What small DFW things will you do this week? W/c 3rd April

La_escocesa

Morning gang :wave:
DNMS - You are a lottie wonder woman! :T
CLF - Glad you are starting to feel a bit better.
CCL - What a horrible situ - hopefully your Easter hols will soon be coming your way...
Ziggy - You get through such a lot every day even when you have a little 'siesta'.

Finally made it to my 'weekend'. Got today and tomorrow off to sort out the house in prep for the new kitchen arriving tomorrow and the inlaws who are helping us fit it

It's my birthday today so a bit of a weird one. People keep asking me if I'm doing something nice for my bday (going out for dinner? Got something planned for your day off?? Jetting off on holiday with 2 days off work?). I'm the saddo that's v excited about clearing out, a trip or two to the skip and having a 'use up' tea so there's less in the cupboard I need to clear out :rotfl: Sounds like the perfect day to me. :rotfl:

Had a lovely chat with my sis yesterday and we're going out for dinner when we're on holiday with the fam next week so I'll save my celebrating for then.

Ladies...I have a handbag addiction! :eek: I went to Tkmaxx yesterday and saw a gorgeous bag that I LOVE! I can't stop thinking about it and I'm so tempted to go back just to look at it again... Thing is, I've bought 3 AMAZING bags already this year so this would be 4 in 4 months :rotfl: That's ridiculous! May think on...

Right, I need to go and take OH to work so I have the car.

Happy Thursday!

Baileys_Babe

Morning all

I wroteh a long update last night and just as I was going to post it my phone ran out of charge :mad:

Today is shining bright which usually gives me energy to get on with things.

Today's plan:
NSD
Open curtains and blinds fully to make the most of the natural light
Close curtains and blinds before it gets dark to retain the warmth
Stick to meal plan
B/L/D from stores
FPL, Ashleigh etc
Survey - try and find time for at least one
Check bank accounts
Update OH with where things are
Chase OH regarding car loan questions
Turn off lights and appliances not in use
Dry washing on the wirlygig
Educate children for free
Entertain us for free
Set DW to run overnight
Set WM to run overnight

Tidy house = tidy mind
Clear dinning table
Clear kitchen table
Clear worktop
Delete 100 emails
Unsubscribe from any suitable mailing lists
Tidy living room

PurpleFairy26

Morning all :hello: happy birthday la e - sounds like a truly perfect birthday to me Enjoy!

Shocking nights sleep here, which must have been why I switched my alarm off rather than snoozed it meaning when I woke up I only had 45 minutes to get across town to get my pre-booked train to the big smoke :eek: cue lots of rushing about and leaving home without breakfast or a cuppa :eek::eek: I got free drinks on the train but bought a yogurt (and pain au raisin) from the station shop. I'll get lunch provided so I can't complain too much.

I had prepped tea for the SC so chucked that in before I left. I'm now worrying though as I chucked in some tomato soup (its a bean stew type thing) but as I was both half asleep and in a rush i didn't realise until it was in that it was probably a bit older than I thought - I do hope it'll be ok!

Other things:
Check banking, surveys, FPL
DH going to look at a car :eek:
loads of left over stuff in SC, including manky soup, half an onion, random leek and a small chunk of chorizo, frozen canellini beans
free lunch at work and free drinks and biscuits on the train (have already stashed one packet in my bag )
walk out tonight with friend for free exercise
Charge laptop on train tonight on way home

Think that's about all, enjoy your day.

FatVonD

La E, I am of the age now where I have no qualms about doing what *I* want to do on my birthday rather than what everyone else expects me to (like buying the bag, ahem.)

DNMS, could you throw an old rug over their mares tail (just in case the weed killer seeps) to suppress it?

I've put a hideous carpet runner on my path that isn't any more to suppress the grass growing through and I plan to cut up an old rug tot extend it a little then I had some of that black membrane given me which I will use for the last bit. When I have more money I'd like to buy somerailway sleepers to edge it with and cover the carpeted bits with gravel.

I managed to avoid buying the takeaway that DS was hankering after last night by buying a couple of YS duck wraps, a YS Victoria sponge and some on offer posh crisps (they had pie and mash for lunch so didn't need a big dinner.) I managed to get a pack of YS strawberries but gave them to another lady with less sharp elbows(!) who was only waiting for fruit and missed out.

Today I will conquer the washing mountain, I bought some Det tol washing stuff from the pound shop specifically for 30 degree washes but I'm not sure if it's supposed to be as well as laundry detergent or if it *is* laundry detergent. I'm using it on its own and it seems to be doing the trick, nothing's massively dirty anyway, it just needs freshening up which the fabric softener does anyway.

I'm going to make omelettes for lunch, mushroom for me and cheese for the teens. I'm not sure about dinner, DSGF is working so will get fed there, DS may get his takeaway wish tonight as we can share one between the two of us and then I'm taking him down to a local pub which is looking for bar/waiting staff.

I need to send the college part of his apprenticeship application again as they still haven't receive the last one I posted.

Oh well, I guess I'd better get on with it! Enjoy the sunshine everyone!

Mrs LWW SFC = Southern Fried Chicken

uphillstruggler

Morning, everyone, and happy birthday, La E

We move flats next week so all slightly chaotic here sorting the move. Excited though. Had forgotten how expensive moving is... So to counteract the cost I have started waging war on the huge vat of risotto rice in the cupboard, and I think last night's offering was a success with OH. Phew.

Today I have/will:
*Fill out tax rebate form
*[STRIKE]Leftover risotto for me for lunch and OH has taken lunch into work with him[/STRIKE] done. Yummy
*Free coffee in town (I'm not sure if these are actually free anymore but require a purchase. Anyway, if we need anything that we can't get hold of from another supermarket I will nip in there for a coffee. Certainly beats my ridiculously expensive coffeehouse addiction of days gone by...might as well have poured my money straight down the drain...:mad:)
*check accounts
*transfer funds between accounts
*update work expenses
*[STRIKE]work, work, work![/STRIKE] doing - been quite productive
*[STRIKE]repost sofas and wardrobe as trying to get these sold before the move (fitted wardrobes in new place)[/STRIKE] done
*sort out brakes on old bike. Really! Must! Do! This!
*filing and recycling

Have a super day, all.
US

Happy_Kitties

Happy birthday La Ehave a lovely day. I don't really do birthdays and my daughter when turning 18 wanted a very quiet birthday. All of her friends had parties but DD suffers from fatigue so it all she wanted to do was cinema and then take away. It was a lovely day and more to the point DD was happy

CCL hang in there, nearly at the end of term, and then hopefully things will get better and u can have some 'me ' time aswell

Was really flat yesterday. No news on kitty, the only positive is that where we live there is a cat with a broken leg. Everyone thought it was my cat but it wasn't but hopefully it highlighted the plight of the other cat has been caught for treatment.
I live in a semi rural area. Cross a busy road at the top of my road and then there are fields. The house she was hiding out at, there is building work going on there but right beside it is a church with a big overgrown cemetary. My daughter and friend are going to take a look later on, and I'm going to go aswell, and just do the suggestion by FVD and sit quietly calling her name. Also did this at 6am on the front door step, in my pj's, nightie and coat. Must have looked a right muppet. Couldn't believe how loud the birdsong was.
Feeling more productive today.
Cat stuff sorted first thing
RM survey items completed, prescription handed in.
Washing up to date
Want to hoover in abit after I flicked a duster around and hopefully get the kitchen floor washed.
Hoping to snag a NSD today. A couple of items we do need can wait until tomorrow.
Have good day everyone x

MrsLWW

Afternoon all!

Well yesterday was a busy one, BFF's DH came over to get some help with his CV, applying for a job in the Ambulance Service so gave him a hand beefing up his CV and selling himself - fingers crossed tightly for him. If there were ever a harder working couple, I don't know them. Really deserves some job security.

BFF also looking to apply for a new job, she is a fully qualified dental nurse, jumped through hoops for years working with the NHS to get her training and qualifications but as she is in the private sector, barely gets paid above minimum wage - shocking. So fingers crossed she gets this new post.

Finally got the paperwork for our new Nation Wide Account so went ahead and rejigged my standing orders:

Santander123 - £750/month - all bills (gives us a healthy cushion of about £300 a . month - but currently sending £275 of that a month to the CC)
Royal Bank Scotland - £100/month - fritter/personal spend money
Clydesdale Bank - £60/month - all christmas, birthdays, annual events eg mother's day
Barclays - £115/month - all grocery shopping
Virgin Money - £85/month - fuel for both cars
Nation Wide - £40/month - socialising

Went to wetherspoons yesterday armed with some lovely vouchers which came through in the post, BFF & her DH also had some, so got some lovely discounted food from there for dinner - also splashed out on 3 pitcher cocktails between BFF and I at a lovely £4.99 a jug - purple rain is yummy!! Also eyed up what was going into it at the bar and was chuffed to discover I have all the ingredients at home.

Car still in - passed MOT but with a few advisories, £120 to fix them so just asked the garage to go ahead. Hoping to get another 2 years out of the wee banger then hopefully by then we will be debt free and in a position to save up for something new(ish) and buy it outright.

Doggie just back from the salon after getting a wash and a haircut - looking and smelling lovely and no longer sliding on the wooden floor as her paws have all been trimmed :dance:

Unfortunately an expensive week here, but needs to be done.

DH eyeing up a golf membership - has a very healthy reduction in price through the police benefits thingy, so will sit with him tonight and see if we have some wiggle room for it. It's still £250 but I like him to get out and about with his friends, his ex-wife was a bit of a monster and aside from cutting him off from his family (don't worry - we reversed that), never allowed him to socialise - so I make an extra effort to ensure he has lots of friends and gets out of the house - plus gives me my alone time, which I like :money: :rotfl:

As we went out it's freezer food tonight - sausage rolls anyone?

HK fingers crossed so so much that tonight is the night kittie sleeps back home with yous.

Envious and put to shame by all of your cleaning and greenfingered efforts - my kitchen looks like a bomb site but I haven't stopped all morning and am determined to sit down for an hour and do nothing.

Hope you're all having a good one.

L Xx

FatVonD

I'm half way through the washing mountain and just waiting 10 minutes to put the next load in before going to post DSs duplicate day release college application.

Omelettes all cooked and made a nice change.

I've given the front garden a good soaking, I plan to dig over some of the beds tomorrow and it was very dry. I've left the front garden for a year since moving in to find out what's what and one shrub is definitely coming out, it isn't particularly attractive, doesn't flower and is covering up a lovely yellow rose and a small rhododendron. I will move the rhododendron a little bit too to give it more space.

I noticed that next door have replaced a rickety fence panel, I may reposition a rickety trellis panel against the fence (it currently sticks out at a 45 degree angle like a bit of a divider?) so I can tie in the yellow rose and also a clematis that currently only flowers at the top.

I need to decide what to plant centre stage out front (any suggestions/opinions welcome!) The garden is sort of square shaped with raised beds all round. The centre is paved but there is a round bed in the middle. When we first moved here it had a small weeping willow which we took out because I hated it. I want to replace it with something with a cottage garden feel. The rest of the garden is very densely planted with mature shrubs and trees (with lovely rambling roses growing through!) so it does,not get a huge amount of light but this bed it probably in the sunniest place on account of being in the middle. My options are:

Pink peonie currently in a big pot in the back garden that clashes with the White/lime colour scheme.
Ditto mahonia but might be too big already.
Beautifully scented pink bush rose that I already have but it doesn't grow massive so may have to buy a couple more to go with it.
White hydrangeas that are in pots in the back garden (this would allow me to move two smaller hydrangeas into the vacated pots thus freeing up the planter they are in which is where I'd like to put a couple of courgette plants, assuming I can stop the cat using it as a litter tray!)
Move the small rhododendron to the middle but not very country garden?

OR

I saw a beautiful mimosa at the GC but this would require a spend
I would love another lilac bush/tree, again another spend.

foxgloves

Afternoon Campers,
A day of bitting & bobbing, but haven't spent any money & have done a few routine money saving things:
*Made dough for bread rolls by hand. They're just on their 2nd proving.
*Tackled mammoth ironing pile.....was motivated by the discovery that an hour of non-stop ironing for someone of my height & weight burns over 200 calories. Only ironed what really needed it & switched off for final garment to use just free residual heat. This must surely add up to a couple of quid over a year, so worth doing in combination with all my other little energy savings.
*Posted Easter cards - had stamps already & enjoyed the brisk walk down to the post box.
*Checked & watered baby veggie plants.
*Planted out the sage cuttings I took last autumn. They'd all rooted beautifully. 5 biggest ones have gone in my herb bed & the rest in a big pot for extra supplies to dry for winter.
*Sowed coriander & courgettes.
*Did a few surveys - Strange seeing Onepoll back to just £1 after cashing in last week. Ipsos will be next, just need another 200 or so points.
*Wrote list of books I'd like to read ready for the library.
*Made tomorrow's packed lunch (then pushed the hummous right to the back of the fridge so mr f doesn't notice it will be 1 day out of date by the time he eats it in his sandwich tomorrow!)
*Used last ancient tea bag from drinks cupboard. Finally, I can open a box of something new!
*Paid 2 more 50ps into my sealed pot.
*Started thinking about next week's meal plans. Nobbled mr f about this 1st thing - he wants to do roast chicken on Sunday, so I'll base 3 days minimum around that.
*Inspected fridge for anything forgotten about - 1 yellow pepper sitting there like a billy no-mates. Now sliced & frozen for fajhitas next week.
*Knitted more of b-in-l's birthday socks. great yarn...self-patterning blues with a bit of red - he'll love 'em.
Right, time to go & chop a bit of veg for tonight......it's a light eating day (Rosemary Conley 3,2,1) so will be weighing everything & calculating the calorie content. Little bit of a hassle sometimes, but the diet does work (don't they all if we stick to them??!) so worth doing.
Oh.....FVD - If you don't have a huge amount of space in your garden, how about a dwarf lilac? I have one on my courtyard in a big container. It's easy to look after & looks & smells lovely in late spring. If you want something bigger, there's a pretty & unusual buddleja which has bright orange little globe-shaped flowers. I was hoping to snaffle a cutting of this from my neighbour but unfortunately he dug it up & chucked it before I could get at it with my trusty secateurs. Or.....for something which flowers in winter (& smells nice), you could try a Daphne or a Mahonia?
Right.....veg-chopping here I come!
Cheers all,
F x

PurpleFairy26

So far I've managed to get:

3 packets of biscuits
1 (small but none the less free) packet of pretzels
1 full size packet of crisps
2 OJ
3 cups of tea
1 slice of fruit cake

From my various visits to '1st class lounge' and on board catering. Drinks and slice of cake not coming home , but rest is
Also moved my £4 interest to savings and updated my sheet
Checked my other bank account
Check fleabay items