Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

I haven't posted for a while as I've been feeling sad about BIL. I've been busy at school and at home we've been working on the garden. 

We went to a different garden centre on Friday afternoon and got another pot, it was DH's second shopping trip since lockdown so he really enjoyed it. There weren't many people around, we were mainly in the fresh air and we both wore masks 😷, plus used the hand gel that was strategically placed at intervals. 

Yesterday DH dropped me at Mr M (DH hasn't been inside a supermarket since 20 March as I feel it's too risky for him) and got some food we needed. The lavender was reduced to £4.50 from £5 and as the cheapest at the garden centre was £8 I sucumbed and got another one 🏵. So we have two new pots with lavender in and the bees are buzzing around them continually collecting the pollen. I love lavender as it has such a lovely smell and colour, so they're a good addition to our garden. I also got a bag of compost for £3 (cheapest at the garden centre was £6). I'd rather support the garden centre but we have to think of our budget and we have bought some pots at the garden centre.

I'm looking forward to going to the NT shop as they have some cast iron garden ornaments I want to buy for our garden. I've suggested DH books a slot when they're released on Friday. I think it will be safe if we walk around the garden, take our own food and drinks, wear a mask in the shop and only go in the shop if it's fairly empty. I can't wait to go as I've really missed our NT visits.

I've got four fabric masks but one I can't wear as the elastic is too short, so I need to get more elastic. I do wear the three wearable ones every time I go in a shop, so I think I'll get another one soon as with washing them after every wear I soon get through them. I think masks are going to be a fact of life for some time, although I don't see many other people wearing them here and I definitely feel in a minority 😷. I suppose some people are more risk averse than others. I'm a very careful person and because I'm taking a risk by working at school, I'm extra careful the rest of the time. Although I regard school as a bubble as I see the same people and children every day.

My dad asked me my thoughts on visiting them this summer as I usually do and I said that I though it would be far too risky as being on a coach for eight hours with limited ventilation, surrounded by mostly young people (on the Megabus anyway) who probably haven't been social distancing as they think they're immune, and having to wear a mask for eight hours, all fills me with horror 😱. I'd have to change at Victoria coach station and I can't imagine how social distancing would work there as it's so narrow and crowded. I said that being exposed to the virus for so long would risk DH as well as him and stepmum. Luckily he understood and agreed with me completely that it would be far to risky. So we've agreed that DH and I will visit by car another holiday when the virus situation is safer.

I don't fancy going to a pub, restaurant, coffee shop, etc, unless I could sit outdoors as it seems too risky. The though of going on public transport fills me with horror too 😱. I'm being very careful because of DH being in such a high risk group. Everyone has to judge the risk for themselves based upon their own situation. But I know I'm lucky that we have a car and I can walk to school.

I break up after one more week and although I enjoy being at school I'm looking forward to having six weeks to go for walks with DH and work on the garden (plus get the housework to a higher standard). Next week (along with other year 2 staff) I'm not working with children for reasons that are too complicated to explain, so I've no idea what I will be doing 🤔. Making resources I presume or helping to organise classrooms for the return of the masses in September. As long as I don't have to spend a week cleaning I dont' mind what I do. On Thursday I spent all day making resources and typing names into the laptop for my teacher which was quite good fun for a change.

DH and I have had coffee in the garden this morning ☕ and done a little weeding and deadheading. Since then I've emptied the bins, put two washes on and now I just need to iron some tops for next week. I mainly want to relax, as I went to Mr M twice yesterday morning and then spent all afternoon gardening 🌿, so I need a more restful day today. I met His Gingerness in the lane when I was emptying the bins and he's a very friendly kitty 🐈.

I hope everyone is having a good day.

beanielou

His Gingerness sounds cute 

elizabethhull

HairyHandofDartmoor said:

My dad asked me my thoughts on visiting them this summer as I usually do and I said that I though it would be far too risky as being on a coach for eight hours with limited ventilation, surrounded by mostly young people (on the Megabus anyway) who probably haven't been social distancing as they think they're immune, and having to wear a mask for eight hours, all fills me with horror 😱. I'd have to change at Victoria coach station and I can't imagine how social distancing would work there as it's so narrow and crowded. I said that being exposed to the virus for so long would risk DH as well as him and stepmum. Luckily he understood and agreed with me completely that it would be far to risky. So we've agreed that DH and I will visit by car another holiday when the virus situation is safer.

. Since then I've emptied the bins, . I met His Gingerness in the lane when I was emptying the bins and he's a very friendly kitty 🐈.

I entirely understand your decision about visiting your Dad - it's just such a shame 

We had DD2 and DGS round yesterday, and decided a 'bucket in the shed as loo' wasn't necessary this time !! We played a lot of boule and had cake.

Please say hello to His Gingerness next time from me 

The business about bins: we are only 2 here. We have a kitchen bin for general kitchen stuff, food packaging that can't be recycled etc, a kitchen counter-top bin for composting organic waste, a lounge bin, one in the bedroom and one in DH's study (which he empties) and I swear I am ALWAYS emptying bins !! No wonder you have to do it so frequently.

milann

It’s good to hear from you Hairy. I don’t think I’d like to go on public transport either especially for a long journey. My dd has travelled into London for work a couple of times from her home town which take about an hour - at first she was a tad wary but has had a carriage to herself on each occasion - she is expecting it to get busier and only visiting if absolutely necessary.
I really feel for your sister in law - does she have family close by- I know you said her ds is with her but is he close enough to visit regularly once he goes home or is it like most of my family where it’s a day trip or stop-over. I’d love to love close enough to just pop into my dd for a cuppa and a natter - just because I felt like it....and not have to plan it like a military procedure.
I’m quite bored in my bubble at school - they are all very able children and don’t really need me. I’ve sorted all the cupboards, trays and drawers. I’ve had the class several times whilst the teacher has been in meetings and out of desperation for something to do, offered to help the SEN teacher sort her things out which is just along the corridor from where I’m working. It’ll take me a month of Sunday’s as the children put their own things away and EVERYTHING is mixed up 😱. Then we’re moving areas so everything needs carrying to the opposite end of the school - at the moment the area we will work in has all the spare chairs from the classrooms. We don’t break up until 24th though so fingers crossed it’ll get done to save her going in during the holidays.

HairyHandofDartmoor

beanielou said:

His Gingerness sounds cute 

He is and has a very loud miaow.

elizabethhull said:

HairyHandofDartmoor said:

My dad asked me my thoughts on visiting them this summer as I usually do and I said that I though it would be far too risky as being on a coach for eight hours with limited ventilation, surrounded by mostly young people (on the Megabus anyway) who probably haven't been social distancing as they think they're immune, and having to wear a mask for eight hours, all fills me with horror 😱. I'd have to change at Victoria coach station and I can't imagine how social distancing would work there as it's so narrow and crowded. I said that being exposed to the virus for so long would risk DH as well as him and stepmum. Luckily he understood and agreed with me completely that it would be far to risky. So we've agreed that DH and I will visit by car another holiday when the virus situation is safer.

. Since then I've emptied the bins, . I met His Gingerness in the lane when I was emptying the bins and he's a very friendly kitty 🐈.

I entirely understand your decision about visiting your Dad - it's just such a shame 

We had DD2 and DGS round yesterday, and decided a 'bucket in the shed as loo' wasn't necessary this time !! We played a lot of boule and had cake.

Please say hello to His Gingerness next time from me 

The business about bins: we are only 2 here. We have a kitchen bin for general kitchen stuff, food packaging that can't be recycled etc, a kitchen counter-top bin for composting organic waste, a lounge bin, one in the bedroom and one in DH's study (which he empties) and I swear I am ALWAYS emptying bins !! No wonder you have to do it so frequently.

I'm glad you saw your DGC Elizabeth

milann said:

It’s good to hear from you Hairy. I don’t think I’d like to go on public transport either especially for a long journey. My dd has travelled into London for work a couple of times from her home town which take about an hour - at first she was a tad wary but has had a carriage to herself on each occasion - she is expecting it to get busier and only visiting if absolutely necessary.
I really feel for your sister in law - does she have family close by- I know you said her ds is with her but is he close enough to visit regularly once he goes home or is it like most of my family where it’s a day trip or stop-over. I’d love to love close enough to just pop into my dd for a cuppa and a natter - just because I felt like it....and not have to plan it like a military procedure.
I’m quite bored in my bubble at school - they are all very able children and don’t really need me. I’ve sorted all the cupboards, trays and drawers. I’ve had the class several times whilst the teacher has been in meetings and out of desperation for something to do, offered to help the SEN teacher sort her things out which is just along the corridor from where I’m working. It’ll take me a month of Sunday’s as the children put their own things away and EVERYTHING is mixed up 😱. Then we’re moving areas so everything needs carrying to the opposite end of the school - at the moment the area we will work in has all the spare chairs from the classrooms. We don’t break up until 24th though so fingers crossed it’ll get done to save her going in during the holidays.

The nearest of my sister's children lives nearly three hours drive away and the rest live in England. It's a shame they're not nearer. She's decided to move nearer to her child in Edinburgh in about a year's time and she'll be closer to all of them then.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I'm on holiday 🎉🎉🎉. Although I enjoy school I'm quite glad to break up and have more free time as all the virus precautions are stressful and time consuming.

Yesterday I went to Mr M and spent over £80 but we needed a lot of food. Then I did some washing and pottered in the garden. I deadheaded some flowers, weeded some pots etc. On Friday (which was the two year anniversary of losing my Mum 😥) after school we had gone to the garden centre and bought a standard bay tree to go in the lovely new mint green pot we bought last week. It was expensive but we've always wanted one. Anyway I planted it in the pot yesterday and it looks really lovely and it's giving us a lot of pleasure 🙂. As we haven't been travelling/buying coffees out, etc, we feel we can afford to spend a bit on the garden and it's very good for our mental health to have a lovely outdoor space.

Today we had arranged to visit stepdad and wife in the late afternoon. DH was in a bad mood all day before we went ☹ as he finds stepdad difficult and wasn't looking forward to going, but stepdad was on best behaviour and the visit was fine. We had a nice walk by the river and then ate dinner in their garden (we took our own food and drinks). They are the first family we've seen since lockdown so I thought it was nice to see them anyway 🙂. I've arranged for us to meet my niece next week so we're both looking forward to that as she's always lovely. Stepdad's wife had some lovely blue hydrangeas in pots which I liked, so I want to get some of those next year. They water them with blueing agent to get them that lovely blue colour they said, so I'm definitely going to buy a hydrangea next spring and have a go at changing it from pink to blue. After the river walk I realised that DH is much fitter than when we last went for a walk (several weeks ago) so I think the gardening must be doing him good  😀.

We had a disturbed night because we had a power cut at 5am and the electicity kept going on and off and this set off all the house alarms on the road five times in a row 😡. I couldn't get back to sleep properly afterwards. Then at 8am we had another power cut which lasted for a couple of hours and they're still digging at the top of our road! It's lucky we have a gas hob and a hob kettle or I would have been very fed up. I had to warm my porridge in a saucepan instead of the microwave so it does make you realise how dependant we are upon electricity.

Tomorrow I have a lot of potential jobs to do, but as I've got six weeks there's no rush so I can do what I feel like 🙂. I do want to change our bedding and DS1's bedding and wash it all. Apart from that I want to spray weedkiller on the hedge roots (as long as there's no wind) as they're sprouting like mad. I could also do some weeding as they're popping up in the wall again as well as the borders. Our clematis need pruning again too. I enjoy pottering in the garden though. I think I'll do the garden jobs in the morning while it's cooler and then do the beds in the afternoon. We've found a new use for used coffee pods as DH read that roses like them, so he opened a couple and spread the coffee grounds on the soil around the roses. Our roses never grow very well so maybe that will help.

I hope everyone has had a good weekend  🙂.

Willowtree222

Glad you've finished and can now start to relax. The plants sound lovely and if it does help your mental health, it's worth every penny. 
The visit to your niece will also be lovely. 
Have a lovely day. Hopefully it's sunshine x

Sun_Addict

Buying plants and nice things for your garden is money well spent for all the pleasure you get from it. I'll have to try that with my coffee pods as I've got a rose bush at the bottom of the garden. I know coffee shops give away bags of their coffee grounds for people to put in the soil, I think they're meant to be good for all plants. A few years ago we had a spate of power cuts because the cable under the road needed replacing and they were loathe to dig the road up. They eventually replaced it but it was a real pain for quite some time. Everything is electric in our house apart from the central heating although this wouldn't work without the electric switch to the pump so we were well stuffed. Sounds like you've got plenty to keep you occupied while you're off work.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Thanks Nicnak and SA .

HairyHandofDartmoor

We haven't had any more power cuts although workmen are still at the top of our road doing something in a big hole!

It's a lovely warm sunny day and I've been quite productive already this morning 😇. I washed the shower curtain as soon as I got up and I've hung it up again. I've run out of bleach but washing it has got rid of 80% of the dirt and it looks much better. I've also put another wash on. I've emptied the dishwasher and put it on again and cleaned the sink and draining board thoroughly.

Garden wise I've squirted weed killer on the hedge roots to stop them sprouting (I shielded the area with newspaper while I was squirting it so hopefully I haven't killed all the other plants in the garden 😱). I've poured three kettle fulls of boiling water on the weeds in the wall as I'm reluctant to use weedkiller too close to any plants, so hopefully that will work. Then DH is going to fill up the gaps in the wall so they don't keep growing again (once he buys some cement and gets around to it).

I feel very stiff around my neck and shoulders at the moment so now I'm off work for six weeks I want to do yoga every day to loosen me up. So I got off to a good start by doing ten minutes of Barbara Currie first thing this morning 🧘‍♀️. Once I get used to it I'll increase to twenty minutes a day.

I've still got lots of day left to get other things done. Work is such a time waster, if only we didn't need to earn money 🤣.

As we'll be doing more trips out to places over the summer and I want to avoid buying drinks in cafes due to money and virus related reasons I'm going to order DH and DS1 a Chillys bottle today. I've got one and I'm really pleased with it, so they need one too I reckon. That way we can all take a hot drink in a travel mug and a cold drink in our Chillys bottles when we go out for the day. We should save money quite quickly by not buying drinks so they'll soon pay for themselves.

I need to look out for a wide brimmed hat for DH to stop him getting sun burn/sun stroke in the hot sun. I've already got a couple of wide brimmed hats for myself and I use them all the time in the summer. I've got a showerproof one I use in the garden that I got in a outdoor type shop and a cotton one that I wear on days out that I got in a NT shop 👒.