Moving on

Cherryfudge

I spent a lot of yesterday feeling what's best described as zonked, due mostly to having to wake up and stay awake at what most of the world would probably call a reasonable hour. Amazing how much my general wellbeing and ability to function is affected by things like that. I even asked DH if I'd been snoring, thinking the malaise could be due to sleep apnoea (am still waiting for the blood test so can't look further into this possibility just yet). DH says he's not noticed any snoring recently, but of course he could have been asleep.

Anyhow, we had the children to look after and I suggested a change of routine. DH likes to keep them busy as he finds it strenuous just to go with the flow. Older DGD, like her grandmother, doesn't like to be out and about in the morning, and this morning was cold. We therefore swapped around and they played at home and made cakes till after lunch, when we went to the library then on to the swings. We arrived back at theirs just moments before DS got in from work, and the whole thing seems to have worked okay. I did find it a bit tricky having to keep up with them all morning without a structured activity, so I have more sympathy with DH.

DH had the dentist during the afternoon (filling, then an implant having to be reattached for the second time). Cost came to £47.90. The girls fell asleep in the buggy (both have coughs and DGD1's is turning into a cold, so I give it till Friday for me to get it too) and I called in to a shop for some felt pens and washi tape - total £4. I also got coffee while out, which is unusual for me but I needed it! (£1.80).

I had invited the Tuesday group round for tea and thankfully by the time DH and I went home, I was feeling more with it. We called in at Ald1 to buy food (£17.45), which included 2 kg of lentils as they were only £1.99 and some pies for DH. For my friends and me, I got pizzas, salad and coffee.

When we got home and were hurriedly tidying up, one of my friends texted to say she was unwell and would have to give her apologies. The other friend read the message and suggested just coffee as she had accidentally made dinner for herself before remembering she was eating at mine! We had a really nice evening and a very good laugh as we share similar feelings on certain subjects, but I sent DH to DS's with the pizzas and some salad items as we haven't storage for them. So the housekeeping bill was accidentally for more than we could eat, but it's gone in a good cause and I'd been eating their cream crackers this morning, so to some extent it was a repayment. 😊 It's nice not to have to plan around eating it all up. I still have beetroot, hummus, celery, the rest of the coffee and flavoured water to get through.

Cherryfudge

We both had the day off today and DH seems relatively well, which helps us both. He's been out on a bike ride: he hadn't the energy to stay out all day but the important thing is that he felt okay to go out and stay out an hour or so.

A smallish but nice bit of MS: last week I had a till spit from Mr S for 350 (I think) points if I bought a particular coffee. I asked DH to collect it while he was there as he has a N3ctar card. There was some confusion as he wrongly picked up coffee beans and had to swap them for ground coffee but the woman on the till did us a refund and a swap.

The points didn't show up on the receipt and even after a couple of days, didn't show on my app either, so I decided to be brave and try to sort it out. DH saw it was the same person on the till and she remembered the transaction. I showed her the receipt and the app and she cheerfully added the points - plus another 150 points! Then DH suddenly had a thought and got out his loyalty card to check against my app. I'd been assuming he was using my plastic card because I use my phone, but we discovered his card has a different number and isn't linked to the phone account at all! I hurriedly offered the lady on the till to take back the points she'd given me as there must be an account somewhere gathering DH's points - but she laughed and refused. How nice was that!

So I've effectively got a £6 jar of coffee for £1.50 or, if you look at it the other way, I've spent £6 on coffee and got 500 points to spend on something else.

We also went to the garden centre cafe and sat out in the sun to claim the remaining free hot drink while it's still April. We took the hobby car so it could have its weekly run. No plants bought, no coffee grounds or plant pots brought home either.

I've spent a couple of hours in the garden and emptied some pots and planters that I'd put in a sunny spot last summer. Most of them have dried up (the water level in the rain barrel is going down) so I tipped the old compost out and made a stack of good pots and another of broken ones. Several pots of spring onions have been amalgamated into one small trough. The dandelions have suddenly turned into unopened clocks so I went round deadheading before they can explode all over the place. I do like dandelions, but not as a world power. I've also cut back a bit more twiggy stuff from the back lane and it's in the green bin ready for collection tomorrow.

My lunch today was tuna mayo on crispbread with salad, and dinner for both of us was chickpea tikka. This evening DH had a couple of meetings and I had my small group from church. A really clear sky with an almost full moon, after a cloudless day: it will be cold tonight and warm tomorrow.

99p spent on another e-book.

Cherryfudge

Yesterday was another gorgeous day and today looks to follow suite. In fact the temperature is forecast to go over 20C!

Yesterday morning I hurriedly did some printing for the afternoon class then caught the bus. The beautiful cherry blossom is starting to fade but it's still lovely. The season is at that ethereal point where the birds sing non-stop and the last of the trees are tentatively greening, while those that started early are well on their way.

I stopped in a couple of charity shops as there's half an hour to spare after the bus arrives. Two books bought: one for us and one for the preschool group. Also some crayons. Total £5.47. I also bought grapes and paracetamol: the predicted cold has started with a sore-ish throat that progressed to feeling a bit feverish and sickly in the evening.

I stopped on a scenic bench to eat lunch and as a consequence was last into class, which was held out of doors to make the most of the day. I wished I'd brought sun cream and sun glasses but I don't think I've burnt, just got a bit of an achy face from screwing up my eyes a bit. It was lovely to be able to be out, though.

The evening was three hours of work followed by Southern Fried Chicken sandwich (thanks, DH).

This morning I've sent in my April timesheets. The March pay was good, but balanced by fewer hours over April so the next one will be lower. Having the class to help with is useful financially but I would almost do it for free as it's very satisfying.

Another small V1nted sale which I need to post today.

Cherryfudge

Friday jobs are done - church cleaning and paid work, a small amount of sorting out prior to taking the session for the children on Sunday, V1nted parcel posted, laundry done… no shopping though I'm going to order more weed killer, despite loathing the stuff.

The 'frog' of the day was raking moss out of the lawn and applying the weed and moss killer. I rescued some of the moss as I have a notion that I might make a Christmas wreath this year and the internet says I can gather my own moss. I suspect that however much I get, it won't be quite enough but it certainly won't if I don't try. I do feel rather sorry to try to eradicate it - it's a beautiful little plant - but honestly, the lawn mower was choking on it! There is also the dreaded ground elder which has spread despite last years hard work. Admittedly, the area I tackled in detail is still clear of it, but the lawn isn't, which is like leaving every door open for it to spread. Anyway, I've treated the tiny lawn (the one full of plantain) and one side of the larger one, and watered the stuff in as it apparently becomes harmless to wildlife once watered in and dried. Today was the perfect conditions.

After all the heat and blue sky (22C today), it clouded over this evening but I don't think rain is coming just yet. My cold is still developing and I was shattered by the time I got home. Dinner was a smoked haddock and cheddar fishcake from the depths of the freezer and DH finished the tikka. He seems to have a good day.

Watty1

Could some of the moss go around the base of some tubs? (I've been watching gardening reels on insta and it looks so pretty but no idea if it is a doable thing, then at the end of the summer you would still have it for the wreath)

Cherryfudge

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81984470#Comment_81984470

I did consider it as a liner for some baskets, but the blackbirds have always targeted anything like that! Whoopee, the woman has provided nesting materials again!

When you say 'around the base', is that as a sort of cushion for the tub to sit on, or inside?

Watty1

Inside, so you pot up whatever is in the pot and then cover the soil with a bit of moss so it looks pretty 😀(I honestly am cutting down scrolling time 😂)

Cherryfudge

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81984567#Comment_81984567

That does sound nice - I'm sure there's plenty more moss that I've not weedkiller-ed, which reminds me I need to gather up what I put to dry or it will get thrown away or scattered. It would create a much softer finish to pots.

Cherryfudge

I decided to stay at home today rather than wear myself out, but I got a few things done, starting with washing my hair. That always helps.

The lawn is now completely treated and to my surprise, the moss has already turned black in the area I did yesterday. Everything got watered too.

I've prepared the story and activity for the children tomorrow, though I'm left uncertain as to how many helpers I'll have. I can always ask a parent or two to stay if the child to adult ratio looks wrong. At about tea time I was feeling rather grim and started a message to ask if anyone would be willing to swap sessions with me, but remembered to check the rota and there's absolutely no one free to help. May was going to be a tricky month to cover: I knew that weeks ago. Thankfully, I feel quite a bit better now and am hoping a night's sleep will help.

This evening, I remembered the sausage meat was still in the fridge but probably shouldn't stay there much linger so I made the sausage rolls. I'm afraid I had two: they are delicious. It's a friend's recipe with stuffing and cranberries in.

DH went to the car boot sale in the afternoon but bought nothing. He's collected my prescription and got some bits and pieces in town, but I don't know how much. I spent just under a fiver on V1nted for a 1930s book on sewing. It's very decrepit but intriguing.

Watty1

Hopefully you had a good night's sleep and are set up for the day.