Escape to the country & living off savings

Skint_yet_Again

Cold and cloudy today. Walked down the village to my old school friends house for cuppa and she had bought us a cake each  🍩 😋 She also gave me a brand new tin of black metal paint for the outdoor patio table and chairs she gave me. She never got round to painting them. 

My niece came over and dropped off an unused tin of magnolia paint. I am going to use it on the hall & stairs. Not my choice of colour but I am at the point financially where I can’t turn my nose up at freebies 😆 and magnolia is ok. 

Cooked some pork steaks, carrots, onions and baby potatoes in the slow cooker & had some for dinner with the cabbage DF gave me from his allotment. Leftovers in the freezer. Remaining cabbage will be shredded to make coleslaw. My neighbour also gave me some lettuce from her allotment which I will use for lunch tomorrow. Hopefully it will be warmer according to the forecast! ☀️

Skint_yet_Again

The skip arrived at 7.30am 😴 everything has gone in it including the bath, toilet, 3 rotten fence panels & 2 broken sun parasols all found hidden behind the shed. Loads of branches and old bathroom door plus multiple bits of stuff the plumber left behind. (Empty sealant tubes, rubble, offcuts of wood, old tiles, bits of plasterboard etc). The rag & bone man took the metal pipes & old radiator we left out for him. 
 

The old sink is going to my friend’s sister. Waiting now for skip company to come and collect it all. They said in next few days. 🤷‍♀️

It’s been a grey & cold few days. I’ve felt grotty like I am coming down with something but thankfully it hasn’t turned into anything. 

Went to my friends for a cuppa this afternoon and she gave me a sun parasol, so I am able to sit out in my garden now and enjoy the birds singing and the sun appeared this afternoon ☀️

It’s the village carnival this weekend so I am going with friends and then on to the pub for Greek night. Looking forward to it. 

Skint_yet_Again

Sunny day yesterday ☀️ Nice breeze. 

The skip has gone! I put a few more things in from the shed yesterday morning and popped to the shops. When I got back it had gone 😁

The manhole cover in the garden is corroded so I ordered a new one £32 (great it arrived next day free delivery not prime) and DF is fitting it today. 

I have ordered some free samples of lino online so hopefully one of them will suit the bathroom. Fitting will cost £45. 

Looking forward to a day out with friends today. The forecast is hot 🥵 so will be applying lashings of sun cream. 

Skint_yet_Again

Had a lovely weekend although very hot! 🥵

Spends at village fete £1.50 entry fee, £4.50 pulled pork, stuffing and apple sauce roll & £1 cold can max cola. I have photos of me on a “float” as a child and remember people dressing up. None of that now but lots of stalls, tombola, coconut shy & entertainment. Unfortunately there was no shade so only out for about 2 hours including walking there & back. 

Went to the pub in the evening.  Chicken & Halloumi gyros & 2 pints of cider. £18

Had a roast dinner at DF’s on Sunday. 

Have been ill today so have been laid down sipping water all day. Not sure if it’s the heat, or something I have eaten or a bug. Hopefully I will be better tomorrow. 

Free samples of lino arrived. Can’t decide whether to go for the light grey or the black. 🤷‍♀️ Will leave them on the floor for a few days & try to make a decision! 

Skint_yet_Again

Have been feeling dehydrated and aching since Monday. Felt a lot better this morning and it was cooler today. 

Last bag of twigs has gone to the tip along with the corroded manhole cover. Felt exhausted after so I had a drink and a lie down. Decided not to go to the big supermarket for a weekly shop, instead I just popped to the mini asd@. Bought 2 lots of sausages on offer £5 & some liver along with fruit & veg and milk. Total spend £18.77

Rested indoors in the shade for the remainder of the afternoon, sipping cold water & had the fan on. 

Cooked the pork and apple sausages and had 2 for dinner with microwaved potatoes and asparagus from DF’s allotment. Leftovers now in the freezer. The other pack of sausages are pork, lemongrass and ginger. Not tried them before, I will cook them in the oven with veggies and mix some with half a pack of basmati microwave rice. Leftovers will be frozen. 

Skint_yet_Again

I’ve decided to go with the black lino at £13.99 m*2 rather than the grey at £19.99 m*2. No brainer really. Will need to get them booked for measuring and fitting

doingitanyway

Just catching up. You sound so happy. 
I love a skip. So therapeutic dumping stuff
Enjoy the fete

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks @doingitanyway

The fete was last weekend 😁 and I had a good time although it was very hot. This weekend my sister is coming over and I am cooking a roast for Father’s Day on Sunday. DF’s choice, although we offered to take him out.  The forecast is for rain so hopefully it will be a bit cooler while the oven is on. 

The sun is out this morning & usually wakes me up with the brightness and the heat shining in the bedroom ☀️ My niece has donated me a pair of curtains for my bedroom. They will need to be shortened but are the right width and have blackout lining so it’s much darker and cooler this morning and saved me £75 😊

Visited my old school friend yesterday and had lunch in the garden under the parasol shade with a couple of white wine & lemonades. Lovely afternoon 😊

Chrystal

It's lovely to hear you settling in so well, and great about the curtains.. that's a good saving and sounds as though your room is much more comfortable.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend (and give your Dad a hug from me, cos I think he's brilliant!)  XXX

MovingForwards

You're doing really well with finds, clearing out and receiving goodies.
There's definitely loads going on in your life and very little stress. I'm loving reading your updates, the trips out and how quickly a house became a home for you 😄