Progress not Perfection

Sun_Addict

Happy Saturday 🥂

Up early this morning and now I’m glad I didn’t stay out with my friends drinking as I feel fresh as a daisy. I saw the photos of later so I expect there are a few sore heads this morning. I don’t know how they manage to drink so much and still stand up as most are over 60 or not far off. A couple of drinks and I’m done 😆

This morning I’m going to take advantage of the time left on the 24 hour bus ticket I bought yesterday and go to Mr M with the coffee pods and soft plastic recycling. I haven’t been inside the store for years despite DD working there so will have a look round. I could also do with going to B00ts at the adjacent retail park.

The buses don’t start running until after 8.30 so will catch the first one. I’ve told Mr SA what I’m doing and that there is no need for him to follow on his scooter. There was a bit of sulking but I think he’s seen the reasoning behind it. Most men would be glad not to go shopping, not him!

I don’t know yet if DS is planning to visit with the GKs but if he is then I want them to meet us at the local park with a garden centre as they have a plant sale on. The GKs like to go on the swings etc so will stop them hassling DD to play on her computer.

Still thinking about tonight’s dinner. I’m doing kebabs for Mr SA so might make the tofu traybake I made the other day again for me as it would be lovely in a flatbread.

Sun_Addict

Can you believe I missed the bus to the retail park by about 30 seconds. It was stood at the bus stop and I tried to run but had flip flops on so was a tad difficult. It pulled away just as I got to the stop 😞 The next one wasn’t due for another 30 minutes so decided to start walking then ended up walking the whole way. I got to Mr M before the next bus would’ve got me there.

I picked up a few bits from Mr M after I’d dropped off the coffee pods and soft plastics.

I was going to go to B00ts but there was a bus outside Mr M going my way so hopped on it. There were only two of us on the bus the whole route so hopefully this is because it was early as it would be such a shame if they dropped this route through lack of use.

Dropped the shopping off at home then took the dog on the park. Did some litter picking and found £1 👍Also found an earring which I left on top of a bin.

Sat on my hanging chair with a coffee.

DS called to say DGD was showing people how to do CPR so they wouldn’t be coming. She’s in St John Ambulance Brigade. Have seen the photos of the event and am so proud of her, she’s only 12. Her uncle is a paramedic so wonder if she’ll follow in his footsteps.

We went to the park with the garden centre anyway and I bought a huge dahlia for £5 and a Marguerite for £3. They were selling a lot of plants off. The dahlia had a free bee on it 🤣

Afterwards stopped at Aldee since we were up that way and got a few reduced bargains.

We were going to stop off at our local on the way back but the dog was too hot and Mr SA was tired so we just went home.

I enjoyed a G&T in my hanging chair with my book instead while Mr SA and the dog went for a nap.

Watered the garden and did some dead heading after that. Picked a courgette and then some raspberries that I thought I’d got rid of last year because of them being decimated by slugs so they were a surprise find. Mr SA has more or less killed the strawberries by pressure washing them and I’m not happy about this. He has been banned from watering the garden.

It’s quite funny because he had a text yesterday from the local water authorities saying not to use too much water as we are in a water stressed area and he thinks the comment has been aimed directly at him for using the hosepipe 😆

After Mr SA had his nap he took the dog to have a look at a fair that’s an annual event locally. He couldn’t believe I didn’t want to go and declared it “just like Ibiza” on his return. Really, I doubt that 😐

I made a version of the tofu traybake (minus the rice) tonight for dinner and put it in a flatbread with salad - it was delicious.

All the walking has earned me 27,468 steps, happy with that.

The rose Prosecco is open so that’s me asleep in a bit 😆

PennysIntoPounds

What an eventful day!

Glad Mr SA thinks the water rozzers are keeping an eye on him 😂

beanielou

”just like Ibeza” 😹😹😹

foxgloves

If ST have sneakily installed a water meter without you knowing, as they did for our house at some point last year, they will know if your water consumption has increased. Our letter from them last November about being moved onto compulsory water metering included the line, "You may be surprised to learn that you already have a water meter so we know exactly how much water you use...."

Maybe the thought of this will stop Mr SA pressure washing your strawberries!

Sun_Addict

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82081201#Comment_82081201

I wouldn’t be surprised as they were working on our road earlier this year.

Sun_Addict

That’s another weekend flown by 😢

Took the dog on the park this morning, did a small litter pick, there wasn’t much, didn’t find anything interesting today 😆

DD went to work so gave the house a good clean.

To be honest I felt drained of all energy today and could’ve quite happily done nothing but there was too much to do so pressed on.

Not a NSD as bought a £100 voucher for £80 from our local pub. We don’t go there that often but I thought it was a good buy and there’s more than enough in the entertainment pot to cover it. It will come in handy for lunches/drinks over the next few months and is valid for two years.

Also ended up buying a new battery for the 🦈 cordless vacuum as it’s not charging 😞 Thankfully only £12.79.

Had a brief panic when I got a message from my cc app to say I’d spent £95 with Am@zon then remembered it was for the yearly Pr1me membership. The money is already saved in the annual payments pot and we do use it a lot not only for buying things but Mr SA watches a lot of films on it.

Made a batch of pulled aubergine ragu for tonight’s dinner from the meal plan I’ve been following. Had a portion with pasta tonight, have kept some back for another night and two portions have gone in the freezer. Also made a cabbage salad from the same meal plan for lunch which made 3 portions so am sorted for Monday and Tuesday work lunches.

Made Mr SA a concoction in the slow cooker involving minced beef, sliced potatoes, passata and veg. I swirled a bit of red pesto through to pep it up a bit and he declared it tasted ‘nice but a bit foreign’ 🤣

Watered and fed all the garden plants with a watering can. Tried to salvage some of the jet washed plants, thank you Mr SA 😖

We had rain forecast for today but it didn’t happen despite the sky looking as though it was going to. It was extremely windy though to the point of it being a pain. When we were on the park with the dog I couldn’t see where I was going because my hair kept blowing over my eyes 😖

Had a nice soak in the bath with a face mask then the dog got in after me so she’s nice and clean now.

Will shortly be off to bed ready for another week on the hamster wheel of work.

PennysIntoPounds

Another week nearer retirement! 🥂

Sun_Addict

Afternoon all, happy Monday.

I certainly wasn't feeling the love for work this morning and it seemed like a real effort to walk to the office. Had a lunchtime meeting moved to later in the day so decided to head home early. Had to go to B0yes to pick up a couple of planters for the plants I bought on Saturday as I couldn't find any empty ones in the garden. Also stopped off at Lid!. The 🐙app gave me a free Lid! sweet treat this morning so picked up a muffin for Mr SA.

Mr SA has finally got a date for his endoscopy. He has a pre-procedure call with them tomorrow.

Usual Monday finance check done and cc balance cleared. Lots pending though and my personal spends pot took a big hit after Friday's celebrations, although it will be replenished on payday this Friday. Transferred £80 for the pub voucher from the entertainment pot to the current account plus £95 from sinking funds to cover the pr1me payment.

Today's exercise has been walking to/from work plus strength training at 7.15.

Tonight's dinner is stir fry mainly because I caught a whiff of Chinese Five Spice wafting from a restaurant in the city centre which has set off a craving for something vaguely oriental. I'm the same when I get a whiff of curry 😆

satchmo1

When I have the oven on I often cut a butternut squash in half, score the insides (after scooping out the seeds) and bake it for about 45 minutes - or however long the oven is on. I then cool and freeze them. To use half, I defrost it then fill it with frozen Mexican veg mix and a tablespoon of salsa and bake for about 20 minutes. Easy peasy.