The Final Furlong

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

covert human intelligence source acc to the g00gle!
(i enjoy reading your diary dottles D)

beanielou

Liking Line of Duty!

savingholmes

Sounds like you are making the right decision cutting back your hours. Lovely problem to have. 

Dottles1

Glad you enjoy my ramblings DDFD you are very welcome here.  Yes I had to google CHIS as well but keep forgetting what it stands for:)  You are so right Savingholmes it's much better than the alternative option isn't it?  Beanie I'm a real Line of Duty fan, also Unforgotten.  In fact most crime dramas where I can try to work out who did it?  

I had  a text from the Gardener on Monday to say that after waiting for 2 weeks for him to come and do the first cut, he now can't come for another 2 weeks grrr. Anyway I rolled up my sleeves and went out into the freezing cold and did them myself.  I find it quite difficult to do the first cut due to arthritis in my hips and shoulders but they couldn't wait any longer so put my big girl pants on and got on with it.  I actually did a better job than I expected so quite pleased.  I also got around to vacuuming the car; I've been putting it off for months I'm ashamed to say but that's another one off my list.

On Tuesday DD4 and I made some candles in jars that I had saved before our weekly tea together.  She is now declared herself officially veggie so we experiment with different recipes.  This week I made macaron-no cheese made with butternut squash and coconut milk.  I've made it before but it was her first time and she loved it and I had a portion left for the freezer.

On the work front I had one client on each of Tuesday and this morning but had a full day yesterday, 9:00 till 7:00 with half an hour between each.  It was worth it to have the extra time to myself during the week and I want to get a couple of jobs around the home done and clean my office out ready for starting some face to face work again next week.  I have given everyone the option of staying online and have ordered a testing kit to use every 3 days as well as the other precautions I have in place.  It will feel strange having people come into my home again after so long.

I have my usual long walk planned for tomorrow with friend P and so far the forecast looks good, still cold but sunny so should be pleasant.  She and I had a Zoom call with friend S this afternoon to catch up and have a bit of a giggle and that's always a pleasure.

Still feeling a bit flat here which I can't seem to shake off, I have booked a session with DD2 to help formulate a plan of action and am hoping that will help, I am better when I have goals to work towards whatever they are.

I'm off to put the kettle on, coffee anyone??
Keep warm everyone and take care
Dottles x

beanielou

Coffee, thanks.
Struggling to keep warm today.
Well done on the first cut 
I was going to paint my wee fence & gate but wimped out & got the handyman to do it.

Dottles1

Well at least its a job ticked off the list Beanie, that's always a good feeling.
Morning all.  The sun is shining here but currently a chilly 0 degrees.  I'm still in bed typing this but will have to get up shortly as I have a 9:00 client online.  
Well what a few days it has been weather wise!  Firstly 2 days of snow laying with warm spells in between where I could get out into the garden followed by more snow, what a contrast to last year.  The temperatures are forecast to slowly creep upgoing forward though and we do usually get a couple of weeks of warm weather in April.
Anyway I managed at last to get some seeds sown and put in the mini greenhouse, sweep up at the front of the house and the patio so it's looking a bit more inviting.  I want to start having the odd coffee outside between clients if I can.

Friend P and I managed our long walk on Friday, getting back to our cars just as it started to sleet and hail so good timing.  I had 2 unexpected surprises (well I guess the wouldn't have been surprises if they had been expected:))on Saturday.  Firstly a delivery of a beautiful bouquet from a client who I have just finished working with and then a text message from DGS to say that he had bought me a new TV which would be arriving on Tuesday.  We had been talking about TV's a couple of weeks ago and we were laughing at how slow mine was and how it gets "stuck" so I have to switch it off at the wall and back on again from time to time.  Anyway it duly turned up and is all singing and dancing and fabulous.  I am so touched by his kindness

As I had to stay in for the delivery yesterday I cracked on with some jobs around the house. I changed the bed and washed the sheets ready to go on the line this morning followed by tidying the kitchen and emptying and washing out the bin, sorting the recycling and putting it in the garage.  Whilst I was there I decided to tidy the garage and put the charity shop box in my car boot ready to drop off.  That led to bagging the clothes I had recently decluttered and putting them in the boot as well.  After the TV arrived, I popped out to get a couple of courgettes and took the car instead of walking so that I could go via the charity shop.  It felt so good to offload all that stuff after so long and they were delighted to receive it.

It feels a bit strange to see the local shops open again and more people about but it's good to be taking a step towards normality; I just hope that people are sensible about it and don't forget about social distancing.

I forgot to mention my Amaz*n parcel last time I posted.  I ordered some wax and wicks to make candles with DGD4 and received an extra box with my order containing a hairdryer, 2 x hair product and a pack of hair towels.  It took me ages to get in touch with them to tell them there had been a mistake but when I eventually did so they said to keep it due to COVID restrictions.  Now I'm sure that if I bought something and wanted to return it they would accept it so I'm not buying that.  I think it is more because they couldn't match any codes with it to process the return but hey ho.  GD2 has now got the dryer, a friend has the products as they were for curly hair and I have given 2 of the hair towels to GD4 and DIL  and kept one for myself.  A very frugal experience

I'm thinking about how I can revamp my spending pots but will have to keep those musings for next time as I've just seen the time.

Keep warm today and I hope the sun shines wherever you are.
Dottles x

beanielou

How lovely about the TV.

savingholmes

Fab news on the TV
Glad you are spacing your day out more and getting some rest - still sounds a long day though.
Cooking antics with your young people sound positive too. 
Sounds like you are balancing things well.

Dottles1

Yes I think I'm beginning to Savingholmes, I'm trying to override that "go at it at 100 miles per hour" way that I have always done and to think more about what I want.
Well it's a lovely sunny day here and hopefully will be warm as it has been over the weekend.  Went for a walk with friend P on Saturday and stopped for a coffee half way as usual but we were able to sit in the sun overlooking the river.  In fact it was so warm I even took my jacket off !!
Anyway I've just popped in to say hello during a gap in my work and will come back later to fill you in on my day.

See you later
Dottles x

Dottles1

Hello all.
My internet played up on Monday so I didn't get chance to get back on here, I've still got loads to catch up on with everyone's diaries.  Monday was mostly about work but I got a couple of small jobs done and Tuesday was tea with DGD4 as usual.  We had pancakes filled with mushrooms, onion, garlic and spinach with a touch of hot sauce followed by chocolate mousse.  it was very good if I say so myself.
I had a cancellation yesterday so had the day to myself, and by did I take advantage of it.  I worked in the back garden as it was sunny and warm.  Cut the grass and tidied and emptied pots.  Then I set about the small flower bed, weeded it and took out any stragglers from last year that were not dong much and planted up a couple of gifted plants that I'd over wintered in pots and trimmed back a lady's mantle that is coming through strongly.  It's really hard to kill them off though as they are tough as old boots.  I then set about the bottom border and managed to get half of it done ready for the new arch I have ordered.  The garden is a triangle shape and there is not much I can do with the pointed end so I've decided put a large pot there as a focal point with the arch over it.  I'm then going to grow clematis up one side and a climbing rose up the other.
Unfortunately that means moving the old rose to another spot so some digging to be done but I may call in DS for some muscle.

I did manage to get an hour in the sun with a coffee and a magazine, it's so good to have some warm weather again.

Today has been a mix of work and jobs.  I went to M&S to get some wine for DGS's birthday tomorrow but managed to know a bottle off the self service till point making a mess.  The assistant was very helpful and pleasant about it but I did feel a bit clumsy.
I have also decided which boots to keep ( I ordered 2 pairs) and sent the others back via " In Post" where you have to put your parcel in a locker with a code for collection later.   My code was not recognised and so I had to wait on the phone for 15 minutes (outside the garage where the locker is) before they could help me sort the problem.  Anyway all done now but what a faff for what is supposed to be quicker way of returning goods.
I'm going to put a jacket potato in the oven to cook while I take Tilly out for a walk; I'm not quite sure what I will top it with yet, perhaps some Quorn bolognaise.
Tomorrow is long walk day with friend P in the morning and a Zoom call with friend S in the afternoon after which a sit in the sunshine is o the cards.

I hope you are all getting some of this sunshine and keeping well.
Speak soon
Dottles x