Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

Thank you, OBL and HH.

I wasn't going to post, Sunday having been an NSD but I was tidying up the kitchen (very late) and got a headache so I decided on a hot drink and paracetamol before bed. As I was putting the kettle on, the outside light switched itself on and I heard the tinkle of milk bottles. Yes, the milkman really was making the delivery at 12.40am!

When he'd gone, I found a few unoccupied inches in the fridge and somehow fitted the bottles in, then took November's bill, which he'd left for us, and paid it straight away. Talk about a 24/7 economy! I think if he can work that kind of hours, he deserves his pay as soon as possible.

I also paid £100 off the mortgage as the bank has kindly taken the regular payment out of the current account but not yet added it on to the mortgage account. I don't know how they can justify this, unless it all has to be okayed by a real, live person. I would be making the £100 overpayment at some time this month anyway but it's nice to have it done. The account may not be showing it yet but this month gets us out of the £6,000-owing zone and into the 5,000s. I don't think I'll get it all paid off in 2019, unless I can convince DH to put money in too (the arrangement is that I pay mortgage and food, he pays everything else: anything left in my pay goes to the mortgage and anything in his goes first to general savings - the depleted ones - then to holiday fund). If we manage to clear the rest of Mum's house and sell it, it will be a different story.

And while I'm here, I forgot to say I spent 99p on an ebook a couple of days ago. It's about Indian cookery and looks very interesting.

Oh, and I'm having flashbacks to that big holiday we had. Sudden visions of magical places that really existed for a few days or hours. I think I have the travel bug.

Cherryfudge

Day off, one of four. Wednesday and Thursday are earmarked for working on Mum's old house. Today I want to make some progress at home and tomorrow is appointments day.

There is laundry in the machine as the weather forecast says sunny intervals. The weather, however, hasn't read the forecast and is still grey.

I've been looking for my long-lost bullet journal as I could really do with it now. It wasn't in the drawer I've just turned out, but there are now a couple of piles of other papers to relocate. :eek: Every time I turn round there seems to be more paper to deal with - I feel as if I'm in a certain wizarding bank and touched something in the vault. :rotfl:

I am, however, spurred on by my success with the receipts the other day. A very small success but real. The next place to look for the BJ is in a pile that originally housed papers for Mum but is now my paperwork I might need to refer to. A system, but not a good one! I really don't want to start on it as I could do without a big project but today is my day to spend as I think best and I know the room will look a lot better if this can at least be reduced and tidied.
My list for today:
Two loads of washing (first already in)
clean fridge
empty dishwasher
clean mould off wall :eek: (just found it)
wrap a few more presents (am procrastinating)
walk to far end of town and see if they have Christmas baubles in orange (two jobs in one as it's exercise)
tackle the pile on Mum's box
physio
ironing
photograph items for sale

3,2,1... go!

Cherryfudge

1pm update:

Two loads of washing (first already in) 2nd just finishing, rest is out in the sunshine
clean fridge
empty dishwasher
clean mould off wall (just found it)
wrap a few more presents (am procrastinating)
walk to far end of town and see if they have Christmas baubles in orange (two jobs in one as it's exercise)
tackle the pile on Mum's box Started!
physio
ironing
photograph items for sale
Also done:
emptied recycling into collecting bin

Today's spending:
Milk bill (housekeeping) £10.95

Cherryfudge

Teatime update
Two loads of washing Done
empty dishwasher Done
clean mould off wall (just found it) Done
wrap a few more presents (am procrastinating)
walk to far end of town and see if they have Christmas baubles in orange Done - they didn't
physio
ironing
photograph items for sale

The mould on the wall turned out to be more extensive that it first looked so I spent some time washing it all down with bleach and airing the room. I think it's an older house problem as there's pebble dashing on the outside of that wall and either damp is getting behind it or, more likely, the wall is colder/damper in winter and gets condensation.

I've sorted through most of the dreaded paper pile and established that the BJ isn't there. I've recycled some papers and have some rather daunting heaps to face now so the room is useable again. I've also bought a few Christmassy bits in town: small presents and a few decorations.

I need to go and make a frugal chicken pie with the remains of yesterday's dinner, then get on with clearing up before the hoards descend. Thankfully they are all either working late or out running so I have more time.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Mould on walls is very irritating but often caused by the causes you mentioned. Lack of air circulation doesn't help as you often find it behind walls or furniture.

Is your mum's house unsellable in it's present condition?

Cherryfudge

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

Mould on walls is very irritating but often caused by the causes you mentioned. Lack of air circulation doesn't help as you often find it behind walls or furniture.

Is your mum's house unsellable in it's present condition?

I'm going to have to take all the books out of a large-ish bookcase in the bedroom and clean behind it as I can smell damp in that area even though I can't see mould. That room faces north-north-east so there's no sun on the outside wall over winter to help dry it out, and the design of the roof - part sloping ceiling - makes condensation inevitable.

Mum's house would probably sell to a developer now. It had been empty for some years while she was in the nursing home - long story but it was also very full of fifty years' worth of stuff. We've put new heating in but the electrics need renewing (which I may leave for the next people) and plaster replacing where a roof had leaked, affecting four rooms! The main job now is working through papers and assorted goods, and keeping it looking lived in. It's a huge job and I'm not emotionally ready to have an auctioneer clear it. We are also still short of a few family treasures which I suspect Mum hid in a safe place as they weren't where we expected to find them. My sister got a removal van to take a lot of the furniture (I don't have room) which has made a big difference, but there are possible selling problems as there was Japanese knotweed in the garden. After several years of having a firm come in to deal with it, last year there was one wispy little piece so I'm hopeful that it's gone but we won't know till next summer, and someone who knew of the house and was interested has already pulled out because of this.

Cherryfudge

Amazingly I got some of everything accomplished, apart from photographing items to sell. There is still ironing and presents to wrap but the rest of the jobs are done and I had a stroke of genius (or clear-sightedness) when I realised the glass bowl of red and orange baubles that I envisaged could be done equally effectively - and in a more eco-friendly way - with oranges and apples. The family will obligingly eat them over the holidays so no need to pack away later!

I am all muddled in my head about what has been spent from which budget so I'll have a quick try to sort it all out.

Medical £1.99
Housekeeping £6.11
Household £5.97
Gifts £17.95
Total £30.52

H'm...50p out somewhere, that will have to be tomorrow's job as once again I'm up far too late.

Another 2x £2 coins for the jar. And 20p for the 10th coin savings, all out of the food budget though so will have to be a bit more creative or restrained this week.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Blimey that's unlucky about the Japanese knotweed :eek:, hopefully it's been eliminated. I'd definitely be tempted to leave rewiring for the next people. I know what you mean about not being ready to empty the place. My stepdad is starting to go through my mum's belongings and it's a whole lifetime of memories .

Cherryfudge

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

Blimey that's unlucky about the Japanese knotweed :eek:, hopefully it's been eliminated. I'd definitely be tempted to leave rewiring for the next people. I know what you mean about not being ready to empty the place. My stepdad is starting to go through my mum's belongings and it's a whole lifetime of memories .

Japanese knotweed is very pretty stuff but not a good idea near property. Mind you, last year I saw a traditional Cotswold cottage with a tiny garden just spouting Japanese knotweed from right by the walls! So we don't have the degree of problem that some people do.

I hope your stepdad finds some happy memories... it's good he doesn't have to do it to someone else's timetable but can stop and start as he feels able.

I seem to find photos every time I go to Mum's: some I photograph using my phone and send to my sister. Others go on the family WhatsApp group, causing great hilarity if they are of my children as babies and toddlers. As I'm the oldest, there are a lot of baby photos of me as well - lovely that my parents took so many, and quite funny for my children to see. I like finding old letters too - the ones between my parents when they were planning their wedding and buying the house are absolute treasure, though there are some sad ones too where relationships in the wider family broke down.

As you say, a lifetime of memories.

Cherryfudge

I slept till 10.30 this morning! :eek: Serves me right for a couple of very late nights.

I pulled out that bookcase (books everywhere!) and found there was indeed damp/mould behind it. Lots of cleaning and drying later and the mould is gone, the bookcase back in place and some old puzzle books relocated to recycling. However I can still smell damp in there.No time to sort it out for the next few days as I'll be at Mum's old house...

I bought wrapping paper, gifts and some food today. Guess what? I've found another place that's got my cappuccinos on discount! They must see me coming.

I was at my friend's this evening and she is selling little cookery books for a local charity so I bought myself one and one for DD. £4.00 each. A good cause and the recipes look very tasty.

Tonight I still have a couple of cards to write and a gift to wrap for Mum's neighbours, as a little 'thank you' for keeping an eye on the house. They help keep it looking inhabited which is a great help.
Spending:
Housekeeping £2.72
Gifts £13.50
MS:
I finally rounded up the money I'd cashed in from my travel card and paid it in at the bank. Much better there than kicking round the dining room - and who knows, perhaps it will help get us back to Stray-lia (as DD calls it).
Found some cash down the back of the bookcase... I think banks still take round pounds, don't they? :rotfl:
I also found 10 of DH's socks! That will save us buying any more for a while .
And I found a small pack of Christmas cards and some of those shiny bows and ribbons - not down the back of the books but in a box tucked down by the wardrobe - I'd wondered where they were.
My excavations also uncovered an ancient envelope with DS2's name and £15 in vouchers which don't have an expiry date, so they've been returned to him. I think I looked after them for him because he often gets vouchers for shops he never uses!
10th coin savings 30p
Decluttering:
Some paper to recycling
Batteries to the battery bin in Mr T.
Cash into bank not on dining table.