Project 52 2026 week 43

It’s been quite a lazy week as I’ve had some time off work, without any major plans. I failed at getting organised to try and meet up with friends, but did get out for one trip out. I’ve also been obsessing over winter jumpers. So now I’ve got to clear out my drawers, upload quite a few things on Vinted, and make room to actually remove some of my floordrobe piles. Here’s what my week 42 of Project 52 looked like.

Sunday – more windy weather although it was dry. Clocks went back so nice and light again in the morning. I nipped into town shopping – had to go to the supermarket and thanks to a scaffolding collapse one of the main roads through town is shut, so the roads were carnage. I don’t know whether it wasn’t helped by people thinking it was an hour later because it’s not usually as busy at 10.15am. Thankfully did what I needed to and back home.

Made some protein ‘cookie dough’ balls with chickpeas, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and coated in chocolate. Delicious – hard to only eat 1 – but N wasn’t keen which is good. More for me. Otherwise read, blogged and caught up with some Christmas romance movies. Yes, I’m already watching Christmas films as there’s always so many to get through by Christmas..

Monday – back to work. N gave up on school work today, and was out on the farm pretty much all day, and then out with my brother in the early evening. Had a lovely stir fry for tea with the leftovers from the roast – there wasn’t enough left to make it into a pie, so they had a bought beef pie, as they won’t eat stir fry. Then I can make a sandwich filling with the remaining chicken.

Fuming as another Evri parcel got left in a totally random place after I’d already provided them a pin to our property, and described our safe place by the door. So spent time on Facebook trying to ask around various village groups to see if anyone recognised the parcel box in the photo. 

Tuesday = normal work day in the office. Quite quiet of people, and of traffic thanks to the next road being closed. The rest of the roads round town were hell. There’s now a second road (my usual route home) closed thanks to a water leak (from a place that was fixed previously and the pipe’s obviously still causing issues), as well as various traffic light issues on major routes out too. Everything happening at once, and I need to remember to avoid town til more of it’s open.

Dancing was good in the evening. I actually felt fitter (although tired and hot), so obviously my healthier eating and bit of weight loss is going well.

Wednesday – first day of leave. Someone answered me on FB and had my parcel. So went to go and pick it up. I’d already moaned at the retailer and Evri multiple times. My birthday present from early October (2nd one sent out) finally arrived. 

N and I headed into town so he could get some passport photos done. We assumed getting digital ones would let him upload them automatically, but no. So that was a total waste of money. I’d said to him before, check if you can just take a mobile phone photo. Of course he didn’t check. But he’s applied for his provisional licence so he can do his tractor test when he turns 16.  We also stopped at a few shops, then had a coffee shop stop before heading home.

I did some painting by numbers, and read a bit, but that’s about it. I’m not sure where the day went.

Thursday – early dentist appointment. After all these years of going to them as an NHS patient, they made me feel like a second class citizen when I said I could access the forms online for myself or N. The receptionist’s response was that it was probably because I was an NHS patient. Er no, because I’ve always been able to until they changed the name a couple of months ago. They also sent me an email upselling me an implant for a back tooth I had out years ago. I was fuming about getting marketing emails…if they checked my xrays they’d see that I don’t have a gap because my wisdom tooth has shifted into the gap. Anyway, new dentist because the old one no longer does evenings (post 4pm) or early mornings (before 9.30). £27 for a check up and I was in there less than a minute.

Then off to Milton Keynes to see the LS Lowry exhibition. It was really interesting and great to see some of his famous paintings and drawings. I’d paid for plenty of parking so went shopping afterwards and started my Christmas shopping. It was pretty busy with it being half term.

Dancing in the evening was ok. It was very quiet, presumably due to half term. Only 6 of us in the second class. 

Friday – into town to get petrol, Also picked up some jumpers I’d ordered, did some Christmas shopping in TK Maxx, then headed home. I made a load of higher protein egg bites to have for breakfast/or ready snacks. I need to also make some sweet snacks, but need to work out what fridge and freezer space I have left once my food shop has arrived. I ordered it for 3-4pm slot rather than my usual 8-9 so I could have a lie in, but woke early several times so still got up just after 7. Turns out that slot the driver turns up right at the start, unlike my usual morning slots where I’m always hanging around.  Otherwise quite a quiet day. 

Watched Celebrity Traitors final, I was amazed that they finally figured the traitors out in the end, given how useless they were throughout.

Saturday – had a bit of a lie in. Then the usual bakery and butcher stops before back home to make some chia seed yoghurt breakfasts prep, and some chickpea ‘cookie dough’ snacks. I can’t believe how much washing I’ve had to do this week too. I reckon it was 4 loads just for N! Caught up on some reading, listened to some music and just generally chilled out. Considering I’ve not done that much this week, I’ve felt like I’ve been on the go and have needed the time to just spend at home. Maybe it’s the autumnal weather and getting out the big woolly jumpers.

Bonfire night, we just made sure the dogs were shut in their kennel area so they couldn’t escape, and then listened/watched out of the window.

Things I’ve enjoyed this week:

• Couple of new meals tried out at home, plus some nice healthier snacks
• Seeing Lowry paintings in real life
• Celebrity Traitors
• Checking my Storygraph stats. I’m usually a Goodreads person, but Storygraph was mentioned by someone, and I’ve enjoyed looking there too.

Things I’m grateful for this week:

• Time off work, I really needed it.
• Lots of inspiring recipes online for higher protein/healthier options
• Good weather – the wind’s died down and I’ve been able to put some washing outside to dry.
• Getting some of my Christmas shopping done. 2.5 people done.