Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

A bit of shopping and a piano lesson today.

There wasn't time to get all the bits on my list but I bought paint for a Christmas present project. There is more than I need but it was cheapest this way and I'll donate the rest to the house.

I got as far as taking a few bits to charity only to find the shop was shut. I also managed to list a whole one item on 3bay before the app decided to shut down on me. Still, one is better than none and I can try the shop again tomorrow.

I spoke to a pharmacist about what I thought was eczema and was told decisively it's not. Apparently I have an allergy, probably to the baby oil I always put in the bath. Now, being frugal, I have to find a home for a quarter of a bottle of baby oil.

Spends:
Piano lesson £10.00
Housekeeping 14.59
Household £6.00
Gifts £12.95
Medical £2.95
MS Stuff:
Spent about 95p less buying a tin of paint than I would have on a smaller amount of spray paint, and will have plenty left for other projects.
Hot water bottle for DS - should help our heating bills!
It's not eczema so I don't need long term treatment - and we already have hydrocortisone which is what she recommends for the next week.
Pizzas for tea - cheap and cheerful. Also quick, which helps on a Tuesday!
Found three gorgeous new candle scents and didn't buy a single one. :A
Confession time:
Wish I had done more piano practice and got more sleep - I feel I'm wasting my lessons and stretching my poor teacher's patience. Really could have done better today with either sleep or practice - let alone both.

Treadingonplaymobil

Well done on the MSE. Hard to balance things like piano practice (and sleep!) with the things that feel more important at the time. I am terrible at prioritising, but trying hard to improve.

Cherryfudge

One of those days off where I haven't got a huge amount done, so I'm posting in order to make myself more answerable.

Things done so far:
Stayed in pyjamas all morning
Sorted out a bag of wool that I found at Mum's. Most of it turned out to be old school jumpers which she was unravelling to remake - must have been in the 1970s. I have a friend who can use odds & ends of wool so I've asked her if she wants these. It probably took 2 hours to unscramble it! Most has now been washed and is drying.
Unpacked the dishwasher.
Put the guinea pig out in his run
Primed the wood for my Christmas project.
Moved the money in readiness to pay the holiday instalment (DH paid on CC yesterday)

To do this afternoon:
Text my friend who's having a scan
Hoover after the wool storm
Buy a lightweight vacuum cleaner to keep at Mum's.
Piano practice
Buy hay and sawdust
Make dinner (toad in the hole)
Maybe have another go at checking the mortgage account. We got a letter saying rates are going up, so DH is to send me his available dates and I'll make an appointment for us to re-fix the rates. I know I have paid off a sizeable chunk over the last year, but even so, the new projected repayments are considerably lower than I'd expected! I'm hoping this means my work is paying us back but even so... feel the need to check.

Off to make the most of the rest of the day!

Cherryfudge

I've completed my list above, apart from the hay and sawdust.

I remembered on the way that I had to collect a suitcase I'd sent to the mender (lovely old-fashioned shoe repair shop that smells wonderful ) and I headed up the High Street feeling like the heroine of a war-time movie (forties-style coat and traditional-looking suitcase in hand ) to drop a few items at the charity shop (they've been waiting for weeks).

I then had a phone call to say DS was locked out and met him in town and generally got side-tracked. We went in the £ shop and got various bits on our respective lists, plus de-icing salt for £1.

I also spotted a small tin of gold paint for my Christmas project for £1.49. The gold spray I bought the other day was nearer £4 but I haven't started it so I'll get a refund. This one is smaller, cheaper and easier to manage. The project is now completely primered... never used spray paint before and it's fun, if messy. I remembered to get small paint rollers (£ shop again) for the main paint work.

DS helped me carry things through town then gave me a lift home which was nice. He's full of cold so I think I might have it in time for the weekend. :eek:

Spends:
Housekeeping £6.71
Gifts £2.49
Things for Mum's house (vacuum and de-icing salt) £30.99
Travel (suitcase repair) £7.00
MS stuff:
Hopefully saved a couple of pounds on paint and cheap rollers.
Cheaper salt for paths in winter.

Cherryfudge

Nothing to report today, which I suppose is a good thing. No spending, anyway.

DD popped round which is nice - haven't seen her for a couple of weeks. She also raided the cupboards for lunch! Still, I'm glad my grown-up-left-homes still feel they can help themselves.

My painted project is coming along though the paint has now sealed it shut in places where it shouldn't be! Despite my efforts. So tomorrow I've to try to get it back to useable.

Spends:
None
MS stuff:
Soup from the freezer for tea.

VelvetFreak

HI Just stopping by to say hello. Glad all is well over here.

Spray painting really is messy. I've had many an unfortunate spray painting project

:o

Cherryfudge

Yesterday was work and no spending, today was the women's day, which was excellent. A really good speaker and a colleague came too: I'd already paid for my ticket, which included lunch, but I bought a couple of bits from stalls while I was there and later went to the shops, coming back so exhausted I dozed off during Strictly and missed Gemma's American Smooth.

The doze refreshed me enough to work on the present I managed to overpaint the other day: lots of paint stripper later and I've fixed it!. I'm glad I didn't just order a new one and waste the original outlay without a fight.

DH and I did a late trip to the supermarket as a result of which I have now spent much of my share of next week's food budget. (£22 over ). However, we have a large chicken so that will feed us for two days, I have a cheap meal for work tomorrow (50p rather than £2.50 which is what I sometimes spend on a ready meal), I have cheese which will make my lunches more substantial and we have lots of potatoes, milk and bread so that will also feed us next week. DH is going to be away for a couple of nights and DS feeds himself, so I can just have something omelette-ish in the evening. Never feel like meat and two veg when it's just me, but I'll make sure I have protein and fruit. I'm also trying to create freezer space with Christmas being on the way.

Spends:
Housekeeping £25.14
Household £6.98
Gifts £3.68
Pets £1.99
MS stuff:
Didn't hit 'send' on a £25 order to replace the gift I've made mistakes with.
Saved a whole 30p by buying small paint brushes in a different shop.
Discounted doughnuts... maybe that's a confession. Not really a saving as I wouldn't have bought them full price and none of us needs the calories.

NoOneAround

All looking good - impressed with the making time for making presents - i always have good intentions but never quite get there

Confessional dougnuts are MSE in my book - feeling good for half price or sometimes 10p if you're really lucky

NOA
x

Cherryfudge

19th/20th were both NSDs - three in a row! Feel as though there might be a token prize in the offing!

After a few days at work I now have a whole four days off! Instead of going to Mum's old house (the heating still isn't done but it looks like being this week: the company now has all the right pieces to install but are doing another job first), I'm home and planning for DS's birthday and Christmas. I was also awake nearly all last night and put in an unexpected hour at work this morning, so I've cancelled my piano lesson. Not what I wanted to do when I've been working on good sleep all week so I'd be alert enough to play properly, but it saves me the cost of the lesson and adds an hour's wages. It also saves me the cost of a train fare, though that does get claimed back, and gives me eight hours that I would have spent travelling.

I was planning to run today but I don't have enough experience to know if it's wise when I need sleep so much? I did have a short run yesterday (only one this week ).

I need to go away and make some sort of plan from now to Saturday...

WannabeFree

Sleep then run this evening? Or tomorrow but I don't run either so definitely not experienced