Project 52 2026 week 17

It’s been an emotional week alongside some nice weather, lots of new books, dancing and potholes finally being filled. Here’s what’s been going on for Project 52 week 17.

Sunday – had an amusing chat with the couple next to me at the tills in M&S, about how it’s now a 10.30 opening time, but how they didn’t understand why Sunday opening hours were still a thing. I’ve taken over from my mum as the person random people talk to in shops. Otherwise a fairly quiet day pottering and relaxing at home.

Monday – evening though I got a good sleep in terms of hours, I was still a bit tired when I started work. Didn’t last for long thankfully. N added to my pile of clothes to sell, but I think most are for the recycling instead. I’m going to have to book a slot for the first time since the tip brought in Oxfordshire postcodes/bookable slots only.

N might have changed his mind about just going to the local college, so looks like we might have some open days to be looking at. Then I saw the cost of accommodation – for this year nearly £9k a year, so would likely be more the year he would go! One of the college options is just over an hour drive, and there is a bus that goes from town. But that’s a long day with a 6.50am pick up, and not getting home back til 6.30. Might be worth it if he’s only in college 2-3 days a week, but not sure that’s realistic ongoing for 2 years. Lots of questions to get answers to.

Tuesday – day in the office. Dancing afterwards was quieter, probably due to warmer weather and moving into holiday season. 

Noticed they’d finally been out to fix the potholes around by us – hallelujah! And looks like it’s more than just filling the hole and patting it down, they’ve actually done the holes and miniature redressing over the top and around it. So big square patches along the road. They did however leave one hole in the turning towards the village, and the whole area of the junctions which is the worst patch for craters.  I’m hoping they decided it was worth properly redressing that patch. But in the meantime I keep driving up as normal thanks to all the holes being gone the rest of the road, then suddenly remembering that part’s still horrendous and needs dodging.

Wednesday – just another work day. Then a rush off to dancing afterwards. Even going from home, having a 6.30 start to get to always seems like such a rush. Good dance class. Turns out I have a mutual friend with one of the others who goes there. It’s been a week for finding mutual friends with people as that was the second in 2 days.

I learnt my first advanced line dance. It was ok to learn because they did it in detail because it was new for everyone there. Usually there’s always someone who knows it or they’ve taught it at another class so whizz through it. But this time was good. It’s long though, so whether I remember it will be another matter.

Thursday – end of an era with lots of colleagues, especially from the older days and our office, leaving. So there were a few tears during goodbye calls. I picked up N from the bus, dropped him at home, then headed in for the pub send off. It was so nice (but sad) to see so many people I don’t work with directly or see in the office anymore, and quite a few alumnae came out as well. I ended up missing seeing a few people I wanted to, but I was all chatted out after a few hours (you know when you run out of things to say and end up on the edge of groups – that’s always me at parties or big events). 

I decided I would go to my dancing class for a bit of an uplift. By the end of the evening I was exhausted. It was just a very emotional day.

Friday – quiet work day. 1st May meant all the book deals going on, so I grabbed a whole load of free books. That’ll keep me going til the rest of the year I think. N had tennis so I read for a bit in the car, then chatted briefly to one of the other mums.

Saturday – early hair cut for me, and the price has gone up again. I wish they’d tell you beforehand so you can make a choice. I book afterwards for my next appointment 3 months out, but there’s still no mention of it when prices go up, and it wasn’t mentioned on their website where it still says the old price. Not sure I can justify over £70 for a cut and blow dry. I might have to revert to a wet cut instead in future. 

N had a hair appointment after lunch so took him there. Then we watched a couple of episodes of The Rookie together.

Finally had a decent amount of rain in the evening. The fields and garden really needed it. Lots of farmers round have been out fertilising, so they were hoping for rain. And it arrived. Although whether it’ll last for long enough to help fill low water levels and do some good to the fields, I don’t know.

Things I’ve enjoyed this week:

• More The Rookie with N. Nice to compare notes and find something we both enjoy watching, especially as he’s not usually a big tv watcher.
• Being able to get all the washing dry in one day in the nice sunny weather
• Learning my first advanced line dance (annoyingly I’m likely to miss next week’s class so that’s a bit frustrating as they’ll not go through it slowly again).

Things I’m grateful for this week:

• Lots of free books – I get daily emails from Bookbub, and then there’s stuff your Kindle time in May too. I do buy books as well, but the amount I read, freebies are good too.
• Chance to spend time with (now former) colleagues who I haven’t worked with or seen directly probably since before Covid when we went remote/hybrid.
• Easy and fast automatic appointments booked for parents evening.