Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

Cheeky mouse has raided the trap and run again. I think we aren't setting it properly, or perhaps he gets a friend to hold it open?

This morning I gave my hair a trim which only takes a minute, but I'm going to need to rethink how I do it as the clips I use are breaking off a layer (slowly, but it adds up). Putting it up would be sensible... and without the insulation of it being 'down' I could live in scarves and be toasty warm.

I showed DH another job advert this morning and he had a read and said it would be perfect - for him! That wasn't what I meant and he enjoys his present job so I hadn't thought of it that way, but I saw exactly why he would be ideal for it. He thought it would be better to let a younger person get trained up in it, but in fact it's the sort of post where his long experience would really benefit the customer. Also his current job is very full-on and management puts them under time pressure so sometimes they can't deliver the depth of service they would like to. Not saying it wouldn't be the same elsewhere.

We came to a consensus that it's probably not the job for me. A lot of it would be acquiring legal knowledge and advising people, which is quite some learning curve and would always be a bit of a stressor.

I have a few chores I really could be getting down to, though I'm taking a break from job searching now as I worked on it yesterday. We had been wondering about a vague smell of mustiness - no, not the mice. It was the very old upholstery on our piano stool. It was inherited from my parents and I don't know where they got it. I've ripped off the old stuff and hoovered around, which has improved one problem and created another. I reupholstered a piano stool in the past but only in terms of covering over an existing top. This one had eons of dust despite being well hoovered when I brought it in, so the stuffing has gone as well as the cover. It's a more complex job but I'd have to try really hard to make it look worse than it did, and I bought some beautiful fabric for it ages ago.

I also ought to have a look at the study material for tomorrow's group.

Here goes!

Cherryfudge

I've been to investigate what's available locally for the piano stool project and ended up asking the good people of Much Mending on the Borrow (AKA Fashion on the Ration) for their advice. I also briefly flirted with the idea of volunteering in a charity shop but DH pointed out I would get distressed at the amount they have to throw out, so I'm glad I didn't just jump in and offer. He did say the Foodbank needs helpers, so that's another thing I could be doing until the world of paid work once more realises it needs me. 

The school has acknowledged receipt of my applications, and there's an email back from a IT skills questionnaire I'd forgotten about, suggesting I brush up my Excel skills. I haven't looked at that recently, but there's an online course via work that I wasn't aware of so that might give me something to aim for over the next few weeks before the wider Digital Skills course comes available. I do have a spreadsheet for finances which I'm keeping up to date but I haven't worked out how to record movements between accounts or paying off credit cards, so it's not perfect. Useful for seeing where the money goes, though.

This afternoon I did some cooking and made good use of the oven with toad in the hole, baked potatoes and (at last) that yogurt cake. I tried adding a pinch of turmeric and some mixed herbs to the 'toad' batter and that worked out well. The baked potatoes are now cooled and frozen, and the cake is gorgeous. I forgot I'm trying not to eat flour, and had three pieces! Admittedly, one was a sliver. DH won't have it because it's got yogurt in, so I will give some to DGD tomorrow but I might have to freeze some of the rest or it will go on my waist.

Spare sausages have gone in the freezer and I've used up some of the yogurt and most of the eggs.

Expenditure:
Housekeeping £14.51 plus whatever DH spent on milk and bananas. I'm partly blaming @in_need_of_direction for today's bill, as she talked me into stocking up on a favourite tea while it's on offer.

Cherryfudge

I made a reasonable start to the day by contacting the food bank and they emailed back to say to visit and they'd talk to me about what I could do to help. I've also done a load of washing which dried on the line.

I've not done any shopping, though DH bought some groceries and finished up fish fingers from the freezer.

I met DH and DGD at the library and we've all had a nice day together. DGD and her dad helped me eat some of the cake from yesterday which is useful - I definitely don't need too much of that around to nibble at.

Talking of nibbling, mouse number two has been trapped and relocated. I think the trap needs to be baited regularly because these mice might have friends.

I've had a couple of communications from work about the redeployment meeting, which has now been brought forward to next Tuesday. I wish they'd consulted me, as Tuesdays are full on. I think I'm going to have to accept it and get it over with, but I'll make it clear that I'm accommodating them and it will mess up what I had planned In better news, the relief job is now just waiting to hear from Occupational Health, so I may not have much longer to wait for that.

This evening was pizza and study time at my friend's house, which went quite well despite my friend being frazzled after something throwing her plans out, and me not being able to get my laptop onto her wi-fi, so we couldn't view the relevant film clip. We still enjoyed our pizzas and the discussion was good.

I've just emailed the manager back to accept the meeting, and now I really need some sleep!

Cherryfudge

Some things got done today: first significant one was ringing the Union rep to confirm I'm going to the meeting. At the moment my nerve is holding on this one and I feel better for having decided to go ahead with it. I think the trepidation is a mixture of things but part of it is that it's in the same line of encounter as things that have been triggers for me over recent months: the interview that shook me up was the worst, but the first attendance meeting was significant too. Anyway, we'll see.

A couple of useful icons had disappeared off my phone screen, including the one for actually phoning people, so I've restored the home screen which wasn't difficult, but a bit worrying in case things disappeared, which they didn't. I now have all sorts of icons for things I've tried and abandoned, and have to hunt carefully for what I want. I expect over time I'll get rid of some of the superfluity again, and meanwhile I can actually dial a number. It's ironic that my phone could do all these other things but not actually straightforward dialling someone who isn't in my contacts.

I've managed to go all day with my hair up. It's a bit heavy but that's because I'm not used to it. At least it stayed in place and if I do it more often it won't break at collar level so badly.

Some housework happened and the weather was nice so I hung some coats out for fresh air. Two are mine and two were Mum's that I've held on to, but I think one of mine probably won't get worn again so may be donated. They get a bit musty if not aired from time to time and that risks other items in that wardrobe going the same way. All done for now - I'm not sure how often they'll get their airing in the next few months!

I mended a vase that was a gift from my Dad and which had fallen into three pieces. I haven't done a great job, despite careful preparation, but it looks okay from a distance.

For once I was organised and collected up the spice jars that needed to be refilled, so I had a walk into town to do this. There wasn't anything I wanted on the market (I looked out for the little tins of tonic water that I've had from the discount stall before but alas, no), but I did bump into an old friend and had quite a long chat. She's older than I am and was telling me that most of her close friends have died in the past eighteen months. So sad. I was glad I'd stopped to talk.

Dinner tonight was chickpea tikka, and there are five more portions in the fridge and freezer when they're wanted.

The evening was a business meeting at the church and lots of interesting things are happening so I enjoyed it (yes, at a business meeting!) I can see one or two things I could get involved with so long as I don't talk myself out of them.

Expenditure:
From yesterday - gloves for DGD (gift) £2.25

Today: Housekeeping £4.62

WelshmansDaughter

We have a local health food shop that I generally use as they have a wall of tea 🤣🤣🤣 Including the verbena tea I like as well as St John's wort tea. They also are good at recommending things. You'll probably find dr bronners in the chain health food places

Cherryfudge

Thanks, @WelshmansDaughter, I think my sister in law recommended verbena as well. I used find St John's Wort really helped but eventually I was getting dizzy spells with it so I gave up.

Cherryfudge

I'm exhausted. I decided to help with the cleaning today as tomorrow is forecast to be wet and windy - four hours it took me! That was my choice really, but the couple of extra tasks I found to do can't have taken a couple of hours, even though I popped out for some lunch. I say they can't... can they? I stopped for a few conversations, yes, but not very long ones. Yet somehow... four hours? It's a great workout. If I went three times a week I'd look like a gym bunny!  

The people who are there on a Thursday are, I found out, not the same as on a Friday, though some of the same faces turn up. I've finally met the admin lady, after several years! Oddly, our paths hadn't crossed before. One of the other conversations was with the person who's going to take the lead at the debt advice centre. I told her I'd done the course alongside the person who'd now retiring - so I think I'm out of date. Amazingly, when she was leaving, she encouraged me to try again if I felt like it (I never started because I got another job). I'm finding there are so many opportunities for things I'd find really interesting. The difficulty is they are all voluntary.

Along the employment lines, I had another email asking me to confirm if I'm going to the redeployment meeting on Tuesday. I thought I had, but when I reread, it wasn't clear so I've confirmed I'm going and spent the rest of the evening composing resignations, which isn't very cheerful. I know I'm too tired to see things clearly.

I'd intended to go to the food bank and see if they need some help, but I had no energy to spare and tomorrow is likely to be too stormy to go out. I did make the most of the mild weather and called in for some shopping on the way home, ending up with a Christmas present (unplanned but practical) for DH, so that's on the credit card for now.

Expenditure:
Gift £41
Housekeeping £16.25 - of which 76p was lunch.

MS
Salmon for tea - £1 off. Made potato wedges rather than buying them. £5 off one part of DH's present, but then I chose him a top that was £4 more expensive than the basic tee shirt. I think I did okay with the other foodstuffs and got extra cereal because there's going to be a storm and that makes me feel I need to stock up.  

Cherryfudge

I was just thinking of all the people I've talked to today. I was surprised when I introduced myself to the admin lady and she immediately put the right surname to my face. Someone else has the same first name. Then afterwards I heard her say to someone that she'd finally met me - which felt like a bit of a compliment but actually shows how odd it's been that we've not met before.

There were other conversations in church and via text, then near home a neighbour came up to me to pass on the goss! A house near us has been abandoned, lights still on, rubbish in the drive, bits of furniture visible. It's a shame as to used to be immaculate and this neighbour is worried that the street will get a bad name. There's a court case been going on, apparently. I feel sorry for the landlord who isn't yet allowed to repossess.

The other person I met on the way home was my friend from work, who told me that someone is going back to work there who used to be part of the friendship group we had years ago. I was really surprised as they'd said 'never again' - but I have such good memories of lots of laughter and genuine enjoyment when this person was around, and that goes for the people we were supporting, as well as the staff.

WelshmansDaughter

Speaking as a former cleaner- I used to go home knackered and ready for a nap after my cleaning job. Realised it was the noise of the hoover <facepalm>

Cherryfudge

WelshmansDaughter said:

Speaking as a former cleaner- I used to go home knackered and ready for a nap after my cleaning job. Realised it was the noise of the hoover <facepalm>

I'd better not suggest running a hoover overnight to help you sleep. My arms and back are telling me about hoovering today.