Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

greenbee said:

Don’t put chenille in the WM - not for the sake of the cushion, but to avoid having to call out someone to fix the machine afterwards! Chenille and washing machines don’t mix well!

Ooh, I'm glad I read this before doing anything! Thanks

It turns out the affected cushion is one with a removable cover (not all the chenille ones are) so I can do the cover by hand and spray the interior with one of those smell-removing potions.

Cherryfudge

Yesterday I did even more laundry... sheets and pillow cases brought back from the old house, with some laundry bleach. Some remain tired looking... I think textile recycling is the best route for those. I've also made a start on repairing the embroidered cushion cover: it's odd that only the magenta threads have disintegrated, but makes repair a lot simpler. I'm having to learn my grandmother's stitch patterns which are quite different from Mum's, though much freer and thicker cotton so you get results quickly.

J popped round in the middle of the day which turned out handy. I had just discovered the freezer was warming up so I gave her a slightly softened ice cream! They are off on hols for a week so we are looking after the tomato plants and a stunning bunch of flowers she was given but can't very well keep in the tent.

I was convinced the freezer had given up the ghost but I had to get to work so all I could do was eat the chocolate off the remaining ice creams and wash the actual ice cream away! I left DH hurried instructions about cooking the meats and putting them in the fridge, which was still working, but it never got done because the motor clicked in soon after and the meat drawers hadn't defrosted. I haven't checked the state of the drawers. The freezer is now running at a steady -18 degrees. I think the new pack of peas may be a solid block but I can't see them being dangerous. I'll have to have a proper inspection of other stuff, but I think the affected drawers are nearly all lower risk foods.

I might do that thing where you freeze a bottle of water at a funny angle and check it periodically. If the angle of the water changes you know the temperature's been compromised. Probably time to think about a new fridge-freezer, though. Ironically, DH has just sold the fridge freezer from DFiL's flat.

Last night I dozed off in the bath then woke to hear heavy rain so I pulled all the sofa cushions out of the way and substituted mixing bowls... no rain came in! I also slept till 9.30 which compensated and also shows the sore ribs are healing rapidly: I only woke once.

This morning I'm washing some single sheets and a matching blanket from the old house. If my sister doesn't want them they will go to the refuge with bedding from DFiL's flat. We only use the one set in our room and turn it round within the day which saves storage, and there's one set for DS2's room (now guest room)... and bedding storage takes so much space!

Right, time to tackle some of the great big ironing pile.

Cherryfudge

I think there are a few things that haven't made it onto the diary for various reasons, so by way of an update:

J and L are engaged! I had to keep it quiet till the relevant people had been told in person, but we're delighted. There's no date for the wedding yet, but they've been together nearly twelve years so I'm sure we'll get there eventually.

This will give me time to lose a bit of weight. I'm still feeling the benefit of what I lost last year but it's creeping back and I need to take control. Not that I'm enthusiastic so it won't be dramatic, but it needs to be done and as well as the wedding I have the big incentive that lighter feels so much better.

DH and I went for a run yesterday for the first time in months. I haven't had the heart to run but once I'd started I felt 'right' again within minutes. I'm still nursing injuries (the knee that I must have twisted early this year and the bruised ribs from the other week) but neither is at the stage where they can stop me running, I just need to take it carefully. With that in mind I'm back on C25K which has been a friend in need at least twice as its so well planned and lets me build up in a way that doesn't overdo things.

I'm still not working extras at work but last night I put myself down for three sleep-ins during August. They are still far enough away that I can reasonably hope to be rested by then and have less to do but if it looks like being a problem I can still pull out. The staffing is going to be tight for some time but we have now recruited two former employees so they will know most of the clients and other important aspects such as routines and where to find things.

Leisure-wise, I've begun repairing my Grandma's cushion cover and nearly finished the back of one of the jumpers I've been making. That puts me less than an eighth of the way through the two big knitting projects but they were never going to be quick.

I'm intending to go to the shops then am back at work this afternoon, followed by two days off.

Cherryfudge

It's been a lovely quiet day! The weather was okay and got nicer as the day went on so DH spent the morning clearing most of the last bits from the flat and I had a lie-in (the ribs woke me up at 3am but the painkillers must have been good because I slept well after that). I sat around in pyjamas playing on my phone and knitting, so the back of the easier jumper is now finished.

In the afternoon DH went out to the big auctioneer's because he loves antiques. He did offer me a trip but I stayed at home, got some shopping and did the prep for this evening's study meeting, which was out in the summer house again. We agreed that our friend who used to join us is unlikely to be back in the foreseeable future as there are health issues she has to take into consideration. I also realised I'd missed said friend's birthday! I must send a card tomorrow, I had it in mind as the end of July.

I had a walk back in the twilight: how lovely! It was very still and quite mild with a sickle moon above the town, but the sun had set and it was definitely going dark so I won't be able to walk home from our meeting again till next year.

Spending:
Housekeeping £13.28
Gift £0.99
Stationery £2.99
Household £1.99

Things I'm thankful for this evening: a peaceful day and part of a project done and dusted. DH having time for himself but also giving up time to help me with the old house. A very nice evening with friends that went more smoothly than I'd expected (the study material was rather an uphill struggle but they came up with some helpful thoughts). Another day off tomorrow!

Honeysucklelou2

Congratulations to J and L! 

Love twilight walks - at this time of year, the air is so fragrant from various plants blooming.

Cherryfudge

Thank you! And yes, I'm sure the air gets more scented every year (were scented plants less popular in the past?). July seems to be the height of it.

VelvetFreak

Congrats to J & L!
I'm cackling at the thought of you eating all the chocolate off the melting ice creams. That's something I would do 😂

Cherryfudge

Thank you (for the congrats).

Yes, guilty about the chocolate but it would have been such a waste.  

Cherryfudge

I had all sorts of things to do today but got majorly side tracked as DH thought it would be a good day to collect the piece of the Grandfather clock that's been for repair, and would I like to come along?

We had a lovely mooch of an afternoon: I went into the charity shop that sells yarn and various bit of haberdashery but didn't succumb, apart from getting a pattern to give a friend. We discovered a rather special antique and reproduction furniture shop which we thought was shut but it turns out there is so little through traffic that you ring the bell and they come through from their cottage at the back. I drew DH's attention to a chair that puzzled me as it looked old, with a wide, rather shallow seat and signs of wear on the arms but no corresponding wear to the seat. I obviously wasn't subtle as the shop keeper then explained exactly why I saw what I did: a modern reproduction of a chair of 200 years ago but made using the techniques of the age it came from, so the fiddleback struts (I can't remember the right term) are wider below the bar that gathers them, whereas factory techniques would have had them all the same width. He then went on to explain how to feel for the difference in turned legs: the really old ones aren't perfectly circular as the wood was turned while green and the way the grain dries leads to a slight oval shape once it's turned and seasoned. Really interesting, I had the feeling the man was a devotee of his art! Rather cheekily I asked for advice for our poor dining table which is around the 200 year mark but has warped at one end. He demonstrated how it happens (it's to do with the upper surface being sealed but not the lower surface) and explained how to go about righting it - and threw in loads of advice on positioning reinforcing bars (again, I've forgotten what he called them - 'stirrups'?) and what wood to use. So I feel I've had a great free education: it's sad that the shop won't be there for many years to come as there is so much know-how and genuine love of his craft.

We had to pay for a couple of lots of parking, (about £6) and £5 for coffee and cake at a little table in a very sunny cobblestoned corner, and had a couple of charity shop finds: DH got a book for, I think, £6 and I paid £2.99 for some jeans which turn out to be very comfy. We finished up with walk along the escarpment in baking hot sun and came home to eat up some curry leftovers which were just right. So a very a satisfactory day and I will count all those as things I'm thankful for (the jobs will just have to happen another day!)

Sun_Addict

Sounds like you had a lovely day. How fascinating to own a 200 year old table, imagine the stories it could tell.