Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

savingholmes

Really thrilled with increased stamina but expect I will ache all over tomorrow.i can feel aches anyway despite 2 lots of ibuprofen. I think I will be fit to return to work a week tomorrow. Here's hoping anyway...

I've been paid which means £450 has gone to AVCs. I've just paid the handyman £425 but that included £175 for stair rail materials.

Haven't been able to complete my £ shuffle as one of the sites is down for maintenance. Once the £ is in the right places I plan to send £200 in savings to my new ISA and by stoozing on my 0% CC send an extra £500 but full disclosure that will increase my balance to close to -£3K however that is just under 10% of savings so trying not to stress. (Snoozing to earn 5%+ interest while cashflowing future building work).

Still awaiting builder's quote.

KajiKita

Hope you slept well eventually. 

Don’t forget your parents are coming to see you more than the house and they know you’ve been ill, so don’t aim for perfection. Would your mum or dad welcome the chance to help with any little jobs or unpacking? Hope their visit goes well 😊

How does the patio look now? Brighter?

KK

jwil

Hope you got some sleep and parents visit goes well.

lucielle

Hope the parents visit went well and you enjoyed the time spent with them. 

Love doing power washing, very satisfying. 

L

savingholmes

Thanks KK, Jwil and Lucielle 

Apparently under the black was a mix of pink and white paving so yes a lot brighter. It looks like the back concrete panels are painted.

I got to sleep about 4.30am. Just had breakfast and my meds. Let's hope tonight I sleep better. Shaking slightly. Assume that's the meds. It will settle.

Handyman said he's coming so best get dressed.

TallGirl

Sounds like you are making lots of progress in the garden. Pressure washers are great for getting instant results but also hard work and very messy with the mud splattering everywhere. 

Sounds like you are getting lots of lovely plants do make sure you get something for all seasons garden centres seems to have the ones in season out the front so it is tempting to buy all the pretty ones. Sowing from seed is a lot cheaper or look out for MSE offers on plants I have had a few and they are excellent value you just have to keep potting them up as they are tiny when they arrive. 

Hope you manage to pace yourself after the short night.

skint_spice

I hope you manage to get a decent night’s sleep soon🙏

EssexHebridean

I do love a bit of pressure washing but I confess I'm hesitant to do our patio because of the mess aspect! I did make a start on scrubbing some of the slabs with a stiff brush but that was extremely tough work for very poor results - it definitely does need the force of the pressure washer really I think. 

savingholmes

Thanks TG, Skint and EH

EH - go for it with the pressure washer - you can buy a round accessory - my BIL has one - that massively reduces the splatter. I need to get one too at some point.

Parents arrived around 12.30 and have left about half an hour ago. I hadn't even put the potatoes on to boil when they came so felt massively behind. I'd only just finished the kitchen counter and hob and the front room. I parked them in the front room with drinks for a bit and then did a bit more hoovering, cleared the dining table and got the potatoes started. Thankfully I'd bought prepared veg so just needed to steam them over the potatoes. Then lightly roasted the spuds. I'd cooked the beef a few days ago. We then had meringues, ice cream and strawberries for desert. By the time lunch was finished - the handyman had put up the new banisters (they are great) and I let them go upstairs.

We then drove out to a garden centre for a little outing but I was very restrained - buying a few salad bits for tea in the farm shop and a gift for my Dad's birthday. I know you sweet people thought my family wouldn't comment on the lack of tidiness in the back of the house... but I was right. The comments didn't last long though... Glad that's done. I'm totally wiped.

The handyman was gobsmacked at how tidy I got the front room in the 45 mins where he left to go and get something he'd left at home. He jokingly asked who I was.... Thankfully although the front room was messy - I have a system of baskets and drawers and things had 'homes' they just weren't in them as I'd been using them. I don't think GAP is currently reading diaries - but I 'hid my tidiness in my cupboards' like her as they were empty until I put the baskets and stuff back in them (and the drawers back in the drawer units). The handyman also drilled holes in my pots - so hopefully I can do some planting tomorrow.

He's due back tomorrow and can then hopefully get my new bed set up. He moved the mattress out of the doorway before my parents arrived so that was good too. The room will fit the superking bed in fine - and I think I'll still be able to keep the 6 drawer chest in there if I want to. I've got red wire baskets with lids that I am planning to use as bedside tables. There are a couple of lamps in there already too. I have some spare bedding - I need to do a bit of an audit of what I still have and what I can let go of or need to replace. I recently spotted a D0rm* bedspread I'm in love with on the theme of romance. But it's £185. I may have already bought the £30 pillow case pair... I'm hoping it will go in the sale at some point... It matches in well with my existing bedding...

TG - you're right on the perils of buying too much in one season at the garden centre - however I bought lots of plants with me that are from other seasons - and a chunk of the plants I've bought were in the clearance section as it's the wrong season for them. I've bought perennials and bulbs that are this season - but most of the rest is not yet in flower. I also have a large seed collection that I'll draw on over time. I've just not had the energy for that with everything else going on. I'm planning to sow wildflower seeds in my front garden on the bare / weedy earth that needs a good rake / hoe first. I'll see what of my current supplies I could add in there to the packet mix I bought - so thank you for that prompt. I have some mini propagator trays - which if I get around to it I could use to grow a few more plants on and then plant in the front aspiring meadow!! Otherwise I'll just direct sow as I don't have anything to lose. 

savingholmes

skint_spice said:

I hope you manage to get a decent night’s sleep soon🙏

Skint - really hoping I get to sleep tonight but I imagine it could take a while for things to settle. Last time things improved an hour or so at a time. Will see what happens. During the night - I tried to rest and just listened to something and updated my finances.