Waffling on - 10/11/26

Well I intended posting yesterday but it just didn't happen so here I am catching up again.

We had a quiet weekend which was just what I needed after last weekend with family here and a busy week.  I did my usual session at the Foodbank on Saturday morning but there was nothing on the agenda for the rest of the weekend.  

I definitely relaxed.  I read the Saturday paper which comes with so many sections!  Including a big puzzle spread which I love.  I did a bit of reading, a bit of knitting, and not a lot of anything else. 

Oh and I worked on the puzzle:

I finished this puzzle last month but then it came with extra challenges.  The first being to spot the extra things that appear on the puzzle itself compared to the picture supplied.  Hopefully you can see where I started to mark them up on the photo I took.  I did a bit at a time and had got up to 94.  There are 100!  I'd had enough so I checked out the answers.  It turns out there were more than 100 because some of the ones I spotted weren't on the answer sheet.

Anyway.....think I was done?  Oh no.  The next challenge was to answer 20 riddles about fairy tale characters that were pictured on the puzzle.  Well I think I got 11/20 - annoyingly the answer to this quiz only showed where the characters were on the puzzle.  They didn't actually name them so that was a bit disappointing.  But now I am DONE with this puzzle.  I will be taking it off my puzzle mat and boxing everything up.  

And moving on .... to the next one that my daughter and family bought me back when it was my birthday.  That might be even more challenging because it doesn't come with a picture.  Well it does but you have to assume you're the character in the picture and the puzzle is of what they are looking at.  Confused?  Yes me too.  Hopefully it will become clearer once I get underway.

Yesterday was spent catching up on chores and some laundry then I was at the Foodbank as usual in the evening.  I also did a pick up as we were a driver short so another busy day.

Today our Keep Fit class was back on - we missed 3 weeks as the floor in the venue was being renewed.  And we went for our usual tea/coffee afterwards.  It was good to be back in the routine.

This afternoon I tidied my "toot" drawer.  I didn't take a before photo but here is the after:

The organiser arrived yesterday so I was determined to get it done.  Some things were rehomed to the garage.  Quite a few bits went into the bin and now you can see things quite easily in there.  I wonder how long it will stay like that?

And now it's time for bed.  Hope your week has got off to a good start.

Shots on Sunday - 8/11/26

Why do I have all these bright ideas for blog posts then not get around to creating a post?  A purely rhetorical question - there are simply not enough hours in the day sometimes.

Anyway, these are the photos I snapped over the past week 2 weeks.

We had 4 of the 6 grandkids here for Sunday lunch last week.  Hectic but fun.

On Friday we met great niece Freya for the first time.  She slept most of the time we were there so we got lots of cuddle time.

These were the screws holding on the bracket to one of our kitchen drawers.  Yes they are tiny.  And they failed

A bit of a DIY repair was required.

All done

Everything back neat and tidy.  That drawer does get a bit chaotic at times but now there are the right number of lids for all the takeaway containers and all the odd lids/containers are in the recycling box.  It probably won't stay like that for long but I can hope.

Now I just have to tackle the drawer above that one.  I call it my "toot" drawer because that's what it's full of.  I never had one at our old house - we only had 2 drawers in the kitchen, one for the cutlery and one for things like tablecloths and placemats.  All the "toot" ended up in the cellar, out of sight and mind.

In this house we have quite lots of drawers in the kitchen which I mainly keep organised but the "toot" drawer came with things the previous owners left behind.  Well my task for this week is to throw out anything that we haven't touched in the past 6 years.  Yes we've been here 6 years now so I really need to sort out that drawer.  It contains useful things like spare keys, a measuring tape, the odd battery but also a lot of other "stuff".  I've ordered an organiser for the drawer to split it into compartments which hopefully will help.  

I might not take a before photo (bit too embarrassing) but I'll try and have an after photo by next week.

Friday's Fave Five - 6/11/26

Well it's still Friday here but getting late so I need to get this post done.  Susanne reminds us each week to look back and remember what we're grateful for and then we link up here.  Thanks Susanne.

1)  Family time at the weekend - my Nottingham son and his family were here from late on Friday until Sunday afternoon.  We didn't see much of them on Saturday as they joined my daughter and her family for a Halloween party and then did some Trick or Treating near where she lives.  The grandchildren were all very excited.  On Sunday they were all here for a roast dinner.  We had lamb and pork followed by Eton Mess for dessert.  Such an easy dessert to throw together.

2) They love to play games and Top Trumps is a favourite.  The Nottingham boys had a new set - Minions.

3) On Monday Nathan and Ella had no school as it was a Teacher training day so they were here for a few hours.  Ella insisted on bringing quite a few soft toys and other bits and pieces with her but she entertained herself for ages.  

Nathan also entertained himself with his iPad for a while and then we played some games.  I love that they're close by and we get to watch them growing up.

4)  The first mince pies of the season - well not even the season yet and judging by the best before date I think these may well have been last season.  Anyway they came into the Foodbank from the supermarket on Monday evening but.....unfortunately they contain brandy and port.  We have a policy that we don't give our beneficiaries anything with alcohol in so anything we receive containing alcohol gets offered to the volunteers and of course it would be rude to refuse.

5)  A busy week of book clubs, knitting group, coffee with friends and today we got to meet baby Freya our great niece.

She was asleep most of the time we were there so we got to have long cuddles with her.

Have a good weekend all.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - 4/11/26

Joyce provides the questions each week, we come up with our answers and then we link up here.

1. Our  November Hodgepodges always include a question related to gratitude. What is one small thing you're grateful for today? 

My library.  We had our book group meeting there today.

2. Chrysanthemums-pansies-burning bush-ornamental cabbage-camellias...your favourite in an autumn garden? Would we find any of these in your yard/garden this year? 

Chrysanthemums would be my favourite but there's nothing blooming in my garden right now.

3. If you could clear out or organize one physical space or mental habit before the year ends, what would it be?

I need to sort out some space in my spare bedrooms for when we host family at Christmas so it will need to be done by mid December.  The beds and rooms are ok but I need to free up some cupboard/drawer space for guests.

4. Brussel sprouts...love 'em or no thank you? If you said love 'em how do you like them prepared? 

I don't love them but I do eat them.  Roasted would be my preference.

5. It's reassuring to know that my Christmas guests are just my kids and grandkids so nothing has to be perfect.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

It's turning out to be a busy week!