Start Getting Excited About Christmas Day Day!

Friday (3rd Dec) was Start Getting Excited About Christmas Day Day!

Ok, I knew this was a day at some point so I made a note of the moment I felt the first flutterings of festive excitement - August 25th. Neglected to make a note of what it was exactly but that's when it was!

I've been greedy with this one and extended it from one day to three, starting with decorating the bedroom on Friday (you've been warned - there will be photos as soon as I overcome my current technical difficulties!).

The living room got the treatment on Saturday, I tried really hard to wait until Rob arrived before I started but once the obligatory Christmas music (all 169 tracks), Sherry and festive headgear came out I couldn't resist just starting a little bit here and there so by the time he arrived (doing his best Russian Wookie impression) I was well on the way (and possibly a little tipsy!)!

Most people know I'm a little OCD when it comes to my decorations but I have to say I was very impressed with Rob's natural decorating abilities - he made a band in my tree (again, photo will follow and all will become clear!)! A quick trip to town to see the pretty lights and pick up a halo (I broke mine! No comments please ;-) followed by Bad Santa and candlelit nibbles and other festive themed things rounded off Day 2!

Day 3 involved decorating the office, Rob did a great job of making sure Bob was included (as a tree like object)  before deciding to decorate the fields outside the office, having given up on the idea of a snow arch (it's the wrong type of snow!), with a snow angel, the word snow written in shoe print and something that looks suspiciously like a rugby tackled Heidi shape! The Pac-man scene on the picnic tables, a pushed over Heidi shape in the snow and a visit to the playground on the way home followed by chicken and chorizo paella and Joyeux Noel finished off Day 3!

 

And I think that's all the excitement I can manage - for now!

Top Notch Tuesday!

Yesterday was Top Notch Tuesday!

It starts getting busier from here on in - it's a 'day' almost every day!

It was a good day, managed to walk to and from work without any slips etc in the snow, also managed to get in the flat without any difficulty (yay!) when I got home, had steak for tea (desperately trying to make some room in my freezer before more shopping arrives on Friday), finished making all my Christmas cards and decorations, even made a start on wrapping presents (which means the Sherry had to come out of course!)! Oh, and got some Top Notch news last night which means I'm REALLY looking forward to the weekend!

Here are some photos of the walk to work in the snow - most of it was like walking through the wardrobe to approach Narnia!

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No Rude Words Allowed Day!

Yesterday was No Rude Words Allowed Day!

FAIL, FAIL, FAIL!

After giving Dennis feedback about his use of rude words in the office I'm ashamed to say that I let the side down badly when I got home, just as it started snowing again, and couldn't get into the building! I've somehow managed to bend the key! So I had visions of having to sit in the snow on my doorstep and wait at least an hour for Bernie to rescue me with my spare keys - luckily I managed to bend it back just enough to force it in the door (but Bernie's on standby just in case I can't do the same tonight!)! I don't remember exactly but I'd be very surprised if rude words weren't included in my furious doorstep mutterings!

Must try harder!

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Big Breakfast Saturday!

Today is Big Breakfast Saturday!

I was originally planning to do the whole full English thing but a recent reintroduction to my sandwich toaster derailed my plans (yes Bernie, it's your fault!)!

So, instead I thought I'd have my favourite toasties!

Ingredients
Onion
Green pepper
Mushroom
Sweetcorn
Tinned beans and sausages
Tomato
Cheese
Oh yeah, and bread obviously!

These are toasties that definitely require a knife and fork! Messy but soooo worth it!

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Telling All Your Friends How Brilliant They Are Day!

Today is Telling All My Friends How Brilliant They Are Day!

I did this using the powers of facebook, Royal Mail and magnetism (sounds like I'm building up to a Blue Peter special - and look what I made earlier!)

I was accused of cheating by some (by using facebook), stating the obvious by others (on facebook) and making some cry at work (Royal Mail)! The magnets were well received - although we've discovered that there's not much that's actually made of metal in the office to stick them to!



Anyway, hopefully one way or another the message was received - all my friends are brilliant!

I'll tell you what else is brilliant (no, no, NOT cheesy peas - or milk!)........ Movember. Movember is brilliant! Movember raises funds and awareness of prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men in the UK. Some chaps at the office are dutifully growing facial hair, any donations are more tham welcome here El Mustachio, all donations from Movember go to The Prostate Cancer Charity.


The Three Moustacheers: Neil Smith, Matteo Sole andTony Dell showing off the shape of things to come!

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Cheery Tuesday!

Today is Cheery Tuesday!

I've actually felt surprisingly cheery! Had I been capable of it I might have even skipped to work, seriously!

I think it may have something to do with being back at work (yes, that's right, I did say that my cheeriness may have something to do with being back at work!), almost five weeks of my own company has taken its toll - I really don't know how everyone else copes with me and I now have a finer appreciation of the effort required by those hardy souls who choose to count me amongst their friends and family (well, obviously there's not much my family can do about it!) - although it's been very tiring (and it's only been 2 days) it's very good to be back in the land of the living!

I received a lovely invitation to a party in December for a very dear friend (don't worry Kevin, I won't mention which birthday it is!) and Boss arrived here today for a couple of days which is always a morale boosting experience (I was tempted to leave out the morale boosting bit and just leave it at experience ;-), had a good catch up with Nads and am spending the rest of the evening with The President (West Wing) so I fully expect the cheeriness to continue til bedtime!

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Big Bang Friday!

Friday 5th November (of course!) was Big Bang Friday!

I didn't go out to a firework display - I stayed at home and watched several from my bedroom window with the panoramic views over Harrogate (on a clear day I can see as far as the white horse at Sutton Bank!)!

I took a couple of photos but it was the fisrt time I'd used the firework settings on my camera so it took me a while to get used it (this is my way of saying I missed the really good ones!) and the zoom isn't as good as I'd like it to be so I didn't get many - anyway, here's a couple I did manage to get!



It was more of a Big Bang Saturday really - I went to the Stray firework display with Bernie and John. Having practised the night before I was at least able to get some better photos so here they are.

(Is it just me or does John bear a resemblence to either Shrek or Sloth from The Goonies in the first photo?)












I like this one - I was trying to get a photo of some of the many chinese lanterns in the sky, no idea what happened 'cos the image looks nothing like what I was seeing but I'm liking the UFO effect!



And I think this may be my favourite!



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Oh Dear, is it a Day Day?

Shingle bells, shingle bells..............

You thought I'd forgotten all about you didn't you?

I wouldn't do that to you! It's been a bizarre last few weeks, largely due to the adverse reaction I had to one of the tablets I've been on since being diagnosed with shingles (on my knee of all places!) a couple of weeks ago - I have a new appreciation for those experiencing mental ill health. Anyway, as of Wednesday I'm starting to feel like me again, you'll be thrilled I know, and am slowly starting to pick up all the plates I dropped in the last few weeks (figuratively speaking of course) including the diary and blog!

So, I missed Making Waves Wednesday, Feed the Ducks Day, Do Something I've Never Done Before Day, Big Breakfast Saturday, Magic Monday and Annally Tidy Day. Don't panic, I'll reschedule!

I have, however, had opportunity to do the DVD Marathon Day again (several times over!) as promised back in June!

I did the whole guilty pleasure dvd's - Slipper and the Rose, Brigadoon, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Carousel etc in addition to a whole host of other movies including State of Play, From Paris With Love, Casablanca (not sure whether this should sit in the guilty pleasures category?) and The Book of Eli. The majority of my waking hours though have been spent watching West Wing, again. As this is now the fourth viewing of the series I guess I should be at the stage where I can recite the script with them...........I'm sorry to say I haven't yet even reached the stage where I understand what's going on!

A huge thank you to everyone for the cards, visits, morale boosting calls from Boss at 'the ranch', flowers, chocolates, ghost stories, hugs, offers of shopping and good wishes (I mean actual good wishes, not offers of good wishes!). As part of her contribution to care in the community Bernie took me to the supermarket to pick up a few bits so extra thanks for that and also to Bernie and John for taking me to theirs to make sure I ate a proper meal (and yes Broadie I AM eating the fruit!)!

Ah, that reminds me I can talk now about the huge, momentous bigginess mentioned on Notice Small Things Day! Broadie is now Slimmy, sorry, I meant Mrs Slimmon (don't think I'll ever be able to stop calling her Broadie though - Webby'd know all about that!), here's a photos of the couple on this very happy ocassion (and one of my interesting headgear later (after much champagne and cocktails))!





Right, I reckon that's enough for now!

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Eat Loads of Chocolate Day

Yesterday (Monday 11th October) was Eat Loads of Chocolate Day!

I forgot!

With being off work it totally threw me and it was only when I'd hobbled to work that I realised it was a 'day'.

Thank the heavens for Cathryn though - she arrived at work with a gift of chocolates in acknowledgement of the day! The chocolates were absolutely lovely - each was shaped like a flower - and from a fabulous looking (judging by the accompanying leaflet) speciality chocolate shop.



And to accompany the lovely chocolates....................



...........the perfect greeting card for the day!

The chocolates did the rounds at work (sorry Boss - you need to plan your visits better!) and I even managed to save a few to take home, Bernie and John were forced to have one (well John didn't take much forcing to be honest ;-) and I ate the rest last night! Now I'm left with the chocolate I'd bought for the day in my cupboards, I generally don't really do chocolate but I'm sure I can force myself to have some at some point - surely it'd be rude not to?!

Thank you Cathryn!

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Flirt to the Maximum Day

Yesterday (Thursday 7 October) was Flirt to the Maximum Day!

I'm currently off work with knee and shoulder injuries and as it turned out the only opportunities I had for this were with my ex, my sister, her fiance and two worried looking cats!

In the interests of all of us I decided to give this one a miss for now!

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