Moving on

Cherryfudge

weenancyinAmerica said:

Sounds like it would make a good setting for a mystery!

Absolutely! At least I'm now sufficiently familiar that the mystery is 'how did I get here?', which is less alarming than 'how do I get out?'!  

What's nice is that years ago DS1 worked in the same building. His department is now based elsewhere on the campus and he mostly works from home so I don't bump into him, but in one of the abandoned rooms someone's left a tote bag hanging on the wall with a list of who was in which office, and his name is on it. It's a bit of history , as is the box of old computer paper (the sort with holes all down the sides).

This morning it's raining and DH is happy because it proves the soakaway is working. I wasn't worried about that but I'll be interested to see how well it copes when we get heavy rain. Meanwhile the water barrel still needs to be connected up. I couldn't find any cracks so I assume the slow leak is the known one from the tap on it - another thing to fix. There's also a problematic air brick which for reasons unknown is near the down spout from the roof so damp gets in. I found half a broken slate which I've placed at an angle between the two and the builder last week turned the downspout to a different angle (never occurred to me to try that!) - so I hope we've cut further problems off.

This is day 3 of my new pattern of medication and so far I'm not finding any improvement but perhaps it's early days.

This afternoon I'm seeing my mentor for the course and as yet I've not even looked to see if there's something I'm supposed to have done! However, one thing I knew was important was to discern where to reduce activities. So far I've taken away one voluntary cleaning shift, told myself to limit to two and a half hours for the other, reduced the Wednesday job to once a month unless there's a client booked for me and reduced the Toddler group to once a month.

Somehow, above activities have generated more work: a meeting with someone who is interested in volunteering for the Wednesday role and is better at the Maths side than I am: an extra meeting because the three of us who went on the most recent course section were all buzzing and leadership picked up on this and wanted feedback, and a meal next week to give similar feedback including to one of those who couldn't go last time.

How did reducing things lead to complications?

I've also identified the things I want to make time for: background work for the Wednesday job, background work for the course, gardening, running and housework. I've yet to see whether current reductions will enable these.

First thing is to make a note of some receipts that are cluttering next to the laptop, then get dressed, run the washing machine (rain due to stop soon) and have a look through my notes for later.

Cherryfudge

I spent quite a lot of the first hour of work tonight trying to find that staircase again! Of course, it was just where I left it: I couldn't find it using the main hallway and had to go through a door in a corner near the cleaning cupboard, past the big tiled fireplace in the small corridor of a room that leads to a stock cupboard then just sort of keep trying doors till suddenly, there it is. At the top are about five empty offices and the washroom which has a fridge in it (thankfully not in use - my kitchen hygiene head was shocked).

Other than that, I had a tidy round at home and DH made us tuna pasta for lunch. My course mentor came round at 2 and we had a good session, very helpful. The next session of the course is on Tuesday: part of a busy week.

No gardening done, and I've not spent anything either. We've invited family round to view our new path and two are definitely able to come with their families. We've not heard from DS2 yet, but he isn't the best at replying to messages so I may have to ring him.

Cherryfudge

Another fairly full day: it rained overnight and there were showers later so we didn't try to go to a car boot sale. Instead we did a bit of work towards getting the front garden presentable, post builders. There's still a way to go but a start has been made.

Dinner was breaded fish with lemon and spinach rice, and various veg. The rice wasn't inspiring but there's some to use up tomorrow. In the afternoon we had coffee out (£6.50) then went to investigate garden hoses (ours is very short and while we are rearranging the garden, it's the ideal time to attach a hose reel to the wall by the garden tap). No decisions made as we've not measured how long a hose we need.

Later on DH made a cake as the family is coming round tomorrow, then I made another because we decided one might not be enough! We also went grocery shopping (£23) for a pizza buffet for tomorrow. There's yogurt in the Instant Pot overnight, and I've also used a Nancy B1rtwistle method for cleaning strawberries and blueberries in a solution of citric acid then storing them in a jar in the fridge. It looks homely - I hope it all works well. I felt bad for having to throw out a big chunk of melon that I'd forgotten in the bottom of the fridge, so I'm determined not to waste these.

Cherryfudge

Yesterday was lovely: the children's activity seemed to go well though we had to use the industrial-spec vacuum cleaner to clear up afterwards. Coloured rice goes a long way, but they learn lot playing with it, and they all enjoy it so much.

DH and I had mackerel for dinner, with more of the lemon and spinach rice (finished it for lunch today: I won't use that recipe again as you couldn't taste the lemon) and finished off the broccoli and cauliflower with it before having a  tidy-up session prior to family arriving.

People have duly admired our path and we had a lovely time together. DS2 and partner had to leave before tea as they had a previous engagement, but everyone else stayed on. Note to self - four pizzas and four garlic breads next time or more depending if DS2 and partner stay! Also two cakes were definitely a good move!

This morning I woke up very early with a cold and it will be a busy week so I'm taking it slowly. Thankfully DD is going to come to collect me for babysitting (I'd offered to get the train but a lift will be easier) and I'm now out of the Thursday morning activity so it won't be as heavy a week as I'd expected. I did wake up dreaming about explaining the whole of the cleaning needs of the church to the new recruit, though! Never a good sign, but I think I have it sorted in my head now. Security and lights first, look at rota in her own time so she has an idea how it's set out, then go round doing the bins together so she knows where everything is (a complex building). Then actual cleaning, which doesn't take much explanation. Finish off with things like emptying the hand held vacuum, lights off, alarm on, lock up, thanks for coming!

Well, that's that sorted, then. I didn't know how much it was on my mind till I dreamed about it!  

Today I've done some laundry and that's about it but I want to get out and do some garden as well as getting some shopping as I won't have much opportunity tomorrow.

Cherryfudge

I never got as far as gardening: somehow I managed to do a lot of nothing very much till half way through the afternoon when I went out to the shops. Lots of them seemed almost deserted. I suppose normally I don't do High Street shopping on a Monday afternoon, so perhaps it's always like this. Were the shop radios unusually loud, or is the sound usually deadened by people? I find I go to S0perdrug less often now as you can't get away from the radio in there! I did get most of the bits I went for, so it was worth going.

It also chose that time to start raining, so I had to grab the washing in off the line before dashing off to work. A friend spotted me and kindly gave me a lift so I was only a couple of minutes late, but that's not good really.
DH gave me a lift home as it looked like rain again: he'd had to rush at work and it's set off his tachycardia so we're praying it settles overnight. Usually sleep puts it right.

Good news in that we definitely have a new colleague in the Wednesday job! He really knows the subject but is doing the necessary course later this month after which I will see if he wants to take on the person I had to turn down.

Expenditure:
Medical £4.49
Housekeeping £7.70

Watty1

I can't recall the last time I actually went shopping ..... ah yes....with the VNM to buy a suit for the funeral earlier this year.   A couple of shops and that was it.   I usually just use the local village.   More expensive per item but probably cheaper in the long run as no parking and no temptations - unless I count the cafe!

rtandon27

@Watty1 - my very infrequent shopping trips also end up in a café! - this is why the bulk of what I buy is considered/necessities & online once a week or bi-weekly at most - keeps my pennies in my pocket. 🤣

Cherryfudge

We live within walking distance of the town centre so I'm going through the High Street several days a week - often because I've to call at the church which is down that way. Actually all the shopping I needed urgently was tissues and medication for my cold - then I read the details on the medication and realised I need to check with the pharmacy so I've not actually taken it (and the cold's not all that bad). I do tend to wander into charity shops but don't often buy anything. As for deliberate shopping trips... does going to investigate hoses count, seeing as we haven't yet bought one? 

I have a hot wash running at present and the sky looks much darker than I expected so I hope that wasn't a bad idea. It's supposed to be warm and sunny this afternoon.

I've realised I missed posting a list of the week ahead due to being tired on Sunday night, so here it is:

Today, Tuesday - child care followed by another session of the course. Dinner will be pizza for me (leftovers to make lunches later in the week). Lunch will be a pasty as I bought two yesterday and it's easy and portable.
Wednesday - I'm not on the rota at the Wednesday job and DH has the day off. We've not made plans but we have our church groups in the evening.
Thursday - I'm not on the rota for the toddler group so the day is a lot less busy and I could use the time to do some homework for the course. In the afternoon I'm going to J and L's to babysit and DH is joining me after work. If they are home early enough, we go home. Otherwise we stay at theirs overnight.
Friday - an early start as I'm babysitting the middle grandchild till one, then working in the evening.
Saturday - inducting the new lady onto the cleaning team in the morning. 
Sunday - day off!

I haven't had so much child care in years! However, the week after is back to normal and the week after that, they are on holiday so we get a day completely off. Just had a nice idea that DH and I might get lunch out, but we'll see nearer the time.

Cherryfudge

We did have a spot of rain this morning but it was nice later. I took salt dough and a box of biscuit cutters for the girls to play with. The little one didn't but the older one's eyes lit up as she lifted out each cutter and tried to work out what they represented (they can be very obscure). In the end she made a ballet dancer (poorly designed cutter as it's so narrow that the limbs get broken off or distorted!), a couple of cats, a house and a comet. She also got through almost an entire tub of hundreds and thousands! 

Dinner was a very rushed fishcake before heading to session 6 of my course, and that was a useful evening.

Shattered now and need to think about sleep.

Cherryfudge

A couple of payments made yesterday - filling up the car went on my credit card - might as well get the loyalty points for it. (£42.74).

I've also bought an e-book by an author I don't know (The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths) but the stub on Kindle was interesting, so that's 99p.

This morning is a day off for both of us. DD is sending my my birthday present of a year's pass for our favourite garden and café, and we are going to take a picnic rather than spend out on lunch - though we might well get a coffee while there. It's going to be a hot day, apparently, so a picnic in their shaded picnic area will be nice. Incidentally, the birthday was in March but we agreed not to do the present till DH and I next visited the garden so as to get the maximum value out of it.  

We will still be paying £15 for DH's membership but what superb value for a focal point for several days out!

I came across an article on discounts for over 60s which was quite useful though not all news to me. It could save a bit somewhere along the line, though I already have the railcard which is likely to be the biggest saving for me. I never set up the Iceland discount as I think they are generally quite expensive and I don't buy much there nowadays (it was useful with children) but ours does have very good discounts sometimes so perhaps I should do it.