Sam Sunday #5: The Half-Term Edition

This last week has been the best because it's half term here in the UK and that means a whole, glorious week of no work for me!  The last half term was stressful due to the house buying situation, so it's been lovely having a week off.  Things started well last Sunday, when we attended the wedding of one of Tom's best friends.  It was a small, cosy wedding and I had a fantastic time.  Tom was best man and his speech was very well received, so that's another bonus.

The break from work also means that I've had more time to spend with my nephew, who is now just over three months old.  He's growing up fast and has now developed quite a strong grip as well as the ability to cry very loudly if you sit down whilst holding him, rather than walk around!  My sister is still on maternity leave, so it's been nice to have the opportunity to see them both.

Aside from that, we've spent some days lounging around at home in front of trashy TV (Australian Masterchef) and some other days mooching around the shops and eating out.  Things are progressing very smoothly indeed with attempt #2 to purchase a house, so we've started to tentatively think about how we want to decorate, as the house is definitely a doer-upper.  It's a great house, but parts of it were probably last updated in the 1970s!  I can't wait to get in there and start painting, but for now looking at paint cards and wandering around DIY shops is fun enough.  If things continue to go well, we should move by mid to late March.  It needs to happen on time, as our rental contract expires on 31st March and I don't fancy being homeless.

In terms of reading and blogging, I've not done as much reading as I thought I would, but that's OK.  I've mainly read A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens this week and I now have to grudgingly admit that I like Dickens after all.  I may even have shed a little tear at the ending (if you've read it, you'll know what I mean).  I'll be reviewing it this week as part of Fanda's Celebrating Dickens event.  I've also joined Twitter at long last, and would love it if you got in touch with me there (see shiny new button on the top right of my blog).

Next week I'm back at work but Friday 1st March is my birthday!  I'll be twenty-seven years old, getting a bit too close to the big 30 for my liking....