Moving on

ladybird1106

Well done on passing your course
love 🐞

Cherryfudge

Thank you @rtandon27, @WelshmansDaughter and @ladybird1106, I woke up happy about it (after an odd dream in which A was being ordained and collapsed... he doesn't even go to church much so who knows where that came from? And the night before I dreamed DH's niece was getting married... which happened last year. Obviously something in the back of my mind that's looking to be resolved but I have no idea what).

I've spent this morning waiting for DH's parcel which hasn't showed up yet. It was supposed to be here by 10.30. That's annoying as I could have been doing other things but I've caught up with some diaries here and sorted out the small amount of Clubcard points that were due to expire on 30th.

I'm not sure if I'm staving off a cold. It wouldn't be surprising with so much contact with young children. Apart from dry eyes and 'a bit of a throat', my skin is so itchy! That sometimes happens when I'm fighting things off, but it feels more like a reaction to something and is mostly on the front of my legs. Nothing to be seen but I can feel a slight bumpiness. These things happen, but the itch relief cream isn't solving it so I'm avoiding the skinny jeans for now.

I also decided to sort the gloves and scarves basket, which unearthed a few forgotten items and my missing favourite garden gloves. They are leather and in a dreadful state. Must look up how to clean them.

Sun_Addict

Well done on completing and passing the course 👏🥳

I keep meaning to thank you for reminding me (in one of your posts a while back) about the Mr T Clubcard offers. It reminded me to check mine and although I don’t spend a great deal there I’ve had some decent discounts on things I bought recently. For instance I bought a jumper in the 25% off F&F promotion recently and had a voucher for an extra 15% off, also 15% off books so bought the new PON book for £9.25. 

Cherryfudge

Oh, I'm glad the information was useful to you SA! And that was a good combination of discounts you used. I think it was @badmemory who was talking about them too. I have 5 at the moment but only three are likely to be useful.

It's been a busy afternoon, but this morning, waiting in for a delivery that didn't turn up till 2.30, wasn't very productive. I did sort out the short-dated Clubcard points, though, and read some diaries, so not an entirely unproductive morning.

It seemed to be fine enough to do the washing, but it didn't stay long on the line as it started to rain. I did think it might snow as there was a feel to it as though it was ready, despite the clouds not being that spectacular dark grey that's a strong sign of snow.

I had a bit of a tidy in the hall, around the gloves, scarves and hats that had accumulated in four assorted containers over a number of years. They are now washed and drying, and I'm looking forward to pairing some up. With a bit of research and advice from this forum, I've had a go at cleaning up my gardening gloves too. I've also made marmalade (from tinned marmalade mix, nothing very creative) which is now in the fridge. DH eats it as if there's no tomorrow and will take a jar when he visits his auntie next week.

Talking of travel, the car has some sort of issue. DH thinks there's something not flowing properly. We've had it years so I suppose something was about due to happen but it needs to be sorted, if possible before he visits Auntie, though he could go by train if necessary.

We had separate dinners to finish up a couple of portions of casseroles from the fridge/freezer, and I pulled the last of the homegrown tomatoes off the plants I brought in so we had some of those too. So much flavour! Then we both had meetings this evening: friends gave me lifts too and from mine and oh, it was so cold by the time I got home! Clear stars, and lots of them. 

WelshmansDaughter

I have some problems with itching on my legs occasionally. I use aveeno moisturiser daily and this usually keeps it at bay

Cherryfudge

I was at the shops this lunchtime looking at that, WD! Shame I wasn't thinking of myself at that point, it might help. Yesterday I tried washing the area with aqueous cream which seemed to help a bit - then later in the day it just cleared up and hasn't been back. I wonder if I'd used fabric conditioner on the jeans I was wearing?

I'm still feeling as if I have the slightest of slight colds. Who knows? Mot of the time these things seem to slope off after a few days and I never find out what's going on.  

This morning was Toddler club again and I got talking to one of the grandmas - I didn't recognise her but it was someone I knew 20+ years ago and who is the sister of a former colleague. I've now texted that colleague to see how she's doing. Then, very oddly, as I was crossing the road on the way home, someone was waving hard at me from a passing car and I think it was someone I used to work with and tried unsuccessfully to contact only a few days ago. I'm not sure she's picking up on Messenger but now I've tried a WhatsApp message. After all, if she didn't want to keep in contact, she'd hardly have tried to get my attention (if it was her)!

I've done various oddments of shopping: bits for stocking fillers mostly.

Expenditure:
Household £1.49
Toiletries 9.53
Gifts 17.29
Housekeeping 9.44

Cherryfudge

Friday again... I'm not on the cleaning team rota for church today (but have my cleaning job this evening) and DH has a day off so we are going to get our 'free' coffees at the garden centre before November runs out. 

I was looking at Facebook last night - something I don't do often - and noticed a post that showed the person who assaulted me in just that garden centre, but I can't stop doing things entirely just because he lives in the area. It's also unlikely he'd do the same again, but it does make me wary. It took a year to get back to the neighbouring town after I'd seen him in the car boot sale there.

It was also a day of 'seeing ghosts' due to contacts with former colleagues (the one who waved from the car replied to me and we had a bit of a catch-up by WhatsApp but the other has looked at her messages without replying) and in the evening I was working in the area that some people say is haunted. Personally I find it has a nice atmosphere but as there was a meeting going on late in part of it, I texted my manager to say the ghosts had informed me they would be working late so I couldn't clean there. It's a good job they find me funny. 

I stayed up late, not doing anything in particular, and wondered why as there was nothing scheduled for today, which is what would normally make me be late. (A sort of avoidant behaviour, I think). Then it occurred to me that contacts with former colleagues were stirring up the mud. Yet I value them as people and don't want to lose touch.

The family WhatsApp has been busy as people put up Christmas wish lists based on Black Friday bargains so I need to check the list I drew in the Secret Santa and get buying.

Cherryfudge

The rest of the day has been nice. I did a lot of mending of gloves in the morning but there are (amazingly) 14 solo ones still in the box. However, we now have about half a dozen pairs each, so we probably don't need any more. I mended the lining and three holes in one of DH's pairs and a small hole on one of mine, and removed tatty faux leather off the palm of a small pair that probably came from DS2 but wouldn't fit him now so I've adopted them, and they're a good warm pair. Then I found the saddle soap and tried it out on a p[air of gardening gloves. They are much more supple now.

Lunch was salmon, sauce and pasta from stores then I had a bit of a scramble to sort out the boiler cover as we had a reminder text about servicing it. I signed up for a half price plan (about £45 over the next year) as a Black Friday deal and agreed to a 10% off for the next service, at £90. That's because we've not been paying into a plan so far, but we had a check a while ago under the manufacturer's warranty, which was free.

With only a couple of days in which to use our garden centre free drinks, and the car limping along at 20 miles an hour and not due in the garage till Tuesday, we walked to the garden centre, which is 45 minutes each way. We've learned not to go for their cappuccinos or Earl Greys - the ordinary tea is nicer though the tea pot was rubbish at pouring, and the hot chocolate is okay though it tastes as though it's made with powder. Still, it's nice to be out and have one to one time. Dh also had lemon cake so it wasn't entirely free. £3.25 I think.

Dh realised he has a dental appointment on Monday so he had to pop into work to book time off and we walked down together before my shift. It's been getting warmer over the day and yesterday's hard frost has entirely gone. I had three hours at work then came back and spent more money: both of us have got our Secret Santa gifts now and Am@zon have cottoned on and are charging £8.99 from the word go for Pr1me at the moment. However, I must have saved that much on postage already this evening. Some items also have 2% off if you don't need the item urgently, so I've saved a few pence there. Then I treated myself to a 49p edition of Anne of Green Gables on Kindle. I have most of the series from my Mum but they are more bulky in hardback. I've also topped up a couple of makeup items on Black Friday deals, which saved about £7. My shampoo wasn't on offer but shops often have useful discounts on it.

I had just time to do a quick search for a couple of items we'd agreed we want: I couldn't find a suitable mini chain saw for the logs, but I did order a hand held vacuum to replace my broken one. Ironically the one I chose wasn't on a Black Friday deal but was still a likely-looking thing and £20 less than similar models.

I was too tired to go on to the supermarket after work so I've no milk but I can cope without till tomorrow night. I remembered to check if my cappuccinos were on BF discount but no. Then I've fitted in washing my hair as well so it's nice for tomorrow.

Expenditure:
Entertainment £3.25?
Gifts £107.03
Toiletries £9.67
e-book 49p
Prime £8.99 (remember to cancel at the end of the month!)
Boiler cover £6.99 recurring monthly.
Household (vacuum cleaner) £79.99

There will also be the £90 charge for the boiler service but the email hasn't come through yet for me to confirm acceptance.

Tomorrow I need to pay the cc up to date or I'll get clobbered when the regular payment goes out. I wish they allowed overpayment when I know I have things pending.

And yes, it was payday and I've not so much as looked at an account, though I know there's money in them all or I wouldn't be spending like this. Tomorrow night when I get in I need to do the start-of month financial stuff.

Cherryfudge

DD and I had a  productive day of Christmas shopping: I've spent £87.71, which includes parking, lunch and an afternoon snack as a thank you to DD for being chauffeur, and some last-minute groceries when we got back to town. I'm tired now! I've also checked my payslip and logged into banking to adjust a regular payment.

Cherryfudge

A summary of Saturday before I forget. DD offered to drive so she picked me up just after nine. We agreed that it's crazy how much cheaper it is to travel by car than train, and she didn't want me to share petrol costs so I paid for parking and a couple of bits during the day.

We both love H0mesense so we went there first and did well for gifts. I also treated myself to a study-looking garlic press as previous ones have come to pieces on me. Then we went to find somewhere to eat and ended up in one of those food hub places where you grab a table and shop at one of the little shops around the periphery. I think we both liked our food (she had Greek and I had Mexican) though mine was expensive for what it was. Next time I might suggest we bring sandwiches for a light meal that we can eat on a bench in an arcade, but go for coffee /cake for our 'sit down'. However, our next shopping trip will probably be with a fairly young baby so the rules will change!

In the afternoon we did Primarni and one or two other places, but I don't know the area as well as she does so I couldn't think of anywhere I really wanted to go. I got myself slippers (planned purchase), we had a long sit-down for drinks and cake then we went for roast chestnuts which is our Christmas tradition. It was nice seeing all the Christmas lights and getting our customary selfies in front of the Christmas tree, but then we set off home. For some reason the satnav didn't take us the usual way and we ended up on country roads, with not-very-clear cats' eyes that went invisible with oncoming headlights. That's worrying when you're not sure of the road and it's absolutely pitch black around, but we got home all right. I stopped at the supermarket for fruit and chocolate chip shortbread, and shared the shortbread with DD.

Amazingly, we managed to eke out our phone batteries - both of us got rather low for comfort and were glad we could recharge in the car. Just over a week now till I get my new phone!