13 days soberish.....

13 days and only one small whisky & two (well three) glasses of wine... BUT that's not bad considering my post October consumption....
It hasn't been too hard and I've certainly given myself a challenge: taken Lloyd to the Pub twice and went out for a curry with John but  not a drop crossed my lips... friday nights are hardest and sundays..  my saving grace has been Cranberry Juice, thank you Carrie for bring me three cartons of it..... On the plus side ive lost 3 pounds and its certainly cheaper when you go out. Also found Becks Blue acohol free beer, tastes like the real thing its great..... its probably as bad for you thou... hey ho...

Only 18 days to go......

Sober for October

31 days of no alcohol! I'm ashamed to admit it's gonna be really difficult..... I will miss my end of the day friend... A cup of tea just doesn't really cut it but it's gonna have to for a while.. Why am I doing this? For my health and to prove to myself I can... I'm always tired.. Maybe this will help. We shall see but for now it's bottoms up and cheers with my last glass of wine....

The journey starts here...

Hungerford station 9.15 Monday morn. 

Little bit worried as I have all my warmest clothes on and I'm a little bit chilly. I'll be Calling Lloyd to bring my scarf and gloves! Also excellent start nearly left my frinton folder at the coffee stand OMG that would fave been BAD! Thank goodness for the kindness of people and the editing time for the train... 

15 hr day ridiculous

Started at 7am finished at 10pm! Theale at Hexagon, then Boxford.... Only another three 15hr days to go..... I must be MAD.....

Finally....

Stagecoach reports done......

Celebratory drink 

Mega day !

12-10pm... Theale, Boxford, d@nga & Boxford again. From tiniest to seniors and everything inbetween.

It's been quite a productive day but far to much driving from here to there and not enough (well not any) chill time. Good money thou.....  

Show hopping....

Leading a strange exsisitance these days jumping from show to show. Today Boxford, d@nga, Boxford. Tomorrow Oliver, Thursday Joseph then Quantun Leap. Friday Joseph then stagecoach, Saturday stagecoach then Nocturn... Sunday DAY OFF.....before it all begins again..... It's definitely not dull I just hope I can keep all the balls in the air.... 

Giant cup cake all for me..... Thank you lloydie xxx

Friends !!!?

Trying not to feel offended that only one of my friends actually bothered to send me a birthday greeting, infact she made up for the others by sending a card, small gift, a text message and an ecard. You can guess which fried it is... I expect ros will have a card, chocs & wine for me but its nice to receive greetings in the morning too. Nothing from John, Nathan or Carrie. Lyndsay remembered bless her. 

Birthday day......

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

SHED....

Loooooove my new shed 

Boxford masques

And so it begins ....
Boxford masques casting/ script reading. Very enjoyable.....

Star struck.....

Little bit star struck this evening at SHP to see 80 collective premiere. Pre shoe drinks sItting opposite James Cousins & Aaron Miles whist they go through dancers CVs short listing for upcoming audition.... Surreal.....

& later James Cousins,  Becks & Aaron in the back of johns car..... Who would have EVER thought it.....

Still sick....

To add to my list of complaints I am now being actually sick (through coughing so much) and ache from head to foot... Oh joy....

No feeling sorry for myself... Much.... 

Sick...

So sick of being sick..... 9 days and counting..... 

Raging sore throat sun-wed, no voice thurs-fri, head cold and cough sat-Monday

Living on aspirin & cough mixture! 

Treats in the Woods

My treats in the woods today : Greater Spotted Woodpecker, a beautiful deer, a Jay, a Robin and the air filled with chiff chaff chiff chaff..... How luck I am. 

Worried about the ducklings thou... I haven't seen them since! Hope they are safely hiding in the undergrowth. 

In the garden

Raise bed complete

Easter Sunday/Monday

21st April (Easter Monday) Another productive day - walkies, gardening: weeding, raised bed phase 2 - digging, mowing of lawn front (Lloyd) & back (me), publicity of classes on FB, clear out of Garage, two beers and a snuggle with Jake. 20th April (Easter Sunday) First day back at home....A very productive day: - breakfast, unpacking, walkies, sleepies, re-potted seedlings, sanded down my stick, selling on eBay, called mum, USA diary, salmon in puff pastry parcels, film and still the night is young. *****

Holiday log

Day 1 (Sunday) - full cooked breakfast courteously of Pete. Walk up along the road and back round to the village. Patio cafe for coffee & ice cream - apple & caramel, peach & cherry. Back to the house for the rest of the day, afternoon nap Zzzz. Eventually went out again 5.30ish to the pub. Two LARGE glasses of wine & a yummy tea (Jamacian Jerk Chicken in honour of Uncle Beres). And then I could resist no longer.... I HAD to get on that beach. Me & Jakie explored the cave (had a wee!) ran up the steps to the coastal path, filled our lungs with sea air before joining everyone else back at the house.

Day 2 (Monday) - cooked breakie. Tresaith, Aberport - beach running,  Cardigan -  lunch at pub on the River, great food, lovely dun trap. walk through town, charity shop dress £2 & puzzle £1.  Tesco. Sausage & mash for tea. 

Tresaith

Aberporth

Day 3 (Tuesday) - longer walk from house - up the road and along a grass track up up & up but a nice steady incline not too strenuous thankfully. Left at the farm to bring us back into the village for ice cream - lemon cheesecake, fig & vanilla, white chocolate & raspberry, caramel. 

Back to base for R&R in the garden.

Beach time for me & Jake 

Pub for a few pints. Fish & Chips for tea. 

Day 4 (Wednesday) - Mwnt - short walk along coast path, disappointingly the kiosk wasn't open for a cuppa! So we walked back and to the chapel before getting back in the car. Thought I'd just have a last check to see if kiosk open.... Yes it was! Excellent! We all jumped out again for tea & welsh cakes over looking the beach & cliffs. 

On to Cardigan via Gwbert. Walk to Welsh Wildlife Centre along the river. Lunch at Centre next to the giant Beaver!!!! Steady stroll back, refreshment break at Riverside Pub, into Cardigan for Sue's Poppy mugs. 

Aldi for tonight's tea and a few essentials - Whisky ! 

Pizza for tea. 

Day 5 (Thursday) - short walk up the road and back down to the village for Ice cream - vanilla & fig, jelly bean, peach & cherry. 

Aberreron. Pasties in the park, short walk to beach and around the harbour for Honey ice cream of course, up to the sadly under used craft centre, along the river, long sit watching the ducks & gulls, stroll back through town to car. 

Pub in eve, played table swop... A tense business....

Day 6 (Friday) - Last day... 

breakfast (eggs on toast), down to the beach for ice cream - vanilla & fig, hazelnut, Ferraro Rochee. Me, Lloyd & Jakie took a short walk along coastal path ( stunningly beautiful). Tea & Easter bunnies on sun patio, lunch (cheese, buscuits, apple, salad, prosecco) sea view patio, back to sun patio for prosecco & chocolate. 

A drink in the 'other' pub, it was only polite, before fish & chip supper back at the house. 

Wales with the in laws

On holiday with Pete & Sue in Llangranog South Wales, day1 arrived yesterday evening. 

It's a different pace of holiday..... Will be good for me to slow down but I get sooooo sleepy.....  This morning we were all up early 7ish... had a leisurely cooked breakfast, Jake waited very patiently for his walk... Brilliant weather, bit of a chilly wind but it is only April. We walked up the road from our accomodation eventually took a left and rounded back down to the sea for coffee & ice cream (coffee for me ice cream for everyone else) then a sit a look before heading back up the road to our base. That was at midday and we haven't moved since only to make coffee, sit in the garden, eat a sandwich, have another cup of coffee... And have my nap! (4pm now!) I'm not complaining but I'm gonna need to keep myself occupied otherwise I'll be asleep every 10 seconds. 

Our accomodation is fab. Lloyd did good. It's literally yards from the beach & pub, sea view, sunny warm conservatory, a choice of three bedrooms, to dinning rooms, two bathrooms, a lounge and a sunny garden with three patio areas... Jake has already been exploring and managed to fund an escape route AND launched himself off the wall not considering the drop beyond... Silly did hurt his leg, thankfully not to badly, hopefully he gas learnt his lesson but I doubt it! 

Llangranog

Views from 'our house' for the week ....

My two boys 

Uncle Beres

Today was Uncle Beres's funeral.... He died 30th March, 93 years of age! I feel ashamed that I didn't see him more in my adult life but my childhood memories are strong & happy of the days we spent in Acton: Chinese banquets, the DIY store and his big broad smile and Jamaican chuckle. 

Colchester

7.12am 

On train, phone charging, coffee in hand. My Colchester adventure begins 

7.12pm back at Paddington just missed the 7.03! Next train 7.45 oh well time for a beer.

Tube was hideous, how people travel that way every day I do not know. It's been a long but very productive day. Five train journeys, Two interviews, road trip to Walton to see the err 'theatre' cum sports hall!!!, Frinton to see our accomodation ( very nice), the rehearsal space (church hall), the WI / Theatre, lunch then back on train BUT we now have an outreach bod, Samantha, and I have acmuch clearer idea of the whe concept and expectations. It's all good ( so far...) and very relaxed with 3 months to go..... Will be slightly diffent in our next trip I feel.... 

Liverpool Street

Paddington 

Dog walking in Newbury

Lovely morning walking the Dogs in Newbury, even if Tsar & Jake don't quite see eye to eye.... 

The sun was out, butterflies fluttering and even some wee ducklings swiming with mummy. Bacon & egg baguettes at B&Q then Lock Stock for a naughty 11am wine... Very decatant ! 

A non eventful day of my Easter hols

9am Headache headache go away don't come back I've had enough of you.... Took more paracetamol to try to prevent it getting worse. It's been well over a week now! At what point should I do something about it other than take tablets? 

Not a great day weather wise, drizzly and damp but still enjoyed our Chase walk. My head hit the sofa pillow once we'd got back thou and it was time for a snooze. I'll make it through the day without a snooze soon I hope... 

Woke up 12 o'clock. Wrote a condolance card to Chris & Ali, ordered moonpig cards for Freyja & liz, lunch (beans on toast), valet inside of the cars, got a lesson in blowing up my tyres! Called John, called Freyja, emailed Bob, watched one man & his camper van, and it's time for tea. Homemade Curry. 

8.30pm bored of telly so retired to bed to do some writing - catching up on projects USA 200? San Fran, Yosemite & Vegas. 

Not a great eventful day but quite pleasant. 

Day3

day 3 of my Easter hols.... Seems strange to have so much free time.... It's been a slow start, lots of afternoon naps and fending off headaches... As always I was much more run down than I thought I was.... BUT definitely feeling better and more lively everyday and looking forward to Llangranog and lots of fresh air. 

Log negotiation in Penwood.... 

Berkshire Circular Route

Lovely walk this morn in the mist..... Chiff chaffs, chaffinches, skylarks, sparrows, robins, collard doves to name a few. Stitch wart also out. I love this time of year. Literally day by day a new flower, plant or creature emerges from its winter slumber...