Simple living in the country - back to basics

Suffolk_lass

I might consider using their calculator when I reach SPA to test that @badmemory but I loathe  the idea.

Cheery_Daff

Thank you all for chipping in with your pension and self assessment contributions Mr Cheery is still a few years off the state pension but we'll make sure to check things when we get there, and watch and learn from the rest of you in the meantime! 

So, a cheerful day here. Pottered off to spend the morning with my dad, not actually seen him for almost 2 years Shocking, but to be fair I do usually only see him after Christmas anyway, and last year we couldn't. I probably shouldn't have left it so long (but on the other hand, he's only ever visited me once, in 2003, so I'm not feeling guilty about it...) He looked old much older (which always alarms me slightly as he's only 4 years older than Mr Cheery )

Anyway, spent a couple of hours there, and then pottered off to see my auntie, which was nice. Not been to her house since, goodness knows, possibly didn't even go last year at all, but she did come here fairly recently so I have seen her. She gave us dinner, and some paving slabs for Mr Cheery's dad's garden - she'd got a load off freegle and had some left over from her own project, so that was helpful. 

Then we sneaked in a trip to Wilko and picked up some other stuff for Mr Cheery's dad, and a sieve for us - ours developed a hole you could put your finger through which rendered it pretty useless. 

Back home again by 7.30 so not too long a day all in all, considering we actually left the country at one point  

I've run the hoover round, and Mr Cheery is bidding on a bit of furniture for his dad, and then a quiet evening with the tv I think. Not sure of the plan for tomorrow, but there are a few things I want to do over the rest of the weekend: 

* annoying bit of work that needs doing before Monday, probably 3 hours
* draft of promotions form (could probably spend 3 hours on this too)
* hang up Mr Cheery's dad's bedding
* clear all the old plates, dishes etc out of the chicken run - we tend to take treats in a tub, and then forget to bring the tub back, so there's quite a pile in there
* clear stuff out of the off shot
* general tidying
* batch cooking for next week
* decide whether to go to work on Monday (I've got 5 hours of important Zoom calls and our internet has been a pain in the windy weather these last few days)
* go to the gym
* check house insurance and either confirm renewal or switch

That'll probably do, starting to be a general include-all-the-things list and I vowed I wouldn't do any more of those!

Suffolk_lass

One more thing on pensions - if Mr Cheery's Dad claims Attendance Allowance, Mr Cheery can claim National Insurance Credits for being his carer. Just saying...

Cheery_Daff

Suffolk_lass said:

One more thing on pensions - if Mr Cheery's Dad claims Attendance Allowance, Mr Cheery can claim National Insurance Credits for being his carer. Just saying...

Thanks SL, not in that situation at the minute but a good reminder.

Early start this morning, off to another town to pick up a shelving unit we snagged on ebay. Just fitted perfectly in the car.

Now in the cafe. Our vouchers have run out, but we had £20 from a relative for Christmas so having a treating breakfast on them 😊 (more than one breakfast in reality - it's not that expensive!)

savingholmes

Glad you have a treat after HMRC stuff.

Cheery_Daff

Gosh it's windy out there 😮😮 Not a day for garden pottering. I've got a few things to do, but for the next hour I'm tucked up under a blanket with a hot water bottle and a herbal tea watching Call the Midwife, and trying not to imagine the house blowing away like in the Wizard of Oz 😮

Cheery_Daff

Ok. Two hours of call the midwife, and I am feeling considerably warmer and more cheerful. Still windy outside though! 

I'm trying to decide what to do for the rest of the afternoon. I'm going out at 4.30, so not loads of time, and Mr Cheery is here, but he won't be tomorrow. 

I'm thinking maybe focusing on tidying and cleaning a bit today (and he can help), and then tomorrow, when I'm on my own, I can finish that bit of work, start the promotions form, and get a bit of painting done. Yes, that sounds like a plan. 

2-3: Inside
* wash up and put dishes away
* turn the washing on the radiator
* clean the bathroom and take my clothes upstairs
* dust
* clear stuff out of the offshot

3-4: Outside
* poo pick chicken house
* bring all the bowls etc that have migrated into the chicken run back inside
* clean and wash them all
* pick up a bit of the litter that's blowing round the garden (although I might be on a hiding to nothing with that in this wind!)

Then I'll get changed and ready to go out. Most jolly! 

Vague plan for tomorrow

First thing - gym
Mid morning - work
After lunch - paint
Mid afternoon - promotions form
Evening - nice bath and nice hanging out

pinkypig

That sounds productive Cheery 😀. Is it tonight that you are off to the panto?  

redofromstart

oh dear, I think I have submitted the tax returns but I had best check.

Hurrah for gifted breakfasts :-)

Cheery_Daff

Yes, I did go to the panto! It was a classic small village panto, lots of forgotten lines, out of tune singing, and dreadful jokes 😂😂 it was hilarious, we had a great time 😂😂😂😂

Not a super cheap night. Went for tea at the pub first, so it ended up costing me £27.50 in total 😮 Still, I can't remember the last time I went out in the evening to anything other than a friend's house, and I've not been for an evening out without Mr Cheery for yonks! 

Tired now though.