We must have had a really good nights sleep because we didnt wake up until 8.00am then we had a bit of a rush to get breakfast...
We had a lovely time in the Temple and on one of the sessions the Mission President was there with a nymber of missionaries preparing to retun home

Temple Trip

After organising a shrt holiday in Yorkshire for July and a gym session we packed up and went off to the temple for a few days.
The bliss of not having to work out if I will have enough annual leave days....
We stayed at the Premier Inn at East Grinstead and on arrival we both realised we had forgot to pack some important items...me no cardigan and Michael no smart trousers. So...of the the shopping centre in Crawley to find  M & S.
We had a lovely meal at The Star Inn in the evening.

Phoebe's Saturday

Phoebe was up at 7.00am needing breakfast and she did she managed Weetabix and Coco Pops.
Phoebe did colouring this monrning and really enjoyed herself.

 

After the colouring off to Fosse Park to buy a sharpener...I know but whilst we were there we managed to get Phoebe measured for new boots and found some in the sale for less than half price , a bargin now I am unwaged!!! Having thought about it I rang Emma and asked what size Ruby was and also managed to bag a pair of boots for her.

 

Phoebe with her new boots

 

Emma and Richard and family arrived later in the afternoon and it was a delight to see Ruby's face when she saw the boots. Ruby has been desparate for a pair of boots this year

 

Ruby in her new boots.......heaven on earth!!!

Phoebe

I took a madeira cake to mum today and she was pleased with it. I have to say I have untapped cooking skills.....
Picked up Phoebe today as she is having a sleepover. Yet another viewing of Gnomeo and Juliet but it really is funny.

Sunshine !!!

The sun came out and the skies were blue.....it was still cold but the world looked so much better.
Went for a swim, had my haircut (it never ceases to amaze me how good you feel when you have a haircut)
Spotted a 3/4 coat in Sainsburys on sale..great bargin if a bit pink...
Lunch at the Harvester and then went to see Les Miserables at the Vue. I just love cinema in the middle of the day....

Weather

Well we have had a lot of it this week and still the snow lays around..however we did make it to church although the car park was a little slippy. but today there were some great talks and Bishop Jones  talked about the song in the isney film Tangled, where she sings  a song called "When will my life begin." Although she reviews all the amazing talents she has she still asks the question.  In essence Bishop Jones was trying to say if we keep waiting for life to happen or begin we may miss it all together.
This was quite poignant as this week we learned our neighbour Phil has terminal stomach cancer and starts his therapy on Tuesday.

The Dress

Spent the morning working on the dress for Genevieve and creating a matching bib, should there be a need.
Went to the last session with the trainer today and I am really pleased with what I have managed to do in the 10 weeks of training I can now do:-
2 miles on the cycle in 9.47 ( first time I could barely ride it)
can lift 75lbs on the leg machines (abductors)
can row 1500 metres in 9 minutes
Overall can stretch, flex and walk much better.......

Visiting Friends

I am begining to get the hang of this time at home and today after doing a little sewing on a dress for Genevieves blessing, we went to see Jean Rourke a dear friend from Loughborough Ward.
We picked Jean up and went to the Harvester in Loughborough and spent a very pleasent 2 hours together, Jean is recovering from serious health problems and she really enjoyed the time. Laughter is always a great medicine and Jean regaled us with some of her stories about her husband Paddy.

SNOW

So this morning we awoke to SNOW!! and the good thing is I don't have to struggle to work and I do not have to go out if I don't want to .....

London calls

We went to London today. We went to Stanmore and caught the train into central london. We got off at Bond Street and did a bit of looking, went into John Lewis to look at the lace trims and nearly died when i saw the price of £20 per metre....needless to say just looked.
We then caught the tube to Waterloo and found this great place to eat called the Fire Station. We had a brillant lunch before going to the theatre The Old Vic which was just over the road.
The Old Vic was a real jewel of a theatre and we went to see Kiss Me Kate. This is one of my favourite shows and was really good. Michael really enjoyed it as well. A bit of a treat was Roskilly's ice cream in the interval.
Great day thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Decadence

Went to town today to take in my watches for battery renewal, how is it they all go at the same time.....
After lunch Michael and I went to the cinema to see JACK REACHER starring Tom Cruise. I really enjoyed it....but how decadent going to the cinema in the middle of the day with all the other old people (just kidding)

It's real

Well this would be the first day back at work for wveryone following the holidays and I don't have to get up and go to work. I hoped to keep a daily journal of my retirement but find that my hands hurts so much when writing that I have had to move to the computer. I have noted some of the things I have been up to but dont want to bore anyone...so today I am resurrecting my cooking skills...and chicken fricasse is on the menu.

Had a gym session with John at David Lloyd at 4.00 today and was shattered!

Teddy Operations

Great start to the day we didnt wake up until 8.30. We went shopping and we managed to get a lovely coat for Amber from Sainsbury;s, its a mustard colour and really suits her. Following shopping we had to undertake emergency operations on old Ted...he was looking very much worse for wear and need to be restuffed in the neck and body.....
New Ted Snowball needed a new skirt so it was to the sewing machine......

Amber with Ted & Snowball

Amber

Amber came for an overnight visit. This was the end of my first week of not working (well not paid working) it seems we have been extremely busy all week. Michael has a nasty cold. Visited mum today and took her shopping but I think she was glad to get home.
I picked Amber up and we went to McDonalds for tea....

We watched Gnomeo and Juliet before bed time. Such a funny film..

New Years Day 2013

The first day of my "retirement" I'm not quite sure about this but hey ho. First task today to make Leek and Potato soup...then take it to Matt & Zoe. Zoe is really poorly and we stayed to help out a bit and later returned whilst Matt took Zoe to the walk in clinic at the hospital. Zoe returned with amoxycillin so should be better in a couple of days.....