Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

DH has mended the dishwasher: there was a loose wire. Considering we once had a washing machine that was throwing out sparks, and a storage heater that blew the fuses then managed to continue heating so the electrics scorched (:o) I'm very wary and won't leave things running unsupervised.

You'll be relieved to know the house has since been rewired and the washer is history.

I've arranged to go into work tomorrow just to get me through the door and hopefully reset my work emails/check my payslip/look up the job advert. I've texted my friend to let her know but also to warn her I'm not in to socialise. I need to keep it simple.

It still feels crazy to be looking at a job that's partly odd-job-person, but the manager seems to think I could do it. 

Sun_Addict

Hope it goes well tomorrow 🤞

Cherryfudge

Sun_Addict said:

Hope it goes well tomorrow 🤞

Thank you. Getting myself logged back in may well be a hassle but I need to get back to being in contact. The manager very thoughtfully took my name off all the mail she sends round (things that might increase anxiety) so it will be mostly the fairly meaningless stuff that gets sent to everyone (reminders for things long gone, etc.). I want to get hold of the email for a person I spoke to some while ago, though, as I would like to be able to contact her again. It isn't urgent, it just gives me control over that aspect.

I still can't see myself going back to the hours I was doing and I still don't want to leave... perhaps changing jobs within the organisation is the answer, and I'm willing to look further into it (but it still seems crazy, perhaps because I'd not seen it coming). There are a few things I need to try to find out in advance: can the hours be annualised (not so much to do out of doors in winter)? Where would my duties end and contracted-out services such as plumbing and electrics begin? A couple of other options would be to do relief hours, which I've already flagged up, and to finish the proofreading training I started many years ago so I could generate a side income in peace and quiet.

Today we are looking after DGD for the afternoon only so DH will make a start there while I finish at work. I also need to check I have things ready for the study tonight, and sort out some of the myriad of books that are accumulating round me and not getting read because there are too many. Oh, and I need a new notebook but that can wait.

Cherryfudge

I found I'd made a typo when arranging to go into work so ended up going in a bit later than expected. It was all very quiet in the part of the building where I was: I had the office to myself for ages (having finally managed to get into my emails at home earlier in the day, afer weeks of being locked put - isn't that just how it goes, sometimes?).

I've gone through a couple of hundred emails, printed out payslips and had a couple of chats with the manager. The job advert for the job she is suggesting for me is going to be emailed to me.

Going in was a bit of a non-event and I wasn't stressed at all, because I was in a part of the building where I've not spent much time and there wasn't anyone around.

I did a bit of shopping afterwards - chalks for DGD, a notebook for me and some food.

This evening was my Tuesday group so I told them about the possible job. Someone mentioned that they weren't sure there was enough work to justify the proposed hours and I can see what she means so I need to see how that could pan out. They also suggested I look at doing it on a trial basis if possible, without letting go of my substantive post. I can see that's also worthy of consideration.

Spending:

Stationery £2

Gift £1.99

Housekeeping £2.88

Cherryfudge

I spent most of today looking after DGD as her nursery is closed for the day. We had a good time! I've also fitted in walking the dog twice so I have a decent step count of 17,310. I also managed to leave my keys at  A and H's house. I always forget something - food in the fridge is a favourite.

I had a short chat with A over lunch about the potential change of job. He's a useful person when it comes to this sort of thing due to the nature of his work, and he says to be wary. My feeling is that the hours are unrealistic because short of redecorating the whole unit (which might happen I suppose), there just aren't enough things to do to employ someone the hours they are advertising. He thinks the job could be rationalised in a few years to be based in more than one place, so any private understanding of what's involved would go out of the window.

My latest thought is that I need to have a rationale for the amount of hours offered, and if it isn't satisfactory (and they still want me and I want it enough), to ask to be appointed on fewer contracted hours with the offer of doing overtime if required. Either way it would be a reduction in both hours and pay, but I'm hoping to be able to supplement it with relief hours in my present job... if this is the route I go down.

Spending:
Housekeeping £12.35 

Cherryfudge

DGD's nursery has a warning notice about infection on the door, so I looked after her again for much of the day. I had my counselling call mid-morning, though, so her Dad took a break from work, then after lunch he had another break and dropped me back at home to let the dog out and fling a casserole in the slow cooker. He also gave me a lift home at the end of the day, which meant we didn't have to leave the dog for long. The last-minute rearrangement meant I wasn't all that organised and the washing only went out to dry at five, but it's done, which is the main thing.

I bought biscuits, a smoothie and chicken liver while taking DGD for her walk, which supplemented a hastily thrown-together lunch and formed the basis of liver and bacon casserole for dinner (it was delicious), and this evening DH and I went down to L!dl to look for discounts. I noticed too late that they had quite a few of their veg boxes: I hope they are still there tomorrow, but I'd already bought basic veg for the weekend and a marked down chicken (further discounted because an edge of the packing was split, but should be fine in the fridge till Saturday. So we've spent a bit but have enough for several main meals.

DH was on dog walking duty this evening and I mowed the grass ahead of the forecast rain.

The advert for the job my manager suggested I apply for has gone live and I see from social media that a colleague is interested. He's unquestionably more knowledgeable on DIY that I am and has a driving licence as well, so my hopes of getting that job may depend on me being the more reliable employee and having worked as a gardener in the past. Ideally, we should job share but I don't know how to suggest that without showing my hand early.

Well, I've been on the go this week but it's been enjoyable. Tomorrow won't be all that quiet as I'm on the cleaning team in the morning and we're taking the dog back to J and L and having dinner with them later. Saturday is the coronation, on Sunday I'm helping with the children at church in the morning and there's a street party in the afternoon for the coronation. So much for time off!

Spending:
Housekeeping £4.04 + L!dl (receipt isn't showing on my app)

Cherryfudge

I wore myself out this morning - my colleague told me not to work to hard, don't worry about hoovering the stairs... but I ended up doing a bit longer than usual to make up for all the rushed sessions recently. Consequently I was fit for nothing this afternoon. I was tempted to buy lunch on my way home but remembered I had a lot to finish up so I only bought a few bits including eggs so I could bake, though I didn't have the energy when it came to it.

Lunch was hummus, cucumber, bread, coffee and a doughnut, so I was a bit too full to be energetic as well.

DH was delayed at work, dealing with a last minute complex query and I realised I couldn't lean on him to take the dog out so she had an energetic game of boomerang banana in the garden with a plastic banana that squeaks. I wonder if the neighbours saw me apparently hurling bananas onto the lawn?

We all packed into the car when DH came back, and took the dog home. The first thunder of the year and huge puddles on the way, and so much warmer than it's been for ages. I think it reached 16C. The dog was ecstatic to see J and L again and they gave us dinner, but we didn't stay late as we were all tired.

Spending:
Housekeeping £6.19
Phone data £3

Cherryfudge

No car booting today: we stayed in to watch the coronation this morning. I was impressed. As they say, we Brits do a good line in ceremony. It's a shame everyone got soaked and the Battle of Britain planes didn't get to fly but what's more British than a rainy day?

Dinner was chicken, sauteed veg and potatoes all done together in the Instant Pot. That worked well though I should have started it earlier as the chicken and potatoes had to be finished in the microwave. The veg were a hit with DH: onions, carrot, green pepper, a few cherry tomatoes and a smidgeon of celery cooked together and really soft.

The afternoon car boot sale didn't happen because the field was waterlogged after yesterday's rain, but today has been mostly dry so I did several lots of washing. DH has got the summer duvet out: apparently I kick the duvet off all the time, which I wasn't aware of but he thinks it's time to go summery anyway. I've washed a duvet and cover of DS2's that's been bothering me - it smells of man perfume and as he's now not about to get a flat and move his stuff out, I think it's only fair I don't have to notice it every time I go past it in his room.

I also made myself clean out the poor goldfish which I confess I've neglected. I did a really thorough clean and he seems happy: I also decided to investigate that lump on his face for which I took him to the vet a year ago. The vet's advice was that the fish didn't need to be euthanised so long as it continued otherwise healthy and didn't lose weight. Well, apart from the lump growing, nothing's changed but today (wearing gloves, I assure you), I tried to handle the lump and it's very soft and friable, so much so that quite a bit of it came away in my fingers! The fish showed no sign of being bothered and there was no bleeding, just this weird soft textured stuff. Internet searches haven't come up with anything that fits the description but I think the fish likes not being weighed down so much to one side.

I had no exercise apart from carrying buckets of water out from the tank, so I went bargain hunting at L!dl and T3sco this evening. No remarkable buys (almost no discounted stuff, in fact) but DS2 suggested a trip out tomorrow and I rashly said people could come back here afterwards, so I've bought stuff for sandwiches. We've also been invited to a street party but we aren't really keen, apart from which DH has already said he'll do something elsewhere and I've accepted DS2's invitation. However, I bought a bottle of fizz to donate if we feel we can't hide!

It was lovely walking back with a  summer evening feel in the air.

Spending:
Housekeeping £23.67

Cherryfudge

A lovely warm day. I helped with the little kids at church this morning, having thrown a casserole in the slow cooker before we went out, so dinner was nearly ready when we got back. After dinner, DH set out to add a lot of steps to his sponsored 300,000 in May and I had a bit of a tidy up. DS2 and his girlfriend then collected me just before 2 but I remembered to drop the bottle of wine round for the street party before we left. The party looked great: traditional tables of nicely set out food and everyone sitting round under the bunting.

We drove out up towards the Dales - those who know the area will probably guess correctly that we went to the famous ice cream place! Mine was ginger and delicious, though I had to eat quickly because I was being melted on. Most of the immediate family was there, only DH who was doing his steps and going on to a publicity thing for the fundraiser, and L who had an awards ceremony to attend, weren't with us. DGD loved sampling people's ice creams (she's been on the 'milk ladder' and can now tolerate dairy ). DS2 had a big cone but the last of it went to the dog who was then sick... (I didn't see how the dog got it but I have a feeling it wasn't meant to happen).

J then suggested going for a walk and showed us a small boating lake that the rest of us didn't know about. A and H didn't go far (I remember well that thing about getting home before the baby falls asleep and is then awake till late) but the rest of us had a good stroll in the sunshine.

DS2 gave me a lift home and he and his girlfriend have sorted out some of his stuff from his old room.

So it's been a really nice day, and my only spending has been £3.50 for ice cream.

Cherryfudge

Today it's raining and I don't have any plans to go out. The nurse is coming to supervise another couple of injections for DH, then he's off to his volunteering. I'm very grateful that the first set of injections have gone so well: I was dreading a reaction similar to one he had a few years ago.

I was healthily tired at the end of yesterday so I went to bed early but then woke hungry and thirsty at 3.15. Got back to sleep after a snack and a couple of hours on my phone, so I now have eye strain, but hopefully that will ease and if not I can take paracetamol.

We have leftovers from yesterday's dinner to finish so I only need to sort out some vegetables to go with it. Other than that, I hope to make some progress with the clutter that's been building up near the computer and which is getting in my way. Never a straightforward job as I need to find home for things. I also need to plan in some running and some reading time for 'quality' reading - the sort that might take a notebook to help me focus. I know I could leave this but I have so many interesting books that I've only partly read and I really would like to find out how at least some of them turn out!