Put away your purse & become debt-averse

foxgloves

Ceremony- I don't think I fancy going on a quiz show. Mr F has considered it in the past, but like me he knows zilch about sport, geography & American politics so he's kind of only good on his interests & favourite subjects.

Savingmore - Glad my rodent knowledge raised a smile. And even more glad that those tests came back negative!
F x

foxgloves

Hello Wednesday readers,
Life here continuing in much the same way....still trying to get things back to normal post-builders, wondering whether I'm going to need to chase the electrician, etc. I'm being pretty productive on the whole. I've put a lot of time into returning my little HQ room to a functioning space, which has included moving my old piano out (it's off to pastures new) & bringing book cases up instead, so that I can house all my fiction titles & free up much needed space downstairs in the living room. I've spent a fair bit of time getting that looking nice, & it does, except for the sad reminder of an empty cat bed. He'd have adored the new central heating - he was a cat who loved to be warm almost as much as he loved begging for the contents of people's sandwiches. Other jobs achieved include folding my summer clothes into a pile ready for packing away in the ottoman when the winter ones come out (probably tomorrow while I'm waiting for gasman & builder). The veg garden is nearly finished for the old year  - October 1st is my first day of the new gardening year - but I'm still picking beans, peppers & gathering windfall apples. I stewed a pan apples today, as they'll do for some of my fruit intake over the next couple of days. I've also updated various budgetary matters, plus admin & filing. Still having problems with 'Verified by Visa; - tried making a failed payment again today, just in case, but another screen of random gobbledigook at the 'Verified by Visa' stage which stops the transaction progressing, so I shan't use this method of paying this particular credit card again. Instead I've set up a regular payment on our current account, so I can use the BACS faster payments. 
Just had a call from a pharmacy in town. I popped in on Sat & enquired about flu vaccines. I'd usually pay for one as have never been 'old enough' for a free one, but this year, it looks as though over-50s are getting a free one because of the NHS understandably not wanting loads of flu cases on top of the obvious Covid problem. Mr F usually gets one from work, but this year, even those had run out as more people taking up the offer. The assistant I spoke to said that they hadn't any vaccine, but were taking names & contact details so that they could ring people when stocks re-appeared. I gave our names, not thinking to hear anything until at least December, & I got a call today so we have booked for our jabs on Monday morning. It will be a weight off my mind getting that done. I escaped flu for my entire student & working life (despite working in the public sector with children, teens & families) but for some reason, managed to get it at age 50, 51 & 52. I've never felt so poorly! Flu vaccine every year now!
I've got another thing to tell you, but will pop back for that, as this is getting to be a very long post......again!
F x

HairyHandofDartmoor

I love re-organising things after home improvements and seeing how much better it all looks .

That's good news that you've got a flu jab booked. I've been told to ring up in early October so see if they have any in stock. I happily pay so that I can avoid getting flu again as I was ill for four weeks and fatigued for a further two weeks when I had two years ago.

foxgloves

You're right, HHoD, flu is absolutely horrible. The first time I got it at 50....oh my goodness, I was hot, cold, hot but still shivering, had a permanent headache, an awful cough & no energy even to get myself vertical on the sofa. Then, as you also found, you think you're better because the symptoms are receding but you are tired so quickly, you can't do anything! I remember I was feeling a lot better after 2 weeks so went into town with Mr F. After about half an hour, I was so tired I could barely put one foot in front of the other! So yes, I don't care if I have to pay..... those 3 years of flu were more than enough for me. I don't want it again. I hope you can get your jab, HHoD, do chase it up if nothing appears, in case your pharmacy is also keeping a list of names.
Stay safe, m'dear
F x

ladyholly

I am glad to hear you got your flu jab. I booked ours 3 weeks ago for yesterday but when we got there they had no vaccine. They assure us they will get in touch when they get some but as other half is over70 and has pneumonia several times i wasnt impressed. As it is next to Mr S i will be calling to remind them at regular intervals even if i dont get one I really think he should. According to the government website they will be dong them until spring - horses and stable door springs to mind.

savingmore

after being snootily told by a new doctors receptionist that despite being in my early 60s we wouldn’t get one until at least december anywhere, dh got an email from lloyd’s pharmacy, so we are getting them on saturday.   should be free, but otherwise they said 12.99 each.  will take that anyway, flu is ghastly and on top of covid another risk factor.   feel like we just want to prepare as much as we’d can for winter then hunker down and hibernate until spring.   

foxgloves

Savingmore - I am wondering if the smaller pharmacies are a better bet at the moment - I don't know, but our lucky strike with flu vaccine bookings was with a much smaller local chemist. I wonder if most people tend to think of their GP surgery or B**ts. Glad you have got a slot for your vaccinations anyway.
Ladyholly - Yes, I agree, I think your partner sounds like he should be a lot further up the list than people like me, to be honest - I'm not sure when the 'official' flu season is - I think the peak of it is around Dec - March, but having said that, my 2nd case of flu was in June! I'd just come home from a camping trip so must have come into contact with the infection there, as I was fine on Friday & was proper poorly by the next evening. I do hope you are both able to get one, anyway......& before the Spring. I hadn't even thought about the feasibility of getting flu & covid together, but it is apparently possible because of course they are different viruses, so I think we all need to make ourselves as safe as possible. 
Good luck with it, anyway.
F x

foxgloves

Hello m'dears,
A strangely discombobulating day today. Woke at 4.15 & although I did thankfully get back to sleep, I managed to get my neck at a weird angle, which has left me with a lingering muzzy head. I've made a sourdough loaf, which is on its 2nd proving - in fact I'd better go & check on it in a minute in case it is thinking of climbing out of its basket. I've also packed two shoe boxes with a selection of my home made chutneys, jams, etc, & must get a few other bits & bobs sorted because Mr F & my B-in-L have arranged a meet-up at a motorway services on Saturday morning to exchange various things as we can't really meet up in a meaningful way. Who'd have thought this time last year that we'd be meeting up in the car park of motorway services of all the soulless places?! Having said that, being able to meet up will move a few things forward & Mr F seems to be looking forward to a socially distanced outside cup of coffee with B-i-L & a catch-up.
Builder & gasman inspector arrived early & all was well, so I should receive the relevant paperwork/warranty soon. It got a bit surreal as I was dealing with workmen on one hand while at the same time I was on WhatsApp to my sis who was in her local piano shop testing reconditioned pianos for me. I had to keep my wits about me when asked a question so as to answer relating to the boiler or the particular tone of a restored piano & whether it would definitely fit in the 154cm space available. At the same time as dealing with both these, Postie arrived with an item I had just earlier this morning emailed to complain about - as in its non-arrival, so then had to re-contact & say 'Sorry, it's here after all'. Despite this intense hour of brain fugue, I am pleased to report that I now have my missing item, our new gas-work has all been pronounced safe & I have bought a piano at a fair price & very much within the budget I had in mind.
Talking of finances, I mentioned yesterday, I think, that I'd bought a top from M*ns**n so as to make use of my £10 loyalty voucher, which I think they gave me for my birthday. No probs with ordering the top.....it's to replace one which is going into holes, but the transaction was one of those things which brought me up short in terms of suddenly thinking how much my attitude to money has changed. There was a tunic I liked (the one I bought) plus I also liked a black square-necked jumper & a thicker black jumper with an embroidered yoke, which I thought would look nice with jeans. Now, of course you know what I'm going to say.......the old me would have bought all three in a heartbeat despite the fact that I was always well into my overdraft by the middle of every month (not including other debts) & the justification for this would have been something ridiculous involving the voucher, something like 'Oh well this one was bought with my birthday loyalty card voucher, so that was months ago, so that doesn't really count as new spending......despite the voucher only being for £10 & not the £45 cost of the garment. The 2nd garment would have then been bought because if Garment 1 was the birthday spend, this was the 'real' spend & the 3rd garment would have been just because it's lovely, I want it & it's actually only two weeks until pay-day when my permanent black hole of an overdraft will re-filled with money. I know this sounds utterly ridiculous.......Blackcats, I'm thinking you will 'get' this way of thinking, as it was all about the justification for me, which I can now see must have meant that underneath it all, I knew my frivolous spending choices were not sensible. This is also how I ended up back in the day with lots of clothes that looked just 'ok', things which I didn't love & spend considerably more time on a hanger than adorning my person.
Anyway, this is post-reformation Foxgloves talking to you, so of course I just chose the one garment which I liked the best. I spent a long time choosing & as I can't try anything on even if I go to a shop, I also noted measurements & compared them with tops I already own to make sure I spent my money well. So I was able to use my voucher to get the top for £35 instead of £45 & once I was signed in, I found I also had a token for free next day delivery. The top is lovely. It's quite an unusual print & it looks nice on. I am far happier with this one purchase which fits nicely & will make me feel good when I'm wearing it, rather than a whole parcel of items which turn out to be 'ok'. And it's better for our Clothes Saving Pot too!
Oh dear, this is another long post - must crack on now as I'd hoped to get this little knitting commission for a friend finished today - I keep putting it off because I've reached the really fiddly little bits.
Take care all,
F xx

foxgloves

Well, my Fitbit seems to think I've had an active day - I don't feel like I have - it's all felt a bit random.
Hello m'dears, Well what have I actually achieved today? Let me think..... picked 2.2kg beans & bagged some up for my sis (Mr F & B-i-L meeting up tomorrow to exchange a whole lot of stuff), baked a cake for them too (Mary Berry's marmalade cake, which I hadn't made before... looks nice & used up some of the marmalade lake), put some saved seed into packets, finished the little cats a friend ordered from me & wrapped them ready to post, cleaned most of downstairs (the bits I could reach), potted up a nice clump of Mum's echiveria for my sister, as it will love her hot London garden, progressed a bit more of my recipe project, had a general tidy & odered 3 Christmas presents. 
Tonight I intend to assess a pattern in a nice knitting book from the library. I might knit it for my best friend, eirher for Christmas or her winter birthday. I also need to finish a pair of socks I currently have on the needles for Mr F, using up more of my yarn stash.
Hope everyone is holding up ok, 
F x

HairyHandofDartmoor

It sounds like a productive day Foxgloves.

I think I'll try smaller pharmacies for the flu jab. I have asthma plus work in a school (and children are super spreaders of flu apparantly) so I feel as though I am a priority. I can't get one at the doctor for reasons that are too complicated to go into but I will happily pay for one.

How exciting that you have a new piano and your gas work done. It made me smile to think of you trying not to give the wrong answers, like one of those old fashioned comedies. It was like that at school today as there were two boys called Harry messing about in the toilets and I called out "Hurry up and use the toilet Harry, no not you the other Harry", then straight after I called "Wash your hands quickly Harry, yes I mean you this time", and it reminded me of comedy films where people talk at cross purposes 🤣.