Sealed Pot Challenge ~ 13

siju

Well we quickly closed our business up on Tuesday morning and those members of staff who could do something from home were given the equipment to do so but as we are an engineering firm, it's not been possible for them to take the milling machines and lathes home!   Their health and wellbeing and having this time with their families is far more important to us than profits and keeping our customers happy.  I celebrated my birthday yesterday and had a lovely day.  We are lucky enough to live in the countryside and with the sun shining down on us we took our  very old lab for a stroll in the sunshine.  The cafe in our village is doing takeaways so I ordered a cook at home pie, dauphinoise potatoes and spring greens, followed by chocolate torte and a bottle of bubbly.  We also were able to do a group video chat with all the family - what more could you ask for.  A birthday to remember, I think.  Life is strange and uncertain at the moment but we must try to take a breath and be thankful for the small things.  Nothing to pot yet, but I like Sue-UU's idea of an IOU to my pot, therefore, I am IOUing my pot £5 per week until further notice.  

Take care of yourselves and your loved ones Potters and breathe

jakes-mum

Afternoon potters  
Well, with all us humans hating the fact we are stuck in our houses, my puppy is LOVING life right now! All the people she loves are home with her all day, taking her for a walk, playing with her, hugging her She must think its her birthday and christmas rolled into one!
Home schooling still going strong, today we did all DD's maths work for the next 2 weeks (she likes Maths ) and then she made some cookies.  I felt important to start with teaching the most important meal items first! Cake and biscuits   Tomorrow is more Ethics and starting Geography.  We are doing 2 - 3 hrs a day, then something fun like cooking and then her exercise (walking the dog).
Like the idea of IOU's for the tin as everywhere is asking us to pay by card if possible, I could certainly put in all the costa coffee's and meals out we arn't getting   
Stay safe everyone, keep away from other people, we are still finding people being quite blase about it all, standing next to us in the shops.  I have had to bite my tongue a few times to stop myself saying 'just because you are healthy with a strong immune system, doesn't mean I or other people have! back away!' Off to enjoy my 4 walls some more

Hettyhound

Good morning everyone and I hope you are all safe and most importantly well.  Life is a bit of a disaster at the moment, doing lots but nothing very well.  I’m going to ask to take a days holiday next week just to give me a day off from work and home schooling together and then we have 2 weeks of school holidays plus the bank holidays so I should be able to manage the new for the next 3 weeks.  I need to walk into town today to pick up some essentials as I don’t get paid until next Tuesday.  I’ll have Alex with me so I hope he doesn’t get upset at the state of the shelves.  On the positive side I’ve won £10 on the postcode lottery so that will go in the pot and any change I have left by Tuesday will go in too.  It’s a bit sad isn’t it when the highlight of your day is flinging yourself round the kitchen with Joe Wicks!  

MrsShazbat

Hi all

Well, first full week of working from home done.  I was on leave this afternoon, and I'm also off on Monday (we were meant to be away for the weekend) so that's nice although the weather is going to alter a bit by all accounts.  It's been nice having breakfast and lunch on the garden though.  I got the table and chairs back out on Tuesday morning.

Up to me finishing work at lunchtime we still hadn't got access to our database so it's all a bit cobbled together at the moment.  We had a WebEx team meeting on Wednesday so it was nice to see everyone's faces.  

Riverdance has now definitely been postponed, our holiday in Wales has been postponed, we cancelled our planned weekend away this weekend before the Govt anyway, along with a planned weekend in June.  Hubby's falconry experience voucher has been given a free extension, and I'm pleased about the extension given to MOTs due after Monday as mine is/was due on 15th April.  One thing less to have to worry about and to be honest, will work out better for me as it means I can get my service done at the same time later in the year - although with this lack of movement for the car, it'll probably only be a mini-service!  I went out today and started our cars - mine hasn't moved since Monday, hubby's hasn't moved since 24th.  As it happens we have a mechanic/recovery driver living across the road, in the worst-case scenario of either of them not starting, but better to keep them ticking over.

On the plus side, I'm not spending any money other than bits and pieces of shopping.  We're just using the CoOp and Premier shops round the corner - more expensive and less choice but just easiest although one of us will have to brave a supermarket at some point.  But I'm not having my hair or nails done (nails every 3 weeks), I'm not buying a tram pass, I'm not putting petrol in my car.  That's about a £150 saving so far.  I've got a couple of notes in my purse and my cash accounts aren't being touched so I'm seeing that as a positive.  The loose change in my purse went into the pot and the bottle, probably about a tenner in total. Also I've had to send in a final statement for my car insurance court claim, but my solicitor is pretty confident that I won't have to go to court now - having had the date through for 17th April.  It'll be a relief to get it over and done with.  The fact it's gone on as long as it has, and I suspect longer than it needed to due to my case handler at the solicitors changing 3 times and possibly bits of my evidence (like the dashcam footage I'm pretty sure I sent them previously but nothing was done with it - reading between the lines of what my current case handler has said), is beyond annoying so I'll be glad when it's over.  And it'll be a bit more money in the pot.

It's a strange time, still weirdly tiring.  I'm going to start needing siestas soon!!

Stay well everyone x

32b3in2013

Afternoon
no potting done by me.  I haven't been out since Wednesday  I will take a walk around the block tomorrow.
have been working really long hours, but things should calm down by the end of next week.
Hope everyone is safe and well.
32b3

Sue-UU

Hi again Potters! I hope you've all had as good a week as possible and are coming to terms with to this new, though very strange way of life. Strange how you can be very normally working indoors or relaxing and all of a sudden it hits you again! Very weird! For all those Potters who are poorly or low in anyway, take very good care of yourselves and please get well soon! Love and hugs to you all.

I'm pleased you're safely home with your DH, siju, though as you say, you could hardly bring lathes etc home! 

Belated birthday greetings to you! I HATE not having a birthday cake anymore!! It's lovely to hear you enjoyed yourselves - with the family too, and as you say, you really can't ask for more especially in circumstances. 

We live in the countryside too, so fortunate to be able to bask in our gardens when the sun shines, and it certainly has this week.I feel so sorry for those in tower blocks, especially if they have kiddies!! Stay healthy!

It sounds as though your Harvey is really happy right now, jakes-mum, look out when life gets back to normal! 

Good for you and DD with keeping up the homeschooling, you're so fortunate really even though times are hard and so very strange!!

Don't you have the markers in your shops to make darned sure people keep their distance in the correctly?! 

Keep safe and healthy!!

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N.B.  For those paying by card as requested, don't worry about potting right now as it's too risky! I haven't potted anything as hubby and I are unable to get out due to my copd, so I'm putting it on hold - HOWEVER - I'm doing a weekly IOU so I can stock up with the potting when it's all over.

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Thanks for the giggle Hetty, I do much the same as you with exercises, though as yet I've not flung myself around the kitchen, but who knows what's to come....! 🤣
Take care of yourself as you sound as though you're in need of a break, good luck with your time off, why not when so many others are not working at all. 

Even the walk to the shop will at least be some sort of break. Congratulations on winning that £10!!! 👋

Be careful handling cash and notes as you just don't know if anybody with the virus has been handling them!! See my note above. 

Take great care and stay healthy!

Well, it sounds as though you're not fairing to badly with working from home, MrsShazbat. Meals in the garden such a lovely break, especially with the weather as it's been.

Strange how things like MOTs are working out for the best for so many, DH also.

Such a shame that so much has to be postponed or cancelled though, but understandable given how things are at the moment.

From the sounds of it, you're saving yourself a LOT of money!! Brilliant, and strange how things work out. Take care and stay healthy Mrs S!

Hello 32b3! It does sound as though you're working very hard, and I hope for your sake it certainly calms down. Do try to get a walk every day, it's vital to your well-being, though you don't need me to tell you that. No doubt you've been too tired for a walk. Keep very healthy!

Right, here's my IOU for £15 to go under the pot for...whenever!

Have a LOVELY WEEKEND folks!! Take care and KEEP VERY HEALTHY, and keep happy!!

 

Sue x

 

NB folks: Opening date for SPC 13 is 29th October 2020!!!

 

Anyone wishing to join us it's NEVER too late so please just ask you'll be made very welcome.

jakes-mum

Helloooooooo pottersssss
I have a £2 coin for the pot from yesterday, had to go shopping with DH to get the sunday meat and other bits we needed and also to get DH's uncle bits he needed (hence why we went together, due to the limit restrictions I have to shop for us and DH shops for the Uncle).  As Dh's only came to £7 I paid with a £10 note (don't worry! I ALWAYS wash my hands as soon as I get home!!) 
DH and I are at logger heads, he was trying to get me to wear a blumin facemask from his biking gear to the shop! Nope! I will not wear a face warmer made of lycra to the shops, 1) cos I look like a prize idiot and 2) cos it will do zero to protect me!  He has suddenly started to panic that I am going to die (yay, thanks DH's anxiety!) and feels the need to try and wrap me in cotton wool.  It did end with me telling him I am a grown woman and perfectly capable of making my own decisions and keeping myself as safe as I can   
Anyway, enough moaning by me, I need to cajole one of the kids to go and take the dog for a walk for their daily exercise, bless her, I do wonder what our poor Harley will do when the world goes back to normal and all her favorite people are no longer at home with her all day  Still checking the cost of my car hire for DH's 50th despite having no belief it will actually happen, that slim teeny tiny hope i'm wrong keeps me going!

Hettyhound

Hello, I’ve potted £24!  I emptied most of my remaining change plus the £10 postcode lottery win in the tin.  Been to the supermarket today and after queuing to get in it wasn’t too bad.  It was very noticeable that my son was the only child in there and one woman did make a comment but that’s her problem not mine.  I bought us both an Easter egg but whether they will last until Easter before getting opened I’m not sure 😉.  I’ve taken a day off work today as it was just all too much and our workplace have given us two extra days holiday on the 8 and 9th so we are getting a longer Easter break which will be very welcome.  Got to do some school work this afternoon and I want to get the grass cut and then there is our allocated exercise slot.  Off to make some lunch now for the ever hungry child, hope everyone is keeping well and sane 🥰

jakes-mum

Morning pottersssssssssss
Some more change in the pot from the Uncles shopping yesterday including a £2 coin!  
Dh's birthday holiday is now officially cancelled as BA have cancelled the outward flight (not the return though!) so i've been busy cancelling all the other aspects and being extremely thankful to the various companies who are giving full refunds with no admin charges on their non refundable bookings right now.  I will definitely be using Train line and Premier Inn again as they have gone above and beyond in these terrible times, which they didn't need to do, they could have just stuck to their terms.
DH's anxiety is getting worse the longer we are in lockdown, which hasn't been helped by him being rushed up A&E with suspected Covid-19 (that turned out to be the chest infection I thought it was to begin with, but cannot complain that the GP's are taking this virus seriously).  Having to keep explaining all the news and statistics to him, darned Media! 
Anyway, another day, another attempt to teach Miss Lil some form of education.  Today is more info about Voyagers of the 1600's! Its an exciting life I lead don't be jealous of my jet setting lifestyle

Hettyhound

Just wanted to pop by and say hello and I hope everyone is keeping safe and well 🙂. Just been reading an article on how some schools are telling parents not to stress out regarding the home schooling if they are still working; sadly mine hasn’t released such a message.  I finished yesterday for Easter and feel much more relaxed already; will still do our 9am exercise though. Hope everyone is ok 🥰