Coffee and chocolate

miggy

It's about time I caught up here.

A couple of MS things - found DS2's missing key and DD's missing laptop charger, so two things not to have to spend on. That sounds like one thing... oh well.

Not so MS: although we've now done the buying part of sending DD off in style, bills keep coming in! She has paid her insurance and has almost decided not to use her TV because of the cost - two fewer bills - but we have offered to pay her gym membership. This actually saves money because we have paid her current gym membership for years, and it was much more expensive than the Uni gym. However, £135 for the year... good job she uses it! The deposit for her accommodation has been paid: it made better financial sense to pay upfront than wait till her loan comes in and have to use the more costly instalments system.

We have two major family birthdays last week and this, so that means two presents to pay for, plus travel and a big meal out which is very costly when there are so many of us (note to self: work out how to tell the earners we are going to expect them to pay in future! Logical when you think about it). The car had to be MOT'ed and a new exhaust fitted - done. DS2's school photos have just been taken, never cheap (often we don't buy them but them but it depends how the finished product looks). We will have a vet bill which I think may be around £15 as SF needed some treatment this week (she's getting older... but for now we seem to have helped her and she seems cheerful again).

I'm not sure if I've remembered everything? I paid £10 for DD's gym induction (we had forgotten: she's been at the local gym so long it seems odd to think of her having to be shown how to use equipment).

Ah yes. The microwave made a strange noise and a burning-electrics smell so it's off bounds. There used to be an amazing chap who mended small electricals and he kept it going through the door catch wearing out and the solenoid or whatever beats at the heart of microwaves needed replacing and it was worth it because it's been a very solid workhorse, but said chappie has disappeared and I think the microwave may finally need to be retired. It cost £100 twenty years ago... not going to attempt to afford the modern equivalent. I think we may need to get replacing soon though as it's used all the time. Correction. Was used all the time.

I took my beloved boots to the menders (may have mentioned this?) and they can't repair them any more. I decided I can repair the obvious damage where the sole has come loose as it just needs resticking, and the bit they can't do because while it's do-able in theory it would distort the shape, well, that's a small split that isn't too visible so I can live with it as long as I don't go out in the rain!

Now I think that really is the lot for now. There is enough money in the account for the time being but I'll have to transfer some from savings which doesn't feel right for this time of year. I've also cut back on my hours for a couple of weeks so won't be getting quite as much pay next month but honestly I was struggling and I thought it better to cut back than fall asleep on duty. Seems to be working so I'll tell them I'm okay to do extra again.

miggy

What a weekend. I wrote about half of it and lost the post... I will therefore make another start then post wherever I'm up to and go and do some housework (much needed).

I worked on Friday night so slept on Saturday morning and woke up to find DD just back from work and preparations in hand to pack a third car load of her stuff for Uni! I hope that room will hold it all...

Her best friend (MK) came round, as did GB, and the car was packed much sooner than you would have thought. With my permission, my Sketchers and my denim jacket have gone to Uni. Thought they might like the experience. Same goes for one of my exfoliating gloves but that wasn't meant to happen.

We all sat round drinking tea (or coffee) for a while then moved on to the Grand Send-off. Most of us would see DD on Sunday so that lessened the impact, but MK was a bit teary as we waved goodbye. I gave her a bit of a hug and asked her in for another cuppa, which was good for both of us as we talked for about two hours and she now has an invitation to pop in for tea whenever she likes! I've known her for years but haven't actually talked properly in ages.

We actually got interrupted by a call from DD arriving in Liverpool, where they were visiting overnight.

Meanwhile (back at the ranch) DH had done some decorating while I was asleep in the morning and after MK went home I cleaned out the fish tank and we moved it to its new site (the completed corner of the dining room). I think it will look pretty good and it makes the room more roomy, IYSWIM. The fish have been living in buckets - I'm wary of moving them too quickly as I once lost most of a tank of fish to too hasty a move.

The fish tank took a while then DH tried to get on with the wallpapering behind where the tank had been but the light wasn't good and it had to be abandoned.

In the evening there was a meeting we wanted to go to and by the time we got back from that there wasn't a lot of energy left, though I did manage to do my hair so it would be nice for Sunday (less of the dragged through hedge backwards look). I actually didn't get on the computer till around midnight!

miggy

Yesterday's big family celebration certainly wasn't MS. We set off just after nine and drove to near Liverpool for lunchtime. I was rather pleased with myself for having a new but fairly MS outfit which came to £24 thanks to the sales.

We had a meal out for 22 people - two tables to accommodate us all and we stayed all afternoon and caught up with lots of people.

Apart from 5 of us from t'other side o' Pennines, there was a couple from East Anglia and a family of four from the South west, one person from London, two from Switzerland and DS1 and his girlfriend got off the plane from their holiday in the USA and drove straight to the meal! Everyone else was local. You can imagine it takes some doing and doesn't happen very often though quite a lot of us make it to the meal every year.

There were lots of gifts due to the birthdays being celebrated (DH did very well though his birthday hasn't happened yet). There was the usual round of people saying 'You must come and see us' and staff taking group photos for us. None has yet appeared on FB (I wonder what my hair looked like at the back?!) Some people couldn't stay because they had to travel and the weather was obnoxious: pouring rain for hours. We did say a proper goodbye to DD who set off for Uni, and had a slow drive back because of the heavy spray and fog. We arrived not long home after DD did, although she went before us.

The house is a complete and utter mess between all this moving and decorating, so I did a bit of tidying and threw out some paper when we got home (DS2 got the computer and I don't follow Downton Abbey) but there wasn't much left of the day. In fact I was nearly ready for bed when GB turned up with DD's now-emptied suitcases. He must have been shattered: all that driving. I offered a cup of tea but he said he was going to get some sleep!

DD has met most of her flatmates and apparently suggested they all go out for the evening. No wasting time there, then! I did get an up-beat text off her to say the kettle is disgusting and they are going to complain.

I finished off the evening by starting 'The Hunger Games' which DS1 has lent me, and taking my first dose of statins. So far there's no sign of serious side effects which I was really quite worried about, especially as I'm not on a low dose. Oh, and I transferred a couple of the fish back into their tank. That's it for yesterday as far as I can remember. Will have to do 'today' later as I need to get out to visit Mum (first time in about two and a half weeks but the care home hasn't been open to visitors due to a virus).

miggy

Helloooo, diary!

Yesterday was our anniversary (24th. I thought it was 25 but have been corrected! ) but we didn't do anything much. Really we have to rein in the spending for a while and we were so tired anyway.

I did manage a few MS things: it was cold so I made soup for lunch, then I made rice pudding as we had too much milk and a ginger syrup to stop me drinking quite so much coffee. DD texted to say she has a clean bathroom and was washing her dishes. Ah, to be a student again!

Sausages for tea... not too expensive. Chickened out of taking another dose of statins as my memory was rubbish and that's a possible side effect - or it could just be tiredness/age! Visited Mum and she's okay though not reasoning very well. Finished The Hunger Games.

DS2 has taken to 6th Form so well he apparently needs the computer a lot in the evenings so I don't get it. I suspect a lot of that is Facebook though, from glances over his shoulder. He has been seen doing homework on several occasions, which is positive and says he is finding free periods really useful for homework. I really think the disappointing exam results are showing a positive side and he's applying himself, though he says the work is really easy. DH thinks that could be to encourage people to get stuck into their courses and it will get harder.

One not-MS thing: I turned a storage heater on. It's only very low but it makes a difference. Then the electricity bill showed up - not kidding, same day - and they've made a huge hike in payments despite us being in credit and only last week having sent them a new reading.

miggy

The plan for today:

Went to my piano lesson. I was wondering slightly whether I should as I've just transferred DD's gym money which meant I had to take some out of savings or go into OD (chose to deplete savings though OD is free - was that a good choice I wonder?)... anyway I had a good lesson, especially as my teacher is also a keen gardener and gave me two irises and two day lilies! I am going to take her some greengages as a thank you.

All the fish are now back in their tank and yes, that was much sooner than I should have done it, for what's virtually a new set-up, but I felt sorry for them in their bucket and I know now to keep a very close eye on the water.

This is my first real day to myself for a week or so and there are just too many things to do! I made a good start by having a pot of real coffee (had to search as DD had cleaned out the fridge and it wasn't easily visible). It's beautiful outside so I should pick the greengages and find a place for the lilies and irises: am so looking forward to seeing those. My piano teacher was also able to advise me on transplanting an iris I already have which is spilling onto the path. Love irises. Real childhood memories as Mum had some stunningly regal purple flag irises in the little bed at the foot of the terrace and to the left of the lawn... wonder what happened to them? Maybe they didn't survive the move when the extension was built...

I've started the next Hunger Games book but I mustn't waste too much daylight reading. Talking of reading, I need to replace the bulb in the dining room so that will give me an excuse to shop. I am tempted to get a little desk lamp for reading too: there are plenty around at a fiver at the moment. I could take it to work too to boost the light levels there which are just not good enough for me.

There is a ton of clearing/cleaning/tidying/de-cluttering to be done, and I have one tiny bit of emulsioning to do on Mum's bookcase so it can go to her and not take up space here. Her Dad made it for her so it's probably over 70 years old.

The fish tank needs topping up and I need some pond weed for it too, so I think that trip into town may be my next move, along with loading the washing machine. What jolly fun!

miggy

Not a good day for spending.

Pondweed is now £1.50 a bunch instead of £1 and what's more it was ratty... still, the fish tank is now all set up. The fish realised they had a new place and therefore a slightly different new view and they all lined up to watch us eat pizza for tea. Honestly.

I didn't find a lamp I liked enough to buy but I did spend £4 on a new light bulb. I wonder if it will last the 8 years it says on the box? The light in here is better now though.

I've spent rather a lot of the food money already, largely due to a good offer. I also bought a present for DD... must stop compensating so much. We did have a really good Skype call with her tonight which made all of us laugh and is much cheaper than ringing her on my mobile - I think the call at lunchtime was about £5. She is also shopping... Primarni... nothing new there rhen.

miggy

Three things left over from yesterday: planting irises and daylilies, picking greengages and painting the bookshelf.

I am hoping not to spend much on food today as I've just cleared out the fridge: half a jar of pasta sauce, half a tin of tomatoes, green peppers and mushrooms will do very nicely tonight. Thrown out some bits and frozen others (no longer having a working microwave is cramping our style ). Still to find a use for a sweet potato, some runner beans, lots of bacon and sausages, beetroot, carrots, pak choi, olives and celery.

It's another fabulously Septemberish day, which always brings to mind 9/11. I remember DD being off school sick a day or so later and we walked through the part of town where there are horse chestnuts, and it was such a beautiful day, just as it had been in New York before the bombers came. I was aware how potentially fragile was the little bit of peace around us... yet all these years later it means I still have the memory of that walk, which is precious.

Today's agenda has to fit in a visit to Mum and later, home group.

MuffinTops

Hello Miggy,

I'm finally catching up on diaries and see what a busy bunny you've been! It sounds like all is going pretty well though, even with your daughter leaving for Uni. Well done on how well that went.

I struggle to believe how long ago 9/11 was, but it's nice that around that terrible event you created something good with your daughter.

I love this crisp weather. It's perfect for cycling. Even being chilly is ok when it's like this.

I hope your fish are happy in their new home.



Take care. MT x

miggy

Thank you Muffy. It's a really gorgeous day here and I know I should be doing something more constructive than spending time on the computer, so I will put 'getting outside' on my to-do list.

I'm a bit reluctant to cycle as the steering on the bike is very light and it's breezy today. I need to get more practice in though!

The fish seem happy thanks! I think they liked having really clean glass too, but already I can see it needs attention again.

MuffinTops

You definitely need to get outside in this weather. I envy that stuck in this office overlooking other brick buildings!

Is it ok if I ask how Ani is? I've not seen her on your diary for a little while.