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

juliejim

Hope you have a lovely time with your brother. It sounds like you still need to be taking it easy so make sure you're looking after yourself.

greenbee

Thanks Jue. I have a HUGE to-do list, but I'm trying to get a bit done at a time, and finish a job before I move on to the next one! I've just ordered a load of topsoil and compost, and am now trying to track down waterbutts as I need a couple more. Also ordering more soaker hose a weed control fabric and my handyman seems to have been over-enthusiastic on the last bed and used them all up (better than the last guy who didn't bother to use the fabric, and just said the hose was too expensive... as a result I need to put some into the old raised beds at some point as well. 

So gardening is getting rather expensive, but at least it feels like an achievement. I must remember to see whether I can extract any mint from the pot, and to take some tomatoes and basil with me tomorrow as well. 

greenbee

I had a lovely walk with my brother, the dog was delightful. Lovely to see the kids, although they were sad about not being able to have a hug. According to my mum they were really excited about the fact i'd been over, but said it was horrid not being able to have a hug. I dropped off my excess potatoes, some basil plants, a couple of tomato plants, the t-shirts I bought them in Chicago and my SIL's birthday present. Plus some mint for my nephew to grow as he's decided he likes fresh mint tea! 

I also saw my dentist, who lives nearby and had told my brother he was happy to have a chat. Apparently it'll be 3-6 months before they can do my next dental op, which does mean I might need more bone in the graft as it's likely to deteriorate. However, I'm not noticing the dent as much as I did before, so there's a chance it has actually improved. We'll have to wait until they're allowed to look in my mouth... 

I thought about going to get fuel and visit the supermarket but thought better of it. I have half a tank of diesel and I'm not going anywhere. And apparently the Waitrose near my brother's work is quiet about an hour before closing, so I might go on Thursday - after my veg box arrives - as that's my first free evening. I've been given some rhubarb seeds, so will plant them, but as I have a space and a terracotta rhubarb forcer, I might look for a pot-grown one to give myself a head start... 

I built my new potting bench yesterday, and built the new planter today (it has a frame and 'greenhouse' cover which I probably don't need right now). When the greenhouse arrives my brother will have the growhouse and I can then sort out the outside tap and sink and rearrange the planters. Oh, and I finally dug a hole for the bay tree and put it in the ground by the planters, in front of the soil stack, so it will hopefully grown up and hide it a bit!  I also cleaned the WM filter and ran a drum clean wash as well as cleaning round the seal. I need to remember to press the 'extra water' button for every wash. And to run a cleaning cycle through the DW too. 

Other than that, I've spoken to my mum, renewed my BT contract (they claimed it would be cheaper, but by the time the add-ons were included, it's the same price), and renewed the boat insurance, although I'm not sure whether she'll be out and used this year. I've also written my shopping list just in case and put the plastic gloves and dust mask I found in the garage into the car just in case. Garden and house/admin lists have also been written. Paper shredded and added to hot bin. More weed from the stream added to compost bins - I need to look out how to get the roots out (it looks like it needs dredging!) - it compacts quite well, dries out quickly and does actually compost quite quickly, but I have so much of it and so little space that I can't get through it. Thankfully lots will go in the bottom of the new raised bed. 

Eating this week has been bad, so I need to get my act together, otherwise I'll put on everything I've lost this year! My bed is covered in clean laundry, so I need to put that away and get to bed.  Pilates and work tomorrow, and I need to check my work diary as I have to take some returns to the post office this week. 

Jessy103

Glad you enjoyed your walk greenbee x

greenbee

Thanks Jessy  
Today I had to listen to a 2 hour webcast, so set it up on my phone and weeded the drive. Which is now almost completely weed-free. There are a few hollyhocks and foxgloves growing in it that I want to try to extract carefully and rehome. There are also lots of borage flowers which I'd like to move - I just need to work out where to! The candelabra primulas I bought a few weeks ago and planted as tiny plugs are now flowering. The seeds aren't doing anything much yet. A few of the Nicotiana Alata have germinated, but they're being very slow. The first batch of strawberry plants are starting to think about flowering. 

I still haven't sown the lettuce in the new planter, so need to get on and do that soon. 

Pilates this morning, 800 calorie day (very much needed as I ate appallingly last week) and I'm about to do evening yoga, having done the watering and closed up the growhouse. Then I'll aim to have an early night and get some more stuff done in the morning. 

greenbee

Woke up in the middle of the night so checked my bank account and i’ve been paid. It’s bonus month, so that element has been moved to savings and the surplus firm last month has been paid off the mortgage. It isn’t a huge amount, but i’m spending quite a bit in the house and garden while i’m at home, and managing to cash flow quite a bit rather than dipping into savings.

Today is a day off, so a weekend of gardening and housework ahead depending on the weather!

Jessy103

Enjoy your weekend!

greenbee

Thanks @Jessy103. I had a lovely day yesterday - walked into the village, went to the shop (bought asparagus!), did some pottering around the garden and then went over to take my nephew and the dog for a walk. Both were well behaved! My only issue was a failed topsoil delivery. The guy couldn't get the pallet onto the drive, and his attempt to solve the problem by digging around to try to reduce the height only made it worse (he needed a firmer surface, not a looser one). So I need to send an email to get that sorted out. There are pallets of brick and stone by the side of my drive so it's clearly possible!

Today we have intermittent showers, which is great for the garden. I had a lie in (I feel slightly guilty about skipping my pilates class, but there's no yoga today anyway) with my book and am mostly focussing on housework today and some general improvement of the internal environment. Having sorted out my office (which i'm attempting to keep clean and tidy!) I want to slowly get the rest under control - something that will be easier when the tomatoes, chillies and basil plants are rehomed into the greenhouse in a couple of weeks!

I've got quite a long list for the next few days - a few emails to send to get the kitchen moving again and the outside woodwork painted, some dull housework, some sorting out of clothes, and the usual keeping on top of the garden (deadheading, weeding and some moving of plants). There are pictures and shelves to go up as well, but I'm trying to come up with a realistic list every few days so I feel like I can actually make some headway. 

greenbee

I’ve had a couple of lovely walks with my brother’s kids (one at a time!) and it looks like from next week we’ll be able to do stuff together (although this way it gives them a bit of a break from each other ☺️). 

Topsoil still not sorted as i don’t have the energy. Have been let down by the handyman who was due to do the second raised bed and some other stuff this week as he’s got some bigger jobs which apparently are urgent (new kitchens for people hoping to ge them done during lockdown...) which is annoying. He has a least promised to come next week to do the greeenhouse. But this is why I don’t generally like using friends - I gave him the work to help them out rather than using a local professional. It has saved me money, however, as I’m doing the raised bed and compost area myself. I’ve dug over most of the ground, and the raised bed arrives later today so I should get it done over the weekend.

I’ve chased the kitchen fitter and he’s coming on Wednesday to measure up. And i’ve asked the electrician to book me in for the end of the month - regardless of when the kitchen is due to go in it needs doing and who knows how long it will take me to get the filling and decorating done! 

Thanks to @South_coast I have cashed in my Quidco cash back, and as it arrived this morning I have paid it straight off the mortgage. Despite all the spending on the house and garden, i’ve managed to make some kind of OP every month so far.

i need to drop the lady who made my blinds a note and get her to come and fit them, and also get the next lot (sitting room curtains and blinds) booked in. And get some quotes for getting the windows painted.

greenbee

£8.75 cashed out from Prolific to paypal. So that will go to the mortgage when it's spent/transferred. 

Raised bed area is now cleared, and the clumps of grass/weeds/garlic chives have been dried out and had the soil sieved off them. It isn't enough to fill the bed with topsoil, but I've realised there are a couple of other piles of soil/rotted turf left by workmen that I can also sieve. I'm not sure that I can be bothered to sterlise the soil though, so this bed will need a lot more weeding that the other one. Or I'll be eating a lot of 'wild' food.