Xmas tree

13 days to go

A spectroscope image of water changing state.
Jack frost patterns!

Finished ceramics

14 days to go...

... and today's science photo is the primary colours of light, taken at "we the curious".

Building the cosmos

Today Ray and I constructed the cosmos star map ready for star gazing tomorrow.
😂
She really put that degree in engineering to good use. It was a challenge!

Ray's Graduation

Crafty day

We had an awesome crafty day at Abi's!
We had planned to do xmas crafts, but i've been so crazy with work I hadn't had a chance to get any festive resources.
I decided to just take projects that needed finishing.

So, this should have made me super organized. But it did not.

Marley got us up at 5:20am (she hasn't quite got the hang of the clocks going back yet). We fed her, read the news in bed, got up at 8.

I still managed to be super late. Made worse by stopping at millets! (Xmas shopping! I'm almost done now!).

Abi and kirstie both made skirts. I felt silky because I could easily have done the same if i'd thought about it.
I fixed ray's coast skirt, as i'd promised to do that ages ago!
I finally finished my espadrilles and I changed the claw clasps on some broken necklaces.
So still productive!

16 days to go!

This morning's view of the sunrise over the football pitch as I arrived at work.
It's a view i'll miss!

The protest!

Telescopes

I have been enlisted to help with Yatton Keynell brownies and their star gazing badge.
The weather sucked so we will try again next week!
I downloaded an app (heavensabove) to help me to set the telescope, which is currently in the front room.
So much cool stuff we can't see for tge rain!!

Titration

17 days to go!!
We did our titration assessments yesterday. I had 5l of acid and 3l of alkali. We were not the first class to use the kit, and we don't have any huge containers, so all the liquids were provided in big conical flasks, some labelled. Some not.
The technicians assured me it was definitely all correct.
I had no reason to disbelieve them until 2 groups spent an hour trying to neutralize an alkali and another alkali.

I then tested the solutions. I could have just used a beaker, but I wanted to do one last titration.

The students laughed at me because I had to stand on tip toe to fill it.

Ceramics creations

I finally glazed all my pieces!
I didn't realize that I had made so much stuff!
The glazes are always a bit of a gamble because they change in the kiln.. we shall see how they look!

Westonbirt

Today we had a family day out! We went to westonbirt to see the colour change festival.
Last year we went on bonfire night weekend. It was insane and not many trees had changed yet.
This time I was braced for chaos but it was great! Way more colours, way fewer people but slightly more mud.
I'd go later in the season next year.

So, we walked around the woods.
Then we went to tetbury for scones. Afternoon tea and lindseys!
We also went to a craft fair- they had silver flatware made into jewellery. There was a bangle made from clawed sugar tongs.
I want it, but trying it on made me look like a self harmer.
They also had rings made from mustard spoons and cake forks! It was,awesome.

More shopping in tetbury.

Ray and I had another dim sum and ru paul evening.
😁

So, I guess we live in an 'up and coming' area...

I can't believe we slept through this! Practically outside our front door!

Marley & the marking

Marley don't approve of my working on a weekend!

New nails!

New badges!

I guess i'd better start sewing these on some time soon...

Date night!

Traff and I went on date night tonight! We both had tough days so we went to wagamamas.
It was really good.

We had a mooch around the outlet after and got pudding from patisserie Valerie.
We brought the cake home, Traff sniffed them all the way back.
So classy!

Xmas treeeee

The tree is up at the outlet centre! We should have our tree up now too, right?

Marley likes eggs

So, whenever Traff eats eggs Marley watches him very carefully from above. Today we looked it up and it turns out cats can eat eggs.
So we let her have a bit.
So cute!
She ate it upside down.

Tatty devine workshop

Rainbow sleepover

Brick lane street art

Thanks Marles

Black butler

I have it! On the day of UK release!
😁
But now I have to pace myself because the next one is out on Valentine's day.
(As is the next Natsume!)

Not long now!

Austentatious

On Friday, my mum, sister and I went to see austentatious.
They're and improv group. As you enter the theatre they ask you to write down a book title.
Then they randomly select a title from the audience and perform it. This time we saw 'lady griffin's lost treasure'. Last time, 'a trump in the park'.
All done in regency costume and dialogue.

It's really funny. They don't know what will happen next either so it can be a little bizarre. But it's certainly interesting!

The heat leach

Marley is not at all cuddly. She will sit on people she likes if they are under a blanket or have a cushion on their lap, or is she is exceptionally jealous because someone she thinks of as 'hers' smells of other cats.
Usually and expression of affection is very awkward and lasts a few seconds (after she's spent 5 minutes kneeding on her victim looking uncertain and anxious).
She'll usually have a sudden moment of clarity and run away.

Not a hugger.

Last night, it was cold and she didn't like the fireworks. I know she didn't like them because she sat on my lap for a full 30 minutes before someone set off a massive firework which sent her running under the sofa.

It's not love, it's heat leaching.

Lush spa, Bath

Last year, for Christmas my mum, aunt, sister and I paid for a lush spa treatment voucher for each other.
Ray and I had a tailor made each and my mum and aunt both opted for a spell.

We finally cashed our vouchers in yesterday.

I think the Bath Lush spa is the nicest one so far. I would definitely go back!

I've had a tailor made massage before and it is my favourite. But yesterday it was incredible!
My back is tender today, but so much more free!

After the massage Ray and I went to the chinese supermarket, the one in Bath is next to scribbler. It's amazing. I got so many cooking sauces and more tea.

Then we had lunch in Jamies. Lunch was awesome. I'm not a massive Jamies fan. I sort of feel like if i'm going to eat Italian food I should eat it at a good, independent, Italian restaurant rather than a chain. However, this was not my choice and putting my snobbisness aside it was a good meal and good service.

This is where the day became less relaxing. Long story short:

Ray lost half a tooth and I had an allergic reaction to something I ate (which is entirely my own fault, I didn't bother to ask about ingredients or separate menus at jamies because I was lazy and a bit embarrassed.)

The upshot of all this was a shortened day out in Bath and I missed the fireworks. 😢

New nails!

I did these myself!
So proud!

Pixie boots @make & cake!