Thursday 29th December
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| 363/365: a camellia bud ... not looking too good but it's one that has appeared since we had the snow |
I had a lazy day yesterday, watching TV and reading to keeping myself amused. Today I feel tired without having done enough to feel tired so it's likely to be a similar sort of day!
I did make a start on some planning but didn't get too far. It was really just a brainstorming session thinking about what I want to achieve in 2023 and so far it is just a brain dump of ideas. I'll have another look at it today and maybe start organising those ideas ... there seem to be a lot to do with the home, with fitness, and with hobbies/interests. It's the home ones I particularly want to sort out as the January sales will be a good time to buy anything that needs buying now and can't/shouldn't wait. I know my oven has to be replaced so that's top of the list; even though I don't plan to use it too much in the future I do need to have an oven that works and keeps the correct temperature, which I don't seem to have at the moment. I've had a quick look online and the choice is mind-blowing ... do I want a pyrolytic oven or a steam one, a catalytic oven or a fan oven, conventional or multi function? ... I don't know is the honest answer! One good thing was that pre-sale prices are cheaper than I was expecting so I'm happy about that at least!
Baby A's First Christmas bauble finally arrived yesterday so I will drop that round to their house today and then take the car on for a good run out. We had rain yesterday but it wasn't as bad as the forecast suggested. Today there should be some more rain with a long sunny spell from late morning till mid afternoon, so I will plan my drive out for then. I won't stay to visit with the baby, assuming they are in, as I have run out of LFTs and want to be sure I'm virus free ... it really does seem that everyone I know has either been exposed to the virus or has tested positive so it's difficult to work out a cut off date when I can say that I'm no longer at risk. A neighbour I chatted to a couple of days ago has now tested positive ... there's no end to it!
It's just occurred to me that I haven't done a jigsaw puzzle this Christmas. It's always been a family tradition to do one so I need to rectify that omission ... I have a couple of new ones in the cupboard upstairs so will make my choice and get started today.
I've been forgetting to write down my Twelve Days of Christmas gifts so, for my own record, so far this year I have an Einaudi piano music book, some bubble bath, a calligraphy pen, and today's gift is some undies.
I hope that camellia flower will bloom and be fine once it does!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a fun day and enjoy the drive. I've a jigsaw puzzle waiting to be opened and started, but, haven't done so, yet. :)
I hope so too but it just doesn't look right. The outside of the bud should be green not brown, and the petals should be pale pink, not the dark pink you can see in the photo.
DeleteI had my drive, mainly around town though but it made a change and the car has had a good run out. I still have to choose which jigsaw I want to do ... I'm saving that for something to do this evening. Hope you enjoy yours when you do decide to do it. xx
Good luck looking for your oven. I have been looking for some time as I need a new cooker. Currently I have a gas hob but electric ovens. I now want a gas ovens and a gas hob as it will cost a third of what it costs to use an electric oven. We have replace an element and a door seal but it is old, we will have to bite the bullet and buy a new one, but as you said there is so much choice. Helen S.
ReplyDeleteMy oven is about 8 years old but I have never been happy with it. The door seal has had to be replaced twice and has now gone again and it has never cooked evenly ... one side is much cooler than the other. I'm overwhelmed by the choice but will have to sit down and decide what I want I suppose. Good luck with changing over to gas ovens. Hope you find what you want. xx
DeleteGood luck with the brainstorming ideas. I can't seem to get motivated doing that yet, but the year is running out and the new year will soon begin! Ack oven choices. It's just so confusing. I end up being overwhelmed and don't make a choice at all! There are several things we need to get done on the house next year but so many choices that it's hard to make a decision! Maybe I should just do a brain dump and see where I end up - probably more confused than ever!
ReplyDeleteI'm actually finding the brainstorming to be a sort of therapy and it's doing me good in a strange sort of way. The list will evolve throughout the year but I think I have identified the main projects for house and garden.
DeleteI'll make my choice of ovens later this week ... I can't get my head round all the different choices at the moment. My BiL may be able to help me with that choice. xx
What i think about ovens? :) What do we need an oven for? i know i have a woodstove, here my baking is mostly done on the woodstove, but i suppose lots of baking could be done on any top burner. Your camellia bud is exquisite
ReplyDeleteHaha, we have very different lifestyles and I don't have a woodstove so an oven is needed.
DeleteThe camellia has been lovely this year and this last bud is a beautiful colour. xx
https://newgenbaker.com/how-to-bake-without-an-oven-7-nifty-ways-from-newgen-baker/#:~:text=One%20way%20to%20bake%20without,stove%20top%20or%20an%20oven.
DeleteI know that it's possible to bake without an oven but it's not for me. Some of the options shown in that article result in an altered, and in my opinion, not as good a texture. We'll have to agree to differ. xx
DeleteBrain storming with yourself sounds like a fun thing ... nothing is off the table! Are you going to give yourself OLW to work with this year? Your flower bud looks as though the cold & snow may have challenged it with a full bloom. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteIt is a fun activity. I know there are lots of ideas on the list that I'll never do but I'm not eliminating anything at the moment. I'm undecided about OLW this year; nothing springs to mind like it has in previous years but I'm planning on big (for me) changes in my focus so something may become obvious.
DeleteI'm not convinced that it'll bloom but I promise a photo of it if it does! xx