Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

Early start and a new combination of staff to work with, who turn out to be something of a dream team. All different skills and strengths and all willing to get stuck in and also 'read the room', i.e. see how the people are, what the needs are, what staff might need to do, what is motivating people. I hardly had to instruct anyone to do anything, which freed me to focus on an individual who was unwell, rather to my relief because I didn't want any emergencies on my hands.

There is a post going at work and I've been asked if I'm going for it. I'm not but its nice to know people think I might be suitable. Then DH tells me there's a team leader post at his work, but he doesn't think he'll go for it as he's happy where he is. It's funny to think there was a time when those posts would have been seen as opportunities, and here we are, happy with what we have!

I got home mid-afternoon: DS2 had visited to drop of a final load of his things before going to his girlfriend's house to await the new flat. His old room is now full of boxes, bags, clothes and bits of furniture. I had a quick go on the computer then went to bed and got a couple of hours of sleep, so I've felt more awake this evening.

I decided to use chicken from the freezer for our meal tomorrow, so that's defrosting. Dh spent £8.50 on fish and chips between us (the cheaper chippie) but I've not spent anything. We've been discussing a possible change of medication for DH which his specialist is keen to try as it could reduce possible complications from his long term medication, but which is related to a couple of medications that have made him ill in the past. Very grateful for support and advice from friends at church, but the decision isn't made yet.

Cherryfudge

I really need to be sound asleep long ago so this will be brief. I had a lazy morning - watched church on youtube rather than actually being there but it worked for me. In the afternoon DH and I went for a walk which took a bit longer than usual as the fields were muddy, but the views over to the Dales were fabulous.

Dinner was a mixture of casserole ingredients and some chicken marinated in Moroccan spices. It wasn't perfect but was good enough to make again, and was a good way of stretching chicken - the spices are yummy and I added a tin of cherry tomatoes, a couple of chopped onions and a tin of chickpeas, and left it all in the slow cooker while we were out.

This evening, inspired by posts elsewhere on MSE, I've opened a Yorkshire Building Society e-saver account and transferred £300 in there. I feel quite brave and empowered: it's ages since I've opened a new bank account and it was straightforward. It pays 4.5% AER, and you can save up to £300 a month. I will see if I can do that from my wages rather than from inherited money. It could be a challenge but will help me be more accountable as well as getting me some interest.

Cherryfudge

It's been a beautiful day: milder and sunny. It felt as though spring was just around the corner and I was delighted, while hanging the washing out, to spot the first crocus. Then I wondered if the primroses I inherited from Mum were all right and found they are not only all right, but flowering! 

Two loads of washing washed and mostly dried outdoors. Work was another matter as the tumble dryer has broken and the laundry was full of racks of nearly-dry things. I got permission to use the dryers in the next-but-one building, which got through the backlog of sheets and towels, leaving mostly facecloths, aprons and mattress protectors. Other than that it was a very quiet shift. I've thrown lots of leave requests at the rota in the hope of getting most of them.

Nothing spent by me today, though DH bought some groceries.

Things to be thankful for: the primroses getting through the winter, likewise the crocus, and that means spring can't be far behind. A sunny day and a quiet shift. Lots of annual leave to take and to look forward to.

CL21

Yay for spring flowers 🙌🏻 such a joy after winter

Cherryfudge

CL21 said:

Yay for spring flowers 🙌🏻 such a joy after winter

Absolutely Today has been nice as well, though the cold windy made it less spring-like.

We looked after baby N again this afternoon, managing to fit in shopping both sides and spending around £25 on groceries. Did I mention that DH's (big brand) baked beans are now a pound a tin in Tesco, and a bit less in Lidl when bought as a multipack? His favourite crispbreads have gone from a pound to £1.10. We got him some tea (he's an Earl Grey man) and I somehow managed to get myself a flavoured hot chocolate and two boxes of flavoured green tea. In my defence, they were on a good offer. I also got smallish packs of cooked beetroot in Sains for 30p a go which is a few portions of veg for me and sooo much cheaper than I can get elsewhere locally. Then there were a few yellow-stickered items, especially of the fruit and veg sort, so I was happy with those. We bought plaice for dinner which is around £1.25 a portion now but there are two pieces in the freezer for another day.

N fell asleep as soon as we left nursery and woke up as soon as she got home but we walked for ages before she'd have her afternoon nap. That probably saved us the price of a couple of coffees, as we walked around the garden centre in the vain hope it would send her to sleep!

I washed towels this morning but the programme hadn't quite finished when we went out, so I hung them on the line when we came home. It was going dark (about 5) but they still got best-part dry. Then I discovered DS2 had dumped a couple of duvets in his old room, which is barely negotiable with all his stored stuff, so I went to fold them up and realised it probably hadn't occurred to him to wash them... so they are now washed and drying too. If they are going to be stored here, I'd like them to be clean.

A couple of actually MS things today: I mended a sock and a glove! So those are back in circulation. I had another look at the work shirt that was damaged at new year and realised I'd be best ripping out the trim inside the collar. I've had a look at my ribbons and webbing box (yes, I have one) but nothing seems to be the right width so I might treat myself. There's no compulsion to wear uniform or, if we wear it, to stick to one look (I have 'uniform' shirts of different colours depending on when they were issued) so I might come back with something a bit more fun than the original navy.

Spending:
Housekeeping £25.73

Cherryfudge

I meant to add: in addition to the teas, I treated myself to a tear and share cake - definitely not an essential especially as cutting out bread has helped so much with my reflux. However, I have cake and am looking forward to a second helping tomorrow. It was also yellow stickered - I'm not paying £3.50 for four helpings of empty calories! Not today, anyway.

I also heard an odd dripping noise under the kitchen sink and there was water where it shouldn't have been, but the noise stopped without us tracing it... 

Cherryfudge

Another day off. I'm meeting my friend for coffee then taking care of DGD in the afternoon. A has kindly offered to collect us both from nursery, which works out much better for baby lunch times but scuppers my plans to shop en route. I think that may be en route home now.

I'm waiting for the last of my login details for the YBS account so I can't transfer this month's instalment yet. Pay should be in, I've not checked but payslips were published the other day and it's looking fairly healthy.

I was just thinking. It's been a long time since I first had a diary on here (under another name). We were living on our overdraft and one income. It was tough. Gradually things have moved onwards and upwards: we don't have a large income but we are content with where we are, which is huge in the scheme of things.   And it's a sunny day - always helps.

Cherryfudge

My friend and I had our coffees (we used to take it in turns to pay and in a way we still do - today she bought the first round and I bought the second!). I also bumped into a family I used to know really well which was good.

Plans for childcare were changed as someone was at A and H's house making holes through a ceiling ready for the radiator to be installed in their extension. Not really a baby-friendly environment so she came to me for the afternoon. She was very unsettled at first (I usually go to theirs) so I took her out in the pram and she had a long sleep, after which she seemed more cheerful. However, having popped to the supermarket before collecting her, I went to a different supermarket on our walk and spent a bit more. This evening, having been going through my bank account, I decided to go to Lidl and look out for any bargains - and I did well out of it.

DGD went home after five as here was a serious traffic accident outside town and all the cars were funnelled through the High Street and whatever rat runs they could find. DH kindly made dinner (liver and bacon) while I tidied up. I've managed my five a day again.

The other details for the savings account arrived, so I've made another payment into that this evening, hence my checking the bank. I realised I've not reviewed regular outgoings for a while so I've tweaked a couple. I need to try to put the Specs@vers one on hold again as I'm not using contact lenses and the only reason to keep paying for them is that it reduces other eye care costs. Energy is costing us £121.59 a month, which is just over £4 a day: I can't complain about that when some people have much higher costs.

I had a read of the 1st Direct details and it definitely sounds like a good move but I'm not going to switch at this hour of the night: I need a clear head.

Spending:
Housekeeping £28.47
Entertainment £5.80

The housekeeping included some end of the day reductions form Lidl: ten chicken legs for £3, four pieces of salmon for £5.38, two pieces of breaded haddock for £1.57, their large oranges which are on offer at £1.49 for four (DH usually pays at least £2) and a couple of 'experimental' tins of beans to see if we can move away from those that are now £1 a tin. I also got 'cooking bacon' from Mr T (it always amuses me that they call it this. I mean, what else are we going to do but cook it?) I think that was 87p which is substantially cheaper than the 6 rashers for £2-something on a nearby shelf.

Cherryfudge

And a little MS thing: DH's phone has been failing to charge consistently so I had a look and cleaned out the port/socket (I don't know what to call the place the lead goes into) with a needle. It took a couple of goes because the original collection of fluff was covering a compacted layer, but eventually I must have hit bedrock and it charged as son as I plugged it in!

I've also discovered that at long last there's an MSE app! I've downloaded it but not tried it out yet.

Cherryfudge

Thursday - or whatever that day was that we just had - was a bit of a mad day. For me it was about filling in for other people.

DGD had nursery this morning and the plan was for A to collect her and me and we'd then stay at theirs with me as babysitter for a couple of hours before my work, upon which A would have an extended lunch break till H's parents arrived for a few days' stay, starting with them being babysitters. So far so good, but A's meeting was delayed, so he couldn't pick us up. Baby and I went to my house till he was available, had the lift as planned to theirs and A and I shared babysitting for a couple of hours. He kept popping back and forth to check his emails/eat lunch/see why his daughter was crying (she was tired but had to stay awake a bit longer).

I had tried to be super organised and had made packed lunch and tea, went to theirs in uniform ready for my shift and did all I could to give him more working time. However, his in laws were coming by a train that was subsequently cancelled and they had to make the journey partly by bus. As they come from way up Scotland, there was no way they could be on time to help with the babysitting and A had to take a chunk of time off. However, he and baby dropped me at work and she got her sleep.

At work, I found the team leader was off sick and I had to lead. Within an hour I'd had three people tell me they are struggling with the current atmosphere (busy, noisy, over-populated, chaos, overload). The shift itself wasn't too bad, but then I discovered I'd left my tea in A's fridge and had to wait till he could drop it round to me. Meanwhile another person had called in sick, and later in the evening I had a call from another colleague who will be affected by tomorrow's train strike. I'm not supposed to rearrange rotas without a manager or team leader's say-so, but there was no one else so I had to make my best judgement about fitting this person in elsewhere.

So it was all a bit chaotic, but on the plus side I worked another hour due to shift lead responsibilities, and didn't spend anything. I also ate healthily for the most part.