Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

We had a really lovely time in London, but I'm exhausted now. Our transport and evenings out were already paid for apart from one tube journey (and we forgot our oyster cards, though there's probably not a lot on them) so most of our costs were food and a donation to the Wallace Collection.
I didn't keep a close tally of what we spent but I've got a fair idea in rounded figures as long as I remember everything.
20th
No coffees on the train.
Exhausted by the time we got to our hotel so we had a slow afternoon but didn't want to waste it entirely so we wandered over to the V&A to look at paintings (which is a very cheap hobby, albeit time consuming. The trouble is it's addictive). We then went to the Royal Albert Hall (Tube: £20) and had dinner in the restaurant there (about £40 for both of us). We already had our tickets for the Prom and had a great time.
As DH is pretty confident finding his way around London and the weather was very kind to us, that's the only Tube journey we did. The hotel was very central, partly to save on fares. We got a lot of steps in though!
21st
We'd noticed a free exhibition on Olaudah Equiano in a church right opposite where we stayed, and I'd heard of him, so we spent some time there in the morning. It was really interesting and we got talking to a guide so I've been doing a bit of googling about him since.
Lunch was a picnic from Sainsbugs (£10) then we walked to the Wallace Collection which is free and included a tour. DH knew some of the collection from Uni days but he wasn't into art then so that was new to both of us and the guide knew lots of stories with which to regale the group. We stayed ages, looking in more detail at all the bits that interested us. The only downside was that by the time we went for coffee, the restaurant was rather overwhelmed so we didn't get anything. A bit MS I suppose but we'd both have liked a cuppa!
Dinner was another Italian restaurant but this time cost about £20 for us both which I thought was good for the middle of London. It was also a saving over the choice of restaurants that came with the evening booking: Evita in Regent's Park. That was my birthday present though the birthday was months ago and long since paid for. We walked back afterwards, following the crowds to find our way from the open air theatre as neither of us knows that part of London much. Leaving the theatres was actually an experience in itself as previously I'd have gone straight to the tube but just walking with the crowds was a nice feeling. (Regent's Park has a big rose garden in the middle, which we hadn't known about. How do they still have so many blooms in August?)
22nd
We had a morning to fill before catching the train, so we got another picnic from the supermarket - about another £10 I think but not sure. Then it was off to the Wallace again (DH gave a donation this time, having missed it the day before), free coffee back at our hotel as we booked out and picked up the luggage, then back to the station.
The journey was MS (apart for £4.50 on drinks) as I'd got split tickets, and all went well till we got within hailing distance of home and everything stopped. It turned out there was an incident in Durham (miles away) and trains were unable to leave whichever station en route that they were nearest to when it happened. I felt sorry for our conductor who was pulling out all the stops to help, but couldn't even drop passengers off at our stop as the station was already full. In the end he got permission to take the train to the end of the line and drop us off on the way back. It meant we were over an hour late so in theory we could apply for compensation. To be honest, though, it didn't make us late for anything and wasn't the rail company's fault so I don't think we will be doing that.
I was all in by the end of the day and in an idle moment opened my work emails to find we are under pressure to attend a work event which I'd already decided wasn't going to be easy. I've already had a rather irate discussion with a family member who's a manager (not in my department) and who had encouraged me to go. I gave in and researched it and emailed my manager with some suggestions, but it lead to me thinking about a couple of situations which had come up at work, and which in turn was very upsetting. So not the best end to the day, and there are things to think through, but today is a day off so I don't have to do anything about it right now.

Cherryfudge

Today has been warm and quiet, weather-wise as well as me. I felt very unproductive, not getting up properly for ages and playing on the computer, but it does mean I'm more rested. My melt-down last night was probably exacerbated by tiredness, at least I feel more cheerful today and have booked on the work event so that's decided. I also discovered a friend will be on the same one so I've asked her for a lift.

Other than that the day's work has been contacting people about the reunion: two of today's were no thanks but it was still nice to hear back. One of them had been literally a very long shot anyway as she's on the other side of the world.

Financially I had a bit of a scare this morning which shook me up and made me realise I'm still not 100%. The lady who manages Mum's old house sent me a reminder that her cheque was overdue - but I knew I'd paid it. Thankfully I'd enclosed something with it and had the text thanking me for both items, but when I reminded her she thought that was for July... several texts too and fro and she got it straight so I definitely don't owe her anything. I think the confusion arose because the last week of July's money was also the first of August's so she may have filed it wrongly. Anyway it's sorted out now.

I also did a bit of grocery shopping: was hoping to get away with less than a tenner's worth but spent more than double that as I took advantage of special offers on a couple of favourite things (Brexit panic!).

Spending:
Household £0.75
Housekeeping £20.81
MS:
22p wombled
Reduced prices on coffee and chorizo.
An extra portion of curry left over from tea and now in the freezer (labelled)
Excellent drying day so loads of laundry ready to go away.
Remembered chickpeas in the freezer so used those as the protein in the curry tonight.
Bought lemon curd so I can make a lemon curd cake for this weekend.
Decluttering:
Sadly, I broke a dish that I rather liked. Other than that several pieces of paper have gone in the recycling, and probably some other bits that I don't rememeber.

Tonight I'm thankful for warm and gentle weather and watching the Prom concert from Tuesday all over again on TV. No, we didn't see ourselves in the audience.

Cherryfudge

I've had quite a relaxing day so I'm beginning to feel more myself. It's been hot and right now half the neighbourhood seems to be out in their gardens even though it's going on for midnight. I'm not sure how well I will sleep with the window shut but it couldn't stay open with Mr in the road behind us carrying on a loud discussion with goodness-knows-who!

I finished part one of my course this morning and made a start on the other half tonight. It's still interesting but I only have a week left to finish it and if I keep getting side-tracked as I have been, I'll end up either not completing it or staying up very late.

The other thing this morning was the first car boot sale in ages: between the Bank Holiday and the deluge of the last few weeks this week's sale was big. I did manage to say 'no' to some nice bargains but I don't regret it. What did I actually buy? A cookery book (50p), dress (£1) and a bag of cooking apples (50p). Not bad at all, though I don't have room for more cookery books. DH got some eating apples (£1 for a big bag) and a painting, which I think was about a fiver and which he will probably sell eventually.

This afternoon I dozed on the sofa but also baked two batches of muffins, some of which I need to put in the freezer tomorrow. My weight is creeping up! The kids are all away or working this weekend so tomorrow it will be just DH and me to dinner and we are trying a recipe from my new book. We went out for a walk this evening to buy the ingredients (had to be a bit creative - nowhere seems to sell Italian sausage!). That might help tame the weight gain a bit, and it's nice to follow through on last week's higher step totals.

Another thing noticed in Mr T: our local one is only selling wholemeal flour that's suitable for bread making. No SR or ordinary plain wholemeal flour at all, hence the walk to the far end of town for groceries this evening. I wonder if my (very ancient) geography lessons still hold good, and strong flour comes from Canada, while soft flour is home-grown? If so I doubt it's Brexit... maybe they just have buyers who don't know the difference between one type and another?

Spending:
Book £0.50
Clothing £1.00
Housekeeping £11.44
MS:
Did DH's haircut (and am rather chuffed with the result, if I say so myself )
Some food bargains
Baked rather than buying cake.
3 x £2 coins into savings
Decluttering:
3 pieces of paper, a pen, two lots of packaging.

I'm thankful for hot weather and for A and H arriving safely for their friends' wedding in Italy.

Cherryfudge

No spending today and nothing particularly money-saving either.

I did declutter a jar of lentils and some lardons into a sausage and lentil dish which has more than replaced any salt lost in this heat. It was a new recipe that I thought was okay but DH wasn't keen so it's not a keeper. Lots of cooked lentils left to be inventive with during the week...

Tomorrow it's back at work and I'm still tired... if this doesn't improve soon, it's back to the doctor's to see if my thyroid levels are still on the move. At least I got a good night's sleep last night (the neighbours stopped talking some time after midnight and I had a lie-in).

Today I'm thankful for another dry and sunny day and peace and quiet with DH at home (and he painted the ceiling of the bay window which somehow didn't get done a couple of months ago).

Honeysucklelou2

Have you thought about iron levels? When I had time of never-ending tiredness, it turned out to be low iron levels.

Cherryfudge

It could be iron, honeysucklelou2, as mine is always low, but the doctor told me earlier this year that's it's the highest it's been. I was on iron tablets but only a low dose as it can't be taken with two other prescription medications I have - so it gets left to the end of the day when it's a long way from the other doses. I don't have much red meat or leafy green veg, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if my iron is low... thanks for the suggestion

Cherryfudge

Nothing spent yesterday and not a huge amount saved or decluttered... if I think of anything I'll add it to today's totals. (Like finishing a bag of ancient potatoes - some had to go in the compost).

I was seriously tired again yesterday, but I was working an early shift which accounts for a lot of it. I was out pushing someone in a wheel chair which can be tiring (I've just contacted Highways as there is one particular lowered curb that's too high for safety), and it was hot again. I do think I had the easier part of the shift though as the guys who remained in the building had a lot of juggling to do to get everyone cared for.

Yesterday evening we walked over to A and H's to water their plants - it's about 40 minutes each way and I wondered whether I should have opted out but I think the exercise helps keep me fit - I think I did around 13,000 steps which is enough to keep me a bit toned up but not exhausting in itself. But anyway it's nice to be out for a walk with DH.

Today is a day off and could be a bit overwhelming as I'm suddenly coming to terms with hardly any time left to do PPI claims, I have some study stuff to prepare for my group tonight (and a lot of tidying up to be done before they come, too), I've only got a few days left to finish my course and I have to make a decision soon on whether to go to work on Mum's place next week. The reasoning around this goes like this: next week is the place in my rota where I have four days off. However on day 2 of these days we are having the carpet fitters in to do the lounge so I need to be at home - this also means I can have my group that evening. That leaves me with a shorter time to work on Mum's place: I could do with an extra night there really. Not a lot of chance of getting annual leave as my colleagues are exhausted trying to keep things going over months of unfilled posts. (Both adverts have now gone out, so maybe the end is in sight).

I think I might go anyway as I really need to get the house emptied and there's still plenty to do - maybe box up books next time: there are hundreds still not even gone through! At least in boxes they can be stacked and possibly go into storage.... however I know it will be tiring to make the journey and after that I'm working through till we go on holiday. Bearing in mind that holidays are tiring in their own right I'm trying to put together a shortlist of what I really want to see rather than do everything.

Well, enough moaning about being tired and over-faced: I'm going to make a chart of days off so I can book leave to work on the house, then I'm going to prep things for tonight. I still have tomorrow as a day off for other things.

By the way - another half pound of blackberries from the garden yesterday! I love this time of year for fruitfulness.

Honeysucklelou2

For any spare books that you don't know what to do with, many of the National Trust places have second hand bookshops. My grandmother loved books ( think it's a family trait:)) and those that we couldn't use, we were able to donate to the NT bookshops.

Cherryfudge

Honeysucklelou2 wrote: »

For any spare books that you don't know what to do with, many of the National Trust places have second hand bookshops. My grandmother loved books ( think it's a family trait:)) and those that we couldn't use, we were able to donate to the NT bookshops.

I never knew that! I had intended to take some to Oxfam as they are good with knowing what's what, but our local one closed. We might get a dealer to look through them as many are old and almost certainly there are some that might interest the right individual (to do with my Dad's line of work) but there are also going to be some that no one will want, including some that got damp and are probably beyond saving. As I said - hundreds altogether! There isn't a NT place very near here but I expect a bit of googling might help there.

So far today I've made my chart of days off up to the middle of November and can see at a glance when my chunks of days off are happening. I think I've found four in that space and once my head is still enough I hope to add in a few leave days for the house and a few for me.

I've washed the bay window and cleaned the sill, which was bitty from DH painting the ceiling. It will soon be time to bring plants back indoors and there won't be much room left on the sill then! I might move one or two quietly into DD's old room now it's not full of her and DS2's stuff.

I've also done three lots of laundry, which should dry well today: it's a lot hotter than I thought it would be when I checked yesterday - a drop to 25C is really not all that cold! Ironing can wait till tomorrow.

As you can tell, I'm busy avoiding the jobs that I mentioned earlier, but it's nice to have those other ones out of the way.

Cherryfudge

Well.

Today didn't go to plan but I'm sitting in a cleaner, tidier computer corner than I expected.

I made a start on a PPI form for an account Mum had, then realised part way though that the screen shots I had of the account don't actually capture the account number. I went hunting... end result was several boxes of 'Mum stuff' have been relocated, more documents found to back a claim I made a while ago but which was turned down, this corner near the computer has been spring cleaned, the gold fish have been cleaned out (!), some stuff has been discovered upstairs (more below) and in the end I gave up looking and decided to go to the shops. As I gathered my things together, there was the folder of bank statements, right by the computer!

It still hasn't been sent, though, because we had to eat and then I had a tidy-round and a shower and my friends have been here having a catch-up and making plans for the autumn. I won't try again tonight - if it doesn't get sent, it doesn't.

I looked for the missing bank statement upstairs, thinking it might have been put in the bedroom but no sign. However, I noticed a carrier bag in the wardrobe that I think DH had tidied into there. Inside were wrapped gifts - they turned out to be stocking fillers I'd bought for Mum while she was at the care home: it was very hard to get her to focus on opening presents (she had dementia) so I bought her a number of small gifts in different wrapping with the intention of spreading them over several visits. She took so long to open a few that these never got given! I've unwrapped them and found uses for some but others will probably go to charity. I also found a small pack of pens that I'd bought as a children's stocking filler but they are old now and didn't work, and a bag of gifts I'd bought DS1 for last Christmas and which somehow didn't get to him (but they can now).

About four o'clock, the breeze picked up and it felt a bit cooler so I've had more energy, and then the breeze dropped but cloud had blown over, some of it dark and ominous. Later in the evening we've had a couple of heavy showers and some thunder and lightening. It's not cold, but it's a lot fresher. It did seem to go for the electrics, though, as I couldn't get Internet and had to give up on looking something up on the computer for my friends, then when I went back to the computer, the light came on but not the screen. Thankfully a re-start solved that one but I don't know if it means it could be on the way out (just when I'd decided to wait to replace my phone and go for a better spec).

Spending:
Household £3.00
Housekeeping £5.49
Mortgage overpayment £75.56
MS:
Wombled 10p
lasagne from the freezer for lunch
Decluttering:
Quite a list today: a catalogue, a magazine, some bits of paper, conkers, pens, a broken cup, a broken fish tank accessory, a chocolate box, some mint imperials that had somehow squirreled their way into a file about mortgages (no, they went in the bin), gift wrap, packaging and some salad leaves that had gone squishy (though the goldfish seems keen on lettuce).

Today I'm thankful that I have some clean and tidy areas where I had a mess before, and the temperature has dropped so tomorrow may feel fresher.