Project 52 2024 week 51 and 52

I got totally confused last week, thinking I needed to do 2 weeks together, so missed doing week 51 separately. Oops. Instead, it’s a mammoth round up for the end of the year for Project 52.

Week 51

Sunday – a rushed morning. I hate that the shops I always need to get to on Sundays are always those that open at 11. I was at M&S to pick up a collection before 11, 1st in the queue in the menswear section for something N needed, then out of the retail park to Waitrose because the OH gets through horseradish so fast and Waitrose Essentials is the only one he’ll eat. Then back home to pick up N to get to his first car washing customer. While there he may have picked up some more customers as they live around a courtyard with lots of other cars there, and the lady had told everyone about him. So 2 cars down, 2 hours and £25. Hard work, but not bad going if he can get 1-2 cars a week for a nearly 14 year old.

Monday – good start to the week doing my walking before work, and getting my INR check done early. Annoying that I’m still blipping outside my range, so that’s back again next week to check it. I think it’s all hormonal and peri-menopause after having been stable in range for the last year until a few weeks ago. 

Tuesday – normal work and school day. Had a festive quiz at work which was fun (although I was seriously poor at). N turned up with a bag of half prepared partridges from our neighbour. He’s planning on cooking a casserole evidently. 

Wednesday – football training for the last time before Christmas and a few of us parents took our boys to the pub for a ‘drink’ and quick socialise before heading home. A very grown up thing to do, although we totally took over the remaining space in the car park.

Thursday – the 6th series of Virgin River was back so I started watching that.  Love that show.

Friday – big Tesco shop arrived, before a quietish day finishing some bits at work before closing down for Christmas holidays. Yay. N was off school (which was a half day anyway) with a headache, although he disappeared at lunchtime when I was on a call without telling me, and the OH didn’t think to tell me. I wasn’t best pleased given he was meant to be ill. Turned out he’d gone for a walk with the dogs. But then obviously went out on the farm with the OH afterwards. His headache was better, mine got worse.

Saturday – N was off car washing again in the village, so dropped him there before heading into town. I’d worried it would be packed because I was later in, but managed to get a parking space, thankfully arrived at the butcher’s before the huge queues, got bread from the market, and then a few bits at Waitrose (although forgot 1 item I was meaning to get from there). Back home, then picked N up before a more relaxing afternoon inbetween trying to get all the washing done.

Week 52

Sunday –  off to M&S to get the smoked salmon I forgot the day before at Waitrose. Of course being 11am Sunday opening on a retail park, I knew parking would be a nightmare, so I went early and had a coffee shop wait. 10.45 it opened for browsing and the queues were nuts. I needed to get some new bras, so headed there first only to find the queues full of food shoppers. The foodhall is quite small so was crammed walking round (people had their whole families with them, which is just ridiculous), I grabbed the 3 things I wanted, then walked straight into the till area. So I was out and leaving by 11.15 which wasn’t bad. A relaxing day of advent competitions, reading, and movies.  I had rubbish Fantasy League scoring as I’d totally picked the wrong captain. Not much chance of us all catching the guy in no.1 place, although I moved further ahead of no. 3.

Monday – urgh to an alarm during the holidays thanks to my early food shop. Thankfully only 1 substitution, and I’m hoping chestnut smoked bacon tastes ok. Then to the farm shop to pick up my turkey – which of course brought home to comments saying it’s tiny and more like a chicken! It’s bigger in weight than last year, although I wish they’d weigh without the giblets in. I always get annoying at paying for the weight of those when they’re wasted. Bleurgh. Went and got petrol too, so all set up now for probably the best part of a week.

Tuesday – Christmas Eve. Busy morning prepping all the veg, cooking the red cabbage, and making a lime cheesecake. Hopefully it sets ok because it was looking more runny than normal (should have used Phili cream cheese rather than Tesco own label obviously!). N was out on the farm most of the day, although he did help do the potatoes and carrots.

Wednesday – Christmas day. Had a bit of a lie in while they were off on the farm, then a chilled out morning. Opened presents, then my brother came over. We had Bucks Fizz while cooking the lunch. Afternoon they went off to do dropping off food to people on their own, and out for a walk, check the cattle again. I had a nice peaceful time. Before a quick game of Ticket to Ride before my brother went, and we headed over to family for tea. It was quieter than normal but stil nice to see everyone. Couldn’t believe I was able to eat anything more but some cheese and crackers, and pudding (bit of everything!), went down nicely. 

Thursday – didn’t do a lot, made some chocolate twists with pastry that needed using up. They were very nice, but I may as well have not bothered as noone else ate them, despite me making them for them rather than me. A bit of reading, bit of competition entries, but not much else.

Friday – another lazy day. Everyone else is out on the farm, so I’ve got the tv (pants signal for the 3rd day thanks to the fog), and time to read.

Saturday – I went to Milton Keynes early to pick up a competition gift card I’d won.  Didn’t manage to buy what I was after with my giftcard in Schuh (poor selection vs online, but at least I know what size I’m after now).  Got N some smart trainers – ended up cheaper in Sports Direct though. With work I get discount cards/vouchers, so had got myself a reloadable card. Unfortunately went to use it in John Lewis, and they tell me that despite my app saying the card can be used in store, it won’t go through their tills unless I order a different type of voucher. So I’ve had a bit of a rant to customer services for the card/discount app, and asked them to clarify. Otherwise it’s pointless me having this type of card, I may as well just buy instant vouchers when I’m about to purchase in store instead. 

Sunday – farm shop trip to get a roast joint. Their first open day after the Christmas rush so it was very quiet in there, and not a lot of stock in. Then did some of my puzzle – a Wasgij I bought ages ago but hadn’t fancied doing, and caught up with some friends online.

Monday – lovely day in Oxford with a friend for a spot of shopping, nice lunch in the Ashmolean rooftop restaurant, and reminiscing over the years we lived there. Managed to get some new trainers – Reeboks rather than Adidas in the end – and used some of my Schuh prize vouchers. That store had so much more stock and more ranges in than Milton Keynes store too.

Tuesday – last day of 2024. Tuesday – not much going on for the last day of the year. I nipped to the shops for some bread, then came back and took the Christmas tree and decorations down while listening to Radio 2. I scored my best score ever on 10 to the Top with 25 points, and did better on both rounds by miles compared with the 2 contestants. Usually I’m lucky to get 10 points. Having 1999 as a theme helped as that was my first post uni year, so lots of music/going out. Otherwise a relaxing day to end the year.

No deep thoughts for the end of the year, just thanks for reading, and I’ll see you on the other side.