Holiday

 

So I'm in St Vincent and the Grenadines. It's a beautiful island and our resort is stunning! They have cycles everywhere and you just pick one up and off you go. The joy I get from cycling to breakfast is ridiculous, I'm like a kid. So much like a kid that I fell off the other night and grazed my knee, blood and everything. Alcohol and high heels were involved though. It's weird but riding a bike in cold, wet, hilly Scotland isn't quite the same. Don't know why? I will not be dusting off my bike from the garage I assure you. 

I've finally been diving! First time since 2019. (COVID, Libby being ill, my operation then last September my amnesia all stopping me). I'm feeling the cold more - used to dive in my bikini and a rash vest, now I've got my neoprene jacket. I also need less weights on my belt. You'd think now I'm lighter that I'm need more weights but actually the fat makes you float so when I was bigger I needed more weights to pull me down lol. It's been great diving again, all came back to me, like riding a bicycle (but without the grazed knees - though I have got a plaster on my foot from the fin rubbing it). 

I can't believe how fast the week has gone. Why do holidays do that? Though I'm excited about the transfer back to the airport as we're going by boat! Should be fun and half the time it takes my car. 

The food is amazing. I've been eating really healthily. Fruit and berries, eggs, omelette for breakfast. There's a salad restaurant so I've had delicious salads for lunch, though one day Mark and I shared a pizza. Last night I had filet mignon which was so good and without any sides it's the perfect size for me. 

Cocktails are going down a treat. Need to go easy today as I'm diving tomorrow (unlike Mark I don't dive every day - I like to chill in the gorgeous cabana and pools). We don't usually sunbathe on the beach (sand gets on Mark's nervous - those that know my husband will understand). The sand on this side of the island is naturally black from the volcano but it gets too hot to walk on so they bring the pure white sand from the other side to cover it. Mental, oh and prettier lol. 

Sorry this is late. I forgot it was Friday. I guess that's what holidays do to you. Hope you're all very jealous but have a good week wherever you are. Life is special and short! 

I spend a mad amount of time wondering if I'm doing it right, then I realise I'm doing my best and that's enough.

Ode to joy

 

I'm so super excited about going on holiday this weekend. St Vincent and the Grenadines here we come. This is our free Sandals resort week. And as this is a new resort we got upgraded accommodation - to butler level no less. It'll be awesome. And, drum roll, I'll be diving. First time since before COVID as I had some issues stopping me before now. It may sound silly but the real joy is the travel. I love flying to Heathrow (Saturday), staying over night (Premier Inn) and then the flight to the Caribbean (premium class). Once we actually arrive it's almost like we are just counting down to the end of the holiday. I know that's a bit barmy but the anticipation is fab, but don't think the holiday isn't great because it so very much is. 

Talking of joy, I was reading an article in a magazine about it. There's a list of things that consistently make people feel joy - the smell of baking bread or freshly cut grass, popping bubble wrap, getting into a freshly clean bed to name just a few. But joy is subjective and also individual, and can be a bit weird. My mum, for instance, likes the smell of manure and (if I remember right) petrol. My weird joy is getting a free supermarket magazine. I love them and get very excited. Asda and Tesco mainly. The co-op stopped theirs years ago. Do Morrisons still do one? I sit with a cuppa and a biscuit and flip through the pages. Looking at the clothes, reading the articles and seeing what recipes I want to try. Oh the simple joy of it. What is your weird joy? 

I picked up this dress in the M&S sale. I just grabbed it off the hanger, size 12 and it fit perfectly! And it was £3.50 - I kid you not! I also bought size 12 fake leather trousers, but long length so I gave them to Ellie - but they are too short for her lol. I'll take them though I'll need them turned up but at only £4.50 I can't not. I do love a great bargain. 

We have decided we don't want children. It's really hard but we'll be telling them tonight. 

PS I learnt something this week - never lift a Buddha by it's head.

What's changed?

 

I can hardly believe that it's almost 5 years since the first COVID lock down. It was a bit exciting at first until people started to get really sick, and thousands died. The stress for everyone was real, though definitely harder for some than others. The sun shone and I have a lovely garden. I didn't have a job (I resigned the day we were sent home early - and just a couple of days before furlough was introduced! D'oh) and found things ok. Meeting up for coffee with neighbours in the garden, when allowed, even on freezing cold winter days. Queueing to get into supermarkets was mental, and those supermarkets running out of food and loo roll was surreal. Trying to get hold of flour was impossible. Apparently everyone was making banana bread (yuk). 

We (the human race) are resilient. Changes were made to allow us to adapt. And some of those changes didn't change back. Working from home became a way that meant we could return to work in a safe way. Mark still WFH and we both love it! So much better than driving to Aberdeen for 12 hour shifts. Zoom was suddenly a way to hold family quiz nights lol, and hold remote meetings which is still really popular for workers. I used to occasionally get the odd pint of milk for Gill and Alan next door. And they'd get eggs for me. We didn't bother swapping money quid pro quo. But when they sheltered in lockdown I'd get there groceries when they couldn't get a delivery. I also got my mates shopping and sometimes my in laws shopping. Buying for 4 households was chaotic but I was a professional (I've always loved grocery shopping) but I needed a calculator to get through the huge receipt to tot up what everyone owed. I still frequently get bits for others and it's just habit to tot it all up by the penny. Funny isn't it how habits form. The worst thing, in my humble opinion, is trying to get to see the doctor! Video or telephone consultations are still normal and I don't really approve, but hey ho. COVID left such a legacy but most of us got through the difficulties. I hope we never have to experience it like that again! 

This weekend picture - a work friend took it at the 80's bingo. I think I look so happy, I love it. The joy!I was going to chat about joy but I've written so much about COVID I think I'll keep it until next week. 

Thank you for reading my waffling. Have a great weekend. Isaac and I are off to Newcastle to see my mum, dad, sister and friends (not necessarily in that order). A flying visit but the nights are lighter so the driving window is bigger which is good when we only have a couple of days. I asked Isaac if he'd like to drive but I got 'No thank you!' lol. So that'll be me driving then, as usual. 

You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you, if you realised how seldom they do.

Ceiling

 I'm totally delighted with my ceiling. Mark wanted nothing to do with putting the wallpaper up so Karen and I got stuck in. We soon realised that a third pair of hands were needed (one left, one right and one in the middle). We luckily managed to persuade Mark to be that third pair. First sheet up and basically he took over and Karen & I were his lackeys! It went up pretty easily in the end and I just love it. Karen and I then finished the painting. The carpet and curtains are ordered. Nearly there! Whoop whoop

Daffodils are in bloom in the garden and the sun has shown itself this week. Spring is fast approaching and whilst the spring clean is coming I am actually thinking of having a spring sort. I'm not very good at decluttering mainly because I seem incapable of throwing anything away! However, I can feel a tingling in my toes and I believe I'm going to be able to chuck out that chintz! (Figuratively obviously, I don't really have chintz). I have drawers and cupboards that have no real purpose. They have stuff in them but I don't really know what. I want everything to have a home and to be in that home. Keep your fingers crossed. 

Talking of disarray, we've had some at work these past few weeks. It's been a bit discombobulating and I've not slept well. Things are now sorted and normal service has resumed. It's amazing how these sort of things affect you. I only work 3 days but my job is important to me. The people I work with are important to me. Disarray can put you off your stride. But life is life and curve balls are often thrown. And you can't always throw them back. 

I hope you are all enjoying the lighter nights and the (slightly) warmer days. Karen and I actually managed to sit in the garden last Sunday, with a gin and tonic, for a few hours. It was joyous. 

Have a joyous week everyone! 

How lucky am I to have something so special that saying goodbye is so hard.