Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 4 - The Aftermath

Jellytotts

I dabbled with a few basic veg plants for years and then 2 years ago in an effort to help DHs mental health I applied for an allotment.  Knowing the waiting lists are notoriously long I thought I'd have time to persuade him he'd like to help me grow our own...we got a phone call the next day to come pick our plot.  Luckily he embraced it and we've gone from growing a couple of runner beans and some salad leaves in a pot to full plot growers. This year my garden is also being used for food so I've double our growing space.  

I've read nothing, I take advice from the other plot holders with a pinch of salt and I just potter about and see what happens.  We had to buy a second freezer last year for all the surplus and are still eating it down now.  

Plonk stuff in the ground/pots, water it and see what happens - you'll love it.

f0xh0les

CCL. treat it like the  laundry powder  aisle, a million different types and smells and sizes and they all basically do the same thing.   Of course if you decide to have a compost bin............

apple_muncher

You ok, ccl? Are you still out in the garden planting green things?

crazy_cat_lady

Morning  
OK - so I've spent the past few days having a minor crisis and avoiding everything except the perils of my own head. I've had to get a loan for a new bathroom. I knew it was coming and I couldn't just keep patching it as I have been doing for years now. It's needed replacing since I moved here 16 years ago, and over the years I've done a bit here and a bit there but it's just awful. As you know I spent time over Easter painting and redoing the floor in there to try and make it bearable. What a waste of time and money eh, because the bathroom has finally beaten me. I just can't believe I've had to take on even more debt to get there. On the plus side though, I will have a completely new subfloor, replastered walls and new electrics before we even mention the beautiful new bathroom suite. And the whole lot comes with a 20 year guarantee. I feel sick when I think about it even though I know it's much more of a necessity than an extravagance. I've basically got a board of wood holding my bathroom sink up temporarily for the next couple of weeks.
In the meantime I'm clearing and decluttering to try and make myself feel better and less guilty about borrowing money on top of my horrific cc balance. I've booked another permit at the tip on Friday and am madly filling up bags of rubbish and recycling. I found a massive box of stuff belonging to ex yesterday that was taking up a whole shelf in my bedroom cupboard and I figure 2 years is long enough for him to collect if he wanted anything so it's going to the tip. Along with the last of his clothes from the wardrobe (there's clothes recycling there). So far I have 12 various bags of rubbish and recycling and it makes me feel a bit better as well.
Alas gardening hasn't been going so well. It's rained pretty solidly for 3 days now so I haven't been out and about doing anything. The largest of the plants are sitting in the garden, and the seedlings are still sitting on my windowsill in the kitchen and getting watered daily. The cucumbers definitely have more leaves than they did when I first got them so I will consider that progress in the short term.
DD and I tidied and deep cleaned the kitchen yesterday afternoon - it's a much more pleasant task when I'm not doing it alone. I even bullied ds into hoovering the house through from top to bottom so I felt as though we were all getting involved. I even cleaned the washing machine as it was starting to smell a bit damp, and I had to use the drier the other day for towels and they came out smelling so bad that I had to wash them again. One bottle of lemon washing machine cleaner later and it smells all sparkly now. I should feel triumphant that I have gotten so much done - maybe I will when I stop worrying.
Other than that, on Saturday I did my longest walk yet - 8.4 miles. I went with the Deputy Head and we met up with the Head, which was really good fun for a nice socially distant catch up and some adults to talk to. Unfortunately my dodgy old ankle has protested in the very worst way and I can now barely walk. The things I do to suck up to the management I've been told it's going to need a couple of days of almost complete rest, which has peeved me off somewhat but I know that they are right.
In between all that I've been crocheting, shopping for basics (and hoping to avoid the shops as they're getting very busy now) and watching Lost with dd. Finished washing Ashes to Ashes on my own yesterday morning - I'd forgotten how much I'd enjoyed it.
Anyway, I've checked my bank this morning (no more hiding from that - need to face it head on), reviewed last weeks student efforts at school work and set this week's work. Meeting at 1pm, so I'd best get on and get something done.
Have a good day everyone.
P.S. Anyone any wise ideas about what I can do with extra carrots? I seem to have a glut of them.

Buffythedebtslayer

I make soup with carrots. About as creative as I get - boil carrots, potatoes till soft, a fried onion if I have any, add herbs of choice, I am basic and do dried mixed herbs,salt, pepper and then I have this whizzy mixer/choppy thing and it looks like real soup. I might add cream if I have any too. I am guilty too of putting in whatever manky veg is hanging on changing into new life forms in the fridge or frozen if I am lacking. I always thought soup took days but it all takes about 25 minutes. 

We lived for YEARS with a !!!!!! bathroom and saved enough money to have it done apart form we couldn't afford to redo the ceiling and the door. Which are both disgusting again. Much better to get to done WELL and properly and not have the nagging crap bits left. Good plan. Does sound like you have had a good productive weekend. 
And your CC balance isn't hideous. I bet we have both had worse and at some point for me for sure that would have been normal and caused by crap spending. And yours is from making a better life for you and your kids. Good reasons. And you can pay it. 
And the decluttering sounds epic! Our tip is pretty good at the whole social distancing thing. I think all my plants have been eaten by snails by now, or worse slugs..............it rained here too! Am totally a fair weather gardener. 
Take care XXX 

apple_muncher

Bummer to the bathroom floor choosing its moment to be a drama llama. But well done you for biting that bitter bullet and getting it all sorted.

foxgloves

Carrot ideas - Carrot & coriander soup, roast them with a bit of oil & garlic as a side veg, use them in a veggie curry or make carrot mayonnaise (I grate them, add chopped parsley & sultanas & bind witj mayonnaise) or make coleslaw if you also have white cabbage & onions. Grate & make carrot fritters? Carrots are very versatile. Failing that, simply peel, slice, blanch for 1 minute in boiling water, cool & freeze.
F x

Baileys_Babe

All cabbage works in coleslaw. Red looks very pretty.

f0xh0les

After a week like that, and a massive long walk without dying (your fitness and stamina are improving so quickly) I would say sod it all and make a carrot cake, and a coleslaw, and cube some up to go in a stew (this weather is calling for comfort food) and make some carrot bhajis. 

So sorry it has resulted in more debt. but bathrooms are a kind of a once in a decade thing.  It had to  be done.  And even if you had cleared every scrap of D-debt the week before,  would you honestly have had the money sitting around to do it without a cc or a bank loan?  I know it does not help. but it is one of those things that come up and bite us on the bum when we least expect them.  But you are going to have a lovely bathroom at the end of it, and no worry that you are going to step out of the shower and end up in the kitchen.

Hugs. I know you are gutted by this.

Baileys_Babe

Your bathroom isn't a want it is a need, it is essential for keeping you and your family clean and healthy.

What could happen if you don't get the work done?
1) Your bathroom continues to be a source of upset
2) You risk yourself or your children getting injured if more damage occurs
3) The work will cost a lot more if you delay for much longer

I do not see it as you wasting your time over Easter. you set your self a challenge and you meet it square on. The skills you acquired will still be there in the future and hopefully a bit more confidence now.

@crazy_cat_lady I know you and you have no doubt already worked out how and when you are going to repay this new debt.
Do not, I will repeat do not beat yourself up or feel guilty for this new debt, you are not wasting money on fripperies but investing in your home (an asset).
The timing is not what you hoped but it is what it is and now you will have a beautify bathroom to look forward to.

Think in the long run it will be one less thing to worry about.