Moving on

Cherryfudge

rtandon27 said:

@Cherryfudge - enjoy your time away!

Thanks - we did! And a good tip on the coffee apps too, thanks. I updated mine before going but we had coffee in various museum cafes so didn't use the apps. However, I can try it on the High Street and take them to drink in the library where there are books and internet access...

We're both exhausted but we fitted in loads of nice stuff and I'm well into the swing of using my phone to pay for everything now so I'm more or less on top of what payments have gone out.

More later, possibly even tomorrow, though tomorrow afternoon I'm out and I have the children's session to run on Sunday morning and then I can relax.

How did I get so busy all of a sudden? There's a twice a month activity new since December but I feel quite stretched.

Cherryfudge

Not sure I can write a full summary and do our trip justice without being up for hours and turning out a huge screed, but I'll do my best.

Wednesday morning started early after a late night searching for DH's railcard. In the end I found it with less than an hour to go, in a box with some other cards. I had no idea what was in there and both of us had looked and not seen it. Anyway, crisis averted and we had a good journey.

We met when both of us lived in London and it feels like going home every time we go back. Unaffordable in the longer term, of course, but lovely to go for a few days.

Lunch was at the Crypt of St Martin in the Fields, where we generally go, then we hovered around the National Gallery, decided the queue was a good indication to leave it this time and instead went to the Portrait Gallery and spent some time looking at characters from Wolf Hall (except they didn't know they were from Wolf Hall). We took sandwiches for tea at the hotel. Wednesday evening was spent at a classical concert which was excellent. Despite cheap seats, we had a really good viewpoint and I found being so close to the orchestra was fascinating.

Thursday dawned absolutely gorgeous with that magical tranquillity you sometimes see over a city. I got very excited when I saw how close we were to the river, and we didn't have anything planned for the morning so we walked the riverside path from Putney Bridge to Hammersmith Bridge, then had a good lunch at a waterside pub. The water sparkled, the joggers were numerous, so were the dog walkers, the aircraft coming in to land meant I stopped every few yards to track yet another and tell DH where they were from. Near enough the perfect way to spend a morning, and far too warm for the end of January.  

In the afternoon we'd booked into an exhibition at the Royal Academy (drawings by great masters) which was also very good (and cheaper than going to Italy). DH is fairly knowledgeable and I'm not but still found it interesting. I chose the evening activity: we got last-minute tickets for Hamilton. I think my ears are still ringing!

Today was grey but the threatened morning rain was a bit half-hearted. I'd expressed an interest in the Imperial War Museum which is an eye-opener but not the most cheerful subject. Perhaps I was unwise as I'm less than cheerful now, though that's partly because DH has a persistent cough that we both feel might indicate a condition that's not hereditary but which has happened a couple of times in his family. We are both exhausted though, so we should feel better tomorrow.

The journey home was slightly delayed, so we might be able to claim 'delay repay'. I've never actually claimed it before despite a couple of big delays, so perhaps I will this time.

I made some use of the two rail journeys as I've done loads of Duolingo. We also discovered that TfL has counted all our tube journeys as one set per day, not two sets. We didn't do anything fancy for this to happen but both paid from the same joint account. There's a daily cap of £8.50, and that's what we've been charged per day for the both of us. We only travelled together, so you would have thought the system would have noticed two payments being made through each terminal at the same time, but it doesn't seem to work like that.

So our expenses have been a meal out each day, a set of fares each day, coffee and cake each day, a few gifts, hotel breakfasts (which were disappointing as the coffee machine broke and the thrill is going out of the same choice every time) and mostly entrance fees for entertainment, some of which were paid in advance.

I've also ordered a couple of baby books (gifts for little ones) and did a bulk order for our laundry capsules and dishwasher tablets, which had been left on the step in the rain when we got home. I'm hoping the slight damp on the inner packaging doesn't mean they are spoiled: they're currently on the radiator.

Cherryfudge

Tired again but not as bad as yesterday. This morning I washed my hair and sorted out an outfit for the afternoon, which was DD's baby shower. The dress is one I bought last summer, worn with a cardigan. It needed a small adjustment as one shoulder doesn't sit right, and I managed to fix that, though not all that well. It bothers me that it took a while to work out how to line things up to make the alteration. I thought of myself as good at things like that but in fact there have probably always been occasional 3D things that I struggled with.

DH threw himself into housework as D and E were coming over, D to sort out some things from his old room and E to give me a lift to the baby shower. Meanwhile I rushed into town to get suitable wrapping paper and some body sprays to add to DD's gift. 

The baby shower itself was lovely: a really nice bunch of people and L had managed to keep it secret from J, which is a big thing for him. It was fun helping get the room ready and watching the people nearest the window looking out for their arrival and tracking them by phone. J really didn't expect to see us when she walked in! She thought I was still in London and her friend who has moved down south also came.

So I've spent a bit today on gifts and food, but not too much. It was definitely worth it.

Gifts £11.50
Entertainment £19.95

The meal was very good - we knew it had a good reputation and it lived up to it. 

Cherryfudge

I completely forgot yesterday, but we caught a third mouse which DH kindly took to some distant release point then spent part of the day putting filler in where he thinks it got in. It's too early to be sure but there was no sign of mouse activity today so perhaps they are regrouping but at least it probably means they are outdoor mice rather than residents.

I led the children's session this morning: we had eleven which is about the maximum and I had to ask a couple of parents to stay to give a good ratio for the tiniest children. I also felt under-prepared, though on this particular session, which worked well last time I did it, at least I had confidence that the children would enjoy it. However, I had to read the story off my phone as I'd not printed it out in advance and the printer is acting up.

Lesson learned: now to apply it. Get things printed or written out in advance.

Main meal was southern fried chicken, then I slept much of the afternoon while DH had his walk. He's now gone to an evening service but I decided I need to take it as quietly as possible as I have something or other every day this week and I've not recovered from last week yet.

There is a huge amount of decluttering and tidying needing to be done. DS2 took some stuff out yesterday so now it's my turn but where to start? I searched a box for a photo which wasn't there, but found a pack of photos from when the children were primary school age so I've retrieved that and will send a few round the family to see if they can provide dates. Then I'll label as best I can and they can join the family archive. I've also made 10 'paper decisions' so those are in the recycling.

I'm very much lacking in energy to push on with more, though I feel I need to.

Cherryfudge

Another day, another mouse... now taken to be released, hopefully far enough away not to return. There may well have been a nest of them of similar vintage, all telling each other where to get food. We need to keep catching the invaders and searching for how they get in, as we've obviously missed it.

I suddenly realised we are in a new month and I didn't do a financial round up for last month, so at some point there's that to do. Going to London took over my thoughts for a few days, followed closely by DD's baby shower and yesterday's children's work. This week I'm working today, Thursday and Friday; I have probably half a day of childcare tomorrow as the other grandparents are around in the morning, and in the evening I have a meal out with my Tuesday group; Wednesday morning is my Wednesday job and the evening is the fortnightly church group. Thursday morning is helping at the Toddler Group and on Friday morning I'm on the cleaning rota at church. So basically a full week, but at least I'm a bit more rested than I was and have a chunk of each day free - and the weather is going to be hot: 10 C according to the forecast! My plan is to get a bit of time out of doors to try to lift my mood which isn't too bright, a mixture of going onto alert over any minor thing wrong with DH, too much reading about WW1 and being tired but having social things I really should attend. Oh, and The State of The House. I will post back later to say how that's going.

Having thought I only had two additional things to do this month, I've realised its more as the church cleaning rota is again short, so I'll be doing tow out of three again. As far as work goes it's easy and straightforward, but I like to be as thorough as I can and I usually get talking to people, so it's rather time-consuming. There is good news though, in that someone has donated a new boiler so the temporary heaters won't be there ad infinitum.

So things to do today include a second lot of washing (first has just finished), checking the bank statements, and putting away everything by my left elbow. Here goes!

ETA: Memo to self: this is the month to renew the 'free' garden centre coffees. I don't think we used last months' but there's only so much coffee we can drink.

Cherryfudge

Today hasn't really gone to plan apart from two loads of laundry out on the line and a tiny start made on decluttering. 23 'paper decisions' have gone in the recycling.

I received a notification about renewing my DBS. Can I find the original with the reference number? Of course not. This has led to me turning out the the desk so there are piles of papers all over the floor, but a few have been refiled in the proper places so although it's a mess, some important things are now in the correct place, not just 'a safe place'. I've also gone through DH's fireproof box (I wish he'd remember to keep it locked as everything would fall out if we had to grab it in a hurry!), a shelf of files and the files I set up for my current projects, and it's not there. I found five DBS forms, of which two are mine, just not for this post.

At least I have till mid-month to find it.

JGB1955

Curious - if your fireproof box is fireproof - why might you need to move it?  We have a fireproof safe and it would be last on our list to move/empty in case of emergency. 

Cherryfudge

JGB1955 said:

Curious - if your fireproof box is fireproof - why might you need to move it?  We have a fireproof safe and it would be last on our list to move/empty in case of emergency. 

Ah, now you see what a cynic I really am! It's a very old fireproof box and is certainly not entirely airtight and probably not watertight and certainly not insulated - so could fire be drawn in during a conflagration, as it would have fuel and oxygen? Or could papers inside just char in enough heat? I'm not entirely sure it's as good as all that!

Cherryfudge

Two hours at work tonight, and I came home to find DH has been doing some tidying and hoovering, so the spare room is inching towards respectability again. How did it get so dusty when it wasn't really being used? There's still lots of my stuff in there but it's neater than it was.

I have my work laptop back and IT has solved the issue that was preventing me logging in, so I can complete last month's time sheet and get paid for it. We are paid a month in arrears so my latest pay came through as it should.

I've ordered a replacement blind for the bathroom as the old one broke after four years. It seems to be a bit of a pattern with these but I've ordered an identical one as they work really well in that place. I've also ordered a new watch strap for myself and used the promotion for Pr1me which wasn't available the other day when I ordered some books via the app. I seem to remember I got a discount as I ordered two so perhaps I've not lost too much.

We have the morning off tomorrow as the other grandparents are with the girls. I think we both need a bit of a lie-in! DH was up late with a cough last night. 

I found old photos of my Tuesday group and sent out copies, which turned out to be a good way to get people communicating. One person was happy enough to comment but isn't coming to the meal tomorrow, and my friend and I have concluded she won't be back. She dropped back when she lost her husband and at first had intended to re-join later but it's been a very long time now and she just keeps turning down invitations.

Expenditure:
Housekeeping £5.87
Phone storage £1.79
Household (blind) £21.95
Clothing (watch strap) £8.99
Pr!me 99p

Sun_Addict

Wow mice really love your house! Can you see where they’re getting in and block it off? What’s attracting them? We’ve always had cats so never had a problem with them. 

Re the things you’re keeping in a fireproof box, could you just have them in a grab bag located near an exit ready to grab in case of emergency?