Simple living in the country - back to basics

Cheery_Daff

Ended up getting loads done yesterday. I've now finished four rows of scything, and we mowed the grass and strimmed where the mower doesn't reach, gathered up a load of stuff for the tip, nipped into town to pick up a gutter clip for when the rendering geezer comes back (no sign of him today). We spent about 5 hours in the garden in the end, it was exhausting! 

Today is definitely an indoor day 😂 We'd put the garden stuff in the car deliberately so we couldn't wimp out of taking it this morning 😂 so we did that, and a cafe trip, and are now tidying the house ready for friends arriving at some point later this afternoon. 

Nothing much to report money-wise. Got a free cuppa in the cafe this morning with my loyalty stamps (but I think that says more about how much I spend in there than it's any indication of thrift 🙄😂). Got a couple of charity shop books yesterday.

Right, need some lunch, and then I'm going to re-make the hay box and get some tea in there 😊

Karmacat

Enjoy your day - it still counts as holiday!

Cheery_Daff

Certainly does! 😊 a nice leisurely read in the cafe, a good stint of both of us tidying up means the house now feels nice and tidy and clean 😊 Sofa bed is made up for the visitors, I've reinstated the hay box. 

Looks like they should be arriving about 5.45 which is great - plenty of time to potter about making a leisurely tea 😊

Cheery_Daff

Evening MSE chums 😊

Visitors arrived and we had a nice tea 😊 Fairly early night, and a leisurely breakfast, and we've spent the whole of today out in the field, scything and raking, and then we had a bit of a tour round and a nice chat, and a potter around the garden 😊 they also identified a few plants that I didn't know, and made some suggestions of others to go in various places, which is good 😊

They went for a lie down about 7.15 and haven't yet emerged - I'm suspecting they now won't til the morning 😂😂 Mr Cheery and I have had a nice walk out to the road, and now he's on the phone to a friend, and I've just won £50 on the Happy wheel 😁 Although that still only brings August's total to £36 so I'm not crowing too much 😂 Nice to be in positive figures though! 😂

They're going tomorrow morning, don't have any other plans for the day I don't think - maybe some more scything if I can move at that point 😂 and lots of lying around if not 😂

Oh, and I've done a good job of meal planning etc while they've been here, definitely a gold star for me! 😂

Put yesterday's tea in the haybox at lunchtine, and that was still hot when visitors arrived. That was moroccan stew with home made flatbread (which obviously weren't done in the haybox 😂).

While I was waiting for them to get up this morning, I knocked up a kind of lentil casserole thing and put that in the haybox.

Breakfast was homemade granola (!) and (not home made) toast. 

Made some soup the other day (which Mr Cheery had to rescue because it was so tasteless) - had that for lunch.

Tea was the lentil casserole, although I ate it by myself - Mr Cheery had finished off the rest of the lunchtime soup and the visitors apparently slept through dinner 🙄😂

Pretty sure I wouldn't have been so organised if I hadn't planned what I was having in advance so I'm giving myself a nice gold star 😂

EssexHebridean

Gold star very much deserved I would say - and now you see why so many of us on here love a meal plan, no?!

As for the SMEGheads who made your kitchen appliance, I would suggest quoting Martin's SAD FART rule at them - I seem to recall that means that a thing should last a reasonable amount of time - and allowing for what you paid for that hob, I would say that it most certainly hasn't! 

Delighted to hear you're having such a lovely time while you're off - you really do sound very chilled and upbeat, which is fabulous to hear! 

Cheery_Daff

Thanks EH, I certainly do feel quite upbeat and cheerful at the minute! 😊

Thanks for the SAD FART suggestion as well! I've not replied to their last email basically washing their hands of me, so perhaps I'll read that stuff first. Their argument is that it still works - mine is that if I'd wanted something that worked but was rusty and looked rubbish I would have paid far less for something from a charity shop! 

Anyway...

Yesterday was nice - a leisurely breakfast with the visitors, and some more scything. Then when they left, Mr Cheery and I had a cafe trip, then I spent more time in the garden in the evening sunshine 😊

Today we've had a nice long lie in, I met a colleague for lunch, pottered around some charity shops, and another cafe trip. I'm just having a cuppa on the swing seat before I head out to do a bit more scything before tea. 

On Thursday we're going to stay with some friends for a few days, so I'm going to do some food prep to take with us - boughtstuff for that today (and booze 😂).  Partly seems a shame to be leaving the homestead in the only run of good weather for my entire holiday 🙄 but friends are very isolated too and I'll be far more inclined to lie around and do nothing at their house, which will do me good! 😂

themadvix

Another vote for SAD FART - maybe upgrade your argument away from the CS, but the principle stands - you paid for that brand at a premium price because you wanted the design it brings. 

It sounds like you're having a lovely time off and spending a few days away where you'll actually relax sounds like an excellent plan.

Karmacat

Sounds like you're having a lovely relaxing time, Cheery, and you're about to get even more relaxed, going away to friends.  Gorgeous stuff  

redofromstart

I'm outraged at the smegheads attitude (another red dwarf fan) and have taken them off my brands to consider list for future purchases. 

KajiKita

redofromstart said:

I'm outraged at the smegheads attitude (another red dwarf fan) and have taken them off my brands to consider list for future purchases. 

Me two!

I think you need to start escalating and getting noisier. 

Contact their CEO. 

Tweet.
FB bomb their page
etc. 
They sell themselves as a premium brand - they should stand by that!

I totally relate to the only relaxing properly when away from home and my chores are hidden from me  (so my staycation in September will be interesting! 😂) - hope you have a lovely time 😊

KK