Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

I've spent some of the morning so far trying to find out more about holiday entitlement - oh boy, some people on these forums have really been wronged! I recognise that mine is generally a good employer and jumps to tick the boxes, but to my mind there are still issues. And policies come about as a result of circumstances, and naturally not all circumstances spring to mind when policies are written...

Also my head is still muzzy, so I've been googling what causes that!

There are a few things to do today, none desperately urgent so I need to find a way forward. The washing machine is on and washing will go on the line soon as it's not all that cold outside (though the heating switched itself on this morning as it was 16 degrees indoors).

I want to put in an hour or so of training for the new job. That was on the list for yesterday and the day before, too, but it's jut not possible when DH is in the house. It's not that he himself is a problem, but he is an on-the-go type of person which I'm not, and all that activity isn't compatible with work. I don't even like music on when I'm trying to focus.

I could see if I can make any progress with the leave situation...

I've offered to host for a church group tonight so a bit of a tidy up is called for. I don't have to think about leading or anything else though it makes sense if I do teas and coffees.

Other than that, personal finances... fill in the spreadsheet and see if I can draw any conclusions, reduce one of my donations and give some more thought to the other one. DH was considering taking on some of that one in which case the numbers will be affected but not the fact of donating.

Floss

Does this help?

https://www.gov.uk/taking-sick-leave

"Statutory holiday entitlement is built up (accrued) while an employee is off work sick (no matter how long they’re off).

Any statutory holiday entitlement that is not used because of illness can be carried over into the next leave year"

Cherryfudge

This is what I've quoted to them @Floss, and they sent back heir policy which says differently. I wonder if it will come to a showdown between policies?!

Perhaps I should clear my diary for all imminent dawns (thankfully that's not too early at the moment) and nominate a second?  

Cherryfudge

A bit of progress made: I've halved one donation and made a note of a phone number for the other. While on the bank's website, I noticed I can get cashback - how did I not notice that before?! So I've registered for some likely-looking ones. This may be too late in terms of income going into that account but at least the possibility is now open.

It's so nice and mild (12 degrees) that there are two loads of laundry on the line and I spent a few minutes tidying in the garden, including dragging a couple of branches onto our grass from where were dropped them weeks ago when trimming a tree. (We never got the chain saw, just as we never replaced the carpet cleaner and whatever else it was that we were being tempted to!)

The cauliflower is blanched and frozen so I hope the kitchen doesn't smell too cabbage-y. I finished off some strong cheese in the sauce which makes a little bit more storage space available.

Well, it's mid-afternoon so it's getting darker and I'd better get moving for a few grocery purchases I need.

Cherryfudge

Dinner tonight was liver and bacon with baked potatoes from the freezer, tinned tomatoes , caramelised onions and a red wine stock cube. The only bit of that I had to buy today was the tomatoes. I did, however, stock up on tinned fruit as DH gets through so much. It's cheapest in Asd@, as are tinned chickpeas. While I was there I noticed the coffee sachets have sprouted three new pudding-y flavours and I was very tempted, but made myself complete the shopping before I looked at them again. At that point I decided they looked a bit sickly, and I tend to prefer my coffee unflavoured, so I've saved a bit of cash. I might succumb in the future but I escaped today and don't regret it.

I had just time to fit in some 'silly gift' shopping, mostly for DS2's junk drawer starter kit. Their house completion is supposed to be in a couple of days but we've not heard if it's still on track.

I bought milk, coffee and biscuits for the people coming from church tonight but we were low on numbers so I can see myself eating too much sugary stuff over the next few days. We did have an interesting evening, though, and with it being a smaller group, everyone seemed happy to talk. As people were leaving, we commented it was mild outside and a group member whose job it is to know these things commented that frost tonight is 10,000 feet up, which is very unusual for November. Isn't it fascinating how people see the world differently depending on their individual place in it?

Expenditure:
Gifts £5.64
Housekeeping £12.83

in_need_of_direction

I love liver but cannot bring myself to cook it

Cherryfudge

in_need_of_direction said:

I love liver but cannot bring myself to cook it

I can understand that! Most of the time I'd happily be vegetarian. 

Cherryfudge

Another mild day, windows left open once I realised it felt warm out of doors (I'd been huddled over the computer so I felt colder than was warranted). As I really, really intended to do some online training for work, I found myself cleaning a shelf in the pantry. No huge discoveries apart from a packet and a half of marzipan. As we no longer ice the Christmas cake, I think I might combine this with some dried fruit to make stollen at some point before Christmas. 

A quick bit of sorting out uncovered a box where I'd put spare stocking fillers about five years ago! There was a book to donate, and some scented candles and baubles that could easily go in this year's stockings: a bit less buying and a bit more space!

I went out in the garden looking for foliage to donate for flower arranging this evening, and found ivy and euonymus, along with evergreen off the big trees at the back. Then I went down the lane at the back where I found a different ivy and a big bush of cornus that I'd never noticed before. 

Having had my bit of fresh air, I spent the afternoon wading through training for the relief job, followed by two hours with the class. When it finished, the weather had turned bitterly cold. Walking home, I remembered what it used to be like years ago when my shoe soles were thin and let the cold through, and I'm sure my coat was never as warm as the quilted one I have now. I know it was cold and windy but I was nicely insulated. I may not be earning a lot but I'm much better off now.

So nothing spent and something earned. However, the preview of my payslip is through and the pay for annual leave hasn't been included - not even the undisputed part - so I will have to keep an eye on that account till it does. Thankfully the money that I transferred back in (having accidentally sent it to savings) has not been touched, though it's getting quite close! That will pay for the credit card at the end of this month.

Cherryfudge

I am astounded that having slept in (woke at 9.45), I spent the rest of the morning writing essays on here!

It's lovely and sunny out, and not as cold as I expected, so I need to get out there and get some fresh air before anything else. One gain so far is finally finishing off the Greek semolina cake which has been breakfast and snacks for far too long. Nice, but I suppose I'd better not make it again.

Cherryfudge

I never made it to the great outdoors, but I did enjoy the sunshine. What on earth have I achieved today? I'm not sure where a lot of it went, though I had a first go at 'proper' flower arranging using the rest of what I'd donated to the class. I made it a rule just to use what was in the house so I have an all-foliage arrangement in a rose bowl propped up with glass beads. The depth isn't enough to hold the stems securely so some have slipped sideways but if you don't know anything about flower arranging and view from a distance in a dim light, it's not bad for a beginner. It was very MS.

Dinner was a vegan curry using a new recipe which turned out well. As usual, there's more than enough so we'll probably finish it on Sunday. I used up all the cumin, a piece of ginger and a rather ancient tin of coconut milk, which frees almost no space but is Stuff Used Up, regardless.

This evening DH did some research for me and I've ordered a new laptop. This was planned as the old one has been declining for three years and can't last forever, besides which, if I can get a place on the digital skills course in January (must check if booking is now open), I will need something that runs Microsoft 365. I could try to install it on this one, but it's so slow and the keyboard is so unreliable, it might either grind to a halt or discourage me with the things I have to double check all the time.

I've put it on the credit card as it's a larger purchase and I get points, but also to shift costs. I will take the money out of what Mum left me, so no impact on regular income. I think Mum would be baffled at me doing digital skills when she could do all her work in longhand, but that's how the world is nowadays. It might make her smile up in heaven to know I still plan to learn to proofread - she was very good at it.

It's also DS2's birthday today: we managed a video call which is good communication where he's concerned. One of the solicitors in their house-buying chain has apparently said they haven't got time to deal with something till December, so the new sale date may be 11th thereof. Why on earth take on the work if they haven't got the capacity to deal with it?

I've also emailed the Employment Support person from the NHS to ask whether company contract takes precedence over ACAS. I think she's quite busy and ready to discharge me from her list which is fine but I want to get as much information as I can before we go our separate ways.

Expenditure:
Electronics £438.99