Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

I completely forgot a £50 expense! :eek:
23rd (I think)... boiler was serviced. This has been a saga and should have happened ages ago but I suppose the delay has sort of saved us money by deferring the service.

For those who remember my huge food-to-use-up lists of earlier in the summer, I never completed the eating up, meaning there are still assorted items with long shelf lives taking up space. Not much opportunity to cook at home nowadays, which is a shame but at least I do a lot of it at work.

I also do a fair amount of housework-type stuff at work - but not at home. I came in this evening and realised the place needs attention. There is a Funny Smell in the kitchen. I've thrown out some manky fruit and mushrooms, cleaned the bin, hoovered round and tidied the fireplace. There's still a lot to do so please bear with me if I ramble on about it from time to time in an effort to stay civilised.

parsniphead

Please ramble on, it keeps me inspired. I say regularly that I'm going to eat from cupboards and freezers for a while but have never done it. I would love to get to the stage where I have a list of meals and then do it.

Boiler service......I forgot that. Thanks

Cherryfudge

parsniphead wrote: »

Please ramble on, it keeps me inspired. I say regularly that I'm going to eat from cupboards and freezers for a while but have never done it. I would love to get to the stage where I have a list of meals and then do it.

Boiler service......I forgot that. Thanks

So I will inspire you by working through the food stocks, and you will inspire me with your decluttering. Excellent!

Up and at 'em! :rotfl:

I've spent nothing today, but got in from work to find the microwave has tried to blow up, and failed. It has left an interesting smoky smell so, as it's a miserable rusty thing that never lived up to its predecessor, it's going. I seem to be motoring through microwaves as I've just thrown out what was a high-spec combination oven until I ruined the insides by leaving something to melt through the vents. That was from Mum's house so it was never actually mine.

I'm going to look in the sales but, while we use the microwave every day, it would save a lot of space to be without one so I will try not to rush into getting another. I'll see if there are some well-reviewed ones going out of production, perhaps.

I'm going to try to get some shopping tomorrow before work but I'll see how time goes. Tonight I need to catch up on sleep as last night was one of those where I just lie awake for ages, and I'm on overnight tomorrow. A sleep-in but the 'sleep' bit isn't guaranteed.

redofromstart

Cherryfudge wrote: »

I've spent nothing today, but got in from work to find the microwave has tried to blow up, and failed. It has left an interesting smoky smell so, as it's a miserable rusty thing that never lived up to its predecessor, it's going.

Snap!

I just spent the last half hour looking on Amazon (I have vouchers) and reading the reviews they all seem to rust inside. I also have to find one that doesn't have vents on top as the cats sleep on it. Not much left by the time I get rid of top vents, brands I Will Not Buy, too complicated, or funny colours :cool:

Cherryfudge

redofromstart wrote: »

Snap!

I just spent the last half hour looking on Amazon (I have vouchers) and reading the reviews they all seem to rust inside. I also have to find one that doesn't have vents on top as the cats sleep on it. Not much left by the time I get rid of top vents, brands I Will Not Buy, too complicated, or funny colours :cool:

Our (just broken) microwave rusted inside. The old workhorse one that we kept going for some 20 years didn't. I don't need all the complicated stuff either - heating milk or beans, defrosting once in a while, that's all I need it for.

I will admit to quite liking the funny colours, though. Black is out for me - too dark and miserable. White or 'silver' are okay, red is funky and smart but wouldn't go in my kitchen, but pale blue... I would rather like a pale blue microwave, which is crazy as it's bound to be a different blue from the other things in there!

charlies_tribe

Good luck on the microwave hunt Cherryfudge. Ours is getting ready too. We will just want a basic one, this one we bought from family, it's a mini oven with lots of settings for different things... I've never used a single one! Just press start and hope for the best.

I also need to sort through the cupboards. We have so many packet mix type things in there that need using up, a lot for the slow cooker. Have to take that cupboard off the wall later for the freezer delivery so might make a list of whats in there.

redofromstart

Cherryfudge wrote: »

I will admit to quite liking the funny colours, though. Black is out for me - too dark and miserable. White or 'silver' are okay, red is funky and smart but wouldn't go in my kitchen, but pale blue... I would rather like a pale blue microwave, which is crazy as it's bound to be a different blue from the other things in there!

I like the colours but they don't go in my kitchen. Needs to be stainless steel or cream ideally. Russell Hobbs and Swan do some nice retro ones but the reviews are very mixed. Mirror finished made me laugh, not for long round here.

Cherryfudge

redofromstart wrote: »

Mirror finished made me laugh, not for long round here.

I think mirror finish would be a massive inconvenience here, in our narrow kitchen which is also our main entrance - everyone stooping to check their hair before going out just opposite the cooker where someone else would probably have just decided it's time to make a snack!

So where was I? A heavy weekend at work and I've agreed to do overnight tonight as well due to staffing issues. So I got home at noon today, I'm here till about 10 tonight then back to work, finish first thing tomorrow, come home for a hasty shower and collect my stuff to go and work on Mum's house for a couple of days, then back to work! As I don't get much internet over there, I'll try to keep accounts and update when I have time.

It's a bit crazy-busy so I'm planning to email management about the pressures staff have been under, and I'm going to treat myself to my favourite run tomorrow or Thursday morning. Thankfully I have some super colleagues so while it's been hard work, it's been with good people - makes 100% difference.

Now of course I have a To Do list! There's a scrap of paper in my pocket with things I need to get in town, and while I'm at it, either another attempt at the doctor's website, or a phone call to order meds. I've been without some non-urgent ones for a couple of weeks but need to put that right. Thankfully it's something I can balance with lifestyle for a few days if I try hard. Just glad I live somewhere with an NHS. :T

We had a look at a few microwaves on line but haven't chosen one yet. I haven't missed it as I've not been here!

Here is my to-do list, we'll see how far I get before this evening.

Pack for tonight.
Pack for Weds/Thurs/Fri am.
Food for travelling / flask.
Get paint for Mum's house.
Pick up my tickets.
Drop prescription order in to surgery (a few days early but I will ask them to hold onto it till it's officially due as I'll be away when I'd normally be sending it in).
Draft email for work.
Prep for group this evening.
Clean out hutch.
Feed DS2's pets.
Water plants.
Update banking.
Edit supermarket online shop.
Declutter a bit.
Charity shop items (not urgent).
Buy wool for project for a friend.
Get cash out for small spends.

There may be more and if so I'll pop back to edit.

redofromstart

My local Aldi had retro type coloured 20l microwaves reduced from £45 to £30 this morning. There was a nice pale blue one but the air vents are on top so no use for the cat infested window ledge.

Cherryfudge

Hello everyone and sorry to be away for the past few days.

Got loads done at Mum's but wore myself out there and came straight back in to one of Those Situations at work, so I'm tired and looking forward to a few days off this week. One more shift to go before days off!

I'll try to update later: I kept a note of spends while away but not when I got back so I'm hoping I haven't forgotten too much.