"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

greenbee

Have been to my mum's, got some of her garden furniture out, checked her smoke alarms, changed batteries in 3 - one of which I condemned and have ordered a replacement for, installed some remote control sockets so she doesn't have to go round the sitting room turning on individual table lamps (there's one remote by her chair, and one on a magnet by the lightswitch, stuck to a conveniently situated blanking plate) and stuck the holder for a shower caddy on the shower wall - I'm back there tomorrow so will add the caddy and ask her where she wants the soap dish. 

Stinky was very good through a long and (for him) boring lunch with relatives. He did get out of his basket and try to get us to talk to him a few times, but over two hours I think it was very good. They were also the kind of people who just ignored him rather than flapping at him to go away or talking to him. 

Came home, planted the hellebores and cyclamen and a random aqueligia dug out of the asparagus bed. They need watering at some point but I'm having a rest before I do anything else (I think my fruit trees and bushes, and the veg beds will also need watering). 

House is warm from free electricity - I think I've made about 50p using around 22kWh of electricity to top up the battery and run the heating/immersion today. I also ran the robot hoover and recharged it... I'm trying to get into the habit of running it in one room every day to help keep the general level of dog/cat hair and plaster dust down. 

So just dog walk, watering, and admin left to do today. 

greenbee

I managed the dog walk, some of the watering, and none of the admin. But I did also plant my aconites. For some reason despite the clocks going forward, I seem to want to go to sleep even earlier! I suspect that's the LC/ME/CFS kicking in as I know I'm teetering on the edge of a crash, but managing to avoid it.

This morning I managed to do my emails/texts/whatsapps to dog walker/plumber/drain man/builder and the builder has already got back to me and will call at lunchtime.

Today's gardening tasks need to involve digging up crocuses for my mum, and also taking a couple of the clumps of frits out of the pots on the patio to plant at hers too. They're starting to go over so I want to get them in the ground here and there so they can drop seed where we want it. I'll then empty the compost from the pots to use as mulch on the flowerbeds and tidy the pots out of the way until I know what's going in them next.

This week I do need to get the rest of my bulbs/bare roots into the ground and keep going with the seed sowing. Aubergines and peppers need potting on. Cucumbers and loofahs need a new home as they're too big for the propagators. The kitchen windowsill is reaching capacity and more importantly, due to cats, I daren't leave anything uncovered. However, we're still getting frosts, and the greenhouse isn't frost-free so I'm a bit stuck as to what to do with things that aren't ready to go out, but have outgrown the available options in the house. 

I started doing daily pilates last week, and want to keep that going this week, so next on today's to-do list is Pilates, then a shower, and then looking at what work holds for me today and planning the day. 

greenbee

Frits and crocuses in a box for my mum. Some dug up and planted here too. Not sure how well they'll do as there's a lot of couch grass in the orchard, but I reckon if I plant enough stuff up there a. some will survive and b. it might defeat the grass...

greenbee

Builder is coming next week, but they think they can get everything done by the end of the week after Easter. Then got a call from the carpet fitter asking whether they could come tomorrow (of course!). I need to strip the bed in one room and move a couple of bits of furniture, and take a chair out of the other. 

Two miniscule magnolias have been delivered today, along with some agapanthus. So that's more things that need planting... 

greenbee

Carpet fitters are here and moving the beds around to make their lives a bit easier. 

Label has been printed and collection booked for the solar diverter that was replaced under warranty two weeks ago.

One ancient ipad is now charging up ready for it's factory reset - two ipads and one laptop need disposing of securely (and hopefully in return for cash).

Long list has been started... 

redofromstart

Hurrah for the carpet fitters even at short notice.

greenbee

I'm really looking forward to the stinky carpet in the front bedroom being replaced. The room smells different to the rest of the house, and feels stuffy. The carpet from the back bedroom is being kept (and the underlay) as it matches the stuff on the landing, so can be used for any changes to that - we know it needs taking up and relaying as the underlay has gaps in it. 

One ipad is done, the other is charging ready to be done. I guess I should charge the laptop too. And then get on and do some work!

greenbee

Carpet is lovely. Two ipads deleted and the laptop is charged so I should be able to get that done today, but have a bit of a work backlog that impacts other people. 

Neighbour who measured up for the base for the IBCs has given me a price and can fit it in tomorrow. So as with the carpet fitters my response was 'of course'  

I had a long, boring meeting earlier, so I dialled in by phone (laptop was charging anyway), and turned off video. I managed to get most of the furniture back into the bedrooms before it got to the bit where I wanted to participate - including moving a wardrobe that has been annoying me on the landing for months. While things will have to move again in about a month when the decorator turns up, I can at least use the rooms in the meantime, and start sorting out the landing. Most of the furniture will stay in the rooms for decorating as he can work round it whereas the carpet fitters obviously couldn't. 

As I've got to get my work laptop out to finish a couple of things off, I'm also going to book a couple of half-days off work next week. There is so much to do in the garden (particularly with the lack of rain) that I want to take the time now to get some of it done. There are three garden arches and a pack of fencing pins on the porch, some plants outside the kitchen door, and another package of either plants or plant supports on it's way tomorrow. I really need to get all the existing plants in, seedlings potted on, and more seeds sown before I buy anything else. Veg plot needs fencing, greenhouse irrigation system needs setting up, and I need to get watering into my routine, as otherwise all the poor new trees, shrubs, and hedging plants will die and the seeds I've planted won't germinate. Compost also needs some water and a good stir. So definitely need time off... 

Cheery_Daff

Ha, excellent furniture moving while in a Zoom meeting, very impressive!

rtandon27

Very jealous of your virtual meeting!

I had two this morning that required my presence - SIGH - honestly I could have dialed in for the two items I needed to talk about - the third was rescheduled last minute - in person requirement meant a commute into the city and then back again.