing....

Am I the only person on this planet who really hates shopping? I hate the choosing, especially for something expensive that I need to be happy with for a long time! At the moment we are shopping for a kitchen, a new(er) car for me and another shed for hubby.

For his shed I had to make the decisions of what size and where to put it, which thankfully wasn't too difficult. So now he's found the shed he wants to buy and is waiting for the supplier to give him exact measurements so he can make the concrete base for it.

Think I've mentioned the kitchen before. There are actually only a few things that need changing in our kitchen and I definitely need to keep the cupboards and features that work perfectly for me......so what to choose and how do we get it all to match?

And now my car. I am only it's 2nd owner but I've had it about 10 years now and it's sounding really rough and will undoubtedly cost me money to keep it going so a good time to trade it in, it's a T reg Peugeot 306 which is a pretty shape and I'd love to just replace like for like but they stopped making it years ago. I'm definitely not buying a new car as I think one that is a couple of years old is much better value for money. Hubby always drives his 'toy' whereas I consider my car a 'tool'. So far we have been to Toyota and looked at the Yaris (too small) and test drove the Auris (quite nice but nothing special). At Marshall's we looked at the Kia Rio, C'eed and Soul and took the one year old Soul Silver for a test drive which was very nice, negatives were the price and it is a bit of a quirky shape! Then at Bristo's we were surprised at the Clio's internal space, the boot space was so much bigger than it used to be, the price was really good too, so out for a test drive in that and I actually pulled the car over half way back for the dealer to take over as the seat was just so uncomfortable! The dealer was really pissed off, didn't say just could tell by his body language and the way he drove the car back as there was nothing left to negotiate over, car was fine but the seat just wasn't a fit for me! I really hate all the detail giving and haggling and time wasting and sales-pitching but mainly the choosing! But the searching and choosing goes on.

Not sure I should even type this but this laptop has had to be turned off very quickly four times in the past week as the hard drive has made a most terrible noise..........please don't make me have to choose a new laptop just yet!!!!
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