Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

Another quiet shift yesterday: I didn't update the diary as the computer turned itself off. It's done that a couple of times lately and takes about twenty minutes to boot up. Definitely almost worn out, but I was saying that a year ago! We have the replacement long since up and working but all my stuff is on this one (and most of it backed up to a memory stick thanks to DH).

I helped with the church cleaning in the morning and seemed to meet half the town on my meander homewards. Firstly I stopped to chat with a friend from the team, then bumped into H and her Mum, then met a former colleague. Later in the day saw an old friend who didn't see me but I didn't dare stop and say hello as I was then on work time. The result was about 17,500 steps, so I'm definitely better! Apart from forgetting things, that is: I went into a shop for an item and didn't see what I wanted there but forgot it in subsequent shops. When I got home an needed my keys I found I'd left them at work so guess where I'll be soon?

I found a charity shop selling new yarn of exactly the sort needed for the baby dress so I have some and am back to knitting swatches. It was very close in price to what I'd have paid online with the discount code, and I could see how the colour looks in real life.

Today we are having a clean and clear as both of us have spotted the mouse! DH has bought humane traps but it may be the clearing will scare it away for a while.

Spending:
Hobbies £3.80
Housekeeping £6.50
Gifts £5.20

Things to be thankful for: finding a wooden Noah's ark shape sorter marked down to £5 and now secured for when DGD is old enough, knowing lots of people (generally a nice thing though it takes longer!), being fit enough to live my usual life again (though some colleague are still struggling post-Covid).

Cherryfudge

Lots of bargains today as our usual car boot sale wasn't on so we went elsewhere. A microwave for £5 to replace our battered one was a huge saving.

There were also lots of bits and pieces including yarn (which I've declared to Fashion on the Ration) and toys for DGD.

DH bought chips at lunchtime and spent £1 on books, then something on groceries later but I don't have that receipt (if it comes to light it will go to the spreadsheet). Other money-wise I've paid the credit card up to date and I'm too tired to go late night food shopping even if there might well be bargains. We've no freezer space anyway.

Spending:
Garden £1
Household £8 + ?
Hobbies £7
Gifts £2.20
Housekeeping chips + ?
Entertainment (car boot entry) £2

Things I'm thankful for: discovering a new hunting ground , respectable microwave at an amazing price, lots of lovely yarn especially as the colours I found will be perfect for something I'd like to knit.

Cherryfudge

Another spend to declare: £22 on a vintage silk dress off the Internet. The seller has photographed a couple of stains which I'm fairly sure should respond to a gentle wash but if they don't, I will have to say goodbye to the £22. Other than that it's such a beautiful dress and I'm hoping it will work for DD's wedding.

If not... I still have time to get something else!

Cherryfudge

Bit of an odd day today. DH apologetically woke me up after about three hours; sleep to say I was snoring! It's been a problem from time to time but significantly so since I had Covid. A colleague has told me she can't actually breathe through her nose since having it. I'm not so bad though I feel my sinuses are a bit narrowed. I'm wondering if it's worth trying for a GP's appointment as it's now affecting life for both of us.

I spent the rest of the night in the spare bed but felt tired in the morning and had church online. That did mean I could add some roast veg to the gammon joint DH had bought us: an extra dose of healthiness! After lunch A and H gave us a lift to a local beauty spot and we all had a walk in the sunshine followed by drinks and cake in the cafe, and I've given DGD two little dresses I'd bought for her and the Tom Kitten I made while off work. She got the idea straight away: hold the toy by the tail and chew the ears. Good to see he's coming in useful!

DD, meanwhile, ran a half marathon with one of her future sisters-in-law before visiting the other SIL and new baby. This new baby is so tiny! Lovely to see though, and seems to be doing well.

I got home with a bit of a headache as it hadn't occurred to me to take sunglasses. I need to find them and the sun cream too. Then over tea time I had a stomach ache. This just never happens to me but it was lying down with a  hot water bottle time till painkillers took effect. Hoping a good night's sleep will sort this out but I'm okay at present.

Spending:
Entertainment (drinks and cakes) - I'll have to look this up.

Tonight I'm thankful for time with A, H and DGD; finding 2mm knitting needles in the cast bagful I inherited (needed for swatch), millionaire shortbread and paracetamol.  

Cherryfudge

My fitbit tells me I slept over nine hours last night but I know that's wrong because I was up and about some of that time. I did drop the fitbit so I'm hoping I've not made it go wrong.

Lunchtime today was the funeral of our former neighbour - he was clearly popular. I heard someone say there were 180 people at his service! I'm glad we managed to pay our respects though we were in standing room only and edged along to make room for more.

I did a few errands before work so I have two more balls of wool, some groceries and my glasses are adjusted. I have rather an alarming amount of knitting pending now, but I wanted to get this yarn while the dye batches are available. I also found out my last eye test was earlier than I'd thought so I'm booked in for another tomorrow.

Spending:
Hobbies (yarn) £3.18
Housekeeping £4.69
Medication £4.99
Toiletries £1.49

Tonight I'm thankful for the life of our former neighbour.

Cherryfudge

Day off... It's nice and sunny so I feel like getting things done, but not terribly energetic. Steady away.

List forthcoming, feel free to ignore:

• Make an appointment with the GP but it's not for another couple of weeks by which time I might have got past snoring! I know I can cancel if necessary. DONE
• assemble the plant trough and
• get it painted so the strawberries can go in.
• kidnap a work plant or two as they've not had new compost in the nine years I've been there and I'm amazed they're still alive. I think I could repot and return them in a couple of hours.
• housework
• gardening
• I've texted a couple of people about meeting for coffee. Both replied and arranged.
• the goldfish has just reminded me I need to clean his tank
• put receipts into a spreadsheet DONE
• update my signature here with my Fashion on the Ration totals after buying quite a lot of yarn. - Stuck - can't account for some spending!
• Optician - DONE (good result, cost a tenner for a scan but age is improving my sight so I will need to chose new glasses and didn't have to pay for other checks as they're covered by my contact lens scheme)
• library

1/10 done by 11am
2/12 done by noon
4/12 done by 9.30pm - exhausted again.

DH made dinner with chicken and various veg from the freezer, H/M pastry and the remains of the gammon/gravy/some potatoes from Sunday).

Spending:
Housekeeping £2.50
Hobbies £2 (embroidery hoop from a charity shop and tote bag for overflow of yarn)
Medical £10

Things to be thankful for this evening: improved eyesight! DH being willing and able to cook.

Cherryfudge

It's been quite a full day today: my friend and I went for coffee and cake at a new place this morning (my turn to buy) and had a good catch up as well as bumping into another friend who we've not seen for a while. I took the opportunity to invite friend B along to something we have planned in a few weeks and she sounded tempted so we may see more of her.

I remembered to get a couple of bits from the shops on my way home for lunch then H collected me to go round to theirs. The bay wasn't settled for some time but fell asleep in the pram for me, giving H valuable time to pack for a trip away. It was nice having a pram to push, even though it tried to rain. I explored a few paths around their area and tried a few yarn colours against DGD's skin to guide my knitting projects.

I came over tired when I got back to theirs so set off home rather slowly and, I admit it, stopped at several shops so there have been additional (avoidable) spends and a collapse onto the sofa back at ours. DH once again made tea and that helped revive me. Then we had a church meeting, a business-type one which was interesting and somehow I came out of it feeling revived! I can't get my head around the patterns, if any, of this tiredness apart from that a cooked meal and a rest seem to reset it.

Dh was ready for some TV after the meeting but I remembered I had L!dl vouchers about to expire so I called in there to spend them. No amazing meat bargains today and I resisted the last of the £1.50 fruit and veg boxes but still spent about £13 as I got maple syrup twice while the discount voucher lasted.

Spending:
Entertaining £12.70
Garden £4.50
e-book 99p (Jay Blades! I love 'Repair Shop').
Housekeeping 16.6
Toiletries 65p

Tonight I'm thankful for better minds than mine contributing to the discussion! And for coffee and cake and my friends to share them with.

Cherryfudge

This was going to be a nice lazy morning before work but I opened the planter I bought the other day, ready to assemble and paint and... it's got woodworm! This will be the second one I've taken back so I'm going to ask for a refund. Two of the shop ones were already damaged in the shop and woodworm could have got in the whole batch.

I'm enjoying Jay Blades' book (stayed up reading last night) and I've been doing my Duolingo. I also had a text from DD to say she is feeling better - she had what she thinks was food poisoning and feels washed out but rather less ill today.

Right, time I put laundry in the machine and made a dint in the to-do list.

ETA: I have braved the backlog of contact lenses and thrown out a couple of outdated opened packs. To my amazement the unused ones have a couple of years left on them! Very grateful that this is so as there are seven unopened packs! I was feeling bad as that will have cost over £100. I've remembered to put my order on hold for a few months but can't do so indefinitely. I still have to remember to log in every few months and update for a bit longer. I've kept the contract as I get a big discount on glasses and eye tests, otherwise I'd just say I don't wear them enough for it to be worth having.

Cherryfudge

Very little to report today: I don't think I spent anything despite going past shops! I say that but I may remember something later, this morning was a while ago.

I helped with the church cleaning this morning and went to work this afternoon. I have this weekend off in an attempt to use some of the annual leave carried forward from last year. Only eleven hours outstanding after this.

So I'm thankful for a good weather forecast for the weekend, a nice texted conversation with J, vouchers that I don't fancy spending (!) which reduce temptations.

Cherryfudge

A hot, sunny day today! Bedding is drying on the line though the second lot, which only went in about tea time, may not be dry tonight.

I have started work on the plant rescued from work: I carried it home but I'm going to need help to take it back as it needs a bigger pot. I found some empty planters at work so one of those will be pressed into service, but I had to cut the original pot away. Then I ran out of time because DH had made lunch so it's still on the lawn...

This afternoon we went to the car boot sale (some good finds!) and afterwards wandered round the town centre and charity shops, then the local supermarket which is bigger than our one.

So I've bought a dress, jumper and hoodie (£7 total), three children's books (£1.50 total), a bag (50p), a throw (£4.50) and DH has a couple of books and a picture. We also got a yellow-stickered chicken for £2.80 as well as other foods and cold drinks because we were drooping from the heat. Fuel was slightly cheaper than locally so we topped up the car.

The dress is lovely but the zip won't quite do up! This isn't too much of a surprise but the diet starts here. Weight has been creeping up for too long.

Spending:
Clothing £7.50
Housekeeping £4.50
Gifts (books for DGD) £1.50
Diesel £49.46
Housekeeping £16.36

This evening I'm thankful for the summery weather, a clearer idea on what I'd like to wear for the wedding (shopping trip planned this week after much dithering), nice things bought at not too much cost and lots more days off to catch up on jobs and leisure. Oh, and pastel de nata tarts.