**Highlight of the week:**
**Looking forward to:**
Hi all. Hope you had a good week. Here's what I've been up to.
## General notes
### I had a cold
I picked up a cold two weeks ago and it took me 10 days just to feel *vaguely* normal. It really did beat me up.
It also made me oddly sad/depressed, which I haven't experienced before via a cold. Very odd.
One thing I hate about being unwell is how my brain doesn't work and I can't read. It's a shame, because I was throrougly enjoying "[The Posthumous Papers of the Manuscripts Club](https://elliot.my/51)" by Christopher de Hamel.
I did that typical thing of being unwell and thinking about life before being unwell and how wonderful it was and how when I felt better I was going to not take it for granted and look after myself better. And then I also did that thing of just carrying on as normal.
### Step bet
In 2025 I have a wager going with me and two of my friends. Whoever does the least average steps per day has to pay for a feast of food and drink at a restaurant in London at Christmas.
And sadly being ill has put me out of the habit of hitting my daily step goal. I'm aiming for 7,800 per day, as I once watched a video that said the benefits of steps start to plateau at around that point. And 7,800 per day *should* be enough to beat my friends.
### Buying a property
The biggest news of my week (and probably year) is that me and my girlfriend are buying a property! (It's still all to be finalised, but barring a disaster, it's happening). It has plenty of nice features. But the one I love above all else: its garden backs onto a huge field.
I've always dreamed of living right by woods and greenery, but I didn't think for a second that it would be possible with my first property. I was hoping to just live within a short drive of one. So having easy access to one is fantastic. And it's big too, not just a small park for dog walkers. I'm yet to walk around it to confirm, but it's probably a 60 minute walk to loop all around it.
And of course a side benefit of this is that my step count will go up massively. Fingers crossed the purchase doesn't all fall through.
### Flannel
My body runs cold these days. A t-shirt and jacket doesn't cut it anymore.
So I've started wearing a flannel shirt over my t-shirt. I like it.
- It keeps me warmer both outside and at home.
- It's smarter than a t-shirt.
- There's breast pockets for my Field Notes and pen.
- I don't have to wash the shirt often as my t-shirt takes the brunt of my sweat.
I have a few flannel shirts â by [Uniqlo](https://www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/men/shirts-and-polos/casual-shirts?path=%2C%2C100212%2C100268&categoryId=100212) and [Abercrombie & Fitch](https://www.abercrombie.com/shop/uk/mens-shirts-tops-614392997). But I'm currently fatter than normal, so most don't fit me with a t-shirt underneath. So I used that as a good excuse to try and find a high-quality one to add to my Christmas list.
I considered [L.L.Bean](https://global.llbean.com/llb/shop/505538/?CORECRD=true&page=mens-flannel-shirts). But I remembered the character of Joel in *[The Last of Us](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/tv-series/the-last-of-us)* TV show (absolutely fantastic show by the way) wearing a gorgeous green one. So I looked it up, and you can buy it. It's the [Fjällglim shirt in laurel green by Fjallraven](https://www.fjallraven.com/uk/en-gb/men/tops/shirts/fjallglim-shirt-m/) and I'm now a proud owner of one.
- Sick
- Made me oddly depressed.
- Took me about 10 days just feel to vaguely normal.
- Something I hate about being sick is that my brain suffers and I canât read.
- I have a bet with my friends about steps. Me being sick has really put me out of the groove with it.
- Buying a house
- Ikea Trip
- Liquoirce
- T-shirt > Flannel > Jacket
- Sadly I bought a lot of my flannel fairly small. And I'm fat ATM.
- I now have a high quality one in the form of [Fjallraven](https://www.fjallraven.com/uk/en-gb/men/tops/shirts/fjallglim-shirt-m/)
## Stuff I did
## Dinners
## Watched
- Only Fools & Horses
- Every year I think maybe Iâll skip it this year and give it a break. But most years I simply canât resist it.
- Plenty of the TV shows I watch feel nostalgic towards. But Only Fools is a whole other league. I think because it feels so old now. It feels like itâs three or four eras removed.
- Lifeâs Too Short
- Iâm Alan Partridge
## Read
## Music
## Posted