Starting our holiday

1. Whitehaven harbour was full of flags this morning for the festival. I enjoyed walking through the market on the harbourside before the crowds got there.

2. After trying silly numbers of pairs of shoes, I've finally found some that fit! Maybe comfortable combined with vaguely fashionable was asking too much...

3. No more work for over a week - the anniversary holiday starts today!

Learning not to procrastinate

My challenge to myself to leave work by 5pm continued this week...
- I think the latest was about 10 past, the earliest was 4:30
- it's encouraging me to focus a bit more during the day: rather than thinking "I'll come back to that" I try to finish it off straight away
- I've completed 3 (out of 5) annual reviews this week, and where I would normally have stayed back when it was quieter to prepare, this time I've managed to fit it in during the day.  And they went quite well too...
- I've started a couple of tasks that I've been putting off as needing time to think through (and guess what - they're not so complicated after all)
- I finally remembered to bring in the booties I'd made for a colleague's new daughter.  I'd intended to make a bigger pair (she was 10lb 1oz, 3 weeks ago) but decided to bring them in anyway and explain I can replace them if needed.

I haven't managed as much guitar practice this week, but one step at a time...

Experimenting and a little exercise

1. More fun with my bass today: I was playing at church this morning, then spent a little while with YouTube this afternoon learning a couple of well-known riffs (Come Together & Peaches). I think I've found a good website for tutorials so now it's just a case of putting in the practice... the first test is whether I remember anything tomorrow.

2. It's still very hot (at least 25C) so I felt very warm after going for a walk around the village. I enjoyed seeing the flowers by the roadside, hearing the children playing in the beck, and smelling the barbecues.

3. Yesterday's chicken, pepper and tomato sauce tasted even better after a day in the fridge. A yummy experiment where I threw in whatever spices I felt like (cumin, coriander, fenugreek, chilli, ginger, oregano - I think!)

Hot, sunny day

Too hot for me for fell-walking (around 25-30C!) but we still got lots done...

- grass cut: front, back and lane
- the clothes (and bedding) mountain washed and dried on the line
- bathroom cleaned
- unwanted purchases returned to shop
- A's latest eBay purchase picked up from sorting office
- watched the Monaco qualifying sessions
- bass practice, using YouTube to find tutorials. I think I've found a series that looks promising, and started on a Beatles song (Come Together) before we went shopping
- about another 20 rows of my Clapotis

...and I finished the day watching Eurovision. How did we ever do it before fb and Twitter?
(I've even been retweeted!)

Sunshine, sunset and special cards

1. I didn't get away quite so promptly today, but it was before 10 past, so not too bad. And the sun had cleared away the cold mist.

2. The deep red sun above the horizon as I drove home from housegroup caught my attention.

3. Two handmade birthday cards for Andrew from our godsons. One even had a (labelled) picture of Andrew and D in a car, and a drawing inside of A with a big smile.

Mist, a near-miss and the end's in sight

1. The mist was swirling around the house as I Ieft this morning, and was still there in the evening. Very atmospheric.

2. The phone rang at 5 to 5, just as I'd switched off my computer. I answered it... and only needed to take a message. I clocked out just before 5 :o)

3. I've almost reached the end of the straight section on my Clapotis scarf.  I'm pleased that it's grown so quickly (scarves usually take ridiculous amounts of time for what they are) and I'm looking forward to wearing it.

A good day...

- I've set myself the challenge of making sure I finish work on time this week. So I powered through my To Do list, ticked off a few bits and bobs, and clocked out at 5pm. I enjoyed feeling organised today.

- The sun is still shining - what a boost!

- I made it to Pilates after missing the last 2 weeks. I managed to do more than I expected and can see definite progress in what I can achieve since the start of this year. Maybe the time off was a good thing...

- My prayer triplet were all able to meet together as well; it seems ages since all 3 were around at once so it was good to catch up.

- and I drove home in almost daylight. I love the long evenings when it's still light at 10pm.