Struggling along as best I can

Makingabobor2

I often do that, take photos in garden centre. The other week I took a photo of a lovely wooden bench type thing and then came home and asked DH to make me one....lol.  He said no as the wood would be too expensive if I wanted it to last a long time....lol

[Deleted User]

I absolutely love Cyprus especially the western side around Paphos, Peyia and Coral Bay. Do you manage to visit much? 
I continue to be amazed to how you manage on just over £10000 a year if you include the £300 a year winter heating payment. How do you do it? Are you able to give an approximate monthly breakdown?
Best wishes.

nannygladys

WinterWarrior - i have just read an article how to propagate lavender as I have a bush at the Lottie which is doing really well, and thought I could have a go and then put them down the new edge of the driveway, it's not very long so I wouldn't need many plants 🤣🤣

nannygladys

kayannie - i have heard of penstenons but didn't know what they looked like, so looked them up and they are so pretty and as they grow each year that is a huge bonus, they look like 'proper' cottage garden flowers and all those differing colours ... 😀

nannygladys

Makingabobor2 - what an excuse of wood being too dear 🤣🤣🤣 mind you I was looking at some reclaimed wood the other week and even that was too much for me 🙁 I hope hubby changes his mind and you get your bench

nannygladys

Baron_Dale - asking for exact figures is a little like asking a lady her age 🤣 so I won't give exact but every January I redo my budgets. I keep track of all my annual bills I pay out eg water, insurances, car stuff, dentist, opticians etc and add on 10% to the total then divide by 13 as I get paid every 4 weeks and that's how much I put into that pot. When I did it for the first time I had to put more away as 'whole' bills needed paying before I had enough money in the pot sometimes, but by the second year it was much easier. I pay only 5 direct debits each month and this will be going down to four when I cancel the bbc, these are g&e , phone, internet, council tax and TV licence and then I have five further saving pots attached to my current account one of these being for annual bills, then emergency fund, house stuff (canopy) etc and two others with savings in for different projects, I pay all these first and then what is left gets divided into  food and household stuff , fuel, treats, garden pot and clothes pot and anything else that comes up. It might sound like I have quite a lot of money but things like clothes and shoes I have to save months and months for, but once all the money is allocated into their proper places I don't borrow out of it. I sometimes use my credit card to buy something but will only do that when I have the money to pay it straight off as I accumulate Tesco points on it and I'm not paying any interest!. That's about it really, when I was working full-time I lived month to month, then for the last five years I was part time (I had paid my mortgage off by then) and had to start living very carefully which put me in good stead managing on just a state pension. It's not always easy but doable when you live as simple and frugally as I do. I grow plenty of fruit and veggies on the allotment and this year in my garden, and I live  near countryside to go walking etc so I'm a happy bunny and Im too old to need expensive holidays, clothes etc.

I haven't been to Cyprus for a few years now and I'm lucky that DD and family come over here and we speak every week on video so I get to see and speak to her, grandson and son in law and see her beautiful gardens with the sea and  sunsets in the distance 😀

I hope that's ok
Nannyg

nannygladys

Well I've had a busy time since I last posted now the dgc are on holiday. I try to do my bit with helping DDS but it's become a little more difficult all of a sudden. I went for my eye test the other day and the cataracts need to come out! The optician told me I can no longer drive legally to which I asked how was I expected to get home - obviously no answer from him and I drove very carefully 🤣 anyway, I have an appointment for the pre op next week and then it should be carried out within 2-8 weeks if it all goes to plan, but that's only one eye, so after I've had the all clear for the first eye (about 4weeks post op)I will have to wait another 2-8 weeks to get the other one done. Once I got over the shock (even though I knew it was going to happen sometime), I realised I will be carless for a couple of months at least!! I now have to start walking more 🤣🤣! Today I was running out of fresh milk and as I can't go to the farm I walked to Aldi (I haven't been there for a long time), dragging my shopping trolley behind me as I wasn't going to walk down and up the hill  just a bottle of milk!) I'm definitely going to be much fitter when all this over 🤣🤣🤣 and hopefully lose a few more pounds! I didn't really realise how much I use the car, all those little journeys etc and I'll obviously be saving on petrol costs 🤣🤣🤣 and the old bus pass will come out!  just realised I won't get my free coffees at the garden centre as I can't get there!! I'll have to bribe my DDS to take me 🤣🤣
So besides dgc and dog sitting oh and the eye situation not much is happening but I seem to be all over the place. I have been painting the bathroom and plastering the inside of the bay window in readiness for me wallpapering it (only the bay window not the whole room).
 I'm sad Wilko's is closing (I think,) as it's where I normally go to get paint, seeds etc. When I went in there to get the bathroom paint the shelves were practically empty so you could tell something wasn't quite right, such a shame another big shop going.
I have sorted the freezer out today and made a huge pot of tomato soup with the last of last year's tomatoes, so I'll go and blitz it up for the  next few days lunches, I'm thinking of freezing a few meals incase I cant be bothered to cook after the eye surgery so I need to make a bit more room in there, some jam making with the frozen fruit will be happening soon to free more room up.
So that's me caught up with what I've been up to, not much money has been spent, saved on glasses as I can't have any until the eyes are sorted but that money went back into the pot. So all is well and dandy here. Also realised I can't go to get my veg box either and I'll have to get the bus (or walk - in my dreams!) To fat club🤣🤣😏
Nannyg 

joedenise

I've just had my first cataract done @nannygladys and I'd say it's definitely worth getting some home made ready meals frozen for the first few days to make life a bit easier.  I had my op on Thursday and the blurring is virtually gone now and I can see with no lens in my glasses - it seems really weird to just have the one lens in now but the old lens wasn't helping at all!

I've got the date to have the other eye done for the beginning of September - just a few days after finishing the eye drops in the first eye and then it'll start all over again with the other eye.  Such fun!

Good luck with getting your cataracts done.

kayannie

nannygladys said:

WinterWarrior - i have just read an article how to propagate lavender as I have a bush at the Lottie which is doing really well, and thought I could have a go and then put them down the new edge of the driveway, it's not very long so I wouldn't need many plants 🤣🤣

Lavenders are very easy to take cuttings from, I have 2 big plants grown from cuttings I took 2 years ago. I love free plants! KA

[Deleted User]

Thank you for your informative reply. Best wishes.