All of the five changes have made a dramatic difference to our quality of life and have opened the door to allowing the non-business changes to start now.
This week, rather neatly for me, started on the 1st of a month and I have taken it as holiday from work, meaning that all I have done is 15 minutes of banking and accounts each morning. Charlie and I planned a so-called "staycation" and have been/are, doing/going somewhere every day. Now that we have two dogs, this has taken some planning but has all so far worked out well. This week is the start of spending more time together too which has been desperately needed.
On Monday we left the house at 8.30am to make it to Bicester Avenue in time for opening at 9am. First stop was Hobbycraft so that I could buy some wool and needles (I am making some Christmas presents this year) and some craft glue and silver & gold gel pens. Charlie was looking for a particular craft kit but couldn't find what he wanted, so we will have to try John Lewis in Milton Keynes next I think. Next stop was Lakeland as I needed an 8" springform pan to make cheesecake, an oil mister so I can stop using chemical ridden Fry Light, and Charlie bought some Kendal Mint cake. Off to the huge garden centre where we perused but didn't buy anything and then onto Bicester Village Designer Outlet for some lunch and a small spot of browsing - didn't see anything I liked though, most disappointing!
Back home and took the dogs for a long walk and then it was time to get ready for Karate. Whilst Charlie was there I went to Tesco and bought a few groceries we needed, although I am not cooking at all this week due to us being on "holiday", we are eating out of the freezer and enjoying all the homemade meals I froze two weeks ago. Cottage pie tonight which was lovely.
On Tuesday we walked the dogs in the morning and then Charlie did some organising/cataloging of his stamps. After lunch we went to Wigginton Wildfowl & Wildlife Sanctuary and spent a very pleasant hour or so there, enhanced by a nice ice cream. At the end (which is always Charlie's favourite part) he got to cuddle a chick, a gosling and a baby gerbil. The chick was adorable and falling asleep as Charlie stroked it and the gosling was desperate to fly with its tiny little wings. We watched and enjoyed Bedtime Stories when we got back.
Yesterday/Wednesday, we went to London. I hired a dog sitter for the day so we could come back as late as we wanted and that was great. Up early at 6.45am and Charlie leapt in the shower and then dealt with the dogs before we left for the station at 8.30am. First stop was the Stanley Gibbons shop on The Strand as Charlie had been desperate to go here for a while. We went first so I could get it over and done with. We walked down The Strand and wandered around Covent Garden for a bit and then took the tube over to the British Museum. We ate our picnic lunch outside as the picnic room is only for schools during term time (ridiculous and I am going to complain!) It was Charlie's first time there and both of us were really quite disappointed. The highlight for both of us was seeing the Rosetta Stone and I was really excited to see the Cyprus room but it was incredibly, well, crap frankly.
I hadn't slept well the night before and was incredibly tired after getting up at 6.45 instead of my usual 7.30am so we retreated across the road to Starbucks and had smoothies and shared a cinammon swirl. I was actually falling asleep waiting for Charlie to finish his frapachino.
We went into a coin and notes shop a few doors down which was also really quite interesting and then walked back down Great Russell Street and then all the way down Charring Cross Road, stopping in a few bookshops here and there and then we went into the Chinese supermarkets in Chinatown as we didn't have time to do that last year. At 3.45 we decided to go into the Trocadero as Charlie need the bathroom and on the spur of the moment decided to watch Night at the Museum 2 in the cinema there. We enjoyed it, not as good as the original but still funny, particularly the monkeys.
Back to Chinatown for a great meal in our favourite Chinese restaurant there and we were home just after 9pm.
Today I had a lie-in as I was exhausted - I think I am getting old now. We had decided on a so-called "slob" day, so this morning Charlie has watched a Spongebob film and is now watching Season 2 of The Simpsons - I do adore Lovefilm! Before that he was putting his stamps into his new stock book he bought at Stanley Gibbons yesterday, apparently both the dogs are scared of the tweezers!
Charlie has Karate again tonight and tomorrow I think we are going to Blenheim Palace if we think we can get there and back and see it all in 4 hours. Obviously it's only a 15/20 minute drive but it's a big place and the grounds are huge!
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