Weekly Flylady Thread 20 November 2023

mumtoomany

Hi all,
Thank you @Asparklierblonde, frost arrived overnight. I wish the post was as fast! Ground now alittle less muddy. I'll join in a spend less December. The last couple of months have seen the house insurance, car tax, car insurance, MOT and big gas bill, (Calor, so billed when delivered, thus big bill). We are away at my sisters for Christmas, so will need petrol. Also gifts for children, grandchildren, sister and brother-in-law, niece and nephews. Looking forward to January, OH will get his pension then, although the tax credits will end. Should be a bit better off.

@Dizzy_Imp, i can only concur with everyone else. Terrible behaviour!

@Valli, if you can claim extra for your parents, make sure you check for anything else. Here local council gave "poor" people extra towards the electric last year, and may do again this year.

DW done, tea started.

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx

roundtuit

First load of washing hung on hall radiator and airer. Second load swishing. 
Tumble dryer bought and arranged for delivery to DS and DF on Sunday 17th December. 
Slippers for DS and DF plus chocs for P have been ordered from the big river.
That's Christmas presents sorted. Anything else will be extras if I see something that takes my fancy. And breathe...
If I crack on writing my Christmas cards tomorrow I'll be well organised 😇

Rxx

Honey_Bear

Four bags of horse pooh sourced and spread on the communal garden fruit trees and bottom bed.  Rhubarb divided and planted in bottom bed.  40 narcissi bulbs shoved in at the same time.   Leaves raked up, bagged up and trotted round the back.  Big pile of previously raked bagged leaves liberated from back alley into our yard. 

ionafan

Thank you, asb, for your reminder to wear leggings under trousers.  I have done so today, and although the outside temperature has not gone above 5 degrees all day (and then only in the sunshine - there were still hard frost pockets everywhere in the shade when I walked Rosie after lunch) and I had the CH thermostat 1.5 degrees lower than yesterday, I have been comfortably warm.  I also got out my winter quilt when I changed my bedding yesterday.

There was very little wind today so the bedding that I had washed and hung out hardly dried, but it has at least been aired and lightened a tiny bit.

Every little helps!  

I have re-filled, sanded and painted over the holes in the wardrobe wall.  Next job will be to move the metal shelf unit out of the landing cupboard and into its new home, at which point I shall celebrate with a cuppa, if anyone wants to join me.
After that, it will be the usual Saturday evening routine here: chicken risotto and Strictly.  DH also wants to watch The Doctor, but there's no word from him yet as to when he expects to get home from the NEC, and in any case he will probably fall asleep as soon as he sits down. - at which point I shall claim control of the sonic screwdriver.

Valli

my unwellness is definetly side effects...this is the worst I have been for some time, though in reality it's not bad.  
I have brought the washing in and ironed it so it can start finishing off on the maiden.  I have put the birthdays for next year into my diary.  I found my knitting notebook so front finished, joined to bak and I'm about half way through the cowl collar.

pigpen

roundtuit said:

 And I'm buying them a tumble dryer for Christmas as theirs died, and I'd rather buy them something they need than spend money on tat they don't either want or need. Golly, I'm turning into a Bah! Humbug 🤣 Noooo, just practical.

This is how we ended up clubbing together to buy a cooker and an air fryer!! lol

The warm home discount you need to call to get it this year.. unlike last year when it was just paid. There is watersupport/watersure as well.. A super short form you can email back caps the bill.. Make sure you're listed on the priorities register as well.

Those who are carers 

1. should also register at your gp surgery that you have care responsibilities and offered an annual wellness check. (Link from Surrey council but it is nationwide this is just for information about what is offered for those registered.. it does vary a little between health authorities but not much)
   
2. Also register as a carer with your local council. (required for 3. and 4.)
   
3. There should also be a carers information service at the council where you can get grants, assessments with a disability social worker and may be eligible for grants, free bus/rail cards but ours also doubles as a discount card in some shops so it is worth having. 
4. The Carers card also is used to let others know who you care about should you be unable to care for them or are taken ill. 
5. The 'Carers Card UK' website also has a carers card which costs £10 but gives you access to online support and guidance and support for things such as power of attourney etc.. this also gives you discounts at more commonly used shops.. The R@nge, Dunelm etc.. 
6. Make sure those who are eligible are not spending money where they don't need to be.. TV licences, off-road cars, insurance policies no longer needed.

Carers are anyone who gives additional support to someone else above the needs other people require.. so may include a child with disabilities, doing a neighbours shopping/cooking/laundry, helping them to pay bills or clean.. anything at all..

When was the last time we 'shopped around' for utility prices and insurance quotes?? Made sure we aren't still paying insurance on dead appliances.

Also which the nasty weather approaching the 'in-car' emergency box needs checking.. torch, blankets, non-perishable snacks/energy bars/bottled water/energy drinks and of course the first aid boxes!
If you register for the FREE Halfords motor club they will do a quick check of the cars vital things.. oil levels, screen wash, bulbs, wipers, tyres, brake pads/fluid etc.. and you get £10 off the next MOT.

Now I sounds really boring... I'm sorry... lol...

ionafan

Not boring at all, pigpen - very helpful.

Could I urge any carer who is thinking "Oh, we don't need a discount card - we are financially secure" to apply for one anyway.  You could always put aside the money saved and donate it to a local relief charity or use it to shop for your local food bank, at no additional cost to yourself but at great benefit to others who are finding it hard to make ends meet.

Shelf tetris is complete, everything fits perfectly and is within easier reach, and I ache.  DH is still not home - that probably means he has been catching up with old friends!

ETA: Talk of the devil!!!  That means I need to start cooking.

pigpen

Eep!!! DD1 has been looking for a stocking and christmas sack to match the other children for the last 2 months.. I just found the stocking.. I may have squealed.. and bought it with my v!nted earnings. PLEEEEEEEAAAAASED!!!!

now to search until I find the sack! The stocking had been lited for 8 minutes!! lol

Cloth_of_Gold

Sorry for being AWOL again. Where does the time go?

This morning I took a walk (about 3000 steps) to a bakery and back. My walks seem to have fallen by the wayside recently, aprtly due to bad weather and partly lack of time. I bough a cheese straw (they are big enough to share) and a pain au chocolat for A. I then took an Uber to Aldi as I had seen online that they are selling 450g boxes of shortbread for £2.09 (33% butter too) - so the real thing). I wanted them for a charity thing I'm helping to organise. I wanted 40 but could only carry 20. I'll see if they've still got them next week. Did a bit of internet research and then made tea.

Later I made lunch and washed the breakfast and lunch dishes and then popped to M&S. Made supper, including a bread and butter pudding, which I haven't made for a long time. We've got some friends coming for a meal on Monday so I might do it then. Tonight's was ok but needs some tweaks. Watered the two amaryllis I've started off and am now about to administer the final eye medication of the day and then wash up and hopefully then go to bed.

Dizzy_Imp

Hi ladies - "cactus punishment" applied and frantic apology received...together with a rare admission from DH of worries over money - usually he's a head-in-the-sand kinda guy, so after I had finished inflicting prickly pain, we sat down and talked seriously about our money situation.  Baby first steps were agreed and both went off to implement their tasks.  Still not sure how we will afford Christmas though...

Anyhow, basic flying done and quite a lot of time on the telephone putting actions into place.

Well done on the stocking find Piggers! 

Valli - hope you feel better soon - sending gentle flylady hugs your way x

First hard frost here this morning so all football training cancelled and a few extra minutes in bed with my cuppa! I actually love winter if it isn't mild and wet...Winter water is not my friend...

Just sat watching carp on TV - not really been able to follow Jungle or Strictly, which is a shame, but hey-ho.  Just need some chocolate, which all appears to have been eaten....grr....

TTFN x