Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

It was a lovely day out indeed, HH.

Tonight everyone's back home. For us it's been an NSD, and we had dinner at A and H's. A cooked for us as H is away and we admired how their new house is coming along. I took the courgette and lime cake for dessert - the calories are horrific! We still have half of it left so I'm hoping J and L will help us out there. I discovered the pistachios in shells were probably a false economy as those thin shells take ages to remove and are heavier than you'd think. Out of interest I weighed a handful: the nuts weighed 23g and their shells weighed 26g!

At the moment I keep losing things: I've found my resistance band for physio, but only after I'd ordered another. I lost my new sandals and found them hours later after I'd worn an old pair to go to church. My sweatshirt is still missing, so is my newer Kindle and a kilner jar I use quite a lot, and today the zester disappeared too. An odd assortment of things to go. At least I can use my older Kindle, though the battery doesn't last long.

It's raining steadily again and DH and DS2 are full of hay fever. I'm back at work in the morning then I have another two days off... and the laundry basket is full again so I hope we get dry days.

Nothing to report money-wise. I've decluttered about another 11 bits of paper, a bag of icing sugar, three plastic bits and a pair of canvas shoes that were splitting.

My things to be thankful for today are feeling better than I did this time last week, a meal with A and finding more old photos - DH knows most about family history and he identified my Grandmother's cousin in a 1920 picture.

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Cherryfudge, for the link to the recipe. I notice I have a spare courgette so can put it to good use later in the week .

Cherryfudge

I think half the calories might be in the topping (which is very nice, albeit sweet) so I might be tempted to try it without. After all, carrot cake topping is very similar, but carrot cake is nice without icing.

Today was mostly work. DH was out at an evening meeting so I didn't bother with a 'proper tea', having snacked on cake and chocolate, but DD included me in theirs so I was properly fed.

DS2 has been out again - reading between the lines he's seeing someone. He and J/L are on uneasy terms again: I think they were supposed to be meeting up but J wasn't feeling well and they bailed on him, which is a bit awkward in a new relationship. That's just me putting two and two together, though, and maybe they don't equal five.

Talking of five, I've just spent £5.50 on a book... that's all I've spent today. Not making a dinner was money-saving, and I decluttered a tee shirt (as well as all the ironing). I've made tee shirt yarn out of the tee as it was too bobbly to pass on: that's just an experiment so I'll see whether it makes up into anything. I also gave J a top that's too small for me but looks good on her, so a couple of items have gone.

I'm thankful for being able to let a couple of things go, and for coffee planned with a friend tomorrow.

Cherryfudge

Spending:
Entertaining £14.05
Housekeeping £4.54
Toiletries £10.22
Clothing £10.50
MS:
10th coin saved 20p
Vegetarian curry for tea.
Decluttering:
2 leaflets, 1 tee shirt

I thought I'd start my post with the numbers today as they will come out in the telling anyway. The whole day has been wet so I got no laundry done though L did theirs and then put the heating on to help it to dry, followed by me putting their towels through the dryer so that the humidity wouldn't affect the house... so a bit of extra electricity used there but probably not a massive amount and it was better to have a warm house than a chilly one.

As I said, I didn't do laundry. In fact, I spent the morning making tee shirt yarn so I'm rid of another beyond-wearable tee shirt and have gained a ball of yarn for free today. After lunch I met up with a friend (my treat) for coffee and cake. We had a really nice chat: it was definitely a good way to spend the afternoon. When she left I had a wander round the shops and bought myself a posh razor (cheap ones hurt my legs and I'm too chicken to wax), then found a lovely bag in a charity shop that's just what I need for summer. The one I've been using is black leather and getting very shabby but it's the most perfect bag so I will do what I've been doing every year since it came into my life: washing machine and leather dye! This year it needs a few stitches too, as a strap is pulling loose, but I can guarantee it will be smart again come the Autumn if I do this.

I went to my friend's this evening and we tried to arrange our meet-ups for the next few weeks which is going to be tricky as of the group of four of us, someone's away most weeks. I'm not around next week but have offered to host those who are around the week after. Much as I love summer, it can be hard to keep good habits going!

I've started an embroidery I bought ages ago: I have any number of them in the wings waiting for their moment to come but at least I've made a start. While looking for an embroidery hoop in the depths of my all-things-fabric corner I also found a box of forgotten wools so I think another baby blanket for the SCBU might be in the offing.

When I got back it turned out the tension between J and L on one hand and DS2 on the other had come into the open and there'd been some sort of argument. I'm glad I wasn't there to hear it. DH had a quiet word with J and L and it turns out they have applied for a private rental that's come up nearby. We don't know if they'll get it yet but they need their own space and so does DS2... so it could be that in a few months we'll be empty-nesters again.

So my thankfulness list today starts with not being on scene for the explosion, and also for good friends and days off when I can meet up with some of them.

Cherryfudge

Another day off that's half way through already. In a couple of hours I'm taking DFiL to an appointment and I can see myself putting my own stuff off so if I make myself accountable things should happen. I hope.

My list for today:
- Finish shredding the tee shirt - Done
- Get glasses fixed
- buy sunflower seeds and take spare jars to the eco shop at the same time. Oh, and see if they have brown rice in again. Apparently there's been a bit of a run on it and white rice doesn't really like me.
- I've checked my work emails from home which is rather frowned upon but I'd rather do it in the quiet than try to snatch office time.
- Put a load in the washing machine
- Meet DFiL

Didn't sleep well last night so my mood is a bit down but I was vastly cheered up y a message from A (DS1) to say he's passed his degree. A first in Business Management. I'm being proud Mum now .

HairyHandofDartmoor

Well done to DS1, you must be so pleased :T.

Sorry about the row but I guess some people get on better when they don't live together. As you say it's lucky you weren't there to witness it.

Cherryfudge

I did all the list then wandered round town getting bits of shopping including graduation cards and some bits and pieces needed by DFiL... weary afterwards but the sun is back and it's a nice evening now.

We had a funny moment this evening when DS2 picked up a phone message about an job interview he'd had. Right name, etc, but he hasn't had an interview. He's going to ring back in office hours to clarify as he had made an application to the place.

Spending:
Gifts (card) £4.00
Toiletries £3.99
housekeeping £10.29
MS:
£2 coin to jar
(yesterday - finally paid in a cheque from when I found a fiver last summer!)
10th coin 50p (into savings)
Decluttering
Nothing today.

And I'm thankful for cinder toffee, J eating up cake so I don't 'have' to and a work day tomorrow which will get me up and about. And also for DFiL being in better health today. And DS1's first. :beer::beer::beer:

P.S. Sorry HH, I cross-posted with you there and your post reminded me of this morning. Yes, I'm soooo pleased!

Cherryfudge

A few payments made over the last couple of days...
I went online last yesterday only to find my pay seemed to have gone in a day early. When I'd thought a bit, though, it had to be paid today as the 30th is on Sunday - and while I thought it was early, Thursday had turned into Friday without me noticing.

The upshot is I made a mortgage overpayment for June (51.04), but I'd made an early overpayment as well, bringing the June payment over £300. As pay is in, I made an early July OP as well (£200) so that's another chunk I'll never have to pay interest on again.

There have been 3 grocery spends: we ran out of milk late on Wednesday so I nipped to the late-night supermarket for some and found my cappuccinos had just gone on offer again. Yesterday I visited for some fresh bits and pieces then went again as part of work and bought some bits to add to the dinner there. I could have claimed them back I suppose but I hadn't cleared them with the shift lead before going and it was only a pound. Anyway the meal I made turned out well and people wanted seconds and thirds, though that may have been because a combination of factors meant they had to wait till gone 6 and they were hungry!

I had some positive news about the gardening at work: not an open-ended license to spend all my free time gardening, but the go-ahead to continue. Right now the lawns there really need mowing but they are so pretty with clover that I might just let them wait a little longer. The bees will like it.

Spending:
Mortgage overpayments £251.04
Housekeeping £8.74
Ebook £0.99
MS:
I'm half way through repairing a broken drawer in an old chest of drawers. The whole piece needs some TLC but getting the drawer useable again is the urgent part and I'm most of the way there. Currently waiting for glue to dry then need to tackle the reinforcing screws which will be the most difficult aspect.
Go ahead to garden
10th coins added to savings 22p
Decluttering
Alas, no.

And I'm thankful for? Sunshine. A talk with L. Grass being dry enough to mow

HairyHandofDartmoor

Payday is always nice :T but then you have to wait a whole month before it happens again .

Good news on the gardening at work .

Cherryfudge

Despite sleeping very badly last night I have had a really good day! DH decided we'd follow last week's expedition to some local gardens with a visit to our favourite garden which turned out to be absolutely at its peak. We had hot sunshine though at home the day started overcast. I know some areas are having record-breaking temperatures but here it was just hot and sunny.

I resisted the temptation to buy any plants but I paid for our entry and DH paid for lunch, which was delicious.

Work was quiet again: I could get used to this! One surprise was that the vacant post has suddenly been advertised despite us being told not so long ago that it wouldn't be, but since then things have changed which could be why they are advertising.

We are supposed to have thunder tonight but, while the temperature's down to something pleasant (it was 28.5 in work earlier), there's no sign of a storm.

I've not bought food today but handed over the rest of my housekeeping budget (£9.50) to DH who is cooking Sunday lunch tomorrow.

Spending:
Entertainment £9.00
(£105 I think for DH to replace a couple of tyres, about £20 for lunch and not sure how much for food).
MS
Half price garden entry
Decluttering
1 piece of cardboard into recycling!

I've just thought that I need to book my train tickets for next week and pay off my CC, so this picture will change.


I'm thankful for a very beautiful day, a lovely DH to share it with, scented roses, lovely lunch and living where I do.