Project 52 2025 week 48

We’re rapidly racing towards Christmas and I’ve realised I need to still write and send cards (job for next week I think), and get a couple of extra presents – birthdays mostly, and just one more Christmas gift. It felt like I was finished, but I’m definitely not. Here’s my week 48 for Project 52.

Sunday – had a bit of a lie in. N was car washing in the morning, while I headed out to the farm shop, then into town to get a replacement laundry basket as mine is split, and has lost both handles. Otherwise just pottering at home.

Monday – not much going on. Just school and work. 

Tuesday – in the office. Then finished on time to get to the theatre in Oxford to see Mamma Mia the musical. The buses must have been backlogged because it was nearly 3x the wait to the normal 10 mins. I grabbed a quick something to eat before heading to the theatre. The show was really good, I loved it. And the audience was very well behaved too.

Wednesday – all the talk about the budget. Unsurprising that it’s going to hit workers, but at least everything that hits me (3 things immediately, but could be 5), won’t be til 2027-2029. Oh joy, I’m sure extra will come in inbetween as well. 

Thursday – non uniform day at school, and they were meant to take in donations for the food bank and their raffle at the Christmas craft fair. Needless to say, despite remembering the night before, I didn’t remember the biscuits/chocolates I’d bought until I dropped N at the bus stop. Quick charge home in the hope I’d be able to grab them and get back before the bus arrived, but it was pulling away as I drove up. N had to stop at the shop and buy something before school.

Managed to get Wimbledon tickets (I’d won LTA member ballot tickets), but crikey it was harder than normal. They said you could now get 2 tickets on 2 separate days. We wanted first Friday tickets, but there was no centre court and only extortionate court 1 tickets. By the time I’d messaged my friend to check on max price options, they were all sold out. So we’ve got Court 2 instead. Neither of us have done Court 2, but there’s no roof so no shade on that court. If it’s a hot summer I’m going to struggle. I think people were buying first week so they could then buy second week tickets as well, or ever 2 days on the trot. It just meant there were fewer going round which feels a bit unfair.

Line dancing in the evening. Missing 2 lessons over the past fortnight meant it felt like ages since I’d danced. Good class though, and learnt 2 new dances.

Friday – N had an inset day but was either on the xbox chatting to his friends, or out on the farm. I finished work on time because N had bought himself a new xbox in the Black Friday sales and we had to go and pick it up. He’s very pleased with it, so he’ll have to try and get a bit of money back from the old one soon.

Saturday – tipped it down with rain all morning and some of the afternoon. I went to the local bakery and luckily there was the type of bread left I wanted, then the supermarket for a couple of bits and petrol, then off to the farmshop. I had to check what day I’d said I’d pick up the turkey for Christmas because I couldn’t remember!

I’d ordered N’s Christmas present a while back (he knew what it was as had requested it), with chosen delivery on 1st December, chosen because it was a school day and it could be at least an attempted surprise. Had confirmation yesterday it was coming on Monday from the company and DPD. Then had a text to say it was arriving Saturday afternoon. Luckily I’d be in, but the hour slot was then overrun, and was coming while we were serving up tea. I turned to get food out of the oven, and when I looked out of the window, the guy was just getting in the van and driving off.  They’d delivered it to the farm not here. So the OH had to go over there and bring back the 2 huge boxes.  I was a bit confused given I was only expecting 1 box, and they’re bigger than anticipated, so N will have to have the present before Christmas so we don’t have to store them.

New posts this week:

• Christmas at Blenheim Palace – The Palace of Oz
• Mamma Mia the Musical review

Things I’m grateful for this week:

• Free park & ride bus into Oxford (only had to pay parking, because of the ‘temporary’ congestion charges starting
• Finishing work on time on Friday so N could pick up his Black Friday bargain Xbox upgrade from Argos. It’s always nice to get chance to go out with him, even if it’s just picking up his shopping.
• Being back at line dancing – it feels weird when there’s more than 1 lesson missed.

Things I’ve enjoyed this week:

• Nice chat with random chap at the bus stop while waiting longer than expected
• Random twinkly chat with an old guy in Sainsbury’s commenting on a lady bumping into my trolley while not looking where she was going. He made some very funny comments about her driving skills
• Mamma Mia. Great fun