From debt to freedom...

Honeysucklelou2

Made 2 lemon drizzle cakes this morning, took one to a friend's and left the other here. Came to switch the oven on to cook a chicken pie this evening, to discover that it's started tripping out again. I tried to reset the fuse board but gave up after 5 attempts, then rang my friend to see if I could use her oven to cook the pie. The oven did this a few months ago but was ok a couple of days later and has been fine to use until this evening. I'll have to see if it will work tomorrow.

I've spent the afternoon doing a fair amount for work this week, then did a circular walk around some fields ( using public footpaths) on one side of the village. Two of the fields had been cut for silage and the new growth of grass was amazing to see...a vivid fresh green and each sward of grass absolutely bolt upright. Another 2 fields had been ploughed and drilled so we crept around the edge. DS3 was delighted to spot the rabbit holes in the hedge. I love this time of year when the campion is in its first flower of the year and is such a bright pink against the green grass in the hedgerow. The bluebells and stitchwort provide the perfect balance of colour and size of flower...can't beat it, but the timing of the 3 flowers together is so brief, it simply has to be enjoyed. The way back home was lined with lilac trees, so a fragrant wander home!

Cherryfudge

What a lovely walk! Your flowers are ahead of ours: I'll expect the lilac in another week, judging by the one at the neighbour's.
Odd and inconveniencing about the oven: maybe YouTube can help?

Honeysucklelou2

Another busy week at work but quite a positive week by and large. It was payday on Tuesday and direct debit day on Wednesday! The main bills have been paid for which I am thankful. On Thursday another £29 was paid off a debt and on Wednesday another £30 from the windows.

Yesterday was spent helping my mum sort through my grandmother's house. I now see why it's not a 5 minute task. I was there for a few hours and we got one cupboard sorted. My grandmother wasn't even a hoarder as such. I think it will take a few more days of popping over to sort out.

I went to the coast with DD2 and DS3 today. DD2 wanted to practice the route for her forthcoming 10k run. DS3 did really well, especially as I missed the right gate for the little NT car park we were in and we ended up three fields further away. I think we did about three miles, so DS is asleep from the sea air. The sea was stunning today...an electric blue colour giving way to a deep turquoise colour. There were a few white horses out to sea but the wind dropped and all was calm once more. Since the last time went, the cliff top bluebells have bloomed. They are much smaller than their inland counterparts but have to be in order to bloom in such windy conditions. The fragrance was amazing.

crazy_cat_lady

Sounds like a lovely walk.
We've had mostly grey, cold and sleety so far this weekend so I'm staying in!

Honeysucklelou2

Yesterday was busy and frustrating in equal measure! I got the grass cut , a job I find relaxing and enjoyable, then set to work on the car. A few weeks ago the electric window mechanism failed, so I had a look then and bought a repair kit for £10. I tried and tried to fit it yesterday. I think I spent 4 hours in all. It was like looking at a complicated puzzle. I could see where one end of a cable fitted into a spool but could not see where the other end went :mad:. I got to the point where I thought that
more damage could be done by doing it wrong, including causing damage to the glass, so I have reluctantly admitted defeat and will book in to the local garage. Hopefully the bill will not be too high, as I already have the parts.

After all that frustration the beach was the best option and hearing the waves was a great tonic. DS3 ran everywhere and we found lots of beautiful shells. It's funny how sometimes there are very few shells and at other times the beach can be full of them.

It was quite late when we got back. I had thought of an idea for tea but unfortunately DS1 had had a friend round and they had managed to use all the sausages and bacon I had intended to use. Since everything else was frozen ( raw meat) and would take at least an hour to cook I ended up getting some chips and pizza from the nearest takeaway. I was really cross with myself as I'd hoped to have a NSD. Have had a quiet word with DS1 about just checking about ingredients. I usually keep eggs, cheese, beans etc that they can help themselves to without problem but just to check meats. Hope that's reasonable.

Need to keep a very tight rein on the purse this week. I'm hoping to get some work tasks out of the way today and then spend time in the garden.

Honeysucklelou2

Had a lovely day today. DD2 wanted to go out so we decided to do a chunk of the coastpath. 2 DDs were having time with their grandparents, so the rest of us went out. We parked only a couple of miles from home, in a place that was free . We walked almost 2 miles along the coast path. Stunning scenery all the way. We saw some sea pinks nestling at the very edge of the cliff and some beautiful flowers, smaller than a sea pink but a very pale blue colour. Parts of the cliff were covered in them, rivalling the bluebells for the carpeting effect.
One cove was particularly arduous. The path up and down had to be in zigzags as it was just too steep for a straight path. We passed the remains of old buildings , built Into a ledge, a few metres in from the cliff. Amazing, if a little eerie, to think that someone once lived there. Some of the cliff looked as if it had been quarried at some time. We reached the next inhabited cove and had an ice cream to fortify us for the return journey. This time we located a public footpath that took us back to where we had parked, but ran parallel to the cliff path. It was really warm and just a delight to be all together. I felt very blessed to enjoy the sun on my face, the sea breeze refreshing me and the whole being outside was so uplifting :T:T:):). DS3 has fallen asleep early tonight...the combination of sea air and a good 2 and a half miles of walking and running have exhausted him.

Thankfully I had made a batch of pastry before we set off, so just had to chop up the meat and veg to make pasties. The washing has dried on the line while we've been out:T. I feel relaxed but must gear myself up for work tomorrow. Although I did spend some money today, it was for an ice-cream for each of us. We took water bottles from home and a selection of fruit to snack on.

The tomato plants are looking nice and healthy in the greenhouse. I have potted up some sweet pea plants into a large pot with a frame to tie them into. I need to get beans, sweetcorn and courgettes sown in the next couple of days.

I've been thinking about using small chunks of time to do things, so that tasks aren't overwhelming. I need to sort out the back garden. Most of the garden is at the front and I keep that as neat as I can. The back garden however is awful. The ex still has tools here and there and it's just not an area that is inviting to sit or be in....so I need to do something about it. I don't have a huge amount of time term time but I thought if I could just do 20 minutes a day, hopefully in a coup,e of weeks we might see some difference. Initially just weeding and stacking any wood into the wood store would be a start, but I thought I could create a bed area along the boundary line. ( most of the boundary has a lelandii type hedge but there is a gap that is bare wall. I thought perhaps something quite robust like a pyracantha might do well. It has flowers and berries in seasons, but it would start to feel more like a garden and less like a builder's yard.

crazy_cat_lady

Sounds as though you've had a lovely weekend overall HSL, and you've gotten loads done as well. The 20 minute a day thing makes a lot of difference - it's the way I get stuff done at home.

Honeysucklelou2

The 20 minute idea hasn't quite worked yet, as I seem to have been completely zonked from work every day this week. I did water plants at the allotment and was shocked at how tall and plentiful the weeds are! I really need to carve out some time over the weekend to getting beds ready for planting out. The lettuce is coming on nicely in the greenhouse. I did eat a bit on the spot...can't beat homegrown lettuce, melts on your tongue just about!

A NSD today, the first for May. Hoping there will be lots of others!

Honeysucklelou2

A busy weekend has flown by so quickly! I had a long to do list written out on Saturday morning which I haven't completed but I did manage to get DD4's passport application off, which was starting to become a pressing task. Another such task was booking the car in for its window repair. That's now booked and should be done at half term.

On Saturday I had planned to go into work and get a few bits and pieces done but when I got there DS1 ( who had come to help me) heard a hissing sound. On investigation we realised that a nail had gone into my tyre . We jumped straight back in the car and tried to drive back to the nearest town but about half way there, a terrible sound was heard as there was no air left in the tyre:eek:. Fortunately I knew there was a lay-by within a few metres, so we were able to pull in. I called the AA who came promptly and did a great job of changing the tyre. It was somewhat of a puzzle as to how to reach the spare wheel as it was on a cable system under the car, quite complicated. The tyre had been there, I would imagine by the rust on it, for the best part of 11 years and had no air in it:eek:. The patrol man did give a tip for future reference to make sure that the spare tyre is checked on every service. I had no idea it should have been checked. I pay the AA subscription monthly and sometimes I must confess I wonder if it's worth it but on Saturday I'm glad every penny was paid. I'm also very thankful that I was able to pull into a lay by and be safely off the road and that the sun was shining that day. It would have been a grim time in the rain.

On our eventual return home, I got some sweetcorn sown . I had been to the garden centre prior to the puncture and there was a delightful sale section, where all the summer bulbs and corms were either half price or £1. So I picked up a couple of dahlia tubers for £1 each, 2 agapanthus tubers for £1 and some acidanthera bulbs:). The dahlias have been potted up and put in a covered mini greenhouse. I know they will be later than usual from being planted later but I will enjoy their flowers in due course!

I have a little gardening challenge...to grow some flowers in 2 particular colours for a friend . I'll grow them at the allotment but will need to make sure that no rabbits have their beady eyes on them. A task in this coming week is to get a bed prepared to get plants and bulbs in asap!

Made 2 carrot cakes and 2 lemon drizzle cakes. One of each was for a friend and the rest for us. Enjoyed the simple pleasure of baking .

I've paid off £63.57 off a debt today...every little helps! At least the figures are going in the right direction.

Honeysucklelou2

Nearing the end of a busy week at work. This week I have paid £200 off a school trip which means that DD4's trip is now fully paid for. That's a huge sense of relief. I've just got DD5's school camp to go which has about £70 remaining so will try to tackle this one by half term.

Yesterday was a NSD so slowly creeping up. Need to have a lot more of them!