Daydream fund challenge part 4

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I would get 'the bills for Christmas have just come in' and nothing to show for getting another year older as a result. Even when I didn't get much for Christmas either on the grounds of 'it's your birthday soon'.

Or, 'I went to the shops and they were full of people [strike]so I went to the busiest pub in town for the afternoon instead[/strike]'.


I've decided that the prospect of the winter ahead [strike]and Himself spending all day in bed on the grounds that it's dark/dull/wet/he's too tired/miserable[/strike] is too depressing to put up with for another year. So, in the absence of living somewhere you'd actually want to go outside in (or enough money to go somewhere sunny and warm), I've just ordered a sunrise clock light thingummywotsit as it was twenty quid cheaper than I've seen it before - and cheaper than decamping to Devon for the holidays, even if the rail network isn't shutting down on the night before I finish work for trackworks/striking (bet they announce one this week anyway)/the track gets washed away again.

Considering we got up at 10.30 this morning (a real lie in for me, as I'm normally awake at 7 on weekends) and he's already snoring on the sofa - yes, I'm going to give him a kick in a minute - anything that might persuade him as well as me to go to sleep at a reasonable hour and wake up able to function as a human being has to be worth a try.

If it does help, I'm going to get a cheapish proper SAD panel lamp for him as well. And [strike]shove it in his face[/strike] use it to make being downstairs less Stygian in character.

choille

Hobby light bulbs work just as well & are much cheaper.

I know how you feel as I've just hobbled in from a collie wobble walk in the mud & gloom & drizzle. It's freezing out there.

greenbee

Jojo - I use daylight bulbs all over the house. Plenty of people complain about how bright they are, but as they don't live here and I do, that's tough I work here too, and need the full spectrum bulbs to stop me wanting to hibernate. Mind you, I should probably go outside more...

choille

I think you do need to get outside for even an hour at this time of year just to blow the cobwebs away.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

greenbee wrote: »

Jojo - I use daylight bulbs all over the house. Plenty of people complain about how bright they are, but as they don't live here and I do, that's tough I work here too, and need the full spectrum bulbs to stop me wanting to hibernate. Mind you, I should probably go outside more...

I would, but the lightfittings are the expensive integral CFL things and only take one type (ie, dull yellow) replacements. I managed to get daylight LED GU10s for the kitchen and hall, which makes a huge difference and if I ever get a chance to buy the bulbs for the lamps again (he usually replaces them whilst I'm at work), I'll get cool white, if not daylight, ones - assuming they come in the multitude of different BC/SBC/ES/SES we have in lamps without costing a fortune.

He insisted on coming round the shop a few minutes ago and dithered about, picking [strike]utter crap like pizza, crisps and microwave burgers[/strike], pestered me to hurry up when I looked for cool replacement bulbs and then dithered about again immediately afterwards when I asked such difficult questions as 'Do we need fabric softener?' and 'Do we need milk?'. So I decided it was best to leave him to it and come home.

He's dippy enough from June - September (when he shuts all the curtains and refuses to go outside during daylight hours because 'it's hot'), but get to mid October and he's more frustrating than a low ability 15 year old. And still refuses to leave the house in daylight.

I suppose I'd better go back online and see what prices the lamp daylight bulbs are going for, really.

greenbee

I agree, and I need to be more disciplined about it particularly making time during my work day. However, at the moment i’m Being feeble as I had surgery on my mouth on Friday and frankly just keeping going from one set of pills to the next is enough. I’m managing to wash, change clothes and eat soup. Otherwise I’m reading and trying to sleep.

ETA - jojo, this might help https://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/article/choosing-daylight-bulbs/

DaftyDuck

I need to stop adopting everything and looking after it. For the least few days, I have been protecting "Luke" from the cats, as he's a bit slow, easily caught. But, tonight, I failed, and the cats got him.

RIP Luke. Luke Flywalker. He was old, and a bit clumsy and blue, and it was the end of his time, but I took to him, and kept putting him up on the mantle place out of harm's way, but he insisted in flying... just a bit, before strolling around on the carpet, or buzzing upside down.

But, now he is gone, so I need to adopt something else, don't I? Anyone got a spare cow?

In my defence, I suspect my research has killed many millions of billions of insects, so I have penance to pay.

Poor Luke!

Davesnave

choille wrote: »

I think you do need to get outside for even an hour at this time of year just to blow the cobwebs away.

Totally agree, although today I've had to dodge between the heavy rain showers to fit it in.

I try to walk the whole boundary and do some outdoor activity or other each day, just to maintain some sense of connection with reality. As a last resort there's also the conservatory, still being adequately heated with the excess from the woodburner, because outside's still double figures. Indeed, the cats are still out there on the sofas, no doubt waiting for the rain to ease...

I need to be more active now, as the weight's already going on and we all know what's coming. It hasn't helped that two sets of visitors left us 1/2 kilo of shortbread each in the last fortnight. Then, today, what did I win in the village hall market raffle? A whole kilo of the stuff!


I told them, "If I win and it's not alcohol, put it back!" but does anyone listen?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

DaftyDuck wrote: »

I need to stop adopting everything and looking after it. For the least few days, I have been protecting "Luke" from the cats, as he's a bit slow, easily caught. But, tonight, I failed, and the cats got him.

RIP Luke. Luke Flywalker. He was old, and a bit clumsy and blue, and it was the end of his time, but I took to him, and kept putting him up on the mantle place out of harm's way, but he insisted in flying... just a bit, before strolling around on the carpet, or buzzing upside down.

But, now he is gone, so I need to adopt something else, don't I? Anyone got a spare cow?

In my defence, I suspect my research has killed many millions of billions of insects, so I have penance to pay.

Poor Luke!

Somebody has murdered Boris and Bessie - in the kitchen - with a can of poison.


Boris was a Missing Sector Orb Weaver living at the top of the kitchen window, having decided the other side of it was full of dangerous things like birds and rampaging Mouse Spiders and wasn't warm enough - plus inside also acquired a greater density of flying things to feast upon, such as flies and flour moths.

Bessie was a Noble False Widow who lived in the gap between the kitchen cabinet and the adjoining wall. She took care of more flour moths, but considerably fewer flies.

They both lived quite happily with me, watching as I opened the cupboard or drew the blind/did the washing up for months.

Until I heard an admission of guilt, I thought they'd just decided to move on - but apparently, he was very helpful and decided to 'deal' with them before [strike]not getting round to[/strike] cleaning the countertop.


I'm not about to adopt the woodmice under the shed (they belong to the Idiot Cat, apparently, anyhow), but I'm being so sensible and resisting the urge to have fish again, not even looking at puppies or rabbits or chickens or any other creatures - it's not fair!

choille

Well, I do like my house spiders but I don't like flies especially blue bottles.

Drizzly wet here & more snow on the tops. Going for a beach walk later with another two collie owners so that will give him a good run around.

Offer on the bay re selling fees but as so little is selling I don't think I will take full advantage of it.
How long do I have to plant spring bulbs?