I decided this year to make a white chocolate Christmas cake instead of a traditional fruit one, that I’ve made in previous years.
I’m glad that I did as it turned out very well, with a fruit compote filling and icing that included cream and ground almonds – deliciousš. I had some for my breakfast this morning, as I did on Christmas Day.
Lydia enjoyed her usual breakfast ball after our walk and I did a bit of tidying up in the lounge before heading out to visit a friend who now lives in a care home.
I had a bit of a chat with my friend and a couple of the other residents who were in the lounge with her, staying for about an hour before heading for home.
Our lounge is now looking a lot clearer, with Trev having done a tip run the other day and I had a good run round with the vacuum cleaner.
As I write, Lydia is crunching her way through a raw lamb rib – quite a chunky one – and I can relax as Trev’s cooking the tea tonight.
Although I’m still a bit tired, I feel that I’ve had quite a constructive day, which has included some meditation and also some chanting of prayers. The prayers do, I think, help a lot, and I find them very beautiful.
It was damp this morning, but mild and bright, when Lydia and I set off to the dog field that Iād booked for us; not too early.
We hadnāt been to this particular dog field for a while, as I know Lydia likes to race cars that pass on the other side of the fence of another dog park that I take her to, and it gives her a good workout. Itās good to have a change though, and she was wearing her happy legs as she sniffed and mooched about the field that we went to today.
Once home, with Lydia nudging her breakfast ball around the lounge, I reheated chips from last nightās fish supper for my own breakfast, giving them just short of 2 minutes at full power in the microwave. They were sizzling and tasty, topped off with a light sprinkling of salt and vinegar and a splash of salad cream. A strong cup of tea completed my morning meal and I then went back to bed to rest for a while, to ensure that Iāll have enough energy reserves for more painting that Iām planning on doing tomorrow.
Suitably rested, I went out and bought in some groceries. Somehow, as I was carrying the bags into the house, I dropped a container of milk, which split, spilling milk all over the floor. So, I set to, soaking it up with towels and mopping the floor before putting the shopping away. I managed to get some of the milk in a jug before it was all lost so, hey, no point in crying over spilt milk!
I decided to enter a poetry competition ā who knows, I might just win ā and chose three that have not previously been published by me or anywhere else.
As itās Halloween, at Trevās suggestion I bought some sweets as treats to give out in case we get any ātrick or treatā callers tonight. We havenāt had them here on previous years but you never know, so I have put them in a jar by the door, ready, just in case.
Iām doing an easy tea tonight: prepared spinach and ricotta tortellini with a simple tomato sauce that Iām making myself. Iāve chopped up and fried an onion till soft, added some chopped garlic and a tin of chopped tomatoes, plus a vegetable stock cube ā chopped into small pieces ā a splash each of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce, a good squirt of tomato puree and a small sprinkling of brown sugar, to just take the edge off the tartness of the tomatoes. Itās bubbling away now and Iāll finish it by using a hand-held blender to make it smooth. I think it should be tasty and nutritious along with the pasta.
Having unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher and set the towels that I used to soak up the milk on a wash, I feel fairly up to date with what I need to do today so I think another rest is in order.
Lydia is lying by the back door. Iāll see if she wants to go outside for a while before I go upstairs.
I headed up for an early night last night, taking with me a glass of milk. After drinking some of the milk I set the glass to one side, on my bedside cabinet and settled down.
It wasnāt long before I heard a slurping sound close to my head. It was the noise that Lydia makes when sheās drinking water out of one of her bowls, but I know her bedroom bowl is close to the foot of the bed and not near my head. She was drinking my milk!
It represented quite a feat, as she stretched her, albeit long, tongue into the glass.Ā After an initial pretend curse ā ācheeky mareā or something to that effect ā I picked up the glass and angled it so that it was easier for her to reach the contents. She slurped away, had a break, and then came back for the rest. She so enjoyed that milk.
A bit later on, I went down and got myself another glass of milk, had a couple of paracetamols and a buttered bread roll and settled myself down again, this time falling asleep and not waking until around 5.30am when a wet nose, attached to a soft muzzle, nuzzled me.
I knew, or was fairly certain, that she didnāt need a wee (or āpeepieā as we call it) because sheād been out for one earlier and she can go for hours and hours without needing another. Going downstairs I opened the back door and, as I thought, she settled down inside the house. She just wanted to pick up on the early morning air. So, I propped the door open, went back to bed and about half an hour or so later went back downstairs. Again, as I thought, she was by now curled up in her chair so I closed the back door to keep the heat it. It was a cold morning.
I didnāt get back to sleep but felt reasonably rested after the hours that Iād had. Later we went for our woodland walk.
I fancied going out for breakfast, having not had much to eat the day before, so sent a message to Trev and he agreed. After giving Lydia her breakfast ball, and later a dental stick, Trev and I went out and had a full English. It was a very good full English and set me up for the rest of the day.
The rest of the day has involved yoga, taking some Christmas decorations and a Christmas tree to a charity shop, doing some shopping, coming home, and starting to write this post.
Iāve kept some Christmas decorations that have sentimental value for me, and I have another small Christmas tree that I will use this year. Itās good to let go and move on.
Lydia is barking outside. It is a beautiful calm evening. I will make a stir fry for mine and Trevās tea later but for now, can just enjoy a sense of peace, having done all I can, for today at least.
The gears in my car are still not fixed so Iām taking it back to the garage again this afternoon.
I know it will get sorted, one way or another, sooner or later. I do hope it’s sooner though.
Some clarity of thought is coming through and I woke this morning with a lighter heart than Iāve had for a long time.
Even so, I revelled in being able to lie in bed until after 9am, before getting up, making tea for Trev and me, and then doing a short meditation before taking Lydia out for her walk.
Even just a five-minute meditation on a morning is making a real difference, combined with the group sessions that I take part in on a Wednesday evening and the additional occasional teachings at the centre. It’s a slow shift but a shift nonetheless. Yoga and Qigong also have strong meditative aspects to them, working at different levels.
Itās another warm September morning ā we are still so blessed with the weather. I know we are blessed whatever the weather but I have enjoyed the weather this summer, moving into autumn.
On the way back I stop off to post a birthday card for a friend ā the friend I mentioned in my post on volunteering a couple of days ago. https://gladabout.life/2025/09/06/day-12-volunteering/ She knows who she is!
While waiting in the queue at the post office I do a few exercises for my knees. They are so much better now than a few months ago and I’m not taking that for granted.
I then went on to buy a large unsliced loaf from the local bakery. Two big chunky slices with olive spread and blackcurrant jam make a delicious breakfast for me while Lydia enjoys her food from her feeding ball.
I think back to when I restricted my food intake to such an extent that I used to do an eight-hour evening shift as a waitress, full on, on my feet and rushing round all that time, before I would allow myself a slice of bread for breakfast the following morning.
Even though breakfast for me now is usually late ā today around 11.30am ā and I rarely have lunch, itās not because Iām limiting myself by willpower, itās just because I donāt want to do things any differently. I donāt want or need three meals a day plus snacks.
Iām not thin, but Iām not heavily overweight either. I have Lydia to thank for that, at least in part. Our regular walks every day give my system a much-needed boost.
Glad About 
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