Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

No luck with finding my library card, but while looking I've found a few other small bits and pieces - so a childhood teddy now has two eyes again, and a few more receipts have been recycled. I think I'll have to give up and ask the library for a new card. (I found two copies of my pin number for it - shame they are both useless! I tried to get into the app via my old kindle but the screen no longer responds so I've no other work-around to try).

We have both had the day off so after lunch DH packed the mechanism of the grandfather clock into a box and we took it to the mender. This is a marvellous little shop that really belongs in Diagon Alley, with a tiny interior where you thread your way between all sort of long and short case clocks to get to the counter which is around six feet from the door. They don't need the notice that says 'no more than two customers at once' because you might fit five in if they stood shoulder to shoulder. The masked man behind the counter (okay, so we're all used to that but it adds to the atmosphere) laid out the pieces and measured the broken chain, counted the links to the foot and promptly produced exactly the right replacement. Not bad for something over 200 years old (clock not shopkeeper - to the best of my knowledge).

It will take a week though, as the old chain has to be unwound from the mechanism and the whole thing run through whatever checks are needed to save a return trip.

I'd not previously stopped in the town where the clock mender is, and it was lovely. We visited a genuine antique shop - the sort you rarely see nowadays with chairs stacked on tables and appealing rustic chests of drawers with old china and poor-quality paintings. I love shops like that though nowadays I'm more likely to be wishing I could get some of my parents' old furniture to them to sell, than buying anything myself. Our house has enough in it already!

I then spotted a charity shop which came up with a  book I'd just recommended to DH! what are the chances of that?! I bought two paperbacks and a ball of bright yarn so that was a fiver spent, and lots of potential hours of enjoyment brought home.

We then drove on to one of our favourite haunts - odd to think we've not been in eighteen months or so. There is a walled garden with a very good cafe, so we had drinks and a snack then wandered round the garden till it was time to go home. An idyllic afternoon, all told.

Spending:
Hobbies: £5 (charity shop)
Entertainment £21.00 (including food and entry to the garden, which was 2 for 1 courtesy of the discount card I bought yesterday with the magazine - so I've already got back the cost of the magazine, a record for me!)

Things I'm thankful for: the day out with DH and the fact we have enough interests in common for us both to have enjoyed it a lot. 'Wild' planting of tulips and daffodils in the walled garden, still flowering because it's cooler on the high ground. Things bought and found and little jobs caught up on. Flowers sent by DSiL at Easter just coming to an end - they've lasted absolutely ages.

in_need_of_direction

Well done finding someone competent to repair the clock. I have a wind up watch that may have been over wound but cannot find anyone to repair although maybe I’m fussy as I declined the offer from one person to give it a go

Cherryfudge

in_need_of_direction said:

Well done finding someone competent to repair the clock. I have a wind up watch that may have been over wound but cannot find anyone to repair although maybe I’m fussy as I declined the offer from one person to give it a go

I don't know whether he does watches - even 30 years ago I had to search to find someone to mend an old watch, but in the end a goldsmith cleaned it up beautifully so that might be worth a try?

Cherryfudge

I managed a trip into town before work but got talking to a former colleague of DH's so I didn't get to the eco place. However, I now have a working library card (thus saving myself £6.99 on a book I really wanted to read). I found a place that recycles printer cartridges so I've dropped off a couple, then I just managed to fit in a trip to a charity shop for a small ball of wool to help finish my current piece of knitting. Okay, so I came away with two patterns as well, total spend £3.

Work was on the quiet side but it turns out my name's been put forward to champion infection control. I'm undecided. I want to appear helpful but it's not what I'd choose as a specialism and nobody's made it at all clear what the role involves. The more I think about it, if it means anything at all, it means a large, detailed overview of everything from Covid precautions, to cleaning rotas to storage, to COSHH... and in my experience it doesn't come with party hats and popularity. Could I do it? I expect so. Do I want to? As I said, it's not what I'd choose. Is there someone who would do it better? Possibly, but I don't know. Is it an opportunity of some sort? Probably, should I choose to make something of it. I could go round and round.

Well, it's high time I was in bed as the plumber is here at 8 tomorrow.

And lastly, the things I'm thankful for tonight: library books (and magazines if I can work out how to borrow them), new patterns to get my head round, DD dropping off cake for us.

Cherryfudge

I was up late last night making spaces for the plumber! Both the boiler cupboard and under the kitchen sink needed a clear out and I'm amazed at how much came out from under the sink! Then I was up early as he arrived before eight. However he was finished in an hour so it's been quite a productive morning - we now have a working outside tap again (and it rained, but never mind). I'd never have guessed why the fan on the boiler was so noisy: bees! Apparently the poor things go in out of the cold. He fished one out but will have to take part of it to bits to clear the rest and for that he has to order a new part, so he'll be back when that's ready. At least the boiler is quieter now.

I spent some time searching for black embroidery cotton: I've got a jar of embroidery threads but it's not there. I also have too much yarn... there's now a box of assorted creams and whites: all the colours are in two other boxes and there's a bag of a pink/beige one that I fell for and am looking for 'the perfect pattern'. Then there are four balls that won't fit in anywhere, but those with stashes will know that all attempts to reduce them are doomed to failure.

I am at work overnight for the next two nights so there won't be much to update: there is washing on the line but also on the airer as it was spitting with rain and the wind was cold when I started to hang it out. Yes, there was warm sun half an hour later but the compromise remains.

Sun_Addict

I would be undecided too about the work role, what’s in it for you? My workplace are good at volunteering you to do things. I’ve somehow ended up with the additional role, on top of my day job, of being the person who resets passwords when staff are locked out of IT systems, it can be quite hectic at times plus everyone expects me to be an expert on said systems, which I’m not 🙄

Onebrokelady

Cherryfudge said:

DH bought himself a basic fitness tracker the other day as he's doing a sponsored 300,000 steps in May for charity. I think it cost about £17 and does nearly everything my 'posher' one does (though I can't vouch for aftercare or longevity yet).

It's like when he got a smart phone after resisting for ages and he kept telling me how great it was. Serves me right, I suppose, for nagging him about how good mine is when he complained about his old phone. Now I get to hear how many steps he's done whenever he comes in the door! Of course having had one a few years, the novelty has worn off a bit for me, though it made a big difference as a motivator.

At the moment I'm supposed to be looking for my library card, last used in about December. This has involved clearing out the bags where it might be and the 'hall box' set up according to my employer's instructions a year ago to dump bag, coat and shoes when I come in from work in case I bring Covid into the house. Various ancient receipts are going into the spreadsheet then into the recycling, a coffee shop sugar packet has been opened and eaten and used stamps are in a bag waiting till they can go to charity. I found my purple pen, three bottles of hand gel and my emergency nail scissors, several sticking plasters, two lip balms, some train tickets, one battered plastic glove in case I need to perform CPR (one-handed, presumably), a couple of shopping lists yes, just a couple), two packs of tissues, assorted 'might come in useful' plastic bags... no library card.

Where have I put it?

Would you mind sharing which fitness tracker your DH bought please,I want to get one to record steps but I don't want to spend loads and I'm not sure which one would be best 😀

Onebrokelady

I love infection control and would love this role but I don't think it would make me very popular with my colleagues because they would be constantly nagged by me 😂😂

Cherryfudge

Sun_Addict said:

I would be undecided too about the work role, what’s in it for you? My workplace are good at volunteering you to do things. I’ve somehow ended up with the additional role, on top of my day job, of being the person who resets passwords when staff are locked out of IT systems, it can be quite hectic at times plus everyone expects me to be an expert on said systems, which I’m not 🙄

Oh dear to the password resetting! You probably know more about the systems than a lot of people, though. Experience tells me to be careful about what colleagues know about you, or think they know. You can get volunteered for all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff.

I was once asked to be something financial in an organisation and gave them a flat 'no'. Bless them, they thought I could do it. There's absolutely no evidence for that one. My idea of bookkeeping is not to damage the spines or fold down the corners.

As for 'what's in it for me?', I really don't know. If ever I move on (and I've been in this job far longer than I've been in any other), I could add it to the CV, but that's probably all. Certainly no extra pay! The team leaders seem to think it may be largely nominal, so the place can show compliance with having a champion in the area. If that's the case then I could merely set up a file and signpost new employees to it as a source of all knowledge, but I'm a bit all-or-nothing so I'd be wanting to reinstate signed checklists including cleaning the under-sink pipes in all the bedrooms and hoovering behind the photocopier. Perhaps they know this and that's why they've asked me?! The team leader the other day pointed out I had gone to ask the PPS bin lorry driver for extra yellow bags (those not in the trade, you don't want to know ) and I'm the one who initially pointed out that there are use-by dates on blue gloves and they aren't for food use... maybe I've been in this job too long?  

Onebrokelady said:

Would you mind sharing which fitness tracker your DH bought please,I want to get one to record steps but I don't want to spend loads and I'm not sure which one would be best 😀

It's a Huawei from Argos - whatever their cheapest is. He is disappointed that it doesn't seem to monitor heartrate, but otherwise seems similar to my old F!tbit Alta.

Onebrokelady said:

I love infection control and would love this role 

You can be my mentor if I take it up.  

Onebrokelady said:

but I don't think it would make me very popular with my colleagues because they would be constantly nagged by me 😂😂

My thoughts exactly.   

In fact, I was in charge of the COSHH file once in another job and someone complained to a manager about me carrying out my duties. Not 'not carrying out my duties', you observe, but actually carrying them out. My answer to that would always be 'Well, not everybody automatically knows if someone has put bleach in a lemonade bottle'.  

The trouble might be, if I turn it down, I might get overlooked for something I'd really like to do (allergen training? Recycling champion?).

However, If I'm already infection control champion, the chances are I won't get asked to do either of those because I'm already a something-champion, and turning it down would also pass up the chance to make some useful changes... can you see which way I'm headed?

Work last night was 'eventful' though I'm not expecting a recurrence tonight and I got a decent night's sleep. Now I shall go and continue knitting that cat in the interests of Having a Life Outside Work.

Cherryfudge

Yesterday's shift was another 'eventful' one but thankfully today was very quiet and now I have days off.

I have spending to report from 30/4: £7.75 on housekeeping. The knitted cat now has all pieces except one ear and some whiskers, and I'm on the look out for a lacy blanket or shawl pattern of very forgiving dimensions for my next project, as I have a ball of multi-coloured lace weight yarn needing a home.

In more exciting news, J and L have bought a puppy! She's adorable, though I've only seen photos so far. I'm looking forward to being able to have pets again once the old house finally changes hands and I can be fairly sure of being at home regularly to look after it.

Things I'm thankful for tonight: a peaceful end to the work weekend, the apple blossom covering the old tree next door, DH getting literal mileage out of his new activity tracker, some good reading matter and the discovery that I can download magazines on the library app.