A whole new world, for now

in_need_of_direction

Well, my overseas visitors and dd have been and gone. They are the loveliest and no trouble but it’s still weird having others in your home.  Yesterday I drove them to their next destination which, thanks to the intermittent downpours, took 5 hours there and back instead of just over 4. DD literally just had enough time to throw stuff into a bag, snaffle the jambon dh had heated for her and get to the airport with 7 mins pre gate closure.  Still, she texted at just after 11 to say she was safely home.  

On their first day, I woke ridiculously early to hear water in my bedroom.  First thought was that the roof had a leak. Turned out the water was coming in through the bricks due to a problem with the gutters. Book shelves had to be emptied and pulled out and soak up cloths used. On Saturday our intermittent window cleaner showed up as he had a friend moving overseas who was looking to dispose of garden furniture that he thought might be of interest to us.  He has previously cleared our gutters.  In the end, we got the garden furniture and yesterday he came back when it was dry and did the repair and only charged £20 for it.  However I have decided that we are moving to sleep to ds’s room, once I get caught up with laundry.  I want everything out of my room, a deep clean and a proper professional paint job with a full declutter before things go back.  The motivation is two fold. One, it has started and two, we found out on Sunday about the death of one of DH’s family members.  She was younger than both of us.  Yes we both want to be mortgage free but frankly, life is short and we also need to live. 

While refusing to attend on site because my visitors were going in and out of my mum’s, I had staffing crises over the weekend. One confirmed case with 3 others having had contact on one site while the young daughter of a staff member on the other site also tested positive so isolation is also needed there.  One person due to cover today had a mild electrocution yesterday so that’s another gap. Looks like lots of cover from me coming up.

Last week I managed to hit mortgage neutral for a day or two.  Then my workman turned up and priced essential outside work. It was about £3k more than I’d expected but fully justified. Looks like mortgage neutral will have to wait.  Right, I need to crack on as there’s so much to be done.

today I am grateful for
DH’s support during the visit both in terms of entertaining and helping with my work
a cheap repair with what could have been a major problem if neglected 
time with nice family members

jwil

Glad the visit went well, and that the repair was nice and low cost.

Congrats on being mortgage neutral even if it was only temporary.  It shows how close you are.

milann

I’m pleased that you had  a lovely time with the relatives.
The bedroom plan sounds great and I agree it’s good to be debt/mortgage free but life is short and we have to get the balance right and melas the most of every moment.

Cherryfudge

I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your DH's relative. As you say, it's too easy to put life on hold while we do 'important' stuff. Hopefully the revamp of your room will be something you'll both enjoy.

 How nice to have time with your visitors - though I agree, it's odd having people in your home nowadays.

Wow! to the leaky bricks! One of our gutters is the wrong distance from the roof so heavy downpours cascade down the house and we are trying to get someone to repair it... however it only comes in upstairs if we leave the window open. Downstairs is another matter and a bay window roof that was remade a couple of years ago is heading towards another remake, though DH's repairs on the bay roof withstand all but the heaviest weather. I hope your books weren't ruined... good that you got to them in time to pull them out of the way.

That's a lot of cases at work. We had a bunch of them the other week and people are still tired from doing the extra cover (possibly apart from those who had to isolate but weren't ill and are now looking more rested!) Did you get any sense out of you trustees? Last I heard I think they had some slow-rolling 'I suppose we need to recruit' programme which didn't bear much relation to actual staffing or a realistic timescale.

satchmo1

INOD, I gave my boss notice in early March that I would retire at the end of May. He told HR. HR put the recruitment request to the Finance & Risk Committee and we heard.... nothing, until part-way through my bosses 6-week sabbatical in July of approval to recruit. The job ad was posted on 1st August, deadline today. Thankfully, I've been voluntarily checking emails and writing the weekly newsletter, so was able to publicise the ad locally. The local ad garnered at least two decent candidates.

in_need_of_direction

Hey satchmo, long time no hear. Hope all is good with you.  The difficulty with using your process is that I am all those departments. I have advised the trustees that I cannot be involved and consequently nothing gets done.  Our chair who does not enjoy good health is currently unwell to the extent he was hoping for covid rather than a very quick non reversible progression of an underlying respiratory condition. Turns out it’s neither but a bad infection now being treated.  I know I should keep the pressure on but don’t like to.  We have had 2 staff on one site test positive which means juggling shifts again but people are generally pitching in.

the bedroom is progressing at a snail’s pace but it is progressing. Dh offered to book time off work to decorate. I declined as I don’t want us reaching that point and throwing things into boxes. We have other rooms available that we can sleep in so I want it done properly. That will mean me sorting through a lot of books but it has to happen. Yesterday we worked through the contents of a chest of drawers which is now in the middle of DD’s room. I also got a small set of drawers completed but given that they house my socks and underwear, they will go to wherever I sleep.

on other news, the outside work has completed. It was £300 over estimate but I trust this builder implicitly and it was a good job.  He had a look at an area of concern in one room and has confirmed that it’s damp but believes will be relatively easy to deal with but will require a new wooden window sill as this is the pay that has the original wood albeit surrounding pvc windows. 

Yesterday we identified another split in the guttering at the back of the house.  Hopefully our handyman / window cleaner will be able to tackle that for a reasonable fee.  I hate spending money where there’s no obvious improvement. I know there’s a long term saving but it bothers me.

today I had my weekly weigh in on mr wii.  I’m up slightly over a pound.  I am not happy, she says while munching on a white bread bacon and mushroom sarnie.  I have however updated my signature to create some kind of accountability. I think I need to update my offset account but will leave that until next month when I will get the pass book updated.  I think by then it’ll put me into another thousand.  Money wise, there’s little else to report though I will be cashing in for a £25 gift card when the next swago starts tomorrow as I also have a 75 swag up available.  I am also edging closer to my £20 self imposed cash out from pa. I could probably have achieved this sooner if I hadn’t rediscovered jilly Cooper whose books I am working my way through.

right, need a second cuppa and to get going.  Today I am grateful for
progress
contact from a friend
family and friends staying covid free despite our leading the uk league table.

Seasidegal58

Sorry to read of the problems you have been experiencing in work. ☹️  However all the household jobs appear to be zooming along which must be satisfying. 👍
I'm too much of a wuss to put my weight into my signature - I might just start putting any losses/gains there though - says She the Coward!🤭

in_need_of_direction

SSG, I couldn’t admit my weight to anyone in real life which is true of most things I post on here. 

A bit more progress yesterday but not a lot. The two things tackled were a box of gifting items plus a box of too small clothes. The too small clothes is down to 2 items now folded in a wardrobe while some items have been matched to recipients from the gift box. The empty too small box has been repurposed and put on landing to gather up items in need of repair. So far, there’s just one necklace but I know there are other items around the house.  When I get to my jewellery box, there will be a few watches to be added and my handbags will probably fill it. 

I also finally remembered to pay my business insurance which, added to my Irish tax clearance cert covers me for working the next year.  I have 2 more bills to get paid between now and Christmas and that’s all the regular business expenses until next April. 

Today I have my second trip to the physio. I’m a bit nervous as last time she gave me exercises to be done ten times four times a day.  I’ve been doing the ten times but just twice a day as, for the most part, they require me to lie flat which isn’t an option when on site.  

Right, really need to get going. Today I am grateful for 
stumbling across a sugar reduction thread on here to which I have subscribed 
items leaving the house
a relatively peaceful day

jwil

Hope physio went well

beanielou

Physio always overstate what they want you to do!