Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

It's been one of those days when I've been on the go all the time but really don't have a lot to show for it. That's my own fault for having such a long list.

I finally completed the backup and resetting to Factory Settings as recommended by the techy person online and have reinstalled a few books and apps on the Kindle. One of the reasons it took so long was that once I'd checked everything was backed up, I went through manually moving books to the Cloud. Silly really as they were showing as being there but I'm not very trusting of my ability to keep hold of things out in the ether. There are roughly 150 apps and 200+ books accumulated over the last few years! It looks a lot neater without all the sample books I'd downloaded but only time will tell if the problem has been fixed.

In addition, I've updated a standing order to DS2 and paid off the CC. It was a bit in a muddle but I think I've sorted out what needed to come out of which account. The 'big' account (DH's income) is looking rather scraggly after being hit by the stove, chimney repair and lots of logs. I will have to keep an eye on it and if necessary move more out of savings.

I've been cooking, too: a batch of soup and another of curry so the freezer is full to bursting. I tried Tikka Masala more or less from scratch and soaked/cooked the chickpeas from dried so somewhere that's probably saved some pennies. I also had a catch-up with an old friend - the blessings of social media - and did my physio exercises.

Decluttering has moved forward infinitesimally: a handful of things are tidied and I finished a couple of jars of ingredients while cooking. The usual rubbish and recycling going out of course...

I did brave the rain in the end. It wasn't too bad as the sun went down and we had a brilliant rainbow but what a gloomy afternoon! At least it wasn't cold and the wind has dropped. Got a few bits from the shops including batteries which counts towards decluttering, as gadgets are no longer hanging round uselessly.

Work tomorrow...

Spending:
Household (batteries) £12.50
Housekeeping £7.44
MS:
Veggie meals frozen ready for work or busy evenings.
CC paid up to date so no late fees.
Bought cheapest form of anti-limescale stuff for the washing machine
Bought different coffee, thus saving a £ or so.
Bought cooking apples for DH as cheaper than tins
Hoping the Kindle reset will have solved the problem and mean I don't need to replace the battery (or the whole thing)
10th coin savings 20p
Decluttering:
Minimal

Onebrokelady

Wow you have been busy,it's also grey and gloomy here today,it's annoying because it's lovely and windy but keeps raining so I can't peg my washing out,mind you I have cut down on my use of the tumble dryer drastically so I won't feel guilty if I use it today,I'm trying to persuade myself to take the dog out at the moment,she has just come over to sit next to me and is staring intently

Cherryfudge

Onebrokelady wrote: »

Wow you have been busy,it's also grey and gloomy here today,it's annoying because it's lovely and windy but keeps raining so I can't peg my washing out,mind you I have cut down on my use of the tumble dryer drastically so I won't feel guilty if I use it today,I'm trying to persuade myself to take the dog out at the moment,she has just come over to sit next to me and is staring intently

The sunshine came to us today. I see you're on line and it's an hour and a quarter after your post... so did the dog get her walk?

WannabeFree

Rain here

Just catching up with your diary. The house is sounding lovely and you sound as busy as ever

x

Cherryfudge

Nothing to report today: lazy morning, apart from doing the ironing and my physio, then work. Nothing spent.

Cherryfudge

Today was quite quiet at work but some small progress was made. When I got home I decided I had time and energy to catch up on a few outdoor jobs... (why does energy, which so often eludes me, sometimes just go on being available?) … I've moved a tarpaulin that had blown across the garden and secured it over our temporary log store, tended to both compost heaps, tidied up some garden furniture of H and A's which we're looking after and fed DS2's pets. Then I went to the shops for a nailbrush and a few groceries. The excitement!

I've kept up my physio for a whole three days in a row and I'm sure I can feel the benefit in terms of ease of movement. I also dozed off in front of 'Eat well for less' but I think they had some good veggie recipes so I'm going to check online. We mostly ate out of the freezer today so my extra day off this week has had some financial benefit. I'm not imagining I can entirely recoup the drop in wages but perhaps I can lessen its effect.

DS reminded me we owe someone a gift tomorrow - it had been on my mind but somehow the day crept up on me and we have run out of time to be imaginative, so a voucher it is. There was an extra cost as the printer decided to run out of ink so DH had to brave the rain tonight to go and get another cartridge.

And we must be nearing the end of the year - I've bought my next diary. A very cheap one but it's pretty and has a soft cover which counts for a lot when it's going to be my companion for the next 12 months!

Spending:
Stationery £1.50
Housekeeping £3.97
Household £0.59
MS:
2 x £2 coins for the £2 jar
Made my jar of oats with milk not yogurt, so it comes out a bit cheaper. This one also had a spoonful of hot chocolate, lots of sultanas and some flaked almonds, and I think I'll make it again.
Main part of dinner from freezer.
Mr T only seems to have own-brand cous cous today so I couldn't get the more expensive one, and I'd already done a home made version this week, so we got a 45p packet of it and it was yummy.
Compost coming along nicely - good for the garden next year.
I seem to have a tenner left of the £40 I had for food! Will hand it to DH to supplement his share as he has all the weekend stuff to buy.
Decluttering:
None in the house but the garden is tidier and things are put in sensible places just in time - the weather has gone wet and windy tonight though tomorrow's forecast is nice.

Cherryfudge

Another positive day at work - though I ended up staying late to send a couple of emails as I'll have forgotten details tomorrow. Hopefully I can claim for the time.
I haven't spent anything but I've sent the meter readings in. Nothing decluttered or anything fancy like that, either.
I'm short of sleep so I'll put in a grocery order and get my train tickets for the next visit to Mum's old house, then try to have a relaxing evening. DS2, J and L are over there today as they had to be in the area for something else so they've popped in to have a look around and pick up a box I had packed up (just a small one, honest!). J phoned to say it's lovely and warm in there. I got her to check the thermostat and it's only 15 degrees so I'm putting the feeling down to it being kept at that temperature and being thoroughly dried out. Also my parents insulated it to the nth degree.

Cherryfudge

Remembrance service this morning, work this afternoon, nothing spent.

A little progress on the decluttering front: a few papers and broken odds and ends yesterday as a desk drawer got stuck and in the process of un-sticking it, we had a bit of a sort out. Then today DH (bless him) sorted out a horrendous heap of things that I'd allowed to accumulate on the dressing table (of all places) and didn't know where to start to sort them out. He's basically grouped them by size and type, dusted the surface and put things back prettily, leaving me three piles of paper and sundries to work through. It's so nice to have that area looking intentional again - I must not, repeat, NOT, start putting things down on it again!

I have gone through most of a box of photos and letters that DD brought back for me yesterday - some lovely memories of when the kids were little which we looked at after lunch today, and lots of scenic ones that will sadly have to be weeded out as we don't have storage for memories that aren't ours. I'm setting aside a small bag of stuff for my sister, of things that will be special for her (and don't have to stay at our house forever).

Well, it's late and I've just remembered I've not done any physio, so I'd better go...

Cherryfudge

Day off .

I was going to do an extra day at Mum's place but realised I was tired after a two-nighter last time and having cut my working hours to stop myself getting overtired, it's not going to help if I don't take the days off when I have them.

That said, my idea of a day off is to get all the laundry done! It makes me feel I have a meaningful existence. :rotfl: Most of the handwashing is now done and the second quick load is in, to be followed by a hot wash. The two remaining hand washes are a woollen jumper with what looks like a coffee stain and a woollen jacket. I've already removed much of the stain but not enough to make it wearable so one more go... it's a beautiful colour (sweater not stain) and it's already been shrunk as the owner hadn't realised wool doesn't hot wash :eek: so I'm really kind of hoping that if the mark doesn't come out, someone tells me to get rid of the garment. I am rather coveting the lovely colour! Not sure what I'd make of it, though.

On an MS front, I've been using cloth hankies, having found loads at Mum's. They are so much softer than tissues! It's also nice to feel I'm doing a bit for the environment. I found an article (and lost it again) which explained that tissue manufacture uses a lot of water, which I'd never thought about.

Also on the topic of stuff from Mum's, those old photos and everything else I get from there smell musty so I've ordered some odour-removing 'rocks' that can be recharged after a couple of months or so by putting in a low oven or in sunshine. The musty smell isn't good and I'm aware I get immune to it, so I'll have to work extra hard to ensure anything I decide to keep gets as clean as possible. The house smells much better than it used to but the last trace of the smell is still there.

Decluttering-wise, the stretchable plastic bags are now bagged up for the carrier bag recycling. I'm hoping that's the right way round. Hate to see single use plastic - who else remembers bread wrapped in waxed paper?

It's a gorgeous day so I stood on the doorstep chatting to the window cleaner (and paid him - we'd missed his last 2 visits!). You wouldn't think it was November, it's very mild and the yellow leaves are glorious against the blue sky.

I'll be back to update as the day goes on.

Cherryfudge

Update at 4.20:

The stain hasn't come out of the jumper... the only thing that might be worth a try now is vinegar (I think the stain is coffee) but DS2 has protested before I even opened the bottle so I'm leaving it for now. We are going to have a fair amount of drying to do so I've left the wool jacket for now.

What else? Changed a light bulb and managed to clean the shade, which had been looking a bit weary. That's MS, isn't it? Also hassle-saving as it takes us ages to chose things like lamp shades!
The Christmas cake has been fed and wrapped... said she, smugly. Don't think I've ever got to this stage so early before. :rotfl:

I planted up 2 of the three wall baskets and it's getting rather dark to do the other so it can wait. The pansies have been sitting waiting for weeks already!

I also noticed how dusty our wicker laundry hamper was getting so I put it in the shower and scrubbed it, which took a while! By the time I got to the lid I was getting fed up, so that's not the best part, but in general it looks fresher. The liner was in the wash anyway and all the contents are too, so it's a fresh start.

Well, the dryer is on now though most things are still on the line: time I left DS2 in charge and went to buy food.