EH - Essex > Hebrides...the next step of the adventure?

RelievedSheff

We have been adding a few bits to our weekly shop as well and stocking up on stuff that is likely to go up in price.

The other half has been laughing that we had just got down our Covid lock down stocks and now we are starting to stock up again for price rises this time.

EssexHebridean

Haha RS yes, we're a bit like that - although we do always operate a storecupboard we're stashing different things at the moment to usual - or rather, in addition to the usual. The quandary we're finding is trying to second guess what is likely to either rise sharply in price, OR be in short supply next. 

So the lovely Steve arrived this morning on the button of 7am, along with the chap who's working with him who is apparently called Lee, and not his BIL after all I don't think. We've been over all the prep works - quite a bit for them to do but it sounds like we'll see a very definite difference even by the time we get home tonight. I have to confess I'm glad with hindsight that it will be two days - then a gap before the plasterer does his thing - then another gap before the decorating & flooring etc is done, as right now I don't quite feel mentally in the right place for several weeks of endless upheaval all at once! Too much else going on - and too much else to think about. Steve knows Mum and Dad really well which massively helps as he is fully aware of the current situation.

Just checked the banking - all good and that's the last main push of DD's out for the month now too - just EDF to go in a week and that's just £10. I'm hesitating over what to do about transferring some of the surplus to PB's - I'd usually do 50%, but that will leave under £200 in the account for the remainder of the month and there will still be commuting costs to come out - probably one more tank of diesel and at least one Oyster top-up - could be two, although hopefully only one. Worst case scenario could be in the region of £170 between those, and that leaves things just a little squeaky for my taste. I'm tempted to sit tight and see what the score is in another week I think as that will still be in plenty of time for throwing at least something at the PB account before month end. I've transferred the money for Steve for the works out of savings and that's ready for onward movement to him now. 

Aside from clearing up brick and paint dust (!) the only plans for this weeks evenings is to continue with a lot more work on our voluntary role - that will need at least an hour an evening all this week and then hopefully we'll be in a position to forward the spreadsheet to our database guru by the weekend for him to import it in and check everything functions before handing it back to us.  Meals are planned out for the week, I'm going to the gym on wednesday evening now I think - will aim to get a longer cycle in after work tonight. Tomorrow MrEH is WFH so I'll just head back to the car and straight home. 

Happy new week fellow moneysavers - here's hoping it's a decent one! 

beanielou

Hope all goes well 

milann

It will be worth it in the end……just keep the finished vision in mind 😂

EssexHebridean

It will, I know...but THE DUST!!!   

Oh - I know what I forgot to tell you lot. We decided on toasted muffins for tea last night. A bit of a favourite light tea this one, muffins, slathered in butter, with a chunk of cheese alongside - yum! So when we were in T's on saturday I checked the YS'd bakery to make sure there were none there, and as there weren't, went to the main shelf where I spotted W'rbys brand ones, pack of 4, on a CCard price of 69p - that will do nicely. Opened them last night, and two had a couple of little blue mould spots on! No impressed! Anyway, I photographed them, plus the BB date on the pack, and popped it on Twitter to T's - that I was unimpressed. Within minutes I'd got an apology and a request for a DM, and in half an hour after responding with further info they requested I had an email with a £3 voucher card by way of an apology. It goes without saying that the blue spots had log since been chopped off and eaten, but in fairness I never said to T's that we weren't eating them!  That'll be £3 off next week's shop, then! 

foxgloves

Excellent work on the refund! I've also recovered a small fragment of our cashola today & stepped up attempts on another. I like the traditional 'muffin man' muffins too. Tried to make some once. Could have sold them as airborne missiles. Shocking! 
F

savingholmes

LOL 🤣 at the muffins

EssexHebridean

ROFL at muffins as missiles foxgloves - oh dear! You're ahead of me though, I've never attempted to make them! 

Well we may have some headway with the hospital, and my Dad. I spoke with a doctor (eventually!) yesterday - a very nice chap who actually listened, and considered what I had to say, was shocked at some of what I told him, patiently gave me a little more information on a few things, and finally agreed that yes, a palliative care team referral was appropriate. This is what Mum has been fighting for over the past few weeks - and every single time she's raised it the ward staff have made various excuses about why that shouldn't happen. I'm furious on her behalf that I can get a result where she can't - presumably just because I'm younger, more able to state things as cold hard facts, and more willing to politely tell people they are wrong - even when those people are in a position of authority. The Dr was unaware that Dad has now lost over a stone in weight (17.6lbs, to be exact) in just over three weeks, that he has pressure sores, and that he's been repeatedly allowed to become dehydrated - all things that are preventable, or at least considerably reduceable. We now have to wait a few days and see what happens from here but the feedback was very positive and I actually feel now that changes may happen. Complaints have also gone in to the PALS service, copied to the Chief Exec of the hospital and the CQC - regardless of whether things improve for Dad, we'll be following those through as it will help to raise standards of care for those who come after him.

In more vaguely MSE related news - MrEH is lucky to survive after telling me after I got to work that he thought I was going to get the remaining money to give to Steve & Lee this morning - how he thought in the just over an hour available to me between leaving home and needing to be at my desk I was going to factor in going to the cashpoint, getting back to home, then driving my 20 mile commute in heavy traffic, before 2 miles cycling to the office I have no idea, not least as both last night and this morning we discussed that MrEH would give the initial amount to Steve and explain that he was about to go to the cashpoint and get the balance. "Oh - I suppose I'll have to go out at lunchtime and sort it then" was the response when I asked that - well yes matey, you flipping well will as you're working from home and I'm not! Honestly!  The prep work is coming on brilliantly though - and I was SO impressed how little dust we had round the place last night too in spite of them having done twice the amount of chasing out we thought they were going to! Today's jobs have been the remaining rubbing down of woodwork, and they're now sugar-soaping all the internal doors to get them ready for painting too. I believe there's a few other oddments as well, but not much. So impressed - no wonder my Mum says Steve is brilliant! 

Banks checked (yep - that was when I realised that the final cash withdrawal hadn't been made!) and all fine (apart from the....yes, you get the picture!) I'm still holding off on the transfer of funds to PBs - it just feels safer. Yesterday was a NSD - and I'm calling today the same as although we will have paid Steve that's not the same as a "spend" to me - it's budgeted, planned work that will ultimately increase the value of our home, whereas NSD's for me are about "buying things". I'm not tallying them up this month but it's nice to recognise when I get one! 

Food tonight will be sardine & butterbean pasta - a favourite variation on a Jack Monroe recipe I think. It packs in loads of veg, plus a portion of oily fish each, and is cheap, tasty and filling so all good. For tomorrow I have to decide between chicken stir fry and lamb couscous - we'll decide this evening which it will be. 

I'd hoped to be home promptly this evening as I don't have to wait for MrEH so can just get back to the car, hop in and go - but there's been an accident on the motorway which is delaying everything by at least an hour so I guess that will be the end of that one. Looks like it's currently taking out two lanes and they're not expecting to be able to get them open again any time soon, the Highways England site is showing expected normal traffic from 1845hrs - grr! I'll keep an eye on it - I may be better to take an alternative route though. 

beanielou

So so glad that you have had a positive conversation with the Dr.
Words fail me.
LOst over a stone in 3 weeks & pressure sores just beggars belief. As for dehydration well........

milann

It sounds as if your Dad has been treated abysmally - it just not right. I’m pleased you got a positive chat with the doctor…..hopefully some good will come from it.