We have had a nice weekend down here in Devon. We have been lucky to miss the stormy weather and snow and apart from it being cold and windy yesterday for a few hours all has been normal

Yesterday we went to a Christmas Market held up at a farm/brewery on the edge of our village. It is held every year, except last year, and it's main purpose is to raise funds towards putting on our summer festival every other year. There are always lots of lovely stalls selling various crafts, food, drinks etc. I got the two coasters for my Sister and her Husband, the gingerbread house kit for the girls to do once they've broken up from school for Christmas and a new tree decoration! The gingerbread kit came from Shute Fruit who are a village  'pick your own business' but who also produce a huge and varying array of preserves, chutneys, cordials and at Christmas these kits. I was very lucky on the tombola and came away with two bottles of wine, a jar of Shute Fruit summer jam and several other tins and jars so I was very happy.

Today was warmer and sunny so we went over to Teignmouth and had a lovely long walk along the beach.  It was glorious weather and there were even some brave souls swimming in the sea.

I have not worked this week and nor will I next week as the woman I work for, and all her family have Covid. They are all feeling pretty rough with it, the only small consolation being that as they all have it no-one has to isolate in their bedroom which as my girls found in the summer is worse than having actual Covid!. There has also been an outbreak in Daughter L's class. There are seven year 6 girls and four of them have it and three of them, including L don't. Goodness knows how she managed to escape getting it but I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

Last Wednesday, after several hundred pounds worth of work, my little car passed it's Mot. Reluctantly, I realise this will probably be her last year with me as she has ridiculously high mileage and she's old. Hopefully, towards the end of next summer the price of secondhand cars will have come back down and I can find a newer version of what I have. While it was in the garage S and I spent the morning in the cinema at their Silverscreen showing which was 'The Last Bus'. On a Wednesday morning they have Silverscreen which is when they show a film from the last year and the ticket includes a hot drink and a biscuit. Needless to say we were the youngest in there, in S's case by about 40 years! We enjoyed it so much we are going again this Wednesday to watch 'Off the Rails'.

D was having dinner at her boyfriends tonight so no roast but a veggie cottage pie instead - she will not go near a lentil so we have to pick the right time to have this dish. S has been to Poland for a long weekend so she is already slumped on the sofa in her pj's. Lots of walking and sightseeing, lots of drinking and not a lot of sleep - a perfect trip away.

Tomorrow I am hoping to start wrapping the girls Christmas presents. With a large family I start early so there's no last minute panic so am very nearly finished I think.

 

 Well, to start with some photos of food - recipes from Margaret's blog, Devon Dreaming, who lives a few miles from me. The chicken curry, Husband and I had last night, and was really tasty. Tonight there were seven of us for a roast dinner - gammon for the meat eaters and nut cutlets for the non meat eaters and for pudding we had Margaret's toffee apple cake which was absolutely delicious and will definitely be made again. Sorry, we had all tucked in before I remembered to take a photo!

This week Husband has been very busy decorating our living room. This started with pulling out a very ugly grey brick fire surround with matching side plinths which created a lot of dust, and he is now creating something prettier! He will then paint the room and fit new light fittings before a new carpet is laid, together with new carpet for our hall, stairs and landing on the 8th December. I cannot wait till it is all finished and everything is back in its place. He has also been busy doing some work on my car as it is booked in for an MOT this coming week and there were a few things that needed doing in order for it to, hopefully, pass. It is a 13 year old car and has done 96k miles but I love it and it is so reliable so I have had to put my foot down with Husband who didn't want to do all the work and wanted me to change it for something newer. However, the price of second hand cars, like a lot of things, have shot up in price and I am not prepared to waste silly money for something not much better.

Today we have been up to Exeter for a few hours, with the girls, getting some items that were on their Christmas lists that I couldn't get locally, mostly some jewelry items from Pandora. I don't enjoy shopping and only go up to the city probably once a year so had to brace myself but we had a successful trip and got everything we needed.

I am now going to put my feet up and watch the second part of Dalgleish that we started last night. I cannot believe that another week has flown by.

 So what have I been up to lately? Well the second part of half term week was taken up by Halloween. On the Thursday one of L's friends had invited all the girls to her house for a Halloween sleepover. There are seven year 6 girls in L's class so that's a very brave Mum! They all went dressed up and played various games and watched films and apparently L finally went to sleep at 2 am! I picked her up Friday morning and thought she would be flagging by lunch time but no she kept on going, coming out for a long walk around the village and later on  doing dance shows for D and her boyfriend! On Saturday  it was K's turn for a Halloween party at a friends house and then Sunday L and I were invited to one of her friends house, with a load of other people, for hotdogs before going out trick or treating. I have to say I do not like Halloween at all and have had to grit my teeth and get on with it for the girls enjoyment over the years but I am planning that this was the last year of trick or treating at least, as L will be at secondary school next year.

Last Wednesday I had a nice pampering morning having my hair cut at a salon in Newton Abbot that I used to go to years ago. Our village hairdressers, who I usually use, has gradually been putting their prices up and for someone who only has the dry ends cut off, it has got to be expensive. In the other salon, for half the price, I had an apprentice cut my hair. She has nearly finished her course so knew what she was doing and made a very good job of my hair.

Friday night we decided to have some fireworks in our garden, the first time in this house. It was a bit bittersweet as in our last house my parents always came and stayed a couple of days and it was my Mums job to make a Guy with the girls. She would bring all the equipment and it would always be a surprise for my Dad to see which of his clothes (that my Mum deemed too tatty for him to wear anymore) the Guy would end up wearing. Our last house had a big garden and was out in the country with no neighbours so we would have a big bonfire for the Guy to sit on and make an evening of it. This year it was just us and the fireworks were stuck in a wheelbarrow of soil to be lit - no bonfire.

This weekend we have been up to Wiltshire to visit my Dad and S who is currently living with him while she works out her notice in Bath. We took my Mother in Law out for a coffee and a mooch around the town on Saturday afternoon and then took my Dad to Prezzo for dinner in the evening and my Sister also joined us. Today we took my Dad for a snack lunch at a local Wetherspoons and then had an afternoon of Scrabble before driving home. S will be back home living from next weekend but the referencing is taking awhile for Exeter hospital so she hasn't yet got a start date for her new job. At this rate it could be January before they are ready for her in which case she will help out in our village Hotel again to earn some money until she starts.

Tomorrow I am looking forward to everyone being out of the house so I can have a good clean and sort some Christmas presents that need to be put out of the way. I am having coffee with a friend on Wednesday but no other real plans other than work.