Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

beanielou

Glad that you got a new sick note.

jwil

beanielou said:

Glad that you got a new sick note.

Me too.  Good that everything is moving in the right direction as well.

savingholmes

Thanks Beanie and Jwil. Well I've shuffled money around clear one tiny CC. Cleared my current balance off another 0% spends car - but there is a balance pending. Shuffled most of the rest of the £ to an account ready to pay the handyman when his bill for last week and the rest of the pay month comes.

I've sent a photo of my sick note to work and asked what I'd need to do to get a phased return if needed. I also picked up my 'owing' item.

Spoke to sister briefly - but other than that have rested. Tried the SW braised steak but hated it. Just too lacking in taste. Will let what little I ate go down and then perhaps try some porridge. I've had one chicken fajita, some banana on tiny bread and some veg soup today - so not a bad eating day so far. Also had a pack of low fat crisps and my fave orange fizzy drink.

I need to find a way of setting an appropriate budget for the handyman works - but it is difficult as a lot still needs doing. I've guestimated £700 before mid month pay day but no idea if that is correct or not as I'm not sure how much some materials he bought for me are (toilet door locks, banister rails, spindles, banister holders). He's not coming back until after Easter - and only worked part days last week... He's cost me £1.1K so far but not invoiced me for last week yet. He's also due to buy a large mirror plus a loft hatch and ladder system for about £100ish. 

beanielou

Your handyman sounds amazing though 

mark55man

Agree with Beanielou - sounds amazing

savingholmes

Thanks Mark and Beanie

That does make me feel better. It's really hard parting with £ even if it is for useful / essential things. This guy is super intelligent and is doing this as part of his early retirement plan. He had a much more high powered role in the past. He has a passion for excellence which I appreciate. I just hate that it isn't a fixed price for anything he is doing.

I know it's why I have a sick note - but I also hate being able to do so little for myself. My top hope for this week is that by Sunday I'm fit to drive to my wider family for Easter. I'll probably have to trap the cat in - and stay there overnight - as even if I make it there with rest breaks - I doubt I'd be fit to drive back the same day like I normally would. Even then I've got huge question marks over what adjustments they'll make for me to actually be able to eat... Then there's the reality that I tend to limit family exposure as it can be overwhelming - but am likely to need to compromise on that if I'm to go at all... 

I tried jacket spud (tiny one) plus 30g of low fat cheese and some beans today. It was okay but won't be rushing to have it again.

It was light drizzle today so I didn't make it into the garden. Hopefully I can plant up my pots tomorrow. Even not planted up - I'm really happy with my latest additions. The red robin bushes give a lovely splash of colour - and I now have purple, pinky/mauve and white vincas as well as love lies bleeding and the clematis. I thought I'd bought a cistus - but it turned out to be a white vinca (periwinkle) which will be perfect for draping down my walls. In terms of plants already here - there's a purple flowering alpine working it's magic and aquilegia (granny's bonnet) is also flourishing plus I brought some with me in pots. Once the back border is weeded and stripped of plants I don't like - I also want to get a peony I brought with me transplanted. It was from my Mum's garden originally and I have brought it with me from house to house.

I'm hoping as I get better I can tidy some of the weeds up and prune the bamboo and grasses (pending the handyman getting rid of them). My two pots of tulips that I bought a month ago are going to burst into flower any day now. My purple muscari and yellow mini daffodils and primroses and violas and pansies are all looks fab. Some of my existing pots have also sent up some tulip and muscari spikes and should flower soon. I also want to mow the small lawn at some point as the grass and weeds are growing out of control. I like seeing visual progress - but right now it's hard enough to keep on top of the dishwasher! I'll get there.

Hope you are all having a good week. Super grateful that I'm on full sick pay. I'm hugely relieved that my blood test results were as good as they were as that shows the parts I can't see are truly on the mend. 

SandyShores

Garden sounds lovely savingholmes, mine is definitely missing colour at the moment.  We've got a ceanothus which is the most amazing blue/lilac when it flowers later, and a beautiful pink hydrangea that won't flower until later too, so I need a few more flowers in the beds - we are missing some spring colour. 

I'm with Beanie and Mark on the handyman - sounds wonderful to have someone who will just get on with it and seems like he is treating each job as if it was his own home.  It takes a lot to get DH started on any jobs, and then he doesn't always pay attention to detail or gets fed up, so needs 'supporting'.  Its frustrating as his tools take up a big portion of the garage - if I could find a handyman like yours I would be over the moon

jwil

I agree about the Handyman, he sounds great.  Your garden sounds lovely.  I love red robin and want to get some for our garden.

I find the SW meals hit and miss.  I quite like some of the rice ones, and the korean noodles, but some of the others are not great.

lucielle

Your handyman sounds like he’s a good worker and pays attention to the detail. 

It sounds like you’re making great progress on the garden and pots. 

I’m hoping to do some pots just need to plant things the deer don’t like. 

L

Blackcats

 good news on the blood tests - as you say there is unseen healing and restoration happening as well as the more noticeable improvements.