Moving on

Cherryfudge

I can see I've got into the bad habit of late nights again...

Wednesday was a productive day, though I wasn't up early. DH had the day off and by the time I was dressed he'd already arranged for the dishwasher repair person to come (next week) and been for a bike ride.

I officially had the morning off from the Wednesday job but realised I could liaise with my newest colleague about a person we are supporting next week. While I was there, another person come in to enquire about training to help! That's so encouraging especially as they are an early-retired professional whose work background bodes well for their abilities, and the role they enquired about needs more people than we have at present.

I went home via the optician and have booked an eye test, then got all doubtful in case I don't need new glasses - though I take the current ones off to read and have noticed that distance vision isn't 100% any more. The doubt is because I was tested less than a year ago and was told the change was so slight that it wasn't worth a  new prescription.

DH and I had fishcakes for lunch (yellow-stickered last night, so needed to be eaten) then went out to the cafe where I'd been for a meeting last week. He liked it a lot so we have a new coffee venue. I also got a lemon and blueberry polenta cake between us which was very sweet but a nice treat. And it rained: proper old-fashioned grey misty drizzle... not seen that in a while! It didn't last very long, though.

Three hours' work this evening, and we've started to watch the new series of Sewing Bee, which from episode 1 came up with some amazing creations. Wish I could sew... I can, but only by hand.

Entertainment: £10.80
Household £2.80
Housekeeping £6

Watty1

I've never mastered sewing either.   About the glasses, probably worth checking. My last prescription was way to strong and I rarely use them, but an older pair work just fine now for computer work    I wonder if they don't always get the adjustment quite right?

Cherryfudge

That's possibly so, Watty. These are varifocals and I've had them at least three years - my favourite ever frames so I'll be reluctant to let them go but they are getting worn and the lenses have some tiny scratches. I think it may be time to go back to distance vision plus computer lenses, and just give up wearing them for reading.

Tis end of the week is not turning out as planned. Yesterday's morning session was on, then off, then I went in anyway. Today there's no Toddler group due to summer holidays so I have the morning off but a doctor's appointment at lunchtime (still trying to sort out my cholesterol). Tomorrow was supposed to be church cleaning but the new team leader misread the (complicated) rota and thought the week wasn't covered, so they've asked someone else to do it. I therefore have Friday morning off before my mentoring session in the afternoon.

August is coming up so no children's work to do, but lots of prep to put in. I got a bee in my bonnet yesterday about business continuity planning, and got AI to draft me a start of a plan for the children's group which I worked on a bit and think I have the bones of it but am not sure where to go next. Also in August: I'm nominally part of the eco team at church but in practice that just means I water the tubs of plants when the main people are away. I've now offered to do three days at the beginning of next month. I also have my new rota for the cleaning team: I'm officially on once next month (it was two weeks out of three so that's a big improvement), but I've also said I'll go in an extra day to do bins and refills as these need 'keeping on top of'. From September more volunteers are starting, which should make an amazing difference.

More on the little saga of things breaking down: dishwasher out of action till at least late next week. Two kitchen scales suddenly stopped working - try another set of batteries, investigate new scales. DH has unjammed the bit of the Vax that had stopped it the other day so that's back to normal.

DH has also traced some recent symptoms - cramp, extra energy, higher BP - to the new drugs he is on, but they are working for his condition and he only takes them for a few more weeks so it's a case of 'keeping an eye'. The consultant is working out what to do next as a return to the long-term treatment is probably not going to happen as it took away too much immunity.

Today's plan:
text work with next week's availability - already done.
clean out the junk drawer - when did that last happen?
Send out admin stuff for children's group.
Doc's appointment.
Coursework.
Garden.
Work.

in_need_of_direction

I’m happy to assist with your business continuity plan. It’s something I’ve a fair bit of experience with.  Email me if you think I could help

Cherryfudge

Thank you so much @in_need_of_direction, I will take you up on that though not immediately as I need to get my act together before work: the admin stuff that I usually do on a Wednesday isn't done yet and in my head I'm trying to remember it isn't Friday but Thursday... so that has to be got out of the way before work.

This morning, faced with a list of things to do and with cholesterol levels on my mind, I abandoned the list and went for a run instead. Much better for me. Then I had a shower and just about got to the GP's before my appointment. Very helpful: she took a longer-term view and said it's all going in the right direction. She also told me the odd 'electric shock' feelings I get in my head are probably a pinched nerve. That makes sense as I get them when I slouch.

I came home the back way which means going through the community garden. The irises have all found new homes. The fruit trees have shed quite a lot of pears so I gathered the ones that weren't spoilt and will see if I can get them to ripen. I suspect it's too early, though, and it's similar to apple trees shedding excess in order to ripen what's left. I went into a charity shop and spent about a fiver on some hair chalks and a tee shirt, then saw a shop getting rid of some battered-looking plants (they would look better if watered, I thought). As a result I spent 49p each on three dianthus and a rock rose which turned out to be two in the same pot. I also got a couple of parched astilbes free. All are now soaking in last night's rain water - I didn't hear it at all but there was a lot of it.

Now I need to send those messages.

Cherryfudge

Yesterday's admin got done and to my surprise I was able to get through all the material covered in the latest course section (though I've hardly looked at the power point they sent). Will try to zip through it later this morning. Meanwhile I have a pile of ironing to tackle or fold and put int he spare room. Guess which I'm going for?  

Then there's the lounge and kitchen to tidy and biscuits to buy.

DD asked if either of us wanted to meet up today but alas DH is working and I was expecting a full day even before I got her message so I've said no. I don't like to turn her down - life is obviously still a bit too full. I'm also postponing a course for next year - they were fully subscribed and I need not to be doing two courses over this autumn so it makes sense to leave that for now.

My mentor is expected at 2 and I'm working at 4.30 which reminds me - timesheets need to be brought up to date.

Watty1

just catching up,  if the glasses are a favourite pair of frames take them with you and if you can have new lenses fitted.  My bedside reading glasses are my favourite frames and they have had 3 pairs of lenses - and are still going strong despite being very lightweight frames (the sort you might think would bend).

Laura_Elsewhere

Do talk to your optician- I had a particular frame I continued to wear for over twenty years with multiple changes of lens, and the current frames are about to be reglazed…

They can also advise about whether to change from close/medium to medium/distance - there can be benefits and disadvantages that never occur to us but they’re trained to know and advise! 

Also, when your new specs arrive, they should be fitted to your face properly, so your eye looks through the correct part of the lens. Sometimes if specs seem not right, it is because your eye is not where the specs think it is!

Cherryfudge

Thanks @Watty1 and @Laura_Elsewhere, I will ask the optician. I do think I'm growing out of the varifocals as my near vision has changed and so, so a lesser extent, has my distance vision. The difficulty is that these are rimless glasses and the gold is starting to come off the arms - and because they're rimless, I've been back to have them adjusted numerous times - or if the adjustment is okay, I've had to have the arms reattached on one side. Always the same side, so I wonder if the connection to the lens is getting loose? However, new lenses wouldn't have that problem. Definitely worth looking into, even if I pay for it in terms of multiple visits to fix future problems (which I might get with any glasses).

This morning was car boot sale time, and it was really busy as a big car boot elsewhere had been cancelled. DH bought a tea strainer - he practically collects them as he's yet to find a perfect one! I went a bit further: two notepads at 10p each as both DH and I usually need one by our laptops, a fold-down storage box (£2), a tiny storage tub (20p), a white blouse (£5) and a navy linen dress (£7). Very happy with that haul, even though it didn't include a single cookery book! Admittedly, the only item on my list to look out for was the tiny storage tub, and I would have bought one new it there hadn't been one to recycle. Also yes, that really is my second navy blue linen dress this month, but navy is my favoured look right now and both should last my a good while. It's a very slouchy dress, though, so I need to work out how best to wear it.

The new clothing has already been washed, as has a general load of laundry, which is why it's starting to spot with rain.

This afternoon DH has been to a free concert, we are both planning to go go for a run and I have to put some more thought into what to do for the kids tomorrow.

Cherryfudge

By way of a P.S.: I found this season's version of the navy dress online at £69 - no longer done in navy but this chocolate one is very close.