Wednesday

A blue sky and fluffy white clouds greeted me when I opened the curtains this morning, exactly what the forecast promised but this is the UK and you can never be entirely sure! It was a different start to the day as computer things were moved to later in the day, so after a leisurely breakfast of dippy egg and toast soldiers I started clearing today's list of chores - sweep kitchen/dining room/hall floors, water indoor plants, prep veg for tonight's meal, and make a start on wiping down the kitchen cupboards. 

There wasn't anything too time consuming as I wanted to be finished in time for the Nutrition Club online session at 10 am where the focus was on foods that can help reset your mood. It's an interesting subject which I studied in depth after my first major bout of depression so there was no new information but good to be reminded all the same.  

Once that was finished and one quick change of clothes later, I was ready to venture out into the big wide world ... that's what it felt like anyway! I was more anxious than I was expecting to be but knew that if I didn't leave the house it would only be a bigger problem to overcome the next time I tried. My first stop was the garage to check the tire pressure and refill the tank, then a short drive into town. It's market day so I was expecting it to be busy but the car park was almost empty and there weren't that many people around at all.

First stop was the bank to get some pound coins to top up the egg money box, then into the Shires Shopping Centre to spend my Christmas and birthday tokens in Waterstones. Just my luck that one of the books I wanted to get was out of stock but I did pick up the other one -  A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier - and got the second paperback, The Dinner Guest by B P Walter, for half price as part of their buy 1, get 1 half price offer. I've already read The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse but wanted to have my own copy as it's a book I will read again and the jigsaw puzzle will be put away for the winter.

  

I did a bit of window shopping and then headed round to the fabric shop but it was busy in there, so I decided it can wait until next week. Lunchtime isn't the best time to be shopping now that people are returning to work so I'll time it better next time. 

So, on to B&Q to pick a selection of bigger pots ... and just a few more plants that I didn't really need but ... 😊😊

I had my camera with me and was planning to photograph some lambs but, best laid plans and all that! The lambs weren't in the field where I'd seen them before and I drove round to the other likely spots but couldn't see any sheep, or cows, or horses, so I gave up on that idea and switched to Plan B. I bought a meal deal from Tesco, went for a long drive and found a pleasant spot to have my car picnic instead of my photography fix. Of course the weather didn't play nicely and while I was eating my lunch the heavens opened and it rained hard, accompanied by a couple of claps of thunder, so quite a typical car picnic in the end. Just to rub it in, as I drove home the sun came out again! Back at home I checked the clock and I'd been out of the house for almost four hours, so pretty good going considering how anxious I was when I started out.  

It's been dry since I got home so I've had a bit of a play around with the new pots to decide where I want to place them on the patio, but for now they are stacked up and wedged in the corner by the gate in the hope that their combined weight will stop them blowing around - the wind is picking up and I don't fancy an evening of empty pots banging against the French doors! Piano and Italian practices are done for the day, and it'll soon be time to start the evening meal - a lamb curry to celebrate my day out of the house. This evening it's The Repair Shop followed by The Great British Sewing Bee, so the evening TV viewing is sorted, and then I think it'll be an early night.