Get a grip woman!

Suffolk_lass

Builders and rain! All day yesterday and they are here today too. Who knew it was so complicated reversing the opening of a door.

Our old (17th century) cottage needs everything bespoke so lots of retro-fitting of new oak with very old oak. It will look fab and make a HUGE difference when bringing stuff into the house because the central chimney is directly behind the front door so the gap was only 4 feet and with the door opening inwards, you could not get past without first shutting it - necessitating all shopping first entering the sitting room, putting it down, then shutting the door, then picking it up and carrying it past - for each load. And the same with holiday cases because the stairs were behind the door too. Maybe we could have simply reversed the hinges but this suits us better.

No gardening as it was pouring all day.

Suffolk_lass

Got out in the garden and cleared most of one of the raised rockery beds (well, my lovely cousin did!) and I finished pruning the lavender - is it too late to strike cuttings, I wonder?

Took my neighbour's dog for a walk, which she and I loved, and I weeded one of my veg beds so I could plant stuff for winter, not sure what yet. Lots of winter veg is stored already and carrots are still in the ground.

We collected the rest of the (on-order) door furniture yesterday so the main joiner can fit it today. Hopefully they will get finished and we can get back to normal.

Oh yes, I think I shall have a black eye after bending to pick something up and hitting my head on the door handle of the freezer - 2 days on I still have a lump (and a headache when I bend forward).

Has anyone else noticed how things pop along in little batches? Now the upstairs toilet has started to sing when it refills after flushing. So DH has bought a different style of float as this has happened before. I moved it off the stairs, and into the bathroom as a gentle hint to GET ON WITH IT

Baileys_Babe

Definitely with you on things popping up in batches. We seem to be in a bad patch currently.

I've been doing more reading and watching YouTube about soap making. I'm struggling to find some lye, where did you buy yours?

Suffolk_lass

Lye is Caustic Soda in UK - I bought a kilo from the local hardware store - I'm sure Wilkos/Wilkinsons have it, if the supermarket doesn't

Baileys_Babe

Thanks Suffolk lass I'll try Wilko's or the hardware store next time I'm in town. Ever where I've looked so far hasn't sold it even under the name caustic soda.

Elnora32

Hello Suffolk Lass,

I've been following your diary for a while - it's an interesting read. I used to make soap but I haven't made it for a while and I really ought to but I've so many other things to do at the moment. I used to make Calendula oil and use that in my soap as it is supposed to be good for your skin.

Hope you get your toilet fixed soon.

Elnora.

Suffolk_lass

Baileys_Babe wrote: »

Thanks Suffolk lass I'll try Wilko's or the hardware store next time I'm in town. Ever where I've looked so far hasn't sold it even under the name caustic soda.

It's hard to check online as nobody is supposed to deliver it but both the major DIY sheds Home - and BAQ sell it in 500g containers, and of course Amazing - it is used to clear external drains so may also be in supermarkets under a brand name (but this might include toilet-smell perfumes...

Suffolk_lass

Elnora32 wrote: »

Hello Suffolk Lass,

I've been following your diary for a while - it's an interesting read. I used to make soap but I haven't made it for a while and I really ought to but I've so many other things to do at the moment. I used to make Calendula oil and use that in my soap as it is supposed to be good for your skin.

Hope you get your toilet fixed soon.

Elnora.

Thanks for joining in Elnora, I have not considered making my own oils but I recall that calendula is a good skin conditioning oil - recommended to baby-feeding women to toughen up their dispensing equipment (put that way as I don't want to attract the wrong sort of search!)

Suffolk_lass

In money news I stopped posting my debt tracker when I stopped work but I just want to mention that our total debts have dropped from £122,852.54 to £17,891.99 or by £104,960.55 since I started this diary in January 2017.

All of the outstanding debt is now mortgage, with a 1.24% interest rate.

I thought it might be of interest to reflect my rationale in still having it sitting there, hanging over us.

• Well firstly I am getting better than that rate on my savings.
• Then there is an additional £75 to pay, over the end of term admin, if I redeem it early - I may yet do this if interest rates increase.
• I have also asked to change the monthly payment down to £100 a month (interest is £18.49 a month) so a trickle of £81.50 off the capital plus my Tilly Tidies paid over once a month will be the limit for a while
• I am more concerned about cash flow and we don't yet have confirmation of what DH's pension will be each month (despite giving four months notice, the Teachers' Pension Service are evidently too busy to do this - apparently teachers retiring at the end of the school year has taken them by surprise :eek:). Apparently they are 60% ready to tell us (and less than three weeks from the date it is supposed to be paid for September)
• Although we have some money in savings I want to have that available to us, for the time-being as we think we might go for a big trip next autumn or possibly the year after
• DH has 75% of his personal pension pot left with the management company but we don't want to draw that down yet - the plan is to draw it over the next four years in each April so it splits across four tax years. Although he has had the 25% tax free lump sum, he can get further tax relief on the part that takes him up to the tax free personal allowance limit of £12,500, before the tax year in which his State Pension becomes payable.
• We might use a small lump of this pot to pay down the mortgage further.
• We do have a BS bond that will mature in October 2020 (it has been paying 3.5%) that could be used instead, to take the total debt under £10k

All still under consideration at the moment (I used to be decisive, but now I'm not so sure...)

Suffolk_lass

As it is now over 6 months since I stopped work a couple of other observations so far - we definitely use more paper - toilet, kitchen, tissues, towels - a small point but an addition to the housekeeping bill. I do also expect our electricity to increase, with both of us at home, and oil, as we might even stretch to putting the heating on!

Surprisingly food has gone down. Whereas I used to take my breakfast and lunch to work in boxes, now I often just eat what I have in or left over - without plans, I find I have to remind myself to buy certain things that were staples - often skipping breakfast and eating garden-veg soup for lunch.

It remains to be seen what happens now DH has stopped work - he is a serial snacker, I think!