The struggles of trying to find the perfect heat through the night on Discovery continues! Last night, it was super hot, so hot that I couldn’t sleep and then got cold about 5am. Honey was also padding around from about 6am, wagging her tail, trying to wake me up. I was going to get up and take her out in case she needed to go for a walk, but I fell back asleep. I think she spent those last 2 hours sleeping on the sofa.
I think the issue last night was that I was at the end of the bag of coal, so it was lots of pieces of coal and coal dust, on top of a burning log.
I am trying a new wood burner formula tonight, allowing the fire to nearly burn out and then adding coal before going to bed. Fingers crossed it will work 🙂
This morning, it wasn’t as cold as yesterday morning, cloudy, I guess the no clouds from yesterday morning is what brought the temperature down. I never thought, living on a boat would make me so aware of the temperature inside and outside.
I spotted some new Covid Signage that I don’t think I have included yet in the blog, or maybe I have – I am losing track!
They were on a café, which I see is saying you can be 1m apart from each other not 2m. I don’t think I was aware of that!
For regular readers, you will know, that Friday afternoon routine is a walk up Arthur’s Seat with Hannah. I am definitely getting fitter walking up, this is the 4th Friday in a row! We always meet the same time, but it is getting darker and darker earlier, luckily Honey’s two luminous flashing collars help us know where she is!
The city looked really beautiful, with lots of sparkling lights, looked a bit like lava! The photos don’t really do it justice, although you can click on any of them to see them full-size.
Lockdown Restrictions Corner
The Scottish Government has published guidance for the Festive Period, so I am covering that today.
(https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-festive-period)
See Day 246 to understand what is meant by ‘Christmas Bubble’.
- Safest way to spend Christmas / Festive Period – stay in your own home, own household, your own area.
“the virus won’t take Christmas off”. - Christmas Bubble – 3 households up to 8 people (children under 12 yrs old don’t count).
- 2m Rule – you are encouraged to maintain (as much as possible) 2 metres apart with individuals in your Christmas Bubble (apart from those in your household).
- No kissing or hugging – with your Christmas Bubble.
- If meeting Christmas Bubble indoors – open a door or window to let fresh air in.
- Wash hands frequently – when in your Christmas Bubble.
- Clean surfaces regularly – when with your Christmas Bubble.
- Avoid sharing cutlery or crockery (where possible) – with your Christmas Bubble.
- Before forming Christmas Bubble – limit your social contact with others.
- If someone in Christmas Bubble develops Covid symptoms – all members should self-isolate, if they test positive everyone should isolate for 14 days.
- Travelling during Christmas Period (23-27 December) – minimise stop-offs during journeys.
- If your travel is delayed – you must return home by 27th. Only exceptions is travel disruptions or you are self-isolating due to symptoms/positive test result.
- Going to shops with your Christmas Bubble? – No, avoid retail premises.
Face-Mask Corner
Another unique face-mask, care of Hello Magazine.
(hellomagazine.com/fashion/news/2020072293971/unique-face-mask-coverings)
This is simply called Leather face mask.
With the description:
“Will leather face masks be the new leather jacket? Only time will tell if all of us will have a goes-with-everything leather face covering in our collection. In the meantime, if you want to get ahead of the fashion curve, check out Candice Cuoco’s eye-popping leather face mask collection, exclusively at Selfridges”.
You can buy this from Selfridges for £75 (Black Friday deal, 20% off so only £60) (although I will be posting this blog on Saturday morning!).
So if you are looking to expand your leather wardrobe, this could be it! There are different colours too 🙂
It Made Me Smile
There are two features in this today.
This morning, I saw a very old ice cream van. Then later I saw on Hannah’s Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thelostscot) a truck of Christmas Trees heading along Easter Road!
Both made me smile 🙂
As I come to the end of this blog, I am way past my 10pm curfew, it’s nearly midnight, but hey, it’s Friday night!! I spent over an hour trying to get my accounts to balance to submit for my Universal Credit which had to be in today, this took longer than I had expected.
When I returned to Discovery this evening it was 5 degrees, we are not up to 30 degrees!!
It’s been a reflective week for me, about life. I find myself watching nature, people and the life force – enjoying just being alive on this planet! Life is so special, but I think we are often get so caught up in our routines, life stresses/worries and all that is going on, that we forget to value just how amazing it is to be living on this planet.
Despite lockdown, the fear of Covid, our mortality, the unknown of the future, so much change, fear and all the rest we are experiencing this year, it’s really important to remember just how extraordinary this year is. We are ultimately, here on this planet, for a short moment of time, so why not treasure it as much as possible, well that is my take on it all!
Today Hannah described the weather as feeling like ‘winter’, I agree! Darker afternoons and evenings, cold, not quite crisp, no rain, but a kind of feeling of rain in the air.
Hope you’ve had a Fantastic Friday!
Jim xx