Tales from The Shire

Cheery_Daff

So sorry to hear about your yoga fiasco Fortune Have you told the teacher why you've left? No obligation of course, but it might give them pause for thought. What a lovely way you've spent the money though - slippers! How fabulous to be celebrating coziness, that sounds like the very thing xx

Moneyfordreams

ooo sheepskin slippers , I want some  
Shame about your yoga.. I was going to ask how did the instructor respond ? Its all very well feeling a bit complacent yourself, but it is the people around you that matter. It should trouble her that she has lost your business.    

greent

I don't understand some people, fs- I think I'd've done the same as you in yoga but perhaps with more muttering to the people concerned! I'm sticking to u-toob zumba for now - the zumba ladies are a lovely lot and very friendly - sometimes too friendly! It's just not worth it (plus I cant commit to every week, which is what the teacher really needs with reduced numbers right now, whereas payg works more for me as any hours I work can be unpredictable.

Cosy slippers sound just the thing - I've been wearing slippers the past few days - having comfortable feet makes a huge difference to how the rest of me feels  

Fortune_Smiles

Cheery_Daff said:

So sorry to hear about your yoga fiasco Fortune Have you told the teacher why you've left? No obligation of course, but it might give them pause for thought. What a lovely way you've spent the money though - slippers! How fabulous to be celebrating coziness, that sounds like the very thing xx

Thank you @Cheery_Daff.  I did have a long chat with her that day and made some suggestions as to how to encourage social distancing - asking people to go straight up to the studio when they arrive rather than congregating in reception, one in-one out in the reception area, etc.  She can't control what people do outside of the class of course.

I am looking forward to new slippers - mainly because I can only do a slow shuffle now in my old ones... oooh, I do hope it's the sliippers and not just me 😮😆

Moneyfordreams said:

ooo sheepskin slippers , I want some  
Shame about your yoga.. I was going to ask how did the instructor respond ? Its all very well feeling a bit complacent yourself, but it is the people around you that matter. It should trouble her that she has lost your business.    

I know @Moneyfordreams - what luxury!  Can't wait for them to arrive.

The yoga teacher is lovely and was very sympathetic.  However, she does 'invite' people to follow 'guidelines' rather than 'insist' they obey 'rules' which is fine most of the time but with a pandemic going on I think she should be more assertive.  I would hate for the centre to close - it's one of the things I've realised I most value during these difficult days.

greent said:

I don't understand some people, fs- I think I'd've done the same as you in yoga but perhaps with more muttering to the people concerned! I'm sticking to u-toob zumba for now - the zumba ladies are a lovely lot and very friendly - sometimes too friendly! It's just not worth it (plus I cant commit to every week, which is what the teacher really needs with reduced numbers right now, whereas payg works more for me as any hours I work can be unpredictable.

Cosy slippers sound just the thing - I've been wearing slippers the past few days - having comfortable feet makes a huge difference to how the rest of me feels  

Over-friendly Zumba ladies 😮  There's a thought 😂😂😂

Yes, comfortable feet make all the difference don't they.  And I refuse to be uncomfortable or cold if I'm already a bit miserable.  (The heating has been on in the Fortunate homestead for days 🙄)

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Gloomy

It's a gloomy day here in the Shire but I quite liked hearing the rain on the roof whilst I was doing home yoga this morning.  I managed two sessions last week.  It would have been three but Mr F and I had flu jabs on Wednesday and I had a bit of a reaction to mine.  I usually feel a bit under the weather for a couple of days after but this time it knocked me out for the week 😲  So, not much has been achieved as a result.

I did manage to forage a few blackberries and Mr F got up a ladder to reach the last of the cooking apples.  We still have home grown produce to use up but I think I'll need to start getting a regular veg box again from next week.  I'm anxious to get meals back on track as Mr F was away at an outdoor event this weekend and, as I didn't feel up to cooking, I ate a lot of junk.  It makes such a difference to how I feel these days if I don't eat healthily.

The slippers arrived and were... disappointing 🙁  They'll be going back.  They have been designed badly with a very narrow rubber bottom which doesn't extend the full width of the sole.  This makes them very uncomfortable (it's like walking on a thin block of wood) and dangerous as your feet slip off to the side.  Not what I'd expect from J0hn L£wi$ at all.  I've left a public review with a photo so no one else has to suffer disappointing slippers.  In slipper good news - I've ordered a different style from a different shop which is due to arrive tomorrow.

Footwear seems to be a theme at the moment.  The rubber clogs I keep by the back door have split across the toe and are letting water in 😲   They have lasted for over 15 years though so I can't complain.  I couldn't get the same style so have invested in some lovely printed Nati0naL Tru$t ones - in the sale and through a cash back site.  Still pricey but I don't mind as they are lovely (well as lovely as rubber clogs can be) and should last for many years.

Our toaster is on the blink.  It never was very good but has now started burning the toast whatever setting you put it on.  I'll make it the next goal for the Tittervating Pot.

So not much money saving this week.  Unless you count the fun money which is not being spent as we're shielding as far as possible and the weather's too gloomy to go anywhere anyway 😆

We have quiz night with the family tonight though which should be very jolly.

Hope you're all keeping warm and dry ☔

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Slipper Success!

The second slipper order arrived yesterday and they fit and I can walk in them 😁  I'm hoping the clogs will be a success too as I've just seen the postman depositing them on the doorstep.

Yoga has been practiced and I even managed to pick a few more blackberries whilst out with FDawg this morning.

And... it's not raining.  So all good so far.

However, Mr F has found out about a number of things at work which suggest that more change is coming.  I've done the number crunching and putting together of spreadsheets already so we know where we'll stand if the worst happens.  Now it's just a case of waiting to see.  Apple man is due on Friday but, we'll definately not be going ahead with the orchard work now so I'm thinking of cancelling.  Particularly as the Annex is closed so we've got no extra money coming in.  It does feel as though we're treading water at the moment.  But lots to be grateful for and I'm quite enjoying a quiet life for now.

Meals have been:

Cucumber, Pea & Lettuce Soup... without the lettuce... and with some potatoes added to make it a bit more substantial.
Slow Cooked Marrow with Fennel & Tomato.  The recipe made enough for three meals - two suppers with rice and one lunch with baked potatoes
Blackened Salmon Wraps with Cucumber & Yoghurt

The marrow and cucumbers were from the veg patch.

There may be some spending today as we're running out of wild bird food.  Mr F really enjoys seeing the birds on the feeder outside his study window when he's working.  So I think we'll replace supplies using some of this month's fun money.

Right, I'd better rescue that parcel from the door step.  Happy Hump Day all.

Fortune x

Cornish_mum

Sorry to hear about the continuing uncertainty for Mr F and you have had to postpone your plans. 

Fortune_Smiles

Cornish_mum said:

Sorry to hear about the continuing uncertainty for Mr F and you have had to postpone your plans. 

Thank you @Cornish_mum.  We'll be ok whatever happens and can reinstate the plans at a future stage.  I'll still count us as very fortunate even if Mr F's job goes.  It's so tough for many out there right now so I'm counting our blessings.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

It's so quiet...

It's been a quiet week.  Mr F has been busy at work and I've been busy in the house.  We managed to get out in the garden at the weekend and made a start on getting the big flower bed in order.  Two further courgettes made it to a reasonable size and into the meal plan which included:

Gnocchi & Creme Fraiche with Courgettes, Broad Beans and Peas
Chick Pea Curry with greek yoghurt and naan bread
Courgette Carbonarra

There are still a few baby courgettes and marrows on the plants but whether they make it to a useful size will be dependent on the weather now.  We have lots of butternut squash (although they are quite small) which we'll bring in at the weekend as they are as big and ripe as they're going to get.  I'm still picking spinach and chard and we're using home grown garllic, onions and potatoes from stores.  I've not had to order a veg box again this week 😊

The garden clogs are still a work in progress - two pairs have been delivered now and neither are any good.

I'm not sure whether I should admit to this but... I've started my Christmas shopping 😲  I suspect we'll all be doing our shopping on-line this year so I wanted to get ahead of the game before anything crashes under the weight of demand.  Advent calenders for us all - chocolate for me, beer for Mr F and turkey treats for FDawg.  I don't usually bother but I thought it would make a nice ritual for us in the lead up.  One present ticked off and several more found and earmarked for sending direct a bit later on.

The boys and partners were supposed to be visiting next Saturday but they are now under restrictions and won't be able to come.  Instead, I've organised a video call for a board games afternoon... if I can figure out how to show the boards.  I've also used the fun money to send some artisan cheeses to everyone so that we can share a cheese and port lunch.

Mr F and I had a chat about Apple Man's visit and decided to go ahead with it.  It's been a horrid year and we want to do something positive and beautiful to remember.  So we now have some recommendations for fruit trees to suit the ground and environment and will be going for endangered, heritage varieties, native to the area.  One particular variety, Bardsey, is described as the rarest apple tree in the world.  I'm intending to plant it in memory of @PurpleFairy26 who I heard this week had lost her fight with cancer.  I didn't know Purps in real life but had 'talked' a little with her through messaging.  She had done me a small act of kindness which has grown in significance now I realise that she must have been undergoing treatment at the time.  I have now discovered that this was her way and many others have benefitted from her kindness.  I hope the tree will be a fitting tribute to the rarest of souls.

Take care everyone

Fortune x

doingitanyway

 One particular variety, Bardsey, is described as the rarest apple tree in the world.  I'm intending to plant it in memory of @PurpleFairy26 who I heard this week had lost her fight with cancer.  I didn't know Purps in real life but had 'talked' a little with her through messaging.  She had done me a small act of kindness which has grown in significance now I realise that she must have been undergoing treatment at the time.  I have now discovered that this was her way and many others have benefitted from her kindness.  I hope the tree will be a fitting tribute to the rarest of souls.

I am a bit of a lurker here, but delurking after reading the above. So beautifully written too. 

What a vegetable bounty you have this year!

We are definitely on the same page re sheepskin slippers! I am just about to return a pair of disappointing sheepskin slippers from JL too.
I also ordered another pair from another company. I'm hoping for a good result.
I also have falling off my feet old mules.
The slippers are a real luxury and very expensive, but I also refuse to have cold feet and I justify it by saying I will be able to turn the heating down a notch or two if my feet are toasty.