Moving on

Cherryfudge

I agree with you on the health things, @KeepOnKnitting. Who knows what we live with and never know about? And you are right about the pressures of modern life.

It's been pleasant and sunny today. I decided on a restful day, and actually didn't sleep during the day. I watched the church service on the laptop but DH went in as there was someone he needed to see. When he got back he told me his tachycardia has started again and it's gone on all day, though not as fast as some previous episodes. It may be it will settle overnight, or he might have to go to outpatients to see if they can help. I know it's not supposed to be dangerous but it's hard not to worry. As for me, I'm still getting light headed spells and tiredness but I've had lots of things tested and they were all good, so we will see how that goes over time.

I did a bit of gentle gardening this afternoon and re-potted a couple of houseplants, but I was too tired to do much. At least the plants are happy and no longer need to struggle with spent compost and not enough root space. One of them had got so top heavy that it kept falling over!

We had a visit from A, H and the girls to bring my Mother's Day card and present. In the end none of them has developed chickenpox and A is feeling rather better after his dental surgery, so that's all good. I also had early cards and gifts from the other two as they were around last week. Still no sign of the next baby, but she's not actually due for a few days.

We had the slow cooked lamb with baked potatoes, carrots, peas and some shallots left over from the 15p veg at Christmas! Delicious, and there's plenty left for another day. We've also had a stroll round local streets in the name of exercise and fresh air, but we took it easy so as not to make the health things worse. It's been lovely out of doors though.

Nothing spent, and I've filled in my timesheet. I've had the emails to say my previous claims have been processed, but there's still nothing showing in the bank. Very odd, and just as well there's enough in the account to cover costs. DH has already been paid - same employer. One to follow up, obviously, but my manager is off till Wednesday.

Cherryfudge

I'm relieved to report that DH's heart rate has steadied overnight, though it was still a bit raised. That could have been because he had just got up though. I also had a decent night's sleep and feel rested.

A couple of hours ago it was brilliant sun but now it's all cloudy and DH, who went out to take the car to have the brakes looked at, says it's 'gloves cold'. However, it's forecast to go up to around 17 so I might get a bit more done in the garden. Even five minutes is good!

Another piece of good news is that my pay is in. Perhaps DH's came through earlier as it's two payments but both standard, whereas mine was two irregular ones? Anyway, that account looks healthy to the point where I'm thinking I might need to pay back some into savings - which is nice!

Money is also going out - we are paying our hotel room and Auntie's for a family wedding in October. Auntie will send a cheque as she doesn't do internet.  Cheques have slid into obscurity, but they are very handy at times. That's going on my credit card so we get some Club card points back.

This afternoon DH has his volunteering and I'm working this evening. We are still on a quest to get the house tidier - a point brought home yesterday when we were both too tired to do more than the obvious things before A and H came round. For a start, I have a nest of papers round the computer again so there's that to sort out. I'm also reminded by the nest that I have set aside an hour this afternoon for my course.

I'm trying to bring my weight down and so far have lost 1lb of a total target of 24lbs - but that's guesswork as it's many years since I was at that level and it may not be right for me anymore.

Cherryfudge

I've had quite a quiet day. I remembered to sort through photos and order prints, which took a while but one advantage of not ordering for a while is that I could skim through and select the best of months' worth, rather over buying.

DH took the car for the brakes to be fixed and it's a big one: around £800. Eek, but the car has cost us very little for years and it's getting to time to look for another. We've also paid for the hotel room for a family wedding in August.

We had more of the lamb for lunch - there's enough left for sandwiches. Then DH went to his volunteering and I did some laundry, watered the pots of plants outside, spent a few minutes chopping back ground elder and did a bit of the homework for my course.

I've contacted the manager of the Wednesday job to say I've not been well and am reducing how often I go in over April (from twice a month to once) to give myself recovery time. She's very supportive.

I had three hours at work and went to the supermarket on the way back - not really necessary as I only wanted to get different coffee sachets for use when looking after the grandchildren, but spent about £10. It's all stuff we can use, though. Mr T is once again (or still?) lacking their own brand tomato puree, but it's 59p at L!dl so I got two tubes. I resisted reduced camembert but got dried apricots which I love, and more grapes. I'm trying to increase my fruit repertoire. A few other bits too.

Housekeeping £16
Holiday £149. (Plus the same for Auntie, who will pay us back but asked us to book on her behalf).
Photos £7.65
Car - not paid yet. £800?

And the exciting news is that J been having Braxton Hicks contractions, but she's gone in to be induced as the baby is due this week but is moving less. So I'm not sure how much sleep we are going to get!

Cherryfudge

That was an eventful April 1st! I checked my phone when I woke up and found a message from L to say baby A was born about an hour before dawn! She's healthy and a good weight. Mum didn't need to be induced as the baby was already on the way, so despite J texting me about 1.30 in the morning to say she was 'doing okay', things accelerated half an hour later.

We had the girls to look after today, so we will visit tomorrow and allow them some recovery time.

I managed a couple of things in the first half of the morning: washed my hair and gave it loads of conditioning, which it needs, and borrows an idea off Sun_Addict who was making a chickpea meal. I googled and found what I thought was a similar recipe. It turned out not to be but was quite a keeper: a Spanish-style chickpea and spinach stew. I made it up before going out so it was an easy evening meal. Then I met up with DH and the girls after Toddler Club - N ran off and had to be grabbed back: it's alarming how a wilful toddler can be a health and safety hazard to themselves. We did, however, manage to buy a gift bag and card, two big slabs of chocolate (one apiece for J and L, who probably need a sugar rush), a bag of dog treats and a bag of squeaky rubber balls so the dog doesn't get sibling rivalry, and two packs of cereal bars to fill in between hospital mealtimes. I've even found the baby outfit I bought ages ago in preparation.

Later we called back for a few bits of groceries for ourselves. I seem to be going mad for buying fruit so I need to stop for a day or so... except that it's market day tomorrow and there's a stall where I can get good prices on fruit. Ans also L!dl has F&V boxes again.

Our day looking after the grand children was lovely and not too tiring, especially as N decided to play at 'night time' and amused A who was working from home and could hear her ordering me back to sleep! We also had a third consecutive week of sunny garden time, this week without the hose getting turned on. Memo to self - sandal, sun cream and a tee shirt next time.

This evening I ordered J's birthday present. I remembered to ask about the car costs: £850. Alas, but it's good to know it's safe to drive. I thought too late to put it on my credit card: it would have been a nice smattering of points, but never mind. What's done is done.

I began to chase up the boiler service. It turned out I'd not spotted it as it's not directly under the company name but direct debits are going out towards the next service. I tried to contact the company about the broken pipe, but despite the website saying it's a 24 hour service and average replied are 4 minutes, I only got the chatbot, which got no further than telling me someone would be along soon. They weren't. I need to try again in office hours, I suppose.

And I've saved  some money by remembering to renew my library books. Now I've got to find the two I've mislaid.

Both of us felt much healthier today: how much this was the time spent playing in the sun and how much is was the good news about baby A and no longer worrying about a safe delivery, I don't know.

Expenditure:
Not going to divide it up in detail today, but something like:
Car £850 (yesterday)
Gifts £30 + miscellaneous.
Housekeeping
Toddler Group £2

redofromstart

Congratulations on the new grand baby.

i like the dried apricots with a little bit of blue cheese poked in. Not done that for ages. 

Watty1

Congratulations on new grand baby. How lovely

Sun_Addict

Congratulations on the safe arrival of a new grandchild 🥳

in_need_of_direction

Great news, congratulations and well done for thinking of the dog.

Cherryfudge

Thank you everyone! And @in_need_of_direction, it was interesting to see how over-excited the dog was around my daughter the other day. She's a spaniel cross so she has scatty moments but this wasn't something we'd seen before. Clearly she knew something was going on, and it will of course be a big change for them all. And the dog is bright - she will get something from having treats and hopefully associate it with the baby.

Another couple of baby photos arrived this morning - baby A has gone from having an expression of 'I just woke up' to lovely baby tranquillity. They change so fast! We hope to meet her this afternoon.

So far it's a beautiful day and I've done some skin care and trimmed my hair. I did DH's the other day - all very MS but also necessary if we aren't to stand out! His is easy and in theory mine is too but I gave it a second round to thicken the ends up and even it off.

I've been resisting Nancy Birtwhistle's book on Kindle daily deals though I might yet give in. I want to read it but I'm not sure I want it online - it's the sort of thing that needs to be flipped through and scraps of paper posted in the bits I want to note.

DH is taking a friend for a spin in the hobby car - hopefully they get to put the top down and enjoy the sun but it's not really warmed up yet. He started the ironing so I've that to finish, gift to wrap for this afternoon and some gardening to tackle.

rtandon27

Hooray - congrats on the new grand-baby!