MONO MONDAY - AROUND THE HOUSE

First of all, apologies for not commenting much yesterday - in fact, hardly at all, but thank you to everyone who left birthday messages for me - and also lots of stars and hearts - all of which were very much appreciated.

As you already know from yesterday’s Blip, we had a video call from our younger son in Thailand and in the afternoon, our older son and his wife and family popped in for an hour - after we had all tested negative in our LFTs.  We had a great time and there were some quite heated discussions about politics etc - something we haven’t done for so long - but it was wonderful to be able to have all the chat and banter that we have missed so much.  Of course, I pulled rank a couple of times, citing my birthday as the reason for doing it!  There weren’t many photographs taken, so I have made a collage that I’ve put in as an extra, to mark the occasion, as I even took a screen shot of Jules when we were on our video call.

Today is the start of the big clear up - I am looking carefully at the dates on the chocolate biscuits, boxes of chocolates and other goodies, so that I can put some of them away on a high shelf so that I won’t be tempted too much.  The over-indulging will be evident when all I can wear are “hufflebuffs” - which according to Susie Dent, of Countdown fame - is an old Scottish word for “the comfy and usually elasticated clothes we shuffle into at holiday time.”

We did have a clear up in Mr. HCB’s room upstairs and have put several items ready for the charity shop, so we have started and will continue in the next few weeks, as I’m sure many others will too.

When I got downstairs this morning, Mr. HCB had piled all the bags and gifts - and don’t forget it was two days’ worth, for Christmas and Birthday - in the middle of the lounge floor, so it was a Blip that dropped in my lap so to speak.  

You might be interested in the Cadbury Monkey - at the top right.  He came in a large hamper made by our lovely next door neighbour, Lynn, and had a card attached, which said, “Mrs. HCB - Happy Birthday!  May I join your Silly Saturday Crew, Love Maurice.”  Such is Lynn’s sense of humour that I should tell you is that the hamper consisted of some of the things I have borrowed from Lynn over the past year and these included, self-raising flour, icing sugar, ginger, a tin of corned beef, a jar of mincemeat and lemon juice, but there were also other things like Butterkist popcorn, plain chocolate Toblerone and other goodies too.     It certainly made us laugh and makes one more for the Gang!

Another good friend, Gill, gave me 5 separate numbered gifts to be opened in the right order - the first one, which made me laugh was a fridge magnet that said “I don’t do housework on days ending in ‘Y’.” The others were lovely and equally thoughtful gifts, which will bring delight all year long.

So here is my “Round the House” Mono Monday Blip - not so much that but “On the Carpet” - happy Monday to you all.

“If you’re not using the stuff 
     in your home, get rid of it. 
You’re not going to start using it more 
     by shoving it in a closet somewhere.”
Joshua Becker