End of 2019.....
Another weird day. We went out this morning to buy some new goldfish, but some of the places that sell fish only had a few left (presumably there's a LOT of new aquariums in the area LOL), and those that had some had only restocked today, so we couldn't buy them yet as they needed to be in quarantine for a few days. It's not a problem because we aren't in a hurry to restock the tank and can wait. The local shopping park was deserted again - I really don't know where people are going, but I do feel quite sorry for local retailers as they can't be doing very well. We stopped and had a cheese croissant and hot drink as it was so quiet (and I had a gingerbread hot chocolate because it's still the holidays and it was indulgent and rather delicious!).
This afternoon Mr Cee is trying to see where the pipes go in our main bathroom. The only heating in there is a heated towel rail which is sadly just not enough heat for the size of the room. So he's got a new radiator which is tantalisingly on the wall, but not connected to anything yet - I can't wait for it to be warmer in there (but I'm going to have to). See -
So I can finish this year's 365 meme with the last question: 31 You find out that science has been getting it wrong and there are actually 366 days in every year (367 in a leap year)! However it is too much trouble to get the extra day added to the calendar so they're just going to plonk it at the end of the year. What would you name it? You don't have to work, how would you spend it? I would spend it not working as I do now and I could call it December 32nd because why wouldn't you? Under the cut for the January questions for those who want to play.
Jan
1 What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in 2020?
2 What would be the first sentence of your autobiography?
3 For every day of 2020, you will be required to wear a t-shirt with the same one word on it. What word will you choose?
4 What one thing are you looking forward to in 2020?
5 What’s your favorite way to spend a Sunday morning?
6 Tell about an “Aha!” moment you’ve had.
7 In the U.S., each state has a “state flower.” If you’re in the U.S., what is your state flower? If you live elsewhere, does your region or country have flower that represents it? (Post a picture?)
8 Would you rather live in a deep-sea station or a space station?
9 What’s your favorite “comfort food” when you’re feeling down or unwell?
10 What was the last film you saw at a theatre/cinema?
11 Have you ever been asked for your telephone number and you didn't want to give it? What did you do?
12 Have you ever had a “crush” on a fictional character?
13 What are your favorite pizza toppings?
14 Who was your very first best friend? Are you still in contact or communication with them?
15 If you could pick a new first name, what would you choose?
16 What is your favorite board game?
17 What self-care things do you find helpful to ground yourself or “talk yourself down from the ledge” when you’re overwhelmed by your feelings or by stress?
18 What is the most extreme weather you have ever experienced?
19 Do you operate out of any particular faith system that informs your actions? Do you intentionally NOT have a faith system, and if so, what beliefs or ideas inform your actions?
20 When you go to a fancy coffee shop, what’s your go-to order?
21 What genre of books is your usual favorite when you read for pleasure?
22 Where is one place you wouldn’t ever want to be caught dead?
23 How would someone who genuinely likes and admires you describe you?
24 How would someone who doesn’t really like you describe you?
25 If you had to teach a one-hour class with absolutely no prep time, what subject could you competently pull off?
26 What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you while out for a meal at a restaurant?
27 What aphorism or saying is helpful for you right now?
28 What’s your favorite meme? (Post it!)
29 What is your skin care regimen?
30 What song are you listening to a lot right now? (Post a link?)31 What superpower best suits your personality?
Capturing December has the final prompt of Fun - I have had a lot of fun this year, however we don't do much for New Year's Eve these days - we used to get together with friends before we all had children, and now everyone seems to be too busy to get together. We will mark the end of the year with a nice meal and some wine, but we will probably go to bed before midnight like we usually do LOL!
I found this meme that I usually do at the end of each year to summarise what I've been up to. Feel free to pinch if you want to - I don't expect anyone to read my answers to the 40 questions.
This afternoon Mr Cee is trying to see where the pipes go in our main bathroom. The only heating in there is a heated towel rail which is sadly just not enough heat for the size of the room. So he's got a new radiator which is tantalisingly on the wall, but not connected to anything yet - I can't wait for it to be warmer in there (but I'm going to have to). See -
So I can finish this year's 365 meme with the last question: 31 You find out that science has been getting it wrong and there are actually 366 days in every year (367 in a leap year)! However it is too much trouble to get the extra day added to the calendar so they're just going to plonk it at the end of the year. What would you name it? You don't have to work, how would you spend it? I would spend it not working as I do now and I could call it December 32nd because why wouldn't you? Under the cut for the January questions for those who want to play.
Jan
1 What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in 2020?
2 What would be the first sentence of your autobiography?
3 For every day of 2020, you will be required to wear a t-shirt with the same one word on it. What word will you choose?
4 What one thing are you looking forward to in 2020?
5 What’s your favorite way to spend a Sunday morning?
6 Tell about an “Aha!” moment you’ve had.
7 In the U.S., each state has a “state flower.” If you’re in the U.S., what is your state flower? If you live elsewhere, does your region or country have flower that represents it? (Post a picture?)
8 Would you rather live in a deep-sea station or a space station?
9 What’s your favorite “comfort food” when you’re feeling down or unwell?
10 What was the last film you saw at a theatre/cinema?
11 Have you ever been asked for your telephone number and you didn't want to give it? What did you do?
12 Have you ever had a “crush” on a fictional character?
13 What are your favorite pizza toppings?
14 Who was your very first best friend? Are you still in contact or communication with them?
15 If you could pick a new first name, what would you choose?
16 What is your favorite board game?
17 What self-care things do you find helpful to ground yourself or “talk yourself down from the ledge” when you’re overwhelmed by your feelings or by stress?
18 What is the most extreme weather you have ever experienced?
19 Do you operate out of any particular faith system that informs your actions? Do you intentionally NOT have a faith system, and if so, what beliefs or ideas inform your actions?
20 When you go to a fancy coffee shop, what’s your go-to order?
21 What genre of books is your usual favorite when you read for pleasure?
22 Where is one place you wouldn’t ever want to be caught dead?
23 How would someone who genuinely likes and admires you describe you?
24 How would someone who doesn’t really like you describe you?
25 If you had to teach a one-hour class with absolutely no prep time, what subject could you competently pull off?
26 What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you while out for a meal at a restaurant?
27 What aphorism or saying is helpful for you right now?
28 What’s your favorite meme? (Post it!)
29 What is your skin care regimen?
30 What song are you listening to a lot right now? (Post a link?)31 What superpower best suits your personality?
Capturing December has the final prompt of Fun - I have had a lot of fun this year, however we don't do much for New Year's Eve these days - we used to get together with friends before we all had children, and now everyone seems to be too busy to get together. We will mark the end of the year with a nice meal and some wine, but we will probably go to bed before midnight like we usually do LOL!
I found this meme that I usually do at the end of each year to summarise what I've been up to. Feel free to pinch if you want to - I don't expect anyone to read my answers to the 40 questions.
- What did you do in 2019 that you'd never done before? I travelled to Lille in France and The Hague in Holland by Eurostar train.
- Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't make any, so I didn't break any :)
- Did anyone close to you give birth? Not that close to me - a lot of my friends became grandparents for the first time this year (not something likely to happen to me in the near future).
- Did anyone close to you die? Yes - my lovely old boy Tiger the cat left us this year. I hated that we had to make the decision, but he was in pain and wasn't going to recover. I still miss him.
- What countries did you visit? I visited France and Holland this year.
- What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018? I can't think of anything!
- What date from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? My birthday was a milestone this year in November :)
- What was your biggest achievement of the year? I officially became an advanced student in my Pilates class and became a classroom assistant for my Pilates teacher's beginners classes.
- What was your biggest failure? I don't think I had any failures as such - I've had a few setbacks with my injured knee.
- Did you suffer illness or injury? Yes, I tore a ligament in my left knee back in August and it's still not right, but it is slowly getting there.
- What was the best thing you bought? We bought a new armchair for the living room this year which I'm pleased about and we've bought an awning for the back of the house which should help keep the main living room cooler in the summer (it's being put up in January).
- Whose behaviour merited celebration? All the NHS staff, the emergency services (police, fire, ambulance), all the educators across all the ages. The are all working with limited budgets, and having to prioritise services without loosing the high standards which is impossible. I salute them all.
- Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? Politicians ... say no more....
- Where did most of your money go? On belly dance outfits, sparkly jewellery, stained glass supplies and membership of museums in London, and holidays!
- What did you get really, really, really excited about? Finally going on holiday - we managed three decent holidays this year!
- What song will always remind you of 2019? I can't think of any.
- Compared to this time last year, are you: i. happier or sadder? I'm naturally an optimist, so I'm as happy as I usually am. ii. thinner or fatter? I'm about the same as last year - although my arms are far more toned as we've been using weights in Pilates iii. richer or poorer? I am a bit better off now I've reached 60 as public transport is free for me these days and for several things I qualify as a 'senior' and get some money off entrance fees LOL!
- What do you wish you'd done more of? I'd liked to have produced more stained glass items as I neglected that a bit this year.
- What do you wish you'd done less of? Can't think of anything.
- How did you spend Christmas? With Mr Cee, Eldest and Youngest Cee. It was really nice as the lunch was a triumph even if I say so myself.
- What LJ users did you meet? Not as many as usual as I missed writerconuk this year. I did meet with lilachigh a couple of times and hobbituk as well! I also met “thismaz” / which I totally forgot - she drove to see me on her road trip which was lovely.
- Did you fall in love in 2019? Mr Cee is always in my heart.
- How many one-night stands? Nope.
- What were your favourite TV programmes? The Repair Shop is my absolute favourite - I love how they take something and repair it and show you how it has been done. The Great British Bake Off still has me gripped (and I love how you can find the recipes online if you want to make something from the show), and Richard Osman's House of Games is very funny but also gives you the chance to play along with the celebrities. Strictly Come Dancing this year was fun too - even though we didn't get as into it as we usually do.
- Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I don't do hate really.
- What was the best book you read? I read so many books this year (over 55) and I can't really think of just one, although Jodi Taylor still surprises me with her plot twists and the characters of St Mary's.
- What was your greatest musical discovery? Not the 'greatest' but I rather like Ellie Goulding's voice.
- What did you want and get? I got lots of very nice things - the best thing was two pensions from previous jobs :)
- What did you want and not get? I am very lucky - I don't think there's much I don't have.
- What was your favourite film of this year? I enjoyed going to see the Screen Unseen performances - I think my favourite film is one of those Le Mans 66 (or Ford v Ferrari)
- What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 60 and I spent the day at the Cutty Sark ship in Greenwich, went round the antiques market and then had a yummy cream tea and saw the film above in the evening :)
- What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I would like to have been a bit more creative.
- How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019? I don't have a fashion concept that goes beyond 'comfortable'.
- What kept you sane? Mr Cee as always.
- Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Doesn't really apply...
- What political issue stirred you the most? All the delays, arguments and political schenanigans of Brexit I could have done without. I did avoid several sites such as Twitter for a long time to avoid it.
- Who did you miss? A few friends who I didn't see much of this year.
- Who was the best new person you met? I met quite a few new people at my Art Appreciation course who are very friendly.
- Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019 That I am going to have to be more careful with my joints - especially my left knee.
- Quote a song lyric that sums up your year "Because I'm happy, Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof, Because I'm happy...." Pherrell Williams 'Happy'.