Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

Honeysucklelou2 said:

Sometimes unwinding can make you feel more tired, if you see what I mean.

Hardware store - alphabetical order perhaps?!

You may well be right on both counts!

A quiet day today: we spent the morning doing a few jobs around the house and garden. More time was spent fighting the lawnmower than I expected and when it finally agreed to work, it took off like an unruly horse, so we both feel we’ve had a workout.

DH wanted to see a local place of interest but I let him go alone: I was enjoying pottering about in the sunshine. This evening we went for a short walk: DH has discovered some lovely woodland almost on the doorstep so we explored the path through it, emerging in another part of town and back through the fading light in the town centre.

I’ve not spent anything today but DH went to the supermarket for some groceries and later discovered a very good greengrocer /deli where he got two large bags of fruit for £1 each.

Things I’m thankful for: a restful day, warm sunshine, being able to get things done, meeting yet another nice neighbour.

in_need_of_direction

It sounds idyllic and just what you need

Cherryfudge

Very good day in Edinburgh yesterday: of our two days there it was my choice of activity so we went shopping! ☺️ There are a lot of bits and pieces to declare, which I have in a notebook and will transfer here later. The train was a problem: the first one was cancelled and no extra carriages were added to the next so it was really full. I was by an open window but not happy that every seat was full and no option for social distancing.

I found a few small gifts for people and we treated ourselves from a discount book shop. The unsuccessful aspect was trying to replace my old running shoes which are very worn. In the evening we went to a pizza place: the meal was lovely but we had some problems paying! First of all we asked if they would check a couple of gift cards that we were given pre-pandemic, but either they’ve gone out of date (likely) or the restaurant no longer accepts them. We weren’t too surprised but didn’t want to waste them had they still worked.

DH then paid by card and the machine took out the money twice. The manager was really helpful but internet access let us down - it seems that accounts for their machine going funny: it thought the payment hadn’t gone through, but a flickering signal then let it through, by which time we’d repeated the transaction. I then couldn’t get into my online banking to verify the money had been taken. In the end I photographed the receipts as proof and they took our number so we can sort it out once the banking app works again, which I can do tomorrow or Monday from home. It’s a big high street chain so it’s not going to be dodgy.

We had a wander round the city later in the evening and enjoyed the views from the castle area.

Today I woke up rather tired but not enough to stop me enjoying a hotel breakfast! It was DH’s choice of activity so we went to an art gallery, which was superb. However there were too many people allowed in for my liking, though the gallery were limiting numbers. Also as the visit progressed I started to feel unwell and by the time we left I just wanted to sit down. I didn’t even want lunch, which rarely happens, but settled for fish and chips. I’m not sure that was such a good idea really but I thought a decent sized meal would set me up again. It did a bit, I suppose. I slept much of the journey back so I feel rather better now, just not much appetite.

In spite of that, we really liked Edinburgh and it was so nice to be in a city again.

Having arrived ‘home’, DH switched the cooker on only to have it switch itself off again. He’s texted my BIL (it’s their house) to let him know but it seems there’s a problem with the oven thermostat. I don’t think there’s anything we can do about it but it’s a shame to leave them with a problem for next summer or whenever they can get back to the UK.

And the things I’m thankful for: some fun shopping 😊, meals out, train ride through beautiful country, new books to enjoy and the prospect of going back some time.

Sun_Addict

Glad to read you enjoyed your visit despite a couple of problems. I love visiting different towns, browsing round the shops followed by a nice lunch. 

Cherryfudge

I haven't spent anything today: DH got us a frozen pizza as we realised we'd not organised anything to eat when we got home.

We cleared up and gathered a bag of apples before we left, and caught up on Strictly when we got home. DH's sister is coming tomorrow: I need to get a reasonable night's sleep tonight so I can tidy in the morning! We haven't seen her since pre-pandemic so it's mostly going to be about having time together, but the house is very cluttered right now and it would be nice to have it a bit more welcoming.

I managed to make my phone data last till late afternoon so although I've none left I've not spent any more on it, and it renews later in the week. Meanwhile I'm back on broadband at home and work.

Things I'm thankful for today: lots of time to clear up so I'm happy we've left the place nice. Safe travel despite driving rain at one point. Back in my own bed tonight! Internet and free apples!

Cherryfudge

DH did some grocery shopping this morning but I've not spent anything. I did an extra hour and a quarter at work which should mean a bit more in my pay packet eventually.

My DSiL arrived late in the morning and we had lunch in the garden: as someone said elsewhere on the forum recently, summer doesn't seem in a hurry to go this year. DSiL is from Switzerland, where apparently early snow has already fallen on the St Gotthard Pass - nice that we can ring her some warmth for a few days. DH and I were both due in work in the afternoon but she said she's use the time to catch up on sleep as she's been up since 3.30 our time. DH later made her dinner and took her for a local walk then over to A and H's where she is spending the night.

Work was quiet but as so often things happened last minute so I ended up staying late to record them and do my PCR test for the week. That frees up Tuesday and Wednesday entirely. I also attended the online team meeting and learned our temporary manager has found a new job, meaning someone else will eventually be asked to oversee us.

This evening I'm grateful for a lovely lunchtime with DSiL in the sunshine. For two loads of washing completed and for the prospect of two days off. For the lyrical hilarity of Gerald Durrell for my bedtime reading.

Honeysucklelou2

Glad you were able to have a lovely break. I’ve been to Edinburgh once and would love to return, such an interesting city!

Cherryfudge

I hope to go back to Edinburgh sometime, there's a lot more to explore and I want to see the Portrait Gallery which we didn't have time to visit.

Holiday spending: 
Entertainment: £28.35 (Abbotsford), £46.00 (train tickets), £80 approx (dinner on Friday: charged twice so still need to resolve this), £39.50 (lunch on Saturday), ?? accommodation/hotel breakfast, National Gallery (£?).
Hobbies ?£21 drawing from antique shop, £2.50 (book)
Household £2.50 (jug), £2.50 fabric for piano stool, 
Housekeeping £2 fresh fruit
Gifts £3.98 items for DS's house, £30.49 misc. Christmas.
Medical £4.45
Toiletries £3?
Clothing & hair accessories £39.99 (DH), £18.94 (me)
Book £2.50

Still to come - utilities. Gas unknown, electricity approx £5.60.

I think there are some other bits which I'll add in when I have all the receipts together and have resolved the restaurant bill.

Running total: 
£327.70 though self catered food still to be added and clothing, toiletries and gifts aren't really holiday extras.

Cherryfudge

Today has accidentally turned into some sort of inventorying day... I'm not even sure that's a word. I was contemplating going out with DH and DSiL, but only for the morning as there's a fair amount needing to be caught up on at home. However, I think they are making a day of it so I'm staying here and will have dinner with them at J and L's tonight.

The reason for the inventories is quite funny but annoying at the same time. I dropped a powder compact into the loo! There's no rescuing that so I need a new one but decided to check I didn't have spare anywhere. I've turfed an amazing amount out of the makeup drawer, though not what I was looking for.

I've known for a long time that I have too much hand cream, and am slowly working my way through it. I've got too much of most toiletries and various bits of unfinished makeup... I do try not to buy more though this summer I've had a bit of a thing for nail polish. Over the last few months I've used up a few pieces but it's mostly been stuff like shampoo that I've immediately replaced. I really hate waste and landfill so the idea is to see what's still useable, and research what I can do with things that are past their best. I'm fairly sure I've seen a cosmetics company advertise recycling for makeup, but I can't find it again.

Another question is what to do with things like old sun cream. I know it becomes less effective as it gets older so I'm only keeping what I bought this summer. The Internet says variously to use it as moisturiser or to bin the contents and recycle the containers. As I'm nearly out of moisturiser I'm going to give the former a go.

I have enough hand cream for years because people give me beautiful scented ones but I have to have 'plain' for everyday: the scented ones can be a problem for people who have autism (overpowering smell) so I don't use these at work. I keep a small recycled bottle of hand cream at work so that will get refilled from supplies (for the next few years at this rate!).

I'm sure there are a lot of other things to coralle and reduce (like the ironing pile) but I'll start with those toiletries.
 
I'll post any achievements later!

Cherryfudge

Well.

'Ridiculous' seems to sum it up. I spent an hour or so gathering every item of toiletries and makeup I could find. Bags, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen window sill have all been raided. Items in the car (hand gel, sun screen) omitted as DH has the car, ditto things in my locker at work (2 x hand cream, deodorant). I spread them on the bed by category, and it's covered!

176 items...!

Those are all things to use up or dispose of, so not counting things like the 13 assorted nail scissors and clippers, some of which came back from my parent's house so I'm not guilty of buying all of them. Also in my defence, many of the 21 bars of soap are ex-hotel ones as I take them home if the hotel doesn't collect them for hostel use. I hate it when I forget and come back to my room to find an almost-unused bar replaced by a brand new one.

I also have 8 assorted brushes and combs, not counting the ones that were included in hairdressing kits; 6 pairs of tweezers (suspect my parents' house again) and three shower caps.

In the interests of science, the largest categories were 18 hand creams/body lotions, 14 hand gels (blame the pandemic), 27 hair care items and 16 eye makeup/eye care products. The smallest were one each of blusher, make-up setting spray, lipstick and body shimmer (the last from a gift and the wrong shade for my skin, in case you were wondering what happened to my usual image! )

What to do with this bounty? Some after-sun is decanted into an almost-empty pot of moisturiser for its new lease of life. Two shampoos are being amalgamated. I'm wondering if I can add a running total of used-up-or disposed-and-not-replaced items to my signature. I haven't thrown anything out - always a  difficult one for me but if things seem 'off', they go, as does old mascara. I also buy things in advance if I'm running low on a 'necessary', so there will be the occasional duplicate at the moment.

Time to go and sort yesterday's laundry for a nice change!

ETA: this link mentions old sunscreen can be used to perk up plastic garden furniture! Who knew? I hope I have enough.