I had to look up what “TLDR” meant this week as I came across it in the newspapers. For those like me, not in the trendy know, it means too long, didn’t read – a bit like this diary really! It then struck me that my diary has gone from a real diary where I was just writing to my diary to writing to an imaginary audience. To use another modernism, that’s just ridic!
So, my top of the world mojo didn’t last too long and during my first full real week at work, I’m exhausted and hit several brick walls of tiredness. I’m pretty sure it will come back but I’d forgotten how draining it is to start somewhere new.
The other thing that hasn’t lasted very well this week is getting my shizzle together again as I put on a pound. My diet consultant asked me what had happened and I said, “One word: peanut butter!” I then realised that this was 2 words but you get the gist! We’ve agreed that I need to get it out of the house and, I’m thinking eat it all then don’t replace whereas I think she was thinking just put it straight in the bin.
I’ve also been toying again with to Botox or not to Botox, especially the light touch variety where it adds the “Oooooh, I’ve had a lovely night’s sleep” look rather than “Guess what expression I am pulling now!” stare.
There are a few things driving this: 1) All these video calls with the beautiful Cheshire set as I look very saggy round the eyes and my teeth are good but decidedly ordinary; 2) My 51st birthday is just around the corner – YIKES!; & 3) You know I agreed with one of my besties to only buy lotions and potions on a one in, one out basis? Well, I am nearly out of a few things and pondering what I should buy to make the most of what I have (left is implied but not stated!).
I know this is very vain but that’s the way it is. I doubt I will ever be brave enough to try Botox as I have allergies to lots of things so injecting poison into my face, as Dave puts it, probably isn’t the best idea.
When my sister got married, I went to 8 weddings that year and there were lots for about 5 years but then they disappeared. I’ve realised 60 is the new wedding as there are 5 this year – WOW.
My favourite Australian cousin is 60 in September and we were supposed to be having a get together in London or on holiday in Europe about now. We were going to treat her to something beautiful on one of our shopping trips so my original plan was to send her a voucher for us to go on a girlie shopping day and for me to buy her something delightful when we are next together.
After I thought about it overnight, I decided that the strategy was way way way too high risk as it would probably cost me much more so I bit the bullet, had a guess about what she’d like and, more importantly would use, and ordered something on line that I can post. Cheaper but not cheap and another job off the list!
Dave is going crackers at the number of parcels that arrive every day and, I’m not sure if I am doing this consciously but most of them arrive on the days I am in the office but he is at home. Excellent subconscious plan! To make sure all the 60ths are catered for oh, and my birthday!
Over the years, I have discovered the easiest way to keep us all stress-free over my birthday is to provide Dave with a list that is usually devoured by family and friends like a swarm of locusts.
This year, I’ve bought a funky, and probably age inappropriate, jacket and have a new dress that were both a little bit more than £10 from Marks & Spencer, my usual strapline! I’ve been searching for some white boots to go with my dress but I just can’t get any to fasten over my chunky calves. Aaargh! I’ve now given up and will just be wearing the same black stilettos I’ve been wearing for years.
Dave is going to give me the jacket so it is safely stored away for my actual birthday so I’m not tempted to wear it beforehand or else it no longer counts as a birthday present. That is just a hangover from my childhood, in case you were wondering. All Dave needs to do now is get a few stocking fillers and job done but then we were looking for Sky News on the newly tuned TV and happened across the craft channel where they were advertising a portable craft storage. Oh, I was as giddy as a giddy thing and apparently the birthday bunny may be bringing it as a special treat.
There’s me bla bla bla-ing on about all this trivial stuff when the most important thing this week has been the GCSE results for my nephew. After the A level result debacle and more U-turning from the government, it’s been even more stressful than expected but “the boy did good”. He has more than enough to get into his college of choice to do the A levels he really wants to do. We are all delighted.
My favourite GCSE maths question I’ve seen to summarise 2020 is this: If you’re rowing down a river at 2MPH and your canoe loses a wheel, how much pancake mix would you need to re-shingle your roof? Hilarious!
My list: We’ve picked up Succession again and it is actually very amusing. Plus, I started my new book – The Time of my Life by Cecelia Ahern – which is written in an unusual style but I am sure I will get used to it.
My lowlight: Well, following on from last week, the good news is that we can have our monies back on the December cottage if we have to cancel due to guidelines. Marvellous but the real lowlight is that this is highly likely to be the outcome so we’ve started planning for a virtual party at Christmas. It’s so sad and miserable.
My highlight: Actually going out out for dinner to No 4 in Didsbury. It was fabulous and other than the staff wearing visors, it had the same look and feel and was lovely to get back to some normality. We felt incredibly guilty for using the vouchers we bought pre-lockdown but we’re all feeling the pinch, some more than others.
On the walk down there though, we did notice that there must be some extra large families in Didsbury as they were lots of one household tables – surely everyone is following the rules!
Week 22 was just fine and I hope week 23 continues in this vain. As the nights draw in, I think the lockdown conditions will become very dull but that’s ok as there will be lots of crafts to do! Plus, there’s also Christmas round the corner and I might even get to put the tree up 1st December instead of a few days before as I’m usually too busy. See, light at the end of the tunnel!
