Moving on

Cherryfudge

Yesterday, it rained. I always have to do a bit of planning so I have everything I need on Thursdays, going from one place of work to the other without a visit home in between. This time I was glad that I'd thought ahead and packed my scruffy work trainers and dry socks, as I changed into those on arrival at the afternoon class and so had a comfortable afternoon. The soggy trainers and socks are still in my work bag so I need to get those out and drying.

Both jobs went okay and I now know the hours worked on 8th May, so the timesheet needs to be finished and sent off soon.

No progress on DH's phone as he wanted to be sure of good network coverage and I discovered that despite the website saying it's 'good' in our area, I found places with no coverage yesterday. Home and the other end of town have both been good.

When I came in last night, DH had the heating on. So much for 'flaming June'! It was just right and the house is still warmer (possibly drier air?) this morning.

I downloaded a book from the Kindle offers the other day and my (old) Kindle is refusing to open it so I've been reading on the app. I guess the rot may have set in from Kindle refusing to update older models. For now, I'm holding out against replacing it. If reading on the app gives me access to newer books, that may work for me. I feel aggrieved at being expected to spend more with Kindle when they've devalued what I'd already bought from them. Besides, I might not have all those wretched adverts on another device! Or maybe I will…

My friend is coming round this afternoon so I am busy procrastinating about tidying up. I need to get there soon, or at least go out and buy something to drink as she's not a tea or coffee person. If I go sooner, I may avoid the possible rain. I've put off church cleaning till tomorrow, but at least I'm not on duty on Sunday and have done my team leader stuff for the week so it will be just cleaning.

Well, here's my To Do list in order to get me moving:

Get dressed

Empty work bags

Go to shops

Tidy lounge

Get stuff ready for work later

Do timesheet

If there's any time spare, pot on a houseplant or two. So many are struggling in their current pots which are too small and the compost must be exhausted.

Cherryfudge

I've just booked my sleep clinic phone consultation… next April. Perhaps it's time I took the weight loss a little more seriously, so the wait won't be wasted time.

On a completely different subject, I've been pushing myself with Duolingo and have finally gone up to another stage, partly thanks to a couple of people who have added me to their free trials of something or other. Feeling very pleased with myself! Who knows, I might actually eventually be able to go to France without worrying about headaches from trying to translate all the time, and if that's the case, and I could enjoy it in much the same way as going to an English-speaking country, it would take out some of the stress I get over holidays. Not that I'm anywhere near fluent but I'm certainly better than I was.

Cherryfudge

I actually got all my list bar the timesheet done, grabbed some cheese and onion rolls from Mr T rather than make lunch (and resisted eating a third one: the rest are in the freezer for now) then had a nice afternoon with my friend catching up on news and comparing experiences.

Work this evening was two and a half hours.

We had some more of the sweet potato dish for tea and there's still a small amount left over.

Watty1

next April ?? Oh my. I've been moaning about a three week wait to see a GP but that is some wait for the clinic. Still, positive attitude in deciding to use the months to do something positive towards health goals.

Cherryfudge

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82033460#Comment_82033460

I think a GP is probably potentially more urgent than the sleep clinic, but it shows the demand is there. I've written it on the calendar.

This morning was a slow-to-wake-up one. I wonder if that's because I won't have got to bed early the night before my friend came over, as social pressure does this to me. I enjoy her company very much but it's a step outside routine and the pressure I put on myself for the house to be 'presentable'. So there's a knock-on effect of being tired a couple of days later.

Anyway, DH had been to the shops for fish for lunch then went out again because he forgot the peas and I asked him to take the soft plastics recycling, all before I was ready to go out. He had offered the further-away car boot sale and a local art exhibition where some friends of ours have work on display but I just wanted easy and familiar and little chance of bumping into 'that particular' former client (though I've been okay the last few times I've seen him around).

We arrived as a few of the stalls were packing up, but there was still plenty to see and DH was happy because he found some WW2 headphones. I came away with lots of bits and pieces:

Four dolls' house items (£2 for all) including a tiny brass coal bucket which is perfect for my original dolls' house.

A cookery book (vintage 1982, so not as old as some I've bought). 50p.

A roll of dog poo bags, 50p (that cat keeps coming back to our lawn, grr).

Four trailing plants (white surfinia and a red one that I don't know) to replenish the wall baskets, total £4.

A bum bag, £2, as I'd been thinking I could do with one at work when it's too warm to wear a tabard.

A socket adaptor with USB ports so DH doesn't have to keep unplugging things on his side of the table.

I've also spent half an hour cutting the front hedge, and now I'm off to L1dl to spend a £5 off £35 voucher, then on to do the church cleaning (hope the church will be empty but sometimes there's an event on a Saturday). DH has gone to get a hacksaw blade so he can carry on fixing the bench and I've got a load of washing on the line, so the grey clouds are gathering again (but at least it's mild and there's a gusty wind).

Cherryfudge

The shopping got done - just over £60 across three shops but also a great many savings, mostly detailed here. I spent a bit longer on the cleaning than intended as I found dead woodlice, so was pulling some furniture out and cleaning behind, but at least it's done now and I was happy with how it looked when I left.

Dh was kind enough to give me a lift down and a lift home, and, amazingly, we had enough freezer space for the items that needed it.

Sun_Addict

I’ve had to let the £5 off £35 coupon go this time as I don’t need to spend that much in there at the moment. Sounds like you got a good haul for your £60 anyway.

Cherryfudge

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82034234#Comment_82034234

I have a T3sco one which is a large percentage saving off an £80 spend - but I won't be using it because I've no need to spend £80 in there. My original spend in L1dl - before the money-off voucher was applied but after the in-store discounts - was just over £40, and that was only because I bought two of some things I use anyway.

I don't think T. has looked at my spending patterns, they just threw a discount at me in the hope I'd bite! It was quite salutary to see what the N3ctar points added up to - an ordinary small shop was inflated because I was close to qualifying for triple points, but those extra points are worth 22p, which really doesn't make the extra spend worthwhile. Yes, they have gone on my account and at some point will be spent, but it's a big fuss over next to nothing. My best savings (in terms of a percentage of the original price) were actually !celand, with discounted fresh foods.

Cherryfudge

Sunday has been very quiet: church in the morning and I walked home after, which is the nearest I've been to exercise, then chicken pie for lunch and I fell asleep most of the afternoon. DH went for a bike ride.

When I finally woke up we did some work in the garden, trimming the damson that has shot up, as has everything else recently. I don't think this is the right time to prune damsons but it was taking over. There were also brambles with thick stems that weren't there a few weeks ago, so those are now reduced.

The plan for the week to come: not a huge amount going on as I'm only working Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon. The usual church cleaning slot will need to happen and I'm assisting, not leading, with the children on Sunday. However, I will try to spend part of tomorrow getting things in order for the Thursday class as exams are near and I want to use the time as well as possible.

Cherryfudge

Whoop, whoop - the window cleaner is here! At last the grime from the building work is gone! He did the sills too, so I've paid £10. I did think of asking him to sweep the flat roofs on the bays but that would have involved working out what to do with the slate chips thereon, so I've left it. We can get a ladder up there one day and sort it ourselves.

With no particular plan for the day, I'm getting on with jobs around the house. I've already cleared a corner which needed it and there's laundry in the machine and nearly finished.

I moved up another league in Duolingo last night and the competition is much tougher! I'm something like ninth and need to improve that today as whoever is in the lead at the beginning of the week stands a good chance of being the leader at the end. I only broke that barrier last week by putting in quite a bit of extra time and having a free pass for three days (which they dole out at random and you can then share with others: this one came from DH's niece who is doing German).