A photo every day for a year! 20th - 26th September! Week 39 of #Project365

Happy Sunday!! I hope you've all had a lovely week and are enjoying your weekend. We have had a nice quiet one. Housework, the F1 race and Strictly Come Dancing yesterday and today we don't have any plans at all.

It's crazy to think this time next week we will be halfway through the first week in October. I don't know if it's just me but this year has flown over. Sometimes I wish time would just slow down a little, it will be Christmas before we know it and I am not ready for that. Hopefully I am going to start shopping for Christmas presents next week. I have quite a few ideas what to buy people so it should be easy!

Now for a photo every day!

263/365 20th September

I started watching Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story on Netflix this week and I finished it too. I still don't know if I loved or hated it. It was an interesting story but a bit too gory for my liking. I carried on watching because I wanted to know what happened.

264/365 21st September

Curlywurly's take me right back to my childhood! My grandad used to buy me one whenever we he went to the shop for his newspaper on a Sunday. They have of course shrunk in size now but they still taste almost the same which is the important bit.

265/365 22nd September

The Great British Bake Off was back on TV on Tuesday and it always makes it feel like proper Autumn. Nigella Lawson is one of the new judges and isn't she a stunner! I couldn't believe she is 66 years old. She looks fantastic!

266/365 23rd September

Stu brought home treats from work from Samsung! In this was a little bag of hot chocolate and another of marshmallows. I love little treats like this, especially when I wasn't expecting it.

267/365 24th September

This looks like a strange photo but it's the only one I took that day. I put my hairdressing skills to use, it turns out I must have some because this person trusted me to cut her hair. I cut about 8 inches off and it is straighter in real life than it looks in the photo! This was just a photo to show the person how much had been cut off.

268/365 25th September

On Wednesday in my Hodgepodge post, I mentioned conker shells and conkers and it turns out some people didn't know what I was talking about. I probably should have used their proper name, horse chestnuts! Ellie and I went hunting for some just so I could take a photo and share!

269/365 26th September

My dad was busy working on his new baby, otherwise known as the car that was last on the road in 1979! I don't know enough about cars to explain exactly what he was doing this time but I do know it involved the engine and it was causing him plenty of problems. He enjoys figuring how to fix things like this and it keeps him busy so it's a good thing.

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This week my Word of the Week is: Chaotic!! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is: 

This past week has been chaotic but in the best way. There seems to have been something going on every day and even when we thought we'd made plans, those plans seemed to change within minutes.

Last Saturday was going to be a quiet night out at the pub at a country night but a few people turned up who I wasn't expecting and suddenly the night became much more fun than I thought it was going to be. Becky and I were getting the bus home just after 10pm when we decided that maybe we weren't quite ready for the night to finish, so we went into town. I rang Stu and asked if he or Ellie wanted to come. Stu said no but Ellie was up for it. She had to get herself ready and get down to the bus stop quickly. I gave her about half an hour to do what would normally take an hour! She got ready and ran to the bus stop and somehow made it with a minute to spare. Phew! I was impressed, I would probably have still been deciding what to wear when she was getting the bus. lol We headed into town and had a fantastic time. I always say the best nights out are the unplanned ones. We eventually got a taxi home and I was ready for bed by the time we got in.

Ellie's whole week has been mad! She started work, which is obviously a big thing but she still had a couple of appointments to go to during the week. Trying to fit everything around work and buses hasn't been easy and there have been a few changes along the way. One appointment was moved and then it was moved back to the original time. The problem was that this only happened after Ellie had already got the bus into town. She had a couple of hours to kill but wasn't too bothered as she got to see her "friend". Mid-week she had another appointment and then just a few hours later she had to be at work. There was no point in her coming all the way home, only to have about an hour before she needed to leave again, so she stayed in town, met up with friends and had lunch out and a look around the shops. I'm really pleased she's started work though even if I have spent most of my week tracking buses. It's been hard work getting to this point, so seeing her actually getting into a routine and having somewhere to go has been lovely.

Becky has been busy at work this week too. They had a big inspection which happens every year so everyone has been preparing for it and making sure everything was up to par. It's one of those times when everyone is on their best behaviour and making sure everything is done properly. There has been lots of checking, double-checking and making sure everything is where it should be. Thankfully it's all over now, so hopefully everyone can relax a little bit and get back to normal.

Last night I was supposed to be out at Bongo's Bingo event but I just couldn't be bothered after this week. It seemed like too much for my head to take! Bongo's Bingo isn't your usual bingo! The numbers are called out but in between games there are DJs, dancing, singalongs, cheesy music, competitions and ridiculous prizes. Normally I think it would be a lot of fun but after the week I've had, I just didn't have it in me.

I am loving watching Big Brother this year. It has been much more entertaining than previous years, there always seems to be something happening and there are definitely a few housemates who have made it interesting. Then there is Jedward, the celebrity guests who have brought the chaos. If you don't know who they are they are John and Edward, Irish twins who became famous by being a bit of a novelty act on The X Factor back in 2009. They are so annoying but I still love them! They caused a big argument and basically split the house but it sure did make good TV.

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good one! I am of course linking up with Anne who blogs at Raisie Bay to join in with her Word of the Week linky!

What I have loved this week! Week 39. #FridayFavourites

Happy Friday! I hope you've all had a good week. We have had a really great week with lots going on. I have a few things that have made me smile this week and, of course, I am linking up with Erika and Andrea to share what I have loved this week!

Dolly Parton Day!

Today 9/25 is the day to honour the life and legacy of Dolly Parton and I couldn't not mention her on my Friday Favourites. You don't even have to be a big country music fan to know the words to songs like 9 to 5 or I will always love you but I think what made Dolly so special is everything she did outside of music! Her Imagination Library of course and helping people when they really needed it. Dolly may no longer be here, but her music, books, films, kindness and all the things she created are going nowhere. That's quite a legacy!

The Great British Bake Off!

It's back on TV and I do love it. The new series started here on Tuesday. Don't worry I won't be giving spoilers away apart from the first episode was very chaotic but Nigella Lawson has settled right in. She is so fancy though, especially when you hear her next to Alison Hammond.

A good start at work!

My youngest started work this week and she has got on great. It's been really lovely her coming home and telling us about her day, what she's been doing and the people she's met. The highlight of her week was getting a name badge which I had to give her a talking to about. She must remember to take it off when she comes out of work. I don't want any stranger knowing her name. She has made some new friends and thinks it's fantastic being treated like a real adult.

A country night!

I was out on Saturday night with friends at a local pub who had a country singer on. It was fantastic but so strange. Usually when singers are on at the pub most people are quite reserved and don't get up and dance until at least the second half of the performance but 2 songs in and we were up dancing and didn't really stop until the last song. It was such fun! In case you were wondering, it was Billy Ray Cyrus' Achy Breaky Heart which got us all up! lol

Samsung Galaxy AI Hot Chocolate!

Remember last week when Stu was given some Google Pixel socks from the reps who came to show off their new phones at his work, well this time it was Samsung's turn and they brought hot chocolate, reusable bags and water bottles for everyone. I claimed the hot chocolate and mini marshmallows. hehehe

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story!

I finished watching Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story on Netflix yesterday and I can't decide how I felt about it. The acting was good, the story was interesting and it kept me watching but it is definitely not a show for the easily offended! I went into it knowing it was about Lizzie Borden and the murders so I was expecting some dark stuff. What I wasn't ready for was how rude and sweary it was. That song in I think the 2nd episode. Wow, it's not very often you hear the "C" word on TV and I don't think I've ever heard it in a song. Eek!

What have you loved this week?

The worst British snacks!

Late last year I wrote a blog post about my go-to snacks. You know the comforting ones you grab when you're peckish, bored, avoiding your responsibilities. Those snacks were the good ones but this post is dedicated to the British snacks that make you pause, squint and just wonder why they are even in existence.

Pickled Eggs!

Pickled eggs have been around forever. They're hard-boiled eggs that have been dunked in vinegar and left to marinate until they become pickled. You find them in old school pubs or behind chip shop counters but to me, they look like something from a science lab. Some people love them with a pint. They're rubbery, tangy and smell like they could strip paint!

Battered Mars bars!

Scotland's contribution to the dessert world! On paper, it sounds like a fun idea. A chocolate bar which is battered and deep fried but when you actually bite into one you realise the whole thing is an experience you weren't prepared for. The outside is hot and crispy and the chocolate inside is molten. The batter becomes strangely soggy, like it's confused about what it's meant to be and before you know it, you're drinking warm chocolate through the batter. The only time this snack makes sense is when you're drunk, freezing cold and standing outside a chippy at midnight.

Beef Jerky!

Beef jerky can be good in America but here is a gamble. Half the time it's so tough you feel like you're giving your jaw a workout. The other half is flavoured with something suspiciously labelled smoky BBQ that tastes like it was invented by someone who has never actually eaten BBQ. It's salty, chewy and it sticks in your teeth like it's trying to live there rent free!

Cheese Strings!

Cheese Strings is a childhood snack that tricks you into believing you're eating cheese. They're marketed as fun because you can pull them apart into strings, which is the most exciting part of the whole experience. They taste slightly cheesy, like rubber and bouncy enough to question what percentage is actually dairy. Kids love them but for grown adults, you're basically eating a cheese flavoured candle.

Marmite on toast!

This is the snack that divides the nation. People either love it, hate it and feel strongly about it. For those of us who are firmly on the absolutely not side, Marmite is a snack that can ruin your whole day with just one smear. It's salty, intense and tastes like misery. The smell alone can clear a room faster than a fire alarm!

Mini pots of trifle!

Trifle is lovely. Proper trifles but mini supermarket trifles are not good. The cream tastes like thick nothing, the jelly always feels warm, even when it's been in the fridge and the sponge is somehow both soggy and dry at the same time, which shouldn't be possible. Every layer feels like it belongs to a different dessert.

Cup a Soup (especially Tomato)!

I love a comforting soup but Cup a Soup is something else. The tomato flavour tastes like someone tried to liquefy ketchup and accidentally added dust. It's got that weird powdery aftertaste and it never mixes properly! You always end up with little clumps floating around. If you want soup, make soup.

Pork Scratchings!

A pub classic but also a dental hazard. When they're good, they’re crunchy, salty and satisfying. When they're not good, they’re rock hard, painfully salty and sharp enough to cause an injury. Some even have hair on them. Eww!

Rice Cakes (Especially Plain Ones!)

Rice cakes are one of those snacks people pretend to enjoy when they're being healthy but they taste like air. Flavoured ones are fine, but the plain ones just make me sad. You might as well chew on cardboard. At least cardboard has texture.

Twiglets!

I'm sorry if you love them, I really am but Twiglets taste like burnt Marmite on a stick. They're crunchy but they also taste like they were designed to test if you really are a snack lover. Marmite is already controversial enough, we didn't need a crunchy version trying to ruin our days too!

If you love any of these, no judgement, you're braver than me. I am sure some of these snacks were invented as a dare. Now I'm curious, what's the worst snack you've ever tried?