Apple muncher's number crunching

apple_muncher

A quiet and lovely day has been had.

Workout got done before church, washing was done after. No money has been spent.

Dd thoroughly enjoyed kids klub whrre she helped the girls win the bouncy hopper race :j. Since getting home, she's pottered inside and out. But flagged easily, so she is dosed up and I ensured we started the bedtime routine early. Just as well she doesn't bother looking at the time!

I had a good time pruning the apple trees. Only 3 of them, mind, not an orchard! Got as much done as I could with secateurs, as the loppers have seized up. Dh has had a go at fixing the loppers, but I reckon I can fimish the trees with the ladder and some strong hand power.

Dd thought that my idea of stripping the leaves off some of what I pruned and painting them to make a Christmas Tree was good. Recycling at its best! Now we'll have 2 real trees, 1 plastic and 1 twiggy. Where will they fit? Some serious decluttering needed...

Thought we had managed to sell dd's child bike seat but chappie isn't looking like he can be bothered. Anyhow, I have another person who is imterested, so shall follow that up tomorrow.

Completed 2 spotty bags today :j. Dd thinks they are wonderful! Must do another look at what I've made for ghe fair (and MUST book a table!) to see what I should bump up. Or if I have enough already! Layout will be important. I have some ideas in my head, but am utterly incapable of moving them to reality with any success!

I have made a meal plan for this week! We have minimal freezer space, as dd's bread is in there - and the fridge! Therefore, am hoping weds' shop won't cost too much - or weigh too much either. Maybe I should try to extend the meal plan to the following weds...

Anyhow, dd is snoring so I am free to go downstairs :T.

apple_muncher

13 years today - go us! :j Might have a steak dinner on Weds to celebrate.

A decent day at work, lovely kiddies, a useful meeting with the Head, some good conversations with colleagues.

Squirreling on, another NSD. Should also be an exercise day but I'm too weary, so that can wait. However, doing a meal plan for the week meant that I walked through the door and knew what to do without having to make a decision. Am now sitting on the sofa vegetating while it cooks, and while I 'help' dd watch a Barb1e film.

Habibiboo

:wave:

Gosh, where to start?

Happy Anniversary to you both seems like a fitting place!

Glad DD continues to get better. I smiled at your comment about her not looking at the time as she was edged towards bedtime ... I've been known to have put the hands of the clock forwards and declared "well look at the time!" when my lads were younger and in need of an early one!

Love the idea of your dad's growing area and your "year of marrow, broad beans and brussels." Was he aiming to go off grid with canny use of a home made wind turbine, by any chance?

Quite agree about balancing up time with DD vs money. You're doing well with the old MFW malarkey, working hard in your paid job and your home life, and you don't get that time back again when they are young, so sounds like you're doing totally the right things to me!

Hope you get your stall wares sorted (but not tonight, eh)! x

apple_muncher

Thank you Habibiboo! Can't believe how the years have flown by so fast.

A year ago, I was working 2 days a week, dh was unemployed, and it was getting a tad tight. That's when I started on mse, and found ninjasavingkat and her monthly challenges. I'm still learning new habits and unlearning some old ones.

For 2 terms, I worked 4 days and EVERY SINGLE EXTRA PENNY went into savings/mortgage. Plus other pennies as I became more frugal.

Now I am on 3 days a week, a happy compromise, and all the 'extra' pennies will continue to be saved. Plus my own personal 'wish to save' challenges every month.

I may not excel at much, but I reckon I'm pretty good at NOT SPENDING. Usually! Investing - pah! Not a clue. Speadsheets scare me, but I use my calculator almost every day. And I get 2 whole days off in the working week to spend time with dd, get jobs done, AND do things I love, like food shopping, crafting, reading, exercising. I need to have time to myself and these 2 days are perfect.

Dd's school is having a Macmillan coffee morning on the 26th and dd is thrilled that I can go.

apple_muncher

And having sold dd's child bike seat for £20 (think we only paid £25 brand new about 4 years ago!), I've now paid £263.02/£400 over to the mortgage.

muddywhitechicken

apple_muncher wrote: »

13 years today - go us! :j Might have a steak dinner on Weds to celebrate.

Happy anniversary!

We had our steak dinner yesterday to celebrate

MWCx

apple_muncher

Dh arranged to come home early to pick up dd from lovely neighbour, so that I could attend a useful meeting at work. Just as well he did as I wasn't home til 6.

Dd enjoyed some daddy time and played a lot out the front.

Work went well - a full day of teaching, but one I enjoy as the kids are good and enjoyable to teach. For some reasonI feel a little like I am chasing my tail re photocopying. So today's focus was not just to try to identify what I need to do, but simply to choose one class and get ahead. Thursday will focus on y13.

But to orrow is a day off - yippee! Dd has cheerleading before school, so the poor thing won't get much of a lie in! But I'll get about an hour's headstart on my day.

I feel a list is in order:
- take dd to cheerleading
- return umpteen books through the library letterbox
- aldee shop
- workout
- possible cycle ride to an area of 4 ch shops
- finish 2 bunnies
- cut out 3 more bunnies
- 'stock take' for fair and decide what still needs making
- cut out hearts
- cut out bags
- 15 mins culling emails
- mow the front
- start on dd's advent calendar
- make soup
- relax!

apple_muncher

Sitting here after another cup of coffee, having spread out everything I've made on the rug. There is a lot of it!!! In fact it spills off the rug on to the floor.

Sewn items = bags, hearts, robins, birdies, fleece stockings. There is enough for a stall, I reckon!

Knitted items = owls, fishies, hanging strings of 3 hearts, handing trees in red and green, some figures, some lavender bags, some mitts.

But it's not all fully ready.

- I think I need to embellish or alter some items, as I've now got ribbon and buttons for the job (some robins and birdies, some hanging items, decorate some stockings)
- I need to make a few more of some items (bags, owls, mitts, figures(?))

Fundamentally, thanks to Habibiboo for setting me off with what seemed an ambitious target back in Jan/Feb, for sending me lavender, for also sending me ribbons! Now, there is enough and I just want to tweak it. :j

Oooh, maybe I am feeling a little smug!

apple_muncher

Wel, I didn't get my hour's headstart, doing what I'd planned. Neighbour over slept so I took her dd to school - 35 mins after returning from taking my own. And that has kind of thrown me a bit - must be more unbalanced than I thought! (However, next week I shall let her know that I won't be here to take her dd!)

Many things on list done. The stocktake was smug-inducing and also overwhelming. I have replaced 2 heart ribbons, and attached ribbons to 5 lavender bags, and removed a gazillion robin eyes. Sounds gory!

Most importantly of all, I have tidied it up! The box has fully finished sewn items, the white bag has knitted ones. The brown bag is items needing attention.

Anyhow, got a 20 min workout done, did a wash, and made mayo and then coleslaw. Dinner tonight is steak, mushrooms, cream, chips, coleslaw (!). Yummy!

greent

Belated anniversary congratulations! xx