Holding On and Letting Go 🎈

Fortune_Smiles

Grim

it's very grim here in the Shire today - grey and heavy rain.  Mr F and I have decided it is definitely an indoor day and he has gone off to the barn to potter and I'm planning to do some cheerful stuff to lighten the mood.

Health

• my diet is still going well although the weight loss seems to be slowing down.  I've had two meals out this week but they were within my calorie allowance and didn't include sugar so I don't think that can be the cause.  Could just be a natural plateau so I will keep going and hope things start shifting again
• Mr F and I spent three hours in the garden yesterday tidying things up for the winter.  We dug up the potatoes and one row seems to have escaped the potato scale so they are bagged up in the utility area drying off
• it's been a busy week and I haven't got back to yoga yet.  I'll do some today if there's time
• we are booked in for our Covid jabs tomorrow and our local pharmacy is running a walk in clinic for flu jabs so we'll pop up there this week too

Wealth

• I had my telephone appointment with the financial advisor about my main pension.  He'll send me his report and recommendation and I'll finalise my decision then
• I finally managed to get someone to come out and look at our fencing and the dodgy gate.  He's going to send me a quote.  Another guy may be coming out later today
• Mr F got a value for his company car and it's less than we expected.  The value may change between now and April when the lease ends but I hope, if there's a change, it will be in our favour.  We will keep the car we bought for the Sunflowers until then just in case but we'll have to give our friend back the contribution she made at the end of December.  That's when the Sunflowers' visas run out and we'll know, for certain, that they won't be returning.  We've agreed with friend that we'll wait until then but, after that, we'll need to give her contribution back as it was a gift for the Sunflowers and it's not fair to keep her waiting for the money to accommodate our own financial plans.  We'll get the money back when we sell the car.
• our internet company came out to re-route some wiring.  They'd threaded the cable through the receiver pole at installation and everytime a bird landed on it or the wind blew the cable rattled around inside.  The receiver is right outside our bedroom window so it's been disturbing us for ages.  All quiet now though and no charge 🙂

Happiness

• I attended a meeting with the Committee for the WI entries at our local country show next year
• went to a new WI craft group.  We've started making a quilt together which is a new thing for me and was great fun
• got the WI Show Team together for a lunch to review our entries last year and celebrate our sucess
• Mr F and I visited friends and went out for lunch with them yesterday.

So far today I have sent out some discussion questions for the next book club meeting and lit the log burner 😁  I've just this minute heard from the second fencing guy and he's on his way over.  After that I may do some painting/pumpkin carving/yoga or other indulgent activity 🥳

Enjoy your Sunday guys.

Fortune x

savingholmes

Sounds like you are having fun. 

I did some painting yesterday and it was so therapeutic.

Good luck with the fencing.

Fortune_Smiles

Ouch!

We had our Covid boosters Monday morning.  Not a very pleasant experience.  The volunteer who was sending people in asked us to undress ready whilst we were standing in the queue.  She was most insistent saying that it would save time but we refused as it was cold.  We went in together and the man who was giving the jabs grabbed my arm and stabbed me.  This was whilst I was asking him to wait ("Hold on, hold on, hold on" said clearly and loudly) so that I could relax my arm properly.  Mr F got stabbed too -  he said it was a lot of pressure.  Before we had our coats back on the man was boasting to his assistant about how many vaccinations he had given that morning and how many left he had - as though it was a race or a competition!  We are, of course, very grateful that this service is available on the NHS but we are not cattle and deserve a little compassion and dignity.

I felt horrid yesterday (I always do after Covid or flu jabs) and stayed in bed.  I'd made Cabbage Soup and Fennel & Cider Meatballs the day before so that Mr F could heat up the leftovers if need be.  I still feel a bit sore and groggy this morning but I'm up and about. 

In other health news, I have lost another 1lb 🥳 One more and I'll have reached a stone.  This is in 5 weeks so I'm very pleased.

Money-wise, whilst looking for my Covid card (which wasn't needed as it's all been digitised now) I found a proof of posting I'd been looking for for months.  It was for a return and I'd given up being able to get back the £45 value.  I sent it to the company and, even though the order was made in June, they refunded it immediately 😁  Hoorah!  I then spent it though plus a bit more  🙄 I've been looking for some knitwear to replace some worn out items.  I ordered two tank top type things to go over existing blouses plus a cardigan for wearing around the house.  This means I can continue wearing lighter blouses and t-shirts over the winter.  I'm having to think carefully about sizing though.  If I make my goal weight, I might need a smaller dress size 😲

I've had two people come round to look at the fencing but no quotes yet.

And in happiness news, I spent the whole of Sunday afternoon working on the wedding portrait and we had a lovely catch up video call with the Younger Fortunates in the evening.

Today I need to catch up on some housework and maybe make some social arrangements.

Hope your week is going well all.

Fortune x

beanielou

That's so unacceptable.

Fortune_Smiles

beanielou said:

That's so unacceptable.

I know Beanie.  Not sure the jabber understood 'consent' 😲

Fortune x

Merlin's_Beard

I think cattle would get a nicer time of it to be honest....!

Fortune_Smiles

Perfect Fit

I'm feeling much more myself now and have had a productive day.

I tried on all the clothes in my wardrobe and I can get into everything 🥳  Some things are even too big 🥳  Some fit but will be more flattering when I hit my goal weight.  So I've had a sort out and all the too big clothes are destined either for the charity shop or for the Bay.  Some smaller clothes which I'd intended to Bay are now back in the wardrobe 🥳

We received an activity voucher each for Christmas last year and they run out on 31 December 😯 So I've booked two afternoon teas - one in November and one in December.  The venues are only a hour away so we can leave FDawg at home although one of the venues is dog friendly so we might take him along if the weather is fine on the day.  It was tricky finding a date around Mr F's work commitments but I managed to book for days when he is off work.  I have a couple of other events in mind to book for December as part of our Christmas celebrations but those are in the evening so easier to accommodate.

I got all my planned chores for the day finished plus made a start on cleaning up a rug.  It was donated for a table top sale the WI are holding to raise funds but I've been given first refusal.  It's a runner and was a bit grubby one end but has cleaned up quite well on a first pass.  I'll take a look at it tomorrow to see if it needs another going over.  It's very good quality and will probably cost me a tenner so worth the effort.

We had leftover cabbage soup for lunch today with a ciabatta cheese roll.  Supper was Beetroot, Halloumi & Cashew Curry as beetroot is appearing in the veg box again.

Mr F has gone off to the barn to do some phys so I'm taking the opportunity to paint my nails and catch up on some TV.

Happy Tuesday all

Fortune x

SusieT

That is sounding very positive, great to get rid of clothes that are too big  
You may want to check your days though, you posted this on Wednesday

Fortune_Smiles

SusieT said:

That is sounding very positive, great to get rid of clothes that are too big  
You may want to check your days though, you posted this on Wednesday

Oops 🤭 I'm a little bit behind Susie.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Day Off

I took most of the day off yesterday.  Met a couple of girlfriends for lunch.  One paid for me as I'd paid the time before. Then went to get my hair cut.  It was good to get out of the house and I delivered a bag of clothes to a charity shop and some tins to the food bank so some chores done too.  Popped into one of my favourite shops only to find they are closing 😢  The owner is moving away and looking to rent out the premises.  It's currently a place where small, local artists and craftsmen sell their goods and none are in a position to take on a £900 pcm rental 😢

I left Mr F with instructions on what to cook for his lunch but he couldn't be bothered and just had cheese on toast instead.  I swear that man would either starve or end up with myriad vitamin deficiencies if I wasn't here to cook for him 🙄  We had leftover Beetroot, Halloumi & Cashew Curry for supper so at least I got some nutrician into him.  There was some left over for the freezer too.

The veg box and grocery shops arrived.  I was on budget this week as I stocked up with some fish for the freezer.

It looks set to be a grim weekend so I think painting, writing and book club preparation will be the way to go.

Happy Friday everyone 🥳

Fortune x