Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

I felt I got quite a lot done today and I've earned my rest, but the place is rather upside down as I've pulled things out in an effort to get some jobs right out of the way. The washing line has a late load out overnight as I said weeks ago that I'd wash a bucket of cleaning rags we found in the cleaner's cupboard at church. Turns out they'd been put away clean, but anyway... So those can go back on Friday.

The fridge is cleaned and sorted. Some oddments had to go in the compost and the yogurt had gone off, and I have some tuna and smoked salmon which need to be eaten soon (and DH is away). I wonder if the salmon could be frozen?

For some odd displacement reason I decided now was the day for a haircut, and I took about 2cm off it. I think I've done a reasonable job, and it doesn't take long (and costs less).

I left some of the shopping for another day, but took the shears to be sharpened, had a look for some joggers for wear around the house and found some I quite like in the first charity shop, popped into a couple of other shops for mascara and eye makeup remover pads then got the groceries. Most of the food shopping was for the bring and share meal tonight. We had a lovely evening, and I brought home two half quiches which are now in the freezer. I also bought three unplanned packs of pepperoni (half price), and some raspberries and grapes on discount. I'm trying to eat more healthily, having fallen off the wagon a bit.

So the house is more upside down than it was before I started, but the garden is marginally neater, the fridge is done and most of the washing is done (but not ironed).

The jobs list looks like this:
book a table for group meal in a couple of weeks - DONE
Get shopping including refills
Order hose (on Thursday so I can avoid doubling up on a journey)
Get cash out - DONE
Sort through the fridge : I have basic lunches planned but I need to sort out evening meals for two days and check there's nothing needed for guest meals. - DONE
Wash cushion covers - DONE
Mark step edges in the garden as Auntie's sight isn't good
Tie back plants next to the path - STARTED
Fight the irises that are getting in the way of the big step!

None of the rooms is guest-ready yet.

Dh has just texted to say the consultant has offered him a trial of another new drug- very new I think. It's amazing how quickly some medication is advancing.

Cherryfudge

Spending:
Clothing £2.95
Toiletries £5.49
Housekeeping £8.20
Entertainment £11.02
e-book £1.99

And half a litre of sunflower oil is £2.25! Am I showing my age if I say I remember it used to be 50p? That could have been 15 years ago, though.

Cherryfudge

The list for the day is:

finish the ironing 
Get shopping including refills
Order hose
Mark step edges in the garden as Auntie's sight isn't good
Tie back plants next to the path - STARTED
Fight the irises that are getting in the way of the big step!
Put away cleaning cloths
Mow grass
Fill birdfeeders

Rooms to make guest-ready:
Kitchen
Hall/stairs/landing
Bathroom
Guest room
Lounge
Dining room

Cherryfudge

Urgh, it's been heavy going today and it's been hard to persuade myself to do anything - too blooming cold, for a start, and that thing called 'morning', for another. Several hot drinks later, I've done all the ironing and put away all but a few bits and pieces, ordered my next sick note and packed up the cleaning cloths. I've tidied the things hung on the back of DS2's door, so his coats are on hangers and my uniform is on my bed, wanting to know where I'm going to keep it. We have limited storage and it always worked to have it on the back of a door, so maybe it can go to the back of DD's door (She moved out years ago so she won't mind, and it's out of the way).

Talking of limited storage, I've started a new donations bag.

I got stuck on what length of hose is needed, so I'm thinking of taking some string to measure the grounds! I also got stuck with how to clean out an olive oil bottle for a refill (if she sells olive oil). Very hot water and washing up liquid seem to be doing the trick, then I've got to try to dry the inside using a hair dryer.

I have a feeling I missed a career as a project organiser because nothing happens till all the essentials are catered for.

Talking of catering, I keep forgetting I offered to help with the catering team at church but I've just had two emails looking for availability, so I need to give that some thought.

The sun has come out now, and the day is warmed up a bit. I'd better get moving again.

Cherryfudge

None of the rooms is yet guest-ready, though I've been moving things round in the guest room to make it work better. Here's the list to date:

finish the ironing DONE
Get shopping including refills
Order hose DONE
Mark step edges in the garden as Auntie's sight isn't good
Tie back plants next to the path - STARTED
Fight the irises that are getting in the way of the big step!
Put away cleaning cloths DONE
Mow grass
Fill birdfeeders DONE

So I'm half way through. I don't think I'll attempt to do the refills now till after Auntie's been, and I'll just use masking tape for the step edges so we can remove it later.

I took a big ball of string down to the church to measure how long a hose we need - the 50m length is just a bit short! Not to worry, the furthest corners can be done by watering can. Then I decided to go to BandM, which I think my subconscious had been plotting all along. I bought some lobelias to plant in the wall baskets, which look a wreck at the moment, though they were good when the tete a tete daffodils were in bloom. I also got a few groceries to complement the things I'm trying to use up from the fridge, and had a nice tea with salad, pasta and salmon.

I ordered some socks as gifts for a couple of people this morning (7 coupons for Fashion on the Ration), I'm hoping they arrive soon. Photos that I ordered off an app arrived this morning, but I've not had a look yet.

Spending:
Gifts £18.49
Garden £5.50
Stationery 2.75
Housekeeping: £5.85

Cherryfudge

ALL those jobs are done, except the grass - it's so dry I thought I'd leave it -and the refills, which can wait.

I sorted out the hose this morning and will have aching muscles over the weekend - For some reason I hadn't taken into account that it would be boxed up when I collected it. I thought a hose cart would be easy to manoeuvre, which it is, unless it's in a great big box and weight 9kg. Never mind, I'll probably never have that job to do again, though for once in my life I know I would have been better off being able to drive! Anyway, a friend helped me set it all up, and I felt very grown up because I brought my own Stanley knife along (practising in case that handy person job comes up. ).

I was late home after all that, and made pasta and salad for lunch, then spent the afternoon doing garden jobs at home, so there are three pots of geraniums and lobelia next to the shed, the wall baskets are re-done with lobelia, spider plants and sempervivum (an original combination but it's better than it was), the mass of irises has been reduced (and I already have three takers for the offcuts) and the bags of compost are tidied up. And I have well-scrubbed hands.

I'm having a break for tea (quiche, coffee and chocolate) then I'm going to the shops for bread, mayo, olives and various other things we are out of.

After that - another onslaught on the house! I made some progress this morning and I expect I can sneak in a few extras tomorrow because Auntie always wants to go out and do things!  

Cherryfudge

I'm going to call it a day despite the entire house needing to be hoovered, the kitchen needing to be tidied and the dining room being pretty awful!

I got the shopping and used a few vouchers. I got the things I needed apart from forgetting eggs, and I did get some money off. I also remembered to pick up my prescription.

I've tidied a bit more around the front garden so at least I'm happy with that, and tomorrow is due to be hot so perhaps Auntie will just sit outside!

Spending:
Toiletries £2.75
Medical £2.00
Housekeeping £26.43

Cherryfudge

I guess I just about got there: hoovering and tidying were done and kitchen all cleared up. I even got some laundry out on the line where it dried admirably due to the heat.

DH and Auntie arrived a little after eleven and sat out in the garden, where I discovered a lot of fresh pigeon feathers. I think there must be a sparrowhawk around, but no sign of the body. They had sandwiches for lunch, and I finished up the tuna, salmon and some salad, along with a custard tart that I treated myself to yesterday.

As predicted, Auntie went to look round the shops in the afternoon. I swapped the menu as the chicken I bought yesterday was short dated, so that went in the slow cooker with lots of veg and potatoes. Then I went to the shops and finally got all the items that had been accumulating on the whiteboard, and we had dinner. This evening we had a local walk then went to the supermarket for chocolate, to which I added seabass (now in the freezer, I didn't even know Tesco sells it) and courgettes. If I'd had more fridge space, I would have bought more courgettes as they are so expensive nowadays and these were 35p for two and I love courgettes...

So all stocks are replenished with extra on top. I made lemon drizzle muffins to go in our packed lunches tomorrow (we can all eat those) and banana muffins with apricot and coconut (which DH can't eat but I had bananas to use up). There are still two bananas to finish but I've run out of flour so the whiteboard list has started again.

In the middle of baking I looked through the back door to see a hedgehog on the doorstep. We all watched it for a while, as it stopped to drink from a plant saucer. It has a distinctive pattern on its spines so we can tell if it comes back. Once it was gone, I put a dish of water out for it.

Spending:
Housekeeping/entertaining: £31.90

I also got a free loaf of bread courtesy of a coupon at L1dl, and there are several other bakery freebies in their current promotion.

Cherryfudge

Nothing spent today. I woke up with various aches and pains which remained despite ibuprofen, but gradually disappeared as the day went on. I think I'd just overdone it a bit.

DH and Auntie had a day out and I could have gone, but I think I made the right choice just taking it easy. I had online church in the morning, and the afternoon got very hot but I divided my time between the computer and the garden. Somewhere along the line I was chopping back weeds when I remembered ground elder is meant to be edible... result is a pesto made with some of the smaller leaves. I wasn't sure whether I'd like it but once I'd  put most of it in a jar and was running a spatula round the bowl, I realised I was absent-mindedly finishing every scrap that wasn't in the jar, so I think I could say it's a success.

I did the garden in short spurts because of the heat, but I've tidied a bit around the edges, rescued a tray of potted plants that were drying up and cut back some ivy off the back fence. DH kindly cooked dinner and we had another short walk this evening.

Cherryfudge

Another really hot day: DH and Auntie spent it at Richmond and Reeth, and I think they're enjoyed themselves. I stayed at home with not quite enough to do, but I'm not good with heat and it's been lovely having the doors open and the garden and birdsong outside. I went as far as L!dl for some apples, flour and salad (and unplanned undershelf storage), and I've bought nigella seeds online. Oh- I got a free croissant which I didn't need but did enjoy.

Dh has been spending on cough mixture as the side effects of the the drug he was taking are in full swing (and could be for some weeks). He keeps boiling the kettle to inhale steam and we've run out of Olbas oil...

A couple of people from church have popped round to collect irises: I ended up talking for about an hour.

We are off to A and H's for tea soon.

Spending:
Household £6.99
Housekeeping £6.47