From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Humdinger1

The last time I was thinking of dusting, the phone rang and my local political party said
 'The BBC is predicting that the General Election will be called at teatime today.  Please can you get down to the office, we're mobilising right now'. I wasn't the only one saved from housework by a snap election being called, not by a long chalk.  It must have been May 2024.  We're all still healthy...love Humdinger xx 

KajiKita

beanielou said:

People dust every day.Lies in a darkened room.

No, no Beanie, it’s all a dream, all a dream … 😉

KK

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Sorry for giving you anxiety beanie!  But I'm pretty sure daily dusting ain't summat you'll encounter on this thread - maybe a bit of dancing dusting over at Cheery's 😁

So I've a work wash on and I had a go at re-washing a white top that has got a mysterious pink mark all over  it........  there have been no stray red socks, and so I was mystified as to how it got like that - especially as I had actually popped a colour run sheet in the wash, as one of the white tops had black stripes on it, and whilst I was sure it wouldn't run, I took extra care.   Now it's a school top, and I don't remember any pen or ink marks that would have stained.  But the only thing I can think (and it's therefore my fault), is when I was getting the tops in, I felt a sticky patch on the care wash label.  Now in the past, the 'quality/passed' stickers on clothing have been attached to these labels, and they either stay on for years, or float off and appear in your wash as a tiny plastic sticker.  Now, mea culpa, I do not recall removing any of these stickers, and I just threw them in the wash after the first use.......  I'm now wondering, have MrS gone environmentally friendly, and asked their suppliers to reduce the plastic and use paper stickers?  i can't find any errant stickers, and I wonder if they've disolved, leaving nowt but the ink stain behind?  I'm bl00dy annoyed the colour catcher 'didn't' 😡 But a lesson learnt the hard way to check for these damn stickers.  Otherwise, I can't think what else has caused it.  There is nothing left behind in the machine, and the stain is in places where pen marks or whatever would have been visible, prior to washing.  

Ho hum.

The window company are coming around today.  At least the surveyor is the owner of the company, and they apparently don't engage in hard sell (they don't need to, they've been in the game a long time and their reputation is good enough - if we don't use them, someone else will).  

I've copied the SC pumpkin stew recipe into my index.  Will be on the look out for more recipes, as I really need to get to grips - particularly in the cold weather months - of making meals/soups/freezer meals etc in the SC or the PrC.  Use the electrickery wisely.  

Right, the workwear wash is done, so I'll go and peg out.  Not too sure what will be for tea tonight.  I'm erring towards veggie burger baps and wedges, but I'll have another cast through the fridge and freezer.  I might make pizza over the weekend, so we don't need chip/wedge overload.  

Best get a shift on, the window appt will soon be upon us.

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Very vexing about your pink splodge greying!

rtandon27

ooooo - how exciting! - You know we want a full debrief on the Windowman's visit to Chateau Greying!

themadvix

Seconded! I hope it's good news!

Greying_Pilgrim

Well, the window surveyor has been and gone.  Clearly they know their business, and I'm sure - for example - we've fairly standard size windows (we live in a 'ticky-tacky' little box), so they got measured, but I think it was to just double check they were 'X' standard size.  I don't think it's going to be cheap.....  I mean, that's partly a given, as this company is well known for being 'amongst the best' locally, so they're not in it to be 'stack 'em high, sell 'em cheap'.  But I've been given a price-ish for a standard front door (composite), and that's 😱  But still, in theory, that's not a priority, so I mustn't get too anxious about that.  Also, doors can go up in price the minute you start wanting them in barb1e pink, with a circular port hole window, platinum handles and  a cat-flap fitted...... so even the basic price isn't what it would cost.  

Quote will be available next week.

Greying X

themadvix

Doors are extremely expensive these days - but you don't have to go for the option they suggest. And the windows will be relatively cheaper by comparison. They may not be in the 'stack em high, sell em cheap' box, but if the windows are a standard size, they shouldn't be charging over the odds for them. Will you be getting other quotes? (Please say yes, I know it's such a pain, but definitely worth it.)

badmemory

I had a stable door fitted a couple of months ago £1700.  Still it was worth it.  I get visitors to both the front & back, so walk to the front & drive to the back.  At the back I have quite a large wide opening window which is where I speak to people, but at the front I had no real way of seeing who was there.  I had a sudden revelation that anyone knocking I was just opening the door & they could be anyone & before I get decrepit I thought a bit of security would be a good idea.  Anyone remember Rowan & Martin's laugh in (with Goldie Hawn) well I reminded myself of that leaning out of my door.

Greying_Pilgrim

tmv - yes, I'm girding my loins to ring other companies.  To be absolutely fair, we don't live in a 'Window installing desert', so there are plenty of other companies - and even with doing a 'sort of' sift of companies, I need to get on with trying to get at least 2 more to quote.  And the surveyor did only talk 'ball park' figures with regard to the front door.  There is another door that needs replacing (arguably sooner than the front door), and big figures weren't mentioned for that - still, we won't need a diamond encrusted peep hole, nor a gold plated letter box flap for that door, either so....... 👍 And to be fair, the surveyor did say that a new front door - if composite - would be the biggest expense, and that (presumably) is with us wanting to have something a bit different done with one of the windows - they had surveyed that window before we'd got to the front door, and we'd discussed what we'd like the installers to do.  

Plus, although it was...........  something pushing 8 or 9 years ago 🤔 and we all know how prices have shot up since then .... when we had new windows (modern sash), and a new door fitted at out previous property, it was the door - as a unit - that was the most costly, and that was with it being one of the company's standard 'everyday' range doors - limited colour options/door furniture choices etc.  So whilst the prices have changed, in effect the windows should still - unit by unit - be the cheaper bit of the quote 🤞 Hopefully the front door will remain an optional change, and done at a later date if necessary. Of the current list, the front door is the last item on the list, in order of priority.

I still dislike talking with trades though.  And even though the surveyor is - in this instance - an owner of the company (and was perfectly nice), you're still at the mercy of the workers who get sent round, aren't you.  

Ho hum.  

At least we've good drying weather, nice sun and there is a breeze.  

Greying X