2021 Off to a Less Than Flying Start: And Link-Up

Have the first few days of 2021 had you jumping for joy?  I've seen quite a few amusing social media posts where people are saying that they had the free trial of the new year but didn't like the look of it. 

I Liked Regentiv So Much I Bought More Products!

I was intrigued when a UK beauty brand called Regentiv got in touch with me back in October.  I've seen their ads in magazines like Good Housekeeping for years. It's a real word-of-mouth range, as you can see from the testimonials on their Instagram feed.

I've often wondered about trying their flagship product, the Specialist Serum, and Regentiv kindly sent me a bottle to try, plus the Invigorating Exfoliant. Now that I've used them for a couple of months, I was suitably impressed to buy a couple more products - the Super Lifting Serum and Neck & Decollete Rejuvenation.

New Year Nuggets - and Link Up

You'll need a coffee to get through today's longish post - pity I've already drunk mine! I'm going to give you a few blog factoids from 2020 and a  look ahead to this year and what I'm planning. 

December 2020 - A Sentence a Day

 

Tues 1 Dec

Spectacular sun rise today followed by blue sky weather. Did holly trail walk in Epping forest. Had NHS letter giving me the all-clear from recent mammogram - plus another letter about upcoming home bowel cancer screening test, which is next on the list. 

Weds 2 Dec

A good news day. The second month-long national lock down has ended and my gym has reopened!  Everyone so excited. Pfizer/Biontech vaccine now approved for the UK, first country in the world to give it the all-clear. 

Thursday 3 Dec

Raining all day. Did walk, Holly trail. Wore new Rab waterproof jacket and waterproof trousers. Booked for free make-up masterclass with Charlotte Tilbury. New Christmas lit garland delivered.

Friday 4 Dec

Day off - everyone at my company was given this as a "care day." I went into London to see the Emin/Munch exhibition which I pre-booked a few weeks ago in the hope it would happen. Read my review here. Quiet in town. Later had hair colour/cut in Epping. Shorter style. 

Saturday 5 Dec

Did the Yates meadow and Holly trail walk, just under 5 miles. Lovely day. Afternoon dragged. Watched film Last Christmas, based on the George Michael song and starring Emilia Clarke. A bit lame, 6 out of 10. 

Sunday 6 Dec

Overcast, cold. Walked to gym.  Got the tree and decorations down but didn't put tree up. J has a cold. Roast chicken. 

Mon 7 Dec

V cold and foggy. Did 5 miles. 30 to go, by the end of December, to complete the #Walk1000Miles challenge.  Put Christmas tree up. Letter from NHS offering the flu jab. Since I hit 60, the NHS has been all over me. 

Tues 8 Dec

Foggy again. Walked 4.3 miles. First vaccine given in the UK. Yet another letter from NHS offering me the over 60 health check. Cold enough for winter duvet - 15 togs.

Weds 9 Dec

Walk, Willow trail.  No fog and a bit milder.

Thur 10 Dec

Walked to gym. Cold. Study by Office for Nat Statistics says lockdown life was antisocial, lazy and marked by heavy drinking. Not chez Mutton, I'm glad to say (except for the antiosocial bit, but you can't avoid that in lockdown!). Attended Charlotte Tilbury virtual masterclass. Well, waited for 21 mins but she still hadn't appeared so cut my losses. 

Fri 11 Dec

Too tired to walk, needed rest day. Only have 9.46 miles to go. Cloudy. Had my first meeting at work with the new team I'm working with. Like their enthusiasm. Fish n chips,  1st time for weeks. Barbara Windsor died. Watched film Happiest Season with Kristen Stewart. Patchy, not very funny: 6 out of 10. 

Sat 12 Dec

Walk, lots of mud via the Yates & Holly. The "river" is wider and a group of people had come to an abrupt stop. Eventually I did a run up and jumped. They all cheered. Fortunately I managed to clear it for the 1st time, thanks to having an audience! 

Sunday 13 Dec

Don't need to walk today as I only need to do 4 miles to get my 1000, and I plan to do that tomorrow with J on a day off work.  Drove to gym and then did some shopping at Epping. 

Monday 14 Dec

Day off. Sunny start. J and I did the Copped Hall and deer tunnel walk. Very muddy. Saw the deer. at a distance, not in the tunnel. J took photos of me wearing medal, but my nose was very red like that of a certain reindeer! My bowel cancer testing kit came - oh joy.

Tuesday 15 Dec

Had over 60s health check. J did too and we were seen together at a practice a few miles away. I seem to have lost an inch in height but otherwise everything was fine. My chances of having a heart attack, stroke or type 2 diabetes are mercifully very low. 

Weds 16 Dec

Sunny start. Did 4.5 forest trails walk. Winding down at work.

Thurs 17 Dec

Blue sky. Did urban walk to post office and dropped off a card further along. 

Friday 18 Dec

My last day at work and busy with meetings until 6. Then pleased to put my "out of office" on. Two weeks off! 

Sat 19 Dec

Showers.  Urban walk 4.2 miles.  Boris announced London now in tier 4 from midnight and Christmas  effectively cancelled.  Immediately amended online shopping order to remove canapes and various desserts for Boxing Day, but was unable to cancel a click and collect order for a huge gammon (ham).  

Sun 20 Dec 

London has gone into Tier 4 restrictions from midnight, effectively a lockdown, which has put an end to families gathering over Christmas. My gym is now closed again so did a virtual class with them for the first time. 45 mins and rather arduous!  Roast chicken

Mon 21 Dec

A rest day exercise-wise.  Lorries unable to leave Dover. Big log jam. More lorries than usual have been on the roads prior to Brexit, resulting in delays, and now Macron of France is demanding that all lorry drivers have a Covid test before crossing the Channel. Some of the drivers, from Poland and other countries, won't make it home for Christmas. 

Tues 22 Dec 

Walk, forest trails. "River" getting bigger. Went to Waitrose for click and collect of the gammon. Then Ocado delivery came. Christmas food sorted. Watched Love Actually as we always do at Christmas. 

Weds 23 Dec

Urban walk which took in the large Tesco, 4.5 miles. No shortages except run out of mince pies. Had been predictions of no lettuces or broccoli because of haulier problems. Near home there are long queues for walk in Covid tests at the town hall. My mum had her first vaccine. 

Xmas Eve

Sunny day. Did virtual gym class, wore antlers. Did a blog shoot for Style Not Age - "Out and About."  

Xmas Day, Friday 25 Dec 

Cold, sunny. Dropped presents off at R & S's new house, not far away. Peered in through window as we couldn't go in. Opened presents when we got back. Christmas lunch went well. I'm a nervous roaster of turkey in case it's tough and dry. Watched Home for Xmas - sweet Norwegian comedy drama - and The Night Manager episode 1. 

Boxing Day, Saturday 26 Dec 

V cold. Went for walk, Yates, muddy. Nipped into local Tesco for baguette and salad - yes they still had some. Watched George Clooney film The Midnight Sky. 5 out of 10. 

Sunday 27 Dec

Virtual gym class. Sunny. Gammon. John was watching Spurs and I watched a documentary about Bridget Jones. 

Mon 28 Dec

Walked to big Tesco, picked up too much and had to get bus back. Cold.

Tues 29 Dec

Forest walk. V cold. Started watching The Killing.

Weds Dec 30

Oxford vaccine was approved. Quiet day doing blog photos. Sunny but v cold. Took photos of a couple of sparkly New Year's Eve outfits for Instagram tomorrow. 

New Year's Eve, Thurs Dec 31

Cold. Walked to big Tesco to get a few bits for tonight, quiche and salad. Afternoon: watched original Far from Madding Crowd, one of my favourites of all time (nine out of 10). Evening: watched film The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018), seven out of 10. In bed by 9 as usual and asleep by 9.30.  The loud fireworks at midnight woke me briefly. Welcome 2021, we've been awaiting you! 

COULD YOU HELP?

If you're a woman over 45, I'd love you to participate in the annual Is This Mutton? survey. This year the questions are mainly around how we experienced lockdown life. No email addresses are being captured and you don't need a Google log-in to complete the survey. Responses are entirely anonymous. The results will be featured mid-January.  Take the survey. 

Sharing this post with Shelbee on the Edge, #iwillwearwhatilike at Not Dressed as Lamb  #AnythingGoes at My Random Musings #OnMondaysWeLinkUp at Glass of Glam 

I'm back on Wednesday with the #WowOnWednesday link up. Hope to see you then.  Wishing you all happy and healthy New Year. 

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