Grace in Small Things: 30 of 365

1. Sat on the sofa doing nothing and reading the paper with Mozz



2. Making cake - a new cookbook, first recipie... we'll see tomorrow how it tastes. Odd ingreedients including a butternust squash. I'm sceptical, but think it might be genius!



3. Leaving Tescos. I love the Ocado man even more having been to tesco on a Saturday. Ergh.



4. Ah, Eurovision. So much nonsensical pop. And that brilliant bit at the end with all the flash mobs from different countires...Ahhhh! Genius!



5. My Facebook friends reaction to my finally changing my name over to my married one. Everyone loves it. Which is nice!

Grace in Small Things: 29 of 365

To follow - it's on a list upstairs!

This list was written somewhat under the influence of alcohol on a bit of paper next to my bed – so I will give you it in it’s full, brief glory!

1. Lovely Andy in his Lovely bar with his Lovely Cocktails
   
2. Lovely food in that Lovely new Thai place
   
3. Lovely, Lovely time with Mozz
   
4. Party rings
   
5. Being able to talk properly about important stuff.
   

To elaborate slightly – we went out to our favourite bar for cocktails, followed by Thai for dinner to celebrate Dave’s last day at his job. We managed to talk to each other properly about stuff that we never manage to do when we’re at home, doing practical stuff – bigger picture things. And my meeting in the afternoon mostly contained party ring biscuits – a blast from the past that I’m very, very pleased to see whenever I do!

Grace in Small Things: 28 of 365

1. Eating cake that tasted of foam sweetie bananas in the sunshine with two lovely ladies.



2. Making friends with the garden centre cat



3. Mozz cooking tea - I had had ENOUGH of cooking for this week!



4. Knowing that I am safe, and secure, and loved with Dave



5. Making love to my gorgeous husband. TMI? Spectacularly good though this evening!
6. 
   
   

Grace in Small Things: 27 of 365

1. Making someone on the other side of the world feel a whole lot better



2. Stopping for long enough to sit and read part of the cake book I was given for my birthday in March, whilst dreaming and drooling



3. Talking to my Dad on the phone. I love him :o)



4. Mozz making my box of salad for the next two days for me so I could do something else and we could get to bed because I was so tired



5. My skin clearing up a little bit. Now I look like a late teenager, rather than being in the midst of some acne producing farm!
6. 
   
   

Grace in Small Things: 26 of 365

1. Shiny sparkly sequins on my shoes



2. Crossing things off my list at work



3. Seeing Mozz happy with his new game, and watching his horses run strangely realistically



4. Walking home with Mozz who walked up the hill to meet me



5. Getting a decent conversation in with people at work about helping us. An actual possibility. Fingers crossed...

Grace in Small Things: 25 of 365

1. Walking home in the warmth, not wincing at every step. Hardly any of the steps, actually, which was brilliant.
   
2. Lovely thick, gloopy udon Noodles
   
3. Sorting out my MCP affiliation and moving it over from my old company to Dave’s new one. It makes little difference to his status, but pleases me that the giant that ate my old company does not own my soul any more. It is also quite a feat to accomplish, so that was satisfying too!
   
4. The feeling of clean fresh bed sheets.
   
5. The smell of Wysteria which has suddenly blossomed through the railings of the house 5 up from us. They open their garden each year for the NGS and whenever I walk by their garden always smells so… delicious.
   

Grace in Small Things: 24 of 365

1. Another (!!) sunny day! Warmth on my skin, not sitting shivering.



2. Making daisy chains on the grass outside a 12th Century priory.



3. Driving down little country lanes, with green canopies of newly unfurled leaves, the top down and the breeze in my hair...



4. I *LIVE* here!!!! All these feilds and trees and hills and, well, countryside. I live in the prettiest place ever :)



5. Ice cream making another entry - this time rasberry merangue flavour. Who knew that even existed? It was lovely though :)

Grace in Small Things: 23 of 365

1. Sitting in the sunshine, feeling warm, with Dave outside the cathedral. Warm and chilled and happy - I can't remember the last time I felt warm outside, with only one layer on. It's properly tropical here today!



2. Strawberries. Fresh, English ones. Yum.



3. Feeling well enough, finally, to spend the 45 minutes it took to scrub my kitchen floor clean. So glad it is now though, it's been driving me nuts.



4. Feeling better than I have in ages. Hopefully it will linger a bit...



5. Having a lovely, long lie in, and catching up on some of my sleep.

I'm feeling prety chipper today. And pretty healthy. Top day :)

Grace in Small Things: 22 of 365

1. OH MY GOODNESS ACTUAL SUNSHINE!!!!!!!!
   
   
2. Having a little gossip and working with lovely Liz and being told that I'm lovley. And clever. And talented. Ah, an ego boost in a pretty face!
   
   
3. Finishing off the big report, and the numbers kind of working...
   
   
4. Falafel. I like making them, and eating them. Something soothing about them.
   
   
5. Finally fessing up to my online WW ladies about my health... though we'll see if that remains as a positive thing. We'll see. I feel better about getting it out though...
   
   

Grace in Small Things: 21 of 365

1. Watching WALEE curled up on the sofa with Mozz, eating Ben and Jerries. What a lovely film.
   
   
2. Eating Ben and Jerries. Phish Food, to be precise.
   
   
3. The sudden emergence of warmth. I didn't wear three jumpers, all day!
   
   
4. Seeing Sue and the Lovely lady at WW tonight, and them being caring and a bit worried about my health. I forget sometimes.
   
   
5. Mozz coming back to pick me up, from work, and later, taking me to WW and back home...
   
   
   

Grace in Small Things: 20 of 365

1. The Ocado lady bringing my goceries. I love Ocado - it is the best service in the world! And I particularly like the Ocado lady I've seen a couple of times now rather than the Ocado men - mostly because she smells so lovely. No idea what her perfume is, but it's gorgeous!
   
   
2. A lovely email from my colleague Liz after a bit of news I didn't want to hear! She even sent em a virtual hug - so nice to think that she cares :)
   
   
3. THe sense of accomplishment when I fixed my own problem in SQL without having to resort to getting Mozz to help me. It happens rarely at the moment!
   
   
4. The anticipation and excitement as the doorbell rang and the postie delivered my parcel - I felt like a child at christmas and got that excited feeling in my stomach! Peeling the tape slowly and the anticipation building... Mmmmm!
   
   
5. Opening the box to see my new friend (who I mentioned before) with his paws over his eyes. He is gorgeous, with an incredibly soft body (feels almost like Esme!) and a little expressive face - he is truely as lovely as I remembered, and I'm really glad that I went to the trouble to get him. He's made me smile every time that I've seen him since he arrived - I will have to attempt to take a photo to share him here!
   

Grace in Small Things: 19 of 365

1. Being snuggled up in bed, under the covers, and being joined by Esme, who curled up with her head near mine under the covers too
   
   
2. The sheer releif of putting the phone down after calling in sick today
   
   
3. Hearing my mum's voice on the phone
   
   
4. The Twinkle in Mozz's eye when he's up to mischeif
   
   
5. Knowing that we're helping to make someone feel a littl better by building their confidence just a little bit. Here's hoping that it helps and works.
   
   
   

Grace in Small Things: 18 of 365

1. First day in ages - in points. There is still an hour to go, but looking ok!
   
   
2. Warmth on my skin from the sun today - and I didn't need a second jumper in the office all day!
   
   
3. Crossing a particularly irksome "to do" off my list at work
   
   You know what - I'm so tired. I'm going to try and think of my last two in bed, and come back to this tomorrow!
   
   .... I finished off my list in bed!
   
   
   
4. The snuggly warm fluffy feeling of Mozz's head the night before he shaves it. So soft and warm and lovely.
   
   
5. That I'm a redhead, and therefore scientifically feel less pain. I'd hate to have this if I felt lots of it. And that opiate based painikillers worked less well, if I were a brunette. I'm grateful they work extra well.
   
   

Grace in Small Things: 17 of 365

1. Seeing huge bubbles waft by our windows, and the excited squealy noises coming from the boys next door/downstairs making them
   
   
2. I feel a bit bad about this one, but the silence that descends when Dave and the kids leave to go back to their mum. It's so peaceful, and I appreciate my own space every time it happens.
   
   
3. The absolutely gorgeous shoulder of lamb we had for Sunday roast today - so tender, succulent and lovely!
   
   
4. The excitement paying for my little treat over the phone - when we were in York last weekend, we went into a bear shop, and I fell in love with one. I tried to stop thikning about him, but have totally and utterly failed. In the end, I emailed the shop, describing him and they managed to work out which it was and I've paid over the phone so it will be with me in the week some time - I'm so excited and pleased! I know it's daft as a grown woman to fall in love with a bear, but... it's me, I suppose, and just how I've always been!
   
   
5. The delicious smell of fresh washing straight out of the washing machine. I think the brand of fabric conditioner we're currently using must be particularly lovely or something, as each time I smell it it puts this huge grin on my face!
   
   

Grace in Small Things: 16 of 365

To Follow - bit of paper upstairs!

1. Playing with the big bubble making wands that mum had bought to entertain Oli and Lottie - I think me and my sister had the most fun with Lottie coming a close third!
   
   
2. Seeing mum so happy and cheerful
   
   
3. Cake! I do like cake, and this one was a really nice carrot one. With little white chocolate carrots on the top!
   
   
4. Looking through Nana's jewelery - and coming away with a few of Nana's broaches that are pretty, sparkly, and so so her. It's nice to have something to remind me of her, and think of her in a happy way.
   
   
5. Being given grandad's mum's beautiful gold and seed pearl necklace. It's the most beautiful, dainty edwardian/victorian thing. Everything about it screwms valuable and beautiful and "imagine the things I've seen". It's overwhelmingly lovely, and I'm incredibly amazed to have it!
   
   

Grace in Small Things: 15 of 365

Finally I'm all up to date with myself. I'm quite impressed that I've kept at this so far - 2 weeks down, 50 to go! It looked from here I know for a while there like I'd given up the ghost, but not yet!

1. Lovely message from Dean on facebook, checking up on me as he said it sounded like we were having a bit of a go of things, and just saying that he and Chris were always there for us - what a lovely, lovely man.
   
2. My tea, of roasted butternut squash, roquefort and peacans. Mmmmmm one of my favourites!
   
3. Phonecalls with both my mum and my sister :o)
   
4. Gareth making me a coffee first thing in the morning without asking if I'd like one, and then putting my milk away as well!
   
5. This is a tentative one, but we did Dave's tax return, and we appear to be owed a whopping amount of money from the tax man, which will make an awful lot of things easier if it's true!
   

Grace in Small Things: 14 of 365

A bumper 6 things today to make up for the other days shortfall!

1. I stayed in my points for WW today - hurrah!
   
2. Speaking to Kev on MSN - it's lovely to know that he still likes me after all this time and wants to keep in touch. He cares what I'm up to and how I am - and that's so nice to feel sometimes.
   
3. Berties little cat lips rubbing on my phone as I'm trying to text...
   
4. Esme's settling down as she curls up and lays, purring, on my lap
   
5. Waking up, with my Mozz, in my own bed. Delicious, and not to be underrated!
   
6. A lovely chatty phonecall with my mum :)
   

Grace in Small Things: 13 of 365

1. Finally coming home, and seeing my Bertieface and Esmecat - I get a better greeting from them when I come home than from anyone else - I think it's because I feed them!
   
2. Mozz picking me up at the station, and the smile as our eyes meet having been apart a day
   
3. Gary from some Scottish Uni and the man from Cranford saving me a seat (in the naugty corner!)
   
4. Sunshine whist sat on the bench waiting for the taxi
   
5. A rainbow over the M4 whilst I was on the train home - a little beam of it's alright waving at me!
   

Grace in Small Things: 12 of 365

To Follow!

1. Ben and Jerries. In this particular case, a tub of cookie dough flavour, but just, in general!
   
2. Lovely breakfast in our B&B with the sun peeping through the windows of the pub onto our table. Being able to look at my Mozz the whole time - we don't eat breakfast together enough!
   
3. Hearing that my sisters court case against her had finally been thrown out because it was ridiculous, and someone had finally read the notes!
   
4. Dave being all practical and sexy DIY in his mum's kitchen
   
5. Sleeping in a comfortable bed!
   

Grace in Small Things: 11 of 365

I'm a bit short today, which is rubbish - I must have miscounted when I did my paper list!

1. Seeing all the people in the restaurant smiling - people do it less down here and it's so nice to see!
   
2. Curling up in bed and having an early night in our B&B - rock n roll!
   
3. Sitting on a bench in the sunshine in the grounds of York Minster, watching a tiny dog go by
   
4. Watching Mozz devour his cream tea with such joy in the national trust tea room :)
   

Grace in Small Things: 10 of 365

Today we drove up to Malton in Yorkshire. I say "we" but I slept most the way - we left at 6am and arrived about 11. Made brilliant time. And then we went to my cousin's wedding, which was lovely, but very different from ours!

1. That our wedding was so very us, and not very traditional. I thought that I had wanted a church wedding, but having been to one today, I see that I didn't at all - our ceremony was written pretty much by us and it was lovely, because we made promises to each other, not to God. Which would have been a bit daft considering that Dave is not keen, and though it's nice to promise God that you love each other, I'd rather Dave promised me. God knows, and if he cares, he's looking at me whether I'm in a hotel, a country house, a registry office or a church.
   
2. That I'm so very in love with my Mozz (It's a day of love!)
   
3. That people kept whispering "this is lovely, but I liked yours better" which made me feel proud that we'd done it our way rather than following a template!
   
4. That Dave loves me enough to do all that driving on his own, whilst he lets me sleep because I'm tired.
   
5. That Amity and John are so happy!
   

Grace in Small Things: 9 of 365

1. I'm all packed up for the weekend - this is particularly pleasing because I hate packing, and the thought of it has been filling me with dread for - quite possibly - weeks. So nothing left to dread, hurrah!
   
2. The smell of honeysuckle in flower over a wall on my way home
   
3. I'm hugely grateful for Mozz saving my arse when I screwed up a bit of SQL on a live database - my stomach hit the floor and he managed to undo what I'd done - the man is a genius!
   
4. Our lovely lunch of cake and tea with Liz at Hilliers
   
5. Snuggling up with Esme on first the dining room chair, and then the sofa with her all settled with paws up my front. Cat cuddles. Mmmm :o)

Quick non listy update...

Normal service will be resumed when I, my little notebook, and my laptop are all united in the same place!

It's been interesting doing this for a fortnight now. Sometimes I almost forget, but most nights I setle down with my notebook just before brushing my hair in bed if i've not managed to do it during the day.

I do feel quite cheery today. We had some awesome news today, which I think might of made top of all the lists so far - cautiously. I want to see proof of it first... I think today is 15/365, but I'll hopefully catch up tomorrow!

Grace in Small Things: 8 of 365

Election day! I woke this morning with a sense of optimism that we were standing on the brink of history. Watching the first results in now, I'm a little alarmed by the exit poll figures. I guess we won't know till tomorrow morning though!

1. Feeling optimistic and excited about todays election - for the first time since I've been able to vote, the outcome is not certain. I felt like we might get something better...
   
2. I'm incredibly thankful that I can vote. Both as an individual in a country, and also as a woman - I was bought up learning about the suffragist movement, and am proud and excited to cast my vote - every single time!
   
3. I've finally got my outfit almost sorted for my cousins wedding at the weekend. The releif is massive and quite palpable. Just bits of accessorising to do now!
   
4. The lovely lady in my WW class who made me feel so much better about things, and
   gave me some very good advice!
   
5. Dave is looking so much less grey, and so much happier. It's so nice to see, and I feel like I'm getting my husband back. :o)

Grace in Small Things: 7 of 365

Another day where this is tricky. I’ve not really moved or done much else but work today, which is, I suppose, in itself a blessing under the circumstances, but it makes this harder to list along with the glums that are besetting me again. I’ve been very grateful for this already over the last few days, it’s making me less inclined to wallow!

1. Bertie is just the cutest thing ever when he washes himself – his big long pink tongue running along the side of his paw and then round the back of his ear with his eyes screwed up tight – just the cutest thing in the world. Never fails to make me smile.
   
2. I am grateful for the fact that I can work at home on Wednesdays. Not going in has made a world of difference to me today, and I feel in less pain today – no tablets so far, quite the achievement at the moment!
   
3. There is a lovely smell that I keep catching in our house, and I don’t quite know what it is. It’s flowery, and sweet, and pretty and I’ve no idea where it is coming from but it’s very nice.
   
4. Dave is coming home a bit early today, so all four of us will have tea together for the first time in ages. I’m looking forward to that.
   
5. I had two very lovely, caring comments on the WW forum I post in today, both of which made me smile at how lucky I am to have found friendship in some slightly odd places!

Grace in Small Things: 6 of 365

Today is the sort of day where this is going to come in handy, I feel. I am not having a great day, and I am prickly with not-quite-insults, stupidity of work situations and health stuff. I shall now attempt to think positive for a bit to try and turn my head around.

1. There is a front garden that I walk past, and its border is filled with bluebells and tulips and the beginnings of rosemary (or lavender? Some lovely smelling green thing) is just beginning to start coming through. It’s the most lovely smiley burst of sunshine of a border.
   
2. Tomorrow, I do not need to go into the office, and I can sit out the silly emails and move things from one box to another in my pyjamas. In bed. I bloody love Wednesdays.
   
3. I had the foresight this morning to wear thermal long johns under my trousers, and I have been enjoying their snugly warmth all day.
   
4. Dave resigned. Thank goodness that’s over with. Now we just need to sort out details and firm up a contract... I know it will be fine but Dave is fretting. A lot. But the really scary awful bit is over and done with!

Argh, this is hard today. Harder than it should be.

1. Dave is on his way home, in daylight, and will arrive in daylight. When he arrives, I’ll get the hug that I’ve been longing for all day, and I’m looking forward to that more than I can say!

Grace in Small Things: 5 of 365

So, here I am, up to date. I’m quite pleased and surprised with my performance so far, but it’s early days!

1. I’m looking forward to my bath in a moment – it will be all warm and relaxing, then into my jamas and bed, I think!
   
2. Fry’s Turkish delight. I had a sneaky bar and it was delicious – it always reminds me of my childhood. Sucking the chocolate off the outside before eating the soft, sweet Turkish delight inside. Yum.
   
3. The smell of the kitchen whilst cooking lunch – I made a cranberry glazed gammon and it smelled of cloves, cranberries and bitter sweetness - somehow just like church when I used to sing in the choir.
   
4. Another Bertie moment – playing with him and curling up on the floor with him, him reaching out his paw to check if I’m still alive as I’ve stopped moving. I’m sure he knows when I’m feeling in desperate need of a bit of loving and calming!
   
5. Catching up here, and the satisfaction of five days done.

Grace in Small Things: 4 of 365

I’ve had a couple of not being webby days, but I did write down my 5 things on a bit of paper. So here they are, retrospectively!

1. Finding that the closed down cheap shop has been replaces by a poundland – more bargains! Hurrah!
   
2. Seeing the look of pure joy on Lottie’s face at discovering what poundland is actually about, particularly the 300 waterbombs for £1...
   
3. Coming home and seeing the pretty much finished wardrobe that Dave has built now with the strategic help from my dad – I’m so excited I’ve almost got somewhere to be able to store my bed linen that isn’t all scrunched up in drawers! I’ll be able to find things! Ooh!
   
4. The feeling of Dave’s head when he’s not shaved it in a little while, and it’s all soft and fuzzy and lovely, like a cross between a peach and a small furry thing, like a hamster!
   
5. Sitting still and having Bertie jump up on my lap, purring, only to fall asleep with him for about 20 minutes. Warm contented cat napping from both of us!

Grace in Small Things: 3 of 365

I’ve had a couple of not being webby days, but I did write down my 5 things on a bit of paper. So here they are, retrospectively!

1. Mum and Dad – they are just so generous, not only with their time and money, but love. They came over today and helped us out in a huge way by doing littlethings that I can’t manage which brings us to number two:
   
2. Clean carpet. I never thought I would feel so pleased to have a bit of carpet cat hair and wool bobble free. Mum put the hoover over for me and I can’t say how much more relaxed it has made me – silly, I know!
   
3. Lottie decorated some gingerbread men biscuits with smarties and jelly tot sweets, and some icing. Mine had these HUGE sticky out googly eyes and were utterly brilliant!
   
4. Sitting still, quietly with my magazine. It’s nice to have some peace for five minutes.
   
5. Catching sight of the scar on Dave’s shin that he’s got from rubbing on the saddle without adjusting his chaps on honeymoon. It made me think of the lovely time we had and how lucky I am to have him. Insert large daft cheesey grin here!