Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

We went to the art gallery this afternoon: a warm sunny afternoon, unbelievably different from yesterday! No shopping or anything, but I took the knitting with me as I'm a bit obsessed with it at present. This evening DH had a meeting so I've been making a yellow-stickered kg of strawberries (bought yesterday) into jam. It tastes gorgeous: very sweet though a  lower-sugar recipe. DH says he'll put some in a cake: he makes beautiful Victoria sponges.

I also bought a 65p pumpkin yesterday: once I have freezer space it's going to be diced up for future use. Super cheap food! I also bought a fresh pineapple as it's hard to get cheap tinned pineapple in the shops now and I discovered it freezes well if prepared in advance. That way I have it to add to curry or overnight oats.

In a less-MSE move, I tumble dried the sheets from the old house once they came off the line. They all pass the smell test now! Only one item of washed bedding doesn't so far, but the duvet, which I just hung out to air, is going to need an actual wash to un-musty it.

I saw for myself the truth of a headline about Mr T running out of pasta but I expect it's only temporary. The other day I couldn't get ready-cooked chicken and there are other gaps on the shelves. I'm not panicking as obviously the majority of things are still getting through and there are plenty of alternatives.

Something that is worrying me a bit is going back to work. I popped in for my PCR test today and the poor team leader was looking rather frantic. It turns out something happened yesterday along the lines of those things you hope don't happen because staffing isn't sufficient to cover any incidents. The staff managed to provide the care needed but none of the other jobs got done and they must have been so stressed. Tomorrow there are two of us for part of the shift and three for the core of it, which really doesn't give us any leeway. Then the following week we have extra training which is partly refresher and partly new stuff but it's going to eat up one of my days off (good job I have the weekend off) and it's certainly not a subject I look forward to. I suppose it doesn't help to cross my bridges before I come to them.

Today I'm thankful for strawberry jam, clean washing, a beautiful sunny day and a nice weather forecast for tomorrow, and having our internet back!

Sun_Addict

There are odd things in the shops that are missing but as you say easily solved by choosing something else. Some people don’t seem to be able to see it that way though and the media are far too quick in latching onto any perceived shortages. 

We will survive 💪

Cherryfudge

Sun_Addict said:

We will survive 💪

So we will.

A couple of days back at work and they've gone okay: they have managed to scrape together a safe level of staffing and I think my brief stint elsewhere has pepped me up. Rather sad as we are soon going to be saying goodbye to someone who has been there many years before me but I expect we will stay in touch and I'm sure it's the right move for him. I now have yet more days off followed by I think a seven day stint as everyone has three days of training then it's back to my normal rota.

Today has been wonderfully warm: I got a bit done in the garden and febreezed the duvet, which turns out to be too big for the washing machine, and hung it on the line. Tomorrow I want to pop into town for some ingredients then bake the Christmas cake.

I did a bit of shopping yesterday, but mostly I've been knitting: it's occurred to me I don't really have time for the projects I wanted to make by Christmas! DH's jumper is coming along nicely but it's still less than half done. I've promised the puppy a warm coat (I don't think she's bothered) and I'd like to make a baby blanket though judging by my rate of progress on current projects, I think booties are more likely to be completed! Dh's second jumper will have to wait for now: it's lighter weight so not really urgent, it can wait till spring if necessary.

Spends:
Housekeeping yesterday: £12.55

Things to be thankful for tonight: warm day, progress on the knitting, peaceful shifts at work and confidence in a new work skill.

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you for the reminder - Christmas cake making time! That’s a job I can get started this weekend!

What a good idea to use the yellow sticker strawberries for jam.

Cherryfudge

I forgot today was supposed to be Christmas cake day but I think there's still time. The fruit has been soaking in brandy and apple juice for a few days.

The internet was off again this morning, having been 'fixed' for a couple of days. Apparently it's an issue for a few people round here and the vans have been round trying to trace it, but we suspect we may need a new modem too. However they are turning away requests for a replacement modem (two out of three times if it's been turned off, there's no internet when it comes back) because there's 'a local issue'. So once the local issue is resolved - and it started way back in the summer - we may still have a problem. DH has had to go to an office to work today as work is getting shirty about our internet access, and he's thinking they may ask him to take annual leave if it goes on happening. Not fair, I know, though they have bent over backwards to make sure WFH people have the right equipment.

Cherryfudge

Internet still on the blink - whenever that modem goes off, we risk it not going on again. However, I'm not happy to leave it on 24/7 as it heats up a lot and is wasting our electricity.

Christmas cake baking has moved itself to tomorrow (nothing to do with me not feeling up to facing all the stirring, you understand). I spent a chunk of Saturday afternoon tidying the garden, which is one of my favourite jobs. DH has two boxes of twiggy stuff to go to the tip tomorrow and there's a lot more in the green bin for when he gets back. The garden is by no means complete but it does look rather better. I also harvested some random potatoes and a few branches of Honesty (Lunaria) seeds.

DH borrowed a long ladder and tackled the gutters with his new drill. I think he really enjoyed it despite me worrying. He's cleared two clumps of leaves that were obscuring down pipes and adjusted the slope of the gutter where it was dipping over a window. Now he's hoping for torrential rain to see whether he's cured it!

Today has been lovely and sunny of course. We left church early as J and L had invited his parents and us to a wedding open day at the venue they want. It's amazing! From the road its a quirky old-world pub but behind the scenes it's completely original. There is lovely accommodation in the grounds and the plan is for wedding guests to have first option on this. We spent half the afternoon there then gave J and lift home as L was going to a match.

This evening I've sent a long email to a senior person at work expressing my concerns over a projected change. One of the team leaders has been trying hard to get a message across to them and this is to back her up: the change would be dangerous and put people at risk. I'm keeping it quiet from DH as I don't want to worry him. The work situation is odd at present: I now have more time and was wondering about asking if they'd consider temporarily giving me more hours to help with the staffing crisis and enable me to see how I handle longer hours. I can and do pick up extra shifts but 'extras' risk higher tax and I've never been able to work out what the tipping point is. Contracted hours would avoid this. However DH doesn't think it would be a good idea as there's still a lot to do to clear stuff I've brought from the old house and besides, we like to have time together which is limited by our working opposite shifts. This projected change at work is certainly dissuading me, as is the possibility of being asked to cover other services more often. It was a useful experience but the travel would be problematic.

Nothing spent today.

Things I'm thankful for: good weather and time spent in the garden, progress on the knitting, being asked to join a group at church (hope I can make their meetings), J and L's wedding plans.

Cherryfudge

Day off. I haven't managed and gardening but we went for a run (C25K, week 4 run 2) before lunch then DH has been at his voluntary work this afternoon. He dropped off 9 items of clothing from me: more wardrobe space! I've learned from lockdown that I don't need all those 'nice' tops that have to be 'worn'. I still have plenty but happiness = jeans and a tee shirt round here, and for work I have uniform tops.

The Christmas cake is baking, it smells lovely. I couldn't find the square tin I usually use so it will be round this year. As a result of looking for the tin, I've had a massive tidy of the tins cupboard. They take a huge amount of space for what they are, and I really ought to weed a few out (sigh).

Sun_Addict

Have you started the C25k back from the beginning or just picking it up at an appropriate point? I haven't been for a run for a couple of weeks now, it's the dark mornings putting me off. I have a treadmill at home so no excuse although not fair to pound away on it early in the morning when the others are still asleep, it's quite noisy. 

My nemesis cupboard is the one full of tupperware-type containers, they are the devil's work 😆

Cherryfudge

Started again from the beginning, @Sun_Addict. My fitness levels have fallen considerably! My best time to run is probably the hour before lunch.

Cherryfudge

I've spent a lot of today in front of the computer doing training. Raised a few points and had supportive messages from colleagues later. It's tiring! Tomorrow and the day after are classroom-based sessions so I won't be able to knit out of sight of the trainer - even though I find it easier if I have something to do with my hands! I will admit to quite a lot of progress on the jumpers today, but I contributed quite a lot to the sessions too.

This evening I had a walk over to my friend's house though it was dark and very quiet by eight. I did get a lift home but it was good being with our (now diminished) Tuesday group again. We've made more of a habit of it recently but may be back online next week as I've said I'll host, and our house is still full of boxes from my parents' house despite DH moving some up to the loft.

Nothing spent, and I need to get my act together and make a packed lunch for tomorrow. Venues are no longer providing food and drink due to Covid, but I must have got through about six drinks today in front of the computer so I'll have to bring squash and a flask as well as lunch. I'm intending to walk there (about 35 minutes) as I was desperate to move today.

Things I'm thankful for tonight: a really good laugh with friends this evening and a productive discussion. Supportive colleagues and our soon-to-be-manager sounds good though I think she's temporary. DH having reduced the overflow from the gutters considerably! Opportunity for decent exercise tomorrow.