Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

Getting towards the end of the trip now:

Stopped for coffee on the journey, then returned some clothing for a refund (figures already reflect this).

The poor suitcase wasn't used to all this work and the stitching on the handle disintegrated, but apart from that's it's been a trouper. It's small enough for me to carry in my arms!

Got back in time to throw a load in the washer, shower and change for work and then a quiet late shift.

Spends for 3/11:
Coffee £2.65
MS stuff:
Long queue to get a refund but I stuck it out.

Cherryfudge

Today I've been spending ages on this site, reading and typing. there's a load in the washer and the sky is getting lighter. It's really those last days of colour now: gold leaves and a grey sky.

I have work later but in the meantime we seem to have lots of milk so there's a rice pudding in the oven. DH had to work this morning but he'll be back soon, by which time I need to have cleaned out the guinea pig, made overnight oats to take to work for tea and started on the big heap of ironing.

I was quite disheartened by DS yesterday. He thinks all my efforts will just run out of time and I have to admit he may well be right. It's likely the house will have to be sold in the next couple of years and in the meantime I'm wearing myself out trying to make it nicer, clear the clearables and try to find the treasures we know about but haven't yet located. Two acquisitive parents and later their physical disabilities and dementia have certainly left me with a 'situation'! Part of me says DS is right, and part says he's talking without understanding. He can't see what I've achieved and he doesn't take in that money has to be spent to stop the house deteriorating. Ah well. Onwards and upwards.

redofromstart

Sounds like a very busy but productive few days. If you do have to sell then so be it, but surely better returns for your efforts? Also it would be a shame to lose things like the letter you mentioned for want of a bit of effort.

Cherryfudge

Thank you redofromstart, I'm hoping the work I've arranged will help maintain its value, and maybe even add a bit. I've increased the spec on the gas boiler so that a more modern shower could be fitted and maybe additional radiators - so hopefully a new boiler that doesn't have to be upgraded will work in our favour.

Today I've not only not spent anything, but I've come in £20 under budget for food spending over the past two weeks! That doesn't mean I have it in hand because DH was getting short of his side of the food money (having had more call on it) so I've handed that over to him, but it does mean my food spending has been moderate.

I checked the mortgage again and it was so close to the next thousand down that I did a quick bit of maths and have overpaid a bit more - for the sheer triumph of it. Also if interest rates go up - and they might - then there's less on which to pay interest. We had an appointment to fix the rate again after I'd made last month's payment but will have to change it due to DH's work.

Honeysucklelou2

Wow, that's a busy few days you've had. If you are intending to sell in the next couple of years, getting the house ready for going on the market is no bad thing. It will help to make the house more saleable and perhaps be more advantageous in terms of the initial asking price. As you wrote some degree of maintenance has to be done to prevent deterioration.

How lovely to find a letter like that...a real piece of treasure and history. It must have been good to have found books by an author you enjoy.:)

Well done on getting the mortgage into the next thousand bracket.:T

Cherryfudge

Another NSD today.

Freezing out tonight... still a few gold leaves and plenty of sun today. We went for what was supposed to be a quick run before lunch but conditions were perfect and we kept going, then I added a small extra loop of road at the end to get a new personal best. Pleased with myself, though it was only a little bit longer than my last pb.

That's about it for now, night all.

charlies_tribe

Sounds like a busy few days but well worth it. All the extra work your doing should add to the value in the long run. A house ready to live in (or alsmost ready) would appeal to a family so much more than one that needs lots of work.

Cherryfudge

I actually got to the shops today! Nothing terribly exciting apart from the greengrocer had overbought on pumpkins and was selling them at two for 60p, so I am going to make pumpkin soup.

While that is very MS, spending £6.50 on ready meals isn't - unless the alternative is dinner at the Ritz, which in my case, it isn't. I blame Mr T for bringing back my favourite. I now have a couple in the freezer.

I went to the smaller department store: managed to resist the sale on wool and some cheap and cheerful fleece blankets which I rather liked for stocking fillers - now that's actually a cheap way to pad out the pressies! However, I'm trying very hard to buy things that won't clutter the recipients' lives, so the fleece blankets are on hold till I decide how much they might be loved. I got one of those little gadgets that puts eyelets into fabric. The idea is to make tea towels easier to hang using large eyelets but so far I haven't quite got the knack of it. Also some drinking glasses as we seem to be down to two of the size I like, plus random pint glasses that make it look as though we live in a pub garden.

Day off tomorrow and I actually don't have any of my usual Tuesday things to do! I'm not sure what I'll do with myself.

Spends:
Housekeeping £10.64
Household 10.39
MS stuff:
Pumpkins
Confession time:
Three ready meals at £2.50 each... most of my work meals cost £1-ish. However it does ensure I get a hot meal on a cold day. No good at cooking 'properly' for myself most of the time.

Cherryfudge

That magical thing, a day off... I mustn't stop still for too long because the workmen start on Mum's house today and while the jobs need to be done and I am really looking forward to seeing the results, I have a deep aversion to destroying anything and all the banging about and tearing out stresses me if I think about it.

List alert!

piano practice (neglected for 10 days or more ) ... a bit.
cut brambles in the garden (I know they fruit on last year's growth but that's only useful if I can reach the fruits. They are getting menacing!) ... too wet.
Clear a shelf in the larder and find out what's actually in there. I may be a week or two. After that, send search parties.... DONE!!
Ironing ...nah.
Clean fish tank... er, no.
Bake something to use up some of the margarine that's short-dated...no
Put apricot jam on the Christmas cake - maybe even marzipan... or is it too early?...forgot to buy apricot jam.
Make pumpkin soup...no
Look at holiday itinerary and think of questions to ask... site is down for maintenance

I'll be back to edit... done.

NoOneAround

Morning Cherry
Just had a catch up over a cuppa - my first day off at home in ages
Well done on fronts I think summarises it all, I think! You have put in such a lot of effort into the house, and sorting out your mum's belongings at the nursing home must have been hard. I don't know how you manage without a car. How lovely to find a letter written by you dad.
I haven't had time to think of Christmas yet, but need to start getting organised as it will be at ours this year....

Have a lovely day
NOA
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