Seasidegal's Scrimpy Retirement Diary!

EssexHebridean

Morning SSG - all sounding good in your world - not long now until you go north I think? 

I believe your local airport has been quite in demand for various aircraft basing for Eastbourne airshow last weekend and I think they will be back there again for Clacton this weekend as well - keep your eyes out for a Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster whizzing about! 

Seasidegal58

Thank you everyone!😃. @EssexHebridean - during the weekend of the Eastbourne show, the Red Arrows came screaming over my flat several times on their way there from our local airport!  Quite exciting! There were a few locals who didn't realise it was them and thought the Russians had invaded!🤣

I didn't get to hear them again the following weekend as I flew up to Scotland to dog sit for DD and her OH for two weeks and am one week into my stay. I only have one dog (or Bear) to look after this time as Bear2 has come into season and Bear1 has had to go on holiday to prevent an influx of little cubs! 🐻😃. As they're a large breed DD and OH don't want them neutered or spayed until they are two years old which isn't till next year. But Bear1 seems quite happy at the moment - he's staying with friends who have bulldogs!

The weather has been really glorious up until today which is overcast and rainy. It really felt autumnal this morning for the first time since I arrived. Downside is the midge season is still in full flow and I have a few bites which are annoying. Also have been removing ticks from around Bear2's head - especially near her eyes. They are really horrible nasty things but she's always sniffing in the long grass so comes with the territory this time of year. 🤬

I've been to the neighbours for coffee and homemade scones a couple of times (yum!) and am having lunch out with them on Sunday. 

Anyhow there was quite a nice sunrise yesterday over the hills so I thought I'd share it! 😀

MSE SCRIMPY THINGS
I updated my YNAB categories yesterday as it was the first of the month. It still feels like the calm before the storm electric bill-wise. 

I ordered a Tesco click and collect which DD's OH picked up for me before they left but apart from a couple of things at the farm shop I haven't spent anything since I've arrived apart from ordering tickets for the Christmas shopping fair I attend each November with DSis and friends. They were offering an earlybird order special with 30% off the normal ticket price. DSis also messaged to see if I wanted to see 'Hamilton' in November with her and some of her work colleagues. 

I cashed out £24 from Topcashback and won two lucky dips on the lottery!😃 

beanielou

Enjoy your break 

doingitanyway

Looks beautiful. Be careful of ticks on you too.

milann

Looks beautiful. 

I’m imagining what combination of pups would arrive from a bear dog and a bull dog…..😂😂😂😂 I know this wouldn’t happen as your dd isn’t likely to have left the dog where there was a chance of any type of puppy…..it tickled me though 🙄😂

Seasidegal58

Thank you all!😀
@doingitanyway - we use a lint roller on the bears when they come in from walks or if they've been out in the croft for while - it doesn't remove any ticks that have embedded themselves but a quick brush over the coat at least will help remove any that are on top of the coat before they can burrow in. We use it around our own socks and lower legs too!
@milann - I should imagine the combination of a bear very large body and a bulldog head would result in one helluva scary looking dog!😂. They would probably do well starring in something like 'Game of Thrones!'  Actually the friends looking after Bear1 are dog breeders and are also in the process of opening their own boarding kennels. Bear1 is currently installed in a brand new pen away from any bulldog girlfriends he may fall in love with and video updates are periodically sent to DD and OH on how he's doing. The only thing is the friends are quite taken with him so we're not sure they're going to give him back!😂
The weather the last few days has been variable - the day before yesterday was overcast but with really strong balmy winds. The heavy towels I put out on the line fully dried in less than an hour!  Yesterday was brilliant sunshine and very warm with no wind so the midges were out in force. 😡🦟. Today is slightly overcast with strong winds again - it's been raining earlier with more forecast for this afternoon. 

 I've been going for daily walks with Bear2 and the neighbour across the road and his young border collie. She's very sweet and a live wire - loves digging holes!  

I went out to the village yesterday with DD's friend and neighbour who is the artist I bought the paintings from when I was last here. Her exhibition in the village ended last week and I helped her take everything down and clear up at the venue. There is another artist exhibiting now so we went to have a look - very different -rather Rothkoesque but beautiful colours encompassing the sea and sky scapes around here. 

Today I'm vacuuming and steaming the floors and cleaning the range oven interspersed with playing frisbee with Bear2. 

There was a beautiful cloud formation during sunset last night so I had to take a photo:




MSE SCRIMPY THINGS
Spends have been Sunday lunch out with neighbour, more midge repellent at the local chemist and some rolls and a pizza from the farm shop. 

I've been notified that I've won a prize in this month's premium bond draw. The thing is that I can't log on to the NS&I site to see how much I've won as my O2 phone signal won't work here at the house - I have to call people through WhatsApp or Signal or the landline. Which means the text OTP number to log on from NS&I doesn't get through. So I'm going to have to wait till I see the amount when it hits my current account. It's probably the usual £25 but you never know........!😀
I've also cashed out £25 from Opinium. 

badmemory

So far I have been lucky & had a signal but sometimes don't.  It is a real pain in the proverbial & they are all starting to do it now.  I am lucky in that one of my accounts say as long as I log in from here they won't need to do it again, which is a massive relief as that is where most of my tranactions are.  What happened to the "all of the country would have a signal" another untruth obviously.

Seasidegal58

@badmemory - a lot of the people round here appear to be with EE with regard to their mobile providers and the signal is fine. DD and OH are with them and never have a problem. I'm quite happy in general with O2 though and it seems to be fine anywhere else. It does work in the village here but I'm several miles away with no transport and have to rely on the goodwill of neighbours!

badmemory

Over 20 years ago I was with EE but the signal just kept getting worse.  I am now with Tesco which is O2 & has got worse over the years.  I have "trained" friends to ring my landline & only ring my mobile if they don't get me.  A couple of miles away I have a perfect signal.  The original problem is a hill followed by trees that have grown much too tall, so I can't even change my house insurance as one is within the 7 metres they ask about.  First world problems!!

milann

Ooohhhhh…..hopefully your PB win will include some zeroes at the end of your win 🤞🤞