An in-between phase

WelshmansDaughter

Do they not have the free period products in englandshire? We have them in libraries and other public buildings. 

I was thinking that 600 for Christmas sounds a lot but then I have lived away for 10 years and have to travel home (except for that covid year) and I suppose that adds up. 

PennysIntoPounds

Absolutely @weenancyinAmerica I cannot be doing with the horrible rushing around in and out of overheated shops with throngs of crazed people, not my idea of Christmas at all! I don't buy hugely pricey presents anyway but for mine and Mr PIP's stockings we set a £10 limit, and it's actually enjoyable seeing what thoughtful small gifts we can get that fit into a large sock! 

joedenise

WelshmansDaughter said:

Do they not have the free period products in englandshire? We have them in libraries and other public buildings. 

I was thinking that 600 for Christmas sounds a lot but then I have lived away for 10 years and have to travel home (except for that covid year) and I suppose that adds up. 

It's possible to ask at some supermarkets (I know Morrisons you can get them from Customer Services) but it is widely advertised in England I don't think.  It's the only place I know of locally.  

PennysIntoPounds

Oops sorry for not seeing your comment yesterday @WelshmansDaughter, we must have cross-posted. There are some schemes as @joedenise says but none widely known about and they'd be location specific, and up to the company. Scotland definitely way ahead of England there 

Sarahwithlove

I enjoy the Christmas spirit in the build up but don't understand the need to spend a fortune on presents. My cousins kids last year spent the week between Xmas and New year opening their presents because they had so many. Crazy. I tend to buy my nephew a token gift like a smelly set and then give money to go in his savings book. He will be grateful for it when he's 17 wants to learn to drive or get a car 

PennysIntoPounds

To prevent my own future worrying, not that anyone else is keeping track, but the money from coop mission has been transferred to flat pot minus 20% to tax pot (boooo). I do believe in paying one's fair share, but I am a bit miffed at having to declare tax on surveys and suchlike just because I'm self-employed.

Anyway. Today's combination of end of cold and start of period isn't translating to particular productivity but I've been getting bits and bobs done;

Admin and household tasks, including fixing the audio on Mum's laptop. As you know, I am less tech-capable than a slug on a semiconductor so if I'd achieved nothing else I would have been chuffed with the day's work
(I don't really know what a semiconductor is, I just liked the alliteration 😁)

Did a survey, got screened out of a couple more

Mum insisted on giving us £5 for last night's chippie tea so I sent that to the flat pot

Went for a small lunchtime walk and found a McMo token and got essentials (wine and puree) in from Aldo

Got the Vinted money through so that's £20 sent to flat pot

Did a Coop receipt survey

A small bit of work

And I bled the radiators, a job I find disproportionately pleasing. And I did it all by myself without needing help, well done EDS wrists *has smug wrists*

Mr PIP is going for a post-work walk and I'm feeling mildly guilty at not going, but not enough to take my snuffles, period pains and unpredictable tummy out into the cold. My friend is playing in a lunchtime concert tomorrow in central London and I really want to feel well enough to go and support him (and not cancel on the people I've invited). I can't control the intensity of period pains and embarrassing bowel issues, but I can not tire myself out needlessly (although I'm determined to catch up on my walking when I can). So sadly it seems I'd better stay here and have a glass of wine and read the mse forums, such a shame 😁

EssexHebridean

Loving the beer updates - Fyne do some lovely stuff, MrEH is a Jarl fan, I prefer Vital Spark or Avalanche. Meanwhile from Hammerton if you like peanut butter you must try their Crunch! - ludicrously peanutty! 

We were at Nottingham beer festival over the weekend, and allowing that we have moved on to discussions of things Chr15tm@5 related here, I feel I should point out that Blue Monkey brewery's Chocolate Orange Stout is entirely glorious and had anyone called Terry happened along I would have been telling him to get his hands off!

Free sanitary goods available as a little pack from any supermarket down here as a rule I believe - or at least, they certainly should be if the advertising is to be believed. 

I'm right there with you about radiator bleeding - until recently the only option I have had has been if I manage to beat MrBoss to do the ones in the office - however he feels similarly about the task as I do AND is the keeper of the key, so I rarely win that one. Now of course I have a whole set of rads all of my own to bleed when needed! 

badmemory

There is nothing quite like having control of the bleeding key.  Especially when you get to call it that.  Mind you don't do what I did though.  New boiler last year never thought to ask how to top up the water so couldn't bleed the radiator.  The instruction booklet was the usual gobbledegook.  Finally found someone to ask & it is much easier than the old one.

PennysIntoPounds

Thanks for the beer recommendations @EssexHebridean, I can't stand peanut butter but I may investigate that as part of Mr PIP's Christmas presents, on the understanding that he drinks it well away from me 😂 Chocolate orange stout sounds gorgeous...

That's good to know about sanitary products, I wasn't aware of that.

Haha aw extra congrats on your new place full of radiators to bleed! Why is it so satisfying...

Glad you got that sorted @badmemory, always seems to be the way that instruction manuals make things a hundred times harder than just being shown or told in plain English what to do!

PennysIntoPounds

Alas I felt too dodgy to go out today, I tried up to the last minute but the remains of cold alongside period alongside CPC aches alongside EDS tummy + period tummy + period medication tummy was just too much. Everyone else had a nice time though and are apparently still holed up in the pub, so at least I don't feel I let anyone down.

Did a Yougov survey

Entered some competitions- today I'm mostly looking to winning a two night break with spending money

Will attempt some small work this evening but today I've mostly been trying to rest and read- not that any of the books are helping with my ziffit pile! I can particularly recommend 'Stuart, A Life Backwards' by Alexander Masters and 'Lie With Me' by Sabine Durrant

Hope you're all feeling far less shoddy than me, and have lovely evenings hunkering down out of this wind x