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

badmemory

Doesn't the higher activity rate up your heart rate, which is how the calorie burn is calculated.  My basic calorie burn is less than one a minute but if I work really really hard I can up that to around 10 a minute.  Try checking your calorie count before & after your exercise.  It can be a real eye opener.  You can tell when you really didn't try as hard as normal (we all have those days).

Seasidegal58

Hi Hairy - I've finally caught up with your diary and must offer belated condolences to you and your family on the passing of your Brother-in-law. I was very sorry to read the sad news and I hope you get to see your sister soon.   Reading your diary entries it was a terrible shock all round. 

I'm glad to read that you're off soon on your family holiday to Somerset - it was so sweet of your dad to contribute - I'm sure you will all have a lovely time. It will be so good to have a change of scene. 😀
Your garden sounds as if it is really looking lovely now - you and DH have been putting in so much work there. It's nice to read too the DH is taking so much interest in it. 🌱🌿☘️😀

jwil

HairyHandofDartmoor said:

jwil said:

Well done on achieving all that!  I've got to move a shrub too, I haven't got a clue what to do without killing it.  I've been putting it off for weeks.  Must try and get on with it!

beanielou said:

 So would not have a clue either!!

It depends upon the size of the shrub, but you need to dig deep enough and wide enough around it to keep the root ball as intact as possible. It's hard work but I decided to set the whole day aside to do it and take plenty of rests inbetween. In actual fact I finished by lunchtime, but it was quicker because DH helped (Beanie, you'd need help I think).

Thank you, I shall have to be brave and give it a go!

milann

When you move the shrub make sure you but plenty of water in the hole and then keep it well watered - especially if it’s hot like today. 

HairyHandofDartmoor

Sun_Addict said:

Sounds like a lot of manual labour there HH, but very productive. Hope you’re having a well earned rest now.

foxgloves said:

Go you, HHoD! That was a really industrious day. I need one just like that today, as didn't achieve much yesterday. You are right about step counts. Some activities will be burning more calories than a basic steps/calorie equation shows. For example, I've been doing a simple 10-min aerobic walk video. It is fast-paced & involves upper body movements plus knee raises & a few crunches but of course it only shows up on my fitbit as numbers of steps. So I like to remind myself when I've done the video that I've probably burned a bit more off than the numbers show.
Reading about your decluttering has motivated me this morning. 
F x

Nicnak said:

Sounds like you have had a nice week. 
It is awkward when people aren't following the rules the same and you are put in that kind of situation. 
Hope you have a lovely day. x

Thanks all . I have had a nice week getting loads done. 

HairyHandofDartmoor

badmemory said:

Doesn't the higher activity rate up your heart rate, which is how the calorie burn is calculated.  My basic calorie burn is less than one a minute but if I work really really hard I can up that to around 10 a minute.  Try checking your calorie count before & after your exercise.  It can be a real eye opener.  You can tell when you really didn't try as hard as normal (we all have those days).

You'd think so but I must be fitter than I thought as all that digging and wrestling with shrubs didn't seem to raise my heart rate!

HairyHandofDartmoor

Seasidegal58 said:

Hi Hairy - I've finally caught up with your diary and must offer belated condolences to you and your family on the passing of your Brother-in-law. I was very sorry to read the sad news and I hope you get to see your sister soon.   Reading your diary entries it was a terrible shock all round. 

I'm glad to read that you're off soon on your family holiday to Somerset - it was so sweet of your dad to contribute - I'm sure you will all have a lovely time. It will be so good to have a change of scene. 😀
Your garden sounds as if it is really looking lovely now - you and DH have been putting in so much work there. It's nice to read too the DH is taking so much interest in it. 🌱🌿☘️😀

Thanks SSG. It was a terrible shock losing BIL so suddenly.

I am looking forward to the Somerset holiday 🙂. It's only four nights but will be a nice break as I haven't left Devon or Cornwall since January! It's only four nights but we'll have three full days and can visit somewhere on the way home too as it's not that long a drive home. I'm looking forward to visiting some NT places we've never been to (I'm so boring 🤣).

Sunshine_girl2

Bet you are looking forward to a change of scenery HH, it will be lovely to wake up to a different view in the morning. I think Montacute House is in Somerset have visited there when visiting relatives in Wiltshire . The garden now sounds even better than it was before . How is DS3 getting on ? 

HairyHandofDartmoor

We had a lovely family day out on Wednesday 😃. We met aunt, uncle and my cousin at a NT place, had a picnic in the gardens 🌷🌻🌼🌹🏵, a lovely walk, and then went back to their garden for tea and cakes ☕🍰. I really enjoyed the whole day and the weather was warm and sunny 😎.

On Thursday I had a dull and very stressful day as I had to renew our tax credits and then help DH to calculate the vat return 😣. The tax credit staff must have thought I was !!!!!! as I was so stressed I couldn't think clearly 🙄, but I've renewed our claim anyway. It took all day to do the vat return as we had to tidy the office and organise a lot of paperwork before we could even begin. But it's done now, we've paid it and the office is tidier and more organised 🙂.

Yesterday I wanted to do gardening, but I had to buy a weeks food at Mr M first and return a plant to the garden centre. That took all morning and then after lunch it started raining 🙄. So I decided to do indoor jobs instead. I tackled an area of DS1's room and made him help me. It looks much better now and a bit of de-cluttering was done as well as cleaning. I also spoke to my sister on the phone for three hours!

This morning it was sunny and I was determined to move a third shrub which was too close to the patio (the ex hedge has a lot to answer for!). I've moved it now and it's now in the middle of the border and a lot straighter 🌿. After that I helped DH to expose the roots of the ex hedge. The root ball is very thick and gnarly (like a tree trunk) and seems to go down for at least two feet. We managed to dig away a lot of soil from around it and sever some roots coming off it. But it's still firmly embedded in the ground so it's a bit like an iceberg! We may do some more work on it tomorrow if we're not too achey, but we've done enough for today so we're both relaxing now. It's good for DH to do gardening but I don't want him to overdo it. The garden looks a bit messy now as we've had to move some of our pots and there is a tarpauline on the patio with a big mound of soil on it, so I'll be glad to get the job finished and restore order.

I hope everyone is having a good Saturday  🙂.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Sunshine_girl2 said:

Bet you are looking forward to a change of scenery HH, it will be lovely to wake up to a different view in the morning. I think Montacute House is in Somerset have visited there when visiting relatives in Wiltshire . The garden now sounds even better than it was before . How is DS3 getting on ? 

Thanks Sunshine . Yes I am really looking forward to the break. I'll look that place up.

DS3 seems fine. I really miss him as I haven't seen him for six months 😥 .