Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

I'm just updating recent posts with all sorts of small spends plus one or two larger ones - printer cartridges £24.99! That's far too much… but we couldn't get the supermarket version. That was a couple of days ago so I'll see if I can add it to an earlier post, just having a moan first.

I've wasted quite a bit of time on a computer game today, but also popped into a work Skype meeting (moderately useful but I get a bit wound up by a couple of colleagues - so I have to find my way past that. I won't get anywhere playing people at their own game. I do remember my Mum's example of smiling and agreeing with someone who was getting uppish so they had nothing to 'fight against', and in this case I think that might be a tactic. Mind you, it was from Mum that I learnt to go on the offensive, and I'm still learning to pick my battles).

I had a nice meeting with a couple of my friends via video last night and we've picked some new material for our little study group. We've also planned another meet-up: the same walk as last week but the friend who is having back problems will drive to meet us at the top of the hill and we can bring picnics if the weather's okay.

Our 'new' (to us) lawnmower has run into a problem: the nut has gone off the handle but DH was able to get a replacement. How did we manage to lose a chunky bright orange nut in a small shed that was recently cleaned out? At least the grass is less wild now.

We've decided to make the most of the afternoon with a walk to a local beauty spot.

Cherryfudge

The walk was excellent, and the rain held off all but a very few drops. My feet and legs are aching as it was very steep in places but beautiful too: the woods are full of wild flowers and the views from the top of the escarpment are amazing. It took around three and three quarters hours so we put frozen pizza in the oven as soon as we got in, as time was getting on.

This evening DH had a zo om meeting and I did some MS cooking: a load of carrot cake muffins to use up a bag of carrots, a batch of sweet potato and butternut squash soup to finish those, and I rescued some of a bunch of rhubarb that had gone over and have cooked what I could of it. That will sort out a few work lunches, but I had to stop as I'd run out of freeze-able containers.

I did find we somehow have three unopened bags of flour - that feels as though it should be illegal. All are well in date though so I've moved them to the front of a top shelf so they are visible but not in the way of the current baking stuff.

I haven't caught up fully on the Chancellor's summer budget but Dh and I both pricked up our ears at the sound of a tenner off a meal out in August. It does sound tempting but I gather retailers will be in charge of the money so it may be that not all establishments will pass the subsidy on to the customer, apparently. I can understand that many will be digging deep just to reopen. The budget may also help us sell Mum's house and my Father in Law's flat, which are currently sitting there running up bills.

I've done a bit of decluttering, mostly those food items above and a jar of curry that had been in the fridge too long. Some jar lids are in the bin - it always seems a waste but the jars went in the recycling so I can't do anything but bin the lids. I also sent a tea pot to the charity - we had forgotten we owned it.

It's absolutely bucketing down now, so I've put buckets on the sofa below where the rain poured in the other day! I'll check them immediately before bed but they are dry at present.

Spending
Parking £2.00

Tonight I'm thankful for a lovely walk and a productive cooking session.

still_hopeful

Just delurking to say that as I understand it if they register for the money-off scheme, the establishment will have to pass it on to the customer. It's the VAT cut they can choose not to pass on. So you should get a cheap meal out after all!

Also, can you not recycle your jar lids? In our area, we are told to leave the lids on when we put jars in the recycling. It's a shame all areas can't have the same rules, it makes it so complicated sometimes.

Cherryfudge

Nice to meet you, still_hopeful! It's nice to know the cheap meal may yet be around. At the moment I'm thinking of a particular Indian place in the next town...

I tried looking up jar lids and they definitely can be recycled in some areas, as you say. My own area doesn't seem to mention how to recycle them but a bit of wider reading indicates they are best left on - so thanks! Some of our (clean) used packaging goes to an eco-friendly shop where customers can bring their own packaging so I must check if they are still doing this as I have a bag full to contribute.

Cherryfudge

Yesterday I went for a run - I've worked up to 20 minutes again. It was all slippery out in the fields after significant recent rain, so next time I might stick to the road.

I've been at work the last two days and will be in over the weekend too. In between times I'm trying to finish my course (access expires some time on Sunday). I've managed a couple of hours gardening at work: turns out my new manager has plans for the garden (generally underused) and the gardener is coming back from next week, so it will progress. Last year he was making good inroads into years of neglect.

I haven't spent anything and haven't kept track of DH's spending - I think we need some sort of spreadsheet again as things are getting missed and I know he can do spreadsheets but would probably forget a written list.

Everyone seems to be off on their jollies: A and H went to Cornwall via Gloucester today and J and L are going camping. I think DS2 has the weekend off but I don't know if he's going anywhere. Colleagues are out and about too. I think the lifting of lockdown has been like releasing a cloud of helium balloons for those who can go. They're up, up and away! I'm still wary but have agreed to go to work on Mum's old house in a few weeks. We can distance from others there but get on with the work that wants doing.

Spending
House keeping (9th) £5.25, (10th) £14.76

Tonight I'm thankful for plenty of garden time, including rescuing some self-sown lavender and snap dragons. Oh, and the light after the rain - everything so clean and bright.

Cherryfudge

Very little to report today: church, work...
Four days off coming up. I'm meeting friends for a walk on Tuesday evening but am wondering whether to suggest a trip to work on Mum's house for Wednesday/Thursday. Or do we need more than two half days to make it worthwhile?
This evening I'm thankful for an after-church zoom (chance to see faces we've not seen for a while).

Cherryfudge

I seem to be having one of those days where things work out! I got a decent amount of sleep, managed to finish my course (at third attempt!) and logged onto a work meeting which was fairly useful. It seems among other things that colleagues who were working from home are going to be back with us soon.

I then did a few minutes of stretches followed by a two-mile run so I'm feeling healthy! I've looked up my running speed and it's kind of slow but it was enough to make me feel energised, plus the smug factor that my metabolism is not going to be a bit faster all the way to the end of the day and possibly a bit of tomorrow too. I've decided to back that with a  determined effort to loose some weight. My first target is 1.5 lb.

Back at home I had a healthy lunch (off the back of a nutrition course, I'm not always 'good') and did the ironing, but there's another lot of ironing to do later. I decided it was about time to do some decluttering, as DH has pointed out we haven't room to bring anything else back from Mum's. My starting point was the bag of containers that were saved up for the eco-friendly shop where I used to be able to donate extras. Having contacted the shop, I now know they can't accept them at present, so I've put the lids on (thank you still_hopeful) and popped 19 into the recycling along with 5 egg boxes. While turfing out the bag I found some yogurt cashews (so much for losing weight but they are counted into my calorie intake) and my newer Kindle! It's been missing at least since March.

DH has been shopping and is now off on a bike ride with J and L.

Spending
Housekeeping £16.82

And I'm thankful for... days off, finishing my course at last (though I've saved lots of links and info for reading later), being able to run and a tiny bit of space acquired in J's old room.

Cherryfudge

I've done a bit of tidying up in the garden since writing the above, but it's still growing rapidly. The green wheelie bin is now full so tomorrow I'll see if Dh can take it to the tip where there's a garden waste recycling place. I've also found why our back step is looking wet: there seems to be a slow leak from one of the rain water barrels, but I can't find it. I suppose that could work out to the good as it would give us the chance to raise the barrel level and get better access to the drainage tap, but it could mean a bit of spending on a new barrel and holder. We aren't on a water meter but apart from the waste of energy from using processed water on the garden, we don't have a tap at that side of the house and the plants seem to prefer rain water. We also get all the water off the neighbours' back rooves as well as ours and it seems a shame not to capitalise.

There's been a bit more decluttering: some tins of food and cleaning products rescued from my Mum's house are now in our cupboards. The food, I hasten to explain, is some I'd bought fairly recently for use when there - it isn't years old. However I'm mystified why Mum had so much metal polish.  

I got into watching TED talks this evening and I'm rather too awake but I need to wind down now and get to bed.

P.S. I'm relieved that face coverings are going to be compulsory in shops in England. It's not a foolproof solution but it should reduce risk considerably.

Cherryfudge

Today is progressing slowly compared with yesterday but I'm going out for a walk with my friends tonight and want to make something of the day beforehand.

I went into the room I'm trying to declutter and the first thing retrieved was a bag of items I'd put up for sale last year but had no takers. It was the work of a moment to reactivate the listings so I'm hoping someone wants them - it seems like a good time to be selling sandals, for instance. Otherwise they go to charity. I'm glad the shops have reopened! Another bag yielded oddments garnered from Mum's things which I don't really want so they're in the wash then going to charity.

As usual I'm finding it very hard to throw things out completely but some creased wrapping paper has gone.

I also found two of DH's woollen jumpers which I'd put aside for repair but on close inspection I don't think I can get them wearable: the side seams have ripped and slightly unravelled. Oddly, he's ripped along the line of the seam but it's the main part of the fabric that's torn, not the stitches where it was sewed up. They could go to textile recycling once it reopens but one is a lovely colour and I'd like to try to remake it into something. A quick search found a way to turn them into slipper boots. I'm always up for a project.

Cherryfudge

Some shopping got done but the shop I wanted wasn't open so I plan to go back in a day or two. Town was a bit too busy for my liking but there were more masks in evidence.

When I got in, DS2 had turned up with a post-lockdown haircut. Looks great. I persuaded him to help me reduce a pile of banana muffins and DH decluttered a pair of trainers in his direction.

My friend and I had a good walk this evening with a picnic in a field with a marvellous view.

Spending
Housekeeping £5.95 at the greengrocer. Some of that was reduced (mushrooms and cauliflower) or just very good bargains (a heavy bag of local tomatoes for £1) but the onions were 30p each and bananas 25p while the rhubarb was £1.17 a stick! Mind you they were large sticks.
Garden £2.15 (snapdragon seeds, I love snapdragons and now I'll have them forever! )
Donation £4.00
Pets (wild bird food) £1.00
Medical (face mask & wire to shape the top of our face masks) £3.99
Household £2.49
Clothing (uniform polo shirt so I don't have to do so many washes) £8.00

Some things are definitely getting more expensive but there are still bargains out there.

This evening I'm thankful for meeting my friend, seeing DS2 and getting some cooking done.