We had a weekend to ourselves this week which actually made a nice change! I am very appreciative of being able to socialise again but sometimes just need some relaxing time at home.
As it is our anniversary at the beginning of September we usually try and organise a trip away somewhere around that time and so I used Saturday afternoon to look into finding a dog friendly cottage for us to book. I found something that looks like it will be just right, dog friendly pubs nearby, interesting walks within a reasonable distance and in the area of the UK known as the Cotswolds. On the subject of holidays, an ex work colleague of mine was on the ITV news on Friday, being interviewed on the subject of passport applications that have gone astray. 36 hours after her interview, her 'lost in the system' passport renewal suddenly arrived in the post. Coincidence? 18 weeks and 3 days after she sent her old passport in for renewal. It has taken her 400 phone calls, over 50 hours on hold waiting to speak to someone, many emails, a letter to her MP and a national television interview to finally get some action. Just weeks before she is due to go on a big family holiday to Iceland to celebrate her son finishing uni and daughter leaving school to start. All's well that ends well!
Lots of neighbourly speculation nearby too as work started on a house just around the corner from us. As the days have gone by it has become obvious that the work that the builders have been doing bears no resemblance to the planning permission that was granted. The people adjacent and behind the very obtrusive extension have complained to the powers that be and the extremely large new loft conversion has suddenly been removed. You can imagine the local gossip!
So what does this week hold? A real mixed bag. Normal childminding duties, Zumba is back after a week's break and we are going out for lunch with friends on Friday. Saturday we will be going to a memorial service for an old work colleague of mine who died during lockdown restrictions. Her daughter lives in New Zealand and this is the first time she has been able to return to the UK. It will be bittersweet but I am looking forward to sharing memories of her with her other friends and family.
I need to also crack on with my blanket making as I seem to have ordered some more wool in preparation for a new crochet-a-long that starts in a few weeks time 😀 The existing blanket is growing nicely
It sounds like we are in for a week of warm settled weather in this area so wouldn't it be lovely if some of that crocheting could be done sitting in the sun in the garden? Sounds like a good plan to me!
8 comments:
Time to recharge is so important, so nice that you & Paul had the weekend to do that & plan for a holiday. Heavy sight, oh the Cotswolds, lucky you. Passport delays are almost the #1 story in the news these days. People are lining up overnight or paying someone to line up for them overnight. The powers to be, say don't bother showing up to renew your passport until 48 hours before your flight is due. Ridiculous. Thankfully I still have 2 years on mine although I have no travel plans.
That story about the passport office is pretty grim! :( And don't get me started on builders/developers crossing the line where planning permission is concerned!
It does sound like you have a lovely week ahead! Enjoy:) And what fun to be planning the next trip...I enjoy the planning most of all!
Lovely to read what you've been up to Deb! Well done on your crochet, it's a skills I've never been able to do. Great fun planning a trip and the Cotswolds are lovely (from memory).
I know what you mean about quiet weekends at home. We don't get too many of those---and woldn't want it all the time. But once in awhile, it's nice to not have to do anything or cook anything! Love, love, love your blanket! I should try something like that, but I wouldn't know where to begin!
All government offices have reached new levels of inefficiency during the pandemic. And you do have to be a squeaky wheel to get any kind of action taken. It sounds like you have lots going on, so restful weekends are all the more important. I know that we can no longer go, go, go like we once did.
The Cotswolds in September- fabulous. We usually go to the Lakes in Sept. The business about passport delays is horrendous. The children of a work colleague need new passports so he will probably have to have a stay cation.
What a lovely blanket project you have going. The colors are so pretty together. I like the pattern, too. Who is the lucky recipient?
Please share a link or photo of the cottage where you will stay for your anniversary. I would love to see it. Glad Coco can join you on holiday. Would like to see the house being built 'round the bend, too. Our neighborhood or subdivision is called Sandstone Ranch. And while we don't have a homeowner's association with restrictions for the houses in the area, almost all of them were painted in shades of brown - I guess to support the Sandstone Ranch name.
Occasionally someone decides to shake things up and paint their house something other than tan or beige. Those houses always bring me a secret smile. Maybe someday I can get PC to at least paint our front door something other than beige.
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