Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

Mortgage overpayment made! I know it may not go through this month but at least it's made. Total overpayment for January £260.82.

WannabeFree

Brilliant news on the over payment

Hope FIL is much better now?

Do you have more snow, we do!

x

Cherryfudge

Thank you, Wannabe. DFiL is slowly improving though his first day out of hospital wasn't good, health-wise and we had an impromptu familt conference to decide what action we needed to take. However a day in bed yesterday and loads of visits (mostly DH and J as well as the various care people who are involved) and today he has been up and dressed, though weak. Tomorrow DH's sister is coming to see him - she lives a long way away and is the one who's just become a grandma, so she can't do the regular visits, but she has medical training and a level head so her opinion over the phone is a big help. We just have to take DFiL's situation one day at a time.

Today I'm feeling guilty for not getting much done. I had all these good intentions of building on yesterday's cleaning and decluttering but I haven't got far. Some containers of wild bird food have been donated (to the birds ) and the containers binned. I did have a course to do for work, though, which got me out of the house, walking, and enjoying the blessing of beautiful sunshine that I might have avoided otherwise. We've not had snow but the frost stayed all day where the sun didn't get it.

I managed a healthy tea (chick pea curry) which was also fairly MS: I used a jar of sauce then lots of bits of things from the cupboards, and there was a spare portion to put by for another day. DS2 and I also cooked tea side by side (he was doing sausages) and had quite a good conversation as we did it. It occurred to me that we are more like siblings in the way we bicker! Today was good because I made a point of conceding he was right about something then he did the same for me. We must be growing up.

I've decided to take a flask of soup for lunch tomorrow, even though most people on today's course had sandwiches. Soup will be better considering the weather! Some is out and defrosting in readiness.

Spending:
Housekeeping £8.71
MS:
Wombled 22p
10th coin savings 40p
Decluttered:
3 containers of bird food and an empty hair conditioner bottle
And I'm grateful for
A sunny day
Finally finishing a piece of knitting!
Managing to eat healthily for once
A course tutor with a sense of humour

Honeysucklelou2

It is so good to see sunshine. We had the most spectacular wintery sunset this evening, really stunning.

Glad to read your DFIL was better today. Hope tomorrow is better again.

Onebrokelady

Glad to hear your DFIL is a bit better today
We have had snow here this evening but it's stopped now,it was quite slippery when we took the dog out, I'm hoping it will melt overnight:)

WannabeFree

Hope you're okay

x

Cherryfudge

Another beautiful, sunny, bitterly cold day. The frost stayed all day today again, and once again I had a training course. Nice to get out of the usual routine. We had an exam at the end: just multiple choice and I as good as know I've passed, but there were two questions I wasn't sure of so I may not have got 100%. If I did, well, there's a first time for everything!

DFiL seems to be on the mend. I texted my SiL after her visit to him and she was very heartening. I also managed another healthy meal for dinner: lots of roast veggies in this one, with reduced fat sausages. I don't think it's quite healthy enough to stave off a cold that seems to be developing.

The veggies used up some bits from the fridge but only finished one lot completely. Decluttering hasn't gone amazingly today but I did find a couple of part-used bottles of wine that have been lurking for far too long, so those have gone now. On the same shelf I found three bottles of garlic-infused olive oil, so no need to buy that for a good while. Also two bottles of marsala. I remember I bought one to make tiramisu, which I never got round to, but where on earth is the other from? Oh, and the bottle of cassis that DS2 insists is R!bena, and I think he may be right. There's absolutely no taste of alcohol in it. I think that was also bought to add to a pudding but I don't know what, or indeed what to do with it if it's actually not real cassis. I don't think the top was tampered with but the taste just doesn't seem right...

There wasn't much to get at the shops today: just the sausages and some spread, but a strange thing happened on the way home. I had already cashed in a receipt with 9p in loyalty points (my wombling for the day) when a teenager handed me 10p, saying he didn't like change! Well, his dislike is my gain.

Spending:
Housekeeping £3.93
e-book £0.99
MS:
10p gift
Wombled 10p
10th coin savings 5p
Bought DH's fruit fresh not tinned saving 37p
I forgot to say yesterday that I'm doing extra at work on Saturday, which will be another £30 ish.
Decluttered:
Two bottles and a pepper. Better than nothing.
And I'm thankful for
a beautiful day
the log burner
DH having a positive meeting at work, especially as things have been ultra-stressful for him recently
A better day for DFiL.

HairyHandofDartmoor

He doesn't like change :eek:. Still your gain as you say .

I think I'd be tempted to chuck away the cassis if it tastes odd because you'll probably not fancy using it.

I'm glad DFIL is improving.

Cherryfudge

I have just thought I could add the cassis to ice cream... we used to have R!bena as an ice cream sauce when we were children. This could be a grown-up version... but not in this weather!

I woke up to snow and we've had snow showers on and off all day, but I managed to get to the shops for eggs and the ingredients for wild bird food (the one where you melt it all together on the stove) then I made a batch of banana muffins and fed the birds before work.
Spending:
Mortgage overpayment £100.00
Housekeeping: £3.52
Pets: £2.69
MS:
10th coin saved: 20p
Home made soup for my meal at work.
Muffins from rescued bananas and some of the overstock of mixed dried fruit.
Good things:
An hour's TOIL from work
Woolly Christmas present hat coming in useful
My big coat

Honeysucklelou2

I enjoy reading your thankful list Cherryfudge. It is good to remind ourselves of the blessings of each day...thank you.