Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 3 - A New Beginning

f0xh0les

Enjoy your last weekend of Christmas freedom, but you have something fabulous to look forward to in the next half term. I am literally green with envy! I can't even take DS4 into town without himthrowing a tantrum about some imagined insult. Wish my kids were better behaved, but sadly they are what is euphemistically called ' characters'. Never boring though!

crazy_cat_lady

Oh my goodness, I've had an amazing day but I am SO tired now. It was lovely to see my friend, and she gave me a beautiful present - a handmade framed picture saying 'you are fab' with an iced lolly of the same name. Amazing.
Whilst pub lunch ended up being a bit costly (£35 for mine and ds share including the voucher) we were in there for 3 hours and we had a really good catch up. It is always lovely to see her, and I am pleased to see her looking a bit better than she was the last time I saw her.
After pub lunch we had a browse round charity shops (I didn't buy anything) and the pound shop. I did spend a bit in there - £14.50 which sounds like loads BUT the kids had been harping on for ages about inflatables for when we go on holiday, and they had massive ring inflatables so I got a couple at £5 each (one swan and one unicorn for them to fight over). Also got some things off my list for the cats, plus a box of tissues for work, plus some 25p reduced Christmas gift bags to put away for next year. Then wandered to T£sco and bought some generic migraine medication - saving me approx. £7 on the branded stuff. Then we took the kids for a walk and into the park so we could have a chat while they played. It got too cold and way too dark by about half past five so we decided to head home.
Got home about half six and dd had been out into town with her friends, gone to golden arches for lunch and then to the cinema so she was happy. She'd also remembered to feed the cats. Thankfully I just needed to do snacky bits for dinner, plus dishes, hoovering (again :mad:), another load of washing and putting a couple of things away.
The frog list is getting long and I haven't done much today. I cancelled my car insurance from renewal but haven't sorted any replacement yet - I have this to do before the end of the month. Sent a couple of texts I needed to send, paid my daily savings fund and have looked over my frog list and added more items. Wonder if I can find the motivation to do one or two more bits on there tonight. I'm really keen to brave trying out my pressure cooker. I've had it for years but never tried using it - as last year was the year I braved making chutney and fudge I think it's time to give it a go, scary as it seems. Must read the booklet. However, that will not be tonight. I am shattered from the amount of fresh air I've had today and it's already 9pm.
Crochet and Luther obviously :D:D

beanielou

Glad you have had a great day

Honeysucklelou2

Sounds like a great day out!

crazy_cat_lady

Hello :wave: :coffee:
Today started off a little challenging but I did what I always do - panicked momentarily and then sorted it out.
I hadn't slept well because there was some huge bang outside the house as I went to bed last night which scared the life out of me and the kids. Didn't find out what it was but I checked all of the house, did a full circuit outside and couldn't find anything at all... I did sleep but kept waking up, worrying.
Got up this morning to find that one of the cats had pretty much emptied the bathroom litter tray onto the floor. Cleared it up, then got downstairs to find a pile of cat sick on the kitchen floor By the time I had cleared that up and fed the cats I was more than ready for my cuppa and bacon buttie I'd made. Watched an episode of Marcella and did a bit of crochet then headed off to my tutoring session at half ten.
By the time I'd driven out of the street, an orange light had lit up on the dashboard to warn me that tyre pressure was low. So I decided to pop in and check pressure at the petrol station on the way - to find a completely flat tyre Managed to pump it up enough for me to drive to the nearest garage, where the tyre place was closed I popped into the repair centre next door that was open to ask where the next nearest place was. The men there said that whilst they couldn't replace the tyre for me they would put the spare on for me so I could get to a garage - v kind. When they took the wheel off they had a look and round the puncture, and the man told me he could probably repair it, and that it wouldn't need a new tyre if that worked. He proceeded to pull half a drill bit out of the tyre! A drill bit! For god's sake - I actually cannot believe it. However, the lovely dad and son did manage to repair it for me for a tenner. I am so relieved. So total cost £1 for air at the petrol station and £10 for the actual repair, plus none of the hassle of my having to change a tyre and pump it up again etc.
I was an hour late for tutoring, but not too late for my student to see me. So £50 there, which will pay for my cleaner next week plus school lunches for a fortnight. Happy days.
Got home absolutely starving as I was so late, and tidied the kitchen while I waited for my frozen leftovers to heat. Did the dishes and put the rubbish and recycling out plus ticked another frog off by putting some stuff up in the loft.
I've had a bite to eat but want to sort out another couple of frogs today so I'm going to work through the list.

beanielou

Good news on the tyre.

crazy_cat_lady

Right.
If you were a pressure cooker instruction manual, and you decided not to hide in the box with the pressure cooker (which was still in its plastic wrapping) - where would you decide to hide? I actually have no idea how to work a pressure cooker or how long cooking times are so instructions would be useful. I have googled but can't find the instruction book online...
Made a rice pudding using a litre of coconut milk from my pile of stuff to use up so am pleased with that. Now I've decided to treat myself to a G&T

apple_muncher

I would just sit down with that rice pud, a book and a spoon. Bliss!

f0xh0les

Maybe send an email to the company on spec and say it did not come with one and could they send you one out. Worth a try anyway.



You don't think the loud bang and the drill bit were related do you?



Enjoy your G&T and have a lovely evening.

crazy_cat_lady

It has crossed my mind that it may have been deliberate vandalism f0xh0les but I don't have any proof or anything. Plus, my stepdad told me today that as I had driven it for a few miles with a flat tyre then I should get it checked at a tyre place as the side walls could be damaged. If they are then I definitely need to replace it. That will be £90, but you can't put a price on safety. However, as I'm back at work tomorrow it'll have to be an after school job.
So having had next to nothing to do for 2 weeks, tomorrow I have a full teaching day, a doctor's appointment and I have to find the time to get the tyre looked at. I have a bit of the work dreads already but I'm sure I'll be fine once I get back and get into it.
Today has been a day for dealing with frogs related to the holiday. I've sorted out a EHIC card, insurance, borrowed some bags and adapters. I still need to sort out spends and airport parking so they remain on the list for a couple of weeks.
Went to visit my mam and stepdad this afternoon. Good company and a free feed as always. However there are a few things that I still need to do before I can relax and get an early night:
soak in the bath
sort out something to wear tomorrow
sort out my schoolbag
write a list of jobs for the kids to do
plan tomorrow's meals
tidy in the living room and kitchen (again)
hoover (again)
Feels like there's loads to get done!