Moving on

dawnybabes

Happy belated birthday xx 

Cherryfudge

dawnybabes said:

Happy belated birthday xx 

Thank you @dawnybabes!

I fitted too much into today and I'm tired now. I've been waking before DH so really I should get to bed earlier, but it's really good having an earlier start to the day.

DH had his doctor's appointment and has a sick note (only till tomorrow as most of it is backdated). He's quite a bit better today, though.

I went to help with toddler group this morning then a friend from the Tuesday group suggested coffee and we tried out a new chocolate place in town. Not cheap but very nice. She also brought her two little dogs, who are a delight, as the place is dog-friendly.

DH did mackerel for lunch and in the afternoon I decided it was time to give the grass its first mow of the year. It had been very tufty and now looks better though once again the moss is a significant part of the greenness, and the ground elder is sprouting as if I'd done nothing to it last year. Sadly, I also found a dead hedgehog at the end of the garden. It can't have been there very long but I can't tell why it died.

I then decided it was time we tried out the chain saw! I got DH to show me what to do and it was surprisingly easy. I'd been expecting lots of kick-back, but didn't get it. My next step will be to learn to tighten the chain, as it soon worked loose. We only got about half a dozen logs cut to size but it's progress.

Work was another three hours and I remembered to pick up my routine prescription on the way home along with crumpets, cottage cheese and a nice tote bag that I don't strictly need but which will be useful as an easy way to keep things together for the Wednesday morning job. I even remembered to check if they have the eye gel for overnight use (dry eyes), and discovered it was a lot cheaper than I expected, having last bought it through the optician.

The detour to get the prescription had an added bonus: I picked up a free book from the 'free book exchange' en route. I must look out some to contribute. And DH has started reading Terry Pratchett, who is one of my favourite authors. He asked me which I'd suggest and has consequently started 'Nation' which is a stand-alone story and appeals to DH's love of history (and sense of humour).

Cherryfudge

Late last night I suddenly found my right elbow was very tender and it still is this morning. Not sure whether this was from mowing the lawn, using the chain saw or something else, and I don't remember bumping it. It's not hot or swollen. I'm just going to go on using it, but treat the pain as a warning not to overdo things.

DH is still coughing but I notice I cough when I get up which I wouldn't say mine is a feature most of the time: the fact I was able to have such a physically busy day yesterday is a good sign and DH is headed in the same direction. He has various appointments today, and I'm doing church cleaning followed later by work cleaning. Housework doesn't feature. . However, I really need to do the top and bottom larder shelves soon as the fridge is still not back in its nook.

Cherryfudge

A busy day and no progress on the larder, but the elbow is nearly back to normal - a relief as I kept forgetting to vacuum left handed so I hope that's benefitted it rather than setting me up for inflammation.

I did my usual stint at the church cleaning, while DH had his optician's appointment. I got some laminate wipes to try on a small and very worn section of one room and realised the easiest way to use them was folded over to shoe-sole size then 'skate'! It would have entertained people no end had I been spotted. It also improved the flooring (which could hardly have been worse to begin with as chairs had scraped across).

By the time I got home to a very late lunch (more of the Bolognese style mix I made the other day), I'd done 10,000 steps and DH had gone to get the hobby car MOT'd, and it's passed so now he feels safe to take people out for rides. He's also changed Pratchett book as Nation was going to be too sad, but he's liking Guards! Guards!

I had a sit down till time for work, and it's as well I did as work was full-on. There were about eight of us to cover what's usually done by a dozen so I had a whole building to do myself, then a member of staff asked me if I'd vacuum a particular area which isn't easy to get round, so it's a wonder I got all the basics done. Oh, and someone must have carried a bag of shredding down a corridor... Lots of corners cut, which I don't feel guilty about as it was that or leave them entirely.

While I was at work, DH had another doctor's appointment. The GP had called him back for an ECG yesterday but it turns out all is well, thankfully, false alarm.

Looking forward to a quiet day tomorrow to catch up a bit! I don't think I've spent anything today but this morning seems rather a long time ago. 20,000 steps in total.

Cherryfudge

A lovely, warm, sunny day. I woke up at ten to six (what's happening to me? Consistently early!). Isn't the bird song glorious?! I crept downstairs as DH slept till nearly eight and I didn't want to disturb him (note to self: put next day's clothes ready in the spare room so I can be up and about when I choose). I put the dishwasher on and mended a sock but since then haven't done much at all and DH is out till some time this afternoon.

I'm now trying to redress the balance and do things: laundry is in progress and I've stuck my head out of the door. It's far too nice to stay in but I also have to finish cleaning and tidying the larder (neglected all week as I was busy and still a bit under par from the virus). There's a little bit of Bolognese left so I'll have that for lunch then report back on progress.

Cherryfudge

After lunch update: Bolognese all gone, ditto slightly weird pasta, so there's a bit more space which I may fill later as there are things I need to restock (cereal, milk etc.) Two lots of hand washing and two machine loads done and all out on the line. It's actually warm, not just no longer cold out there! 15 degrees.  

Cherryfudge

The weekend was actually all warm and mostly sunny, with the exception of a misty Sunday morning. I got quite a bit of tidying done in the garden on Saturday - only at one side of the house but it looks better. I've weeded the narrow bed by the path: not completely but it's improved, and made a  start on weeding tubs and pots. Today I went to do some more but I've been feeling a bit chilly so I didn't stay out long and in fact I've been at home all day so the inactivity probably contributed to not feeling warm.

Yesterday evening I started to do some work towards the course, and scared myself by overthinking. Didn't complete it, but went down a small side track looking up stuff which turned out to be interesting and more memorable for having researched it. 

I stayed at home this morning to watch church online but was sent some photos of the children's activity which was fun. 

Main meals have been a cod and chorizo bake yesterday (nice, will save that recipe. It's from T*sco) and chicken curry today, using a spice mix DS2 gave to DH. It was delicious.

Last of the Pottery Throw Down tonight, I love that program.

Nothing spent today.

dawnybabes

Ooh that sounds lovely, will google it 

Cherryfudge

dawnybabes said:

Ooh that sounds lovely, will google it 

One-pan Cod, Chorizo And Chickpea Bake | Tesco Real Food

It was in a T*sco magazine. Last month's I think.

Cherryfudge

Today so far has been a lot of walking but also quite productive in various MS ways.

I'd offered to help paint the office for the Wednesday job but when I got there is was full of people manoeuvring furniture in a tight space so I wished them well with it and got on with some admin. That always takes longer than expected but I combined it with chatting to a couple of people and both conversations were useful.

On my way out I saw a bag blowing in the car park and took it to the bin, where I noticed boxes of office bits and pieces. I went back in and asked if I could have some! (Shameless. But it seemed a shame to let them go for incineration). I now have a laptop bag, three folders, a clipboard and some plastic envelope-type things. That Means I can justify swapping my course notes to a file that doesn't clash with tother things.

I then had a semi-successful trip to Sains and bought some lunch before walking to the other end of town to deliver a card to my friend whose birthday it is today. Years ago I lived in that area but now I rarely go through on foot so it was interesting to see it at walking pace.

On the way back I idly went into a charity shop and came out with:

1. a double turntable for a kitchen cupboard for £4, which saves me ordering another pack of two for £20. Same model IRO £25 on 3bay.
2. a pack of felt pads for chair legs for £1.25, for the room I cleaned the other day. Cheaper than £5 or £6 in the shops.
3. Vintage pinking shears! I was looking at buying some new for £17 and these were only £4. However, that was a bit of a gamble and now I have them home I can tell they need to be sharpened. I think there may be a place in town that would do that.

By this time I needed a rest, but called into Mr T en route home for the things I'd not been able to get earlier. Some of them I got but tomato puree and chickpeas have become scarce for some reason. Rather than buy the premium brands I will supplement the chickpeas in our cupboard with el cheapo baked beans and give thought to what would work instead of tomato puree. If necessary I can do without as there are tinned tomatoes in the recipe.

When I got home I had a text to say the meeting tonight has been cancelled: I could have contacted work to say I'm available to do a shift but I'm leaving it for now. Rest seems like a good idea!

Time to start dinner now, though. Chickpea tikka masala.