Moving on

Cherryfudge

Thanks @rtandon27, they were happy to accept a printout of my P60, which I'd doubted as in the past I've not been able to use online evidence. Anyway it's completed now and apparently they are going through quite fast at present so I will soon be up to date.

I also spoke to someone about my future involvement with the toddler group and we've left it that I will call in to help when I want to. If only all rotas were so easy! Talking of which I have the go-ahead for my next term's rota, so I will start to put that up this afternoon.

The N8ctar/Sa!ns thing resolved itself so I bought various things that will help a) build up my N8ctar points and again and b) put a few more tins in the emergency cupboard. Some other small items were also bought - nothing exciting as I resisted the coloured pens that are starting to get cheaper in the shops.

Lunch has been leftovers from yesterday's pasta. Now it's time to get on with the list. First off, find the WD to unstick the bouncy bathroom plug that's stopped bouncing.

Cherryfudge

No further shopping and WD not even looked for. I spent the rest of the afternoon inputting the rota and got it published, then had to do various emails as a result.

Work was two and a half hours and on the way home I spotted a roadside give away of plant troughs and did a  quick measure after which I collected one to go alongside the new steps.

Expenditure:
Housekeeping £7.97

Cherryfudge

This is yesterday's list, and as you can see, I didn't manage much of it:

• refill birdfeeder - done
• hoover
• clean bathroom
• get sausage meat out of the freezer
• ironing
• put yesterday's laundry away - done
• do the handwashing laundry 
• tidy the hall
• plant up various things that need planting up or potting on
• Send photos to my sister
• Reattach N*ctar and S*ins accounts - done

We had an unexpectedly short sleep last night as the new cleaner at church couldn't get in. DH woke up and worried that I was on the phone but realised it wasn't a disaster happening and drove me down to help. The problem was soon solved: the lock turns the opposite direction to normal. At least she got in and we got back to bed!

I went to do my share of cleaning later and only had to hoover, so that was very straightforward. An admin thing or three came up while I was there, but I think those are now resolved. DH made us a tuna pasta for lunch, and we both had a rest before he had an attack of housework, for which I'm duly grateful. I needed my energy for work tonight: three hours including (ironically) the office where DH works.

DH had a phone chat with the medical team who prescribed the new drugs and found he can't take them long term. They are going to discuss his case, but at least he has them for now and seems much better than a few days ago.

Money-wise, I  bought posh oranges yesterday as I could get them cheaper through the N8ctar card. One bag had a bad orange so DH took it back and they not only replaced it, they refunded the money. So that was nice!

I don't know what's been spent today but not a huge amount. However, the reminder to pay off my credit card has come through, and that will be much heftier. I'm glad we have the money in the account. And that reminds me, I really need to pay more attention to cash flow. I've become negligent.

Oh, and it rained a bit, and I washed my hair. Washed hair always makes things feel more under control, and I'm tired and concerned about the future of DH's medication - which is a pointless worry as at least he has something he can take, so today is provided for.

Cherryfudge

Slightly spendy Saturday. We went to the car boot in the morning. It was really windy so a lot of people had stayed away, which suits me. The dogs are back though. Amazing how people assume dogs like car boot sales, but I've yet to see one buy anything.

DH only got one item but it's an old coin (he collects) and in good condition, so he's happy. He took my suggestion that he label the ones that have value, so that if they are inherited, they don't just get donated somewhere.

I was very happy with my finds: there's a good plant stall that also has a few fresh vegetables so I got a cabbage and a bag of onions (50p each), a lovely pink (as in carnation) which I've now planted by the new steps and a tray of leeks. I spent a while looking at recipe books and bought one for 50p: it's a series by Yorkshire TV from the 1980s, of which I already have at least one. The recipes are sent in by the public and there are some amazing ideas so I'm looking forward to trying this one, though I did have to clean it up when we got home as the cover needed a wipe.

I thought I'd got away with not buying clothing, till I found a perfect dress by F@tface for only £2. Then lastly there was a chunky green glass bottle which is now holding sweet peas.

We stopped on the way home for mackerel and bananas then DH prepped the dinner and as he was nearly finished, the power went off. Fortunately dinner was edible and the power cut only lasted a couple of hours, but that couple of hours meant I couldn't do washing by machine. I gave some items a cold handwash, and they have dried - much to my surprise. DH went to his volunteering and I got a call from J and L to say they were nearby, and could they drop in? Of course it was good to see them. Baby A is almost three months old now and getting big (I mean, compared to a new-born, but I think she's going to be tall like her Dad).

I had to leave them to lock up as I'd offered to help clear up after the children's sleep-over at church. There were half a dozen people already dismantling things and hoovering when I went in and it took a while but it's fun working with other people and I gather the event went down well. I went to drop soft plastics at the supermarket, which magically pulled me in and I spent £13 on a lot of bargains. Funny how that happens. I think they were all worth getting, but definitely no more for a few days.

I had to ring DH for a lift, rather than carry that lot a mile, and I was tired enough that I went for a lie down in the early bit of the evening.

Honeysucklelou2

Catching up on your diary Cherryfudge. Congratulations on the arrival of your new granddaughter 🥳. What lovely news!

Interesting information about thyroxine…I had no idea that lemon balm inhibits the absorption of thyroxine.

badmemory

Actually as long as you imbibe lemon balm regularly it shouldn't make any difference as your annual TFT should take it into account.  Having said that my blood test should have been in April 24.  But I can tell quite easily if my meds are out as my resting heart rate changes.

Cherryfudge

I wrote a reply and accidentally closed the page.. duh. You are probably right, @badmemory - your blood tests and resulting prescription will be based on what the thyroid levels were like at the time of testing, so if your thyroxine was depleted by other factors than thyroid function (calcium, lemon balm etc.) then the prescription will adjust for that.

We went to church this morning and there's a two-minute slot where you talk to the people around you. I got talking with someone who I didn't know and we seemed to click, continuing the conversation quite some time after the service finished!

Back at home, I found another micro-step towards sorting the garden out: I've moved a thyme plant that was languishing in a small pot. It's now in one of the little niches created by the irregular edge of the new steps. It will probably get brushed by the wheelie bin but it won't crush and should smell nice. I've decided to underplant with snowdrops, and perhaps something like tiny irises or sisyrinchium, but I need to give that some research.

Dinner was breaded chicken with veg and baked potatoes. DH picked the first of the blackcurrants so we had some afterwards. How do you get such a lot of flavour in a tiny berry?

There was a heavy downpour earlier in the afternoon, so I've got no further. It seems to have glued me to my chair so I will make a great effort and extricate myself to do something useful.

Cherryfudge

DH and I managed quite a bit in the garden later this afternoon...  We've had more rain too.

This evening there was an extra service at church so we went to that and it was really interesting. Afterwards I spoke to someone who is running a course from September that I really want to do, but can't work out how to fit it in. My friend, also on the current course, heard me and has asked for details too. Neither of us knows how we will manage it in but both of us are keen!

My schedule for the coming week:
Monday - at home, but may get some groceries rather than deplete new stock in store cupboard. Evening - course.
Tuesday - look after grandchildren
Wednesday - work from 5. May stay over at A and H's as we're looking after the girls next day.
Thursday - DH taking A and H to the station for their trip. I'll take the girls to nursery and collect them afterwards, then we look after them overnight.
Friday - Take N to nursery and look after F till her parents get home - about 3. Work in the evening.
Saturday - chill!
Sunday - visit from DH's niece and family.

Sun_Addict

I’m glad to read you have a chill day factored in amongst all that busyness 🙂

Cherryfudge

Sun_Addict said:

I’m glad to read you have a chill day factored in amongst all that busyness 🙂

I will be ready for it!  

Today was quite a chill day too and I didn't get up till late but it was also tiring as I was slightly short of breath this morning, which resolved itself as the day went on, as it tends to. I was hoping I'd 'outgrown' it as it's not been a factor over the last few days and even when it showed up it was only slight.

As I knew I had the day just about clear, I did three loads of laundry plus a handwash top. It's all dried and the bed is made. I've cleaned the bathroom too, and made a big pot of vegan tikka masala, some of which we had for dinner. I did a couple of batches of gardening: not heavy duty but quite wearing as I'm still fighting ground elder and have a heap of roots I've pulled out, as well as a lot of gravel and bits of plastic. Today's 'find' was a shiny red confetti heart from the decorations of DD's room when she was 17. I did maybe about an hour and a quarter and so little is cleared! However, I've rescued a few roots of blue geranium and stuck them in pots of rescued soil, which is part of the plan. I was also ruthless and threw out some old stems of geranium that had long since splayed over the lawn. I might end up having to dig that corner out, but if so, I can level the soil and sow new lawn seed in the autumn and the long term effect should be a lot better.

I decided I needed to do a bit more for my course so I spent a bit of time sitting down and looking stuff up, which was actually quite interesting. This evening we had a home-grown session of the course, for just us five local delegates. This came about because we've all said we feel it's unrealistically intense and we need time to discuss and process. I think this session was useful from that angle, but now I'm wondering what we'll miss in the main session tomorrow! I'm not intending to go as it's at a distance and I need to save my energy.

I raided stores for tonight's meal so nothing has been spent. I know I'll need another shop for tins but it can probably wait till next week.