Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

I've had a happy thought - having looked online for a 10mm crochet hook and been a bit stuck as I like to know how they feel in my hand, I remembered that car boot season is about to start and that will give me something positive to look for rather than randomly wandering round. I used to go to car boot sales as I had a subconscious belief that if I had one of an item, I had to have all the items in the set, but a few years ago it dawned on me that's not true, then a little later I realised I am no longer in the setting up home stage and that beyond it there is actually a paring down stage - yet the fun of the hunt hasn't left me. At least crochet hooks take very little space. I now only have to develop a passion for crocheting in micro-miniature scale.

Cherryfudge

It's a stormy night out there tonight! Everyone else is saying it's cold but it seems okay to me.

I spent some time working on the homework for tomorrow but really and truly there's a lot of it I can't do due to circumstances beyond my control, so I'll just make the most of what I have. All that computer and paperwork time gave me a headache, so in the end I went out and chose more yarn (baby blanket for great-nephew) and in the process saw the 10mm hook I hadn't been able to find yesterday, and for a pound less than on the internet. Of course I bought it in case there is a massive rush for them tomorrow (or I chicken out of the intended project).

Dinner was leftover chicken in pasta so not too much spent, and this evening I watched a DVD with friends, so I'm fairly chilled. Shame I still have to write up some notes for tomorrow, but the course participants have formed a group on social media and thrashed out some very strong things to take the training forward so we can provide a united front and get access to this training for colleagues too - having the notes in place for this will help group solidarity as well as being evidence I've not wasted all my time between sessions! And I will make myself a hot chocolate to help me type.

No decluttering today (not counting the recycling going out) and I suppose starting the baby blanket is adding clutter, but it shouldn't be here too long.
Spent:
Hobbies £1.50
Gift £7.96
Household £2.49
Housekeeping £3.68
MS:
10th coin savings 40p
And here at the end of the day I'm grateful for a roof over our heads, my new crochet project (and hook - I'll have to find something else to scour the car boots for, LOL), the baby the blanket is for.

Cherryfudge

I got through the day without falling asleep! The course went okay and I didn't get in trouble for not being able to do all my homework.

On the way home I called at the chemist in the supermarket to see if my prescription was ready and was told to come back in ten minutes so I went off to do the rest of my shopping, then absent-mindedly went home! I realised once I got there and didn't want to leave it as I'm right at the end of some tablets, so back I went, after coffee and a snack. I also went to W!lkos for some stationery bits I needed - pens and a folder for £2 in total rather than the £4 pack of pens I'd spotted in Mr T, so that was fairly MS. I also had a useful talk with the chemist and have decided it's really time I got my bloods done again.

Just pizza and beans for tea, nothing fancy, then got on with the baby blanket I started yesterday. Crochet is amazingly quick after knitting (at least my knitting): I'm about a quarter of the way through the blanket and this is day 2! I'm motivated in that we may see the new Mum at the weekend.

Spent:
Stationery £2.00
Medication £2.40
Housekeeping £5.18
MS:
Remembered to take a refillable cup to the training so I didn't need to buy coffee.
10th coin savings 22p
decluttered:
Lots of twigs shed over our path in the gales.
And today's blessings include the pleasures of working in grey and white yarn, soothing eye drops, a voucher to order a book I want.

Onebrokelady

I'm the same as you when I do the odd early,I always fall asleep when I get home,now I've cut my hours and do one short shift I've requested doing a late instead as this means I can have a lie in:D

Cherryfudge

Onebrokelady wrote: »

I've requested doing a late instead as this means I can have a lie in:D

I'm with you there! I feel completely hung over on an early, and it's all through my habitual late nights. Got to love those mornings When I actually sleep in.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Are you an owl rather than a lark? I think doing shifts is very difficult as it completely messes up your body clock. I like to sleep between 11pm and 7-8pm in an ideal world.

I find picking up prescriptions very annoying as it seems to take forever. DH needs so many different items and they always seem to be ready on different days :mad:.

Do you find crocheting relaxing? It's certainly a productive hobby .

Cherryfudge

I am definitely an owl, Hairy. So much so that I've worked waking nights in the past. Not good for anyone in the long run, of course, so I'm avoiding them now.
Crocheting is very relaxing (once I'd got past the basics - that was hard!). It has a mindful aspect to it as you count to yourself and watch it grow...

Well, I've been away a couple of days, at first because there was little to add, then because I'd forgotten I'd offered to do a shift so I ended up at work longer than I'd planned! Never mind, that will take a day or so off the mortgage (too muzzy at this time of day to work out how much).
Today was to be the beginning of the car boot season, but it's far too wet. I hope next week is nicer. It will save some money of course, and today won't be wasted as we have people coming to visit.

14/3/19
Spent
Housekeeping £2.16
15/3/19
Spent
Housekeeping £7.21
MS
A sleep in shift as extra
10th coin savings 50p
Wombled 8p
No decluttering to report, in fact I have the tealight holders I ordered through work so more clutter has arrived! They are pretty though. J has paid me for the ones she bought through me so they are out of my hands. I love the smell of the vanilla candle in one of them but I think DH will struggle with it so some sort of Cunning Plan is needed.

Cherryfudge

So glad the storm has died away, though outside town there's flooding.

What an eventful weekend! DD offered to do lunch yesterday for us and the visitors with the adorable baby, then they went to see DFiL so we had some time to ourselves after which we all trooped off to A and H's house for a buffet and games. H had been sorting out clothes and offered me a jacket she's worn once that I'd admired on her, and it's lovely so I gratefully accepted.

This morning we woke up to see our shed and some others along the street had been broken into. Cue police and CSI but it was a bit of a storm in a teacup as someone reported him and gave a name, the missing items were recovered, the shed has been fixed and on the way to work later I saw an arrest being made which I'm fairly confident was the culprit. Meanwhile we had lunch out using a voucher that was a gift last Christmas. We had to top it up a little but it covered most of the feast and gave us more time with the visitors. I then left for work as the party wound down.

Spending
Both DH and I had money to spare this week despite going £8 over last week. However, our contribution to the buffet cancelled out my share of this bar £1.30 (I think - lost another receipt), though strictly this comes out of the 'entertainment' budget.
J paid for Saturday lunch and the voucher paid for most of Sunday dinner, so really we have eaten well at less cost than we might have expected.
Nothing much decluttered, apart from some receipts and a bit of cardboard.
I'm grateful for the end of the storm, recovery of our possessions and a good weekend with our visitors who are now back home.

Honeysucklelou2

How lovely to spend time enjoying your family and visitors' company.

What a shock about the sheds being broken into. Glad the stolen items were able to be recovered quickly.

Cherryfudge

Day off: I could have pushed myself and gone to work on mum's old house today but I decided a rest is better as I'll go straight in to work when I get back on Friday and won't get another day off till Tuesday of next week - and then just the one, and that after an extra lot of training on Monday! Work is looking a bit busy in the near future: I'm hoping that will sort out in the new financial year, or at least ease. There's a fair amount of training coming up though: a mixture of new stuff and compulsory refreshers. Yes, a bit heavy...

Today I've been feeling rather dragged down myself but looking through my symptoms, I've made myself a GP appointment: I think my medication needs tweaking. That won't be till next week but at least it's made.

It's a lovely sunny day so the line is full of washing, which is a feel-good factor, and when I've made this entry I'm off out to the shops. I decided to remake the crochet project with a different gauge so I've pulled most of the original back and made a start of the new version. That's not as negative as it sounds as the larger hook means it will grow more quickly and be softer. I'll take it with me tomorrow: I've booked the tickets (and saved £20! ) and am trying a different route that means an extra change but I have lift back as DH is coming over mid-week to help and to ferry stuff that I can't carry on the train. To be honest I'm worried he will have something to say about the amount I've set aside to rescue. (Insert wobbly-faced emoticon here).

I'll put in an online order this evening so we have meals in: it will be more expensive but save a lot of organising and achy shoulders.

Off I go!