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

greenbee

I've finally got all the paperwork together and done my tax return. Despite tracking down all my charity donations and pension contributions and not having as much savings interest as last time (I had all the house money in a savings account for 4 months last time), I still owe money.

It's made me realise that while earning what I do is nice, it means I have to be more on the ball with tax. There is very little point in saving anywhere that's not tax-free as I get no savings allowance and it's all taxed at an extortionate rate. And looking at my pensions made me realise they really do need to do something about them. I have too many pensions, with too many funds, and too much in cash. But it's a bit overwhelming now, so I need to think about how to approach it in a manageable way. Maybe start with one pension and sort that out, then the next. I'm not putting them all in one place because I've seen too many people lose all their retirement savings that way. 

ETA - thermostat batteries changed, more batteries added to shopping list, one stinky dog bed in the machine.

badmemory

You could always run your thoughts past the people on the pensions forum here.  Read a few & you will see who the ones are that know what they are talking about.  It should give you some idea of what to aim for before you go official with it.  Knowledge is power.  A lot depends on what your money is in as some pensions can seriously lose value if transferred.

greenbee

Thanks @badmemory - I think I will do when I’ve looked closely enough to be able to stand up to their interrogation answer their questions!

Cats got into a fight on Wednesday evening - dog was worried when he heard and raced up and down the fence (they were in the wood next door), then one cat appeared in the drive and was fine so I thought it was all over. About half an hour later we heard the other cat crying in the wood. Hours of searching by me and some neighbours but we couldn’t locate her, and as she’d stopped responding to calls I feared the worst. I also realise how lucky I am to have neighbours who will turn out at 11pm to search a wood for a cat.

Checked the cat flap app periodically during the (sleepless) night and at 4.15 saw she’d recently looked through the cat flap, so went down and found her on the patio looking OK other than weepy eyes and stinking of tom cat. Checked her over, she seemed fine, had breakfast and went to bed (with instructions to have a bath!). Around lunchtime I realised one eye was bothering her - so put her in my bedroom to sleep and called the vet. She was a star - let me put her in the carrier, sang all the way to the vet, then was quiet in the waiting room once I put my hand in the carrier… and found scabs from puncture wounds. 

Dye in her eye showed a small superficial scratch, so she’s had injected antibiotics and is having eye drops three times a day and pain relief once a day. She hates it, but is being very good and wants lots of cuddles. So a very stressful (and expensive!) day.

Today I need to make up the time and get work done that I didn’t yesterday. And the weekend will be spent giving the cat eye drops and otherwise not doing much as it’ll be too hot.

oh… must go and open the greenhouse too!

kazwookie

Greenbee, hugs to cats and cuddles 

greenbee

Thanks kaz - hopefully Fatty will recover soon. She's still eating, and out and about - and may have caught a pigeon yesterday (neighbour isn't sure which one of them it was). 

Stinky is on supervisory duties as a neighbour is strawberry picking in our veg plot so he's helping dispose of the manky ones. His paddling pool has been emptied, scrubbed, and refilled too. 

Courgettes are producing and I really need to start picking and eating peas and radishes. I think we're entering the time of year when having struggled to keep up with planting etc I struggle to keep up with harvesting!

greenbee

Picked peas (blanched and froze the ones I didn't put in my salad at lunchtime), more strawberries (am open freezing in batches and then transferring to bags), radishes (having taken forever to germinate some were huge and woody, so I need to keep an eye on them - but had the biggest ones in today's salads), courgettes (just going into the fridge at the moment) a few blackcurrants and a few gooseberries (there aren't many, and they're ripening slowly).

One freezer defrosted, mopped dry, and hoovered. It's now full of scrunched up newspaper and getting down to temperature - I need to remember to shift everything back into it tomorrow morning and defrost the other freezer. The motivation for this is all the stuff from the veg plot that I'm going to need to process over the next couple of months.

Lots of watering done too. And several window frames cleaned and sprayed so I could open them to let the breeze in.

Car taken to the petrol station and filled up as I may go to my mum's tomorrow.

Cat eye drops done x3 (she's being very good, and also sticking very close to home), and painkiller x1. Other cat is still wandering, and ambushed us twice on our evening walk.

Walking at 5.30am/9pm so the dog doesn't get too hot... and then he races round the garden anyway!

Various plants are looking a bit stressed, so I'm watering selectively as well as doing the veg plot and pots. There are seedlings, plugs and bare roots that need planting, but it really doesn't feel like a good time to be doing any planting. 

Insurance quotes reviewed and I can save about 50% by going elsewhere with no significant alteration to cover. 

Think it's probably time to take the dog out for a last wee, lock up, and have a not very hot bath. 

greenbee

Busy with dog and cat nursing. Although the cat would like less nursing - I'm still just about managing to get her eyedrops in, although she seems to be able to blink a lot out!

Stinky is feeling sad. He had a LOT to say when I picked him up, and for the rest of the afternoon. I had to take him back to the vet in the evening as he had some bleeding, and we were back this morning to take his dressing off. He's mostly slept in my office with the odd outing in the garden on the lead in the hope that he'd wee/poo. He's been desperate to go for a walk, but that's not on the agenda. 

I did manage to pick some strawberries and peas, do the essential watering, and cook a whole lot of BNS and sweet potato for lick mats/kongs. I also blanched the peas, which are open freezing, and froze all the strawberries I'd picked. Lots of strawberries are being wasted as I can't keep up with them, so I'm glad I managed to pick some today. I need to try to make the most of the cooler weather and get some stuff planted - although it'll be difficult while keeping an eye on Stinky. 

greenbee

Vet this morning. Cat signed off (which is lucky, as she decided this morning that she really doesn't need the eye drops anymore. Dog spoilt rotten (I suggested they might like to keep him until he's fully recovered), healing well, no infection. He's feeling fine and doesn't understand why he can't go out in the garden to play with the cats (who are quite enjoying the peace and quiet and are playing in the long grass without the risk of being bounced on), so we're both stuck inside more than we'd like. If I wake up early enough tomorrow, I'll try a short walk before anyone else is about (on the lead, wearing his PJs but not the doughnut or cone). He's back again next Thursday and will hopefully get the all clear. 

More strawberries picked and frozen. More peas and strawberries picked today that need dealing with. Both are coming to an end. Courgettes are getting going. Blackcurrants, raspberries, and gooseberries are ripening (not many, but enough to freeze a few to cook once they're all harvested).

Broad beans need sorting out (destroying the ones with blackfly, seeing what can be picked, deciding what will follow them). Lots of marigolds and borage need cutting back, the strawberry bed needs weeding and tidying, and supports need putting in for squash and cucumbers. I'm hoping to get time in the garden as the weekend, as there is still endless watering, and I have things to plant in the borders too. 

Sun_Addict

Just catching up with you and pleased to hear the cat is better after her ordeal. My cat has recently got into a fight but thankfully nothing other than a bit of missing fur. She needed antibiotics earlier this year after yet another fight. Blooming cats 😾

Glad your dog is recovering well after losing his bits. 

Your garden is sounding very productive. 

greenbee

The problem round here seems to be seasonal as we had similar problems last year with an un-neutered tom - both came back stinking on more than one occasion and both ended up with vet visits (Fatty lost a bit of her nose so it's now wonky). I now take them in for a check if they come back smelling as it can be hard to find puncture wounds in their fur.

Fatty is fully recovered and has spent this evening trying to get the dog to play. He is desperate to oblige, but being good and sat quietly in the garden when I was watering while she whizzed round in front of him repeatedly. When we came in she hopped up on the salad planter to yell at the kitchen window. I think she might actually like him... 

Lots of watering done including things in the borders that are struggling - Stinky's paddling pool is now empty. I think I may have to get the sprinklers out again given that it's going to get hotter again. Poor old Stinky having to stay inside (which means keeping the kitchen door shut) wearing PJs and a doughnut. Poor old me having to keep the door shut. I must clean the garden room doors and treat them for bugs so I can open those instead.