Achieved

We have finalised the design for the kitchen. Its all high gloss black and white with a sparkly white work top, which will extend up the wall over the main worktop. The local company have worked for us before and will undertake all the work including taking the ceiling down to put up LED spotlights. 13 of them in the main kitchen. And we will seal off the kitchen and utility room so that its like a different property with its own entrance so no dirt gets into our house. We've hired a portaloo for the workers. We will be able to live as though nothing is happening. Well, no kitchen, sink or washing machine for up to four weeks!!

A little bit of analysis and writing has been done. This week its been all about the power balance between Cohen's characters. The narrator holds the power in only 3 songs. In the rest of them, he's dumped or abused by a woman or rendered powerless by the system.

The degree certificate arrived - its real and I got a Merit.

Less than three weeks to the cruise. Most Christmas shopping done but no cards written yet. And I've baked and frozen a flourless chocolate cake. We had visitors and ate half the Christmas ginger cake.

Another distractions week

This week has produced very little writing. We are deep in the design for the new kitchen and I am an expert on worktops and fridges. Not to mention taps and sinks. I have sent for a light meter because I don't trust anyone on lighting. Its very confusing and we like our rooms really bright!! That might be an older person's thing.

We moved my aunt into sheltered accommodation - all on one level, which will be much better for her. We were so exhausted at the end of the day that we felt as if we had moved ourselves (well, OK, not that bad).

Only a few weeks to go til the Amazon trip - will we meet the deadline for the kitchen order? We intend to buy malaria tablets on Monday and yellow fever vaccinations are booked for the following week. And Christmas needs to be organised before we go, including writing the cards. I have just baked a ginger cake, to go in the freezer and be used at Christmas.

We found out today that one of our neighbours, an otherwise healthy woman of similar age to us, had a stroke. You never know and you need to make the most of everything.

Received another good picture of Dinosaur's no-holds-barred approach to eating. A few days ago we Skyped him and he spent some of the time round the back of the screen looking for us.

I saw a greetings card in the shop which really annoyed me. It was a retirement card which suggested retirement was about getting up late, having long boozy lunches and snoozing the afternoon away. Well, its nothing like that here!! In fact, that lifestyle sounds like a recipe for early ill health. We still walk a bit and do Tai Chi most days, as well as racing round the house all day doing chores.

TSH is already emoting about Cruise 2016. Cruise 2015 is, of course, already booked.