Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

Yesterday I spent £1.99 on an e-book (Terry Pratchett) and far too much time drawing up a table of ingredients in shampoos (trying to work out what I'm reacting to).

Work was again okay in itself but I heard that my colleague's mother has died. It was expected but I so feel for my colleague. Another person has returned to work but is finding it hard. I'm hoping she can get back in the swing of things and feel the benefit of having coped.

Yesterday's thank yous:
A friend mentioned taking her cod liver oil which nudged me that I haven't been taking mine and in my case that is often linked with low mood.
A new book, and a jolly good one though the early chapters are not recommended for pandemic reading.
DH sold some radio equipment on behalf of my parents' estate: I hadn't even known was it collectible but now the estate is about £400 better off.
DH has painted a ceiling, and it looks much better.

Sun_Addict

You’ve reminded me of my mum making me have a big spoonful of cod liver oil and malt every day when I was a child 🤢
That’s good news about the radio equipment sale 👍

Cherryfudge

My mum gave us cod liver oil with Del Rosa so I always thought it tasted nice. Nowadays I have it in capsules.

Online church this morning was really interesting: a talk on encouragement.  Apparently as people get more weary of video, some are finding they are tending to avoid the effort to make contact, so one aspect was about getting outside our comfort zone and staying sociable, building others up with a bit of encouragement which, as the speaker pointed out, is not the same as praise. Lots to think about!

We fitted in a run before lunch, and bumped into J and L running the other way. We had known we might as J is borrowing a cake tin to make a Christmas cake. We've had a few texted conversations with J today which is definitely a cheering factor.

Work was quiet and unremarkable. I forgot to say I'd got more free apples from the community tree there the other day - twice! - but these are nearly the last. It's been a spectacular year for apple donations.  

This evening I'm grateful for sunshine and exercise once again, actually seeing one of our children plus chatting to her, a peaceful work weekend and some good reading, and the prospect of days off to come.

Cherryfudge

A few musings on a certain loyalty card: I've had it for years but it's not a supermarket I often go to and I'd hesitated to complete the signing up procedure as the T&C show it's pretty intrusive - information can leave the country, for instance. I finally completed the sign-up today and used £7.50 (nearly all my points) towards a curtain pole. They are more useful that way!
I wonder if anybody ever reads all the T&C? I'd gone through them in the past which is why I'd pulled out of the process. This time I really couldn't be bothered and just skimmed a few points so goodness knows what I've signed up to.
The trouble is, the relevant parts are hidden among things about not doing nasty things to the app, which isn't relevant for people like me who are a) law abiding and b) clueless.
I feel a standard set should be out there to which all such promotional schemes should have to conform, and there should be a master site somewhere where customers can go through the whole process once and select opt-outs.

Anyway, I think our curtain pole is going to cost us £12.50, so our beautiful curtains can go up... once I've found the massive bag of curtain hooks I rescued from Mum's house.

Cherryfudge

I've also placed a milk delivery with a company that comes recommended by various friends. I've come to the conclusion that after four weeks of no delivery from our erstwhile milkman, and no response to email or texts, he's dumped us. I'm inclined not to give him the satisfaction, as he's never actually been polite enough to let us know, and give him the heave-ho in no uncertain terms.
However I'm not about to do it now as I need a level head. Emails written in anger aren't the best.  
The new company is also cheaper and their milk is organic, which pleases me. Unfortunately they are overwhelmed by current demand so they can't start delivery yet, but at least I know where I stand with them.

Cherryfudge

£28.93 spent on a couple of Christmas tops for workwear and a gift for DH... my friend and I agreed our workplace needs cheering up and I've spent half the evening searching for Christmassy tee shirts that I like but aren't too expensive. These ones aren't brilliant - unless you count the sheer volume of colour - but are okay and it doesn't matter too much if they don't get much wear (though they will probably last forever by the look of them!)

DH got some groceries... I didn't ask how much. Other than that we've been for a healthy walk: about an hour and twenty minutes, and we paused to watch a wren in a hedgerow. When we got home I transplanted some onions and dug begonia tubers out of hanging baskets. Good to be back in the garden.

I also found a homegrown potato while digging!

Tonight I'm thankful for finding some things for Christmas, enough daylight to have a longish walk and salmon for tea.

Cherryfudge

I've had a quiet day, and it's been amazingly mild! I went for a run and it was so nice I had a walk straight afterwards.

Dh has been busy putting up the new door curtain and we've put our new super-soft duvet cover on too, so there's a feeling of newness and snugness. I'm very pleased with how the door curtain looks, it's a wonder we didn't put one up years ago.

I had my usual Tuesday video call with a couple of my friends but it was rather blighted by lots of squeals and drop out from my friend's house. I think it's because they have problems with their internet connection, which makes it harder work. Then I lost my connection and apparently vanished from their screens for a couple of minutes. I've arranged to meet one of them for a walk tomorrow which will be good. I've hardly seen her in months but we'll get  a takeaway coffee and catch up at a leisurely pace before I head off to work.

I had a texted conversation with DS2 later. He's suggesting he comes over and we make up his bubble but the rules don't really allow for this as we are both in two-adult households. I've suggested meeting up out of doors and we can hand over the things he needs from the house. It's a shame but I can't see another way to it, and I'm concerned I might be putting my clients in danger if I break the rules. His birthday is next week but he's been a bit 'relaxed' about telling us what he wants - I don't think he's really bothered so he's getting a voucher! If he can agree to meet out of doors there may be a cake in it for him.

I haven't bought anything today but I think I need to add some data to my phone or I won't be able to track the coming week's runs.

Things I'm thankful for: mild weather, my third-fastest run (don't get excited, two snails and a sloth overtook me), chats with friends and DS2.

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you for the reminder about cod liver oil. I did buy some multi vitamins with cod liver oil in capsule form to try and make sure vitamin levels could be as high as possible and hopefully ward off anything going round.

Cherryfudge

I was sure I'd typed something here but it's gone. I did a bit of googling and I think I benefit from the omega 3 oils in fish oils, but apparently while deficiency is common, overdose is also possible. I was surprised when I first found out that cod liver oil lifted my mood from a chronic low-level depression, but now there has been more research and I've read a bit about it, there's a link with serotonin production, though I don't think a strong link has been proved for treating depression (possibly because depression can have a number of causes).

Cherryfudge

Happy World Toilet Day, everyone! Yes it is... 

Yesterday was busier than expected: I had my walk with my friend: we bought a takeaway coffee and blew the cobwebs away, meeting another friend of mine on the way as he works where the coffee is sold. It was great exercise as well as being so nice to have a proper catch-up.

I got home a couple of hours before I was due to go to work but ended up with a big rush as DS2 texted to say he was coming to collect some things (he left in a hurry in March and hasn't lived here since but as he's just moved house again, he's finding he needs various bits). As it's his birthday in a few days DH went out to get him a voucher and I made a very hurried chocolate cake. In the middle of this my glasses broke but Dh rescued them with a miniscule screwdriver, while I had lunch, made tea and flung on my uniform.

Work was (again) nice and peaceful, and I've booked about two thirds of my (massive) remaining annual leave, which was getting to the embarrassingly excessive level... many colleagues took much of theirs over the summer rather than be sent to work at other bases, so I had pretty much the choice of dates and have spread it over the first three months of next year.

I spent 99p on another e-book.
Coffees: £4.40

Well, today is cold but bright and sunny so I'm going to brave the out of doors and go for a run.