The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

nuttyp

Hi everyone, wow what lovely weather we have had here in Lincolnshire. I had the pleasure of working Friday, but ended up home at 2pm with a migraine, slept for hours and hours. Woke up Saturday morning still feeling yucky but I had a full days shift. Needless to say I managed but only just.
Today we have been gardening again at mums, we finished one flower bed with weedbarrier and gravel, and I painted the garage door. For the road side it looks brilliant.
Took a trip to mr a, pointless in a way as they have a table and chairs for the garden on display but no stock. Will they be getting more stock, they don't think so. Can I have the display set? NO. So why do you still have it our, a priceon it but your not selling it?? DONT KNOW, pointless answer.
Anyone know of a nice but not expensive patio set, 4 chairs. We had a wooden bench set but its starting to rot out.


Tomorrow I am car booting, see we are strange around here - we have them Monday, Wednesday and Friday and also sunday in a different location.


Time to catch up.....

Floss

Nuttyp can you not order the table & chair set from Asda online?

Am scurrying about a lot right now - am currently on a 6 month contract for a local NHS Trust, they start their working day early and I need to get across M6 at Preston before it gets snarled up so am up at 6am & out at 7.25am, home at 5.45pm to do everything I can before going to bed around 9.30 & to sleep at 10pm...can I have an extra 2 hours in my days please?!

DH & me spent 4 hours on the lottie today, went early before it was too hot. Managed to get the last of the new-to-me beds dug over (it was a shared plot but I've got it all now), netted the cherry tree so the birds don't have the fruit (and what a palaver that was!), weeded, earthed up the spuds, pulled loads of sticky-bob stuff from amongst the raspberry canes, found loads of goosegogs & blackcurrants hiding, checked the fruit trees & they all have plums/apples/pears on, gave up counting strawberries after 50, weeded around the pond & removed some of the pond weed so the frogs & taddies can see, planted some more onions & the first block of sweetcorn, potted on my tomato & chilli plants and sowed some more salad leaves. Phew!

DH has just gone off to deepest Derbyshire for 4 nights, then to Yorkshire & home on Friday - cat has gone to bed and I won't be long myself, just need to find my aloe vera moisturiser to calm down my weed-scratched arms!

I also need to deep-clean my baking kitchen - have got my EHO inspection on Tuesday...fingers crossed please!

mcculloch29

PiC, shedloads of support for you, just want to add mine as another one who had a few weird smears in her time (ExOH's fault, methinks...)
Still standing and no weirdnesses in many a long day.

Enjoyed a little sun in the garden yesterday, along with a Pimms-a-like made by DD, have bored folks with this on at least three threads but oh it was nice!
Gave DD my Drizabone and bought a long Jack Murphy coat as a far more lightweight replacement, with my gifted Am@zon vouchers.
Looked at the range of Regatta rain jackets on Am@zon too, nearly all £50 apart from one in my size in a marginally less appealing shade of brown.
I suit brown, so an £8.50 bargain is coming my way.
Have been eating a few items up on or just past UU dates, and musing as I oft do, to how we never succumbed before these were implemented. My mother shopped daily, so that is one explanation, but there must be others. Mum never even had a fridge until the late 70s, after I had left home.

fuddle

Good very early morning - 'tis warm and I have been awake since 1am. Never mind.

We have spent the weekend on the Isle of Wight. We have, of course, enjoyed a frugal trip and who the heck (girls included) wod have known otherwise- all food taken with us, prepped and eaten when indoors and picnics for when we weren't. Our national trust membership has been a godsend - free entry into Old Battery and The Needles viewpoints, walk around NT gardens an free parking for NT beaches. We searched for fossils, built sandcastles, went on walks and had a really nice time. Weekends in our surroundings are our 'holidays' so we feel blessed at having access to great, cheap, easily accessible and frequent family times. Spare money has been something DH and I have never experienced in the 11 years we have been together - you all know why. To be able to do things as a family is just amazing.

So a new working week beckons. It's busy as I am pretty much working flat out 9.30-2.30. I will have to be on my game with preps and housework as my day actually begins all systems go at 6.30 and doesn't 'end' till school pickups but of course there's reading, homework, tea, dishes, packed lunches etc so I won't get the chance to breathe till 6.30 on the night - no way will I feel like house work so I will allow 15 minutes only to fly in a room a night.

I'm about to go down and set a light load off in the washing machine so I can hang it in the 15 mins I have between kids drop off and making my way to my first call - I know I have always liked to be organised but I find myself making use of every space in my day. I certainly feel fulfilled!

Food wise - were a little bored of salads and meat and veg so going to change it up in favour of meal making. Lasagne will feature but yet to get the meal plan/shopping list done so using what we have in until I can sit and work on it - hopefully tomorrow evening.

Crochet - doing different design of small squares for my blanket. I have decided to do this as I can't crochet as much as I used to so when I do get to do it I want to enjoy it - continuos rows of the same stitch was just monotonous. looking forward to stitching some together too.

Food stores - slowly coming on. I have yet to need extra storage away from the cupboards in the kitchen but slowly they are filling. I am finding it much much harder to grow my stocks today, as opposed to when money was extremely tight, and I think it is down to the lack of buy one get one free. That used to be how I would grow without spending too much in the way of extra money. These days it seems to be 2 for £x and spending nearly double to maybe get something like 16p off the second one. It's very frustrating when you're a budget fiend!

Growing our own - strawbs are coming on amazingly! DH will be getting some netting this week as I suspect the birdies are keeping a close eye on them too. The birds (I think) have pecked out a couple of peas before they began to grow as now we have an inch-2 inch in growth, there are gaps! I am not convinced that the blueberry is doing well but time will tell. Got itchy fingers to get more raised beds built for more grow our owns - very exciting!

mardatha

Well I was up at 5am. The RV bought a phone at Aldi yesterday... The alarm went off at 4.30am. And again at 4.40. And 4.50. And 5am, that's when I gave up and got up. I also found 4 texts in it dated March/April and the alarm is set for everyday. Sooo... I suppose we have to go all the way back (40mile round trip) to hand the bloody thing back. Somebody must have had it and returned it.

paidinchickens

Fuddle I can't believe how much life has changed for you! I'm glad your busy but happy, you deserve it x

McC Thank you and I can't remember when we got our first fridge.

Madatha I'm now totally convinced phones are the invention of the Devil. They are a godsend when you have kids out and about though so I will continue dancing with the Devil until they've grown up

Lyn What a good booty haul, sounds like a lovely way to spend the day.

Nutty Another car boot?? I must trundle down to your neck of the woods to check out these booties x

The alarm clock dog had me up at 4.30 as she is still adamant that a speck of light and a bird tweet mean everyone up! It almost made me wish it was winter for the 7am wake ups, but not quite. Devil dog has now gone back to sleep!!!

Here's to a good week everyone

PiC x

nuttyp

PIC your more than welcome, there is a certain garden centre next door too so you can also have a wander there. It has some bargains there, but you do need to look sometimes quite hard!!
Anything that is no longer needed is sold, and the money we make will help for between our holiday fund and paying for a stair carpet for DD new house. Fingers crossed she will be moving in july - depends how the builders get a wriggle on.
Today is my only day off, I am attending my first managers meeting and have to travel to Leicester. I will use OH car, even though it doesn't start until 1015. I will leave around 820. I like to drive and not worry or panic about being late. After the meeting I am going for a coffee with someone I trained with when i started with the company 4 years ago, she is already a manager so my plan is to pick her brains about what I need to be doing in my new role. Mainly about extra paperwork.


Have a good day will report how I do later......

kidcat

Morning all - just trying to catch up

PIC - hugs to you and DD, my friend had similar before Christmas and was devastated, panicking about her children etc, the way we all do, then she got a call to go in for cancellation appointment on Christmas eve! She had the laser watsit and all is now well again. Apparently its her second time with this but they are not concerned

Nutty - good luck today and good idea to pick another managers brains.

Fuddle - NT membership is definitely a good thing, my kids have been to so many more places and done more things than their friends, not the abroad beaches and holiday clubs but the heritage of our country. Means they understand our history and have a respect for it.

Mardatha - oh dear that is very naughty of Ald! to sell a used return, it may be worth a call to check they will deal with it in store before you make the journey back.

I am up and ready for the school run, feeling rotten again today - which I cannot decide whether its a cold or hayfever. Hayfever is winning as since I took the tablets yesterday its improved slightly, but as ever its a tough call. However both the littlies have woken with really sore throats and croaky, throats are red raw so am keeping them off today in the hope they will be back in tomorrow. DD8 has a school costume day on Wednesday and a trip Friday, DS10 has a variety of things from Wednesday onwards.

Today I am going to try to shop for some reasonably priced fans, the heat over the weekend has reminded me how hot the bedrooms all got last year and how I didn't manage to get any last year. We had three fans left from previous years, but two of those have been broken this year so I really need four more fans. So if anyone sees any good offers please bear us in mind

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

Starting this Monday feeling quite anxious about things, so going to take a few moments to plan something nice for each day. Thinking an academy haircut at some point this week, and its OH's birthday on Friday so Friday and Saturday will be celebrating with friends and then family.

Mar, that phone sounds almost possessed. OH and I have the most very basic phones we could get, although every few months he thinks about getting a smart phone. I confess I'd enjoy a few of the features---the Mysupermarket app, the camera etc. but I just don't think I could handle that much smartness in my life. The alarms and texts and whatnot are enough! I hope the RV gets a satisfactory response from Ald!--one's own alarms and texts are enough to deal with without someone else's!

Nutty, I've seen tables and 4 chairs for around £50 at a couple of places--Ald! and Arg@s. Not sure how much the one at A$da was, cant imagine why they wouldn't sell the display.:(

Fuddle--sounds like a lovely time. Your girls with remember these adventures with fondness, and I think the move down south will mark something special in their lives.

For those of you who do a bit of prepping---a quick question. I should pop into the SHTF thread but I know I'll only get sucked in! How much water do you store? I'd like to have three days worth for each of us, but rotating what I currently have last night, I think I'm still a long way off. I think I've got about 14 litres right now. I did look on the american prep site, and obviously I remember what I did for earthquake preparedness when I lived in California and Hurricanes in the south, but the situation there is very different so I was looking for UK specific recommendations. Any thoughts on here in the UK for how much water per person per day?

ivyleaf

Morning all :wave:

Lovely here again today, so will get some washing in presently, once OH has got up so I can see what I'm taking out of the laundry bin

I'd rather like to go out today to the coast (nice clean air) but I expect OH will want to cut the grass, as it looks as if we may have rain tomorrow. Still, I have plenty to be getting on with indoors.

Also need to get onto the V & A website to see if I can get tickets for their wedding dress exhibition, as I rashly asked DD1 if she fancied going - she nearly bit my hand off :rotfl:

Floss - You sound very busy in your new job! I hope you're finding it satisfying, and managing to get enough sleep

kidcat - I understand a lot of people are suffering more than usual with hayfever this year (I certainly am.) OH is usually ok with just tablets, but this year he's had to buy a nasal spray as well - it definitely helps. i always need a spray - my hayfever starts in late Feb/early March and goes on until September! I never had hayfever until I was 26.

Fuddle - What a lovely weekend you had

Mardatha - :mad: re Aldi phone! I think kidcat's suggestion of ringing them first is a very good one.

nuttyp - You won't read this until you're back home, so I hope today went well.

MrsLW -I hope all went well with the transfer of the cider! Sounds a bit scary, or possibly very damp at least.

FPK - I got a smartphone about 6 months ago - I don't really like the touchscreen, but it's a lot easier on the thumbs when texting - I use a stylus, but our son uses his thumbs and predictive text (so far I've only found that by accident, then when I did want to try it, I couldn't find it again!) and is astonishingly fast. Yesterday OH's favourite Doctor Who mug fell out of the cupboard and got badly chipped when DS was rummaging for a glass; in less than 2 minutes he'd used his phone to order an exact replacement from the bay of E I don't use mine for the internet at all, the font's too small for me to read easily.

OH bought a book all about the amazing things one can do with S@msung G@laxy phones (we've both got them, but not the same model) - I couldn't understand a word of it.