If I was smarter, I would have been way more organised than I have been.

This time last year all the non-perishables would have been ordered and delivered by now. To be honest, all the non perishables were delivered in November last year, then the next delivery was the weekend before in December. Last year I think I felt more pressure to be organised. I knew what the plan for Christmas was last year well in advance. This year there has been a lot of confusion around where and when everyone is and wants to be organised for.

Still this idea of budgeting Christmas is something I need to be smarter about.

I started Christmas shopping early on as you know, but that was just presents. It’s now time to really think about the food and the cold of winter and really being ready.

I used my nectar double up during the promotion for something that was needed- Pillows for at the other half’s, his were knackered and needed replacing.  I started keeping an eye on nectar.com to increase my odds of finding “vouchers” to boost my nectar points earnings, though this year I have dipped in and out of my nectar points. I want to save them up properly next year and then use that double up scheme next year.

Looking for good deals and ways to save money in the weeks leading up to it, working out ideas of what we need rather than what we want is another way to save money, get the needed and not the fun stuff unless there is room in the budget at the end for it.

This year is going to be a bit chaotic over Christmas. I am looking forward to the time off but trying to be efficient with my budget is where things are going to be trickiest. So the plan is boring necessities, followed by traditional necessities followed by fun. That being said, I am aiming for more of the no thrills basics to bolster some of the order. Brand names aren’t majorly important. I don’t want to buy non-perishables in store for one reason… I don’t want to carry them, so ordering online is my best option, the perishables can be dealt with later.

Note to self, next year, be more organised… Oh maybe I can make a notebook and fill out the stages and shopping lists and be able to share it all with you. That would be more helpful than suggesting going online, working out the shopping lists.

Yeah… No… Not yet.

See that is one thing that is starting to get a bit annoying. People keep asking whether the other half and I have set a date.

No we haven’t.

The thing is we won’t until we are living together.

I am however leaning towards winter, its a nice romantic season, cuddling up doesn’t sound like such a bad thing in winter. Getting married in a cuddle season sounds like a great idea. Especially given winter tends to be cheaper. But the idea I have in my head is fluffy blankets, fairy lights for lighting, nice warm drinks like hot chocolate. Hogwarts at Christmas kind of magical vibes. No fluorescent over head lighting, no massive chandeliers, just lots and lots of fairy lights everywhere, and electric tealights to reduce fire risks. but that sort of romantic lighting vibe. Very soft. A little sparkle. That softness. I would love to just have one of those romantic kind of things.

I would say in an ideal world, have it somewhere where we can see the northern lights, if that was possible to orchestrate. But sort of magical and happy kind of vibe.

As for a dress? I have two very different ideas in mind that I will need to try one day. It just depends on what one feels right.

There is plenty of time between now and setting the date to think about it.

Mind you, it has been for months.

Nothing says Christmas like family stresses and strains.

I don’t know where I will be or what I will be doing but I am sure I will be confused at some point.

I don’t really feel like dealing with the drama revolving around my mother, I do my best to stay out of it, stay out of her orbit, attract as little attention as possible. Christmas just feels like it is going to stress me out and make me angry this year, not to do with my other half or anything like that, but to do with her. She is stress personified in my eyes.

I think I might have some work to do to be able to find a sense of peace about this. There is a lot that I want and need to do that doesn’t involved being stressed…

The one thing I do love about Christmas though is seeing the town lit up and glowing, even if it is a bit of a dump. I love the idea of the magical twinkle of fairy lights.

I can’t wait to decorate for Christmas with my other half, its going to be so much fun to see his face when I give him his pre-Christmas present… because I have a feeling I might spoil him a bit. But he has had a tough few weeks, he deserves some silly happiness. He is incredible and funny and I am sure he will be happy. Plus decorating for Christmas is one of the very few things I enjoy, because I can be crazy and silly, especially with him and it is brilliant.

So I suspect that I wont be fitting in that blue dress, not likely. I haven’t had the time to do Nanowrimo. I wish I did, but it has been rather a strange November. Maybe next year I will be able to do it. But small steps I suppose. I am doing my best to try to make the time to write. Even if it is taking a while. I don’t think I’ve written much at all for fun, I suspect the truth might be nothing at all.

Do I get bonus points for doing the other half’s wrapping too?

 

24/7 Goals:

1. Do Nanowrimo
2. Write The Diary of Elliot Parker (4)
3. Draft up book 2 of The Big Project
4. Re-edit book 1 of The Big Project
5. Edit book 2 of The Big Project
6. Learn to drive
7. See a West End show
8. Complete at least one of the tattoos
9. Improve on last year’s site views
10. Keep learning guitar
11. Create and keep a manageable writing schedule
12. Look for/find an agent for The Big Project
13. Finish the cable knit jumper
14. Start and finish a cross stitch project
15. Win the lotto jackpot
16. Keep growing hair out
17. Keep doing daily positive aspects
18. Complete at least one minor savings goal
19. Have Christmas wrapped up before October 31^st
20. Read around 12 books at least over the year for fun…
21. Be more time efficient, come up with a better schedule.
22. Fit into the blue dress again and go somewhere to celebrate it
23. Begin writing the next big project for the site
24. Enjoy 2018 as much as possible, be happy at every chance!!!!

6/7 goals complete!

So time for the low down on what happened on Halloween.

I didn’t really feel my best, I felt bloated and fat in everything I tried on, so I decided to wear leggings and I instantly felt way more comfortable. I wore my blue birthday dress which had room in it for dinner. Sure it wasn’t “the blue dress” that I have been trying to fit into. I got my nails done and they were a nice matte navy colour. My hair wouldn’t behave at all. it ended up being tied into a simple ponytail and adding a few flowers, no idea how it actually looked. But I wear pony tails practically everyday.

So the morning didn’t really go to plan. But the trains were running perfectly on time for us, we got in to London early. We went and saw the fantastic beasts wands outside St Paul’s cathedral. I hate to say this, but it wasn’t quite what my other half and I thought it would look, it didn’t live up to our expectations, but chocolate moochi balls from wasabi made up for that… Turns out we really like them.

So, as nicely as we both were dressed, we definitely felt like we stuck out like a sore thumb when we reached the Savoy, very out of place. But I think some of that might have been a bit from the morning of not feeling great. But that being said, we had an amazing evening. The building is beautiful and grand but that is nothing compared to how amazing the food tasted.

The meal started with an amuse bouche of a lamb croquette, gorgeous! So delicouse. The staff were so amazing and attentive, they really were incredible. The starter, we both got the same, a seafood raviolo with lobster vinaigrette and tomato (fondue? or something like that), truly amazing and delicious. Oh did I mention the bread basket, the bread was so gorgeous, warm and so perfect. So mains, the other half had steak (which was delicious) and I had pork cheeks with mashed potato and pickled turnip. Turns out I don’t like pickled turnip. But the side order of chips were delicious but I didn’t love the mushroom side simply because I don’t like basil, and it had basil oil on but aside from that it was delicious. Oh but pudding… Spiced apple Eton mess. PERFECTION, I could have that again in a heartbeat. So beautiful. If I could eat any meal again it would be that one.

The show, The Phantom of the Opera, well that was incredible, the cast were great, I really loved the way Christine wasn’t the “weak” character, neither was Raoul, they were played in a way that was refreshing, strong, protective. The other half and I however found that the Phantom was very over emotional for us. I think for me, the Phantom however bruised and broken he is, is a very strong character. I think Ramin Karimloo will always be my Phantom, and that’s ok, but it is also a very big bench mark.

Halloween was an incredible night, I loved it and it was the best way to have a last blow out date for the year.