NST April 2023: April adventurising

Toni'sfriend

Grandmanerd  - How to you manage to achieve so much? I get tired just reading your posts.

Yesterday was quite productive. Changed the bedding with Himself's "help" and it's all washed and dried now. Showed him how to mop the kitchen floor (after a fashion). I blame his mother and myself for not teaching him how to do these things sooner. Thank goodness I taught the Boy early on how to do all the basics. At least some poor girl won't be running after him hand and foot. Himself really is the kindest person you could ever meet and I love him dearly but he is totally hopeless at anything remotely practical. But, if you want to know anything about football, music or old British actors he's your man.

So, Aldi are supposed to be getting a supply of plants in today so I'm off to get ready and see what I can buy to brighten up my porch.

Have a nice day.

grandmanerd

I'm really not doing a lot -it just takes a mammoth effort to do anything at all and I really have to ignore all the 'still to be done' or I'd fall into a pit of despair. DS3 and myself have trawled around downstairs filling bin bags and taking them out (now have a small one on the go in the front room and a new big bin bag to be started in the kitchen). I brought the can crusher to him and he crushed all the ones we found and then I brought in the sack that wouldn't fit in the bin last time.  I've brought the paper bin back and put the first filled bag of paper in it (at least 2 more filled and some started but I'm limiting my trips up and down the yard.

So rubbish and recycling is nearly up to date.  I rewashed a duvet but it won't fit in the dryer (still not got the yard  clear enough to put washing lines up) so nowhere to put it yet. Hopefully only one or two loads of washing still to do (including extras like the shower curtain). I was downstairs early in case any parcels came (not washed, not had my pills, not had breakfast) but DS3 came down and sent me back to bed. I really didn't feel like doing anything so I took my time getting ready for the day. A lot of things that were due from tomorrow have arrived - cooker isn't usable as DS3 has put the fence panels there.

I sat by the DW and put the remaining clean pots into a bag, pulled onions and hair out of the drainer and then reloaded in stages, rinsing some items, scraping off cake crumbs and scraps and I ditched a load of takeaway containers that were just too grim. I've added more things that were on the stove (reaching round the fence panels) and came in the front room to collect the knife I used for veg chopping. 

Mortar mix has come but I really don't want to do wall building. Panels came but the 2" x 2" poles were the last thing to arrive and the paint which arrived yesterday is a small can and specifically not for fences and sheds. I've searched again for fence paint, ordered the 2 colours I liked and then had to search  multiple times to find a woodstain for the back wall fence that I could live with (ended up with red cedar - I want to blend with the neighbours but I'm not prepared to live with dull dirty yellow or dark grey brown). I thought the red cedar was the nearest to mahogany and will blend with the new brick wall. I found a mahogany colour but it only came in 0.5 l pots.   

Paint should come Saturday but tomorrow I'll try wall building and start cutting for raised beds (some boards already cut to size so only the corners really. I've been outside and done a little soil sifting. So I've got a few clean pots, most of my clothes are clean, the floor is clearer but no cooking done (I was going to fill the oven with trays of stuff but I'm not fighting the trellis panels and they might as well stay inside until the paint comes and then go straight outside and lie on top of the bins for painting (I now have a second set of 'work clothes' for painting and building. I can move some of the trees across (will put down two lids next to the wall so I can slide trees into that space when I've done). 

I've told DS3 he has to take the kitchen bins upstairs - they keep  buying large kitchen bins and stuff them to overcapacity and then don't use them because there's no bin bag.  I don't like them or use them, so they can go and take up  space in their room (I've put them out in the yard for now).

Grateful for things arriving and mostly being exactly what I want, taking steps to getting back in control of the 'housework' (when I get the kitchen floor mopped I'll be putting bunting up to celebrate), DS3 having gone back to bed so I can have the couch to myself for a bit. Will see what I have to make sandwiches or can do in the microwave, do a little more sorting if possible and then go back upstairs.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for waking early for an early morning gym session, for getting some school work done, for finding a series about people who live in Alaska on disn3y+, for being here when dc needed me, for not being outside when the hail hailed down.

ditty1234

Went down an other rabbit hole, after catching a stomach virus on Tuesday afternoon, am now sort of recovered, but feeling rather bleak. Did a bit of reading this evening and thought you might enjoy this short quote:

Best Witchcraft is Geometry / To the magician's mind— / His ordinary acts are feats / To thinking of mankind.
Emily Dickinson. 

Goodnight.

Thrifty_Taylor

I hope you feel better tomorrow @ditty1234.

NSD#2
Changed the bedding & cleaned the bathroom after breakfast. Went outside to split the clumps of snowdrops, but lots of bluebells growing amongst them now, so will have to leave til next spring. Snipped branches with my secateurs & loppers instead. 
After dinner I stuffed memory bears & watched the last 2 episodes of a series. Started sewing on paw pads after tea. Phoned my brother, then took DS3'S GF home. Had a soak in the bath with my book & a peach schnapps.

Grateful for nearly finishing the bears (then I can tackle the mammoth pile of other sewing jobs!), a nice bath, a good book

facethemusic

Today was NSD 6 and the current painting task is finished! I "think" that's it until after summer, I have too much to do outside to tackle another room when we have light evenings and hopefully some better weather. I still need to sort all the stuff to go back in the cupboard but that shouldn't take too long tomorrow. 
Dinner tonight was a very random concoction using up all the open/almost finished bits in the fridge so I have to do a food shop tomorrow, will try to have a search in the cupboard first so I can sort a meal plan for the week before we go. 

Shrewbie

Morning turtles,

NSD 5 I think for me yesterday. Not great but I haven’t had any personal “fun” spends since last Thursday so I’m pleased with that. My NSDs have been lost due to booking holidays and flights, top up food shops and paying for a gym class. 

Had a depressing conversation with a colleague yesterday about house buying. Here mortgages are granted  based on an independent valuation of the house, not the value it is sold for, which just adds an extra layer of uncertainty. (Pretty sure that’s not how it works in UK but pls shout if I’m wrong) On the plus side I’m coming to terms with the fact that it won’t be affordable in the next two years, so that helps my decision making re renting in the shorter term. I am still going to research and get an indication from my bank. 

Grateful for a toasted tea cake for brekkie, for it being Friday, for seeing an old friend tonight. 

f0xh0les

The mortgage companies here send round a surveyor @Shrewbie , we had a house that was valued at £3k under the asking price so that, minus the 10% deposit, was all they would lend.  We got the seller to drop to that price (£74,999 for a 3 bed corner plot , front and rear gardens and separate garage - that was how rough this estate was 🤣)we lived there for ten years and sold for 90k 8 years ago. 

Toni'sfriend

Morning, Beautiful day here north of the border.

I went to Aldi yesterday but they didn't have the plants that were advertised but I did get some beautiful deep purple and white pansies, All planted up now and looking very cheerful. Himself helped with the heavy stuff like moving the gigantic bag of compost.

I had a bit of a kitchen adventure. The Boy bought me an air fryer for Christmas and I decided to use it for the first time (I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to using new equipment). So potatoes were duly put in the basket and the dreaded thing programmed and turned on. Going well I thought till Himself called me into the kitchen as something was not "quite right". Actually the kitchen was full of smoke. Panic ensued till I figured out how to turn it off. Apparently there was a bit of cardboard inside (absolutely invisible to the naked eye). Anyway, after said cardboard was removed and smoke cleared to potatoes baked perfectly so I shall use it again.

We had a visit from the Boy last night and he and I had a Chinese take away. A bit naughty but very nice. Today I have a hospital appointment for a CT scan. I'm a bit apprehensive but needs must (I keep telling myself this). This particular hospital is nearer than the one I usually go to but is much more difficult to get to by public transport so the Boy is driving me there. The advantage of the type of job he does, working from home and very understanding employers.

I don't think I'll do much today. Just try to relax a bit.

Have a lovely day. xxx

lcc86

f0xh0les said:

Opened a second current account  online with Holifax and set up a £5 and a £2 donation to charity a month.  Swapped it to the Geordie-Duo bank and  closed it, 59 days later, the money appeared - I transferred the same £ 500 in and out 3 times a month to make sure it had the minimum pay in. 

Moving to Ul-ster bank now,  and they should pay out within 7 days.  When I moved to H0lifax for £150 about 6 years ago, the bonus was paid in 3 days.  Out of all of them I like the internet banking of H-fax the best.

If they won't pay you the money, then  switch out - Not-west/RBS/Ul-sterbank group if you have not been with any of them is £200, you can't get the 1st Direct one, as you opened one with The Shanghai Bank.  They have pulled the other ones this week, so maybe something else will pop up soon. - The linked saver with the Shanghai Pirate bank is pretty good.

Just made another £10 on p/a today.

Thanks for this @f0xh0les. I quite like the account and the app is the best I have (I also have Lloyd's and Halifax and don't find them that good, which is the opposite to you!). I'm using the account to keep my spending money separate and it's helping me manage my money so much better. They raised a complaint so I'll see what happens.