The Final Furlong

savingholmes

Glad things are going so well. Exciting getting future work booked in and the prospect of getting work done on the house. How are you planning to upcycle the chairs?

Dottles1

Yes it's not bad at all Beanie, I have a lot to be thankful for.
I have friend H's dog staying for a few days (she's the diva) so walking dogs is fun at the moment.  They always manage to tangle their leads as we walk and as each one has a wee the other has to wee on top of it.  It takes sooo much longer to get round.  I have to separate them at food time as Tilly will empty both bowls if she gets a chance, for a small dog she cam eat a lot and she stands over the visitor checking if she drops anything.
I've managed to get lots of small (and not so small) jobs done over the last two days.  I've paid my car tax, sorted out some storage, washed walls and done my budget for the month.  This is the first month that I have had to pay myself which was a bit strange and I'm wondering if I will need to give myself an appraisal at some point to justify my salary .  I have borrowed out of my savings for this month which I knew that I would have to do but next month is looking like I will bring in enough to cover it.  I've had another request from a student to book in with me from the end of September so it looks as though the winter months are going to be busy.
I am off to friend P's this afternoon to cut the ribbon and declare her new kitchen open (there really will be a ribbon) so I though I might look out a hat to wear, not that I have much choice, it will be between a floppy straw ha and a fascinator.  I also thought that I might prepare a few words, she would like that.  Such fun!!
I've noticed an abundance of brambles locally so I'll be out there again nobody appears to pick them here so I should be able to have enough to see me through the winter months as well as leaving plenty for the birds.  I may have to rope GD4 in to help.  I also want to collect some fir cones to put in a bowl on the table in the living room along with a few conkers and a couple of candles.  It makes a lovely autumn display but I'm not quite ready to write of summer yet.  We usually get a couple of warm weeks here when the schools go back so fingers crossed.  If not I'll be taking a throw and a cuppa into the garden to sit and read my book.
I had a peasant surprise yesterday as Friend C was due to come over for a coffee and a catch up.  She is much younger than me and is just at the beginning of her career so I've spent some time with her mentoring and supporting her over the last year.  Anyway she turned up as agreed but had booked an eating place in the village and whisked me off for breakfast on her. as a thank you.  We both had a vegan breakfast, which was delicious and a good old chat.
The weather looks quite bright out side but cool,  it was really cold here last night, enough for me to put on a warm cardigan.  I'm hoping it stays dry as I really want to get a few garden jobs done.
I hope you all have a pleasant weekend whatever you are doing.
Keep keeping safe
Dottles x

beanielou

Enjoy.      😊

Dottles1

Morning all
I have woken up to dry weather and bright if not sunny.  The plan is to walk the dogs and then spend the day doing garden jobs.  Friend P and I have decided to pt up rogue seedlings from the garden and sell them for a£1 on FB and give the proceeds to the local food bank.. Neither of us can bear to throw away plants and it's a good cause.
The kitchen ceremony was fabulous!  I decided on the floppy hat with a scarf tied around it and big   I made a little speech .  Mr P's husband was wearing a top hat and a green sequinned bow tie so I didn't feel too overdressed.  We then celebrated with coffee and chocolate cake, yum.  Oh yes and the kitchen looks fab too.
I made dhal and flat breads for  later and not much else was achieved yesterday apart from booking the decorator to paint bedroom walls on Wednesday.  I have persuaded DS to come round and help me move the furniture in readiness.  It will be a pain and I may spend a coupe of nights on the sofa but it will be another outstanding job completed.
I may pop back later to update.
Have a good day
Dottles x 

beanielou

Kitchen ceremony sounds fab. 

Love the idea of donations to your foodbank. 

Our donations have tailed off a lot recently which is understandable but difficult. 

Dottles1

Thanks Beanie.  We had a man collecting locally during lock down as his church had set up a food bank for the duration but stopped it when things eased.  I have been collecting since then but donations have now slowed down here too.  I think the sense of urgency we all had at the beginning of the pandemic has eased as well as many people not having as much available.  I have also been passing books around with other avid readers as the charity shops are not  taking them at present.  That might be something else I could sell for 50p to raise funds.  I'll keep thinking.
I hope your donations increase again as things ease.
Dottles x

beanielou

Thanks dottles. 

I hope so too 😊

Dottles1

Well I have to confess that I got side tracked yesterday and no gardening was done.  However,it is forecast to be dry again today so no excuses.  I did however, phone DD1 to see how the first week at her new job went and had quite a lengthy chat.  She had GGS staying so he came on to say hello and tell me his dinosaur joke.  I walked the dogs and had a couple of pleasant chats with other dog walkers, I seem to have spoken to more people since I retired than ever before.  I suppose it could be because I'm not in such a rush.  I also passed a house with a huge box of apples outside and a label saying "free, please take".  The owner told me that he has a huge apple tree in his back garden and he gives away apples each year as he couldn't possibly get through them all.  I took a couple and he said to came back with a bag which I did.  
After a cuppa I face timed GD1 in the US and had a good chin wag for about an hour and a half.  She is very worried about the rising rates of Covid infections over there as her job entails a lot of contact with students, many of whom are disregarding the social distancing recommendations.  She is also concerned that she may not get home for Christmas as the flights at that time are so expensive, even more than usual due to the pandemic.  Anyway she is taking each day at a time as whilst still having a plan but knowing that things can change rapidly.  
DS rang me to invite me for lunch which I jumped at, he does do a fabulous roast dinner and provides an alternative for me (being veggie) but I do enjoy all the veg, mash and gravy. I took the bag of apples round for them as DIL loves to make an apple pie.  DIL and I had a couple of glasses of wine and GD4 showed me her newly decorated bedroom and we all chatted about nothing special.  A proper Sunday afternoon.  DS has bought a new laptop so has cleared his down and helped me to set it up for me to use.  I am going to pass mine on to GD2 as she is going back to college to study nursing and doesn't have one and though it's a bit slow it will do her for now to get started.  By the time I got home and fed and sorted the dogs it was going dark so I just tidied around and watched the new series of Strike before bed.
I'm hoping that there will be more apples out today so that I can get a few for myself so will check when I take the dogs for a walk.
On today's jobs list is moving the furniture in my bedroom in readiness for the decorator coming on Wednesday.  I know it's early but DS is coming over to help me and he will be working late on Tuesday.  I also need to clean behind the furniture ready for painting so today it is!
I can see the sun shining so I'm going to have a cup of coffee and get out into the garden as my first job of the day, no excuses today.
Enjoy your day, whatever you are doing.
Dottles x

beanielou

What a lovely weekend you have had. 

Dottles1

Yes it was Beanie, and I did get some more apples too.
I've been offline for a couple of days whilst sorting laptops, software, internet etc. but I'm back now.  I did manage to get quite a bit of gardening done on Monday, cutting back, planting plants from pots into the borders and cutting the grass.  I also topped up the front border with the bags of top soil and by the evening ached everywhere.  Friend A called round with some storage boxes she was getting rid of, one of which was a large wicker hamper big enough to store spare bedding in and is now in my bedroom.  She invited me to tea at hers on Tuesday which we ate in the garden and had a catch up and a giggle, always welcome.  I managed to cut the back lawn on Tuesday and took friend H's dog home.  It has been so sunny that I have dried several loads of washing on the line and had lunch in the garden under my new parasol, at least I've managed to get some use out of it before winter.  My son came round to help me move the furniture in the bedroom as the decorator was due this morning, no wonder I was aching again, my muscles have been getting a proper work out.  
So I was up with the lark to take down the blinds and to hoover and wipe the skirting boards before the decorator arrived.  I have never seen so many cobwebs as there were behind the wardrobe, it was quite embarrassing, still they are gone now.  The bedroom has now been painted and I got to return one tin of gloss saving me £24, an unexpected surprise.  I now have to choose some wallpaper and liase with DD1 who is going to put it up for me.   I always used to do it myself but don't seem to be as good at it anymore, it's very frustrating.  Still I'll get to spend some time with her and will make some lunch for us too.  I've been putting back most of the furniture (apart from the wardrobe which I can't budge) so I'll ask DS to pop round tomorrow to do that for me.  I know that I am lucky to have family near to help but I really don't like having to rely on them.  Stubborn old bird that I am
GD3 goes away to university on the 11th so I want to take her out or lunch or something before she goes.  I've been thinking of contributing something but she seems to be all sorted and has a good sized pot of money to take with her too as she's been working and saving for the last year in readiness.  I might just steer the conversation to find out what she needs or would like.
I've had a private client this evening, another booked for Friday and a meeting tomorrow so work is building up slowly but surely and I've spoken to the tax office regarding my tax code so should get back the tax I paid on my pensions this month.  The person I spoke to couldn't have been more helpful and recalculated it there and then, I was impressed.
Right it's time for a bit of relaxation before bed, it's been a few very busy, and physical  days.
Good night all, sleep well.
Dottles x