Week 96 - All Vaccinated

Monday was another frosty morning. There was also a super moon just visible over the rooftops as I took my walk.

On Wednesday we had scaffolders arrive to prepare for the front of the house being rendered. The plan is to put external insulation and re-render on the section of the house that wasn't included in the extension. 

It was quite noisy, but tbh, in the end it was just funny; I was on a call with David from my team and there was a random scaffolder stood right by my window with the noisy tool they have to do up the connections. Neither of us could hear much apart from the scaffolder. 

Thursday morning was also another frosty and beautiful morning.

My view....

On Friday I went for a run first thing.

The sunrise was beautiful.

I particularly liked how it caught the trees

I came back and did a few jobs in the garden, just tidying up some of the leaves that were on paths and on the deck steps. I had got leaf mould bags for Christmas, so I gathered them into there. I didn't take it from the beds, just where it was making the paths a bit more treacherous or untidy. It was cold cold out and so I was glad to come in and sit by the radiator in the front room to have my breakfast. 

I got a warm shower and got dressed, then went up to the high-street to find the local picture framer. I had some new pictures (and some old ones) for framing, and I also wanted to get our dandelion clocks picture re-framed. Mark and I bought it when we had our first house in Swindon. It is a nice enough frame, and it went well with the picture, but I don't love it and I wanted to change it.

The lady at the framers was lovely, I was in there for an hour I guess, maybe less. But she had so many wonderful frame options. I wanted each one to have a different frame, and I just loved the task of searching through the options - gasping as something lovely was brought out. It was the metaphorical sweet shop for me.

I drove back and then met Ben and Mark for lunch at the café. I then decided to join Ben's Page Park lunch time group. When this group first started, it was in lockdown and I joined it from the first session and until I started work, so I knew quite a few of the faces, but I had never joined one of the in-person sessions. 

I had disagreements over some of the song options (!), but it was really nice to join them.

I came home and cleaned the leather sofa while Mark was out at the physio. Mark got tea ready for us when the girls got home, then at about 6pm, I took the girls to UWE so they could get their first dose of Covid vaccine. They had the Pfeizer. So that was us all finally vaccinated, and having tried all the major options. Bunnykins in particular was really glad to finally get it done, I think she was quite upset to have missed out in November, though her natural immunity would have done her just as well. 

This week, Woo has been identified as a close contact, so she has had to have 7 days of taking LFTs every morning. All negative, so she has been going into school. 

On Saturday, Mark and I were up early. He dropped me off at the station and I got a train to Cardiff.

I arrived just before 8am. It was icy cold and I was glad of my hat, scarf, and gloves. I was in Cardiff for the second appointment in an Autism assessment process that I have decided to go through. I am a bit cautious about writing it here. I know there are very few people who do read this, but even so, I fear that some people would think I am being ridiculous, but I do have my reasons and maybe at another date I will articulate them on here. 

Anyway, it was a 30 minute walk to where the appointment was held. It was along the river, past the millennium stadium, and out along a park.

I arrived an hour early, but that was planned. There was a Coffee#1 opposite, so I sat and had some breakfast and a mocha. 

The appointment was intense. I came out feeling pretty shaken up, but the walk back along the river was nice. It also took me past Cardiff castle, where I found the array of animal sculptures on the wall quite fascinating.

I didn't feel like rushing back, so I had a wander around the shops, trying on a few things and generally just enjoying the freedom of not having to be anywhere.

I had checked in with Mark and the girls, who were all fine. The girls were a bit tired after their vaccinations; Woo was probably hardest hit and was feeling achy. But they were both happily laid out on the sofa watching films and recuperating. I caught a train in the early afternoon and went home to join them.

On Sunday, we all had a slow start which was nice. I did a bit more work on the mural, adding the blue flowers near the Snork Maiden, and the purple flowers, and pink flowers lower down.

The girls were both out in the afternoon, Bunnykins to a friend's party, and Woo meeting up with her bestie in the Bristol Museum then going back to her house. 

Mark cooked a really nice dhal dish for us, then I went to get Woo. Bunnykins was dropped off just before we arrived back.