Flying solo

*Robin*

Good Morning Diary, and thanks for popping in, Rainbow Bridge.

Rainbow_Bridge wrote: »

Well done in keeping track of it all. I think that is 3/4's of the battle when it comes to budgeting and it gives you a chance to pull things into line while there is still month left.

"Keeping track of it all" - hmm yes, this has always been a problem for me but up until now I've had the backing of my dear DH who was much more clued up on finance [and better off than I am]; it suited us both for me to take care of day-to-day outgoings and then he'd "do the books" periodically and put his share of the costs back into my account.

Now this diary has become my conscience, in a way. If I do something very stupid I hope that lovely MSEers will pull me up on it while there's still time to get back on track.

I does help a lot to keep a record on here, and I am very grateful to everyone who visits and comments. :T

HeadAboveWater

*Robin* wrote: »

Now this diary has become my conscience, in a way. If I do something very stupid I hope that lovely MSEers will pull me up on it while there's still time to get back on track.

Any time

*Robin*

Good morning Diary,

Well I'm home again after a delightful short break. It seems much colder in East Anglia than it was in Scotland, but at least the sun is shining here today.

While I was away the Bereavement Benefit was paid into my account, and my council tax has been reduced by £70 per month - both of which are a significant help to the finances.

On the other side of the scales [as it were] a horrendously high water bill has arrived - the difference between doing three washes a week and two a day to keep up with all the changes of bedding when DH was so ill. I must dig out the GP's letter confirming DH's cancer diagnosis for the blue badge scheme*, as apparently the water company offer reduced rates to customers with serious illness that results in increased water usage.

* We never got a blue badge, because they required a passport 'photo for the application - but I couldn't park close enough to anywhere that would take such a 'photo, without having a blue badge. :mad: Pushing his wheelchair into town from the only car-park I can get the van into, would have resulted in me needing one too (he couldn't use a 'photo-booth because of the fixed stool they have in, and I couldn't lift him from the chair onto the stool).

Meanwhile my poor about-to-become tenant has suffered another bereavement - which may buy me a little more time to get myself sorted out as the funeral will be abroad (sorry, that's selfish).

Confession time: I finally plucked up courage to get on the scales, and as I thought, I've put on another kilo. Memo to self: Stop buying biscuits and treats for DS, then eating them myself when he doesn't turn up fast enough!

On the plus side, I only smoked ten roll-ups since posting here last - the benefits of visiting a non-smoking home - which proves I can cut down if I have to. I've sort-of decided that when my current carton runs out, that will be it. It helps that the wretched things go out between puffs; just need to find the will-power not to re-light them immediately.

*Robin*

Hello Diary and MSE friends,

Alas I slept very badly last night, and today need to find some discipline. So this entry must be a To Do list:

1. Reply to all the 'business' emails that have arrived while I was away.
2. Ditto letters - ready to post tomorrow.
3. Remove all of my possessions from one room and clean it in readiness for handing over to the tenant. Then shut the door to keep out daft dogs who have a terrible habit of garnishing carpets and furniture with shed fur.
4. Good point; give daft dogs a thorough brushing!
5. Don't forget to take supplements (important to avoid ME effects from the last few days).

The sunshine is but a memory; it's raining hard here now so I expect daft dogs will happily forgo their walk today - DS took them for a long hike yesterday so I can save my limited energy [with a clear conscience] for Task 3 above.

ETA: I've just had a look around and need to add to my TD list:
6. Remove the debris left by dear DS from kitchen work-tops and cooker, including washing up.
7. Clean out the dog-food cupboard that is inexplicably strewn with granules of sugar.
8. Sort out the overflowing washing basket, and the piles of clothes dumped in the airing cupboard (sometimes I'm not sure whether DS still lives here - he did me a favour looking after daft dogs this week, but goodness me he's spread his things around the house again! - think I'll put them all in a case for him, ready to take to his new flat ).

NewLeaf_2

Hi you!

Seems like you have your hands super full at the moment.

So proud of you about the smoking. The single best thing I ever did for myself was to give up. It's hard to do but so worth it.
xx

Rainbow_Bridge

Hi Robin,

Welcome back. This last week in Scotland, has been lovely, after a very cold, damp start to September, you were lucky with the weather! How far North were you?

I hope you pace yourself today, that looks like some list xx.

*Robin*

NewLeaf wrote: »

Hi you!

Hi to you too! :wave:

NewLeaf wrote: »

Seems like you have your hands super full at the moment.

Does feel a bit daunting - the trip took a lot out of me - wouldn't have missed going though.

NewLeaf wrote: »

So proud of you about the smoking. The single best thing I ever did for myself was to give up. It's hard to do but so worth it.
xx

Thank you sooo much for this well-timed nudge! :T ..I've just spent an hour catching up with various far-flung offspring, smoking one ciggie after another without thinking about it at all! :mad:

..Am off now to get my hands busy, before someone else notices me here and skype starts it's jangling bongle again - and I lose another hour chatting and smoking..

*Robin*

Hello Rainbow Bridge,

Rainbow_Bridge wrote: »

This last week in Scotland, has been lovely, after a very cold, damp start to September, you were lucky with the weather! How far North were you?

Are you in Scotland too? I was visiting west of Dundee; beautiful countryside - such a pleasure to see mountains framing the view after boring flat Fenlandia!
We had remarkable weather; bright sunshine, cloudbursts, hail and rainbows - all at once during one morning.


Well I got through Tasks 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 on my list. Am still working on number 2.
Task 3 failed because I couldn't find enough vacuum storage bags to pack away surplus bedding. I've no idea where I put them so went a bit mad and ordered some more off Amazon.
Then I got really carried away and also bought MIL a present - one of those clever silicon oven trays, a posh one which happened to be on offer. We'd talked about them after damaging one of her supposedly non-stick metal trays while cooking our dinner; she said she'd like to try one.
The good news is that survey tokens paid for my purchases.

By this point, dear friends, I was lost in the pleasures of on-line retail therapy.
And money-saving. :money:
The result is that six months' supply of anti-bug medicine for daft dogs [and the tribe of itinerant cats who hang around the environs of the cottage in hope of a free lunch] is even now winging it's way to me. The stuff is twice the price bought locally, so I've saved £100 in the long run even though I couldn't use Amazon vouchers to pay this time (well I could have done, but Amazon was more expensive than the pet-site - anyway I like hanging onto the vouchers for buying gifts; it means I can always get something for the youngsters' birthdays even when funds are a problem. ).

Newleaf, thanks :T to your timely reminder I managed to smoke much less this afternoon / evening / night* (*insomnia has struck again). I also printed out a poster that says "Do you really want that ciggie now? It's hanging next to my desk, as that's where temptation most often strikes.

*Robin*

Good evening Diary,

Something rather marvellous happened today, in the midst of a spot of dutiful drudgery. While having another bash at Task 3 from yesterday I came across a box that had been taken out of storage by accident. Exactly how DS mistook a box full of files and paperwork for it's companion containing blankets, I completely fail to comprehend. Though I do understand why said box was abandoned in a wardrobe rather than being hefted back into the loft - it was beyond my strength to move it at all.
Needing it out of the way of my cleaning efforts, I did what any sensible woman would do when no well-muscled weight-lifter was within earshot; I unpacked the box.

There ended Robin's work for the afternoon. The contents were fascinating; old records from an extinct branch of the family that found their way into our guardianship years ago. Birth, marriage and death certificates going back two hundred years. Love letters, business agreements and trinkets were all carefully unwrapped and examined before being replaced in smaller containers.
At the bottom of the box, a cluster of medals lay on one last faded envelope.

The story of a soldier unfolded as I extracted each fragile sheet of paper from the envelope. Call up papers, reports and forms bearing his regimental crest that detailed increasing proficiency, postings from one well known battle zone to another, and then his commanding officer's report of heroic conduct under fire:
Ypres.
His companions "wiped out"; this hitherto unknown distant relative fought on, manning his station at a gun emplacement - alone - until his position was over-run and he was captured, wounded.
There was a roll of honour from the War Office detailing medal awards. I found his name - next to it the words Distinguished Service Medal.
And there it lay, heavy in my hand, the colours on the ribbon bright still - blue and white.

Just as well I was already curled up on the floor as I withdrew the last piece of paper from the envelope, as the surprise set my head spinning:

A single sheet of handwriting, dated 1919 and simply signed "George". At the top; two words below a crest, centred and crisply printed in blue ink.
The letter begins:
"Dear xxxxx,
The Queen and I are delighted to learn of your release and return to our homeland...."

Wow.

What shall I do with this unexpected family treasure? :think:

The_Dragon

Military museums could be interested!