Project 52 2026 week 33

Back to normal working and life, although I wasn’t in many evenings this week. Here’s the goings on for week 33 of Project 52.

Sunday – had a short lie in reading, then into town to pick up a couple of orders and get some bread. M&S bakery were individually wrapping all the usually open items, so not much was available. Frustrating if that’s going to be the new normal because it means what I need to get won’t be available til post the tills opening, and then I’d need to hang around for ages rather than being out the door and paid by 10.31. Surely they should have everything ready before opening time as loads of people go in for browsing.

Fairly relaxed rest of the day, catching up on The Rookie, editing photos and scheduling holiday blog posts. 

Monday – pretty quiet work day, few calls as lots of people are away. I rarely get bites, but found mirror ones on the back of each arm which is weird. N has quite a few too, but he is more often outside and does get them. So I’m slapping on the cream to stop them itching. 

Did a bit of blogging in the evening, but otherwise not much going on. 

Tuesday – office day, fairly quiet as per the rest of the summer. I was soooo tired at work, I think because of the antihistamine tablet I took. 

Got changed in my usual changing top under my other one method in the car ahead of dancing. Only to hear a rip…I’d managed to make a nice rip in one of my favourite tops for dancing, right by the neckline. My one I’d worn for work wasn’t an option, so went to Poundstretcher for needles with thread, seam ripper and small safety pins. Then bodge sewed it up in the car while wearing it. Good enough to have no hole and not visible unless someone got close.

Dancing was good. Fairly empty despite the cooler weather, but still hot in there and tiring. 9-10pm is a killer slot for learning and remembering moves. 

Wednesday – work in the office again, more empty so got lots done. Afterwards I got changed (in the office bathroom rather than car!), and headed towards Oxford for a Pitbull themed line dance workshop. The traffic around the Pear Tree interchange was worse than I’ve ever seen it (presumably with all the traffic now having to go round the ringroad rather than through Oxford with the congestion charge and filters). Luckily I’d left work with nearly 2 hours, because that was a 20 minute delay. 

It was only a small dancefloor. But the organiser was friendly making sure she introduced me to some of her usual students who were nice and welcomed me. The workshop was 1.5 hours of learning 5 dances which are set to Pitbull music, then running them straight through like at a social. My usual teacher would never teach those (or likely play that music), and it’s quite fast and more upbeat than I’m used to. It was a real work out, and pretty much non stop. Learning the dances was fine, but I need time in between to take each one into my brain. I’m definitely going to need to refresh them at home because now they’re blending into one another in my mind! 

Thursday – normal work day at home, made macaroni cheese for them (not realising that N had had the same on Wednesday at the farm for tea, and then again for lunch). N went off for his clay shooting lesson, then as he came back I was heading off for my dance class.  A few people turned up who’d not been for a while. I wasn’t really feeling it, too many meh dances, and I was tired after the day before. 

GCSE results day and the realisation that it will be N going through it next year.

Friday – blitzed through lots of things at work so I was ready for my week off. Now to try and organise meeting up with as many friends as possible because N doesn’t want to go away. Strange child! We had pizza takeaway from the local place for dinner. There was a bit of a wait, so I ended up hearing all about the owner’s love of milk, handbags, and saving for their kids!

Saturday – trying to organise catching up with friends next week isn’t looking too positive at the moment. And the weather’s going to be rubbish so day trips out might not be the best. Maybe I should do a couple of days in London and stay over with a last minute theatre trip.

Early morning hair cut for N, with lots of discussions about his hair type which was amusing. That hairdresser at the barber does love to chat. Then various Saturday shop visits – bakery, butcher, nip into Sainsbury’s and a quick Costa with N. 

Usual lots of clothes washing on rotation, but otherwise chance for some reading and blogging as I’ve lots to catch up on.

New posts this week:

• Eating out in Harrogate
• Royal Pump Rooms museum
• Ripley Castle
• Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal water gardens

Things I’ve enjoyed this week:

• Line dance workshop somewhere new, and more challenging to learn
• Rain
• Catching up with a couple of work colleagues I’ve not chatted to properly for a while

Things I’m grateful for this week:

• An upcoming week off
• Rain and cooler weather
• No car damage