Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

Thanks Wannabe. Yes, DH is back at work today... might just make it a half day as a few hours on Saturday wiped him out. But then again knowing him he will stay all day. He's just texted to say his colleague is off sick so he doesn't have a meeting he'd expected. That will enable him to catch up a bit on mails from last week.
My sister is trying to change her schedule so we can meet up tomorrow: looking at the calendar I realised I have more time off than I'd thought, as I'm probably not needed on shift till Thursday/Friday which are my usual hours, then I actually have next weekend off as well! However A has a birthday and it's Easter so it won't be a do-nothing weekend.
This morning I got my blood test done - routine - then came back for breakfast and I'm still here so I need to get myself down to the shops for supplies, put some washing in the machine and maybe even do some other housework. I'm also exchanging various planning texts with family, it's so much more difficult when we aren't in the same room.
I also need to get my head round an email I want to send to management about the staffing situation.

Cherryfudge

Lots of washing done, email sent, frantic dash to the shops before work, shift went okay. I'm slightly worried I might have worded my email a bit less diplomatically than I'd like, but I stand by what I say. Anyway I'm off till Thursday so perhaps the dust will have settled by then!

DH texted while I was at work to say he'd got my shopping, which is very kind. He didn't realise I'd just forgotten the list, so now we are rather well off for bread and stuff as I got what I remembered from it.

The meet-up with my sister is still on so I'll have an early night and hope to catch the train in good time tomorrow.

Spending:
Housekeeping £5.17 (that's just my spending: not counting the £12.79 when DH bought my whole list apart from mascara which he decided wasn't his remit).
MS:
Finally got my timesheet for March sent in. There are some extra hours on there which I won't get till the end of May now but at least the claim is in.
Withdrew a day's leave as the event I'd been planning to attend on that day is cancelled. However it means I'll be paid at Bank Holiday rates for that shift which is nice. (It also means I won't be at the car boot sale spending money ).
Decluttering:
On hold for a few days.
I'm grateful for a better day at work for both me and DH, DFiL liking his temporary place anda trip out for me tomorrow.

Cherryfudge

I've had my day out with my sister and niece: spent more than I expected but otherwise it was nice. I took them some books for a hobby of theirs which have been taking up space here but which I am very unlikely ever to use. I felt guilty after that as my sister then went and bought a bag to carry them home in! From something else she said I think their income, which is variable, isn't so good at the moment.

My sister paid for hot drinks when we met up so I said I'd pay for something later but it was all a bit complicated. We went round a market and she bought me a couple of pieces for my dolls' house (these are so hard to resist!) as an early Christmas present (we don't see each other very often). She had already given me a birthday present so I have been well and truly treated. I bought a tiny item for the house as well. We then got side-tracked to another stall with olives and suchlike and I let myself be talked into buying a tub of expensive garlic by the stall holder. Really I spent too much though it is delicious.

On to lunch, where my sister paid again but I insisted on paying back. Of course I didn't have the right money so I gave her a fiver and later in the day when I'd been to the till and owed her for my share of some posh sweets as well, I gave her a tenner. This theoretically means I'm out of pocket but in practice is about right as it lets me pay for the coffee I had earlier apart from about 50p, and she was in a big rush to get their train so I don't think she noticed.

I made my way back home, stopping at local shops to get myself a new mascara (my old one smells bad and according to an article I read that means it's going off). I resisted my favourite shampoo at half price as I want to get back to using bar shampoo over the summer and I have some of that already. I did pop to Mr T for a pizza and coffee and found some laundry tablets at a reduced price too.

I've had a reply to my email about work which isn't satisfactory but I'm not even drafting a response tonight. I hope to have time and a good focus tomorrow and there's no point stirring things up more than absolutely necessary, which will happen if I hurry it.

Also tomorrow my sister-in-law and her DH are in the area so we are meeting up for a meal, so this week isn't going to be cheap. Back to the lentil and chorizo soup on Thursday, I think! It will be good to see SiL and BiL, though.

Spending:
Travel £10.30
Gift (fudge) £4.25 + £4.42
Hobby £1.50
Lunch £6.33
Toiletries/makeup £7.99
Housekeeping £17.50
Confessions:
Succumbed to expensive garlic! Also might have saved more if I'd had a printed map of the area rather than my hiccupping phone maps which jump or don't load - we could have had better choice of eateries for a start but never mind.
MS:
Took a snack and water for the home journey: resisted the coffee trolley!
Wombled 32p
Cheap laundry capsules.
Resisted shampoo that I don't really need.
Decluttering:
10 books and a handful of paper.

Today I'm thankful for a good day with family and the sense not to go back into the city for more shopping after I'd seen them off! Also for a clever colleague who is good at putting things into words. Oh, and 20,000 steps!

Cherryfudge

I bought Easter eggs today though only about half the ones I want for family - they're bulky to carry though! They come under 'gifts' so not too bad for the housekeeping.
We had a meal out with various family members this evening: the food was very good and it was nice seeing my inlaws as well as DS2, A and H who we don't see as often now they have their own place. DBiL paid for the meal which we weren't expecting but is typical of them, so a nice note to end the evening.
On a less positive note, DH is in a not-so-good work situation. It's been coming for a while and is coming to a head, so that's hanging over us a bit. I still haven't sent a reply to the discussion I'm in with my manager - I don't let these things go easily but I'm being careful. No point in stirring things up more than's needed but it could save some longer term stress for all of us if I can persuade him of one or two things. Sometimes I would really like to be one of those peaceable people who can let it all just flow over them, but if I were, would that actually do any good?

Spending:
Gifts: £10.50
Housekeeping £1.25
MS:
10th coin 2p
£2 coin
Decluttering:
A small bag down to charity, mostly things that have been hanging around waiting. Advertised an item on FB marketpl@ce but no response yet.
I'm thankful today for family times, new leaves turning green and warmer weather.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Sorry about DH's situation. I hope a solution can be found.

I'm glad DS got home from his travels safely .

Cherryfudge

Thanks HH. It's really looking as though DH may be out of a job some time in the next few months... in most ways it would reduce the stress on him considerably but then of course there's the money and the whole self-esteem side of things.

However, it's been a beautiful warm day, my work was a good balance of activities and I scored a very few tiny brownie points by cooking the dinner head of time for the late shift. I also got time out of doors with a client in the sunshine and managed not to treat myself to a coffee while doing do.

After work I walked right out of town to get A's birthday present and spent some vouchers I'd had for ages on a treat for myself (not coffee for once). I also discovered I have a voucher that's two years out of date so I feel guilty that someone's wasted their money. I need to go through them as I tend to stash them against the perfect purchase which doesn't often come.

A's birthday present is bought and I spent more than I'd usually have done as we spent more for J earlier this month too.

On the way home I completed the Easter egg buying and got some groceries.

I've found my bank login again so I need to get back into the swing of things with that. I realise we're theoretically in a position to pay off the mortgage but it would leave us without a realistic buffer against the drop in income we'd have if DH loses his job. On the other hand my income would effectively increase as I'd no longer be paying either the mortgage or the overpayments. I had hoped to channel that extra into a pension but that's looking less likely now, and anyway I think DH would worry tremendously if I depleted our savings, so I'd better not.

Just to clarify and save confusion, he is a specialist of sorts so there are only so many jobs to be had, and being at the stage of life we're at, new ones are apparently harder to come by.

Anyway it's all theoretical at present so I will get some sleep soon as I have work again tomorrow.

Spending:
Gifts (including a little one for J come Christmas) £52.50
Gifts (Easter eggs) £3.00
Housekeeping: £4.49
Hobby £9.99 (paid using a voucher so free to me)
Hobby £6.99
MS:
Avoided a coffee while out.
Really cheap Easter eggs (Bee andEm)
Bought the G@rdeners' World magazine which has the 2 for 1 discounts for all sorts of gardens this year, plus seeds galore.
No decluttering today.

I'm thankful today for a good day at work and the sunshine and lots of steps achieved - also for the ability to buy A something nice.
10th coin saved: £1.00

Cherryfudge

Nothing spent today but have inadvertently gone over a deadline for my increment at work so it looks as though I won't get it this year after all. My own fault I suppose for not reading the letter in detail. I was mad at first but when I got home DH had started to paint the lounge (doing this could save us more than the increment would have paid me over a year!) and we went for a walk in the glorious hot sunshine, and by the time we got back I felt much more chilled.

I'm so tired tonight! 55,000 steps since Tuesday, and two early shifts after late nights. It's lovely to have the weekend off!

Sun_Addict

Good idea to hold on to the savings rather than pay off the mortgage. You might need the cash if DH loses his job.

Glad you feel more chilled, enjoy your weekend off

Cherryfudge

I think so, Sun Addict, though I'm going to try to keep overpaying. It's addictive.

Yet another lovely warm sunny day so we went car booting. DH managed not to buy anything. I managed not to buy everything. Resisted some kitchen gadgets and some really gorgeous shoes that were either too loose on the heel or would have required me to buy some new trousers so I'd have something to wear them with.

I came away with a rhubarb plant £2), two small balls of wool (40p), a toasting fork (£1) to match a hearth brush I have from my parents' house and a pot that says 'spring onions' (£1) as I annoy the family by keeping spring onions in a jug on the side in the kitchen. Now I can annoy them with a specialist container instead - and it doesn't take as much space.

There will be more to report later as I'm getting drinks to take to A's birthday and some food for tomorrow.

Onebrokelady

Cherryfudge wrote: »

I think so, Sun Addict, though I'm going to try to keep overpaying. It's addictive.

Yet another lovely warm sunny day so we went car booting. DH managed not to buy anything. I managed not to buy everything. Resisted some kitchen gadgets and some really gorgeous shoes that were either too loose on the heel or would have required me to buy some new trousers so I'd have something to wear them with.

I came away with a rhubarb plant £2), two small balls of wool (40p), a toasting fork (£1) to match a hearth brush I have from my parents' house and a pot that says 'spring onions' (£1) as I annoy the family by keeping spring onions in a jug on the side in the kitchen. Now I can annoy them with a specialist container instead - and it doesn't take as much space.

There will be more to report later as I'm getting drinks to take to A's birthday and some food for tomorrow.

:rotfl: love your specialist spring onion container tactics :rotfl:
I'm glad to hear that your DH is getting better,my friend had an awful cold two weeks ago now and she is just getting over the cough part of it
If your DHs job does finish will he not get any kind of payout like redundancy or anything,I'm thinking you could use that to pay off or reduce your mortgage,I really hope it doesn't come to that though