Moving on

Rhyddid2026

I am not a tree expert but I prune my Damson tree in June usually, I think I read that it needs to be in summer and not on a wet day. It's still too young to get fruit though, or maybe my bad pruning is why I haven't had fruit 😄

Cherryfudge

Oh, that's encouraging thanks, @Rhyddid2026. I pruned it in the summer last year and it looked good afterwards. At this point in the year, what fruit there is, is nigh-on invisible so I examine anything carefully before cutting, but the fruit just looks like leaves - perhaps the reason why I never get much fruit!

Cherryfudge

It's been a fairly full day. The washing got dried and ironed, including some hand washing. I spent some time washing plant pots and now have a couple of stacks of them, though I know there are more behind the shed. The idea is to get them all clean, then whatever I don't want can go in the recycling.

I've finally started the year's potting on by finding some deep pots for the two tomato plants I bought the other week. A bit of time was spent clearing elder and brambles from the least accessible corner of the garden that abuts the house - not perfect but not too bad now. I messaged someone on FB marketplace about a small log store, but it had already gone. We need to keep this year's newly cut wood separate from the seasoned wood that's ready to burn, so that's on the wish list now.

I've also taken my jugs down from the top of the bureau - they needed the clean I gave them. That set me on a trawl of V1nted for a replacement shade for an oil lamp. There were several nice ones, but not the right size, so that's another thing for the wish list. Then one of those odd coincidences happened: the story on Duolingo was about someone searching for an antique lamp and being offered one for free because it was dirty! Mine is all sparkly but only because I got the metal polish out this evening.

DH collected the car from its MOT, which only came to £52. However, he's been advised that the power steering won't last long and given the cost of that compared to the value of the car, DH thinks it's time to find some more wheels.

He made dinner: salmon in sauce with pasta. Lovely.

For those of you with older Kindles (like mine), I remain stubborn and haven't spent out on a replacement. I'm using the app on my phone to read a new book, as it won't show up on the Kindle proper, but I've also found that Open Library has an app. It's a bit creaky but an excellent source of older literature so I'm currently working through the 'Chalet School' books, which I'd never read before. There are huge amounts of them so I probably won't find all that many for free but it's nice to have a few.

peb

There's 64... depending on if paperback or hardback

If you get a kindle unlimited trial/freebie there are also Bettany Press Chalet School in India (fill in) and Jean of Storms - originally published in a newspaper and, one of my favourite books- school on the river

Cherryfudge

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82036484#Comment_82036484

Thanks for those, @peb - lots more to add to my reading list! I wonder how many are in electronic form? If not, there's the perennial joy of second hand bookshops, V1nted and 3bay…

I was shattered last night after a day looking after the little 'uns and my friends coming round for coffee in the evening, so nothing written. We did a small amount of shopping as supplies were low due to them being away over the weekend, but DS took an early lunch break and dropped off the main bulk of the shopping before lunch. We didn't manage to take the children out apart from to the (very local) supermarket as DGD1 always begs to stay at home and talks her sister into feeling the same. DGD2 doesn't seem to feel that way of her own accord. DH thinks it's good for them to go out every day, but admits it's partly about his need to be out and about. I'm much more like DGD1 and a home bird, so I'm happy for them to be at home so long as there's a variety of things over the course of the day to give mental and physical stimulation.

Anyway. DGD1 and I 'won' yesterday and I paid the price as DGD1 soaked me with a water pistol in the afternoon. Only the once, but that's all it takes to get very wet!

And on a similar subject, DS1 has lent us his power washer so I have to move the plant pots again and get the old concrete clear so I can clean it.

We had sausages yesterday for a quick and easy tea, then a bit of a clear up ready for my friend to come over. It's nice that we are managing to meet more often again, and this time we pulled together plans for our usual mid-summer meet-up. Normally we go for a walk but one lady has a hip op due in a few weeks so that's not going to happen. Instead we've made plans for lunch. The other person has a buyer for her house and an offer accepted on another - which turns out to be being sold by a sister in law of the lady who is due the surgery. Small world.

Today has started warm and sunny so I want to make something of that and progress on the garden. DH has a day off and has started it with a bike ride.

Cherryfudge

I cleared all the plant pots from the old concrete at the front and jet washed it. I've probably spent a couple of hours over all the parts of this job and the plants are still on the lawn, but the grass is trimmed back where it was overspilling, there's a bucket with the slate and soil mix from the edge, the hard standing is a lot cleaner and I've even taken the whole ensemble of jet washer, hose and extension flex to the back of the garden and jet washed part of the fence behind so there will be less to do if ever I get round to painting it. This is beyond our boundary but I have permission to paint our side.

DH made dinner, which was liver and bacon with baked potatoes, tinned tomatoes and fried onions. A golden oldie, taken in the break between the first wash of the concrete and the second (by which time I could see where I'd missed bits).

After all the garden stuff, I needed a shower and a change of clothes, then we went out for cappuccino (me), pineapple-flavoured lemonade (DH) and lemon drizzle cake (shared) before my work. I had a full card of coffee points so my drink was free.

Cherryfudge

Yesterday was on the warm side - we had our class with the door open to the winds that blow, which also meant the sound of a school field being mown next door, but it was an interesting afternoon: one person had their spoken exam and I was asked to sit in and contribute to the conversation. Of course I couldn't think of a huge amount to say but took advantage of my degree background (ancient though that is) to interject a new angle… no, I wasn't the one being examined, but I felt I ought to sound intelligent, and to give the examinee credit, they came back with a good response. Later I was working with the person I usually see.

The tutor dropped me off at the usual place for my evening work and I didn't bother to explain that they didn't have any work for me. We had been discussing the Far East (which sounds much more erudite than it was) as the tutor lived there and I've visited briefly. What brought that on was the humidity, which reminded us both of the climate we'd previously experienced. There were a few big drops of rain before I got home but it saved the downpour for when DH was cycling home from work. Meanwhile I'd collected a V1nted parcel of four vest tops which I'm very pleased with. Not new, but 'as new' and will replace the much-used ones that are now wearing out. That's as an extra layer in colder weather, so no chance of them being used right now, not even as a fashion item as I'd feel they were underwear!

I reached my 10,000 steps as I arrived home but inexplicably ran out of energy. I just about got the morning's washing in and some fishcakes out if the freezer, then was useless till about nine o'clock. I didn't go to bed as I'd have been up again about three, but predictably I felt okay in the later part of the evening and got ahead with some lesson planning.

Today is warm (25C or so) and sunny, and I've finally braved sorting through the alliums I bought last autumn, which I rightly suspected had rotted. I've saved a handful and put them in water to see if they will root, but what a waste! In some far distant day when the garden is all in order (who laughed, there at the back?!), I would like to get some more. Meanwhile, the garlic, bought at the same time and planted late, is doing well. There's another bag of it that can be planted now that we aren't working around builders.

Mysterious things are happening with my medication: neither DH nor I can find the bottle of iron supplement. How can I lose that? I went online to do my repeat prescription and found they think I have an item which I haven't seen, so I need to call in and see if it's at the pharmacy. Then I've saved an advert for an eye-care product that can be used alongside my dry-eye drops, but when I went to investigate, that's disappeared too.

This afternoon I'm looking after the DGDs so I need to push on, do some jobs and eat lunch.

Cherryfudge

We had a nice afternoon, though I had to be the wicked mother yet again when we played baby Princess Aurora. Definitely sun cream weather, and DGD2 spent a while playing with water, indoors as well as out. I can see the appeal.

DH collected me at five and I made a batch of chickpea tikka for dinner. There's plenty left for a couple more meals. There's also a bit more fridge space as I've had to throw out some items. I know I need to keep a better track of what's in there, but that didn't stop me going for a short walk this evening - to the supermarket with DH. A little under £12 spent.

Other spending has been £3.10 to W1kipedia (if it were a subscription service, everyone would say what wonderful value that is), and a couple of offers for items on V1nted. The one for a watch strap was turned down but I will probably get it anyway. The one for another item for my china collection was accepted (£8.87 with all the etceteras).

Probably not MS at all but it was an unusual piece that I think my parents had.

DH and I I were talking about large expenses. I thought last year was a big one as we had our path 'done', along with a small area at the back of the house, and I think there were other costs but offhand I can't remember. The path was worth it: it adds a lot to the look of the house and feels much safer than the old one. This year, the new roof has been costly and we are looking to replace our car and our cooker - and then there's the possible spend on solar panels. Even if politics settles down for a bit and fuel costs stabilise, I can't see that that's anything but a useful investment. DH has pointed out that if our next car is an EV, it could be extra helpful to generate at least some of our own power.

Those are hypothetical at the moment but the car and cooker will inevitably need to be dealt with, probably sooner rather than later.

Cherryfudge

The weather has been delightful: low twenties with a breeze to stop it being too hot, beautiful blue sky and small white clouds trying to tower though they weren't big enough, and over-topped by high whisps… I know it's cooler here than down south, but it's just right for me.

We took the hobby car to the car boot sale this morning (and for once I was more awake than asleep). DH didn't buy anything but I came away with two deep trays to stand plants in and simplify watering, a glass jar with a clip-on lid, two small kitchen storage jars and a courgette plant. Total spent, £4.50.

Dinner was breaded fish with vegetables and baked potatoes, after which I lounged around playing on my phone for ages and DH kindly straightened the kitchen. Eventually I bestirred myself to do some washing: the cushion covers needed it and have to go colour by colour and by hand. All dried by this evening. DH and I then walked into town and sorted out my missing prescription (the pharmacy had it), some more eye gel (they only had the more expensive one) and some toe foam for my blister. We've also had another look at cookers in the show room: I want the same size oven as we have at present, but noticed that for a few hundred pounds more (!) you can also get a cooker that air fries. As we don't have space for an air fryer, I'm not sure how much of an advantage that would be to us. We both rather liked the look of a particular model (no air frying capabilities) and have got as far as discussing delivery and removal of the old one.

After tea I did my share of church cleaning, the building having been used by another group during the day. It didn't take long but was extended because I found five bees stuck behind a window that doesn't open. I caught them gently in a thick wad of tissue and took each out of doors, so all was well.

I have fallen for the lure of V1nted again, twice. £7.19 for the watch strap and £9.29 for some shoes. The shoes weren't a planned purchase but are very much to my taste and a wider than normal fitting, which is a rare treasure in nice shoes! No, I don't really need them and yes, there's a possibility they may not be a good fit, but at the moment I'm limited in 'nice' shoes that look good with skirts.

Well, it's ten past eleven and there's still a pool of light in the sky to the north. I love this time of year - but I still need to get to bed.

WelshmansDaughter

I have found that I don't need an oven now that I have an air fryer and a portable induction hob.