Moving on

Cherryfudge

I have the house to myself today and really need to get some housework done. J texted to say she's put the vacuum cleaner in the car so it may come back to us this evening, but in the meantime I'm going to see if I can jury rig a repair on the little vacuum cleaner.

As soon as I start to make a list I get a bit panicky so I'm going to work through whatever's to hand and report back.

Cherryfudge

So far today:

It's not so cold! That's nice... grey and windy but I'm not tempted to huddle or turn the heating up.
I've put away the things off the airer (ironing pile has, however, grown)
I washed the hair brushes.
The hoovering is sort of done. That is, I held the little vacuum cleaner together by hand and whizzed round, but it's not sustainable. I found one with excellent reviews and emailed a link to DH, but I might end up just ordering it as it's on offer and seems a reasonable price.
I've done my Duolingo.
I texted the friend I went to see yesterday and invited her over but she's not picked up which probably means she's working.
I've tried on my contact lenses for the first time since last summer. The prescription seems wrong in one eye now, but they are comfortable. I have a huge backlog and have cancelled the order as I wasn't wearing them due to dry eye problems, but these are ones for dry eyes so I'll see how I go over a few hours.

Cherryfudge

A few more things achieved: a quick clean of the bathroom, plus vinegaring the ceiling and any spots where mould is invading. Thank to whoever gave me that tip (I think @weenancyinAmerica) for killing mould. It hadn't got rid of old marks but it's certainly curtailed it. The bathroom and bedroom ceilings will both, however, need a repaint at some point as the paint is starting to flake.

It seems to have been a while since I went to the shops, other than wandering in on my way too or from somewhere. I picked up a few bits and pieces today and returned a prescription that was the wrong dose.

It's mild and nice, but a few stray drops of rain appeared. I decided the grass wasn't wet to the touch so I started to move the wood that was stacked at the front since cutting back some trees. I got about half way before we had a real shower, so aspirations to cut the grass have been put on hold. I actually spied the first lawnmower of the year in action in the last week of February, and today someone was hosing down a couple of petrol mowers outside a house down the road. I am very curious as that house has tarmac at the front and a tiny garden behind.

Next on the non-list is reading the minutes in preparation for the church meeting tonight, after which I either do the ironing (not going to happen) or update my finances (unlikely to happen).

Cherryfudge

Got the minutes read, that's all.  

Meals today - I had the last of the lemon and blueberry muffins for breakfast and yogurt cake with cream cheese for lunch. I have to warn you, that combination is absolutely lush and it would take as strong person to resist a second slice. I decided to save my energy for later and not resist it. I probably had a third slice, if I'm honest.

Dinner tonight was the rest of the tikka from Sunday.

DH still has the cough from his cold and I'm feeling as though I may be starting with it. Hoping I'm just tired and the sore throat is the result of over indulging in wheat products and coffee. It took till this afternoon to connect a higher than usual coffee consumption with the slight anxiety I've had over the last few days. I really ought to take better care of myself.

Talking of better care, I got bananas and garlic at 50p a go in Iceland. Their normal fruit and veg prices seem high to me, but the mark-downs are worth going for.

DH sent apologies for the AGM but I went and sat with my friend who was knitting socks to help her concentrate. It was interesting (so were the socks) but didn't finish till late despite their best efforts to cram everything in. I walked home so I've not done too badly for steps today.

Expenditure:
Housekeeping £13.04 (because I bought a 250g bag of flaked almonds which was £3.90. They didn't have any smaller ones). (Mind you, 100g of pine nuts the other day was £3.50. So expensive! But nice).

Cherryfudge

Having woken up with a very muzzy head, I need to get my act together somehow. I'm supposed to be on a course (online) this afternoon but when I checked to see if the link has come through, there's nothing. Looking back, I found I'd booked the place but not confirmed, so I don't know if I'll be on their list. It would be nice to think the booking was enough, but it may not be so. I've sent the confirmation, but sometimes the tutors start their day early and don't check back for late changes.

So I'm not sure what I'm doing this afternoon.

Rain is forecast, so the grass may not get cut today. In fact, Sunday is looking good, but we will have DH's auntie staying till next Wednesday so this may not happen for some time.

I'm also fending off a cold, and have a busy day tomorrow, but I suppose I can't dodge colds forever.

Essential job (best done today) is to get the guest room ready. Bedding is all done but tidying looms large.

First job today is going to be updating my finances so I'll be back to be accountable later.

Cherryfudge

Confirmation of the course came through this morning so I'm about to get my work laptop out. That will be another £23-ish earned. I realised I've more time between this and doing the cleaning than I thought, so I'll try to do something productive with it.

All receipts are now written in the notebook, but I've not so much as opened the spreadsheet.

I went to see if I could mow the lawns before the rain, but it's already too wet. I've moved a box of kindling and some flower troughs so they are more or less neatly aligned and the garden looks a bit better, but really there's a way to go to get it looking attractive. There's still a (neat!) heap of kindling on the front lawn, but I've nothing to carry that in. Perhaps I need to get another tarpaulin so I can put the lot under cover while it dries, and the boxes, which are spare recycling ones, can come back into use. A log store would be nice, but also expensive!

I did a freezer dive and made myself a proper meal (vegetarian sausages, carrot, spouts and home made croquettes), which makes a bit of space for the rest of the chicken. Then DD showed up with the vacuum cleaner. If I remember tomorrow, I'll get some carpet shampoo for the heavier traffic areas. It can dry overnight before DH and his auntie get back.

EssexHebridean

I was so pleased that Donna won the ThrowDown - she was so consistent all the way through and her decoration was off the scale!  I also felt that it would make more difference to her overall than to Dan. 

You mentioning needing to mow reminded me that our lawn has just gone ballistic over the past few weeks - I don't want to mow yet because it's still so muddy on there (plus we'd have to borrow the mower back from Mum which is a faff!) but I think we might get the shears out to it if it stays dry for long enough over the weekend. 

milann

Rather you than me getting shears out on the grass EH 😳
Enjoy the visit from your relative Cherry .

Cherryfudge

EssexHebridean said:

I was so pleased that Donna won the ThrowDown - she was so consistent all the way through and her decoration was off the scale!  I also felt that it would make more difference to her overall than to Dan. 

Donna was amazing. Definitely deserved to win.

I got as far as picking up the shears, realising they needed to be oiled, looking round unsuccessfully for the oil and putting them back unused. The grass continues to grow.

This afternoon's course was interesting and worth doing, but unfortunately I've also heard that there are insufficient people on the Tuesday course for them to justify having a TA any more. It's not a total surprise, and there's a possibility of being asked back if others join, but three or four of the people originally booked never turned up. It's a shame in terms of experience as I learned a lot in the couple of weeks I was with that tutor.

This evening's work was a new area, which tends to leave me wondering if I've missed a room or something, but I think it went okay.

DH and I have drawn up a rough plan of action for the next few days and I have a shopping list for tomorrow. Today I've not spent anything.

@milann, thank you. It falls short of planning a military campaign but this lady has such a lot of energy and is over eighty! She's a morning person, whereas I wake up very slowly. She wants to be out and about, I'm a home bird. That said, she does entertain herself. She goes to her favourite shops and visits friends in our area, and our children take a share of the visit too.

Cherryfudge

Today I have the volunteer cleaning to do (not that I clean volunteers, you understand, but I clean as a voluntary job), and later my paid cleaning job. In between those I have shopping to get (various things but there's a skeleton list with gaps that say 'dinner', so I also need to put some thought in) and cleaning/tidying to do.

I always get overwhelmed by tidying: what other people see as 'clutter' I see as things that I have various attachments to. It's something of a learned behaviour as my parents were similar. However, I had an inspiration which I'm trying out to see if it helps. I took photos this morning of the view on entering each room, and a few of rooms from inside. A quick glance showed me it's not all as bad as I thought (!) and that's encouraging. However, it also lets me see it as if it were someone else's, so I can make helpful suggestion to myself!

I've learned that I often need instructions (this might be interpreted as permission but I don't think that's the main thing), so I talk to myself and say things like 'Right, next thing to do is get dressed'. I might be able to generate a few instructions for tidying - it's worth a try!

The first load of laundry has just finished and another can start as I get ready to go out. If it's not ready when I leave, at least most will be on the line and the forecast is dry. Other than that I've to empty the bins and hoover (the hoover is home again).

I nearly forgot - dinners. I will do the lentil and chorizo soup one day as auntie likes that and I only need to buy tinned tomatoes and bread rolls. It can also be made in advance should I happen to be organised but that would include cleaning out the fridge which needs to be done but can wait if necessary, which I think is what will happen. DH says to eat out on Sunday, but if I can come up with a good alternative, I will. It's a bit expensive otherwise. Auntie likes most things, which is easy... maybe salmon with pasta and sauce - just need to get the salmon. Then one more to think of... chicken chasseur?

I need to get moving, thanks for listening.