Project 52 2026 week 1

Happy new year! Hope 2026 works out well for everyone. I didn’t know if I’d still be continuing with Project 52, but it gives me an excuse to regularly update the blog, and I enjoy finding out what everyone else is up to.

Here’s my week 1 (and a bit) for 2026.

Thursday – I watched the fireworks across the line of town from the bedroom window as I went to bed. Had a bit of a lie in (it’ll be hard getting back up early from Monday). Didn’t do much – read, watched films, blogged.

Had a wander outside to hold the dogs while N was trying to train them to pick up the dummy.  Comedy watching them pick it up in different ways, and then give up bringing it all the way back. They do love to work (and play) though.They’ll miss out a bit when N’s back at school. Had a nice turkey pie for tea courtesy of the mother in law.

Friday – woke up to a small layer of snow but a nice blue clear day. The large hills (just over the county) were treacherous and shut most of the day, sounds like there wasn’t much gritting going on by that county (seems to be a toss up between gritting and pothole filling as we get gritting but terrible road repairs in ours). I didn’t go out. Just stayed in the warm, read, did some blogging.

Phoned McAfee to finally work out why I was being charged twice – in July in the account I can see/know I’m paying for, and another in December with no invoice/reminders/account visible. Thankfully they found it and I’ve been refunded. 

Saturday – waited a little later before heading into town in the hope some of the back roads would have deiced. Our road was good, but through the village wasn’t brilliant. The market only had a couple of stalls but luckily one was the bakery guy. I planned to try out the town butcher’s that’s replaced the old owner who retired. Only one person working in there, and not that much stock, plus a big queue. So I gave up and headed to Sainsbury’s for a food shop.

I usually get a Tesco delivery, but hadn’t thought I’d need much.  I was mistaken, although did get a couple of absolute Christmas food bargains (including a sticky toffee pudding marked at £6, originally £12, but scanning at 1p as someone had shared on social media). Then off to our normal butchers. It was a lot of driving back and forth, but some lovely snowy views across the fields.

Sunday – nipped out again to get something N needed. Otherwise had a chilled out day at home not doing a lot. 

Monday – back to work day. I woke at 4.20, then 5.09, before my alarm went off at 6.30 and I read for a bit. N had an inset day so it was a slightly later get up than tomorrow will be. After they didn’t turn up back in September, EON came to fit our smart meter. It was wild and up and down all day, despite me turning off random not needed plugs. Our meter covers the annex too – so we can’t really control much, just our own, so can be a bit of a mystery guessing what’s been turned on/off to bring down or increase the cost. We may end up just unplugging it – annoying that the actual meter thingy costs us to use it.  

Tuesday – woke early again. So frustrating. First line dancing class back after Christmas. I now go later missing the beginners class, doing the improvers class I did before but adding the Intermediate class after. A 10pm finish was late, especially as going later means there’s only parking up the hill a walk away.

But the new class was really good. We only learnt 1 new improver dance in that lesson. But in intermediates we went through 2 dances the others couldn’t remember, plus learnt a brand new one. And then I bodged my way through 2 I’d previously tried to learn at home. So a good class, and lots to learn inbetween now and the next class I can get to.

Wednesday – busy work day again. N had his fixed braces off. Whoop. There’s still a bit of a gap where they removed a tooth, so the retainer should fix that. He’ll go back next week to get that, then he’s on the home run. 

Thursday – just a work day really. I was meant to be dancing, but didn’t fancy going out in case the snow ended up coming down harder.  We had heavy rain all afternoon, with a bit of snow that settled early evening. Then it was a wait to see if we’d get any more or just sleet/rain. We’re right on the edge of the snow/no snow, so it was always going to be a wait and see. It ended up being cancelled as noone turned up. 

Friday – we had snow overnight, and it was super slushy and icy on the roads in patches. The gritters did go past around bus drop off time. There were hill closures the night before going into the other county where school is, and other hill issues. I made it into the village – they’d gritted our road, but didn’t seem like they’d been into the village which was unusual. One school bus for the catchment school went through, then ours seemed to sit for ages the other side of the village on the tracker. We decided to go home and hold off/not go in, and see what was happening later.

It turned out there was no snow at school – lots of random pockets of snow/nothing in areas. The other kids from the village did the same. So come 9 o’clock we all risked taking them in. The hill was actually ok, and once down the hill there was nothing – so strange compared to back home. Then back to work once I got home.

Tried to change N’s retainer appointment because school have unauthorised my request to pick him up 15 minutes before the end of school. I’m hoping it’s because the new app is just auto refusing everything, because that’s insane when it’s never been an issue before.

Saturday – waited til it was was a bit sunnier to avoid icy roads to head into town, but they were mostly fine. Dropped some returns off, did the bakery stall, and the butchers. The day just ran away with me by the time I’d done 2 washloads, folded clothes, unpacked the dishwasher, made crumble and lasagne for dinner. Sunday needs to be more relaxing!

Things I’ve enjoyed this week:

• TV – Red Eye, and The Traitors – Rachel vs Fiona, great tv.
• New dance term, and new higher level class was great.
• Trying some new chocolates – N came back from the neighbours with them, random unwanted from people they know.

Things I’m grateful for this week:

• The snow wasn’t too bad and disappeared quite fast
• Lack of ice meaning driving was ok
• Nice easy meals this week – leftovers on 2 different days, so no hassle dinners