Project 52 2026 week 32

A week finishing off my holiday and getting back into the work head again. Strangely I was sleeping better while away than at home which is unusual, but maybe that was just the heat back home. Here’s my Project 52 week 32.

Sunday – slept really well. This must be the most comfortable bed and temperature for a hotel because usually night 1 is poor, and the rest I rarely sleep that well. Maybe being on my own without N in helps (and I’m sure he’d say the same of me!)  Trip to Fountains Abbey and Studley Water Gardens first thing. Stunning place, but crikey it’s a lot of walking to even get to the abbey, and then the water gardens, so I did take the lazy option of the shuttle bus back up top again afterwards.

Then onto Knaresborough to the castle, viewing the viaduct, and also did the Courthouse Museum. Nice little town, and luckily turned up just ahead of the train leaving across the viaduct.

Lazy afternoon back at the hotel because I was so tired. I think it’s all the sunshine compared with normal as well as all the walking.

Monday – breakfast and checked out. Briefly stopped at a farm shop before Beningbrough Hall opened. The gardens had more to look at than the hall, which was empty other than displays. It was interesting, but I do prefer more things to look at, as well as an exhibition.

I’d planned to then stop at Nostell, but due to no mains water, the house was closed for the day. So my alternate stop was at Hardwick Hall instead. A good choice I think, although it was very hot by this time. I don’t usually do late NT visits as I prefer to get in early and out, but it was nice for a mooch around.

I stopped off at a service station for a very late lunch, then headed home getting back just after 5. Not bad going. Of course, the OH had done a mad clean of the kitchen and utility room again. So the Sodastream has no home now, and the recycling bin just had everything dumped in it. 

Tuesday – hot again, but in the office in aircon thankfully. Did go dancing in the evening, and it was super warm. Nice to have a visitor who come to class who dances up north.

Wednesday – another day in the office, not much going on. There were only 2 of us left just before 5, so we had to shut up which was a first. Stopped for a bit of shopping after work before heading home. There’s always something we’re short on. 

Today was the partial solar eclipse. I don’t remember the last one at all. But today I did go out in the garden with my colander and some paper. It was a bit of an anticlimax.

Thursday – hot hot hot day. It was 29C before 10 when I went to pick up my prescription. 37C by lunch when I needed to nip out and pick up some deli bits for tea. The only great thing about the heat is how fast washing dries. 2 loads done in half a day.  I decided against dancing – would have been way too hot even with fans and my little one hooked on the back of my trousers!  Watched some Rookie with N after he got back from his clay shooting lesson.

Friday – another over 30C day. Short work day, very few people around so it was a bit quiet. Had no clue what to cook for tea – turns out the OH won’t now eat shop bought pizza unless they’re posh ones, so defrosted some sausages and they did sausage sandwiches. I picked up my friend and we went off to the line dancing social. The government wildfire warning/alert came through as I was driving, and I panicked thinking it was my car with some weird alarm. Thankfully it wasn’t. The social was lots of fun, although so hot because the air con was only able to work so hard. 

Saturday – early up so we could get to to the farm shop/butchers before it was decimated like it usually is by the festival happening this weekend just up the road. Also into town for petrol and cheeky Costa with N, then back out again to the bakery and off to get school shoes. The woman remembers N every year (we’ve only been there 3 times for school shoes I think!), and the first pair fitted (yes, the same style as last year). So that was nice and fast. Then back home for loads of washing, and thinking about potentially doing a 50th birthday. I think N’s keener than me, because he thinks he’ll get to come.

New posts this week:

• Review of Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate

Things I’ve enjoyed this week:

• Lots of National Trust visiting how I want to
• Getting back to a tidy house (although the kitchen is missing a few useful/needed items in my opinion
• Good dancing

Things I’m grateful for this week:

• My car warning light about servicing, is just about switching tyres around. Never done it on any other car, so just need to work out how to turn the warning off.
• Someone else in the car to pick up my phone when the alert came through rather than me having to pull over and look.
• Easy shoe shopping experience, and maybe the last one ever.