Now I have come to the realisation that Christmas is really just around the corner, I have started my shopping.

As you may know our shops opened only a couple of weeks ago after 90+ days of lockdown. This year has again passed the world by and I am unable to send gifts back to family, as the deadline for sending has now passed. (Actually around 3-4 days after the shops had opened, so I really didn’t stand a chance).

This year the theme was a charity, which we have done in the past. This year it was easier to do and the family were happy about it too.

The cost of buying goods and then sending them has gone up so much! I was surprised that a puzzle I did actually send cost around 4 times the price of the parcel itself. I did send it and it has since been received successfully.

Nearly done with gift shopping now, only a handful to do and then it is on to the food.

Smile and have a great day 🙂

Saturday was the first chance to get out and about for some retail therapy. The retail sector has been shut for over 3 months now during lockdown.

I was a little apprehensive as hubby and I made our way to the mall, somewhere I would travel to on a regular basis. It was a wet Saturday and there were not many people around at the time we arrived. Masked up, we headed out and about, starting to look for Christmas gifts.

The shops were decidedly quiet, maybe because of the rain and maybe some hesitancy too. we didn’t buy much in the way of gifts but it was nice to finally get out and do something other than a walk or a grocery shop.

Wearing the mask all the time was tiring and I felt drained a little when I got home, but, we had a good morning out.

Smile and have a great day 🙂

The Christmas countdown has begun, shops are stocking cards, paper and food already. On Tuesday I heard my first carol on the radio. Is it me, or are we starting Christmas earlier and earlier? I notice when I am out walking that houses are now been adorned with decorations and trees going up.

I love Christmas, although I do prefer it in a colder climate sometimes. A barbeque lunch is not something I am used to, but, living here we have gotten used to it.

Our City has been in lockdown again for around three and a half months and so the walks have been done and I have been out only to buy groceries. Workers have been able to go to work, if they can keep a safe distance from others.

Tomorrow the shops are allowed to open and I am betting that they will be heaving with people. I will leave the shops until a little later until things have settled down. Christmas is somewhat chaotic and with the shop now just re-opening, it will be worse. Hopefully the Covid numbers do not rise to much.

We have also been advised that we will be able to move around and travel over the holidays. Now I for one need to get out and about, To be able to see some different scenery would be the best Christmas present.

I know I have not blogged for some time, but with only Covid related things to write about, I run out of things to say.I have made it a resolution, if you like, to blog once a week in the New Year, no matter what.

Smile and have a great day 🙂

We don’t have a postal delivery every day, it is delivered twice during the week and then on Saturday. There is a post box at the end of each and every driveway for mail to be put into.

For sometime now whilst out and about, and walking around locally, I have noticed that for some reason the mail is not being posted through completely. This makes it easy for anybody, should they want to, to walk away with the mail. It was discovered that whilst we were in lockdown some people were doing just that!

It is really sickening to hear this happening, as there could be bank statements, personal mail and even bank cards etc being taken. Surely if you are having mail delivered, you should be secure in the knowledge that it will be delivered efficiently and be safe in the letter box until you collect it.

Also a few people are picking up deliveries from doorsteps, as more people order online these days.

It appears nothing is safe any more.

Smile and have a happy day 🙂

This is our fourth week of lockdown and have been out only to exercise and to go and do the grocery shopping. That being said, the shops shelves are pretty empty, I go with a shopping list of what I need and come out with what they actually have in stock.

Being in lockdown is always hard as no matter how hard you try, you will always eat slightly more than you would do otherwise. I am sure that nearly everyone out there does this or if not, certainly know of people who do this.

The problem for me is that I have a sweet tooth and always have, since I was very young. I know others who have a savoury tooth. I love most sweet things and although I do not eat them in bulk, I am in lockdown and I have made a cake and some biscuits. I am not a huge fan of pies, pasties or pizzas which is sad sometimes because I could do with a pizza!

I know sweet things are not good for your teeth and your health in general, but, then neither are savoury goods. Out of lockdown and living a somewhat ‘normal’ life, I eat fairly well.

So my question is, which do you prefer, sweet or savoury?

Smile and have a great day 🙂

On Sunday last, hubby and I had our first Covid vaccination. I was anxious as I waited to have it done, but it all went really smoothly.

A check of personal details as I entered and then again before I saw the vaccinator. She then checked my details before putting the needle into my arm. She went through all the details of what I could expect over the next few hours.

The next step was to wait twenty minutes just in case there was any reaction. I had my details checked again and then asked to take a seat, I would be told when my time was up.

I patiently waited and was then joined by my hubby, just before I was asked if all was well and then was told I was free to go. I needed to keep an eye on any possible symptoms and if I had any issues to call the Healthline number they gave me.

I waited in the car for hubby, so as to free up the seating for the next group of people. After hubby was cleared to leave he joined me in the car and we headed off to do our grocery shopping.

The only thing I felt was a slight pain around the entry point and my arm felt a little heavy, but, other than that it was okay. I slept on the side of the injection with no issues at all.

Monday and I felt okay as did my hubby and our next one has been booked for six weeks away. Some say that the second dose is worse than the first one. I will let you know once I have had it.

Smile and have a great day 🙂

So, this pandemic has been around now for almost 2 years and it is still going strong in a lot of countries.

Each mutation, stronger than before.

What I have noticed over this time is, our conversations have become shorter. By that, I mean, as we are not travelling around so much and not doing as much, we don’t have that much to talk about. It has always been hard for some to strike up a conversation with others. Now, it is harder, as we don’t see those people much and when we do the time is cut short as everyone has other things to do, although, quite what I don not know.

Time has raced by this year and to be honest, I cannot remember a time when a year, two years, have all blended in together.

I have to renew my passport over the next few months and I ask myself why? If I am not able to travel as much, why are we paying an exorbitant price to renew passports? I will renew it, so I can get back home if I need to. Hopefully before the ten year expiry, I will have travelled a little, outside of the country I currently live in. There are still places I want to see (on my bucket list, if you will). I love travelling and have missed it so much, but that’s the reality of a world-wide pandemic out there.

Stay safe out there.

Smile and have a great day 🙂

For many years I have used my great hoover, most days. Sadly four months ago it had enough. We had make a decision to buy another hoover or vacuum, obviously, as the floors need to be kept clean and tidy.

The choice as to what make, model, size and price was a big decision to make. My old hoover was a cylinder one that needed to be moved around the house and plugged in there.

After looking around the stores, a decision was made. I would buy a ‘stick’ vacuum. The main reason for my choice was ease for hoovering the whole house without having to pick up hoover, lead and cylinder and taking it where it needed to be next.

All set up and ready to go I have been using this stick for around four months now. Over the weekend my husband did the vacuuming and the foot fell off. As it was still young and under warranty he took t back to the store for me, with receipt in hand.

When he came back home he told me that they would have to send it away for a look and repair. Shortly afterwards the store called me to clarify a couple of things. Then after half an hour they rang again and advised me that the representative from that company had fortuitously called into the store and had looked at the foot.

Long story short, she had advised the staff that it looked like I had been rough with it! Heavy handed!! She said that she had a spare foot at home and would replace it as a “goodwill gesture” this time.

Are hoovers/vacuums not built to last these days? The only thing I do with the vacuum is just that, Vacuum the floors. Has anyone else had anything like this happen?

I feel that when I finally collect the replacement foot I will have to almost molly coddle it and keep it safe. How bizarre that my new stick vacuum is a fragile one!!

Smile and have a great day 🙂

I have ordered many things on-line, including books.

I ordered five books back at the beginning of May and had an estimated date arrival. I knew this date was due to be longer, partly due to COVID and also delays with deliveries.

One of the books arrived within the time scale. A couple of weeks after that date I contacted the company to advise they others had not yet arrived. They were very efficient with a reply to say that there was a delay and to allow a further couple of weeks. I did allow that time and after that advised that they had still not arrived.

They refunded me and apologised for me not receiving them. Last weekend I ordered them again and to my amazement, the originals arrived. That took over two months to get here. I have had to cancel the new order and then pay a re-stock fee.

A re-stock fee for each book, even though they will come in the same envelope! Still it is better to have a refund for less, than to have two sets of books, one of which I won’t need!

Thank you to the online company for dealing with my order and then my subsequent queries with efficiency and understanding.

Smile and have a great day 🙂

We have had a very hot and humid summer, which was great. The humidity, not so good. We have seen autumn come and go and that was a mild three months too.

Throughout all of those months, we had very little water. We had hosepipe bans etc and a water shortage. We are now into out winter months and over the last few days we have had rain, Light showers have been great, but it doesn’t fill water butts up or even get deep into the ground.

Over the last couple of weekends the heavens have opened and doused us in a deluge of water. This is a welcome sight for us, it is much needed throughout the country, for the land and the crops, also for homeowners and businesses that use this valuable commodity,

The smell of the first rains onto a hot driveway or pavement is amazing. I just love that smell! The garden always looks so refreshed and revitalised after a rain fall. The colours seem more vibrant, such as the stained fence, it stand out a little more.

There is still a lot more water required to fill up the reservoirs/dams and I don’t think we will be free from any water restrictions this year either. We try to use it wisely and really do our best, as I am sure other people do. It is only when there is a shortage do we all realise how valuable water actually is,

Thank you for sending the rain.

Smile and have a great day 🙂