Cherry takes the reins

HairyHandofDartmoor

You've been getting loads done Cherry. I hope your cough clears up soon.

Onebrokelady

Wow,you have been busy,I love looking at old family photos,whenever I go to get things from the loft I always get diverted by the box of photos up there,I took some old black and white photos of me and my sisters growing up and had them framed in three multi frames that hang next to each other in my living room,I love having them out to look at
I hope your cough goes away soon,we could do with some colder weather to kill off all the bugs going round

Cherryfudge

The cough has eased a lot, thanks. The lurgy is going the rounds and I do feel for those who have as it's quite debilitating. As you say, OBL, a good cold snap is needed to get rid of the germs.

So today, I don't feel anything really urgent but I could do with making a Christmas list for myself as DD has asked. The trouble is, there's nothing I really want, though DH is telling me I need a new Kindle. I need to contact their helpdesk again today as the poor thing is still cutting out - last night it gave up at 55% of battery which isn't good. I do feel that if I can replace the battery, all will be well (according to their people, though, batteries aren't meant to be replaced) and the money would be better spent elsewhere.

I'm also not wanting people to spend a lot on me - I don't need it and they could do without the expense. It therefore needs to be an ingenious list crafted of things that meet their ideas of 'what to spend' but actually don't cost a lot. So far I've got bubble bath and hand cream as all the other ideas still have a backlog from previous years!

It's a glorious day, in between downpours. I've just fetched A and H's towels in off the line and given them another spin as they got caught, but the sun is now shining brilliantly so they might go out again.

No washing of ours outstanding (thankfully) but there are bits of housework that need attention and a few errands to run so I'll make a random list and update as the day goes on.

ironing
clean windows
dust and hoover
pay cheque in
buy epsom salts
contact log burner person re snagging
contact Mr B re repairs at old house
make Christmas list
get card for DS2
contact Kindle

Cherryfudge

Right November weather, ain't it? (As we say round here). Proper manky.

However, I have walked to BeeandEmm and got some goodies, then went to the £ shop and the greengrocer's on the way back. All pretty frugal and bargainaceous apart from fairy lights to put in the window of Mum's old house next time I'm there, and some suction pads to keep them up. I won't charge those to the estate as I'll just take them back when I've finished with them there.

Much more costly, but also cheaper than a new car - we've paid for the repairs to DS2's car and it's now survived its MOT. He can't finish his course without it and he's already missed occasional days through not having transport. However... £470! So it's been a lean day for our EF, AKA savings. However, the money is there for when it's needed. It just wasn't supposed to be this side of retirement! It makes me think that as soon as I'm 100% fit to work, I need to see about making overpayments to my (very small) pension. I don't think there's much point trying yet as you have to be healthy to be allowed to make these payments.

Spending:
Household (including the fairy lights) £9.98
Housekeeping £9.47
MS:
About £2 / £2.50 saved by choosing where to shop.
£2 to £2 savings jar
10p to 10th coin savings
Decluttering:
No, unless you count sticking to the diet.

Cherryfudge

Oh, what a day! It turned out well enough eventually but some bits were stressful.

DS2 gave me a lift - perhaps I should have asked for one with H as she was going in the same direction about half an hour earlier, and had no trouble. We, however, hit a massive bottleneck and what should have been a half-hour journey took well over two hours. Two hours 25 minutes if you include us stopping at a supermarket for a few bits and bobs, but it was a short visit.

DS2 missed all his scheduled Uni activities because of the delay, but kindly dropped me in town where I made a successful (though rather expensive) start on Christmas shopping. Then I took a wrong turning out of a mall and ended up missing the train I'd intended to use to get to my appointment, so decided to walk. I've walked it before and knew I would be running late but it was either that or miss it altogether. I arrived overheated and stressed, as you can imagine, and juggling my bags to try to find the paper with my appointment on, which I'd brought. Could I find it? No. I made myself slow down and had a proper look but still no paper. Fortunately I had a number for switchboard, but it turned out to be one of those automatic ones that relies on voice recognition and kept telling me it was sorry it didn't understand - apart from the time it put me through to a genitourinary clinic, which was definitely wrong!

I got to the building, asked at reception and received directions to the gigantic building next door, where I was told I'd need to go straight ahead. Arriving there, I checked with the receptionist and was referred to a small building outside, which I couldn't find so I went back. I asked the receptionist again and she said I needed to go out to the main road and it would be on my right. By now I was Late with a capital L, but I had enough leads from the receptionist to try a different search term with switchboard, only to find I had to leave a message.

Are you still with me? By this time I was pretty stressed! I did find the building and the staff there looked very puzzled - it was definitely not the right place! However, they were marvellous. One of them rang up to find the details of my appointment when I explained I must have left my paper in the car or dropped it. She put me on to someone who verified my details then explained where I needed to be, then explained to me how to get there. Turns out the first receptionist was right all along - go through the main building, etc. So off I trooped, having put in around 17,000 steps according to my Fitb!t, looked around me for the elusive room and who should stop to say hello but H! She pointed me in the right direction straight away, and yet another receptionist told me to go and sit in such and such a waiting area.

By this time I was melting but I had the waiting room to myself so I dumped the bags and as many layers as I could decently shed, realised I'd had nothing to eat for a few hours and grabbed some cashews I'd bought earlier. I caught sight of myself in a mirror and realised I was absolutely scarlet in the face from exertion, but there wasn't a lot I could do about that.

After all that, my appointment was positive and uneventful. Afterwards I went out to the fresh air, which was definitely nippy, and decided to finish my sandwiches while I waited for DS2. When I put the sandwich box back in my bag, there under where it had been was the missing appointment letter.

On a positive note, all that exercise has left me with lots of energy! Yes, really.

Cherryfudge

21/11/18 Spending:
Housekeeping £17.86 (that includes a couple of stollen for Christmas)
Gifts £67.50
MS:
Brought food and a flask of coffee (though I ended up buying more)
Remembered to pay in a cheque
10th coin savings 15p
Just spotted I may have been been overcharged for something so will have to see if my local shop can advise and refund if possible.
Resisted buying anything for me!
Decluttering:
No, though I did some cleaning when I got home so there's been some improvement.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Cherryfudge wrote: »

Oh, what a day! It turned out well enough eventually but some bits were stressful.

DS2 gave me a lift - perhaps I should have asked for one with H as she was going in the same direction about half an hour earlier, and had no trouble. We, however, hit a massive bottleneck and what should have been a half-hour journey took well over two hours. Two hours 25 minutes if you include us stopping at a supermarket for a few bits and bobs, but it was a short visit.

DS2 missed all his scheduled Uni activities because of the delay, but kindly dropped me in town where I made a successful (though rather expensive) start on Christmas shopping. Then I took a wrong turning out of a mall and ended up missing the train I'd intended to use to get to my appointment, so decided to walk. I've walked it before and knew I would be running late but it was either that or miss it altogether. I arrived overheated and stressed, as you can imagine, and juggling my bags to try to find the paper with my appointment on, which I'd brought. Could I find it? No. I made myself slow down and had a proper look but still no paper. Fortunately I had a number for switchboard, but it turned out to be one of those automatic ones that relies on voice recognition and kept telling me it was sorry it didn't understand - apart from the time it put me through to a genitourinary clinic, which was definitely wrong!

I got to the building, asked at reception and received directions to the gigantic building next door, where I was told I'd need to go straight ahead. Arriving there, I checked with the receptionist and was referred to a small building outside, which I couldn't find so I went back. I asked the receptionist again and she said I needed to go out to the main road and it would be on my right. By now I was Late with a capital L, but I had enough leads from the receptionist to try a different search term with switchboard, only to find I had to leave a message.

Are you still with me? By this time I was pretty stressed! I did find the building and the staff there looked very puzzled - it was definitely not the right place! However, they were marvellous. One of them rang up to find the details of my appointment when I explained I must have left my paper in the car or dropped it. She put me on to someone who verified my details then explained where I needed to be, then explained to me how to get there. Turns out the first receptionist was right all along - go through the main building, etc. So off I trooped, having put in around 17,000 steps according to my Fitb!t, looked around me for the elusive room and who should stop to say hello but H! She pointed me in the right direction straight away, and yet another receptionist told me to go and sit in such and such a waiting area.

By this time I was melting but I had the waiting room to myself so I dumped the bags and as many layers as I could decently shed, realised I'd had nothing to eat for a few hours and grabbed some cashews I'd bought earlier. I caught sight of myself in a mirror and realised I was absolutely scarlet in the face from exertion, but there wasn't a lot I could do about that.

After all that, my appointment was positive and uneventful. Afterwards I went out to the fresh air, which was definitely nippy, and decided to finish my sandwiches while I waited for DS2. When I put the sandwich box back in my bag, there under where it had been was the missing appointment letter.

On a positive note, all that exercise has left me with lots of energy! Yes, really.

Oh blimey I hate days like that :eek:. I'm glad you were still able to have your appointment and they didn't send you away because you were late. Plus you didn't lose your Christmas shopping :T.

Cherryfudge

Oh crickey - I never thought of that HH! Yes, I got the shopping home intact.

Today has been fairly uneventful as there was training all day. It's gone decidedly cold, in fact there's snow up in the Dales. However, our garden path is still beautiful with little orange leaves.

Nothing spent, calories risking going to pot as I forgot breakfast and a couple of sneaky chocolate biscuits got in instead, and I decided to get everything ready for today, last night, including washing my hair and making lunch, so I only got four hours of sleep, and fell asleep in my colleague's car on the way home! I was over-exercised and under-caloried yesterday, though, so I suppose the two sort of make up for each other.

Something positive this evening: I sorted through a collection of recipes my Mum had cut out of newspapers - Baking and Christmas, sweet but not baked, savoury and garden/funny/tips. There are some yummy-looking cake recipes in particular, and a gammon casserole that I might try this weekend. There's a handful of oddments to recycle (empty envelopes and the like) but mostly I think I'll either scan or scrapbook the recipes as a nice memento.

Summary:
NSD
Decluttered a handful of papers and have some others in order.

Cherryfudge

NSD.

I managed to pull the calories together yesterday so I'm still just about on track. Tomorrow may be different as we're going out for DS2's birthday, but as long as I don't go overboard with what I eat, I'll just enjoy myself and the diet will have to take slightly longer.

There wasn't time to go to the shops, so that was money saving. I've transferred another £100 from savings to current, though - we decided to give DS2 some money for his birthday and I think DH will need petrol, plus whatever we spend on the meal tomorrow - though that may be cheaper than expected as everyone's paying for themselves.

The arm is a bit achy after exherting itself yesterday and I know I should do physio but I'm just too tired. I did get some more physical work at work today but had to ask another member of staff for help. That gives me an indication that I'm nearly there but definitely not ready to draw a line under the episode.

I haven't managed to declutter, though the photos are in better order...

Time for bed, I think. Looking forward to my weekend off.

Cherryfudge

DS2's birthday. I gave DH a fiver out of the remainder of my share of housekeeping to buy juice for the birthday breakfast and there's still about £6 left for any birthday cake ingredients I need later.

I have gone through the desk drawers this morning and found some Christmas cards as we really have to use more up before we buy more and I personally think they are expensive for what they are. That reminds me too, if I want to do a Christmas letter, I'd better write it soon.

There isn't much of a list for today: mostly housework things, bake a birthday cake and go out for a meal this evening. I may pop back here to motivate myself later.