REFLECTING The year is passing so quickly. At the end of the month the clocks will go back. The UK briefly had a new Prime Minister and a new Chancellor who definitely made their mark on the political scene. Good? Or bad? Their actions generated a flurry of criticism and articles in the media. And today we have yet another new Prime Minister. . . I keep repeating the Serenity Prayer which I quoted in my Blog on 22nd August. And I watch, wait and pray. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.”

EXERCISING How many times have you heard the words, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” I had slipped into a habit of skipping my daily exercises and being too busy to go out for a walk. And the effect on my mobility has been a real shock. When did I start being so cautious about which seat I chose when meeting friends for coffee? I daren’t sit down without being sure that I’ll be able to get up again. So my physiotherapist has given me five exercises to perform ten times each twice a day. 

WALKING This follows on from the above. The days are growing shorter and the temperatures are dropping, but the sun is shining and it is perfect weather for a walk.

KNITTING Christmas is around three months away. Time to bring out my needles and go through my stash to find yarn for my latest project. A friend mentioned she was knitting Xmas tree ornaments  shaped like “Christmas Puddings” into which a Ferrero Rocher chocolate is inserted. What a great gift idea. I have knitted five so far but I must stop eating the chocolates! I was delighted to buy a box of 16 Ferrero Rocher at a reduced price in Sainsburys but if I am not careful there’ll be none left.

SORTING. I need teeny red beads to sew onto the Xmas pudding ornaments along with leaves  from green felt to resemble holly. Yay! I found enough beads in my craft room.

LEARNING Today I am on my “1271 Streak” for Duolingo. That is three years of learning Spanish online. Time to ramp up the challenge. I can easily complete the online exercises and am getting better at understanding Spanish. But can I hold a conversation? Ah! No. I have decided I should write a short paragraph daily, practising thinking in Spanish. Not making the error of thinking in English first then translating the words.

IRONING After the autumn equinox I always put away my summer outfits to bring out my winter ones. I have just washed and ironed five dresses! Why ever did I choose cotton or linen for them? There is no getting away with it: they should be ironed. 

PLAYING What fun! The new arts centre in the High Street, Ironworks, has a green piano placed outside tempting passers by to have a go. I wish that I knew how to play the piano! Every time I walk past I stop and run my fingers across the keys. I wonder how easy it would be to learn to play “Chopsticks”? It would be so cool to actually play a tune.

READING Are you a fan of the Thursday Murder Club books by Richard Osman? When I mentioned to a friend that I had just finished reading Osman’s third book she was so scathing. “Oh! I couldn’t finish the first one. It was dreadful. I have no idea why he is described as  a bestselling author – maybe it is because he is a TV personality.” Hmm! Television fame might have been the reason his first book sold, but then if his stories were no good no-one would have gone on to buy his second and third books. So why do I look forward eagerly to the next book in the series? The stories are more than just “who-dun-its”.  I really enjoy the sensitive way that Osman portrays his characters, especially the elderly four who meet weekly to solve murder mysteries

SCRAP-BOOKING I was given a scrapbook for Christmas. Filling its pages takes me  back nearly three quarters of a century when I used to stay with my Granny in Luton. She saved plant catalogues, magazines and postcards and encouraged me to carefully cut out the flowers to arrange tastefully around whatever picture I had selected to stick on the page. WWII had ended, but we were still dumping our food scraps in the “pig-bin” on the street outside. I remember the stench as I approached the bin and the buzzing of wasps crawling around the brim.

THINKING Why do I feel bad about shutting the curtains on the dark evening sky, sinking into my chair and reading the latest who-dun-it? I should be putting the washing away. I should be writing my Spanish paragraph. I should be exercising. THAT word again:- SHOULD! SHOULD! SHOULD! No-o-o! I’m doing fine. I ‘spose  I need to post this Blog. And I need to cook supper – nothing too stressful. Not should – need. My choice – no pressure.

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