Cherry takes the reins

WelshmansDaughter

If you wanted to stay in care hospice work might be a better fit? I was reading Rachel Clarke's book today and that made me think of it

Cherryfudge

Hospice work might be a possibility, thanks @WelshmansDaughter. I had a look on the internet this afternoon and there's nothing in reach at present but I'll bear it in mind. I've been looking to see what's around - so many care jobs including some that would (I like to think) snap me up, if it weren't that they want people who drive.

It's not been the best day: I think normally work helps keep my mental health stable and without it, I'm starting to go down. I went for a run, which wasn't as good as the past two but at least I'm building fitness for next time. Another work colleague texted me but I gave a non-committal reply (not someone I'm close to). DH and I were supposed to be helping tidy up after the event at church but there were a lot of helpers and I was just back from running when I heard they were ready, so by the time I got there, I wasn't really needed.

A small amount of shopping happened. I don't have all the receipts as DH bought from the greengrocer but there were a handful of supermarket bits too. I nearly ran out of cappuccinos: I wouldn't have known what to do with myself. I also gave away the deodorant I bought yesterday as I really didn't like the smell. In fact, we have a tiny bit more space than previously as DH has taken a few books to charity for me (not ones I'll miss).

Some lovely news from friends who have a brand new baby. I heard while walking though town so I called in for a card and gift bag but amazingly I'd bought them a gift already. Just have to remember to drop these all in at their house tomorrow.

Spending:
Toiletries 99p
Gift £4? 
Housekeeping £9.17

Cherryfudge

It's been a pleasant day today. I realise now that some of the low mood may have been anticipating going out of my comfort zone, and church was definitely on the loud side. I'd said I'd help with the youngest children though, and I really enjoyed it. The group was a lot bigger than when I first went along. There was a helpers' meeting afterwards, so I ended up walking home in the sunshine, DH having gone ahead. It was free exercise and very bright sun.

During the afternoon DH went for a bike ride but I decided to make a bit of progress in the garden and he joined me later. We probably put in four or five hours between us, mostly pruning hedges and pulling out brambles and dead wood. We had a good look at the big trees: a branch of one was around twenty feet out from the trunk and really shading the garden so we carefully took out that and some smaller ones near it. These trees are Thujas, which spread to form a thicket by sending branches sideways till the sheer weight of them bows them to the ground and they root. I've seen one (at Mount Grace Priory, I think,) which has done this but honestly we don't have anywhere near enough room. There's now a bit of a gap in the tree but it looks okay and gives us more lawn.

Talking of lawn, it was dry enough to take shears to it. A cow might have been easier but I don't have one. I've made a start on chopping the longest tufts of grass back in the hope that the mower can tackle them soon. I also dug up 77 teasels that had planted themselves in the grass. Yes, I counted! I've left a splendid big one in the hedge as I do like them and they are good for wildlife, but aren't good where they had decided to grow. Of course the grass is now covered in twigs, wood and grass trimmings. DH has made a start on cutting logs from the culled branches, and we are going to look into signing up for the green bin collection this year (£43.50, which I think is less than a lot of places charge. I also means I can keep filling bins without having to wait for DH to take non-compostables to the tip).

So the place looks worse but is better: I know the work done today will benefit us in the longer term.

I've also had help from DS2 to get back into my favourite computer game. It gives me mental down-time which is helpful.

Cherryfudge

Another sunny day, and lots of energy expended as I spent the afternoon gardening again. DH was decorating as his voluntary place was shut, but he gave me a hand to wrestle the lawn mower.

The grass was long and tufty and not really dry, but I decided to mow anyway, just to avoid it being even harder if we continue to leave it. I think the mild winter and recent rain have conspired together, but even without those it looks as though the grass had to get tall to reach through the moss! It took ages and I had to keep stopping to clear out blockages of damp green stuff that were clogging the mower. In addition, the circuit breaker has died on us (I'll prioritise getting another), and I found two places where the mower cable is damaged. DH is going to see if he can get a new cable (it's not an easy one to replace) but I'd like an old fashioned push mower again! (You get exercise AND stripes, and you don't have to trail cables everywhere).

I've also cleared lots of pots and planters that someone had moved onto the grass - weeding and sorting these is a job for another day - and weeded the front path. I would like to say how good the grass looks but it doesn't, and it will look worse as the escaped clumps of moss dry out, but it will pay off in a week or so (provided we have a working mower).

We've paid for accommodation for a short break in July following a family wedding (wedding accommodation already paid for). It feels like a big expense as it's a bit over £100 a night, self-catered, but the area is lovely and we've planned it around DH having a classic car experience he was given. If we go away in September it will have to be more carefully costed but I expect we'll still have the option of using my sister's cottage.

A tiny bit of money saving: I was tempted to a book on Kindle daily deals but I've found it at the library instead. I've also fixed some loose stitches on a jumper of DH's.

Dinner was salmon with veg and couscous (freezer and cupboards so free at point of use, though DH bought tea and milk earlier.

Spending:
Holidays £330
Housekeeping?

WelshmansDaughter

I had a push mower in my flat, much prefer them

Cherryfudge

WelshmansDaughter said:

I had a push mower in my flat, much prefer them

I'm glad you mentioned that! I've talked DH into us having one. The cheapest I could find isn't available locally so I'm debating between a £45 one that looks okay but has no reviews, or a £65 one that's a really good make but a bit bigger (which means the lawn would take fewer passes but the shed would be a bit fuller). All of them are smaller than our current monster, though!

WelshmansDaughter

I got mine in tesco of all places 

Cherryfudge

I don't think I've ever seen a lawn mower in Tesco!

Today was Grand daughter day so as usual DH did the early part and I caught up with them at a coffee shop. It's been sunny again so we had a nice walk back: it isn't coat weather but I was glad of a warm hoodie.

DGD was delightful: she has changed in the last week! She's toddling confidently and loving the new room they've had built. There's no furniture yet so she can run around unimpeded and make a lot of echoes by shouting. She also started to make what sounds like a countdown: there aren't any words but there's a clear trail of evenly-spaced sounds followed by what sounds like a triumphal yell as she throws a ball.

In the afternoon we called in to the garden centre and I bought some seeds: over £5 for 2 packets! I've looked elsewhere but couldn't get what I wanted in the other shops. I did save 50p by checking different suppliers.

I'm focussing on getting at least some 'grounding' activity done every day, though I'm not sure how it works out in the long term. I mean, grounding activities are good for keeping me feeling better and not worrying about work, but when I'm working, I'm limited in how much else I can do. Today was of course taken up with DGD (who is as good as a grounding activity) and I cooked dinner from scratch, if that can be said of anything that involves opening three tins and a jar! It was a butterbean and chorizo stew, with plenty for tomorrow too so I'll have to find another activity for then.

The mower is ordered and we should be able to pick it up tomorrow. It was reduced to £55.25. I've paid the CC up to date but some larger payments aren't yet showing up so I will have to check again before 6th, or risk getting charged. In better news, my YBS account has sent me a couple of emails, firstly to say they'd miscalculated interest and it will be smaller than expected, and secondly to say interest rates are going up, so it will be more...

Spending:
Garden £55.25 (mower) and £5.48 (seeds).
Entertainment £3 (+ whatever DH paid for his tea - usually £2.70 I think)
Housekeeping £13.25 (includes 2 Easter eggs, total £4.99) (+DH's spending).

Cherryfudge

It's raining today and I have plenty I could be doing but nothing that really motivates me. However, I was glad I'd written about the CC payment yesterday as it reminded me to check today, and all the big payments had hit the card - so they are now paid off and I don't lose money on interest.

Cherryfudge

I think I could write a book on The Productivity of Displacement Activities.

I started to sort out a kitchen drawer and the water went off. Then it came back, brown. I wandered down the road because there were some chaps in high viz jackets who might just have known about it, but by the time I got there, they'd gone. I spent a while trying to find info online but the water company's website says there are no known issues in my area. I tried to report it and ended up on a page telling me to run the taps for five minutes. I ran the taps for two minutes and the water ran clear.

I stopped for lunch.

The drawer is now emptied and washed out. I nearly took a photo of how much I'd originally managed to fit in, but stopped myself - who am I going to show that to?  

Things are slowly going back - it's a deep enough drawer to have two inserts, so I'm putting 'good but unlikely to be needed often' items in the lower one. I have eight vegetable peelers, two nutcrackers, five tin openers (in our defence, most are the old indestructible ones for use when the current modern one gets blunt - okay, that justifies two max.), a handful of baby spoons, enough teaspoons (yes!), four cappuccino whisks, a load of elastic bands, a sardine key (you never know when this will be needed), a pickle spoon AND a pickle fork, two sugar tongs, a bag of drinking straws, a bottle opener, an apple corer, a knife sharpener, two pastry brushes, two cheese slices, a spoon rest, a teabag rest, eight spatulas, two jar scrapers, a box of bag clips, two tea strainers, two sweetcorn forks, an orange peeler, two pizza cutters, two cheese slices, an oil dropper, a fizz keeper, two scoops, a microwave thermometer, a butter softener... these are the things that have gone back in!

Things to let go as unused: a garlic press, a bag of BBQ skewers (when did we last barbecue anything?), toy cutlery (now in the play box), ice cream scoop, DD's icing bag, two broken meat thermometers, pasta measure, two jam jar lids.

A lot of disposable cutlery (minus the ones that were damaged and went in recycling) has gone into another drawer.

There are also nine small sharp knives and other knives that don't fit in the knife block, which will be my next thing to clean and rearrange in case any fit in there.