It’s Friday again, and somehow, another week has flown by since my last blog post. Over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed my posts have dropped off slightly. Compared to when I was writing more regularly, I’ve not had as much to say lately, and I’ve always believed that writing should never feel forced. Some days, I’m brimming with thoughts and ideas, while other times, the words just don’t flow.

This past week has been fairly quiet, but a few moments have stood out. On Sunday, I decided to put up my Christmas tree, which is quite out of character for me. As I’ve mentioned before, decorating for Christmas isn’t something I usually prioritise, but this year, I wanted to make an effort. It felt nice to bring a bit of festive cheer into the house. That same afternoon, my dad and I went to the local pub for a quick drink. While it’s always nice to spend time together, sitting outside in the winter is a bit less enjoyable. Needless to say, we didn’t stay long!

Tuesday brought a brief flutter of snow, though it didn’t stick around. Still, it was a reminder that winter is well and truly here. The temperatures have plummeted here in the UK, often dipping into the minus figures overnight. It’s definitely time for layers, warm drinks, and evenings spent indoors.

On the TV front, this week marked the conclusion of The Penguin series. What a show! I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for something engaging and unique to watch. Meanwhile, Yellowstone has returned as I mentioned in my previous post. Two episodes have aired so far, and they’ve been fantastic. The only downside? Waiting an entire week between episodes!

In addition, the creator of Yellowstone has released a new series called Land Man on Paramount Plus. It shares a few similarities with Yellowstone, though instead of cowboys in Montana, it focuses on oil tycoons in Texas. I’ve watched the first two episodes, and while they were decent, they didn’t blow me away. That said, I’ll probably stick with it to see where the story goes.

Thursday was my usual shopping day. I set myself a goal of spending £100, but I ended up at around £130. It’s not too bad, though – some weeks are just like that, especially when stocking up on household essentials like washing powder and cleaning products.

I can’t believe Christmas is now just over four weeks away. Even with my tree up, festive tunes playing in the shops, and all the seasonal decorations everywhere, it doesn’t fully feel like Christmas yet. Maybe it’ll feel more real once my daughter breaks up for the holidays. I’ve not bought a single present yet, but I’m not too stressed. I don’t have a huge list of people to shop for – just my daughter, my parents, and my two youngest siblings.
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My plan is to send my daughter some money tomorrow so she can order things online for herself. When they arrive, I’ll wrap them up for Christmas Day and probably give her some extra cash to spend as she likes. While it’s not the most exciting approach, I’ve always felt it’s better to ask people what they want rather than risk buying something they won’t use or enjoy. That said, I’ll pick up a few surprises for her as well – just to keep things fun.

Today started early for me. I got some bits done in the morning before doing my Friday workout, which was lower body-focused this week. Afterward, I had a long bath and managed to get some reading done while soaking. It’s one of my favourite ways to unwind. Once I was out, I did a bit of housework and planned the rest of my day.

My first meal, as always, will be around 1 pm. I’ll have scrambled eggs on bagels with a banana and an apple – a simple but satisfying lunch. For dinner, I’ve got a beef joint that needs using, so I’m thinking of serving it with sweet potatoes and green beans or broccoli.

Tonight’s plans are pretty relaxed. I’ve been playing Medieval Dynasty on Xbox over the last few days and thoroughly enjoying it. I’ll probably continue with that for a bit before winding down for the night.

Here’s to another week – quiet, steady, but with a few cosy moments and festive touches. With December just around the corner, I’m sure things will start to feel a lot busier soon. For now, I’m happy to embrace the calm.

It’s hard to believe almost a week has passed since my last blog post. Time seems to have flown by despite the fact it’s been a relatively quiet week. My daughter hasn’t been home, which means we still haven’t put up the Christmas tree. No rush, though – we’ve still got six weeks until Christmas. Hopefully, we’ll get it up on Sunday when she’s back.

This week, my Scarlet and Violet 151 Pokémon booster box arrived. I’ve been opening the packs one at a time and filming the process, contemplating starting a TikTok account dedicated to Pokémon TCG. Realistically, though, I probably won’t post the videos. Like many of my hobbies, I can see Pokémon becoming another addition to the long list of interests I’ve started enthusiastically before losing interest.

That said, I’ve gone all in this time, ordering several Pokémon-related items online a couple of weeks ago. Of the four items, only one has arrived so far, so I’m still waiting for the rest. Let’s see if this hobby sticks around longer than usual!

My workouts have stayed on track this week as I’ve continued with my 7-day routine. I think I’m about three or four weeks into this particular plan now – I’d need to double-check my previous blog posts to confirm. Today, being Friday, meant focusing on lower body exercises, including goblet squats, leg extensions, and Romanian deadlifts. These aren’t my favourite exercises, but they’re part of the bigger picture, so they need to be done.

Yesterday was meant to be my usual food shopping day, but I decided to skip it. With my daughter not being home, her snacks and other bits haven’t been touched, and I still had plenty of food left from last week. Instead, I did a small online shop to top up on fresh produce like fruit and meat.

I really enjoyed the cowboy pie I made last week, even though sausages don’t technically fit into the whole food part of my 90/10 diet. Higher-quality sausages with a higher pork content can almost be classed as whole foods, and baked beans, while not ideal, are still one of your five a day. Comfort meals like cowboy pie are perfect for this time of year. I think I’ll make it again tonight and finish the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

This morning, after my workout and bath, I had my usual scrambled eggs, although no bagels today as I’ve run out. Four eggs on their own still made for a solid first meal of the day.

On the TV front, the first episode of Yellowstone season 5 part 2 aired. They’re releasing one episode each Monday, which is a bit frustrating. I’ve been eagerly awaiting Yellowstone’s return for what feels like 18 months. The new episode didn’t disappoint, although it felt a bit short. Spoiler alert: it’s disappointing that Kevin Costner hasn’t reprised his role, and they’ve written his character out, but with so many strong leads, I’m excited to see where the story goes.

In other TV news, the final five episodes of Cobra Kai season 6 have dropped on Netflix. I’m looking forward to binge-watching them tonight. I’ve also yet to watch the season finale of The Penguin. From what I’ve read, it’s gone down as one of the highest-rated TV shows ever, and I completely understand why. I was hooked from the first episode and can’t wait to see how it wraps up.

This afternoon, I’m planning to relax, make cowboy pie a little later, and wait for my mystery Pokémon parcel to arrive. I say mystery because I’m not sure which of the three remaining items it will be. After my evening meal, I’ll settle in for a Cobra Kai binge session before an early night with my audiobook.
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If I don’t get around to posting again over the weekend, I hope everyone has a great one!