Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

I have woken up now (9.30 pm) and actually satisfied with progress made around the house. DH rang the mortgage people for me and the nasty letters are deferred for another month. Of course the interest is rolling up but the rates are low and it looks as though this is the last time we'll have to do this. This time next month it could all be paid off.

The chap came to have a look at the gutter and thinks we don't need to have it replaced. There aren't enough brackets which is why it can't keep its shape and tips water down the wall in heavy rain. He can't fix the slipped tiles on the roof but knows someone who can.

I've had a tidy round and cleaned DS2's room but he's not arrived yet. Apparently he's driving over when his shift ends - I hope it's not too late! I put a toad in hole in the oven for him when I cooked ours and it's now getting cold. I did ask him whether he wanted dinner saved and his reply ('no') came rather late so I've told him I'll feed it to the puppy. I won't of course - she's not allowed 'human food'. He might end up midnight-feasting on it or it could go in the freezer I suppose.

The list in the post above is helpful and I'll go on adding to it, though it's also making me realise the problem of where to put everything. I'm gathering a bag of bits for charity and have a feeling of moving on to a new phase. No longer will it be about sorting the old house but about integrating what I keep with what we have.

It's also struck me that my environment is turning into a kind of museum of people I'm trying to hold on to. That's not right, somehow. It's all very well to keep things that are nice reminders (and I have a talent for that) but somewhere along the line the mementoes have got in the way of my actively choosing a look. Same goes for poor DH too! So with that in mind a few more nice-but-not-really-me things are going in the charity bag.

Sun_Addict

I just keep a box of a few of my mum’s things. I felt awful because she collected china dolls and I gave them to a charity shop because they really weren’t my thing. It’s hard to be ruthless but sometimes it has to be done. 

Guttering is another thing on my endless list of house jobs.

Cherryfudge

Sun_Addict said:

I just keep a box of a few of my mum’s things. I felt awful because she collected china dolls and I gave them to a charity shop because they really weren’t my thing. It’s hard to be ruthless but sometimes it has to be done. 

Guttering is another thing on my endless list of house jobs.

It's sometimes difficult to separate the person from their things. At least, it is for me! I have to remind myself that many of those possessions - particularly my Dad's vast collection of books - were just put away on the never-never that he would one day read them. You can see which he read as they were full of notes and papers marking places!

I think perhaps your Mum would have liked her dolls to go to people who would appreciate then as she did.  

Cherryfudge

DS2 turned up about 11 last night! DH was already in bed but came down to say hello. I sat up for about an hour, mostly talking shop.

This morning DS2 is still in bed but it's his holiday so we're leaving him to rest.

I have been through a bag of part-knitted items found in Mum's stuff and am puzzling what to do with them. My sister doesn't want them so it's down to me. I have a friend who knits for charity and she may be able to use some of the yarn. As I said in the post above, Mum hadn't finished these projects (and by the styles they had been put away for many years), so I don't need to feel I have to find a 'perfect' use for the yarns or complete the projects. The hang-up is that she must have put a lot of time and effort into getting so far so it seems a shame to rip it back, but there' s nothing else to be done. The pink cardigan is several sizes too small and there's not enough spare wool to add to it. The brown skirt is clearly unworn for a very good reason - it wouldn't do anyone any favours! In daylight I can see it's a flecked wool which might work in another project. The bright red jumper back is machine knitted and I have the knitting machine now but I'd never wear that colour so it's going to the friend who can turn it into charity projects.

DS2 brought the video player so DH has started to check through the remainder of the video tapes rescued from the old house. Songs of Praise isn't a keeper! Some of them, however, will have family members who are no longer with us, so I want to keep those. I've also been looking through some 1940s photo albums: DH loved them. He said the photos are beautifully composed and really capture character. I thought my Dad took them but it's possible it was his father, who was a photographer and amateur artist.

Today I need to press on with DD's proofreading.

Cherryfudge

Annoyed.

I went to pay off my CC and found Amazon Prime had charged me. I remember cancelling a month ago, but I mustn't have clicked some well-hidden button to confirm. Anyway I've tried again and saved the screen that says it's cancelled.

Oddly, DH came in while I was doing this and had exactly the same problem apart from that he doesn't remember signing up for it. I explained that the way Amazon is set up leads you to sign up without knowing you're doing it unless you know about it and take the steps to avoid it. He's also cancelled.

Pleased to say I should get this month's £7.99 refunded.

It just angers me that this massive company can't be more transparent firstly in how their checkout is set up (signing up for £8 a month to go into their coffers should not be the default) and secondly make it complicated to cancel. A two-step cancellation should be enough, not a scroll down to find the button that says 'cancel benefits'. I wanted to cancel the whole shebang, not the things they term benefits but which aren't beneficial to me.

I get that lots of people want the films or the books but they aren't my thing.

Rant over. And breathe.

Cherryfudge

And of all the odd co-incidences, I've just received a £5 voucher for the above company for taking part in a survey. I've added it to my account and it can be spent on e-books.

Sun_Addict

I’m sure your friend who knits for charity will be glad of the wool. How lovely to find the VHS tapes with family members and also the photos. I’ve kept my mum’s old photos, there are lots of her days as a professional ballerina and of her days in Malta where she lived with my dad when he was stationed there. 

Annoying about Amazon but hopefully sorted now.

Cherryfudge

The photos are a real mixture: people I don't remember but who were clearly significant in my Dad's life in the 40+ years before he had us, Mum on a riding holiday in Wales, my Grandad's First World War photos, us growing up... so many, and some particularly special. I didn't know your Mum was a ballerina! Is this where you get your build and fitness? 

I've spent on BBQ food today: DS2's plan to visit J and L turned into an invitation to us all, so we took food. I paid for some then had to go to another shop where DS2 sneaked his card in front of mine so paid for the second lot. I have said about splitting the cost, which we need to try to do while he's here.

It was a really lovely evening but now everyone needs sleep. Tomorrow I might meet my friend in the morning: DH is actually going in to work on an experimental basis and DS2 will probably stay in his room all morning. I'm working in the afternoon and overnight.

We've heard from A and H who are having a weekend away. J has seen them and says A seems a lot better (at least at present) which is brilliant. Here at home, DS2 helped me clean the fish tank. He thinks the fish is changing colour and old photos show he's right.

Things to be thankful for this evening: time with family and A being able to have a weekend away. BBQ food. A clean fish tank!

Honeysucklelou2

Glad you got to see your DS.
It is so tricky when sorting out items. I confess I have some of my grandfather’s items still in the cupboard but only just feel able to let go of them and he has been gone for 7 years, if that makes any sense.

Cherryfudge

Perfect sense, @Honeysucklelou2. The Flylady thing about sending items out to bless others has helped me with some items but for many it's still about time and finding the moment.