Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

DH has officially accepted and is waiting for details to arrive.

Also a different tree surgeon has been to give us a price to sort our scarily swinging trees! The background is that some conifers have reached such a height that the end one is catching the wind that goes round and over the houses, and is taking far too much interest in the garden behind us every time there's a gale. The original tree surgeon gave us a quote and a date then didn't turn up and stopped answering texts but I can see from social media that he's busy elsewhere.

Something I forgot to mention is that the GP has sent DH for a Covid swab as he's getting breathless and coughing. It doesn't at all answer the description of 'a new, continuous cough' and the breathlessness has been developing over weeks, so even if it was caused by Covid a while ago, he's going to be long past the stage where it shows up on a test (unless it were caused by something else and coincidentally he got asymptomatic Covid now). I suppose they must see a lot of breathlessness caused by the virus, though, so she needs to rule it out. Meanwhile he's now on a repeat prescription for an inhaler - something he's not needed in decades. His general health is great but he does have this collection of symptoms since he had a few months on a new drug for his original condition.

Not sure what I'm going to do with the rest of today till work but I'm on overnight again tonight then off tomorrow which is L's birthday and as long as 'the rules' stay the same we are going over to theirs for food.

Sun_Addict

Good news about DH getting a job 🎉 Hopefully his COVID test will come back negative 🤞

charlies_tribe

Great news about DH job. Hopefully the cover test is all clear.
Hope you get another offer on the house soon.

Seasidegal58

Congratulations to your DH on his new job!  I do hope his breathing improves and the test proves negative. 🤞

Cherryfudge

Thanks everyone. DH doesn't have his test results yet but mine came through in the middle of Boris's speech this evening. Negative.

Last night's shift was peaceful and I got a good night's sleep: we have a new bed for the sleep in room and it's so comfy.

I have mostly solved the mystery of the 'extra' pay in September: I can account for all but £20. The chunk of sleep in payments was earned over July and August, and there's a handful of small payments that come from a pay award. All that remains inexplicable is the apparent half a sleep in. I mean, a sleep in is a flat rate: you can't do half a one.

This morning was very stormy but mild. The wind and rain have swept away most of the lovely orange leaves so we are entering November with more of a traditional November look. In the afternoon it cheered up so I did a big grocery shop which covered tomorrow's meal and some baking I have in mind to do as well as a few basics. It came to just under £40, which is a very good reason to keep me out of the shops whenever possible.

Earlier in the day we had texted our older children ahead of meeting for L's birthday, to explain about DH's Covid test and offer not to meet. We are both as sure as we can be that his breathlessness has been going on too long for it to be a Covid infection. They were all happy for us to meet (with social distancing) so that's what we did. I had a nice surprise while getting ready: I tried on some smart trousers that had been too tight earlier in the year and they are too big! I found a pair of black skinny jeans in a bag of winter clothes I'd just fetched out of the loft and they did nicely instead.

We had a really good evening, though quite a strange one as we paused the chat to watch the announcement from Downing Street. I'm relieved there's to be a lockdown though I wonder why they don't make it effective immediately. As H said, it helps that we know it's to be a month. I suppose they will announce some sort of gradual easing after that (as after all slamming the brakes on doesn't stop the virus entirely, especially with schools and universities staying open). I don't know if it will affect my job: if we have to close to protect our clients then I'll deal with that as it happens. DH thinks it may affect his job offer but that's partly because he had that happen with the job he was supposed to start in April. H and A will carry on as they have been with A working from home and H going into the hospital. J and L don't know yet if they will be affected though J's group sessions will have to be suspended.

J decided to include DS2 on Facetime (he's been at work and lives in a Tier 3 area so he wasn't with us) and he announced that he and his housemate have found a new house and are moving next week. Then his takeaway was delivered so he disappeared without telling us his new address!

It's very late now and I need some sleep so I will just have to add anything else that occurs to me at some later date.

Tonight I'm thankful for L and his birthday and being able to see all the immediate family members (counting DS2's Facetime in there), and also for being able to get the shopping and for DH's roof repairs holding through the morning's weather!

Cherryfudge

Mighty funny weather today: heavy downpours, gusty wind and 15 degrees when I came home from work this evening!

DH's Covid test has come back negative.

We watched online church again this morning: they are holding small services in the building but this will be on hold after this week. I'm glad they have kept up the online stuff though: it's so nice seeing familiar faces. 

Dinner was a blast from the past. I used to make a liver and bacon casserole regularly so I pulled out the recipe and gave it a twist towards the things we eat nowadays by adding beans and a splash of red wine and it was delicious (said she modestly). Liver is so cheap and sometimes I can buy it fresh and not previously frozen so I can freeze any extra. This time there were two small portions for the freezer and a spare portion of casserole too. I think I might need to review the freezer again and use up some stuff.

Work was quiet, and DH asked me collect some more apples for him as the ones from the community tree are so nice. I got loads! There are still lots on the ground, I don't think anyone else is collecting them any more. It's the third lot we've been given recently: L's parents sent some from their garden and there is a give-away bucket up the road with cooking apples.

So tonight I'm grateful for DH's clear test, work settling back into a pattern, mild weather and effectively a month off having to work on the house.

Cherryfudge

I'm off to work (overnight) shortly. We had an online meeting this morning but still don't know if we are going to have to shut for the lockdown. It's possible we won't as people are not being required to shield this time around.

DH and I went for a short run and the second lot of laundry is currently going chug, chug, chug. DH cleaned the bathroom... that's about it for activity today. Amazing the sheets that went in first are already completely line dried - definitely a blessing!

Sun_Addict

Great news that DH's covid test came back negative. 

Cherryfudge

Thanks SA. I went for my weekly Covid test this morning before going home from my sleep in which means I get tomorrow as a complete day off. I've also traded my regular sleep in for a complete day off: the member of staff who will now be doing it lives at a distance and is on the shifts either side so they are spared a lot of travelling, so it benefits both of us in some respects. I can still pick up extra sleeps (I have another in a few weeks) but it would be handy if a regular one becomes available. At present though it's less of a financial impact for me than for some and I would like to be at home!

The weather was forecast fair all day, and around 6 degrees (a contrast to 15 degrees a couple of nights ago!), so I put a load of washing on the line. The forecast was wrong though: we had showers and there was snow up the Dales! Tonight the first frost might decide to visit. DH went out for an 18 mile cycle ride while he could but I've been in catching up on some housework, study and making gingerbread muffins. (Money and time saving hint: if things are supposed to be cooked in a loaf tin and take ages, make them in muffin cases instead. They cook a lot more quickly.) This evening my friend rang for a chat and we are going to try to meet up for a takeaway coffee next week. These little ordinary things are very precious!

Nothing spent today but I'm shopping for a new duvet cover online. DD and I have postponed the shopping day we'd planned on 19th: that's just not going to be possible. The family vote on a Secret Santa has come out against, but it would have made Christmas less work! I do love getting people presents, though.

I completely forgot to give DH credit the other day. When I got in from work he'd replaced the smaller kitchen surface with a modern wooden one so we're all matching now. I'm really pleased with how it looks. I also spent £2.50 on a phone top up as I'd eaten through my data when we were away. I'm not sure I'll use most of the extra now we will be based at home but at least it means I can record the data for any running.

Tonight I'm thankful for having tomorrow largely free (eye appointment in the morning), my manager being pleased with some typing I'd done, chat with my friend and positive news for a colleague who has had to wait nearly a year for it.

ETA Late night household spend of £28.95: that's our new duvet cover plus P&P.

Seasidegal58

Another here pleased to hear of your DH's negative COVID test!👍
All kudos to him too in fitting the new kitchen top!