Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

I've started to look into the sick leave caused by work and it's looking as though it may be employer-specific, which would explain why it wasn't on my radar. I've not finished with it yet though: I really feel they owe me one, not only for messing with my head but for taking away a job I loved and which helped keep my mental health stable, and replacing it with the same job in a different frame that I can't work in.

Moan over: today I have nothing scheduled so I've been filling time with tidying. 98 'paper decisions' made so far. Mostly receipts into the recycling, plus four items of clothing to donate. I came across some old table linen that I don't remember seeing before. It was probably from Mum's but what was it doing on the top of some things in the bedroom, if I don't ever remember it?

I found most of a book of stamps with the receipts, so that's gone to the little collection to be sent off for bar-coded replacements.

J and L are away this evening so the dog is staying with us. DH will be out volunteering so my plan is to hoover first then do a bit more on the garden if it's still fine and before doggy arrives and gets lost (she escaped them and was gone nearly an hour - apparently dogs can start disobeying their training at this age). She will be on the lead with me anyway because I'm not as fast as her!

Once she's here, I really ought to go back to that neglected feedback for the DoITProfiler website and get it sent. Perfectionism is getting in my way, but on the other hand I don't think they are expecting anyone to write a book on it.

It's an odd thing, being able to attribute a name and cause to things that just used to be part of life: slight tension because I have too many things of roughly equal weighting that I want to get done and no-one is telling me where to start, and then there's the difficulty of getting down to them, the sound of the TV in the lounge (I hear every word - why does DH have to watch so much YouTube?), the fact I have too many things on the table around me and each one requires an action and/or decision, still got to make myself something to drink and brush my teeth, oops, still haven't put makeup on, wish I'd done it hours ago not now when there's a count-down to meeting people... welcome to my mind.  

I'm sure a lot of us who write on these boards live life this way, or similarly, then we come on here where we can set it out and talk it through at a pace that suits us.

Cherryfudge

Feedback has been sent - phew. Dog has arrived, rather subdued. Perhaps she knows she's in trouble as she usually bounces around much more than she's doing today.

The hoovering happened (downstairs), bins have been emptied, DH picked up some groceries (dinner was the rest of yesterday's chicken pieces) and I've wrestled the YBS website which has been playing up but is finally allowing me to see that my savings have gone in. The gardening didn't happen due to arrival of canine who might go hedgehog hunting.

DH and I have been looking for photos of his parents which his niece has requested. It took ages to find any of them together, just the two of them, but there were lots of nice memories in the meantime. It's funny looking back at the stages of development of my children - long haired boys, dyed blonde daughter.  

Cherryfudge

A very busy day, but really nice too.

The poor dog didn't get a walk this morning, though she had time in the garden and I did let her owners know she still needed one. I baked a cake for my friend's birthday, made a couple of appointments and ordered my prescription, then DH dropped in with DGD after her morning activity, in time to meet J and L one their way through to collect the dog. So some nice family time was had.

DH and I then walked to the other side of town (DGD fell asleep in the pram) and had our lunch while she slept. I had just time to get her a sandwich before setting off (right across town again) for a last-minute appointment to see the nurse to get my eyes checked - they're been a bit red and dry for a month now. She let me know she thinks they are dry rather than infected, but has given me advice and a clinic number to ring if it persists.

I called in at the supermarket for some food for tonight then joined DH and DGD for time at the the swings and slides before going back to their house again. DGD seemed to like the alternative route we found, though it took a while. She likes to have leaves to examine and pull apart, and she was quite taken with a field of sheep ('Moo!')

Back at her house DH and I needed a rest (I've done about 16,800 steps and he's done quite a lot more) so DGD and I were watching children's TV when her Dad got home.

Our journey home involved yet more from the supermarket as there were things I still needed with three of my friends coming for pizza this evening and to watch the highlights of the recording from our mutual friend's ordination.

DH got a microwave meal and went out to a meeting while I took over the lounge with my friends. We enjoyed our evening and I have enough pizza, quiche and salad, not to mention birthday cake, to last me probably the rest of the week. I bought fruit as well, as we were almost out of it, so I've probably spent about £20 on food.

Talking of spending, I've just paid off the rest of the credit card and it's not going to leave much wiggle room. I think I should probably reduce the amount from my wages that goes into the Christmas Saver account. I could make up the money from inherited money, which at least makes better use of the inheritance.

At the back of my mind is a query about my work contract. I understand that if I do, say, a particular shift for long enough, it counts as mine because it's become a regular thing. I wonder if I could make an argument that I'm used to earning more than my basic pay - so it should count as mine because I usually earned that much? I don't think its likely because it wasn't always the same... but it's a nice thought!

I'm not going to total up tonight - that will wait till tomorrow.

Cherryfudge

Yesterday's spending:
Housekeeping £16.23.
Also Housekeeping the other day £35 for a bath panel which we've still to collect.

I was thinking about @Floss's advice to have three activities: for me, for the house and for work each day. A friend told me last night that I need a project now that things have slowed down. Her daughter, (coming from a similar job to mine and changing careers due to stress last year) made jam, but I have enough of that!

So far today I've checked my email and replied to one from an old pension fund whose login I can't find. There's not much in there but it would be good to keep access.

There are a few house and garden jobs so I'll report back on what I get done.
Work: Look into that proofreading course in more detail.
Me: print out the recommendations from the DoITProfiler and file them - gets a job out of the way ready to discuss it with the mental health nurse on Friday. I'll also have a walk into town, check the market for useful bargain foods ((must not involve cake) and find another item to donate once I'm back home.

Cherryfudge

So far:

House activity: deep clean the washing machine which smelled bad. We forget to dry the seals and leave the door open and finally traced the smell to it. Hoping this does the trick.

Work - er, nothing really apart from an early check in case the job application had replied.

Me: I'll be going out to the other church group this evening, but in the meantime did quite well out of the market: two jars of jam, a tub of butter-flavoured spread and a tin of golden syrup all for £3.50. All short-dated but nothing that will be unsafe.

I'm headachey which might be poor sleep last night. One ibuprofen hasn't fixed it so I'll take another before I go out. Dinner will be a Riverford recipe - Moroccan-style lentil, sweet potato and spinach, which is yummy and full of good stuff, so I'm looking forward to that.

Spending:
Housekeeping £6.04 plus whatever DH gets (apples, oranges and celery that I know of).
Medical £3.98

WelshmansDaughter

I'm all caught up now.
Sorry about the fish.

Cherryfudge

WelshmansDaughter said:

I'm all caught up now.
Sorry about the fish.

Aw thanks. It's odd having the empty tank... I'm still waiting to hear if DS2 wants it.

Cherryfudge

So our super-clean washing machine hasn't rid us of the musty smell, though I think it's improved. I'm wondering whether dirty water got underneath it when I opened the filter, so I might investigate pulling it out - or I might wait till both of us are around in case I can't get past it to go out of the kitchen door.

Today's house job, if the weather holds, is to be to clean down the front and back gates and repaint them. No idea when it was last done but it will improve the look of the place.

Work tasks are the check email for any feedback from the application, check work emails to see if I remembered to send the Profiler details to my manager, and check the NHS jobs locally.

For me... not sure yet.

Oh, and I can see I didn't manage two things yesterday, so I'll carry them forward: print out the Profiler recommendations so I have it to discuss with the mental health nurse tomorrow, and look at the proofreading course.

badmemory

Have you tried running a very hot wash through your machine.  I try to remember to do a 90 deg one every couple of months & a 60 one every month.  The operative word there is try.  As it usually turns out not to be that often, but it has made a difference.

Cherryfudge

I did, thanks @badmemory. It does help, as does running a drying cycle, but I'm wondering if the machine isn't draining 100%.