I can’t believe we’re into October already and there’s only 3 months left of this year.  It’s unseasonably warm around these parts, today on the 1st October, I’m wearing a summer dress and flip flops.

This morning while waiting at the opticians, I did a quick review of what is happening this month, what needs to happen this month,  what’s happening at work this month and what I’d like to do this month.

What’s happening

Social

• Max and Danielle are leaving the UK and going back to the US. They’re having a party this weekend.
• I’m off to Christelle and Mike’s for dinner at the beginning of the month
• Ben has a birthday this month so we’re all going out for family lunch mid month

Culture

• Ma and I are going to see the James plays at the National Theatre. We’re not going to see them all on the same day but we are seeing them over two weeks. So that’s a chunk of October at the theatre and probably because I know so little about Scottish history, I know that there were lots of James, that Mary Stuart was an airhead and had her head chopped off by Elizabeth I and that James I is their James VI, I didn’t think much of him either!
• Ma and I are going to see Old Crow Medicine Show at the end of the month. I’ve been excited about this since I booked the tickets
• October is also London Cocktail Week.  I’m not doing much for it but Ma and I are going to the Sipsmith 100 Martini at Kettners. So that’s fun!

What needs to happen

Not a lot actually has to happen this month. At work, my boss is off for most of the month so I’ll be training our new starter and working on prep for the new year and the new process for meetings. I’ve booked the  department Christmas lunch and there are no major projects this month and nothing major to deliver. It’s more business as useI need to think about birthdays in November and December and who gets what presents (and maybe start to think about Christmas – although we know where we’re going so that’s one easy thing!) but that doesn’t require a lot of action

• I need an eye test (actually I did that this morning so one down!)
• Get the winter clothes out of storage and sort out a ‘what I need plan’. I know that I need to buy some new shoes and work clothes. (2014 has been the year that most of my clothes turned to rags and I had a purge of shoes I didn’t wear any more which doesn’t change my shoe situation at all, it just emphasises that I have no decent ‘inbetween’ shoes, I have flip flops and boots!)
• Helping Ma with getting rid of her old clothes. Ma is moving in November and since she retired has a ton of work clothes (good work clothes in really good condition that she wants to sell). I need to take some photos of them and it would be really good if we could get that all done before she has to move so we don’t have to move them. Also if you are a petite size 10-12 and have a thing for Hobbs dresses, let me know!
• Get the packing boxes over to Ma’s house
• Get the warm duvet to the laundry before I need to start using it again
• Wash rugs in bedroom and living room
• Autumn clean (exactly the same as a spring clean, just a different time of year)

Things I’d like to do

In October, I would like to do the following stuff

• Yoga every day
• 30 minute outside walk every day
• Make mincemeat for mince pies
• Decant cherry brandy into bottles
• Sort out presents for Christelle’s birthday, she’s 40 this year, it needs thinking about!
• Also on the birthday plan, Oli is going to be 5 in November, so I need to think about cakes and books (children always get books!)
• Christmas CD’s. We have an approved playlist, we need to get them burnt and ready to go. Last year between me, H and L we sent out/gave away over 40 CD’s. I’m going to set the brats to doing it this year and if we can get it done by the end of this month it’s one less thing to be rushing about doing in time for international post.
• I’d also like to think about stuff for this year’s handmade Christmas presents.

It’s not a lot but I’m also going to be dealing with darker days so my energy and enthusiasm levels are likely to be low so I think this is plenty to be getting on with.

What are you guys doing/planning in October?