Moving on

Cherryfudge

The washing is all dry and indoors again and will need to be sorted, ironed where applicable and put away, but not tonight.

I finished mowing the lawn and am grateful to my past self for getting a Sharpie and writing on the mower which way to turn the adjusters to raise the blades. That was kind of me, and necessary today, though it took a few goes to get it cutting acceptably.

The trip to the shops for potatoes netted a few other things as well, including a large chicken reduced to £2.40 (half price) which I'll put in the slow cooker tomorrow. L1dl also had some LED fairy lights so I snapped some up as stocking fillers for certain people and one for me. Those were buy one get one free, effectively £1.50 each.

I had a text from DH as he got home before me, so he had the onions and carrot chopped by the time I got back. I proudly cut two leeks from the ones I planted last year. They are, er… rather slim. Less than 50g for the two of them! However, I've never grown a leek and eaten it before, so I'm happy to have accomplished that.

The Shepherd's pie was okay but not brilliant and there was a lot of filling left over, so I had an inspiration and wrapped the leftovers up as a sort of sausage roll, then turned the trimmings into jam tarts, thus making a start on another jar of greengage jam. It may have been cluttering up the fridge for months but oh! those greengages taste so fresh! The 'sausage roll' is now portioned out and frozen for lunches.

In the evening a friend gave me a lift to the church group, some of which was spent sorting out our summer schedule. It's wonderful coming home mid evening and it's still light.

WelshmansDaughter

It is full daylight by 4.30am here now which is... less enjoyable

rtandon27

We routinely have three loads a weekend here, but I try and do a wash mid week as well.

We split loads into whites/lights, blacks/darks, socks and underwear for him, t-shirts & jeans, dress shirts, delicates for her, sheets/towels.

Mainly this is to keep loads manageable as we have limited space to hang dry things both i side and out.

With a small house we get the loads put away as soon as dry. Ironing happens rarely as I try to hang things so they dry wrinkle free!

Watty1

The bra fitter I went to suggested taking bras into the shower. Said it saved on hand washing. So I’ve been doing that. Such a simple tip and had never occurred to me

Cherryfudge

Realised I mis-counted yesterday's washes as the jeans, once soaked in stain remover, went in the mixed wash - so 'only' six washes. Bras in the shower - guaranteed always to have a clean one to hand! What a clever idea. I learned from Flylady that you don't have to use the cleaning product that's marketed at you for specific jobs, so I will use shampoo or hand soap for trainer socks on holiday and they are dry and ready for wear in a day or so. I'm currently using baby shampoo to clean the bathroom (bath and basin) and it's very good - though too drying for my hair.

I love the look of very early morning light, @WelshmansDaughter , but I pay for it if I'm up to enjoy it. This morning I woke briefly at about 5 to a very odd yellow / grey light. Turns out it was raining (still is) but the colour was more like a thunderstorm.

And back to the subject of washes: when there were five of us living here, we used to divide between hot wash, mixed wash, reds, darks and, where they couldn't be accommodated elsewhere, separates. I do find a lot of things last better if washed by hand, but that's time-consuming.

I already have a spend to declare as a new, packaged electric toothbrush came up on V1nted for £13 plus their add-ons, about £16 in all. I knew I needed to replace mine this year as it's not holding a charge for long and after eight years, it probably doesn't owe me.

Ah - actual thunder has just started so I can see it's going to be indoor jobs this morning.

Sun_Addict

When we go on holiday I always wash my bikinis in the shower so I can't believe I haven't thought of washing bras the same way.

Cherryfudge

Mammoth load of ironing nearly done - I stopped as the iron eventually overheats.

The rain and thunder didn't last long and it's warmer with some sun. I was set to go down to do my bit of cleaning at the church this afternoon, but several things happened to get in the way. I put the chicken in the slow cooker late, so we will have it cold tomorrow. Then I had to check things needed for Sunday and the colouring activity ready to photocopy when the men arrived to take down the scaffolding. I'm steering clear but thought I ought to be in, in case needed.

Then I realised I'd not checked if my prescriptions are cleared so I can order some, and discovered the changed medications (after phone consultation with the pharmacy yesterday) aren't available till mid June, so I've found out how to request an override and am hoping some sense is made of my message.

That's why, at four o'clock, I'm still at home, not doing cleaning that will now have to move till Saturday as we planning to be out tomorrow.

liselle

Am off to lie down in a darkened room…..

As others have said, I don’t know how you do it….!

Cherryfudge

I think a lot of us get lots done - but don't always give a granular list to the world! 😁

The scaffolding removal didn't go smoothly: half of it is still here as they only had room for one load, but I came out as they were packing up and saw they'd broken the leading branch of our acer. The roofers had taken some out by dropping an aerial on it, and now the rest of that side is a few feet shorter too. The man I spoke to took a photo and said he'd tell his 'gaffer', but we've not heard any more as yet. Perhaps once they have collected the rest of the stuff?

I did three hours at work in the evening.

Today was DH's day off: we had an on/off plan for the day as DD had a set back with what looks like a post-viral flare of the flu she had the other week. On Wednesday was tired, nauseous etc and asked if we could be on standby to help with the baby, but on Thursday she was herself again so we went ahead with plan A, a drive to another town for lunch and a visit to the painting restorer. We found an Algerian restaurant and had good lunch (lamb shank for DH and a goat's cheese salad for me, followed by baklawa for him and a fancy coffee for me). The painting restorer was as interesting as last time and seemed to take to the painting DH brought in. He shares DH's opinions on possible age and country of origin, and pointed out a few things about the condition and how it's been displayed in the past. They've agreed he will work in stages and discuss with DH between each level of work.

I had to be back in time for work but we had enough time to collect my emergency prescription (I couldn't order as usual as the doctor wants to discuss my blood tests) then a parcel from V1nted which I've not opened yet but I know if a tee shirt. I admit I'm a size bigger than I used to be and really ought to do something about it, and that something doesn't have to mean buying larger clothes. However, I have also been eyeing up a tee shirt with a rhino on that says 'Save the chubby unicorn', and today I ordered one. £5.09.

Work was another three hours, and DH has collected the hobby car from its MOT, which, with work it needed, was £102.11. Parking was £4.10 and the meal was £46.80. Pay is in but I'm not going to go into finances right now.

Cherryfudge

Saturday, (a bit strange as yesterday felt exactly like a perfect Saturday,) and DH went for a blood test this morning in case his magnesium levels are low. He was back soon after ten so we went to the car boot sale, which was very warm and I was struggling to work out dark colours despite having a hat to shade my eyes. No clothes bought, but a few little treats: a small box of beads (50p), glue spreaders (50p), two pairs of (new) Sock Shop socks (£1 each), a sage plant and two tomato plants (£1.50 each). DH didn't buy anything.

I made chicken and chorizo pasta for our main meal and we watched more of Trading places, which gets better and better. The young adults all have real character that's not really been developed but they are doing amazingly.

The afternoon was a bit chaotic: I found the other item that I'd sold on Vinted and got them parcelled up, and the scaffolders came to take away the rest of their stuff. Finding the missing item meant a bit of a clear up in the spare room which reminded me there are various pairs of shoes I'd offered to my sister, but haven't seen her since. I'm not sure she will actually want any and they are cluttering the place up, so I sent her a message. However, it looks as though her phone is off, so I've bagged them all up.

Going out to post the parcel and collect two that had arrived for me was wearisome: I couldn't get the hang of posting via InP0st, and couldn't find the QR code for Evr1, so I came home with the parcel I'd wanted to post and one that I'd successfully collected. I sat down to work it all out and eventually found the QR code on a separate email (I wish they wouldn't send so many!). I opened my new parcel and was disappointed: it was a tee shirt and two camisoles, all in good condition and none of them what I would have chosen in a shop. I'm going to donate them. Going back, I managed to get the locker open but it was a top one and the (very small) parcel had gone right to the back so I rang DH to come and get it for me. You can't even close the locker for safekeeping as the code only works once. He then gave me a lift down to church as I was tired and just wanted to get the jobs out of the way.

Thankfully the photocopier was set up in a way I could work with (doesn't always happen) so I got the colouring sheets done and DH did some research on posting via InP0st. It turns out they are different from the other lockers: you scan the QR code and shut the parcel in the locker, and the courier sorts out the address label. Who knew? There's not a word about it on the lockers and I couldn't find it on the internet either. Anyway, that parcel is now posted, the photocopying is done for tomorrow, I collected my other parcel (which was as hoped), I checked what supplies the cleaning team need and sent a text to the friend who has taken that job on, and the scaffolding has gone with no further damage than a chip on an internal door which DH said is fixable. They wouldn't normally go through the house but I suggested it as nettles have grown in the back land since the scaffolding went up, and one of the crew was in shorts!

This evening I've still to finish preparing for tomorrow's session, but I spent some time hosing down the hard standing where the scaffolding has been, and watering the plants. One of the mystery irises has flowered for the first time and isn't purple! I have lots of purple ones and they are all too much in the shade and don't flower much. This is yellow tinged with brown. I'm really hoping I have a bronze one somewhere too. Other good news from the garden is some new grass coming through, though not much yet.